Kshirasagar Naik is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Ontario. He is actively involved in graduate research supervision and has been a member of IEEE since 1994. His academic career spans decades, with a focus on wireless communication, energy efficiency, and cybersecurity. 1992, Doctorate in Computer Engineering from Concordia University, Ontario 1988, Master of Mathematics in Computer Science from University of Waterloo, Ontario 1983, MTech in Computer Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India 1981, BScEng in Electronics and Telecommunication from Sambalpur University, India His research interests include Mobile and Ad Hoc Networks , Cybersecurity , Internet of Things (IoT) , and Intelligent Transportation Systems . He has published extensively on energy optimization in wireless devices, delay-tolerant networks, and security protocols for vehicular systems. Recent publications highlight the integration of Machine Learning and IoT in environmental monitoring, particularly forest fire detection and prediction. Other works focus on cybersecurity , vehicular networks , and energy optimization in data centers and handheld devices. Professor Naik is currently accepting graduate students for research in mobile systems, network protocols, and green computing at the University of Waterloo.
Monika Kuffer is a Full Professor at the University of Twente's Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), holding additional roles as Associate Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management. She leads research in urban remote sensing, deprived area monitoring, and sustainable urban development. Her work integrates spatial statistics, machine learning, and citizen science to inform inclusive city planning. Education: PhD in Human Geography & GIS from the University of Twente MSc in Human Geography (TU Munich) MSc in Geographic Information Science (University of London) Research Interests: Urban Remote Sensing Slum and Deprivation Mapping Climate Adaptation Strategies Citizen Science for Urban Inequalities Earth Observation Policy Support Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes multi-city climate adaptation analyses, thermal inequality assessments in African slums, and scalable deprivation modelling frameworks like IDEAMAPS. Projects like ONEKANA and NightWatch highlight fusion of EO data with community-driven methods. Awards: 2022 EO4all Prize for innovative Earth Observation applications Advising & Grants: Supervised 3 PhD/MSc projects. Active in global initiatives like the EU's Knowledge Centre on EO and the UN's SDG frameworks. Leads datasets on deprivation (e.g., IDeAMapSudan). Labs/Teams: Core member of ITC's Urban Remote Sensing and GeoAI teams. Collaborates with the Digital Society Institute for interdisciplinary urban research.
Jaap Zevenbergen is a Full Professor at the University of Twente's Faculty of ITC, specializing in Land Administration and Geo-Information Management. He holds a PhD from Delft University of Technology (2002) and degrees in Geodetic Engineering (Delft) and Law (Leiden University). His research focuses on international land governance, digital transformation of property institutions, and pro-poor land tools, with projects in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. He has contributed to UN Habitat initiatives and World Bank programs, emphasizing sustainable development goals (SDGs 1, 11, 13). Key roles: Theme leader at TU Delft's OTB Institute (2003–2010), Portfolio Manager for MSc Land Administration at ITC. Teaching: MSc programs in Land Administration, GIMA, and International Land Management. Research interests include: Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) implementation, legal-technical integration in geo-ICT systems, and post-disaster/post-conflict land governance. He has authored/co-authored over 340 publications and edited books like Real Property Transactions . Notable achievement: Co-winner of the 2018 FIG-Survey Review Prize for land policy analysis. Current projects explore 3D cadastral systems, UAV applications in land registration, and ethical geospatial practices. He advises on land reforms in Greece and Egypt and collaborates with institutions like UN Habitat and the World Bank.
Marcus Gary is a Research Associate Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, and Principal Geoscientist at the Edwards Aquifer Authority. His expertise lies in karst hydrogeology, focusing on karst processes and their implications for natural resource management. He holds a Ph.D. in Hydrogeology (UT Austin, 2009) and a B.S. from the same institution (2001). His doctoral work on Sistema Zacatón, a deep underwater cave system in Mexico, integrated geophysics, geochemistry, and NASA-funded DEPTHX AUV technology to map cave structures. Education: Ph.D. in Hydrogeology, UT Austin (2009) B.S., UT Austin (2001) A.S. in Marine Technology, College of Oceaneering (1994) Research Interests: Karst aquifer dynamics Groundwater-surface water interactions Volcanogenic speleogenesis Edwards and Trinity Aquifer management Geophysical and geospatial techniques in hydrogeology His work spans academic research, government service (USGS), and consulting. He teaches Applied Karst Hydrogeology at UT Austin and leads field operations for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. Notable projects include dye tracing studies in Central Texas, springhead delineation, and volcanic influences on karst systems. His research often emphasizes environmental policy and sustainable groundwater management. Labs/Teams: Edwards Aquifer Authority Field Operations, DEPTHX AUV Project Team, Jackson School of Geosciences Hydrogeology Group.
Harvey Miller is a Professor and Reusche Chair in Geographic Information Science at The Ohio State University's Department of Geography, College of Arts and Sciences. He serves as Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA). His research focuses on GIScience, mobility science, and sustainable transportation, particularly integrating geospatial techniques with transportation equity, time geography, and urban sustainability. He teaches courses in geospatial databases, spatial modeling, and sustainable transportation. Education: Ph.D. (Geography), The Ohio State University, 1991 M.A. (Geography), Kent State University, 1987 B.A. (Geography), Kent State University, 1985 Research Interests: His work explores geospatial analysis of urban mobility, accessibility equity, and smart city technologies. Notable projects include the Ghost Neighborhoods initiative (3D modeling of historic Black neighborhoods), analysis of public transit reliability, and environmental justice tool development. He co-authored a National Academies report on geospatial tools for environmental justice. Achievements: Co-chair of National Academies consensus study on environmental justice tools Lead on Columbus Smart City Operating System project Recipient of U.S. Department of Transportation funding Labs/Teams: Director of CURA, collaborating with institutions like the Ohio History Connection on urban heritage projects. Affiliated with the Sustainability Institute and Translational Data Analytics Institute at OSU.
Dr. Emily Burchfield is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University, where she leads the FACES (Food, Agriculture, Climate, Environment, and Sustainability) Lab. Her research integrates social and environmental data to study agricultural sustainability, with projects focused on land use change, climate adaptation, and rural livelihoods. She holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University and MA in Economics from the University of Louvain. Her work examines how agricultural systems adapt to climate change, the characteristics of productive and resilient farming, and drivers of cultivation and conservation behavior. Dr. Burchfield's research combines geospatial analysis with qualitative methods to understand agricultural transitions at multiple scales. Recent publications explore crop diversification, agricultural data practices, and rural livelihoods. Her group develops computational tools for agricultural analysis and collaborates with farming communities to support sustainable transitions.
Jun Shen is a Professor at the School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wollongong. He specializes in computational intelligence, cloud computing, and big data applications, with a focus on AI-driven solutions for real-world challenges in transport systems, healthcare, education, and environmental management. He has secured over 40 research grants totaling AU$4.5 million and supervised 26 completed PhD projects. His work spans interdisciplinary areas including bioinformatics, smart manufacturing, and digital health. Research interests include bio-inspired algorithmic optimization, AI in arts/media, and edge computing for IoT systems. He has pioneered research centers in applied computing since 2014 and holds editorial roles in top journals like IEEE Transactions. As an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer, he actively promotes AI ethics and interdisciplinary collaboration. Recent publications emphasize adversarial machine learning defenses, UAV systems, and multimodal data fusion. His supervision includes projects in intelligent transport systems, cloud computing, and e-learning. Grants include projects on resilient energy systems and UAV geolocation verification. Leadership roles include leading over 20 researchers and chairing conferences. He advocates for digital transformation in public services and has conducted fieldwork at MIT, UCI, and Georgia Tech.
Elvin Wyly is a Professor in the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the relations between market processes and state policy in producing and reinforcing urban social inequalities, blending critical social theory, legal and policy analysis, and multivariate quantitative methods. Wyly earned his PhD (1995) and MA from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and his BSc from The Pennsylvania State University. His academic journey reflects a deep engagement with geographical thought and methodology. His research interests span urban geography, housing policy and finance, gentrification and displacement, urban inequality, spatial analysis, critical social theory, digital geographies, GIS, and race, class, and gender studies. Wyly's approach combines critical theory with empirical analysis to examine how market forces and public policy interact to create spatial inequalities in urban environments. Analysis of Wyly's recent publications (2019-2024) reveals consistent engagement with themes of urban transformation, housing finance, and spatial inequality. His work increasingly addresses the digital turn in urban studies, examining smart cities, datafication of urban space, and the evolving nature of gentrification in the 21st century. There's a clear trajectory from studying traditional urban processes toward examining how digital technologies reshape urban inequalities and governance. Wyly's research demonstrates significant contributions to understanding the financialization of urban space, particularly through his work on subprime mortgage markets, housing discrimination, and the racial dimensions of urban development. His publications in leading geography and urban studies journals establish him as a significant voice in critical urban scholarship. His teaching appears to focus on urban geography, with courses covering topics related to cities, economies, transnational flows, digital geographies, and issues of gender, race, and class. His research website serves as a resource for students and colleagues interested in advanced urban geographical analysis.
Li Li is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. She leads the Li Reactive Water research group, focusing on the Critical Zone and its response to climate change and human activities. Her work examines interactions between water, soils, rocks, roots, and microbes, with implications for water quality and sustainability. Research interests include reactive transport modeling, stream chemistry dynamics, and the impacts of climate extremes on hydrological systems. She has contributed to high-profile studies such as the discovery of ancient carbon release via rivers and the effects of extreme rainfall on nutrient loss in American soils. Recent recognitions include dual awards from the Earth and Space Association (2024) and being named an Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellow. Her lab actively collaborates on projects like the BioRT-HBV model and applications of deep learning in hydrological data analysis. Key projects: Facilitating environmental investigations with single-column models, maximizing CO₂ trapping in geological formations Leadership roles: IEE Fellow, Principal Investigator of NSF-funded research
Louisa M. Holmes serves as Associate Professor of Geography and Demography at The Pennsylvania State University, with additional appointments as Associate Faculty in the Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA), Social Science Research Institute (SSRI), and Population Research Institute (PRI), plus a courtesy appointment in the Demography Unit. Her academic trajectory includes a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Southern California (2013), a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California San Francisco (2013-2016), and prior service as Assistant Professor of Geography at SUNY Binghamton (2016-2020). Dr. Holmes specializes in health geography and demography, investigating how place-based inequities perpetuate health disparities through social environments, built infrastructure, and policy systems. Her dual research focus examines neighborhood stress mitigation via urban planning strategies and substance use landscapes using demographic/geospatial methodologies. She implements primary data collection through household surveys of hard-to-reach populations, ecological momentary assessment, and community-based participatory research. Current projects include the Bay Area Young Adult Health Panel Study (2014-2020), geographic analysis of opioid use disorder and treatment access, longitudinal evaluation of Pennsylvania's 2022 Opioid Settlement Funding impacts, and Monongahela Valley community environmental assessments. Her work receives funding from the National Cancer Institute, CDC, FDA Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science, and California-based health research programs. Actively recruiting graduate students for research in substance use prevention, health inequity within the exposome framework, and climate-health disparity intersections, she maintains the Spatial and Community Health Lab (SCHLab) and contributes to the university's Food Security and Human Health and Population, Environment, and Governance research clusters.
Parker VanValkenburgh is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Associate Professor of Archaeology and the Ancient World at Brown University. His research employs archaeological methods to address anthropological questions, focusing on colonialism and imperialism's impacts on Indigenous people and environments in the Peruvian Andes. He directs the Brown Digital Archaeology Laboratory and co-directs several major projects including the Paisajes Arqueológicos de Chachapoyas (PACha) project and GeoPACHA (Geospatial Platform for Andean Culture, History and Archaeology). His educational background includes: PhD from Harvard University (2012) MA from University of London (2005) MPhil from University of Cambridge (2004) BA from Stanford University (2003) VanValkenburgh's research focuses on the long-term impacts of colonialism and imperialism on Indigenous people and environments in the Peruvian Andes. Through studying architecture, ceramics, environmental datasets, and archival documents, he explores how relationships between people, institutions, and environments transform during imperial histories. His work emphasizes how survival and resilience strategies developed by communities dealing with empires are passed down across generations. He applies digital methodologies, particularly GIS, to map and analyze social, political, and environmental change in space and time, while also critically examining how digital mediation transforms archaeological practice. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating advanced computational methods with archaeological research. There's a clear emphasis on using AI, machine learning, and remote sensing technologies to enhance archaeological survey and analysis in the Andes. His work spans traditional archaeological topics like landscape, ceramics, and colonial architecture with cutting-edge digital approaches including vision foundation models, point cloud processing, and semi-supervised learning for identifying ancient urbanization patterns. His scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: John Carter Brown Faculty Fellow (2023-24) Meenakshi Narain Excellence in Research Mentoring Award (Brown University, 2023) William G. McLoughlin Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences (2021) Cogut Center for the Humanities Faculty Fellowship (2018) American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (2017) VanValkenburgh has successfully secured substantial research funding for multiple projects. His Paisajes Arqueológicos de Chachapoyas (PACha) project has received NSF funding through 2025, while his GeoPACHA initiative has garnered support from ACLS and SPARC grants. He also co-directs the 'Mapping Historical Trauma in Tulsa, 1921-2021' project. His teaching portfolio includes courses on Geographic Information Systems, cartography, critical digital archaeology, and the archaeology of the Andean region, for which he received Brown's prestigious teaching award. He directs the Brown Digital Archaeology Laboratory, which serves as a hub for integrating digital methodologies with archaeological research. His collaborative network includes scholars from institutions like Vanderbilt University (Steven Wernke) and the University of Tulsa (Alicia Odewale), reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary research that bridges archaeology, anthropology, and digital humanities.
Shanti Morell-Hart is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Brown University, specializing in anthropological archaeology and paleoethnobotany with a focus on Mesoamerican societies. She serves as Director of the Integrated Laboratory for Archaeological Sciences (ILAS) and the Paleoethnobotany Laboratory at Brown (PEBLAB). Her research examines ancient agriculture, plant use in ritual and healthcare, and human-environment interactions, particularly in contexts of societal 'collapse' and resilience. Education: PhD in Anthropology (2011, UC Berkeley), MAs (2003 UC Berkeley; 2002 UT San Antonio), BA (1998 Wesleyan University). Major Research Areas: Ancient agriculture, ethnoecology, foodways, Maya studies, and archaeological science. Her funded projects include studies on Maya agricultural practices, resilience in pre-Hispanic landscapes, and interdisciplinary analyses of plant residues. She has received the Sophie Coe Prize (Special Mention) for contributions to food history writing. Teaching includes courses on the anthropology of food, environmental archaeology, and paleoethnobotanical methods. Collaborations involve projects in Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras, leveraging lidar, phytolith analysis, and spatial technologies to explore ancient lifeways.
Marcelo Santos is a Professor in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), where he has been a faculty member since 2000. He holds a PhD in Geodesy (1995, UNB), M.Sc. in Geophysics (1990, Rio de Janeiro National Observatory), and B.Sc.E. in Cartographic Engineering (1982, Rio de Janeiro State University). His academic career includes roles such as Head of the Department (2012–2017) and international leadership in organizations like the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), where he served as President of Commission 4 (2015–2019) and Senior National Delegate of Canada (2007–2011). Research interests focus on Space and Physical Geodesy, GNSS navigation, and atmospheric delay modeling. His work emphasizes rigorous height systems, geoid determination, and integration of geodetic techniques with numerical weather models. Key contributions include the development of UNB’s atmospheric delay models and the Stokes-Helmert geoid computation methodology. Professional activities include chairing IAG commissions, directing UNB’s Space Geodesy Laboratory (1996–1999), and advising on geodetic infrastructure projects in Brazil and Canada. His publications span over 150 peer-reviewed articles, covering topics like tropospheric modeling, geoid determination, and GNSS applications in environmental monitoring. Led research grants include projects on global topographical density models and climate applications of GNSS-derived tropospheric parameters. Collaborations involve institutions like NASA, ESA, and Brazil’s IBGE. Current projects focus on enhancing geoid models and improving vertical datum systems for precision geomatics applications.
Paolo Trunfio is a Professor of Computer Engineering at the University of Calabria, Italy, and co-founder of DtoK Lab S.r.l., an academic spin-off focused on data analysis and distributed systems. He holds a Ph.D. and is affiliated with the DIMES Department, specializing in big data, cloud computing, and high-performance computing (HPC). His research emphasizes scalable data analysis frameworks, edge-cloud continuum solutions, and machine learning applications for social media and disaster monitoring. Trunfio serves as an Associate Editor for ACM Computing Surveys and Journal of Big Data , and is on the editorial boards of several journals including Future Generation Computer Systems . He has authored four influential books, including Programming Big Data Applications (2024) and Data Analysis in the Cloud (2015). His work spans distributed systems, IoT-based smart objects, and exascale computing. Notable projects include the EU-funded eFlows4HPC and ASPIDE initiatives, which focus on HPC workflows and exascale programming models. Trunfio’s publications (over 200 papers) address topics like social media analytics, energy-efficient P2P networks, and parallel data mining. He leads research in urgent computing for disaster response, edge-cloud integration for urban mobility, and AI-driven data analysis. His contributions to cloud frameworks (e.g., JS4Cloud, ParSoDA) and HPC libraries (e.g., DCEx) highlight his expertise in bridging theory and practice in distributed computing ecosystems.
State University of New York at BuffaloUnited States
Overview Nallan C. Suresh is the UB Distinguished Professor in the Department of Operations Management and Strategy at the School of Management, University at Buffalo. He is affiliated with the Stephen Still Institute for Sustainable Transportation and Logistics. His work focuses on supply chain management, sustainability, manufacturing systems, and operational resilience. Research Interests Dr. Suresh's research explores supply chain agility, reverse supply chains, recycling efficiency, disaster response logistics, and sustainable operations. He investigates how technologies and policies impact supply chain resilience, particularly in hazardous-materials transportation and fast fashion industries. His work also addresses global policy effects, such as China's National Sword Policy on plastics recycling. Key Contributions Recent studies include: Development of DEA models for recycling efficiency evaluation Analysis of supplier relationship management frameworks Optimization of hub networks for hazardous materials Pre-positioning strategies using mobile phone data for disaster response Affiliations and Contact Contact: ncsuresh@buffalo.edu | 351 Jacobs Management Center, Buffalo, NY 14260
