Dr. Simon Völker is the Head of the Study Center Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University and an Affiliated Researcher at the Media Computing Group. He holds a Ph.D. (2016) and a Diploma (2010) in Computer Science from RWTH Aachen University. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), including ubiquitous computing, touch input systems, interactive surfaces, and tangible user interfaces. He has coordinated roles in university governance, including leading the Examination Board for Computer Science and teaching courses like the Game Development Lab and Introduction to Computer Science. His work spans over 50 publications in top venues like CHI, UIST, and SUI, with notable awards such as the CHI 2018 Honorable Mention and ITS 2011 Best Note Award. He advises students on bachelor/master theses in HCI and contributes to innovations in AR, wearable interfaces, and educational tools like Flowboard. Key projects include GazeConduits (cross-device collaboration), Springlets (on-skin tactile interfaces), and FabricFaces (textile-3D hybrid fabrication). His work bridges academic research with practical applications in education, robotics, and manufacturing.
Heidi Bråthen is a Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. Her research focuses on participatory design methodologies, particularly involving older adults, and explores the role of materials and physical prototyping in creating accessible assistive technologies. She holds a dual affiliation as both a doctoral researcher and a student within the same faculty. Her work emphasizes user-centered approaches to technology design, aiming to bridge gaps between users' past experiences and modern technological interfaces. This includes studies on tangible interactions and contextual design strategies to enhance elderly users' engagement with assistive systems. Publications highlight contributions to participatory design practices, material-based design, and technology for aging populations. Research projects often involve collaborations with interdisciplinary teams, focusing on practical applications of design theories. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, though her publications indicate active involvement in academic discourse. Her advising and grant activities remain unspecified in the provided materials. She is part of the Design of Information Systems research group within the Department of Informatics.
Xu Xu is an Associate Professor at North Carolina State University's Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, within the College of Engineering. His research focuses on human motion data analysis, theoretical biomechanical modeling, and occupational safety promotion. He has secured funding from NSF, NIOSH, and NC State's seed programs, publishing over 80 journal articles and conference papers. Education: Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering, NC State University (2008) MS in Industrial Engineering, NC State University (2006) Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University (2004) Research interests include human factors engineering, occupational biomechanics, data mining of human motion, and injury prevention. His work bridges biomechanical modeling and real-world applications in safety-critical industries. Key scientific achievements include the C. A. Anderson Outstanding Faculty Award and Goodnight Early Career Innovator Award. His lab, the Biomechanics Lab, explores human-robot collaboration dynamics, ergonomic design, and workplace safety innovations. Teaching responsibilities include courses like Fundamentals of Human-Machine Systems Design (ISE352) and Advanced Biomechanical Modeling (ISE794). He advises students such as Ziyang Xie, whose work on collision avoidance earned a CES Innovation Award.
Pathinarage Ishari Uthpala is a Researcher at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), collaborating with the TIDE Research Group on Interactive and Distributed Technologies for Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Information and Communication Technologies (2020, UPF) with a thesis focusing on learning analytics and collaborative learning orchestration. She also completed M.Sc. (Intelligent Interactive Systems, 2016, UPF) and B.Sc. (First Class, 2013, University of Colombo School of Computing) degrees. Her research emphasizes applying learning analytics to enhance collaborative learning environments, bridging classroom and distance education contexts. She has conducted interdisciplinary research and teaching, with experiences at Radboud University, University of Duisburg-Essen, and EPFL. Key contributions include qualitative methods in learning analytics and script design for collaborative learning. Guest lecture: 'Qualitative Methods in Learning Analytics' at MIT EdTech Studio (2020) Research talk: 'Collaborative Learning Scripts and Learning Analytics' at SLIIT HCI Research Group (2020) Awards: Recognized for academic excellence with a Gold Medal for undergraduate research (2013) and scholarships to attend GHC and womENcourage (2017).
Meng Xia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University, leading the Dream Lab. Her research focuses on Human-AI Interaction, Data Visualization, and Education Technology, with a particular emphasis on creating adaptive learning systems using visual analytics, AR/VR, and NLP. She holds a PhD from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and has held postdoctoral positions at CMU and KAIST. Education: PhD in Computer Science & Engineering, HKUST (2020) M.S. in Computer Science & Technology, Zhejiang University (2017) B.S. in Computer Science, Hangzhou Dianzi University (2013) Her research explores designing human-centered systems to enhance personalized learning, including tools for educators, visual analytics for learning behaviors, and immersive technologies like AR/VR. Recent projects include developing conversational tutoring systems (e.g., Ruffle&Riley), visual analytics for student-ChatGPT interactions (StuGPTViz), and AR-based educational tools like Vistellar. Awards include the Best Paper Award at CHI 2022 and an Honorable Mention at IEEE VIS 2022. She serves as a Program Chair for Learning@Scale 2024 and a Youth Editor for Visual Informatics . Teaching includes courses on Data Visualization and Human-AI Interaction at Texas A&M. Her lab actively recruits students in HCI, visualization, and education technology.
Louis-Edouard Lafontant is a Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science and Operations Research (DIRO) at the University of Montreal. His research focuses on model-driven engineering, projectional editing, and software accessibility through tools like Gentleman. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Computer Science at UdeM under Prof. Eugène Syriani, where his work explores dynamic environments and interface design. Education: Doctoral candidate in Computer Science (UdeM). Previously involved in teaching roles for courses including IFT1015 (Programming I), IFT2255 (Software Engineering), and IFT3911 (Software Analysis & Design). Offers tutoring services through DIRO's tutoring program and personal consultations. Research Interests: Projectional editing systems, domain-specific languages (DSLs), model-driven engineering (MDE), and software accessibility. His project Gentleman aims to democratize software modeling through a lightweight web-based editor supporting multiple notations and user-specific interfaces. Publications & Projects: Published work includes studies on Gentleman's usability, integration into web applications, and DSL creation. Open-source contributions include the Gentleman editor, Zenkai JavaScript library for DOM manipulation, and educational web resources. Active in labs such as GEODES, focusing on software engineering research.
J. Michael Moore is an Instructional Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University, part of the College of Engineering. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Texas A&M (2007) and has extensive teaching experience in courses like Human-Computer Interaction and Accessible Computing. His research focuses on HCI, software design, accessibility, and digital libraries, with notable work on design exploration and document triage systems. Education includes a B.S. in Biochemistry from Texas A&M (1991) and an M.S. in Computer Science from Texas State University (1997). He has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and has been recognized with awards such as the 2014 Mentoring Award and the Guseman Award (2002). Moore also contributes to professional service roles, including advising student organizations like DeAF and OSTEM. Teaching: Over 20 years of instruction in programming, HCI, and accessible computing. Research: Specializes in HCI, accessibility, and collaborative design tools. Service: Serves on committees for diversity initiatives and professional networks. His work integrates technical innovation with user-centered design principles, emphasizing accessibility and inclusive computing practices.
Yasmine Elglaly is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Western Washington University (WWU). She directs the KIND (Komputing for INclusion and Disability) lab, focusing on human-centered research in accessibility and disability inclusion within technology and education. Her work emphasizes integrating accessibility into core computer science topics, developing pedagogical tools for inclusive education, and advancing assistive technologies for marginalized communities. Research Interests: Her research spans accessibility in computing education, assistive technologies, machine learning fairness, and inclusive design. She collaborates with students on projects addressing challenges faced by autistic individuals in computing, digital accessibility in academia and workplaces, and fostering disability awareness in software engineering. Publications Trends: Her recent articles highlight efforts to embed accessibility across the computer science curriculum, design inclusive communication systems for deaf and hearing users, and create datasets addressing disability discourse. She also explores practical teaching strategies, such as hands-on accessibility training for educators and frameworks for fair machine learning education. Advising & Grants: Yasmine mentors students in the KIND lab, though no specific grant details are provided. Her work has been recognized through collaborations with industry and academic partners, though no named awards are mentioned in the text. Labs/Teams: The KIND lab serves as a hub for interdisciplinary projects, emphasizing experiential learning and real-world impact in accessibility solutions.
Professor Jose Abdelnour-Nocera is a full-time Professor of Sociotechnical Design at the University of West London, School of Computing and Engineering, where he leads the Sociotechnical Centre for Innovation and User Experience (SCIUX). He is Chair of the UNESCO IFIP TC 13.8 Working Group on Interaction Design for International Development and Chair of the British Computer Society’s Sociotechnical Specialist Group. His research interests focus on the sociotechnical and cultural aspects of systems design, development, and use, particularly in mHealth, e-learning, e-governance, and ICT for Development (ICT4D). He has led and participated in numerous international research projects across the UK, India, Kenya, Namibia, and Latin America. His work emphasizes participatory design, ethical considerations, and cross-cultural perspectives in technology development. The recent trends in his publications reflect a strong engagement with geopolitical tensions in HCI, ethical value exchange, citizen participation, and the application of sociotechnical design in healthcare and democratic processes. His work spans journals such as Interacting with Computers , ACM Transactions on CHI , and Health and Technology , as well as major conferences like INTERACT, CHI, and NordiCHI. He has no listed scientific awards in the provided text, but his leadership roles and extensive publication record indicate significant recognition in the field. Professor Abdelnour-Nocera supervises PhD and Master’s students and is involved in research degree supervision at UWL. He teaches across multiple programs including MSc Information Systems, BSc Computer Science, and MSc Cyber Security. He has led curriculum development and intercultural studies in HCI education. He leads the Sociotechnical Research Group for Innovation and User Experience at UWL and collaborates with international research teams, particularly through IFIP and UNESCO networks. His work often involves interdisciplinary and cross-cultural teams focused on inclusive and equitable technology design.
Renan Guarese is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Human-Computer Interaction at KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Sweden, focusing on AR/VR applications for pharmaceutical manufacturing through the SMART Industry project with AstraZeneca. He holds a Ph.D. from RMIT (Australia) and M.Sc. from UFRGS (Brazil), with expertise in assistive technologies, situated data visualization, and accessibility. His roles include teaching assistant for courses like Advanced Graphics and Multimodal Interaction, and M.Sc. thesis supervision. He has over 10 years of academic experience across institutions like RMIT, Halmstad University, and UFRGS, with projects ranging from assistive AR for visually impaired individuals to educational AR platforms. Research Interests: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), assistive technologies, situated visualization, and accessibility design. He specializes in applications like sonified AR interfaces, industrial training, and empathy-building experiences for marginalized users. Awards: Best Doctoral Thesis (SVR 2024) Finalist, Cross-Reality Systems Competition (IEEE ISMAR 2023) Nomination for Best Paper Award (IEEE VR 2023) Latin American PhD Scholarship (ATN grant) Advising & Grants: Supervising 3 current M.Sc. theses (2025) and co-authoring grants focused on conversational AI in industrial training and predictive maintenance. His work bridges HCI with real-world industry needs, emphasizing accessibility and immersive solutions. Labs/Teams: Active in KTH's Digital Futures initiative and collaborates with AstraZeneca on pharmaceutical AR/VR applications. Engages in international conferences like IEEE VR, ISMAR, and CHI through peer reviewing, workshop organizing, and panel participation.
Sheree May Plinz-Saßmannshausen is a research associate at Faculty III (IT for an ageing society) at the University of Siegen. She leads the BMBF-funded PAIRADS project, which develops AI-driven tools for prostate cancer diagnosis in radiology, and previously led the EU-funded Creactive Citizen project focused on digital citizen participation in urban development using augmented reality. Her work bridges human-computer interaction, AI, and societal applications in healthcare and governance. She holds an M.Sc. in Media Informatics from TH Köln, where she specialized in Human-Computer Interaction. Her research interests include Human-Centered AI, UX Design, participatory design, and augmented reality applications in healthcare and urban planning. She has extensive experience in user-centered design processes and interdisciplinary collaboration with industry and medical institutions. Her recent publications, primarily in top HCI venues like CHI and DIS, focus on integrating AI into clinical workflows, enhancing citizen engagement through AR, and improving stakeholder training in participatory health research. The articles reflect a strong trend toward human-centered technologies in sensitive domains such as medical diagnostics and democratic participation, emphasizing usability, trust, and collaboration. She has collaborated with researchers across Europe and institutions such as Philips and university hospitals. Her projects are funded by major agencies including BMBF and EU (EFRE). She actively contributes to workshops and interdisciplinary dialogues on AI ethics and participatory design. Sheree has supervised development projects in interactive systems and taught modules in human-computer interaction and web-based applications during her tenure at TH Köln from 2013 to 2019. She continues to advance research at the intersection of technology and society, with a focus on real-world impact in healthcare and urban development.
Michel Beaudouin-Lafon is a Professor of Computer Science at Université Paris-Saclay, affiliated with LISN (Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Sciences du Numériques), a joint lab between Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, and Inria. He is also a member of the French Academy of Sciences, a senior fellow of the Institut Universitaire de France, and an ACM Fellow. He currently serves as deputy director of LISN and chairs the ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee. He previously directed LRI, the former computer science laboratory of Université Paris-Sud. His research interests are centered on human-computer interaction, with a focus on instrumental interaction , generative theories of interaction , interaction substrates , and collaborative computing . He has pioneered novel interaction techniques involving gesture, sound, and multi-surface environments, notably through the WILD project. His theoretical work aims to unify principles of interaction beyond traditional application boundaries. The recent publications of Michel Beaudouin-Lafon reflect a consistent focus on foundational aspects of interaction, including interaction histories, cross-document workflows, and the design of substrates that support flexible and powerful user tools. His work bridges theoretical modeling with practical system design, often exploring how users reason with and through digital tools. Themes of collaboration, consistency, and cognitive support run through his recent research. His scientific honors include: CNRS Silver Medal ACM Fellow (2022) ACM SIGCHI Lifetime Service Award ERC Advanced Grant and Proof-of-Concept Grant Senior Fellow, Institut Universitaire de France Member, French Academy of Sciences Michel Beaudouin-Lafon has advised over 35 PhD students, including Ignacio Avellino, Germán Leiva, and Wanyu (Abby) Liu. He has led major research infrastructure projects such as Digiscope and CONTINUUM , and is a co-director of the 38M€ eNSEMBLE project on the future of digital collaboration. He founded the Francophone HCI association AFIHM and has held numerous leadership roles in ACM and SIGCHI, including Technical Program Co-chair of CHI 2013 and editorial board membership for ACM TOCHI and ACM Books. His research is conducted within the Ex-Situ group, a joint research team between LISN, CNRS, and Inria, which focuses on situated and instrumental interaction. The group explores how users interact with complex systems across multiple devices and contexts, emphasizing continuity, traceability, and cognitive support.
Katrin Angerbauer is a Researcher at the Institute for Visualization and Interactive Systems (VISUS) at the University of Stuttgart, Faculty of Computer Science. Her work bridges Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) , Accessibility in Visualization , and Immersive Technologies . She contributes to empirical studies on Virtual Reality (VR) , Augmented Reality (AR) , and 2D/3D visualization techniques , focusing on user experience, attention guidance, and inclusive design.
Dr. Tomi Heimonen is an Associate Professor in the Computing and New Media Technologies department at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). Since joining UWSP in 2015, he has developed and taught courses in Human-Technology Interaction, Web Development, and Computer Information Systems. Ph.D. in Interactive Technology (University of Tampere, 2012) M.S. in Computer Science (University of Tampere) Heimonen’s research focuses on human-centered design , user experience (UX) , and multimodal interaction , with published work recognized through best paper awards and nominations. His career includes internships at Google and roles as a usability specialist at the University of Tampere’s Usability Laboratory. Recent publications highlight trends in Human-Computer Interaction , including studies on public displays, industrial system design, and mobile internet user behavior. He contributes to academic leadership as the Academic Director for the Collaborative M.S. programs in Cybersecurity and IT Management . Best Paper Award (2018) Multiple Nominations for research impact Dr. Heimonen is affiliated with professional organizations such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Human-Interaction (SIGCHI) .
Haohan Wang is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's School of Information Sciences, with affiliations to the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. His research focuses on developing trustworthy machine learning methods for computational biology and healthcare applications , emphasizing robustness , causality , and interpretability in vision-based models. Recent research trends in his work include: Large Language Model interactions with biomedical challenges (GenoAgent, GenoTex) Adversarial security in language and vision models (Guard, Jailbreakzoo) Genomic data analysis through robust machine learning frameworks (Precision Lasso, Kernel Mixed Models) Interactive toolkits like Robustar for data annotation and model training Scientific awards include recognition as Baidu's Top 50 AI+X Rising Young Scholars (2022), Best Paper Honorable Mention at WSDM 2023, and Broad Institute's Next Generation status (2019). Current projects explore AI-made scientists for biomedical discovery and Robustar development for GUI-based robust vision learning.
