Associate Professor Naseem Ahmadpour is a leading researcher in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Design at the University of Sydney 's School of Architecture, Design and Planning. She directs the Affective Interactions Lab and serves as Associate Dean (Research) and Chair of the EDI Committee . PhD, University of Montreal MSc, Chalmers University of Technology BSc, Bahonar University Her research critically examines the ethical implications of sociotechnical systems in care and work futures, focusing on participatory design with vulnerable populations. She explores immersive technologies like VR for mental health, pain management, and clinical training, while advocating for equity in design practices. Recent work includes 15+ publications (2023-2026) on VR applications, ethical design tools, and sociotechnical critiques. She has received the SOAR Prize (2022-2023) and led grants on VR in clinical education, digital volunteering, and aging technologies. Dr. Ahmadpour supervises PhD students in projects like Collaborative Reflection in Mental Health and Cultural Bias in Digital Design . She contributes to the Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat methodology handbook and co-leads the VirtX Community of Practice for immersive realities.
Dr. Seyed Mohammad Sadegh Khaksar is a Senior Lecturer in Technology Management at La Trobe Business School, specializing in digital transformation, innovation, and healthcare technology. He holds a PhD in Management and teaches courses like Project Management. As Head of the Project Management major, he employs innovative pedagogies such as blended learning and peer review to enhance graduate employability. His research focuses on digital excellence strategies in firms, with notable projects including an AUD 96k IoMT platform for rural healthcare and AUD 40k studies on aged care supply chain resilience. He advises startups and organizations on digital strategies, particularly in healthcare, oil & gas, and professional services. Key research areas include social robots in education and care, IoT applications, and agile-lean methodologies. He has secured over $300k in grants and serves on editorial boards like Technological Forecasting and Social Change . Awards include the 2024 Student Experience Award and 2021 Early Career Researcher Award. Current PhD supervision spans digital responsibility in healthcare and banking sectors, and IoT-driven service innovations. He leads funded projects on smart cities and pandemic logistics, reflecting his interdisciplinary impact across technology, healthcare, and education.
Ryan Kelly is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), digital health, and mixed reality. His research focuses on technology-enabled social connection and wellbeing, including designing communication tools for close relationships, digital health initiatives like the Music-Attuned Care via eHealth (MATCH) project, and VR applications for mental health. He collaborates with industry partners such as Google, Netflix, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature, and has developed technologies for older adults, including simplified video calling systems for aged care during the pandemic. His work has been featured globally in media, including Al-Jazeera's documentary All Hail the Algorithm . He actively contributes to the HCI community as a reviewer and committee member for conferences like ACM CHI and CSCW, holding roles such as Editor for CSCW 2025 and Awards Co-Chair for CSCW 2023. Ryan supervises PhD candidates exploring human-centered AI for social connection and online safety for older adults. His research aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health), 9 (Industry Innovation), and 11 (Sustainable Cities). Key projects include the VR mindfulness application used by over 200,000 Australians and the Painpad device for pain logging in UK hospitals. He advocates for participatory design frameworks, emphasizing ethical AI and technology’s role in fostering meaningful human experiences.
David Lo is the OUB Chair Professor of Computer Science at Singapore Management University's School of Computing and Information Systems, where he directs the Information Systems and Technology Cluster and the Center for Research on Intelligent Software Engineering. An ACM Fellow, IEEE Fellow, and ASE Fellow, his research focuses on AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE), leveraging machine learning, data mining, and NLP to enhance software analytics and automation. Research Highlights: AI4SE, code LLMs, human-AI synergy in software engineering, software reliability, and empirical studies of practitioner pain points Awards: IEEE TCSE Distinguished Service Award, university-wide Teaching Excellence Award, Outstanding Graduate Supervisor Award, 2 Test-of-Time Awards, and 11 ACM SIGSOFT/IEEE TCSE Distinguished Paper Awards Leadership: General Chair of ASE'16 and MSR'22, PC Co-Chair for ASE'20, FSE'24, and ICSE'25, ACM SIGSOFT Executive Committee member His work has received over 20 awards, 37,000 citations, and an H-index of 100. As an educator, he has mentored trainees who became faculty and R&D experts globally.
Kerryn Butler-Henderson is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences at RMIT University. Her research focuses on digital health transformation, healthcare informatics, and workforce education. She actively contributes to understanding the integration of artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and electronic health records (EHR) into healthcare systems. Her work emphasizes improving clinical outcomes through data-driven approaches and addressing challenges in workforce digital literacy. She holds an ORCID identifier (0000-0002-6082-2108) and is open to supervising PhD and Masters students. Research interests include: Learning health systems and AI applications Prediction modeling for musculoskeletal disorders Digital health workforce development Value-based healthcare frameworks Educational innovations in nursing and healthcare Key publications from 2024-2025 explore topics like EHR generalizability, digital health literacy measures, and global digital health workforce roles. Her interdisciplinary collaborations span occupational health, gerontology, and healthcare accounting. Dr. Butler-Henderson is engaged in curriculum development for digital health competencies and has contributed to national surveys on nursing education trends. She maintains strong industry connections through RMIT's Health and Biomedical Sciences research networks.
Dr. Bo Xia is a Professor at the School of Architecture & Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology (QUT). His expertise spans construction management, sustainable development, and age-friendly built environments. He holds editorial roles at journals like the International Journal of Construction Management and ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering. His research focuses on retirement village sustainability, project delivery systems, and megaproject governance, supported by grants from ARC and RICS. Education includes a PhD from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and roles as Adjunct Professor at Hefei University of Technology. He has supervised over 10 doctoral students, with notable works on retirement village dynamics and green building practices. Awards include Best Paper Awards at CRIOCM 2018 and 2013, and recognition for postgraduate supervision excellence. Current projects include 'Building a Better Built Environment for Older Australians' (ARC DP230101313) and resilience frameworks for disaster risk reduction in SE Queensland. His work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in urban sustainability and infrastructure policy. Key research themes are: Age-friendly communities & retirement village design Sustainable construction practices Project delivery innovation (design-build, PPP) Social license for infrastructure projects Megaproject social responsibility Publications highlight spatial analyses of retirement communities, public perception studies, and Bayesian network modeling. Collaborations span 12 universities across Australia, China, and the U.S., reflecting his global research impact.
Dr. Ewilly Liew is a Senior Lecturer at the Econometrics and Business Statistics Department of Monash University's Malaysia School of Business. She holds multiple administrative roles, including Director of Undergraduate Studies, Course Director for Bachelor of Business and Commerce (BBusCom), and Deputy Course Director for Bachelor of Digital Business (BDigBus). Her academic journey includes a Postgraduate Research Degree Full Scholarship (2013-2015) and a Data Science Microcredential from Monash Australia (2020). Dr. Liew has received notable awards like the Monash Vice Chancellor's Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2020). Her research focuses on emerging technology adoption, digital transformation, and behavioral analysis in public healthcare, higher education, and service sectors. Methodologies include data visualization, statistical learning, and structural equation modeling. She has led interdisciplinary projects on AI-driven healthcare analytics and collaborated with clinical specialists using Electronic Medical Records systems. Internationally, she served as a visiting research fellow at Harvard University (2015) and organized the IEEE International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM 2022). Dr. Liew's teaching innovations include developing four new Business Analytics units. Her students excel in national and regional data science competitions. She actively participates in conferences and workshops, contributing to topics like geopolitical data security and healthcare service quality decision analytics. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing thriving communities in developing contexts.
Emily Wright serves as Associate Dean Education at Swinburne University of Technology's School of Design and Architecture, holding a PhD from the same institution alongside a Master of Design and Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design from the University of Cincinnati. With over 20 years of international design industry experience spanning branding, packaging, publishing, environmental and web design across the USA, UK, Mexico and Australia, she bridges academic theory with professional practice. Her research specializes in design education , packaging design , and sustainable design , with particular focus on pedagogical innovation including pass/fail grading systems, generative AI integration, and co-creation methodologies. Wright's scholarly output reveals strong emphasis on Transforming design pedagogy through technology Health communication design for vulnerable populations Cross-cultural co-creation frameworks Sustainable design integration in curricula Her recent publications (2020-2023) demonstrate accelerating focus on digital learning environments, AI ethics in design education, and child/family health communication systems. Wright has received the International Design Award for her child health team visualization work and secured research contracts with major organizations including Coles Supermarkets, IRESS Limited, and Access Health Community. Her grant portfolio reflects strong industry collaboration across healthcare, retail, and financial sectors. As a doctoral supervisor, Wright has guided seven PhD candidates through projects examining design feedback practices, 3D printing in bridal fashion, urban community development, and technology-based speech learning applications. She actively contributes to design education discourse through conference leadership including editing the Cumulus 38° South proceedings.
Kristie Young is a Senior Research Fellow at the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. She is actively involved in high-impact research on human factors in road safety, with a focus on distracted driving, driver behavior, and vehicle automation. She leads and contributes to numerous national and international research projects and is accepting PhD students. Education: Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology) (Honours), Deakin University PhD in Human Factors, Monash University Kristie's research centers on human factors in road transport, particularly driver distraction, adaptation to in-vehicle technologies, Human Machine Interface (HMI) design, and automated vehicles. Her work integrates naturalistic driving studies, driving simulations, and surveys to understand real-world driver behavior. She investigates how drivers self-regulate their engagement with non-driving tasks and how technology can be designed to enhance safety. Her research has significant implications for road safety policy, vehicle design, and public education campaigns, especially targeting young and high-risk drivers. Her recent publications reveal a strong trend in using naturalistic driving data to analyze driver distraction, self-regulation, and the role of executive function. There is also growing emphasis on automated vehicles, HMI design, and the application of AI for distraction detection. Her work spans cognitive psychology, transportation engineering, public health, and policy development. Scientific Awards: ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (2016) Best Paper by an Early Career Researcher (2013) Best Research Paper 2020 Monash Injury Research Institute Award for Outstanding Research by an Early Career Researcher (2011) MUARC 2024 Seeding Grant Kristie has secured competitive research grants, including an ARC DECRA grant, and leads major projects such as the implementation of the National Driver Distraction Roadmap and research on automated vehicles for high-risk drivers. She advises on policy through submissions to government inquiries and collaborates extensively with national and international institutions. Her research is supported by organizations such as the Australian Research Council, Transport for NSW, and the Road Safety Trust (UK). Kristie is a key member of the Human Factors and Sustainable Safety team at MUARC, contributing to one of Australia’s leading road safety research centers. Her work involves interdisciplinary collaboration with psychologists, engineers, and public health experts, and she utilizes advanced facilities such as the Integrated Facility for Recording Driver and Road User Behaviour.
Gloria Ge is an Associate Professor of International Business and Deputy Director of GBS Postgraduate Programs at Griffith University's Department of Management. She previously served as Director of the GBS Hong Kong Program (2011–2016) and Associate Director of the New Zealand Asia Institute at the University of Auckland. Her expertise spans international business, international marketing, and cross-cultural HRM strategies. Her research focuses on international business dynamics in Asia-Pacific, including institutional voids, multinational staffing, and technology's impact on aging populations. She has published in journals like Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Thunderbird International Business Review . Gloria is a member of Griffith Asia Institute and the Centre for Governance and Public Policy. She serves on the editorial board of the Asia Pacific Journal of Management and has held roles in professional organizations like the Hong Kong Association of University Women. Her teaching spans 20 years across three countries, emphasizing student engagement and graduate employability. Current research includes a doctoral project on female employee ratios and firm performance in South Korea.
Corina Sas is a Professor in Human-Computer Interaction at the School of Computing and Communications, Lancaster University, UK . Her research focuses on designing technologies for wellbeing, mental health, memory support, and creative thinking, integrating wearable bio-sensors and lifelogging tools to enhance user experience. General Co-Chair: ACM Creativity and Cognition Conferences (2021, 2022) General Chair: British HCI Conference (2007) Associate Chair: CHI and DIS Conferences Her work spans Human-Food Interaction , Emotional Memory Design , and Mindfulness Technologies , with over 200 publications and £15 million in grants. She serves on the editorial boards of the ACM Transactions in Human-Computer Interaction and Taylor & Francis Human Computer Interaction journals. Scientific awards include 5 Best Paper and Honourable Mention Awards . While no student names are listed, her research leadership shapes technologies for mental health and reflective practices through wearable and mobile systems.
Dr. Michael Lawless is a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and a Full Member of the Caring Futures Institute, where he leads the Self-Care research theme. His work focuses on supporting self-care and healthy ageing, particularly for older adults with frailty and chronic conditions, across primary care, community, and residential aged care settings. His academic qualifications include a PhD and a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), both from the University of Adelaide. He is actively engaged in research that bridges evidence and practice through integrated knowledge translation and implementation science. Dr. Lawless’s research interests span self-care, healthy ageing, chronic disease management, knowledge translation, frailty, and health communication. He employs qualitative, participatory, and mixed methods to co-design tools and interventions with stakeholders, aiming to improve health equity and care delivery for older populations. His recent publications highlight a growing focus on human-centred artificial intelligence in healthcare, transdisciplinary collaboration, telehealth, and visual media to enhance care relationships. These works reflect a multidisciplinary approach integrating psychology, gerontology, digital health, and policy. Scientific Awards and Honors: Flinders University Impact Seed Funding for Early Career Researchers (2021) Australian Association of Gerontology Research Trust RM Gibson Research Fund (2020) Caring Futures Institute Accelerator Grant (2019) Establishment Grant, College of Nursing and Health Sciences (2018) Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, University of Adelaide (2017) Roby Fletcher Munn Prize, University of Adelaide (2013) Dr. Lawless is committed to mentoring early career researchers and has supervised multiple honours and master’s students in areas such as knowledge translation, frailty, and nutrition in older adults. His work is supported by cross-sector collaborations with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and creative teams, ensuring real-world impact. He leads and contributes to national and international research projects, including those involving AI in emergency care and wellbeing strategies for residential aged care. He is a member of the Australian Association of Gerontology and serves on advisory groups such as the IMPAACT Project and the Caring Futures Institute Knowledge Translation Working Group. His research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and wellbeing.
Dr. Raghu GUDUR is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Canberra's Faculty of Arts and Design, within the Design & Built Environment department. His research focuses on making technology accessible for older adults, blending interaction design with cognitive aging studies. He holds a PhD from Queensland University of Technology (2012) and advanced degrees from Indian institutions, including a Master of Design from IIT Bombay and a Fine Arts diploma from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Education: PhD in Interaction Design, Queensland University of Technology (2006–2012) Master of Design in Visual Communication, IIT Bombay Bachelor's Degree, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur Research Interests: Dr. GUDUR explores inclusive design methodologies to address accessibility challenges for aging populations. His work integrates cognitive science principles with user-centered design practices, emphasizing digital heritage preservation and adaptive interfaces for older users. He also investigates pedagogical approaches that foster empathetic design through discomfort-driven learning. Key Projects: "Improving EDRMS User Experience (UX)" (2018–2019) Virtual healthcare systems for senior populations Professional Activities: Delivered keynote addresses on aging and technology design (2019–2020) Invited speaker on intuitive interface design for older adults
Dr. Andreas Cebulla is an Associate Professor (Full Academic Status) at Flinders University's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, with adjunct roles across multiple colleges. His primary focus is on the future of work, AI ethics, and automation impacts. He holds research affiliations at the University of Adelaide and the University of Queensland's Life Course Centre. Research Interests: Current work explores AI's societal implications, automation trends, labour market dynamics, and aging workforce policies. He advises on PhD proposals related to digital transformation and macroeconomic AI effects. Publications: His 2024 edited volume The Future of Work and Technology in Australia synthesizes global and local insights. Notable works address WHS risks in AI adoption, migrant skill mismatches, and aging at home technologies. Grants/Projects: 2024: Migrants’ Labour Market Outcomes in South Australia (Lead) 2024: Independent Review of Paid Domestic Violence Leave (Lead) 2023: Workplace AI Ethics Scorecard Development Labs/Teams: Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI), Smart Ageing Research Group Key Activities: Invited talks on AI in workplaces, submissions to South Australian AI policy committees, and media contributions on future of work issues.
Jayan Chirayath Kurian is a Lecturer in Information Systems at the University of Technology Sydney's School of Computer Science within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. He previously held academic positions at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australian National University, and RMIT University in Vietnam. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and certified Pega Business Architect, Kurian brings extensive industry experience to his academic role. His educational background includes a PhD in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Canberra (2019), an M.Phil in Computer Science from the University of Nottingham, and professional certifications from PegaSystems, Oracle, Microsoft, and other leading technology providers. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching and Learning from RMIT University. Kurian's research focuses on spatial computing applications, digital transformation in emergency management, and health informatics for chronic patient monitoring. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implementations, particularly in mixed reality environments and digital health interventions. Recent projects examine dementia care technology, virtual reality for cognitive assessment, and metaverse applications in education. His publications demonstrate consistent output across prestigious venues including Computers & Education, Online Information Review, and various AIS conferences. The research shows a clear trajectory from social media analysis in emergency management toward increasingly sophisticated spatial computing applications in healthcare and education contexts. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2022-present) Canberra Citizen of the Year Award (2020) eINDIA Award for best ICT enabled University Invited to Google Summer of Code Mentors' summit Kurian has secured multiple research grants including the $5,000 performance bonus for the CogDec project under the ON Prime - CSIRO Program (2024), the Blue Sky Research Scheme ($10,000 from UTS), and several other projects through 2025. His teaching portfolio covers enterprise systems, creative programming, business informatics, and digital transformation courses. He actively supervises Masters and PhD students while collaborating with industry partners on practical technology implementations.
