Affiliations & Roles Professor of Computer and Information Science at University of Pennsylvania Faculty in Graduate Groups: Bioengineering (School of Engineering) Genomics & Computational Biology (School of Medicine) Operations, Information & Decisions (Wharton School) Psychology (School of Arts & Sciences) Research Affiliations: Annenberg Public Policy Center (Distinguished Fellow) Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Institute for Translational Medicine Research Interests Focuses on explainable AI, natural language processing (NLP), and machine learning applications in psychology and medicine. Key areas include: Language analysis for well-being and mental health Spectral methods for NLP (e.g., Eigenwords) Forecasting and decision-making models Bioinformatics and genomics Teaching Teaches advanced courses in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and AI ethics, including: CIS 5200: Machine Learning CIS 5220: Deep Learning CIS 6200: Advanced Topics in Deep Learning Key Collaborations Works with interdisciplinary teams on projects like the Good Judgment Project (forecasting) and WWBP (Well-Being and Language). Collaborators include Martin Seligman (positive psychology), Dean Foster (statistics), and Michael Collins (NLP).
Andrew Head is an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Computer Science, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Programming. His work bridges interactive reading , math notation accessibility , and AI-assisted code comprehension . Affiliated with Penn HCI, PLClub, and MindCORE, he co-leads research with Danaé Metaxa and Benjamin Pierce. University of Pennsylvania Assistant Professor, Computer Science Affiliations: Penn HCI, PLClub, MindCORE His research focuses on interactive reading interfaces , AI-powered programming tools , and math notation analysis . Recent projects include: FreeForm : Interactive math notation editor Tyche : Property-based testing tools Explainable Notes : Medical note interpretation systems Publications in CHI , UIST , and ICSE demonstrate his systems-centric approach combining user studies with working prototypes. Notable awards include Best Paper at UIST 2024 and CHI 2022. Advising: Ph.D. Students: Alyssa Hwang, Litao Yan, Hita Kambhamettu, Jeff Tao, Jessica Shi Grants: $1M NSF grant for Property-based Testing Tools (2024) Teaching: Spring 2025: CIS 4120/5120 - Human-Computer Interaction Fall 2024: CIS 7000 - Interactive Reading
Scott E. Miller is Senior Biodiversity Advisor, Senior Research Entomologist, and Curator of Lepidoptera at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. He has held numerous leadership positions including Deputy Under Secretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support, Deputy Under Secretary for Science, Associate Director for Science at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, and Interim Director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. Prior to the Smithsonian, he held leadership roles at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. Miller earned his BS from the University of California at Santa Barbara and his PhD from Harvard University. His academic journey has been marked by significant contributions to entomology and biodiversity research. Dr. Miller's research focuses on the integration of systematics, ecology, biogeography and conservation of insects and plants. His current work uses museum-based taxonomy and systematics to mobilize biodiversity information to empower ecology, conservation, and agriculture. Major research themes include moth systematics, biogeography and phylogenomics (particularly Dalceridae, Geometridae, and other families), insect food web and ecology projects in Papua New Guinea, Kenya and elsewhere, and building DNA reference libraries from museum vouchers for ecological applications. He has been instrumental in developing DNA-based identification tools through initiatives like the Consortium for the Barcode of Life. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on biodiversity informatics, DNA barcoding, and the application of museum collections to contemporary ecological questions. Miller's work spans tropical ecology, systematics, and the development of new methodologies for biodiversity assessment, with significant fieldwork conducted in Papua New Guinea, Kenya, and other biodiversity hotspots. Dr. Miller has contributed significantly to scientific infrastructure development, including co-chairing the US Government's Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections and helping establish the Consortium for the Barcode of Life. His leadership extends to international scientific collaboration and the development of research centers like Mpala Research Centre in Kenya. As Senior Biodiversity Advisor, he oversees major initiatives that connect museum collections with contemporary biodiversity challenges. His laboratory and team focus on leveraging the extensive moth collections at NMNH for phylogenomic studies and ecological applications, working closely with international collaborators on projects spanning multiple continents.
Slava Jankin is a Professor of Data Science and Government at the University of Birmingham’s School of Government, where he also serves as Deputy Director of the Institute for Data and AI and Founding Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Government. He is concurrently a Fellow and Founding Director of the Data Science Lab at the Hertie School in Berlin. Previously, he held a Professorship at the University of Essex and has worked at University College London (UCL) and the London School of Economics (LSE). His research bridges computational methods, governance, and climate policy, with a focus on AI applications in public institutions, climate-health surveillance, and misinformation resilience. Jankin earned a PhD in Political Science from Trinity College Dublin (2009), a Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics (2006), and a BSc from Belarus State Economic University (2002). **Education**: • PhD in Political Science, Trinity College Dublin (2009) • Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics, Trinity College Dublin (2006) • BSc Econ with Distinction, Belarus State Economic University (2002) **Research Interests**: Jankin’s work integrates AI and computational methods with governance challenges, including climate policy, health surveillance, and institutional effectiveness. He leads initiatives like the Lancet Countdown’s climate-health monitoring and the CATALYSE project on climate impacts. His research also explores digital twins for governance systems and the role of cultural diversity in societal resilience against misinformation. **Grants & Collaborations**: He advises the UN and EU on AI and data science, co-leads the Lancet Countdown, and collaborates with institutions like the Alan Turing Institute. His applied work includes developing AI tools for public service optimization and policy simulations. **Labs & Teams**: Directs the Centre for AI in Government (University of Birmingham) and the Hertie School’s Data Science Lab, fostering interdisciplinary teams to advance computational methods in public policy.
Erlend Hem is a Professor II at the Department of Behavioral Medicine , University of Oslo. He is also affiliated with the Department of Health Management and Health Economics as a student. His research focuses on suicide epidemiology, mental health among healthcare professionals, and mortality statistics. University of Oslo Department of Behavioral Medicine Department of Health Management and Health Economics (student) His work includes analyzing suicide rates in physicians and veterinarians, psychological distress in intensive care workers during the pandemic, and disparities in cancer outcomes. Studies like the NORVET survey and methodological research on mortality recording highlight his interdisciplinary approach. Recent publications address English language barriers in medical literature comprehension and historical medical practices. Scientific contributions span journals like Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening , BMC Psychiatry , and BMJ Open . Collaborative projects involve teams from Norwegian public health and emergency medicine sectors.
Benoît Sagot is a Senior Researcher in Natural Language Processing and Computational Linguistics at Inria , currently holding the 2023-2024 Informatics and Digital Sciences Annual Chair at Collège de France. He directs the ALMAnaCH research team and contributes to the PRAIRIE Institute for AI research. Research Focus: His work spans neural language models, machine translation, text simplification, multimodal NLP, and lexical resource development for French and low-resource languages. He explores computational morphology, etymology, and historical linguistics, with applications in opinion mining and computational oenology. Recent Articles emphasize language model interpretability, cross-lingual transfer, and multimodal integration (speech, image). Tools & Resources: He has developed morphological lexicons (Le fff, Alexina), corpora (OSCAR, CAMEMBERT), and parsing pipelines (SxPipe). Projects: Involved in initiatives like ANR BASNUM (Furetière's dictionary digitization) and 3IA PRAIRIE (AI research). His career combines foundational work in syntactic analysis with evolving deep learning approaches.
Harald C. Gall is a Professor of Software Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Informatics at the University of Zurich (UZH). He leads the Software Evolution and Architecture Lab, focusing on software evolution analysis, mining software repositories, and cloud-based software engineering. His research emphasizes improving software development productivity through data-driven insights. He has held visiting positions at Microsoft Research and the University of Washington. Education: PhD (Dr. techn.) and Master's (Dipl.-Ing.) in Informatics from TU Vienna Research Interests: Software evolution, mining software archives, cloud-based tools, developer productivity, and empirical software engineering. Notable contributions include the Evolizer , ChangeDistiller , and SOFAS systems. Key Contributions: Established the Mining Software Repositories (MSR) research area, program chair for ICSE 2011 and ESEC/FSE 2005, associate editor of leading journals like Empirical Software Engineering and IEEE Software. Awards: Most Influential Paper Award, Test of Time Award, and multiple Best Paper Awards. Recognized for contributions to SE research methodologies and tool development. Professional Activities: ACM SIGSOFT awards chair, board member of Informatics Europe, and executive committee member of CHOOSE (Swiss SIG for OO Systems). Labs/Teams: Director of the Software Evolution and Architecture Lab at UZH, leading projects like SURF-MobileAppsData (SNSF-funded) and DevCloud (Hasler Foundation).
Matthew Stephenson is a Lecturer at Flinders University's College of Science and Engineering, specializing in Artificial Intelligence applications for games. He leads the Data for Decisions initiative within the Factory of the Future Transdisciplinary Hub, focusing on AI-powered scenario generation for smart digital twins. Additionally, he is a member of IRL CROSSING, an international lab studying human-autonomous agent teaming dynamics. PhD in Computer Science (Australian National University, 2019) B.Sc.(Hons) in Computer Science (University of Canterbury, 2015) His research applies AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science to game domains, including intelligent agent development for physics-based environments, procedural content generation, and game analytics. He also investigates deceptive behaviors in multi-agent systems and leverages games as testbeds for real-world AI solutions. Recent publications focus on large language models for game benchmarking, physical reasoning challenges, and evolutionary game generation. Scientific awards include an honourable mention at Foundations of Digital Games (FDG'18). He supervises students in procedural generation, game AI, and physics-based task creation, with teaching roles in computational intelligence and neural networks courses.
Dr. Ava Fatah gen. Schieck is a Professor of Media Architecture and Urban Digital Interaction at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL) , where she has been affiliated since 2001. She teaches in the MSc Architectural Computation program, focusing on embodied interactions and urban digital experiences. Education: ATQ03 - Recognised by the HEA as a Fellow (UCL, 2008) Certificate in Learning and Teaching (UCL, 2007) Master of Science (UCL, 2001) Her research explores the intersection of architecture, digital media, and urban spaces. Key themes include: Mediated spatial experiences in museums and public environments Embodied interactions through dance, movement, and performative design Urban screens and community-centered digital installations Smart city critiques focusing on marginalized communities Pervasive computing's impact on social dynamics Her publication corpus (149+ outputs) predominantly addresses media architecture, HCI, museum technology, and sensory interactions , with recent work emphasizing olfactory interfaces, pandemic urbanism, and heritage digitization. Awards & Honors: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA, 2023) Projects & Grants: As Principal Investigator for the EPSRC-funded 'Screens in the Wild' , she examines networked urban screens for community engagement. She previously led the 'SCREAM' project (UrbanBuzz program) and contributed to EPSRC's 'Urban Design and Pervasive Systems'. She reviews grants for EPSRC, UKRI, SNSF, and other international bodies. She directs research through UCL's Space Research Group and VR Centre for the Built Environment , collaborating globally. As program chair for the Media Architecture Biennale (2012-2020), she fosters interdisciplinary dialogue across architecture, HCI, and interaction design.
Charles C. Davis is a Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and Curator of Vascular Plants in the Harvard University Herbaria. He leads the Davis Lab, focusing on plant diversity through integrative research in systematics, paleobiology, ecology, and molecular biology. His work emphasizes phylogenetic theory, biogeography, and the application of herbarium collections to address global change challenges. Davis is particularly noted for leveraging herbarium specimens to study plant responses to climate change, phenology, and biodiversity patterns. Research interests include plant-insect interactions, genome architecture evolution in parasitic plants, and the ethical use of herbarium specimens. His lab has pioneered high-throughput phylogenomic pipelines (e.g., PhyloHerb) and explored the future of herbaria in the digital age. Collaborations span global institutions, emphasizing digitization, spectral imaging, and AI-driven analysis of biodiversity data. Recent work highlights the impact of anthropogenic change on plant communities, the role of phenology in species survival, and strategies to mitigate collecting biases in herbaria. Davis teaches courses on plant systematics and evolution, and his lab actively participates in public engagement through exhibits like the HMNH’s *In Search of Thoreau’s Flowers*. His research has been featured in *Trends in Ecology & Evolution*, *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*, and *Current Biology*, with a focus on advancing methodologies for biodiversity science while addressing ethical challenges in specimen sampling.
Dr. Martin Stürzlinger is a Part-Time Professor for Digital Archiving at the Department of Information Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. He also operates his consulting firm Archiversum, advising organizations on long-term information storage (www.archiversum.com). His work bridges academic research with practical applications in digital preservation. Research Interests: Dr. Stürzlinger specializes in digital archiving, focusing on the OAIS model, life-cycle management, and archival description standards like Records in Contexts (RiC). His research addresses organizational challenges in digital preservation, legal compliance (e.g., GDPR), and metadata design for accessibility. Recent Publications: His selected works explore OAIS implementation, the impact of GDPR on private archives, and the evolution of archival description standards. These contributions highlight trends in digital preservation, emphasizing interoperability, sustainability, and cross-institutional collaboration. Collaboration & Standards: He actively contributes to international working groups, including ICA-EGAD (Archival Description) and nestor's certification standards for digital archives. His efforts in standardization include the Austrian implementation of ISAD(G) and ISDIAH, as well as Swiss guidelines for electronic records management. Teaching & Outreach: Dr. Stürzlinger has lectured extensively, including courses on archive management at BFI Vienna and IT applications in archives at the University of Vienna. He has delivered over 40 lectures globally, addressing topics like cost estimation for digital archiving and the role of corporate archives in business efficiency.
Professor Kurt Squire is a leading scholar in games research and development at the University of California Irvine, affiliated with the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Indiana University (2004). His work focuses on leveraging computer games and augmented reality to enhance learning outcomes and social impact. Squire has pioneered platforms enabling students and teachers to co-create educational tools, fostering global grassroots communities through collaborative game design. Notable contributions include the Games + Learning + Society (GLS) center, which he co-founded with Constance Steinkuehler and has since relaunched at UCI. He currently explores AR applications, community-based AI design, and mitigating right-wing extremism in gaming ecosystems. Squire’s research has been funded by NSF, NIH, and major foundations, with over a dozen commercially launched games stemming from his projects. Education: Ph.D. in Education, Indiana University, 2004 Research Interests: Squire investigates how games and emerging technologies can address societal challenges through participatory design. His work spans educational equity, cognitive development via casual gaming, and ethical AI frameworks. He emphasizes translating academic innovations into market-ready solutions while aligning with institutional goals. Recent projects include wearable apps for youth self-regulation and trauma-informed GenAI design with marginalized communities. Notable Achievements: Recipient of the Inaugural Hasso Plattner Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence (2025) Co-founder of GLS, a globally influential research hub Authored Making Games for Impact (2021), a practitioner-focused guide Labs/Teams: Directs the Games + Learning + Society center at UCI, focusing on XR research, well-being technologies, and entrepreneurship in education. Collaborates with MIT on augmented reality initiatives.
Dr. Richard Y. Zhao is a tenured Professor in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His research combines molecular biology, fission yeast genetics, mammalian biology, and virology to study virus-host interactions, particularly for HIV and Zika virus. He previously held academic positions at Northwestern University and Columbia University and has contributed to over 120 peer-reviewed articles. B.S., China Oceanography University (1981) M.S., Oregon State University (1995) Ph.D., Oregon State University (1991) Postdoctoral Training, Columbia University (1991-1992) Dr. Zhao's research focuses on: Virus-host interactions and pathogenicity High-throughput drug screening for antivirals Role of viral proteins in neuroinflammation and cancer Translational genomics in precision medicine His recent publications highlight SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a, Zika envelope proteins, and HIV protease inhibitors, emphasizing host-pathogen mechanisms across species. He has served on NIH panels and editorial boards for journals like Cell Research and Retrovirology . Scientific awards include: Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology (2019) Bernard L Mirkin Endowed Chair (2001-2004) Honorary Director, Shandong Gallo Institute (2009) Distinguished Service from SCBA (2015) Outstanding Service from CBA-USA (2016) Dr. Zhao also contributes to clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine through molecular testing and pharmacogenetics programs.
Dr. Jeffrey Morgan is a Researcher at Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences, specializing in multidisciplinary research at the intersection of computer science, social science, and geography. His work emphasizes human-computer interaction, visualization, and big data analytics. He holds a Research Software Engineer role, combining technical expertise with academic inquiry. Key research interests include AI-driven patent analysis, IoT applications in rural citizen science, and geospatial Twitter demographics. He has contributed to studies on Hadoop infrastructure optimization and social media conflict detection, often collaborating with institutions like Xiamen University and the University of Bremen. His publications span topics like energy-efficient big data processing, digital geography of Welsh identity, and scalable social media analysis frameworks. Notable projects include COSMOS (a cloud-based social media analysis platform) and studies on post-devolution cultural narratives in Wales. Award-winning work includes computational Twitter analysis for detecting online community tensions and geotagging behavior patterns. His research often bridges technical innovation with societal impact, addressing challenges in rural technology deployment and digital sociology.
Krishnan Bhaskaran is a Professor of Statistical Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) , affiliated with the Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health and the Department of Non-communicable Disease Epidemiology . He leads the Beyond Cancer research group , supported by a Wellcome Senior Research Fellowship . He co-founded the OpenSAFELY platform for real-time pandemic data analysis. Education: Background in Mathematics and Medical Statistics Research Interests: Cancer survivorship, cardiovascular and mental health outcomes in cancer survivors, pharmacoepidemiology of drug interactions, and methodological advancements in electronic health records analysis Publication Trends: His recent work focuses on long-term health consequences of cancer and its treatments, drug interactions in cardiovascular therapies, and the impact of chronic conditions on cancer risk. Many studies utilize large UK datasets and the OpenSAFELY platform. Scientific Awards: Wellcome Senior Research Fellowship Grants & Leadership: He has secured major funding from Cancer Research UK , British Heart Foundation , and Wellcome Trust to investigate cardiovascular risks post-cancer, health inequalities in endocrine therapy adherence, and drug safety in anticoagulant use.
