Hal S. Stern is Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Statistics. He previously served as founding Chair of the Department of Statistics, Dean of the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, and Vice Provost for Academic Planning at UCI. Earlier, he held faculty positions at Iowa State University and Harvard University. B.S. in Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology M.S. and Ph.D. in Statistics, Stanford University Stern is a leading expert in Bayesian statistical methods, with significant collaborative work in life sciences and social sciences. His current research focuses on forensic statistics (e.g., footwear impression and bloodstain pattern analysis), psychiatric studies of early-life adversity's impact on brain development, and statistical applications in sports analytics. He co-directs the NIST-funded Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence and leads the Conte Center's NIMH-funded research on mental health vulnerabilities. His notable contributions include the third edition of Bayesian Data Analysis , which expanded computational methods and Bayesian nonparametric modeling, featuring STAN software. Stern has secured major grants from NIST and NIMH for interdisciplinary projects. Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow, American Statistical Association Fellow, Institute for Mathematical Statistics He has mentored graduate programs as Vice Provost for Graduate Education and contributed to UCI's academic strategy as Vice Provost for Academic Planning. Stern's leadership extends to directing centers that bridge statistics with forensic science and mental health research.
Dr. Sara McMenamin is an Associate Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego. She serves as the Associate Director of the MPH program and Interim Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education . Her research focuses on state-level policies addressing tobacco use and preventive services, particularly health insurance coverage for tobacco dependence treatment in California and nationally. She also co-chairs the California Health Benefits Review Program , evaluating proposed health insurance legislation's medical, cost, and public health impacts. Her work spans public health policy analysis , health insurance mandate evaluations, and tobacco control strategies. Key areas include analyzing the effects of tobacco tax increases (e.g., Proposition 56), tracking smoking trends among youth and adults, and investigating the interplay between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation. She has contributed to studies on fertility preservation mandates, telemedicine for substance use disorders, and health equity in insurance access. Recent research highlights include assessing declines in youth smoking despite e-cigarette surges, evaluating tobacco policy coverage changes in California, and projecting future cigarette consumption trends. Her work often bridges policy implementation and population health outcomes, emphasizing evidence-based approaches. Dr. McMenamin collaborates with interdisciplinary teams and state agencies to translate research into actionable policies. Her contributions span over 150 peer-reviewed publications, with frequent media and policy engagement (e.g., cited in 14+ news outlets for key studies).
James Tung is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. His research focuses on assistive technology, rehabilitation engineering, and mobility solutions for individuals with disabilities. He leads the Neural and Rehabilitation Engineering (NRE) Lab, which develops wearable sensors, robotics, and machine learning tools to enhance mobility and monitor motor rehabilitation. He teaches courses including BME 355 (Physiological Systems Modelling), BME 540 (Neural and Rehabilitation Engineering), and ME/MTE engineering modules. The lab collaborates with clinical and industry partners to translate research into practical solutions, addressing real-world mobility challenges and aging demographics. His research spans real-world gait analysis, fall risk assessment, and prosthetic design, with a focus on pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders and elderly mobility. The NRE Lab emphasizes interdisciplinary work, combining biomechanics, robotics, and data science to improve healthcare outcomes. Lab Alumni: Includes researchers like Robin Murdock (Myant Inc.), Andrew Hart, and Raj Senthilkumar, contributing to prosthetics and gait analysis. Partnerships: Engages clinical and industry stakeholders for knowledge translation and commercialization. Current projects include developing smart rollators, biofeedback prosthetics, and sensor-based assessment tools to address mobility limitations in aging populations and individuals with disabilities.
Radu Iovita is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at New York University. Previously, he held positions at the University of Tübingen (until 2023) and the Leibniz Research Institute for Archaeology in Germany. His research focuses on Paleolithic archaeology, human-environmental interactions, and stone tool technology, with a specific emphasis on the Eurasian loess steppe. He leads the EU-funded PALAEOSILKROAD project in Kazakhstan, investigating human dispersals during the Late Pleistocene. His Anthrotopography lab combines microscopic analysis of tool use and remote sensing to reconstruct past landscapes. Education: PhD in Anthropology (University of Pennsylvania, 2008), MPhil in Archaeology (University of Cambridge, 2002), AB in Anthropology (Harvard University, 2001). Key grants include an ERC Starting Grant (2017–2022). Research interests span lithic technology, experimental archaeology, and geoarchaeological methods. Recent work includes discoveries of Paleolithic sites in Kazakhstan, studies on Neanderthal adhesive use, and AI-driven analysis of use-wear patterns. Collaborations involve institutions like ETH Zurich and the University of Tübingen. He is actively involved in field projects in Central Asia and lab-based experimental studies.
Melissa Landers-Potts is an Interim Assistant Dean for Academic Programs and Principal Lecturer at the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences (Department of Human Development and Family Science). She focuses on active and universal design for teaching and learning, emphasizing inclusive excellence. Her roles include overseeing undergraduate programs, aligning with the college's 2025 Strategic Plan, and fostering teaching excellence. She earned a Ph.D. (1998), M.A. (1994), and B.A. (1990) in Sociology/Anthropology from the University of Georgia and Carleton College. Her research explores socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and technology's impact on human development, with a focus on marginalized populations. She designs inclusive curricula and integrates service-learning, partnering with private-sector mental health companies for global adolescent mentorship programs. Recent studies include effects of economic stress on children, racism/classism, and technology's role in military youth well-being. Recipient of numerous awards, including the UGA Teaching Excellence Award (2022), she mentors faculty in active learning and service-learning initiatives. She chairs multiple committees (e.g., College Curriculum, Scholarships) and advises Phi Upsilon Omicron. Her outreach emphasizes experiential learning and inclusive educational practices.
Wendy Balliet is an Assistant Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), affiliated with the College of Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She earned her PhD in counseling psychology with a health psychology concentration from Virginia Commonwealth University, completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of Florida Health Science Center (Medical Psychology rotation), and a postdoctoral fellowship in behavioral medicine at MUSC. Key Roles: Associate Co-Director of Clinical Operations for the Division of Bio-behavioral Medicine Supervisor for interns in the Behavioral Medicine Clinic (Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship Program) Researcher and clinical provider in psycho-oncology and transplant behavioral health Her research focuses on behavioral medicine , psycho-oncology , and transplant/living donation psychology. She investigates body image distress in cancer survivors , mental health in transplant populations , and telemedicine-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) . Her work includes the BRIGHT trial for tele-CBT in head and neck cancer survivors and studies on caregiver burden, peer mentoring programs (TRIO), and psychosocial factors in organ transplantation. Her clinical efforts span patient care, committee service (Grand Rounds, hospital-wide initiatives), and training for postdoctoral fellows and medical students. She emphasizes integrating psychosocial interventions with medical outcomes , particularly in cancer and transplant settings, and has developed educational resources like the Organ Transplant Caregiver Toolkit.
Zohreh Sharafi is an Assistant Professor of Software Engineering in the Department of Computer and Software Engineering (GIGL) at Polytechnique Montréal. Previously, she served as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she worked with Dr. Westley Weimer and was awarded the prestigious NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a software engineer at Morgan Stanley, contributing to the firm's electronic trading platform and serving as principal architect of SURF, a market data simulator. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from École polytechnique de Montréal under the supervision of Dr. Giuliano Antoniol and Dr. Yann-Gaël Guéhéneuc, a Master of Applied Science in Software Engineering from Concordia University, and a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from the University of Tehran. Dr. Sharafi leads the SENSE Lab, a multidisciplinary software engineering research laboratory focused on understanding problem-solving strategies developers use during software development, with particular attention to human factors such as gender and native language. Her research combines human-centric design with experimental methodologies, investigating cognitive processes involved in software development using biometric measures including eye tracking and neuroimaging. Current active projects include evaluating trustworthiness perceptions of software artifacts and studying the role of creativity in software engineering tasks. She has made significant contributions to understanding how gender influences program comprehension and code review processes. Her publication record demonstrates a strong focus on empirical methods in software engineering, particularly eye tracking and neuroimaging techniques to study developer cognition. Her work spans program comprehension, code review, requirements engineering, and the impact of human factors on software development processes. She has developed methodological frameworks for conducting eye tracking studies in software engineering and has made notable contributions to understanding how visualization techniques affect software development tasks. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship NSERC Discovery Grant Program and Launch Supplements (Sep 2024-Sep 2029) IVADO Startup & Operation Fund (Jan 2022-Jan 2023) Scholarship for Doctoral Studies from Fonds de Recherche du Quebec Distinguished Reviewer Awards from IEEE ICPC 2020 and ACM FSE 2024 Dr. Sharafi actively mentors students including Mahta Amini (PhD Candidate, IVADO Scientifique en résidence 2024 Laureate), Cameron Cherif (PhD Candidate), Sara Yabesi (Master's Student), and Anthonia Njoku (Graduate research intern). She serves on numerous conference organizing committees including as Local Arrangement Chair for SANER 2025, Program Co-chair for SEMLA 2024, and as a reviewer for top-tier journals including IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering and ACM Computing Surveys. Her research is supported by multiple grants focused on understanding human factors in software engineering through empirical methods. At Polytechnique Montréal, Dr. Sharafi directs the SENSE Lab which brings together computer scientists, cognitive scientists, and software engineering researchers to investigate the cognitive aspects of software development. The lab employs advanced methodologies including eye tracking, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study how developers comprehend, navigate, and modify software systems. Current projects examine trustworthiness perceptions in code review, the role of creativity in software engineering tasks, and gender differences in software development processes.
Duminda Wijesekera serves as Professor in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering and Department of Computer Science at George Mason University, where he was inaugural chairman of the Cyber Security Engineering Department until December 2022. He concurrently held the position of visiting research scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 2007-2022 and maintains status as a fellow at the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies. He leads the Mason Innovation Laboratory at Mason Square, driving translational research in cyber-physical security. His educational foundation includes: PhD in Computer Science, University of Minnesota (1997) PhD in Mathematical Logic, Cornell University (1990) BSc in Mathematics, University of Colombo Professor Wijesekera's research centers on cyber-physical system security , with pioneering work in Intelligent Transportation Systems spanning trains, aircraft, and connected vehicles. His digital forensics innovations establish frameworks for evidence-based scenario reconstruction and error management, while his formal methods research provides mathematical guarantees for safety-critical systems. Current projects address Next G-based edge services, digital twin vulnerability detection, and healthcare security architectures, consistently bridging theoretical rigor with real-world infrastructure protection. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals intense focus on autonomous vehicle security (38% of recent output), including traffic signal control optimization, ramming attack countermeasures, and CARLA-based scenario validation. Digital forensics using AI (20%) and secure manufacturing/edge computing (27%) constitute other major thrusts, demonstrating how formal verification and machine learning converge to solve complex cyber-physical security challenges across transportation, energy, and healthcare domains. His scientific recognition includes: CCI Impact Award (2022) for groundbreaking cyber-physical security contributions Fellowship at the Potomac Institute of Policy Studies for cybersecurity policy leadership Professor Wijesekera has secured substantial research funding through: NIST grants for health record security frameworks (2014-2015) US Department of Transportation projects on wireless frequency mapping for high-speed rail (2013-2014) Cyber Security Research Alliance funding for trust architectures in cyber-physical systems (2014) Commonwealth Cyber Initiative awards for autonomous vehicle security and energy-efficient manufacturing His industry partnerships with Honeywell and NIST ensure practical impact of theoretical research. The Mason Innovation Laboratory under his direction serves as an interdisciplinary hub for cyber-physical security, integrating researchers from computer science, electrical engineering, and policy studies to develop deployable solutions for transportation networks, power grids, and critical infrastructure protection.
Dr. Samuel Cheng is an Associate Professor at the Gallogly College of Engineering , University of Oklahoma , specializing in Electrical and Computer Engineering . He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University (2004), preceded by M.S. and M.Phil. degrees from the University of Hawaii and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Education: B.S. (University of Hong Kong, 1995), M.Phil. (HKUST, 1997), M.S. (University of Hawaii, 2000), Ph.D. (Texas A&M, 2004) Professional Experience: Senior Research Engineer at Advanced Digital Imaging Research (2004-2005), prior internships at Microsoft Asia and Panasonic Technologies His research focuses on Information Theory , Signal and Image Processing , and Pattern Recognition , with applications in remote sensing, urbanization analysis, and disaster monitoring. His publications span topics including urban impervious surface mapping , nighttime light analysis , and machine learning for environmental data . His work often integrates multi-source datasets (e.g., Landsat, LiDAR, social media) for spatiotemporal modeling. Technical Expertise: Spectral unmixing, machine learning, thermal remote sensing, GIS integration Key Applications: Power outage detection, vegetation-crime correlation, PM2.5 estimation, smart meter data fusion Dr. Cheng holds three US patents in digital watermarking and is affiliated with IEEE, Sigma Xi, and AAAS. His recent articles demonstrate a trend toward leveraging AI for remote sensing challenges and analyzing urbanization impacts on ecosystems.
Dr Oscar Zhou serves as a Lecturer in Media Studies and Director of Studies for Planning, Culture and Environment (PGT) at the School of Arts, University of Kent, following prior academic appointments at the University of Sussex, University of Brighton, and University of Hertfordshire. His scholarly trajectory includes a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies from the University of Sussex and a Masters in Globalisation and Communications from the University of Leicester. His educational credentials: PhD in Media and Cultural Studies, University of Sussex Masters in Globalisation and Communications, University of Leicester Undergraduate training in communication and technical science Zhou's research critically examines intersections of digital culture, gender/sexuality studies, and media technologies, with concentrated focus on LGBTQ+ communities' engagements in transnational contexts. Employing digital and algorithmic ethnography, he investigates queer digital cultures, critical health communication, and platform politics—particularly analyzing how algorithms reconfigure power dynamics around gender, sexuality, and youth wellbeing in Chinese digital ecosystems like Douyin/TikTok. Analysis of his publication record reveals consistent exploration of Chinese digital media landscapes, emphasizing queer visibility on platforms such as Douyin and Zhihu, danmei fan cultures, and gender politics in television. His work also addresses digital activism, influencer economies, and geopolitical representations in fandom, demonstrating methodological innovation through short-video platform analytics and participatory youth research. Professional recognition: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy As an active PhD supervisor, Zhou seeks candidates with qualitative and ethnographic expertise in digital culture, particularly welcoming projects on Chinese media, algorithmic governance, and queer health communication. He chairs the UK-China Media and Cultural Studies Association while contributing to the Centre for Health and Medical Humanities, currently leading collaborative research on short-video apps' societal impacts through the lens of gender, sexuality, and youth wellbeing.
Dr. Tan Kim Lim is a Senior Lecturer at the James Cook University (Singapore Campus), specializing in organizational psychology and consumer behavior. He holds a PhD from Curtin University (2016–2019), an MBA from the University of Melbourne (2004–2006), and a Bachelor of Business from Monash University (1999–2002). His research focuses on the future of work, employee attitudes, technology adoption in hospitality/tourism, and consumer behavior analysis. He employs advanced methodologies like PLS-SEM and has published over 47 articles in top journals like the European Business Review and Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics . Dr. Lim has held roles including Assistant Professor at BNU-HKBU United International College (2020–2022) and Post-doctoral researcher at the Human Capital Leadership Institute (2019–2021). He currently serves on editorial boards of the Journal of Responsible Tourism Management and Journal of Global Responsibilities , and is a member of the Singapore Human Resource Institute and Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychology. His applied research spans commissioned projects for governments and private entities, including studies on waste classification behavior, country music festivals, and AI adoption in social services. Awards include the JCUS Early Career Researcher Award (2023) and Emerald Literati Reviewer Award (2022). Dr. Lim also actively speaks at regional conferences on topics like AI in networking and post-pandemic workplace trends. His current research interests include STARA (Smart Technologies, AI, Robotics, Algorithms) impacts on work, meaningful work dynamics, and tourism behavior analysis. He supervises PhD students exploring AI in social services, indigenous tourism, and workplace technology adoption.
Carlo Alberto Furia is an Associate Professor and Vice Dean at the Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI). He is affiliated with the Software Institute, where he leads the ATOM research group. His academic journey includes prior roles as an Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology and a Senior Researcher at ETH Zurich’s Chair of Software Engineering. PhD in Computer Science, Politecnico di Milano Master of Science in Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago Laurea in Computer Science and Engineering, Politecnico di Milano His research centers on formal methods for software engineering, aiming to enhance software correctness, reliability, and quality through rigorous techniques. Key areas include automated program verification, contract-based development, loop invariant inference, and empirical evaluation using Bayesian data analysis. He emphasizes practical applicability and automation in formal methods. His recent publications reflect a strong focus on program analysis at the bytecode level, multilingual software analysis, automated repair of Android security issues, and empirical methodologies. These works span topics such as JVM substitutability, exception behavior in Java bytecode, and information flow security, demonstrating a consistent thread in improving software robustness through formal and automated techniques. He is actively involved in the software engineering research community as an Associate Editor of the Empirical Software Engineering (EMSE) journal and as a Program Committee member for major conferences including FASE, FM, ASE, ICSE, and CauSE. Carlo Furia has advised multiple research projects and supervised student theses. He has led and contributed to funded research initiatives, particularly in program analysis and verification. His group has developed tools such as AutoProof and other software artifacts available through the ATOM software page. He regularly teaches courses such as Software Analysis, Programming Fundamentals, and Software Design & Modeling. He leads the ATOM research group, which focuses on advancing automated techniques for software testing, analysis, and verification. The group develops practical tools and conducts empirical studies to validate research outcomes.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick is a leading scholar at Bielefeld University, serving as Scientific Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Conflict and Violence Research (IKG) and Professor for Socialization and Conflict Research at the Faculty of Education. He also co-leads the ConflictA initiative since 2023 and contributes to migration education through the Faculty of Education. 2008: Professor for Socialization and Conflict Research, Bielefeld University 2013: Director of IKG 2023: Scientific Head of ConflictA His research focuses on intergroup conflicts , group-based antipathy , right-wing extremism , radicalization , and socialization processes . He investigates spatial dimensions of radicalization, societal integration challenges, and prejudice dynamics through comparative studies. Recent publications analyze radicalization spaces (2024-2025) using spatial sociology, democratic conflict perceptions (2025), and cross-cultural prosocial behavior during pandemics. Key methods include ethnography, longitudinal surveys, and multi-perspective comparative analysis. Scientific contributions recognized by: Communicator Award (2016) Nevitt Sanford Lifetime Award (2022) Active in public policy as member of the Federal Agency for Civic Education's advisory board and Federal Commissioner's Antiracism Expert Council. Leads major projects on radicalization prevention and spatial conflict dynamics with national/international partners.
Summary Clotilde Coron is a Full Professor of Management Sciences at the Faculté Jean Monnet, Université Paris-Saclay. She previously held an Associate Professor position at IAE Paris (2017–2022). Her research focuses on gender equality, gender stereotypes, and the role of quantification in HR management. She earned a PhD in Management Sciences (Université Paris-Est, 2015) and a HDR (Université de Poitiers, 2021). She is also a graduate of ENSAE (2012) and Sciences Po (2013). Academic Roles: Full Professor, Université Paris-Saclay Vice-President for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (since 2024) Elected member of the Research Committee (since 2024) Co-responsible for the M1 Master in Management (since 2023) Research Interests: Dr. Coron’s work critically examines gender equality policies, the societal impact of gender stereotypes, and the ethical implications of algorithmic HR practices. She emphasizes the need for organizations to adopt intersectional frameworks to address systemic inequalities. Grants and Projects: ANR funding for lesbian workplace inclusion (2024–2025) Research on gender in health innovation (2023–2024) Studies on chatGPT in education and LGBTQ+ mental health (2023–2024) Awards: EFMD-FNEGE Best Research Book Award (2023, 2019) FNEGE Label for multiple academic contributions Teaching: She teaches advanced courses in quantitative methods, HR analytics, and gender studies at undergraduate and graduate levels. Recent courses include Data Analysis Tools (M1), Quantitative Methods (M2), and distance-learning modules on HR management.
Dara Kay Cohen is a Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She specializes in political violence, gender and conflict, and qualitative research methods. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and an A.B. from Brown University. Her research focuses on civil war dynamics, sexual violence in conflict, and state legitimacy in weak governance contexts. Cohen’s work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, United States Institute of Peace, and others. She is affiliated with Harvard’s Ash Center, Center for International Development, and Women and Public Policy Program. Her acclaimed book Rape During Civil War (2016) received multiple awards, including the Theodore J. Lowi First Book Award. Her second book, Lynching and Local Justice (2020), explores vigilantism in Haiti and South Africa. Cohen serves on editorial boards for journals like International Security and Political Science Research and Methods . Awards: 2023 J. David Singer Award, 2019 ISSS Emerging Scholar Award, 2014 APSA Article Prize Grants: NSF, USIP, Folke Bernadotte Academy Teaching: Courses include 'Sex and Violence in Global Politics'; multiple HKS Teaching Excellence Awards Cohen previously taught at the University of Minnesota and worked as a paralegal in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section. Her research bridges academic rigor with policy impact, addressing issues like gender equality’s role in reducing conflict and ethical challenges in studying political violence.
