Anna Levina is an Assistant Professor for Computational Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen , affiliated with the Department of Computer Science under the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on the self-organization of neuronal activity, critical dynamics in neural networks, and the excitation/inhibition balance in cortical circuits. Current positions: Assistant Professor (since 2018), Group Leader (2017-2018), Equality Officer (Computer Science) Previous roles: IST Fellow (2015-2017), Associated Researcher (2011-2015), Postdoc/PI (2011-2015), Postdoc (2008-2011) Her research integrates mathematical modeling , statistical physics , and computational neuroscience to study criticality phenomena, neural avalanches, and adaptive network dynamics. Key interests include: Self-organized criticality in neural systems Excitation/Inhibition balance mechanisms Network topology and dynamics Timescale analysis in neural processing Stochastic modeling of neural activity Recent publications reveal trends in understanding critical dynamics across biological and artificial networks, with applications to memory systems, sensorimotor integration, and disease modeling. She has received recognition as an IST Fellow .
Dr. Jia Zhang is the Inaugural Robert H. Dedman Jr. Endowed Department Chair and Professor of Computer Science at Southern Methodist University (SMU Lyle School of Engineering). She holds the Cruse C. and Marjorie F. Calahan Centennial Chair in Engineering and has a courtesy appointment in the Department of Operations Research and Engineering Management. Her research focuses on applying machine learning, natural language processing, and information retrieval to data science infrastructure, particularly scientific workflows, provenance mining, software discovery, knowledge graphs, cloud computing, immune AI, and applications in earth science and healthcare. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago M.S. in Computer Science, Nanjing University B.S. in Computer Science, Nanjing University Dr. Zhang's work emphasizes data science infrastructure and machine learning for scientific workflows and knowledge graphs. Her recent publications highlight deep learning , graph neural networks , and optimization algorithms in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and environmental applications. Key trends include spatiotemporal modeling , hybrid neural architectures , and AI-driven service ecosystems . Scientific Awards: Best Paper Awards IEEE SCC (2011, 2017) Best Student Paper Awards IEEE ICWS (2014, 2018), IEEE ICCC (2018) Distinguished Paper Award ICSOC (2023) First Outstanding Service Award IEEE Technical Committee on Services Computing (2016) She has secured over $5 million in federal grants (as PI) and $11 million as PI/Co-PI from NSF, NASA, NIH, UTSW, Ericsson, SAP, and Google. Her lab (Caruth Hall 308) actively recruits research assistants. She previously served as a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, Northern Illinois University, and Nanjing University, and worked in industry as a software architect.
Jim Smith is a Professor in Interactive Artificial Intelligence at the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, affiliated with the School of Computing and Creative Technologies and the Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies. He serves as Director of the Computer Science Research Centre and leads the AI@UWE theme. His research is supported by UKRI, Innovate UK, and partnerships with organizations including Health Data Research UK, Office for National Statistics, NHS Scotland, and DSTL. University: University of the West of England School: School of Computing and Creative Technologies Department: Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies Role: Professor in Interactive Artificial Intelligence Leadership: Director, Computer Science Research Centre Research Interests : Jim Smith's work focuses on Interactive Artificial Intelligence, particularly at the intersection of AI and privacy preservation when using sensitive data for public good. His research includes statistical disclosure control, privacy leakage from AI models, evolutionary computation, machine learning, and systems that learn through human interaction or self-adaptation. He explores how AI can automate privacy checks in research outputs and assess vulnerabilities in trained models. Recent Publications : His recent work spans AI privacy in trusted research environments (e.g., SACRO, SDC-Reboot), dialogue act classification, human-robot interaction, and visualization of deep learning models. Themes include privacy-preserving AI, automated disclosure control, interactive machine learning, and neuromorphic computing. Machine Learning & Privacy Evolutionary Computation Interactive AI Systems Human-Computer Interaction Statistical Disclosure Control Federated Learning Security Scientific Awards : No specific awards are mentioned in the provided texts. Advising and Grants : He currently supervises PhD students on topics including spatio-temporal air quality modeling, federated learning privacy, and threat detection in mobile networks. He leads Innovate UK and UKRI-funded projects such as SACRO and SDC-Reboot, focusing on AI-driven solutions for data confidentiality in public sector research. Interactive Machine Learning for Claim Settlement (Innovate UK) SDC-Reboot (DARE UK/Health Data Research UK) Threat Identification in Mobile Networks (Ribbon Communications) Labs and Teams : He leads the AI@UWE initiative and the Computer Science Research Centre at UWE. His work involves collaboration through DARE UK and open-source development via the AI-SDC GitHub organization, which hosts tools from SACRO and GRAIMATTER projects.
Max Lau is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and the Department of Epidemiology at Emory University. His research focuses on integrating machine learning and computational methods with epidemiological and genomic data to study infectious disease dynamics. He teaches courses such as BIOS 790R (Advanced Seminar in Biostatistics) and DATA 534 (Applied Machine Learning). Dr. Lau's work emphasizes scalable Bayesian inference, graph neural networks, and stochastic modeling to address challenges in disease transmission, outbreak control, and pathogen evolution. His recent research includes developing tools like ScITree and Epilearn, and he has contributed to understanding measles dynamics, tuberculosis treatment, and livestock disease management. His academic contributions span over 30 publications since 2010, with a particular focus on phylodynamics, epidemic modeling, and vaccine strategy evaluation. His interdisciplinary approach bridges computational methods with public health applications, aiming to enhance disease prediction and intervention efficacy.
Leslie Valiant is the T. Jefferson Coolidge Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics in Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where he has held a faculty position since 1982. A foundational figure in theoretical computer science, his work bridges artificial and natural computational phenomena across multiple disciplines. His academic background includes education at: King's College, Cambridge Imperial College, London Ph.D. in Computer Science from Warwick University (1974) Valiant's research spans computational complexity , machine learning theory , parallel systems , and computational neuroscience . He pioneered the PAC (Probably Approximately Correct) learning framework that established computational learning theory as a rigorous field. His holographic algorithms work revealed deep connections between computational complexity and statistical physics, while his neuroidal model and evolvability theory provide computational explanations for cognitive processes and biological evolution. Current investigations focus on cortical computation primitives and knowledge infusion architectures. His publication trends show increasing integration of neuroscience with computational theory since 2010, with dominant themes in holographic computation (2006-2018), cortical modeling (2012-2018), and evolvability (2009-2017). The work consistently applies computational complexity analysis to biological and cognitive systems. Major recognitions include: Nevanlinna Prize (1986) for mathematical aspects of computer science Knuth Award (1997) for foundational algorithms contributions EATCS Award (2008) for theoretical computer science impact Turing Award (2010) for computational learning theory and complexity Fellowship in the Royal Society and National Academy of Sciences Valiant's research has been supported by NSF and international grants enabling cross-disciplinary work in computational neuroscience and evolutionary algorithms. While specific advisees aren't documented in source materials, his theoretical frameworks have shaped generations of researchers in machine learning and complexity theory. His current research group explores neuroidal architectures for cognitive computation, investigating how cortical circuits achieve robust information processing through in-circuit testing methodologies. Ongoing projects aim to identify fundamental computational primitives in neural systems and develop biologically inspired AI frameworks.
Nathan (Nati) Linial is a Professor at the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he has been a faculty member since completing his postdoctoral period at UCLA. He earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics from the Technion and his PhD in graph theory from the Hebrew University. His research spans multiple areas of theoretical computer science and mathematics, with primary focus on combinatorics, theoretical computer science, and bioinformatics. Linial's work has made significant contributions to high-dimensional combinatorics, expander graphs, metric embeddings, and computational molecular biology. His research often bridges geometry, analysis, and combinatorial structures, demonstrating deep connections between seemingly disparate mathematical fields. Linial's recent publications reveal a strong trend toward high-dimensional combinatorial structures, including simplicial complexes, hypertrees, and high-dimensional permutations. His work frequently employs probabilistic methods, linear programming techniques, and geometric approaches to solve fundamental combinatorial problems. The breadth of his research is evident in both pure mathematical contributions and applications to computational biology. Fellow of the American Mathematical Society ISI Highly Cited Researcher Conant Prize (2008) for the influential survey paper "Expander graphs and their applications" Linial has served on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals including the Israel Journal of Mathematics (as Chief Editor 2013-2017), Random Structures and Algorithms, and Combinatorica. His academic leadership extends to organizing conferences and workshops in combinatorics and theoretical computer science. He has mentored numerous students whose work spans theoretical computer science, combinatorics, and computational biology. Linial is associated with research projects including ProtoNet (for protein sequence classification) and EVEREST (for evolutionary conserved protein domains), demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary research that bridges computer science with molecular biology.
Satish Rao is a Professor in the Computer Science Division at the University of California, Berkeley. He is affiliated with the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing and the Center for the Theoretical Foundations of Learning, Inference, Information, Intelligence, Mathematics and Microeconomics at Berkeley (CLIMB). His research focuses on algorithms, combinatorial optimization, graph theory, and theoretical computer science with applications to computational biology and machine learning. Rao has held teaching roles for courses such as CS 70 (Discrete Mathematics and Probability Theory) and CS 270 (Spring 2024). He has been recognized with prestigious awards including ACM Fellow (2013), the Delbert Ray Fulkerson Prize (2012), and the Okawa Research Grant (1999). Research Interests: Algorithm design, graph algorithms, combinatorial optimization, computational biology, and machine learning. Key Contributions: Pioneering work on metric embeddings, approximation algorithms, and network flow problems. Notable publications include foundational papers on tree metrics, distributed object location, and electrical flow-based optimization. Rao’s work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications, including contributions to phylogeny estimation, anomaly detection, and parallel computing frameworks like the BSP model.
Tom Leinster is a mathematician at the University of Edinburgh, specializing in category theory, metric geometry, and their applications to areas such as algebra, topology, and mathematical biology. His research focuses on the concept of magnitude, a measure for metric spaces and enriched categories, as well as entropy and diversity. He has authored influential books including *Basic Category Theory* and *Entropy and Diversity: The Axiomatic Approach*. Leinster's work bridges foundational mathematics with interdisciplinary applications, emphasizing the interplay between abstract structures and concrete problems. His research interests span category theory, metric geometry, algebraic topology, and mathematical biology. Key contributions include foundational work on magnitude and its connections to geometric measure theory, entropy characterization, and categorical frameworks for diversity measurement. Leinster also engages in mathematical education and ethics, advocating for responsible research practices. Notable publications include recent advancements in magnitude homology of Euclidean sets, extremal magnitude in metric spaces, and entropy modulo primes. His work often highlights interdisciplinary applications, such as biodiversity quantification and information-theoretic foundations.
Ming Cao is a Full Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), holding positions in the Department of Discrete Technology and Production Automation, the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen, and serving as Chair of the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI. His academic roles include Director of the Jantina Tammes School and membership in prestigious organizations such as the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) and the European Commission’s DG CNECT. Cao’s research focuses on multi-agent systems, autonomous robotics, complex networks, and cooperative control, with applications in robotics, epidemic modeling, and biomimetic sensors. Education: PostDoc in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University (2008), PhD in Electrical Engineering from Yale University (2007). Research Interests: Multi-agent systems, distributed decision-making, cooperative control, robotic teams, seal whisker-inspired flow sensing, and privacy-preserving control systems. Recent Trends in Articles: Recent work emphasizes co-evolutionary dynamics in social-technical systems, privacy in control systems, and biomimetic robotics. Key topics include feedback mechanisms in cooperation, hypergraph-based epidemic models, and seal whisker mechanics for underwater sensing. Awards: European Control Award (2016), Manfred Thoma Medal (2017), ERC Grant (2012). Grants: Vidi Grant from NWO (2015) for agent coordination research. Labs/Teams: Jan C. Willems Center for Systems and Control, Research Center for Data Science and Systems Complexity (DSSC). Active in editorial roles for journals like Artificial Life and Robotics and the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization .
Max Alekseyev is an Associate Professor in the Mathematics Department and Computational Biology Institute. His research spans computational graph theory, enumerative combinatorics, computational/algorithmic biology, and comparative genomics. He focuses on interdisciplinary problems, blending mathematics with biological applications, particularly in genome assembly and analysis. His work includes advancements in genome scaffolding algorithms, combinatorial sequence analysis, and mathematical biology. Notable contributions involve genome assembly tools like CAMSA and studies on ancestral genome reconstruction. He also explores theoretical topics such as Bernoulli series generalizations and modular data classification. His research trends highlight a blend of pure mathematics (e.g., number theory, graph theory) and applied computational methods, addressing challenges in genomics and evolutionary biology. He secured an NSF Student Travel Grant in 2018 for computational molecular biology.
Piotr Zwiernik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts and Science, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Mathematics. Currently on leave from the University of Toronto, he is based in Barcelona following his return in July 2025. His academic journey includes a PhD in Statistics from the University of Warwick (2011), research positions at prestigious institutions including Mittag Leffler Institute, IPAM, TU Eindhoven, UC Berkeley, and the University of Genoa, and an Assistant Professorship at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona (2016-2021). His research spans the intersection of statistics, mathematics, and computational methods, with particular emphasis on graphical models, covariance matrix estimation, convex analysis, tensors, and algebraic and combinatorial methods in statistics. Zwiernik's work demonstrates a consistent focus on high-dimensional statistics, mathematical statistics, and elegant theoretical frameworks that bridge abstract mathematics with practical statistical applications. His recent publications reveal a deepening exploration of tensor analysis, algebraic statistics, and the geometric properties of statistical models. Zwiernik serves as an associate editor for leading journals including Biometrika, Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, and Algebraic Statistics. His research program includes the development of the GOLAZO R package for asymmetric regularization of log-likelihood in Gaussian graphical models. As an academic leader, he has served as Associate Chair for Research in his department and actively participates in numerous international conferences and workshops, reflecting his significant standing in the statistical community. His recent publications show a strong trend toward algebraic and geometric approaches to statistical problems, with increasing focus on tensor methods, positivity constraints in statistical models, and the theoretical foundations of graphical models. The work demonstrates remarkable continuity in exploring the mathematical structures underlying statistical models while adapting to emerging challenges in high-dimensional data analysis. Zwiernik is committed to mathematical accessibility and education, guided by Federico Ardila's four axioms which emphasize equitable distribution of mathematical potential, joyful mathematical experiences, mathematics as a malleable tool, and treating every student with dignity and respect. He actively seeks PhD students with strong mathematical backgrounds for research at UPF or the Institute of Mathematics of UPC.
Cécile Mailler is a Reader in Probability at the University of Bath, where she is a member of the probability group Prob-L@B. She has held significant research positions including an EPSRC postdoctoral fellowship (2018-2021) titled "Random trees: analysis and applications" and previously worked as a postdoc at Prob-L@B (2013-2016) as part of Peter Mörters' EPSRC project "Emergence of Condensation in Stochastic Networks". She earned her PhD under the supervision of Brigitte Chauvin and Danièle Gardy at the Laboratoire de Mathématiques de Versailles. Her research focuses on probability theory with emphasis on branching processes, random trees, reinforcement mechanisms, Pólya urns, stochastic approximation, random networks, and statistical physics. She has made significant contributions to understanding preferential attachment models, zero-range processes, and random Boolean trees. Her work bridges theoretical probability with applications in statistical physics and combinatorics. Analysis of her recent publications shows a strong focus on random tree structures, branching processes, and reinforcement learning algorithms, with applications spanning from network theory to statistical mechanics. Her research demonstrates sophisticated mathematical techniques applied to complex stochastic systems, particularly those with reinforcement mechanisms and memory effects. Associate Editor of the Applied Probability Trust (since October 2020) Associate Editor of Stochastic Processes and Their Applications (since March 2022) Author of a general introduction to Pólya urns for the LMS Newsletter (November 2020) Co-organizer of the "Random Walks: Applications and Interactions" conference at CIRM (January 2026) She actively supervises PhD students working on topics including the multi-city ants process, Pólya urns with growing initial composition, large deviations for the Monkey walk, and competing growth processes. She has secured research funding through EPSRC fellowships and has been involved in multiple collaborative projects with prominent researchers in probability theory. Mailler regularly teaches mini-courses on advanced probability topics at international summer schools and workshops, demonstrating her commitment to knowledge dissemination in the field.
Yuanzhu Chen is a Professor in the School of Computing at Queen’s University, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science. He previously served as Professor and Department Head at Memorial University of Newfoundland (2005–2021). His research focuses on computer networking, mobile computing, complex networks, and applied machine learning, emphasizing wireless innovation beyond traditional wired systems. He holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University (2004) and a B.Sc. from Peking University (1999). Education: PhD in Computing Science (Simon Fraser University, 2004); B.Sc. in Computer Science (Peking University, 1999). Earlier roles include Post-doctoral Researcher at Simon Fraser University (2004–2005) and leadership positions at Memorial University, including Department Head (2019–2021). Research Interests: Network Coding and Opportunistic Routing Mobile and Wireless Network Protocols Complex Network Analysis Machine Learning Applications Indoor Positioning Systems Social Network Dynamics Selected Awards: Recipient of Queen’s University President's Award for Distinguished Teaching. Lab Affiliation: Director of the Wireless Networking and Mobile Computing Lab (WineMocol). Active in collaborative projects involving smartphone sensors, community-based environmental monitoring, and stock market prediction using web data.
Professor David Thomas holds the position of Professor in Computer Engineering at the University of Southampton's Electronics and Computer Science Department. His research focuses on the intersection of software and hardware, particularly leveraging FPGAs for novel digital architectures and event-driven computing. He has a notable academic trajectory, having previously served as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London before joining Southampton in 2021. Dr. Thomas is actively involved in supervising PhD students and contributes to interdisciplinary research projects funded by the EPSRC, such as the SONNETS initiative exploring scalable event-triggered systems. Education: BSc in Computer Science (Imperial College London), PhD in Digital Architectures (Imperial College London). Postdoctoral roles included Research Associate and Research Fellow at Imperial's Department of Computing. Research Interests: Event-driven computing, FPGA-based systems, high-level synthesis, and high-performance computing. His work emphasizes practical implementations of theoretical models, such as custom processors and application-specific accelerators. Current projects include optimizing random number generation for FPGAs and exploring meta-programming techniques for hardware design. Advising and Grants: Supervises multiple PhD students in areas like neuromorphic computing and algorithm optimization. Active in securing funding for distributed system architectures and FPGA-based solutions. Labs/Teams: Member of the Cyber Physical Systems research group. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects like POETS (Partially Ordered Event-Triggered Systems) for large-scale parallel computing.
Sebastijan Dumancic is an Assistant Professor at Delft University of Technology, focusing on neuro-symbolic AI through program synthesis and probabilistic programming. He leads the RAIL lab and collaborates with institutions like Harvard, MIT, and CNRS. His research bridges symbolic AI and machine learning, applying program synthesis to scientific discovery, transportation, and robotics. He holds an FWO-funded PhD from KU Leuven and has participated in initiatives like ELLIS and the Symbolic Computation and Machine Learning Initiative. Program synthesis Probabilistic programming Neuro-symbolic AI Constraint-based learning His recent articles highlight advancements in program synthesis, neuro-symbolic integration, and constraint satisfaction. Projects like Find2Fix and Intelligent Greenhouse Horticulture (funded by NWO) demonstrate practical applications. ELLIS Membership University Teaching Qualification He supervises numerous MSc and PhD students in projects involving logic programming, program synthesis, and probabilistic modeling. Active in workshops and symposia, he contributes to neuro-symbolic AI and scientific discovery.
