Prof. Jalal Etesami is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Technical University of Munich (TUM), leading the Decision Sciences & Systems group. He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at EPFL in Switzerland. His research focuses on machine learning, causal inference, multi-agent systems, and game theory, with applications to systemic risk modeling and market design. He teaches advanced courses such as Causal Inference in Time Series , Algorithmic Game Theory , and Optimization, Learning, and Market Design . Notable contributions include work on causal structure learning, stochastic optimization, and non-Gaussian causal models. Recent research explores causal effect identification under confounding, neural networks for market analysis, and optimal experiment design. Prof. Etesami’s work appears in top venues like NeurIPS, AAAI, and IEEE journals. He actively contributes to the academic community, organizing seminars and workshops on topics ranging from causal reasoning to computational social choice.
Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen is a Senior Lecturer in Applied Molecular Mycology at Cranfield University, affiliated with the Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences and the Applied Mycology Group under the Environment and Agrifood theme. She leads the Food Safety module in the MSc Food Systems & Management program and is the Director of the Mycotoxin Training Hub, developing industry-focused training and research initiatives globally. Education: PhD in Mycotoxin Research, Federal University of Toulouse, France (2014) Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, Cranfield University (2021) Her research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of mycotoxin production in fungi under environmental stress, particularly climate change. She develops holistic solutions from farm to fork for managing mycotoxin risks, including biocontrol agents, decision support systems, and food waste valorization. Her work spans agrifood chain contamination assessment using advanced molecular and analytical techniques. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in climate change impact on mycotoxin dynamics, real-time detection methods (e.g., CO2 monitoring, spectroscopy), biocontrol strategies in coffee and cereals, and innovative pretreatment techniques for mycotoxin analysis. Her studies often involve interdisciplinary collaborations across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Scientific Awards: Best Innovative PhD Award, Federal University of Toulouse (2015) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) She actively supervises PhD and MSc students and has secured funding from Research England, Innovate UK, and BBSRC. She is co-leading the development of the Magan Centre of Applied Mycology and contributes to the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES). Her research projects include Oats for the Future, NutriNuts, and Gender-equal mycotoxin training, emphasizing sustainable and equitable food systems. Laboratories and Research Teams: Applied Mycology Group, Cranfield University Mycotoxin Training Hub (Director) Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (Co-Lead) Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) – Active Member
Myrto Limnios is a Bernoulli Instructor at the Institute of Mathematics at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), holding dual appointments as Lecturer in the School of Basic Sciences - Mathematics Section and Scientist in the Mathematics Department - Geometry section. Her office is located at CM 1 618 (Centre Midi), Station 10, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Dr. Limnios's academic journey began with her PhD at Centre Borelli, ENS Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, under the supervision of Prof. Nicolas Vayatis and Ioannis Bargiotas. Her doctoral thesis, Rank Processes and Statistical Applications in High Dimension , established her expertise in statistical methodology. Following her PhD, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Copenhagen Causality Lab of the University of Copenhagen. Her research program focuses on nonparametric statistics, statistical learning theory, and stochastic processes with biomedical applications. She specializes in causal learning methods for event processes using conditional local independence testing (collaborating with Niels Richard Hansen) and concentration results for k-sample Rank and U-processes (with Prof. Stephan Clémençon of Télécom Paris). Her work bridges theoretical advances with practical implementations in epidemiology, neuroscience, and medical diagnostics. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong trend toward developing ranking-based statistical methods with applications to anomaly detection, two-sample testing, and causal inference. Her work demonstrates increasing sophistication in handling high-dimensional event processes while maintaining theoretical rigor in statistical guarantees. Among her notable achievements is the Bernoulli Instructorship at EPFL and organizing the Women in Mathematics conference at EPFL in May 2025, which hosted over 60 participants from Switzerland, France, and Spain. She was also honored with a research visit to the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing at UC Berkeley in November 2024, hosted by Prof. Peter Bartlett. Dr. Limnios teaches advanced statistical methods at EPFL, including Regression Methods (covering linear regression, analysis of variance, diagnostics, and variable selection) and Empirical Processes (focusing on controlling nonasymptotic behavior of estimator collections). Her GitHub activity shows active development of statistical software for independence testing and anomaly ranking. She maintains active collaborations with the Copenhagen Causality Lab, Télécom Paris, and biomedical research groups, particularly through her work on postural control analysis for Parkinsonian syndromes and epidemiological modeling of infectious diseases.
Benjamin Recht is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences and Department of Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Recht received his BS in mathematics from the University of Chicago and his MS and PhD from the MIT Media Laboratory, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Caltech's Center for the Mathematics of Information. His research interests span Machine Learning, Optimization, Control Theory, and Statistics , with a focus on both theoretical foundations and practical applications. Recht's work addresses fundamental questions in reproducibility, generalization, and robustness of machine learning systems, while also developing novel methods for control, computer vision, and data analysis. Recht's recent publications reveal a strong focus on reproducibility in machine learning , with papers like "The Mechanics of Frictionless Reproducibility" (2024), alongside continued contributions to statistical learning theory ("Interpolating Classifiers Make Few Mistakes", 2023) and computer vision ("Plenoxels", 2022; "K-planes", 2023). His work increasingly addresses societal implications of AI , including papers on systemic harm detection and post-deployment evaluation. NSF Career Award Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship 2012 SIAM/MOS Lagrange Prize in Continuous Optimization Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers 2014 Jamon Prize 2015 William O. Baker Award for Initiatives in Research 2017 and 2020 NeurIPS Test of Time Awards Recht has advised numerous PhD students who have gone on to faculty positions at top universities and research roles at leading technology companies. His work on optimization algorithms has been widely influential, including the development of methods like HOGWILD! for parallel stochastic gradient descent. He co-founded the Conference on Learning for Decision and Control and has served on editorial boards for the Journal of Machine Learning Research and Mathematical Programming. His research group spans both theoretical and applied work, with connections to healthcare (adaptive medication tapering), computer vision (radiance fields), and social impact (systemic harm detection in deployed systems).
Dr. Olga Barrera is a Reader in Mechanical Engineering at Oxford Brookes University, School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics. She serves as a year tutor for undergraduate engineering programs and has previously held a Research Fellow position at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford (2008–2017), and a consultancy role at China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan. Her academic work spans teaching, supervision, and leading a research lab focused on image-based multi-physics modeling of multi-phase materials. Reader in Mechanical Engineering, Oxford Brookes University (2018–present) Research Fellow, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford (2008–2017) Consultant, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan Her research interests lie at the intersection of computational mechanics, biomechanics, and materials science, with a focus on soft load-bearing tissues such as the knee meniscus. She integrates advanced imaging (micro-CT), experimental testing, and fractional calculus-based modeling to study tissue behavior and bio-inspired materials. Her work also extends to hydrogen embrittlement in metals and innovative finite element methods. Her recent publications (2023–2025) reveal a strong trend in image-driven modeling of biological tissues, fractional viscoelasticity, and bioinspired engineering solutions. Key themes include the mechanical behavior of meniscal tissue, fluid-structure interaction, anomalous transport in porous media, and deep learning applications in tissue mimicry. These works are published in high-impact journals such as Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A , Materials & Design , and Acta Biomaterialia . Scientific awards and grants highlight her international recognition and research leadership: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (€190K, 2018–2020) EPSRC HemS grant (Co-I, £340K, 2014–2017) Research Excellence Award, Oxford Brookes (2021–2022, £20K) Visiting Professor Scholarship, France (2023, €4K) FNR Luxembourg Crucible Grant (€8K, 2021–2022) She has supervised numerous postgraduate students including PhD and MSc researchers, and has advised over 30 undergraduate final-year projects across Oxford and Oxford Brookes. She has led or co-led significant research grants from EPSRC, FNR, Rolls-Royce, and the Oxford Orthopaedic Engineering Centre. Her lab, the Oxford image-based multi-physics modelling of multi-phase materials, collaborates with institutions in Italy, Luxembourg, and France. She is an active member of the Materials Processing and Modelling (MPM) research group.
Dr. Huadong Mo is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Systems and Computing, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra, Australia. He holds a B.E. degree in automation from the University of Science and Technology of China (2012) and a Ph.D. in systems engineering and engineering management from the City University of Hong Kong (2016). Prior to his current position, he was a research associate at ETH Zurich's Reliability and Risk Engineering Lab (2016-2019) and a Lecturer at UNSW Canberra (2019-2021). Dr. Mo's educational background includes a strong foundation in systems engineering with international experience across China, Switzerland, and Australia. His career trajectory demonstrates a progression from academic research to faculty positions with increasing responsibilities in teaching and research leadership. His research focuses on enhancing the resilience, performance, and security of complex systems using learning-based algorithms, primarily in power and energy systems, cyber-physical systems, and manufacturing systems. He applies data analytics to understand system evolution under uncertainties, with particular emphasis on prognostics and health management, sustainable transportation, robust operation of power systems under extreme events, and reinforcement learning-based asset management. His work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in critical infrastructure. Analysis of Dr. Mo's recent publications reveals a strong focus on energy systems, particularly in the integration of machine learning with power grid management, battery storage systems, and resilience against cyber threats. His research shows a clear trajectory toward increasingly complex system integration, with growing emphasis on multi-vector energy communities, cross-domain prediction, and uncertainty-aware energy management. The interdisciplinary nature of his work spans electrical engineering, computer science, and operations research. 2024 IEEE SMC Early Career Award 2023 Visiting Research Fellowship (Jean d'Alembert Pour Fellowship) Gold Medal in 2024 China International College Student Innovation Competition (as supervisor) Arc PGC Supervisor Award (2021) IEEE SMC Outstanding Chapter Award (2021) Alumni Achievement Award from City University of Hong Kong (2019) Dr. Mo actively supervises numerous HDR students working on cutting-edge research topics including battery health monitoring, quantum control, reinforcement learning for power systems, and explainable AI for energy management. He leads multiple significant research grants totaling over 3 million AUD, including projects funded by ARC, Energy Innovation Fund, and international collaborations with institutions like ETH Zurich, Cambridge, and Tsinghua University. His research group maintains strong international connections, facilitating student exchanges and collaborative research. As Postgraduate Course Coordinator of Systems Engineering and Chair of IEEE SMC ACT Chapter, Dr. Mo plays a significant role in academic leadership and professional community building. His research team collaborates with industry partners on practical implementations of their theoretical work, particularly in the energy sector.
Prof. Dr. Christian Breunig is a Professor of Comparative Politics at the Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, and serves on the Board of the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality." He previously held academic positions as Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max-Planck Institute for the Study of Societies. His research focuses on political representation, public policy in advanced democracies, and comparative political economy. Projects: Political elites and inequality (2019-2025) Conditional Responsiveness in France/Germany (2016-2020) Comparative Agendas Project (2014) Key research areas: Political methodology Legislative dynamics Policy institutionalization Public opinion estimation Redistribution preferences His recent work analyzes: Political misrepresentation of marginalized groups Redistribution mechanisms in pension systems Legislative bargaining behaviors Policy venue creation dynamics Public opinion estimation accuracy Awarded three American Political Science Association prizes, he has conducted comparative studies across Germany, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, with methodological innovations in legislative ideology measurement.
Xiao-Yu Cao is an associate professor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Xiamen University , China, where he has been based since February 2011. His expertise bridges supramolecular chemistry, organic materials, and organometallic systems, with a focus on self-assembly, conjugated architectures, and their optoelectronic or biological applications. Education: 2011.02–present Associate Professor, Xiamen University, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 2008.12–2011.02 Marie Curie Fellow, University of Eindhoven, Department of Biomedical Engineering (supervisor: Prof. Bert Meijer) 2004.09–2009.12 Ph.D. studies, University of Strasbourg, Institute of Supramolecular Science and Engineering (mentor: Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn) 2003.07–2004.09 Research Assistant, Peking University, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering (mentor: Prof. Jian Pei) 1999.09–2003.07 B.Sc., Peking University, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Research Interests: Dr. Cao’s research integrates supramolecular chemistry with materials science . He designs self-assembling systems driven by dynamic covalent bonds, metal coordination, and hydrogen bonding to construct functional architectures. A parallel stream focuses on conjugated organic materials —including BN-embedded heterosuperbenzenes and corannulene derivatives—for applications in photoelectrodes, organic field-effect transistors, and solar cells. Additionally, he explores organometallic aromatic systems built around osmium, elucidating their bonding, reactivity, and electronic properties. Publication Profile: Across 2013–2023, Dr. Cao has co-authored >15 high-impact articles in journals such as Nature Communications , Journal of the American Chemical Society , Angewandte Chemie , and Chemical Science Reviews . His work advances three synergistic themes: (1) supramolecular assembly —from grid-like metallo-architectures to chiral polyhedra; (2) organic semiconductors —delivering record electron mobilities and non-fullerene acceptors; and (3) organometallic chemistry —mapping the landscape of osmacycles and metallabenzenes. These studies combine synthetic innovation with detailed structural, spectroscopic, and device characterization. Scientific Awards: Marie Curie Fellowship (European Commission, 2008–2011) Advising & Grants: While the provided text does not enumerate specific doctoral or master’s students, Dr. Cao’s active publication record—often with graduate-student co-authors—indicates ongoing research supervision. Grant details are not disclosed. Laboratory & Teams: Dr. Cao leads projects within the Supramolecular and Materials Chemistry group at Xiamen University. The team leverages state-of-the-art synthetic, spectroscopic, and device-testing facilities to pursue interdisciplinary research spanning chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology.
Bryan Lilly is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh , where he has been affiliated with the College of Business since 1991. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. from Indiana University (1997), an MBA from Northwestern University (1991), and a BS from The Ohio State University (1985). Education : Ph.D. (Indiana University, 1997), MBA (Northwestern University, 1991), BS (The Ohio State University, 1985) Dr. Lilly's research spans Marketing Education, Sales Pedagogy, Consumer Behavior, and Environmental Advertising . He has pioneered collaborative data collection models for regional workforce development and examined counterproductive work behaviors in sales. His 2024 article on student-teacher behavioral dynamics and 2023 work on patient satisfaction in healthcare marketing highlight his interdisciplinary focus. His recent publications (2016-2024) emphasize pedagogical innovation , sales ethics , and consumer psychology , with keywords spanning education, healthcare, and environmental marketing. Articles frequently address behavioral motivations, word-of-mouth dynamics, and experiential learning. Scientific Awards : College of Business Outstanding Faculty of the Year (2018) Dr. Lilly has served as a thesis advisor for UW Honors students, advised marketing clubs, and participated in university governance through committees like the COB Graduate Programs Committee and UWO Faculty Senate Budget Committee. He also contributes to community initiatives like the Neenah youth support group Brigade and Oshkosh Propel.
Eduardo Saez De Villarreal Sáez is a Professor in the Department of Sports and Information Technology at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, where he is affiliated with the Center for Research in Physical and Sports Performance (CIRFD) and the AFSD Physical Activity, Health and Sport research group. His academic work spans both theoretical and applied aspects of sports science, with a particular focus on physical performance metrics and training methodologies. His research interests center on athletic performance optimization, with specific expertise in strength training methodologies, sprint mechanics, and resistance training adaptations. Dr. Saez De Villarreal's work frequently examines velocity-based training, blood flow restriction techniques, and the biomechanical aspects of athletic movement. His research bridges laboratory findings with practical applications for athletes across multiple sports disciplines including football (soccer), water polo, cycling, and even unique applications to professional bullfighting performance. Analysis of his recent publications (2024-2026) reveals a strong focus on velocity-based resistance training, with particular attention to velocity loss thresholds and their impact on strength development. His work demonstrates increasing sophistication in training methodology research, with systematic reviews and meta-analyses becoming more prominent alongside experimental studies. The research spans multiple sports contexts while maintaining a strong physiological and biomechanical foundation. Dr. Saez De Villarreal supervises doctoral students in the Physical Activity, Sports and Health Sciences program and collaborates with researchers internationally. His work shows consistent output with publications extending into 2026, indicating ongoing active research. His laboratory work appears to focus on practical applications of sports science research across various athletic populations, from youth athletes to professionals.
Professor Charlotte Hanlon serves as Co-Director of the Centre for Global Mental Health and co-director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Research and Training at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. Based in Ethiopia, she has maintained a continuous research and implementation presence in the country since her PhD work from 2004-2006 on perinatal mental health in rural settings, returning permanently in 2009. Her research expertise spans global mental health implementation science, with particular focus on developing, testing and implementing interventions for people with mental health conditions in low- and middle-income countries. Professor Hanlon has significant experience with psychological interventions, social/psychosocial approaches, service models, and system strengthening, with special attention to severe mental health conditions including psychoses and developmental disabilities. Her work consistently incorporates capacity strengthening as an integral component. She coordinates the PhD program for Mental Health Epidemiology at Addis Ababa University and serves on Ethiopia's technical working group for mental health scale-up. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on context-specific implementation research, particularly in Ethiopia, with growing attention to developmental disabilities, caregiver support, and inclusive education. Her work bridges clinical interventions with health systems strengthening, demonstrating how context shapes effective mental health service delivery in resource-limited settings. The publications show increasing collaboration with African institutions and a focus on sustainable, locally adapted solutions. Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health Co-lead (with Professor Ashok Malla) of the interventions, services and systems section of the Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Psychoses in Global Context Professor Hanlon leads multiple major research initiatives including HOPE (NIHR global health research group on homelessness and severe mental illness), SCOPE (Wellcome Trust-funded study of psychosis context in Ethiopia), PROMISE (improving detection and care for psychosis in Malawi), PRIZE (peer support intervention for psychosis in South Africa), and SPARK (WHO caregiver skills training for developmental disabilities). Her research approach emphasizes participatory methods, cultural adaptation, and building local research capacity across multiple African countries. She works closely with the Centre for Global Mental Health, which aims to address inequities by closing the care gap and reducing human rights abuses experienced by people living with mental, neurological and substance use conditions in low-resource settings. Her projects often involve collaboration between King's College London, Addis Ababa University, and other African institutions to develop sustainable mental health solutions.
David A. Plaisted is a Research Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined UNC-Chapel Hill as a full professor after serving on the faculty of the Computer Science Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign until 1984. His academic career spans several decades with significant contributions to automated reasoning and computational logic. Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Chicago (1970) Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University (1976) Professor Plaisted's research focuses on mechanical theorem proving, term rewriting systems, logic programming, and algorithms. His work in term-rewriting systems investigates methods of combining them with first-order theorem provers, including techniques for applying efficient permutation group algorithms to equational theorem proving. In mechanical theorem proving, he has developed a sequence of methods including clause linking with semantics and ordered semantic hyper-linking. His research in logic programming includes developing tests to eliminate the occurrence check in Prolog while maintaining semantics. His work spans theoretical foundations to practical applications in program verification and generation. His recent publications demonstrate continued innovation in automated reasoning, particularly in semantic guidance for theorem proving. His work shows a consistent focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of automated deduction systems, with recent contributions to SGGS (Semantically-Guided Goal-Sensitive) theorem proving and analysis of the relationship between semantics and unification in proof systems. Professor Plaisted has served on numerous program committees and editorial boards including the Journal of Symbolic Computation, Information Processing Letters, Mathematical Systems Theory, and Fundamenta Informaticae. He is currently on the editorial board of ACM Transactions on Computational Logic and the electronic Journal of Functional and Logic Programming. He has organized significant conferences including serving as co-chair of the Second International Conference on Rewriting Techniques and Applications in 1987. He has spent several sabbaticals at prestigious institutions including SRI in Menlo Park (1982-1983), the Max-Planck Institute and University of Kaiserslautern in Germany (1993-1994), and research visits to groups in Grenoble and Nancy, France (1998).
Dario Carugo is an Associate Professor of Biostimulation and Immunological Engineering at University College London (UCL), School of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics. Previously, he held positions at the University of Oxford (Botnar Research Centre) and University of Southampton. His academic foundation includes a BSc and MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano (specializing in Biological Fluid Dynamics & Bio-Machines), and a PhD in Bioengineering Sciences from the University of Southampton. His research spans acoustofluidics , microfluidic drug delivery systems , and biofilm eradication technologies . Key interests include ultrasound-activated drug carriers, mechanistic models for therapeutic physical stimuli, and nano/micro-scale systems for chronic wound treatment, implant infections, and musculoskeletal disorders. His work integrates computational fluid dynamics with experimental models to optimize interventional treatments. Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strong trend toward biofilm-targeted therapies using ultrasound-responsive carriers (microbubbles/nanodroplets), oxygen delivery systems for bone healing, and 3D-printed devices for precision drug delivery. Interdisciplinary collaborations span microbiology, urology, and tissue engineering, with emphasis on translating lab innovations to clinical applications for chronic wounds and implant-associated infections. Awards: Italian National Bioengineering Group award IMechE Biomedical Engineering Division award EPSRC Doctoral Prize award FP7 European project funding BBSRC award Junior Research Fellowship at Jesus College, Oxford Carugo teaches Biofluids (Engineering Science) and Micro- & nano-technologies for personalised medicine (MSc Pharmacology), alongside supervising MSc Musculoskeletal Sciences laboratory activities. His Botnar Research Centre lab pioneers vortical flow devices for ultrasound-activated drug delivery and high-speed imaging systems (>1 million fps) to quantify cellular responses to mechanical stimuli.
Maria Rita D’Orsogna is a Professor of Mathematics at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and holds an Adjunct Associate Professor appointment in the Department of Computational Medicine at UCLA. She earned her PhD in Theoretical Physics from UCLA in 2003 and has since bridged mathematical modeling with interdisciplinary research in biology, social dynamics, and criminology. Her work utilizes statistical mechanics and applied mathematics to study collective behavior, viral dynamics, and societal challenges. Her research spans Biological swarming and self-organization Crime pattern modeling and policy analysis Drug addiction relapse dynamics Environmental activism against offshore oil drilling Recent publications focus on Medical decision-making optimization Age-specific overdose mortality forecasting Radicalization and social network dynamics Criminal career empirical studies Hematopoiesis modeling . She has secured funding from the NSF and Army Research Office. Teaching experience includes differential equations, multivariable calculus, and mathematical biology at CSUN and UCLA. She has mentored students through RIPS, IPAM, and PUMP programs. As Associate Director of UCLA’s Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (2018–2021), she promoted interdisciplinary research. Her environmental advocacy in Italy led to national policy changes banning coastal oil drilling, earning her recognition as the "Erin Brockovich of Italy".
Lauren Zalla, PhD, MS, is a Research Associate at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill (2022) and an MS in Public Health from Duke University (2015). Her work focuses on policy approaches to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities among people with HIV in the United States. PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2022) MS, Duke University (2015) Dr. Zalla examines social and structural determinants of health, racial disparities, and effectiveness of interventions like the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative and state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs. Her methodological contributions include improving disparity measurement, causal inference techniques, and sub-population estimation. Recent publications analyze spatio-temporal mortality patterns, antidepressant impacts on viral suppression, and integrase inhibitor associations with diabetes in HIV populations. Key awards include the 2025 Lilienfeld Postdoctoral Paper Prize Finalist and 2023 Delta Omega Honorary Society membership. 2025 Lilienfeld Postdoctoral Paper Prize Finalist 2023 Health Disparities Scholar 2023 Bernard G. Greenberg Award 2022 Tyroler Student Paper Prize Finalist Her research integrates spatial epidemiology, causal modeling, and policy evaluation to address systemic inequities in HIV care. Collaborations span clinical and population health domains with major journals including JAMA, American Journal of Epidemiology, and AIDS.
