Dr. Yves Bühler is a leading researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) , heading the Alpine Remote Sensing group within the Alpine Environment and Natural Hazards unit. His work focuses on remote sensing applications for snow and avalanche research, rock-ice avalanches, and alpine mass movement monitoring using drones, SAR satellites, and machine learning. Education: PhD in Remote Sensing (University of Zurich, 2005-2009), High-School Teaching Certification (MAS SHE, 2003-2005). Key projects: Large-scale avalanche mapping in India, drone-based snow depth monitoring, and thermomechanical modeling for hazard indication. Research Trends : Recent publications highlight advancements in machine learning for avalanche segmentation , multi-sensor displacement monitoring , and climate change integration into hazard models . His work bridges geomechanics , remote sensing technology , and operational risk mitigation across Switzerland, Himalayas, and international collaborations. Scientific Contributions : He has received a Research Fellowship at the University of Otago and led leadership programs at FHNW. His team developed RAMMS::LSHIM for large-scale hazard mapping and pioneered low-cost lidar for avalanche monitoring.
Luis Sanchez Fernandez is a Full Professor at the Department of Telematics Engineering, Carlos III University of Madrid. His research focuses span Smart Cities, Semantic Web, and Distributed Systems. Contact information includes email luis.sanchez@uc3m.es and office location 4.1.F08 in Leganés. His research program integrates Blockchain Governance , Urban Mobility Analysis , and Complex Systems Modeling . Recent work examines approval-based voting mechanisms in decentralized networks and fractional transport equations for physical simulations. Publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on fair algorithm design for societal applications. Key article themes show convergence of Smart City Data Integration Multiwinner Election Algorithms Cellular Automaton Dynamics Semantic Annotation Frameworks As Deputy Director of Teaching Affairs, he leads curriculum innovation in Telematics Engineering. His educational background includes a Doctorate from Universidad de Salamanca, focusing on Wikipedia as a teaching resource in higher education.
Nils Kalstad serves as Associate Professor in Information Security at the Department of Information Security and Communication Technology (IIK) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and has been Director of NTNU Community Safety since January 2024. Previously, he directed NTNU's Center for Cyber and Information Security (2017-2023) and led the Department of Information Security and Communication Technology (2017-2023). His academic career began at Gjøvik University College where he served as Doctoral Fellow (2003-2008), Head of the Center for Cyber and Information Security (2014-2015), and Dean of the Department of Informatics and Media Technology (2014-2015). Kalstad earned a civil engineering degree from NTNU's Department of Mathematical Sciences followed by a PhD in information security from the University of Oslo. His doctoral dissertation 'Interdependencies in Critical Infrastructures: A Qualitative Approach to Model Physical, Logical, and Geographical Interdependencies' established his research foundation. He has maintained continuous academic appointment at NTNU since August 2008. His research focuses on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and community safety, with particular emphasis on modeling interdependencies between physical, logical, and geographical aspects of critical systems. Kalstad's work bridges theoretical security models with practical applications in emergency preparedness, examining vulnerabilities in communication networks, developing anomaly detection frameworks for control systems, and analyzing security policies. His competence areas include emergency preparedness, civil security, cybersecurity, information security, communication technology, and community safety. Analysis of Kalstad's publication record reveals a consistent trajectory from technical security mechanisms toward broader societal security frameworks. His early work focused on critical infrastructure interdependencies and SCADA systems security, while more recent publications address national security strategies and energy security. The pattern shows increasing emphasis on human factors in cyber defense and comprehensive community safety approaches. His research maintains strong connections between theoretical modeling and practical implementation needs. Kalstad serves on multiple national security advisory bodies including the National Reference Group for Civil Security (Research Council) since July 2024, the National Cyber Security Center Reference Group since February 2020, and the Forum for National ICT Security since April 2018. His leadership extends to various boards including NORSAR (since May 2019), the Norwegian Center for Information Security (NorSIS) (2017-2024), and Skeikampen skiarena AS (since October 2014). He has also contributed to NTNU's internal governance through committee service on equality and diversity, honorary doctorates, and academic integration.
Inês Boavida Portugal is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Geography and Territorial Planning (IGOT), University of Lisbon, specializing in geography and urban planning. Her work bridges Geographic Information Systems (GIS), agent-based modeling, and tourism research with a focus on participatory methods and biosensing technologies. Education: PhD in Geography (2016) from IGOT, University of Lisbon MSc in Territorial Management with specialization in Remote Sensing and GIS (2010) from NOVA University Lisbon BSc in Geography and Regional Planning (2007) from NOVA University Lisbon Her research explores urban tourism dynamics, pedestrian flow analysis, and affective geographies through innovative methods like mobile biosensing and social force modeling. Recent publications address digital twins, crisis communication during the pandemic, and the integration of GIS with behavioral analysis. Key trends in her work include: Smart tourism systems using geospatial data Crowd simulation for event safety Emotional mapping of public spaces Sustainable urban planning frameworks Agent-based modeling of destination decision-making She contributes to projects like UrBio, which uses participatory biosensing to identify affective geographies and memory sites. Her methodological focus spans GIS, spatial-temporal analysis, and multi-agent systems.
Augusta Gaspar is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Human Sciences of the Portuguese Catholic University , with a PhD in Facial Behavior from NOVA University Lisbon . Her research spans evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and empathy, focusing on facial expressions, prosocial behavior, and nonverbal communication. Education: PhD, Facial Behavior in Pan and Homo (2001), NOVA University Lisbon Her work contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in education and social well-being. Key projects include: ENGAGED (2025–2027): Political engagement in European youth NHNAI (2022–2025): Intersections of neurosciences and AI Colour and Emotion - Phase 2 (2021–2025): Color-emotion associations Her research interests include empathy development across lifespan, virtual reality interventions for mental health, and ethical dilemmas in animal research. She has presented at conferences like the Swiss Psychological Society (2022) and contributed to edited books on human symbolic evolution. She is a member of the National Forum of Psychology (Order of Portuguese Psychologists, 2020–present) and collaborates internationally on topics like environmental psychology and AI ethics. Her scientific production includes 63 publications, with an h-index of 193 (Scopus).
Prof. Dr. Katharina Kohls serves as a Professor at Ruhr University Bochum specializing in system security, with research spanning mobile network vulnerabilities (4G/5G), privacy/anonymity systems, and internet censorship detection. Her work addresses critical security flaws in cellular infrastructure and anonymity networks through empirical attack simulations and defensive techniques. Her primary research domains include: Mobile Network Security : Investigating protocol vulnerabilities in 4G/5G including fake base stations, bidding-down attacks, and voice call eavesdropping (ReVoLTE/IMP4GT) Privacy & Anonymity : Analyzing traffic on Tor, location leaks in messaging apps, and information leakage in mobile VPNs Internet Measurement : Leading censorship monitoring initiatives like Censored Planet for longitudinal internet freedom analysis Analysis of her 2019-2024 publications reveals escalating focus on 5G security challenges and machine learning applications for intrusion detection, with consistent contributions to identifying practical attack vectors against real-world communication systems. Her methodology combines large-scale simulations with field measurements to expose systemic vulnerabilities. No scientific awards or student advising information was documented in the provided materials. Her contact details (room MC 4.137, tel +49 (0)234 32-27814) confirm active faculty status without indication of specialized labs or research teams in the source data.
Aggelos Zacharopoulos is a Senior Lecturer at Ulster University's Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment, serving as Course Director for the BSc (Hons) in Energy. He is a core member of the Built Environment Research Institute and the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST), where he leads research on solar thermal and photovoltaic systems. BSc (Hons) in Physics, University of Patras (Greece) PhD in Design, Modelling and Experimental Characterisation of Line-axis Concentrators for Solar Thermal and PV Applications (Ulster University, 2001) His research focuses on solar photovoltaic/thermal systems , building integration of renewable energy technologies , multifunctional façade glazing systems , and energy efficiency in industrial processes . He has extensive expertise in experimental characterisation using CST solar simulator facilities and has pioneered concentrating photovoltaic glazing (CoPVG) innovations for building integration. His recent publications demonstrate trends in solar energy assessment , hybrid solar technologies , thermal diode applications , and building energy performance . Key themes include solar radiation analysis, energy storage innovations, and sustainable building design. Scientific awards include: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2014) Aggelos has supervised PhD students at Ulster University and examined international PhD projects. He leads externally-funded projects like the Royal Society-supported CoPVG systems research and the Department for the Economy-funded Passive House Zero Emission Climate Control initiative. As a member of the editorial board for Renewable Energy journal, he contributes to solar energy research dissemination. He actively collaborates through EU COST Action TU1205 working group and has participated in international workshops in Botswana and the UK. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable Energy) and 13 (Climate Action).
Marcel Maghiar serves as Department Chair and Professor of Civil Engineering & Construction at Georgia Southern University, where he has been faculty since 2011. His research directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through sustainable construction methodologies and energy-efficient building practices. His research fingerprint spans Construction Engineering, Sustainable Construction, Green Building, and Building Information Modeling with notable expertise in Commercial/Residential Building Engineering, Energy Efficiency, Thermal Comfort, and VR/BIM safety applications. Current work focuses on digital twin technologies for construction hazard mitigation and net-zero energy building performance optimization. Recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate consistent innovation in LiDAR-based geotechnical monitoring, thermal dynamics of residential facilities, and immersive VR safety training systems. His work bridges theoretical construction engineering with practical sustainable building solutions, particularly in energy transition technologies and digital construction workflows. As co-investigator on the active NSF grant "Active MRI to Generate Accurate LiDAR-Based Models" (2018-present), he collaborates with Wood, Hladik, Maldonado and Van Stan. His educational contributions include pioneering curriculum development in geospatial technologies, notably the Terrestrial LiDAR course for engineering students.
Hayriye Eşbah Tunçay is Professor and former Head (2011–2019) of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Faculty of Architecture , where she also serves as Vice-Dean for Research & Development. A Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Harvard Graduate School of Design and founding director of HET Landscape & Urban Design Ltd. , she is a leading voice in ecological landscape planning, climate-resilient urbanism and digital design technologies. Education PhD, Environmental Design & Planning – University of Arizona, USA (2001) Master of Landscape Architecture – University of Arizona, USA (1996) Bachelor of Landscape Architecture – Çukurova University, Turkey (1990) Research focus Her work integrates landscape ecology, sustainability science and advanced geospatial modelling to create nature-based solutions for cities facing climate change. Key themes include: Sponge cities & water-sensitive urban design: storm-water mitigation, blue-green infrastructure, urban river restoration. Climate adaptation & resilience: scenario-driven urban growth modelling (SLEUTH), risk mapping, ecological networks. Digital landscape architecture: AI-driven generative design (GANs, diffusion models), remote sensing & GIS-based decision support. Heritage landscapes & inclusive design: historic urban parks, sensory accessibility, urban agriculture in cultural settings. Publications & impact With 150+ refereed articles and an h-index of 9 (Scopus), her 2021-2024 outputs reveal a methodological shift toward AI-assisted design and post-pandemic healthy city paradigms, while earlier works laid the foundation for large-scale ecological planning in protected areas of Turkey. Scientific awards XV. National Landscape Architecture Awards 2024 – 1st Prize (Urban Design) Ribas-Pierra Honour Award, Barcelona Landscape Biennale 2023 National Landscape Architecture Awards 2016–2021 – multiple 1st & 2nd prizes Over 25 national & international design competition accolades since 2010 Research leadership & funding Principal investigator of 7 active/completed projects funded by TÜBİTAK, EU-COST, ITU-BAP (>€2 million), supervising 22 graduate theses. Recent projects include: Green infrastructure for climate-resilient cities (2022) SLEUTH-based urban growth & landscape change analysis, Istanbul (2015-2021) Ecological restoration of Istanbul rivers and historic water systems (2016-ongoing) Laboratories & teams She directs the TETA Lab at ITU for landscape research infrastructure and leads interdisciplinary teams within the Environmental and Urban Research Centre , collaborating with Harvard, Seoul National University, University of Arizona and multiple EU institutions.
Prof. Dr. Yasin Çağatay Seçkin is a Professor at Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Architecture , Department of Landscape Architecture since 2017. He previously served as Associate Professor (2012-2017) and Assistant Professor (2007-2012) at the same institution. Currently holds public office as Deputy Mayor of Üsküdar Municipality since 2024, following roles as Advisor to Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor (2023-2024) and Director of Parks and Green Spaces (2019-2023). PhD in Urban Design from Istanbul Technical University (2004) MSc in Architectural History from Istanbul Technical University (2000) BArch from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (1998) Research focuses on Sustainable Landscape Construction , Barrier-Free Design , and Ecological Urbanism . His work integrates digital landscape analysis , cultural heritage conservation , and climate adaptation strategies . Scientific output shows strong emphasis on cultural landscapes (100% related publications), Istanbul (100% geographical focus), and landscape architecture (52% keyword occurrence). Notable scientific awards include: 2024 National Landscape Architecture Contribution Award 2023 World Parks Foundation Silver Award 2021 Design Turkey Industrial Design Award Professional activities include project leadership in 8 funded research projects (2015-2024), 18 research outputs, and editorial board membership in international journals including JoDLA and A|Z ITU Journal . Current projects focus on urban resilience , cultural landscape documentation , and digital landscape architecture .
W. Pratt Rogers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah's College of Engineering since 2016, concurrently serving as Mining Safety Assistant Program Director at the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH). He is co-developing a new Mining Safety master's program launching in fall 2024 to address critical miner safety challenges in Region 8 and the Western U.S. His research integrates data science and mining engineering to solve safety issues, with core expertise in operator fatigue management through IoT wearables and machine learning models blending subjective/objective data. Recent work focuses on stope stability analysis using probabilistic approaches for imbalanced datasets, rare earth elements extraction from coal resources, and ethical supply chains for conflict minerals using blockchain-inspired frameworks. Publication trends reveal strong computational intelligence adoption across mining safety, with 12 of 15 recent articles applying AI/ML techniques to fatigue tracking, haul truck operations, and safety training. Key thematic clusters include real-time health monitoring systems, optimization of surface mining processes through lean methodologies, and ethical resource management frameworks. Dr. Rogers has chaired 16 graduate committees and secured NIOSH funding for operator fatigue research. His industry background includes VP of Product Development at MISOM Technologies and site engineering for Luminant Mining, complementing his academic role as chair of SME's Safety and Health division. At RMCOEH, he contributes to the Center's mission through the Mining Safety program, leveraging partnerships with industry stakeholders to translate research into practical safety solutions for Western U.S. mining operations.
Weibing Gong is an Assistant Professor of Geological Engineering in the Department of Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), affiliated with the Center for Intelligent Infrastructure in Rolla, Missouri. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Geosystems Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (2023) M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University (2018) B.S. in Civil Engineering, Central South University (2015) Dr. Gong's research centers on natural hazard mitigation , with emphasis on climate change impacts , seismic resilience , and AI-driven infrastructure monitoring . His work integrates remote sensing and machine learning to enhance geological engineering solutions, particularly for landslide prediction and pavement systems, while exploring emerging applications in carbon capture technologies. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals a pronounced shift toward physics-informed AI for geotechnical challenges, featuring recurrent themes in regional landslide modeling (especially in Puerto Rico and Greece), dynamic pavement response under traffic loads, and unsaturated soil mechanics . This interdisciplinary approach bridges computational science, civil engineering, and environmental systems through advanced numerical frameworks. Dr. Gong actively contributes to Missouri S&T's Center for Intelligent Infrastructure, focusing on developing next-generation methodologies for infrastructure resilience against natural hazards through computational innovation and field-based validation.
Dr. Abolghasem Sadeghi-Niaraki is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Sejong University's College of Engineering, where he has served since 2017. He leads the eXtended Reality (XR) Research Center and holds a Research Professor position at the Super-Realistic XR Technology Research Center (2022-2030). Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at INHA University's Department of Geo-Informatics Engineering (2009-2017). Recently appointed as a Fellow at Harvard University's Spatial Data Lab (SDL), he conducts collaborative research in spatiotemporal data analytics and geo-AI. Dr. Sadeghi-Niaraki's research spans Geo-AI, XR technologies, Machine Learning, Metaverse applications, and IoT. His work focuses on applying AI to geospatial problems, developing immersive technologies for education and cultural heritage, and creating predictive models for natural hazards. He has secured significant funding for XR Metaverse research from the Ministry of Science and ICT, focusing on Real-Virtual integration. His interdisciplinary approach combines computer science with environmental science, urban planning, healthcare, and education. His research portfolio demonstrates strong trends in geospatial AI applications for environmental monitoring, particularly in natural hazard prediction (floods, wildfires, earthquakes), as well as innovative educational applications of VR/AR. Recent work shows increasing integration of large language models with immersive technologies and a growing focus on healthcare applications within virtual environments. Dr. Sadeghi-Niaraki has received significant recognition including: Top 2% Scientist Worldwide (Stanford-Elsevier 2024) Fellow at Harvard SDL, Center for Geographic Analysis Australian Endeavour Fellowship Recipient Member of IEEE & AAG (American Association of Geographers) He has led over $9.3 million in research funding, supervised 40+ Master's and 6+ Ph.D. students, and collaborated with 14 universities across 8 countries in immersive technology development. His laboratory work centers on the eXtended Reality Research Center at Sejong University, where his team develops patented methods for context-aware AR/VR systems applied to tourism, cultural heritage, and smart city planning.
Saleh Hadi Mohammed is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science , National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), where he has worked since 2015. With over 10 years of academic experience, his expertise spans software engineering, blockchain systems, and intelligent transport technologies. Candidate of Technical Sciences (2013) Engineer in 'Computers, Complexes, Systems and Networks' (2008) Professional training in Moodle-based distance learning Research interests include: Intelligent transport systems and location-based services Software/hardware navigation integration and blockchain applications Cloud services, mobile app development, and MLOps platforms His recent publications analyze MLOps scalability, blockchain donation tracking, and AI-driven navigation for visually impaired users. Notable collaborations involve Springer, IEEE, and CEUR Workshop Proceedings. Scientific awards : Gratitude from HSE Faculty of Computer Science (2024) As a thesis supervisor , he has guided 15+ students in projects ranging from fraud detection to mobile education apps. He also leads SmartMLOps , HSE’s AI service deployment platform (2024), and participated in the Administrative Personnel Reserve Program (2024-2025).
Gabriele Lobaccaro is a Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NTNU, within the Faculty of Engineering. His primary focus is on sustainable urban development, renewable energy integration, and climate-resilient architectural design. He leads research in solar energy planning through initiatives like the IEA SHC Task 51 and COST Action PEARL PV. Education: MSc from Politecnico di Milano (2008), PhD in Structural Engineering (Politecnico di Milano/UNSW Sydney, 2013) Research interests include Smart Cities, urban solar potential analysis, and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Key projects involve the HELIOS-NFR FRIPRO program and collaborations with French institutions via the Åsgård Program. Publications emphasize solar irradiance modeling, urban energy systems, and legislative frameworks for solar neighborhoods. He co-leads Subtask C of the IEA SHC Task 51, focusing on case studies and action research. Awards: ISSNAF/CNI Scholarship for MIT collaboration, Åsgård Research+ Program (2019-2020)
