Professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen is the Pendleton Miller Chair in Law and Director of the Asian Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law. She specializes in Intellectual Property , Corporate Governance , Technology Law , and Banking , with a focus on Cryptocurrency , Law and Technology , and E-Commerce . Her work bridges legal frameworks with innovation economics. Her research explores IP Taxation as a tool for economic growth, Blockchain applications in corporate law, and Global Tech Competition between China and the U.S. She has advised on high-profile cases involving Trademark Disputes (e.g., Starbucks vs. Starbucks Workers United) and Trade Secrets (Group14 litigation). Recent publications analyze AI Copyright Class Actions (2025), Crypto Losses (2024), and Tech Bankruptcy trends. Her book Silicon Valley Bank: The Rise and Fall of a Community Bank for Tech (2024) provides a critical case study of tech finance. She actively engages in international policy discussions, including Vietnam Data Protection (2024), U.S.-Vietnam Economic Ties (2024), and Metaverse Regulation . She leads UW's Entrepreneurship and Law Speaker Series and collaborates with institutions across Southeast Asia and the U.S.
Claudia Nerdel is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) within the Chair of Life Sciences Didactics . Her work focuses on science education innovation, particularly integrating digital technologies like AI and augmented reality into teacher training and classroom practices. Current research spans AI literacy assessment , modelling competences , and sustainable biotechnology education Active in teacher professional development and digital competency frameworks Her research explores: Mathematical modelling in science education Augmented reality applications for chemistry terminology AI literacy frameworks (e.g., AILIT-S test development) Digital transformation challenges in schools Recent publications analyze AI self-efficacy, LLM feedback quality, and biotech experiment implementation. The TUM-DigiLLab serves as a key lab environment for digital competence development, though specific grants or awards aren't mentioned in the text. Her work emphasizes creating adaptive feedback systems , inclusive digital tools , and evidence-based teacher training .
Olga Viberg is an Associate Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, specializing in Technology-Enhanced Learning within the Division of Media Technology and Interaction Design at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. With a PhD in Informatics from Örebro University (2015), she brings extensive experience from Dalarna University (2008-2016) as a lecturer in Media Technology and Learning Sciences. Current roles: Associate Professor, Docent, Course Coordinator Key research areas: AI in Education, Learning Analytics, Privacy & Ethics Leadership roles: Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Learning Analytics , Vice-President of SoLAR Research Focus : Viberg's work bridges AI, learning analytics, and educational design through value-sensitive approaches. Her studies address: Privacy concerns in learning analytics Cultural alignment of AI systems Self-regulated learning frameworks Trust dynamics in AI adoption Responsible data practices in education Generative AI applications in assessment Scientific Contributions : Recognized through: 2024 Google Academic Research Award Multiple conference recognitions (LAK'24, LAK'23) Leadership in international initiatives like UNESCO's online education policy Educational Impact : Directly shaping academic programs through: Coordination of Bachelor's course in Media Technology Teaching PhD courses in Learning Analytics Organizing Nordic Learning Analytics Summer Institute
Alva H. Taylor serves as Associate Professor of Business Administration at the Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, where he has been tenured since 2010. He holds the dual leadership roles of Senior Associate Dean for Executive Learning and Faculty Director of the Glassmeyer/McNamee Center for Digital Strategies, Tuck's flagship initiative examining how digital technology impacts business strategy. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor (2000-2005) and Associate Professor (2005-2009) at Tuck, and as Visiting Assistant Professor at Kellogg Graduate School of Management (1997-2000). Professor Taylor earned his PhD from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business in 2000, following an MBA, ME, and BS from Cornell University in 1984, 1983, and 1982 respectively. Before academia, he worked as a Senior Manager at KPMG's consulting division, specializing in business strategy and information technology for growing companies. His research focuses on innovation processes, entrepreneurship, technological change, and strategic decision-making in fast-changing environments . Taylor has made significant contributions to understanding how organizations manage creative groups for sustained innovation, organizational learning in information-rich environments, and digital transformation in traditional enterprises. His work with comic book creators demonstrated that creators with cross-genre experience achieve greater success than specialists, highlighting the value of diverse experience in creative fields. His recent scholarship examines how nonprofits can implement digital-first strategies to enhance social impact, emphasizing the importance of aligning technology with organizational mission. Taylor teaches courses including Design Thinking for Strategic Innovation and Strategic Change in the Turbulent Digital Age in both MBA and Executive Education programs. He designed and directs the Digital Excellence for Minority Entrepreneurs Executive Education Program in partnership with Google, demonstrating his commitment to inclusive digital transformation. His research has been featured in prominent publications including the Wall Street Journal and Stanford Social Innovation Review, where he emphasizes that digital strategy must begin with a clear understanding of organizational goals before technology implementation. As Faculty Director of the Center for Digital Strategies, Taylor leads initiatives that bring together executives, academics, and students to advance management theory and practice in the networked economy. The Center explores technology's impact on product development, supply chains, marketing, and business model transformation, addressing challenges throughout the extended enterprise including globalization, information security, and organizational change. Under his leadership, the Center has hosted events like the Dartmouth AI Conference and developed programs that bridge academic research with corporate application.
Thorsten Gruber is a Professor of Marketing and Service Management at Loughborough University, where he also serves as Director of the Centre for Service Management. Prior to this role, he was a Senior Lecturer at Manchester Business School. He holds a PhD and MBA from the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on service failure and recovery, frontline employee well-being, customer feedback dynamics, and service robotics. He has also held prestigious visiting positions, including the Anne-Marie and Gustaf Ander Foundation Visiting Professorship at Karlstad University (2015–2017). Gruber’s research interests span transformative service research, complaint management across cultures, and the impact of positive customer feedback on employee well-being. He has presented globally at leading conferences and published in journals like Journal of Service Research and Journal of Marketing Management. His work has been recognized with awards such as the Emerald Literati Network Awards and the Journal of Service Management Robert Johnston Award. His academic contributions also extend to pedagogy, including winning nominations for Teacher of the Year and Researcher of the Year. Gruber co-founded the Centre for Service Management in 2013, fostering interdisciplinary research in service excellence. His recent studies explore AI-driven service accountability, health-seeking behaviors in rural settings, and the ethical integration of service robots. Education : PhD and MBA from University of Birmingham Awards : Multiple Emerald Awards, methods@manchester Competition Winner (2009), Academy of Marketing Research Initiative Award (2008) Key Research Themes : Service Recovery, Customer Feedback Analysis, Employee Well-being, Transformative Service Robotics
Fosca Giannotti is a Full Professor at Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, and leads the Pisa KDD Lab - Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Laboratory, a joint research initiative of the University of Pisa and ISTI-CNR. Founded in 1994, the Pisa KDD Lab is one of the earliest research labs focused on data mining. Giannotti is a pioneering scientist in mobility data mining, social network analysis, and privacy-preserving data mining. Her educational background includes a Master Degree in Computer Science from the University of Pisa (1982) with 110/100 cum laude. She has held numerous visiting positions including at MCC in Austin, CWI Amsterdam, UCLA, and the Barabasi Lab at Northeastern University. Giannotti's research focuses on social mining from big data, encompassing smart cities, human dynamics, social and economic networks, ethics and trust, and diffusion of innovations. She has authored more than 300 papers and coordinated tens of European projects and industrial collaborations. Her current work increasingly centers on Explainable AI (XAI), as evidenced by her prestigious ERC Advanced Grant for the XAI project focused on "Science and technology for the explanation of AI decision making." Her recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on trustworthy AI, with research spanning privacy-preserving techniques, fairness in machine learning, human-AI collaboration frameworks, and medical applications of explainable AI. The breadth of her work demonstrates how data mining principles are being applied across diverse domains from social sciences to healthcare. ERC Advanced Grant for XAI project Premio Internazionale Tecnovisionarie 2021 Intelligenza Artificiale Giannotti has coordinated numerous significant projects including SoBigData (the European research infrastructure on Big Data Analytics and Social Mining), XAI, TAILOR (Foundations of Trustworthy AI), HumanE-AI-Net, and AI4EU. As former coordinator of SoBigData, she led an ecosystem of ten cutting-edge European research centers providing an open platform for interdisciplinary data science. She leads the Pisa KDD Lab, which serves as a hub for research on knowledge discovery and data mining. The lab has been instrumental in developing techniques for mobility data analysis, social network mining, and privacy-preserving data analytics, with applications ranging from smart cities to pandemic response.
Syed Ali Raza is a researcher affiliated with the University of Technology, Sydney (PhD 2018), with a former affiliation at the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. His work focuses on reinforcement learning, robotics, and human-robot interaction. Key contributions include studies on social robots' question-answering services, human feedback integration in AI systems, and optimization of robotic movements in multi-agent scenarios. He has collaborated extensively with researchers like Mary-Anne Williams and Sajjad Haider. His research spans theoretical advancements in machine learning algorithms and practical applications in robotics competitions (e.g., RoboCup). Research interests emphasize computational reinforcement learning, reward shaping techniques, and ethical design of autonomous systems. Notable projects include privacy-first approaches for social robots and hybrid methods for humanoid robot locomotion. His work bridges theoretical AI advancements with real-world robotic implementations.
Kyle Montague is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing at Newcastle University, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction with a strong emphasis on accessibility, inclusive design, and community-centered technology development. His research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications to create more equitable technology experiences for marginalized communities. Montague completed his PhD at the University of Dundee in 2013 with research on 'SUM: an exploration of Shared User Models and interface adaptations to improve accessibility of mobile touchscreen interactions.' His academic trajectory shows a clear evolution from foundational work on accessibility technologies to more recent explorations of feminist ethics in community-based design. His research interests span multiple critical areas in contemporary HCI: developing accessible mobile interfaces for blind and visually impaired users, creating tools for citizen-led personalization of user interfaces, exploring digital civics and community engagement through technology, and investigating ethical frameworks for community-led design. Montague's work consistently emphasizes participatory approaches, centering marginalized communities in the design process to create technologies that truly serve their needs. An analysis of his recent publications reveals an evolving research trajectory from technical accessibility solutions toward more socially conscious design frameworks. While early work focused on practical accessibility tools (like non-visual text entry methods), his recent research engages with feminist care ethics, digital citizenship, and community-led technology development. This evolution reflects a growing emphasis on ethical considerations and social justice in HCI research, with increasing attention to AI's role in community engagement and ethical design practices. Montague has established significant collaborations with researchers across institutions, particularly with Hugo Nicolau, Tiago João Vieira Guerreiro, and Reem Talhouk. His work appears consistently in top-tier venues including CHI, ASSETS, and CSCW, demonstrating recognition by the HCI community for both technical innovation and socially impactful research. His lab at Newcastle University focuses on developing practical tools for community engagement while advancing theoretical frameworks for ethical technology design. Current projects include AI-generated tools for academic conferences, frameworks for feminist community-led ethics, and platforms for citizen-led interface personalization, all reflecting his commitment to democratizing technology development and ensuring it serves diverse community needs.
Tamas Vadasz is an Associate Professor of Finance at KU Leuven , affiliated with the Finance Research Group and the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). His research focuses on financial intermediation, banking theory, regulation, financial stability, FinTech, and green finance. Education: PhD in Finance, Warwick Business School (2019) Research Interests include: Banking regulation and competition Financial stability and risk-taking FinTech innovations and their impact on traditional banking Green finance and environmental sustainability in corporate finance His recent work explores how technological advancements and regulatory frameworks influence banking practices, including information sharing in branch networks, prudential regulation effects, and the intersection of green finance with corporate strategies. He has published in top journals like the Review of Finance and Journal of Financial Intermediation . Scientific Awards: 2021 SANFI Award for Best Paper on Banking at the XXVIII Finance Forum (AEF IN) Projects span financial stability, fintech, and green banking. He also teaches courses in Investments and FinTech , and contributes to institutional governance as a member of the Campus Council FEB and the Faculty of Economics and Business Council.
Johanna T. Gunawan is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Law at Maastricht University's Faculty of Law, affiliated with the Law and Tech Lab. Her research bridges human-computer interaction, design, and legal frameworks to address dark patterns, privacy erosion, and consumer protection gaps in digital systems. PhD in Cybersecurity (2024), Northeastern University MS in Cybersecurity (2021), ALIGN Scholar BA in Political Science & International Affairs (2019), Northeastern University Gunawan's research focuses on manipulative interface designs, digital asymmetries, and legal responses to privacy harms. Her work has influenced policy discussions at the OECD, UK Competition and Markets Authority, and US Federal Trade Commission. Industry experience includes cybersecurity roles at Akamai Technologies, Rapid7 LLC, Vimeo Inc., and Common Sense Media. Recent scientific contributions span dark pattern regulation under the EU Digital Services Act, privacy risks in gig economy platforms, and deceptive practices in voice/Social Robot interfaces. She co-leads the CHI 2025 special interest group on transdisciplinary dark pattern research.
Polly Dalton is a Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London, leading the Attention Lab. She specialises in the psychological mechanisms of human attention, awareness, and multisensory experiences. As Head of Audience Futures at the CoSTAR National Lab, she conducts large-scale interdisciplinary studies on user engagement with technologies. She also co-directs the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in AI for Digital Media Inclusion. Her research explores attentional capture, sensory modalities (vision, hearing, touch), and applied contexts like aviation, remote vehicle operation, and VR. Projects include CoSTAR (Creative Industries R&D), StoryFutures (immersive storytelling), and HYPHEN (immersive production tools). Her work has been featured on BBC Breakfast TV, Sky News, The Guardian, and MSNBC. She collaborates internationally and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through pro-environmental behavior research. Key grants include funding from AHRC, Innovate UK, and Daphne Jackson Trust. She mentors graduate students and oversees labs focused on advancing understanding of human experience in technological contexts.
Sharifa Sultana is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois, holding affiliations in multiple interdisciplinary units including the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, Health Care Engineering Systems Center, Coordinated Science Lab, School of Information Sciences, Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Center for Digital Agriculture, and National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). Her research bridges social sciences, technology, and global development, focusing on marginalized communities in Bangladesh and the Global South. Her work addresses critical issues such as rural digital transformation, healthcare equity, ethical technology design, and sustainable agriculture. Notable contributions include studies on e-commerce impacts in rural China, gender barriers in healthcare access, and participatory design tools for automated vehicles. Her research outputs (35+ articles) span computer science, sociology, and public health, with a focus on participatory methods and culturally grounded solutions. She collaborates across disciplines to address challenges in technology adoption, environmental sustainability, and social justice in developing regions. Her lab affiliations and interdisciplinary roles reflect a commitment to applied research with real-world societal impact. Current projects explore AI ethics, fintech for marginalized groups, and HCI innovations in postcolonial contexts.
Amanda Stathopoulos is the William Patterson Junior Professor and Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering. She holds affiliations with the Transportation Center and Spatial Intelligence Learning Center. Her research focuses on the 'human' aspects of sustainable mobility systems, including behavioral modeling, disaster management, and urban policy. She earned her Ph.D. in Transport Economics from the University of Trieste and completed postdoctoral work at EPFL. Education: Ph.D., Trieste University (2009-2011); M.Sc., Sapienza University (2006-2008); B.A., University of Roma Tre (2003-2006) Her research integrates quantitative methods (discrete choice modeling, statistical analysis) with qualitative approaches (focus groups, ethnography) to study decision-making in transformative mobility systems. Key areas include disaster resilience, telework impacts, automated vehicles, and equity in urban transport. Recent studies explore pandemic-era shifts in consumer spending, telehealth adoption by vulnerable populations, and employer perspectives on hybrid work. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary tools like latent class analysis and network-based modeling. Lab Members: 7 current PhD students and 6 former researchers Funding: NSF CAREER Award, NIST grants, and transportation agencies Her lab's focus includes developing decision-support tools for policymakers and fostering socially inclusive mobility solutions through mixed-method frameworks.
Laura Middleton is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, specializing in Neuroscience with a focus on dementia, aging, and lifestyle interventions. She leads the Brain and Body Lab, investigating how exercise, nutrition, and sleep impact brain health and cognitive function in older adults and individuals with chronic conditions like stroke. Her work emphasizes co-design approaches with patients and care partners to ensure interventions are accessible and culturally appropriate. Her research spans clinical trials (e.g., LEAD 2.0, SYNERGIC), digital health tools like the Brain Health PRO program, and virtual reality applications for older adult wellbeing. She has pioneered studies on sleep-cognition interactions in chronic stroke recovery and dementia risk reduction strategies. Recent projects include developing the DREAM Toolkit for dementia-inclusive exercise programs and exploring AI-driven risk detection in healthcare settings. Laura’s articles highlight themes of interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory research methods, and translational science bridging lab findings to real-world applications. Her work addresses critical issues like health equity for Indigenous populations and improving access to wellness programs for marginalized groups. She actively contributes to national consortia like the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA).
Theo W.C. Huibers is a Full Professor in Human Media Interaction. His research focuses on children's interaction with technology, information retrieval systems, and conversational agents. He has been actively involved in interdisciplinary studies combining robotics, cultural heritage access, and child-centric design. Key research interests include user experience optimization, search engine technology for understudied populations, and the ethical implications of child-friendly digital systems. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through innovations in accessible information systems and inclusive design. Recent publications emphasize conversational AI for children, multi-turn search interactions, and workshops advancing research for underrepresented user groups. He has organized and participated in multiple academic events, including the IR4U2 workshop at ECIR 2024.
