Ryan Heuser is an Assistant Professor in Digital Humanities at the University of Cambridge, specializing in computational approaches to literary and intellectual history, prosody, and artificial intelligence's impact on language. His work bridges data science, machine learning, and literary studies through digital methodologies. Doctoral training in Eighteenth-Century British Literature, Stanford University (2019) Founding member & Associate Research Director, Stanford Literary Lab Junior Research Fellow, King’s College Cambridge (2019-2022) Research interests span computational modeling of semantic revolutions, large-scale literary field analysis, and the intersection of digital methods with historical and intellectual studies. His book Explorations in the Digital History of Ideas (2023) co-edited with Peter de Bolla exemplifies this approach. Recent publications focus on historical semantics, metrical analysis, and digital mapping of emotions in literature, reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise in natural language processing, network theory, and literary data visualization. Currently leads teaching initiatives at Cambridge Digital Humanities and contributes to computational projects exploring textual rhythms and large language models.
Marlyse Baptista is the President's Distinguished Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Linguistics. She is affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences and MindCore initiative. Her research focuses on language contact, creolization processes, bilingualism, and experimental methods in creole studies. Baptista leads the Language Contact and Cognition Lab, previously known as the Cognition, Convergence and Language Emergence (CCLE) group at the University of Michigan. Education includes a PhD in Linguistics (Harvard, 1997), MA degrees from Harvard and the Université de Bordeaux III, and extensive training in multilingual education. Her work bridges generative syntax with experimental approaches, including artificial language learning to study language convergence. Key themes include the cognitive underpinnings of creole formation, bidirectional influences in Cape Verdean Creole, and the role of congruence in language acquisition. Research highlights include studies on Cape Verdean Creole's grammatical properties, genetic-linguistic admixture correlations, and pedagogical resources for creole language education. Recent projects explore experimental validation of creole genesis theories through multilingual acquisition studies. Scientific Awards: President's Distinguished Professorship (University of Pennsylvania) Labs/Teams: Language Contact and Cognition Lab, MindCore Grants/Projects: MULTI Project (creole language educational resources), NSF-funded studies on creole genesis mechanisms Baptista's work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating syntax theory, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics to address foundational questions in contact linguistics and creolistics.
Samuel J. Gershman is a Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, affiliated with both the Department of Psychology and the Center for Brain Science. He directs the Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (CCNLab), where he investigates how the brain acquires richly structured knowledge about the environment and uses this knowledge to guide adaptive behavior. Gershman received his B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior from Columbia University in 2007 and his Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Princeton University in 2013, followed by postdoctoral training in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT (2013-2015). His research spans computational neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and machine learning. His primary research interests include learning, memory, decision making, and computational neuroscience. Gershman's work integrates behavioral, neuroimaging, and computational techniques to understand cognitive processes. He has made significant contributions to understanding memory systems, reinforcement learning, and the computational principles underlying human cognition. Analysis of Gershman's recent publications reveals a strong focus on computational approaches to understanding cognitive processes, with particular emphasis on memory systems, decision-making mechanisms, and the intersection of artificial intelligence with cognitive neuroscience. His work often bridges theoretical computational models with empirical neuroscience data, exploring how the brain implements efficient cognitive algorithms. Gershman actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, with current advisees working on diverse projects spanning computational modeling, neuroimaging, and behavioral experiments. His lab investigates topics ranging from dopamine signaling to social cognition using a combination of theoretical and experimental approaches. The CCNLab, which Gershman directs, brings together researchers from psychology, neuroscience, computer science, and related fields to explore the computational principles of cognition. The lab utilizes a range of methodologies including behavioral experiments, neuroimaging, computational modeling, and theoretical analysis to address fundamental questions about how the mind works.
Dr. James McDonald serves as a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) within the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering's Water Research Centre (WRC). His work at the Vallentine Annexe (H22), Room 102, Kensington Campus focuses on advancing water treatment technologies and understanding contaminant behavior in water systems. His position bridges academic instruction with cutting-edge research in environmental engineering. McDonald's research spans multiple critical areas in water science and engineering, with particular emphasis on trace organic contaminants, membrane technologies, and advanced water treatment processes. His work investigates the fate and removal of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and industrial chemicals in various water treatment systems. He has made significant contributions to understanding disinfection by-product formation, chiral inversion of pharmaceuticals, and the development of novel membrane technologies for improved water purification. His research combines experimental approaches with computational modeling to address complex water quality challenges. Analysis of McDonald's recent publications reveals a strong focus on emerging contaminants, particularly PFAS compounds and chiral pharmaceuticals, and their behavior in water treatment systems. His work demonstrates expertise in both conventional and advanced water treatment technologies, with increasing emphasis on sustainable approaches including green infrastructure and novel membrane processes. The interdisciplinary nature of his research connects environmental engineering, chemistry, microbiology, and materials science to address contemporary water quality challenges. McDonald actively collaborates with researchers across multiple institutions and has contributed to numerous significant studies on water quality and treatment. His work supports the development of more effective water recycling systems and safer drinking water supplies. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the available text, his extensive publication record suggests sustained research funding in water treatment technologies and contaminant fate studies. As part of UNSW's Water Research Centre, McDonald contributes to one of Australia's leading water research facilities. The WRC provides a collaborative environment for addressing complex water challenges through interdisciplinary research that integrates engineering, chemistry, and environmental science perspectives.
Hang Lu is a Professor and holds the Cecil J. "Pete" Silas Chair of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Lu also holds a Love Family Professorship and leads the Lµ Fluidics Group, which focuses on engineering microfluidic systems and machine learning tools to address complex questions in neuroscience, developmental biology, and cell biology that are difficult to address with conventional techniques. Dr. Lu's research lies at the intersection of engineering and biology, with primary interests including: Microfluidic systems for high-throughput screens and image-based genetics and genomics Systems biology: large-scale experimentation and data mining Microtechnologies for optical stimulation and optical recording Big data, machine vision, and automation Developmental neurobiology, behavioral neurobiology, and systems neuroscience Cancer biology, immunology, embryonic development, and stem cells Her laboratory engineers microfluidic devices and BioMEMS to study neuroscience, genetics, cancer biology, and biotechnology. These miniaturized Lab-on-a-chip tools operate at scales comparable to biological systems, leveraging unique micro and nano-scale phenomena to gather large-scale quantitative data about complex biological systems. Current projects include Microfluidics for Life Sciences, Optical Neuron Recordings and Manipulations, Machine Learning Tools for Neuroscience, Measuring and Modeling Behavior, and High-throughput, High-content Cell-based Assays. Analysis of Dr. Lu's recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong trend toward integrating microfluidics with advanced computational methods: Development of deep learning frameworks for biological image analysis Advanced neuron tracking and functional imaging techniques Non-invasive characterization of 3D organoid cultures Sophisticated neuromechanical modeling of locomotion Microfluidic temperature control systems for in vivo studies Label-free imaging pipelines for neural development Dr. Lu's significant professional honors include: Cecil J. "Pete" Silas Chair of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Love Family Professorship The Lµ Fluidics Group actively mentors students and postdocs, currently accepting new postdoctoral researchers. The lab receives substantial funding for interdisciplinary projects at the engineering-biology interface, with research implications spanning fundamental biological understanding to therapeutic development. The group operates within Georgia Tech's School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, with specialized facilities for microfluidic device fabrication, biological experimentation, and advanced imaging, maintaining strong collaborative ties across engineering, neuroscience, and biological disciplines.
Simon Birrer is an Assistant Professor in Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University, specializing in cosmology and gravitational lensing. He holds a PhD from ETH Zurich (2016) and previously served as Kavli Fellow at Stanford University. Birrer leads research probing dark matter and dark energy using gravitational lensing phenomena. His group develops computational tools for analyzing strong gravitational lensing data to study cosmic expansion and dark matter distribution. Research areas include time-delay cosmography, Hubble constant measurements, and machine learning applications in astrophysics. Recent publications focus on multi-messenger gravitational lensing (2025), LSST survey applications (2025), and AI-powered lens modeling pipelines (2025). His work consistently addresses fundamental cosmological tensions like the Hubble constant discrepancy. Awards: Kavli Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019-2022) Kugelpyramide Lifetime Achievement Award Experimental Innovation Award (ETH Zurich) Research Group: Leads the SBU Strong Lensing group with 9+ graduate students and postdocs. The group participates in major collaborations including LSST Strong Lensing Science Collaboration (co-chair), LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration, and TDCOSMO.
Min Yen Kan is an Associate Professor and Vice Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the National University of Singapore's School of Computing, Department of Computer Science. With a PhD from Columbia University (2002), he leads the Web Information Retrieval / Natural Language Processing Group (WING.NUS) and serves as ACL Ethics Committee co-chair. His research spans Natural Language Processing , Large Language Models , Digital Libraries , and Information Retrieval , with specific focus on scientific discourse analysis, fact verification, and multimodal systems. Current projects include Scholarly Document Information Extraction (TRL 6), Task-Oriented Dialogue Systems (TRL 4), and Recommendation Systems (TRL 5). Recent publications reveal strong trends in LLM limitations (bias, hallucination, evaluation), conversational recommendation systems , and misinformation detection . His work consistently bridges theoretical NLP with real-world applications in digital libraries and scientific communication. Award highlights include: CIKM 2019 Best Paper Award ACL Distinguished Service Awards Vannevar Bush Best Paper Award (JCDL 2012) ACM Distinguished Speaker designation Kan mentors PhD students with placements at Google and USTC, and serves as associate editor for Information Retrieval and survey editor for Journal of AI Research . His lab WING.NUS develops practical tools like SciWING for scientific document processing and FANG for fake news detection. Media engagements include commentary on AI regulations in Southeast Asia and workforce implications in the AI era.
Vivek Shenoy is the Eduardo D. Glandt President's Distinguished Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, with primary appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and secondary appointments in Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. He leads the Multiscale Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Laboratory, which focuses on developing theoretical frameworks and numerical methods to understand complex biological and engineering systems across multiple length scales. Shenoy's research spans mechanobiology, chromatin organization, cell mechanics, and biomaterials. His work addresses the fundamental challenge of modeling how small-scale cellular phenomena couple with long-range tissue-level interactions across micrometers to centimeters. By integrating insights from soft matter physics, solid mechanics, chemistry, and applied mathematics, his group develops multiphysics continuum and mesoscale theories to elucidate mechanisms controlling both biological and engineering systems. His recent publications demonstrate an increasing focus on nuclear mechanics, chromatin organization, and the interplay between mechanical forces and gene regulation. Analysis of Shenoy's publication record reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach, with high-impact papers spanning biophysics, materials science, and cell biology. His work shows consistent evolution from fundamental mechanics of materials to complex biological systems, with recent emphasis on the mechanical regulation of chromatin architecture, cell migration dynamics in 3D environments, and mechanotransduction in development and disease. His publications appear regularly in top journals including Nature, Science, and their affiliated publications, demonstrating significant influence across multiple fields. Eduardo D. Glandt President's Distinguished Professor Multiple publications in Nature, Science, and PNAS Active research program with publications through 2025 Shenoy actively mentors students and postdocs through his laboratory, with numerous co-authored publications indicating strong mentorship. His research program appears to be well-funded through multiple grants supporting his work in mechanobiology and biomaterials. The Multiscale Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Laboratory maintains active collaborations across disciplines and institutions, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research. The Multiscale Mechanobiology and Biomaterials Laboratory, housed within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, serves as the primary research hub for Shenoy's work. The lab maintains an active presence on social media (Twitter: @ShenoyLab) for updates on activities and publications. Their research approach combines theoretical modeling with experimental validation to address fundamental questions at the interface of mechanics, materials science, and biology.
Fei Fang is an Associate Professor in the Software and Societal Systems Department at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) , where she explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and multi-agent systems . Her work integrates machine learning with game theory to address challenges in security , sustainability , and mobility , aligning with the AI for Social Good mission. Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Southern California (2016) B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University (2011) Recent research focuses on reinforcement learning , large language models (LLMs) , and human-AI collaboration . Her team’s work has been recognized with 15+ awards across prestigious venues like IAAI, AAAI, and IJCAI. Notable accolades include the 2023 Allen Newell Award , 2022 Sloan Fellowship , and NSF CAREER Award (2021) . She actively contributes to educational initiatives , including teaching "Demystifying AI for Everyone" at CMU, and has sought part-time teaching assistants for course development. Her research spans 15+ domains , including AI ethics , cyber defense , traffic optimization , and public health .
Sebastian Scherer is an Associate Research Professor at the Robotics Institute (RI), Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), where he leads cutting-edge research in autonomous aerial systems and robotics. His work focuses on enabling unmanned rotorcraft to operate safely and efficiently in cluttered, low-altitude, and extreme environments. Education: Ph.D. in Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University (2010) MS in Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University (2007) BS in Computer Science (Minor in Robotics), Carnegie Mellon University (2004) His research interests span robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, SLAM, visual-inertial odometry, energy infrastructure, and public policy . He has made seminal contributions to UAV autonomy, including the first obstacle avoidance for micro aerial vehicles in natural environments (2008) and the first automatic landing zone detection and landing on a full-size helicopter (2010). His recent publications (2023–2025) demonstrate a strong focus on resilient autonomy, multi-robot exploration, foundation models for robotics, and large-scale dataset development. His team has released key datasets like TartanGround , BETTY , and SubT-MRS , and simulation tools like Pegasus Simulator , indicating a systems-level approach to advancing real-world autonomy. The research trends emphasize self-supervised learning, robust perception, risk-aware planning, and multi-modal fusion for off-road and urban environments. Scientific Awards: Popular Science Best of What's New 2010 Award AIAA@Infotech Best Paper Runner-up Award (2010) Siebel Scholar Dr. Scherer has advised numerous students and leads a vibrant research group focused on high-impact robotics applications. He has secured significant grants related to UAV autonomy, energy infrastructure, and urban air mobility. His lab develops experimental infrastructure such as AIrTonomy for testing next-generation autonomous aerial vehicles. He is actively involved in advancing SLAM and localization in extreme environments, notably through participation in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. His team develops large-scale datasets and benchmarking frameworks to push the boundaries of robustness and generalization in mobile robotics.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)United States
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.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Mayank R. Mehta is a Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), holding joint appointments in the Departments of Physics & Astronomy, Neurology, and Neurobiology. He is a member of the Brain Research Institute and the W. M. Keck Center for Neurophysics at UCLA. His research bridges experimental and theoretical neuroscience, focusing on how neuronal networks encode space-time, the role of brain rhythms in learning and memory, and the impact of sleep and virtual reality on neural dynamics. His recent publications highlight breakthroughs in understanding hippocampal spatiotemporal selectivity, dendritic activity during behavior, and the causal influence of visual cues on memory neurons. Notable findings include the discovery that dendrites generate ten times more spikes than neuronal cell bodies and the modulation of hippocampal theta rhythms in virtual reality. Research Themes: Neurophysics of spatial-temporal coding Dendritic contributions to learning Virtual reality and brain plasticity Neural oscillations in memory consolidation Key Collaborators: Bert Sakmann (Max Planck Florida Institute) Thomas Hahn (Bernstein Center Heidelberg/Mannheim) Maryam Ghorbani (UCLA) Mehta's lab at UCLA trains graduate and postdoctoral researchers in cutting-edge techniques combining hardware development, electrophysiological recordings, and biophysical modeling. His work has significant implications for treating learning and memory disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
Michael McAlpine is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Minnesota . He also holds affiliations with the Biomedical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments. His research focuses on 3D printing functional materials & devices , Nanoscale inks , Biomedical devices , Bioelectronics , and Flexible Microsystems . Research Interests : 3D Printing, Biomedical Engineering, Nanotechnology, Flexible Electronics, Microfluidics Labs : ME 361/363 Contact : mcalpine@umn.edu , (612) 626-3303, ME 117 Recent Research Trends include 3D Printed Biomedical Devices , Flexible Electronics , and Bioprinting Applications . His work spans from Spinal Organoid Formation to Programmable Drug Release Capsules . Scientific Award : Circulation Research 2020 Best Manuscript Award
Steven Rogak is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Applied Science. He holds a P.Eng. license and degrees including a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from UBC, and M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Caltech. P.Eng., University of British Columbia B.A.Sc., University of British Columbia M.Sc., Ph.D., California Institute of Technology His research focuses on aerosol science, particularly solid nanoparticles from combustion processes, their climate and health impacts, and mitigation strategies. Key areas include: Soot morphology and transport properties Engine emission reduction via fuel injectors Indoor air filtration systems Membrane-based energy exchangers Atmospheric particulate analysis The 15 most recent articles span experimental and theoretical studies on soot characterization, membrane technologies, and aerosol dynamics, with applications in climate modeling, healthcare ventilation, and sustainable materials. Collaborations include Westport Innovations and interdisciplinary teams. Rogak leads the Aerosol Laboratory at UBC, where he applies fluid mechanics and heat transfer fundamentals to address environmental and health challenges. He emphasizes experimental rigor and welcomes graduate students with expertise in these areas.
Claus Lamm is a Full Professor of Biological Psychology at the University of Vienna , where he leads the Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit (SCAN-Unit) . He serves as Vice Dean for Research and Advancement of Early Career Researchers at the Faculty of Psychology and holds affiliations with the Vienna Cognitive Science Hub , Environment & Climate Change Hub , and Austrian Academy of Sciences . His academic career spans international collaborations and formative research experience abroad. Scientific Focus: Lamm investigates the neural underpinnings of empathy and prosocial behavior , employing multi-modal approaches combining neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, and psychoneuroendocrinology . His work extends to comparative studies with ravens and dogs, and explores environmental social neuroscience through climate change decision-making research. Recent publications show trends in cross-cultural psychology , machine learning applications , and neurobiological pathways related to social behavior. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the APS Mentor Award for his support of early career researchers. Funded by European Research Council , Austrian Science Fund , Vienna Science and Technology Fund , and intramural grants exceeding €10 million. Key projects include "Unravelling the opioid system in empathy" and "Comparative dog-human fMRI" . Media Engagement: A prominent public science communicator, Lamm has appeared in Nature , Science Magazine , and Austrian media outlets like Ö1 Mittagsjournal and ORF2 , discussing topics from pandemic psychology to social media effects . He maintains active outreach through Science TV and educational programs .
