Sarah Dean is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Cornell University, affiliated with the College of Engineering. Her research focuses on the interplay of machine learning, optimization, and dynamics in real-world systems, particularly in control theory, recommendation systems, and ethical AI. Education: PhD in EECS, University of California, Berkeley (2021) Postdoctoral Research, University of Washington (2021-2022) Research Interests: Data-driven control systems, reinforcement learning, recommendation systems, user dynamics, algorithmic fairness, and the societal impacts of AI. She emphasizes foundational understanding of how learning systems interact with human and social processes. Recent Work Trends: Her articles explore topics like bilinear system identification, user participation dynamics in recommendation platforms, and ethical considerations in AI development. Recent work includes harm mitigation strategies and mathematical modeling of AI-human feedback loops. Awards: AI2050 Early Career Fellow (2024) Best Paper at ICML 2018 (Delayed Impact of Fair Machine Learning) Best Student Paper in Imaging Systems (OSA Congress 2018) Advising & Labs: Advises over 15 graduate and undergraduate students. Leads research on interactive ML systems, with contributions to projects like the 'MSGD' repository for streaming data learning. Active in the GEESE group, promoting socially responsible computing.
Professor Todd Squires is a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, within the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering. His research focuses on the fundamental principles of transport phenomena as applied to interfaces, membranes, and complex fluids, employing theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches to address significant challenges in micro-scale fluid mechanics. Dr. Squires' educational background includes: BS in Physics, UCLA (1995) BA in Russian Language and Literature, UCLA (1995) PhD in Physics, Harvard University (2002) His research interests span microfluidics and electrokinetics, active and nonlinear microrheology of complex materials, polymer dynamics and sensors, with particular emphasis on non-linear electrokinetic flows, interfacial rheology, and the self-assembly of nanostructured materials. His work bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with practical applications in microfluidic devices, energy storage, and biomedical systems, demonstrating the versatility of this fascinating field. Analysis of Professor Squires' recent publications reveals a consistent focus on interfacial phenomena, with particular attention to the rheological properties of fluid interfaces, particle dynamics in complex fluids, and novel microfluidic techniques for measuring and manipulating these systems. His research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between chemical engineering, physics, and materials science, with applications spanning energy storage, biomedical engineering, and environmental systems. Professor Squires has received numerous prestigious awards and honors: 2018 Robert W. Vaughan Lecture in Chemical Engineering, Caltech 2015 Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society 2013 Mid-Career Award, American Electrophoresis Society 2012 The Dudley Saville Memorial Lecture at Princeton 2010 Pierre Gilles de Gennes Prize 2010 Allan P. Colburn Memorial Lectureship, University of Delaware 2009 Francois Frenkiel Award for Fluid Mechanics 2009 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award 2008 Beckman Young Investigator 2007 NSF CAREER Award 2005 'Rising Star' - Chronicle of Higher Education As principal investigator of the Squires Group, Professor Squires leads a dynamic research team that combines experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to investigate transport phenomena at interfaces. His work has been supported by major funding agencies including the National Science Foundation, with his CAREER award indicating early recognition of his potential as both researcher and educator. While specific grant details aren't provided in the source material, his extensive publication record and prestigious awards suggest robust and sustained research funding. The Squires Group maintains state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for studying micro-scale fluid mechanics, including specialized equipment for microrheology measurements, microfluidic device fabrication, and interfacial characterization. Their research environment fosters collaboration across disciplines, with connections to materials science, physics, and biomedical engineering researchers at UCSB and beyond.
Trine Krogh Boomsma is a Professor in the Department of Insurance and Economics at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Mathematical Sciences. Her research focuses on optimization under uncertainty with significant applications in energy systems, particularly electricity markets, renewable energy investments, and power system planning. PhD in Mathematics-Economics, Aarhus University (2003-2007) Visiting PhD at University of Duisburg-Essen (2004) Academic career includes positions at Risø National Laboratory for Renewable Energy and Imperial College London Her work spans stochastic programming, real options analysis, and dynamic programming to address energy sector challenges. Key areas include support schemes for renewables, market risk modeling, and operational optimization of hybrid conventional-renewable systems. Recent research explores policy impacts on investment decisions and advanced scenario generation techniques. Major publications (2012-2020) cover renewable energy policy frameworks, power plant valuation models, and sequential market bidding strategies. These works emphasize electricity market dynamics, investment risk quantification, and robust planning under uncertainty. She teaches linear programming, integer programming, and stochastic programming applications in operational analysis, contributing to energy economics education at the department.
Athanasios TRIANTAFYLLOU is an Associate Professor of Finance at IÉSEG School of Management in France. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Athens (2017) and has held academic positions including Visiting Professor at Cornell University (2019), Lecturer at the University of Essex (2017–2022), and General Equilibrium Modeler at the National Technical University of Athens (2015). His research focuses on commodity markets, volatility forecasting, risk management, and monetary economics. Key contributions include analyzing commodity price uncertainty's impact on economic activity and financial markets. He has published extensively in journals like Journal of Futures Markets , Economics Letters , and International Journal of Finance and Economics . Education includes a BSc in Mathematics (2008), MSc in Accounting and Finance (2010), and M.Phil. in Economics (2013), all from Greek institutions. Professional experience includes risk management consulting at Ernst & Young (2016–2017). His teaching covers financial derivatives, multinational finance, and commodity markets. Research highlights include exploring the role of commodity price uncertainty in global economic dynamics and the predictive power of market information in corporate defaults. His work often bridges theoretical econometrics with practical policy implications, addressing issues like inflation dynamics driven by oil market risks and the tourism-led growth hypothesis in the Eurozone. TRIANTAFYLLOU’s publications emphasize volatility modeling, commodity market linkages, and the interplay between economic uncertainty and financial stability.
Craig Davis is a Professor and holds the Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Management at Oklahoma State University's Department of Natural Resource Ecology & Management. He has been a faculty member since 2001, advancing from Assistant Professor (2001-2007) to Associate Professor (2007-2012), and has served as Bollenbach Chair since 2014. Davis earned his PhD in Wildlife Science from Texas Tech University (1996), an MS from Iowa State University (1991), and a BS from Ohio State University (1988). He is also a Certified Wildlife Biologist through The Wildlife Society. His research focuses on avian ecology, wetland restoration, and gamebird management, with specific interests in fire-grazing interactions, invertebrate communities, and climate change impacts on ecosystems. Key areas include grassland bird survival, wetland classification systems, and the effects of anthropogenic development on wildlife habitats. Davis actively collaborates with conservation organizations and agencies, addressing challenges like invasive species management and water infrastructure resilience. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate courses on Wildlife Management Techniques and Wetland Ecology, as well as graduate courses like Advanced Wetland Ecology. His grants emphasize wetland restoration outreach, climate adaptation strategies, and studies on northern bobwhite and wild turkey populations. Notable projects include evaluating cellular transmission technology in wildlife monitoring and assessing the impact of extreme weather on gamebird survival. Grants (Selected): Expansion of potential wetland restoration opportunities in Oklahoma (2024-2027) Linking Research and Stakeholder Engagement for Wetland Conservation (2024-2026) Effects of Extreme Weather and Hunting on Northern Bobwhite (2023-2025) Research Themes: Aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 15 (Life on Land), 13 (Climate Action), 6 (Clean Water), 11 (Sustainable Cities), 14 (Life Below Water), and 9 (Industry/Infrastructure).
Mungo Wilson is a Professor of Finance at the Saïd Business School , University of Oxford, and an associate member of the Oxford-Man Institute of Quantitative Finance. He holds a PPE degree from Oxford, an MSc in Economics from LSE, and a PhD in Economics from Harvard. His research focuses on asset pricing, credit risk, mutual funds, and macroeconomic influences on financial markets. He has published extensively in top journals and engages actively with industry through board roles and advisory work. Education : Bachelor's in Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE), University of Oxford MSc Economics, London School of Economics PhD in Economics, Harvard University Research Interests : Assesses how macroeconomic conditions and credit risk shape asset prices Analyzes mutual fund behavior and market information transmission mechanisms Explores political dynamics' impact on financial markets His professional engagements include board memberships with funds like EA Asia Absolute Return Master Fund and advisory roles at Broadwell Capital. Teaching focuses on microeconomics for MBA programs, covering game theory, market structures, and price discrimination. Advisory & Grants : Supervises doctoral students at Saïd Business School and serves on programme committees for major finance conferences (e.g., European Finance Association, CEPR Annual Spring Symposium). Awards : While no specific prizes are listed, his impactful research has been widely cited and presented globally.
Andrew Postlewaite is the Harry P. Kamen Professor of Economics and Professor of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts and Sciences. He holds dual roles in the Department of Economics and the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics. As a distinguished academic, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves as a director at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Additionally, he is the founding editor of the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics and a research associate at Penn's Population Studies Center and Institute for Law and Economics. Postlewaite's research focuses on game theory, behavioral economics, and social norms, with contributions to mechanism design, repeated games, and intergenerational transmission of preferences. His work bridges theoretical foundations with applied economic analysis, particularly in areas like consumer behavior, decision-making, and institutional design. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Caltech, Harvard, and Stanford, reflecting his academic prominence. His scholarly contributions include pioneering studies on future-oriented decision-making, interdependent valuations in markets, and equilibrium concepts in repeated games. Recent publications explore topics such as the impact of local media accessibility in the digital age and the welfare implications of consumption fluctuations. His editorial leadership at journals like Econometrica and International Economic Review underscores his influence in shaping economic discourse. Awarded prestigious fellowships and editorial roles, Postlewaite's career exemplifies a blend of rigorous theoretical research and practical applications in economics. His current research trends emphasize behavioral insights and the methodological underpinnings of economic models, reflecting a commitment to advancing both theory and real-world relevance.
Yaojun Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Department of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University. She earned her PhD in Physics from the University of California, San Diego (2015), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science (2015-2018) and the Princeton Center for the Physics of Biological Function (2018-2021). Her research focuses on biological physics, particularly the complex behaviors of biomolecules and their assemblies across scales—from single-molecule folding to intracellular transport and biomolecular phase separation. She employs theoretical, mathematical, and computational tools to bridge biological questions with physical principles. Education PhD in Physics, University of California, San Diego (2015) Postdoctoral Fellowships: Princeton University (2015-2021) Research Interests Her group studies biomolecular condensates and liquid-liquid phase separation, exploring how microscopic interactions determine macroscopic properties of cellular compartments. Key areas include: Biomolecular condensate formation and dynamics Phase separation in cellular environments Interactions between biomolecules and cellular components Biophysics of intracellular transport Collaborations & Tools Zhang collaborates with experimentalists to validate theoretical models and develops frameworks for understanding condensate functions, such as surface tension, stoichiometry, and phase diagrams. Her work addresses challenges like condensate stability, molecular exclusion, and biological function regulation. Labs & Resources She leads the Zhang Lab , which integrates experimental and computational approaches. Her team’s research is supported by resources at the Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy.
David Alvarez-Melis is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). He leads the Data-Centric Machine Learning (DCML) group and holds affiliations with the Kempner Institute, Harvard Data Science Initiative, and the Center for Research on Computation and Society. His research focuses on making machine learning more data-efficient and trustworthy, with applications in natural and medical sciences. He also serves as a researcher at Microsoft Research New England. Affiliations: SEAS, Kempner Institute, Harvard Data Science Initiative, CRCS Education: PhD in Computer Science (MIT), MS in Mathematics (NYU Courant), BSc in Applied Mathematics (ITAM) Research Interests: Optimal Transport, dataset distillation, interpretable AI, medical imaging, robustness, and large language models. His work bridges theory and applications, emphasizing geometric and probabilistic methods. Recent Trends in Publications: Focused on advancing optimal transport for data manipulation, distributional deep equilibrium models, and repurposing LLMs for specialized domains. Key themes include synthetic dataset generation, gradient flows in probability spaces, and robust interpretability frameworks. Awards: Aramont Fellowship, Dean’s Competitive Fund, Top Reviewer awards at major conferences (ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML). Grants: Supported by the Aramont Fund and Harvard’s Dean’s Fund. His lab advises students across Harvard and MIT, with notable contributions to medical imaging, NLP, and foundational ML theory. He actively mentors interns and fosters collaborations with industry and academia.
Alp Atakan Overview Alp Atakan is a Professor and Head of School in the School of Economics and Finance at Queen Mary University of London. He holds a PhD from Columbia University and previously served as an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University and Associate Professor at Koç University. His research focuses on Microeconomic Theory, Game Theory, Auction Design, and Information Economics. Key contributions include studies on reputation dynamics, search markets, and information aggregation in auctions. Education PhD in Economics (with distinction), Columbia University, 2003 MA in Economics, Columbia University, 2000 MBA, Columbia University, 1997 BS in Economics, University of Pennsylvania, 1993 Research & Grants Recipient of an ERC Consolidator Grant (2016–2021) for 'Market Selection, Frictions, and the Information Content of Prices'. Notable research includes work on bargaining dynamics, price discovery mechanisms, and the role of information asymmetry in auctions. He has published in top journals like Econometrica , Journal of Economic Theory , and American Economic Review . Teaching spans MBA/EMBA courses on managerial economics and microeconomic theory, alongside advanced graduate courses in game theory and dynamic programming. Grants & Projects ERC Consolidator Grant: Market Selection & Price Information (€1,089,000) Tubitak Grants: Sequential Debate (2014–2015) and Auctions & Information (2012–2014) His work bridges theoretical economics with practical market design, emphasizing strategic interactions in decentralized systems.
Ming Hu is a Professor and University of Toronto Distinguished Professor of Business Operations and Analytics at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He serves as Area Coordinator for the Operations Management & Statistics Area and holds editorial leadership roles including Editor-in-Chief of Naval Research Logistics and Associate Editor for multiple top journals. MS in Applied Mathematics, Brown University (2003) PhD in Operations Research, Columbia University (2009) His research focuses on sharing economy , social operations , and platform economics , examining how operational decisions can maximize societal benefit. Key areas include crowdfunding , two-sided markets , crowdsourcing , and group buying , with applications to DEI , sustainability , and AI-empowered operations . Recent work analyzes spatial operations in delivery systems, algorithmic fairness , and climate change adaptation in agricultural supply chains. His publications span top journals like Management Science and Operations Research , covering topics from blockchain traceability to quantum-inspired optimization . Scientific recognitions include: Wickham Skinner Early-Career Research Award (2016) Best Operations Management Paper in Management Science (2017) 2018 Poets & Quants Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors As an Amazon Scholar (2022–) and Chair of Chain Analytics Institute (2023–), he bridges academic research with industry applications in AI-driven logistics and sustainable operations.
Marina Agranov is Professor of Economics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), affiliated with the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences. She directs research through the Ronald and Maxine Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences, Center for Social Information Sciences (CSIS), and Center for Theoretical and Experimental Social Sciences (CTESS), and serves as Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Her academic credentials include a B.A. from St. Petersburg State Technical University (1999), M.A. from Tel Aviv University (2004), and Ph.D. from New York University (2010). She joined Caltech as Assistant Professor in 2010 and was promoted to full Professor in 2017. Agranov's research pioneers experimental and behavioral economics, focusing on strategic decision-making in bargaining games, social learning environments, network interactions, and information dynamics. Her work examines how individuals form beliefs and navigate tensions between personal goals and collective outcomes, often using controlled laboratory experiments to test theoretical predictions about human behavior under uncertainty. Her recent publications reveal a consistent methodological approach: blending game-theoretic models with experimental validation to investigate communication effects, randomization preferences, and institutional design. Key trends include analyzing how uncertainty impacts committee negotiations, how complexity influences egalitarian outcomes in legislative bargaining, and how information structures shape social learning on networks. Her scientific recognition includes: Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT) Teaching Award (2017-18) Professor Agranov's research has secured significant institutional support through Caltech centers and NBER affiliation, with findings featured in major economics journals and Caltech news coverage including "Decision by Committee: How Uncertainty Shapes Negotiations" (December 2024) and "Experimental Economics in Theory and Practice" (July 2023). Her work on committee decision-making under uncertainty has direct implications for institutional design in political and corporate governance. She actively contributes to Caltech's research ecosystem through CSIS and CTESS, which facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations in social sciences and experimental methodology development.
Fatma Kılınç-Karzan is an Associate Professor of Operations Research at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, with a courtesy appointment as Associate Professor of Computer Science. She is also affiliated with the Algorithms Combinatorics and Optimization (ACO) PhD Program and was a Visiting Scientist at Berkeley's Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing during Fall 2017. Her educational background includes a PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology's H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering with a minor in Mathematics, supervised by Prof. Arkadi Nemirovski. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Industrial Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University with a minor in Information Systems. Dr. Kılınç-Karzan's research spans mathematical optimization with emphasis on convex and non-convex optimization theory, algorithms, and applications. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations in optimization under uncertainty (robust optimization, chance constraints, distributionally robust optimization), machine learning (preference learning from limited data), and business analytics. She develops foundational theory for large-scale optimization problems with applications in decision making under uncertainty and high-dimensional statistical inference. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on convex hull characterizations, semidefinite programming relaxations, distributionally robust optimization, and online convex optimization frameworks. Her work demonstrates increasing integration of optimization theory with machine learning applications, particularly in developing data-driven approaches for decision making under uncertainty. NSF CAREER Award (2015) INFORMS Optimization Society Young Researcher Prize (2015) INFORMS Junior Faculty Interest Group (JFIG) Best Paper Award (2014) BP Junior Faculty Chair (2014-2015) Faculty Giving Chair (2012-2013) Wimmer Fellowship (2012-2013) Dr. Kılınç-Karzan has successfully mentored numerous PhD students who have received prestigious awards, including the 2021 INFORMS Optimization Society Best Student Paper (1st prize) and multiple honorable mentions. Her research has been supported by significant grants including an NSF CAREER Award, an ONR grant (with S. Küçükyavuz), and an AFOSR grant. She serves on editorial boards for Mathematical Programming, Operations Research, Mathematics of Operations Research, and other leading journals, and has held leadership positions in professional societies including the Mathematical Optimization Society and INFORMS Computing Society. Through her affiliations with CMU's Tepper School, Computer Science Department, and ACO Program, she collaborates across disciplines to advance optimization theory and its applications. Her professional service includes committee chair roles for major INFORMS competitions and program committee leadership for international optimization conferences.
Stephen Marglin is the Walter S. Barker Professor of Economics at Harvard University, Department of Economics. His research critically examines foundational assumptions of economics, particularly how economic theories marginalize community and cultural values. He explores labor-surplus economies, cost-benefit analysis, and macroeconomic adjustment processes. His work challenges mainstream economics through publications like The Dismal Science: How Thinking Like an Economist Undermines Community (2008). Marglin also advises governments and international agencies on economic policy, including recent tax reform work in Puerto Rico. His teaching integrates standard economics with critical perspectives, focusing on modernity's cultural impact and globalization. Research interests include development economics, economic theory, and the interplay between economic systems and cultural values. His articles span Keynesian theory reinterpretation, labor dynamics, and critiques of neoclassical economics. Marglin collaborates with his spouse, anthropologist Frédérique Apffel-Marglin, blending economic and cultural analyses. Personal interests include gardening, animal husbandry, and family life. He has held roles such as adviser to governments and institutions, emphasizing policy relevance. His academic contributions are translated into multiple languages, reflecting global influence.
Alexey Gorshkov is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland (UMD) affiliated with the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) and the Quantum Information and Computer Science Laboratory (QuICS). His primary academic role is in theoretical physics, focusing on quantum optics, quantum information science, and condensed matter physics. He leads a research group exploring quantum magnetism with alkaline-earth atoms, driven-dissipative systems, topological matter, and strongly interacting photons. His work bridges AMO (atomic, molecular, and optical) systems with high-energy and condensed matter physics, emphasizing quantum simulation and novel quantum technologies like precise clocks and quantum computers. Education details are not explicitly listed, but his research collaborations with institutions like JQI and UMD suggest advanced academic training in theoretical physics. His research interests revolve around understanding and controlling quantum many-body systems, particularly in far-from-equilibrium scenarios, entanglement dynamics, and dissipation effects. He has contributed to studies on Rydberg atoms, quantum routing protocols, and error mitigation in quantum simulators. Recent articles highlight his work on quantum protocols for verifying speedups, time-independent information flow, and entanglement dynamics. His group's achievements include demonstrating one-dimensional anyons and developing methods for correlated noise estimation with quantum sensors. Awards and grants are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text, but his prolific publication record indicates sustained research impact. Labs and teams associated with him include the JQI and QuICS, where he collaborates on experimental and theoretical projects. Graduate student and postdoc positions are available in his group, focusing on areas like quantum magnetism and topological systems. His work often involves close ties with experimental groups, emphasizing practical applications of theoretical breakthroughs.