Pim de Vink is a doctoral researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology , affiliated with the Biomedical Engineering department and Chemical Biology group. Supervised by dr. L.-G. Milroy and prof. L. Brunsveld , his work bridges supramolecular chemistry and chemical biology , focusing on host/guest chemistry for protein complex modulation. Education: B.Sc. in Chemistry (2014) from University of Amsterdam M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (2016) from TU/e Internship at Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology (2016) on gold-catalyzed synthesis Research Themes: His research develops switchable cucurbituril-based systems for light-controlled enzyme activation and artificial signaling networks. Key areas include protein-protein interaction stabilization , thermodynamic modeling , and allosteric nuclear receptor modulation . Publication Trends: Across JACS , Chemical Science , and RSC Chemical Biology , his work from 2017–2023 emphasizes supramolecular tools for biochemical applications. Notable contributions include 100-fold affinity enhancement of 14-3-3 ligands and UV-responsive cucurbituril release mechanisms . Grants: Funded by Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) through Gravity program 024.001.035 and VICI grant 016.150.366.
Ozcan Ozturk is a Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering and Electronics Engineering programs at Sabancı University's Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences. Previously, he held professorships at Bilkent University and adjunct roles at North Carolina State University. His expertise spans heterogeneous computing, parallel systems, processor architecture, and compiler optimization. He earned his Ph.D. from Penn State University, with prior academic roles at the University of Florida and internships at Intel and Marvell. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering (2007), Pennsylvania State University M.S. in Computer Engineering (2002), University of Florida B.Sc. in Computer Engineering (2000), Bogazici University Research interests include accelerator technologies, GPU-based systems, multicore processors, and compiler optimizations. His work focuses on improving parallelization efficiency, energy optimization, and reliability in heterogeneous architectures. He leads funded projects like 'Machine Learning for Compiler Flags' and 'Graph Accelerator Design'. Notable awards include the Bilkent Teaching Award (2019), BAGEP (2018), and HiPEAC Paper Award (2016). He serves on editorial boards of IEEE and ACM journals and chairs major conferences like ASPLOS and ICS. Grants and collaborations include partnerships with Huawei, Intel, NVIDIA, and TÜBİTAK. He advises over 20 students and has supervised projects in safety-critical systems, FPGA accelerators, and compiler-directed optimizations. His lab develops domain-specific architectures, including RISC-V extensions for graph processing.
Nancy J. Brown, M.D., is the Jean and David W. Wallace Dean of the Yale School of Medicine and holds the C.N.H. Long Professorship in Internal Medicine. Previously, she served as Chair of Vanderbilt Department of Medicine and Physician-in-Chief of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (2010–2020). Her academic career spans over three decades, with leadership roles in clinical care, research, and medical education. Education: MD, Harvard University (1986) AB in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale College (1981) Internship and Residency in Medicine, Vanderbilt University (1989) Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University (1991) Chief Resident, Vanderbilt University (1992) Research Interests: Dr. Brown’s work focuses on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system’s role in cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and thrombosis. Her lab has elucidated mechanisms linking aldosterone, bradykinin, and ACE inhibitors to inflammation, fibrosis, and cardiovascular risk. Current studies explore neprilysin inhibitors in heart failure and incretin-based therapies’ cardiovascular effects. Key Contributions: Identified genetic variants and African ancestry as risk factors for ACE inhibitor-associated angioedema Developed Vanderbilt’s Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program (2000) Advocated for physician-scientist development through leadership roles in NIH councils and professional organizations Recognition: Recipient of the Harriet Dustan Award, August M. Watanabe Prize, and Robert H. Williams Distinguished Chair of Medicine. Elected to the National Academy of Medicine and American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Labs/Teams: Leads the Yale School of Medicine’s cardiovascular research initiatives, focusing on translational studies of RAAS pathways and drug mechanisms.
Sarah Woolf-King is an Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), School of Medicine. She is a licensed clinical psychologist (CA PSY28178) whose research bridges psychology and health, with a strong focus on substance use, HIV, and mental health in families affected by congenital heart defects. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University (2002), an M.S./Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University (2010), an M.P.H. in Epidemiology from UC Berkeley (2011), a clinical internship in Behavioral Medicine at VA Palo Alto (2010), and a T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship at UCSF’s Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (2013). Dr. Woolf-King’s research centers on two primary areas: (1) the impact of alcohol use on HIV treatment and prevention, particularly among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) and in East African populations, and (2) the mental health needs of parents of children with critical congenital heart defects (CHD). Her work employs diverse methodologies, including daily data collection, qualitative interviews, randomized trials, and biomarker validation (e.g., PEth). She aims to develop integrated behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes for individuals and families coping with chronic illness. Her recent publications (2023–2025) reflect a consistent focus on alcohol use in the context of HIV, with studies on counseling interventions, digital screening, remote biomarker collection, and behavioral mechanisms. There is also growing attention to mental health in vulnerable populations, including college students and parents of children with genetic or cardiac conditions. Her work is increasingly interdisciplinary, combining psychology, epidemiology, public health, and global health. Scientific Awards: Hellman Fellow, Hellman Fellows Fund (2015–2017) Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01), NIH/NIAAA (2013–2018) Loan Repayment Program in Clinical Research, NIH/NIAAA (2011–2016) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F31), NIH/NIAAA (2008–2010) Mentored Scientist Award in HIV/AIDS, UCSF CFAR (2012–2014) Dr. Woolf-King has served as Principal Investigator on NIH-funded projects, including an R34 grant for a brief ACT intervention for HIV-positive hazardous drinkers and a K01 grant on alcohol and sexual risk behavior. She collaborates extensively with researchers at UCSF and in East Africa, particularly Uganda. While her adjunct title suggests a part-time or non-tenure-track role, she maintains an active research program with significant grant support and a robust publication record. There is no indication of retirement or former staff status.
Maxwell (Max) Boykoff is a Professor in the Environmental Studies department at the University of Colorado Boulder and a Fellow in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). He holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2006) and an MBA from the University of Colorado Boulder (2023), complementing his BS in Psychology from The Ohio State University. His research focuses on two primary arenas: the cultural politics of science, climate change and environmental issues, examining how attitudes and behaviors shape action possibilities; and transformations of carbon-based economies, with emphasis on science-policy interfaces and decarbonization politics. His work explores how climate science finds meaning in everyday life and feeds back into policy decisions. Boykoff's publications demonstrate consistent focus on climate communication, media representations, policy conflicts, and societal transformations. His recent work emphasizes digital communication strategies, climate health connections, countermovement analysis, and creative engagement methods. Article trends show increasing attention to social media dynamics, global comparative studies, and interdisciplinary approaches spanning environmental studies, communication, and political science. Awards & Recognition: CU Excellence in Leadership Program (2022) Contributing Author to IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Deputy Editor at Climatic Change journal (over a decade) He leads significant research initiatives including the Media and Climate Change Observatory (MeCCO) monitoring global climate coverage across 82 sources in 40+ countries, Inside the Greenhouse (creative climate communication project), and the Colorado Local Science Engagement Network . He serves on the Independent Science Panel for New Zealand's Deep South Challenge. Boykoff teaches courses including Climate Change Politics & Policy, Creative Climate Communication, Political Economy and the Environment, and Science & Environmental Communication. He mentors through the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre Internship Program and integrates research with teaching and service commitments.
Cecilia O. Alm is a Professor in the Department of Psychology within the College of Liberal Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she serves as the Artificial Intelligence Program Director. She holds multiple leadership roles including Director of the Center for Human-aware AI and Director of the Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing Lab (CLaSP). Her institutional affiliations span the School of Information, Ph.D. Programs in Cognitive Science and Computing and Information Sciences, Department of Computer Science, and MS in Data Science program. Dr. Alm earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on human-centered artificial intelligence with particular emphasis on linguistic and multimodal sensing, affective computing, and natural language processing. She investigates how AI systems can better understand and respond to human communication through multimodal dialogue processing, with applications in accessibility, education, and healthcare. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward developing inclusive AI systems, particularly through projects addressing Deaf community needs (MULTICOLLAB-ASL), subtle emotion recognition (FUSE corpus), and bias mitigation in NLP. The work consistently integrates multimodal data streams (speech, gaze, gesture) to create more responsive human-AI interaction frameworks. Current research directions emphasize diversity in AI education, visual prosody in sign languages, and human-in-the-loop AI development. Dr. Alm leads several significant NSF-funded initiatives including the AWARE-AI program, IRES AI-PROWIL international research experience, and collaborative projects with Gallaudet University focused on Deaf scientist-centered AI research. She has secured over $2.5 million in external funding for her work on human-aware AI systems. She directs the CLaSP lab which provides research opportunities for PhD, MS, and undergraduate students, with graduates employed at major technology companies including Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook. The lab focuses on real-world AI applications in accessibility, human-robot interaction, and multimodal communication systems.
Dr. Srinivas Peeta is the Frederick R. Dickerson Chair and Professor in Transportation Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He previously held the Jack and Kay Hockema Professorship at Purdue University, where he served for 24 years. He is also the Associate Director of the USDOT Center for Connected and Automated Transportation. Education: B. Tech. from IIT Madras, M.S. from Caltech, and Ph.D. from UT Austin, all in Civil Engineering. His research focuses on large-scale transportation systems, infrastructure interdependencies, and connected/automated vehicles. He has authored over 345 publications and secured over $48M in research funding. Research Interests: Dynamic traffic networks and driver behavior modeling Information-based navigation in vehicular systems Systems perspectives for complex adaptive infrastructure Autonomous vehicle integration and human-vehicle interactions Key Achievements: Developed DYNASMART software for traffic operations Recipient of NSF CAREER Award (1997) and ASCE Walter Huber Prize (2009) Directed NEXTRANS UTC and pioneered USDOT’s real-time route guidance systems Grants & Outreach: Secured funding from USDOT, NSF, FHWA, and international agencies Initiated NEXTRANS internship programs and K-12 outreach Labs/Teams: Active in Georgia Tech’s ACT Lab, focusing on autonomous transportation systems and human-vehicle-environment interactions.
Benjamin Andrew Toll is a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine. He serves as Associate Director of Education and Training for the Hollings Cancer Center, Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Public Health Sciences, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program, and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at MUSC. Dr. Toll received his BA from Cornell University (1996), MS and PhD from Nova Southeastern University (1999, 2002), and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship and Internship at Yale University. Dr. Toll is a leading researcher in tobacco cessation, with over 20 years of experience conducting clinical trials focused on developing novel therapeutics for tobacco and nicotine use. His work primarily centers on preventing cancer through tobacco treatment interventions, with particular emphasis on lung cancer screening patients and cancer surgery patients. He has expertise in nicotine replacement therapy, contingency management approaches, gain-framed messaging, and digital health interventions for smoking cessation across diverse populations including older adults and young adults. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on implementation science for tobacco treatment programs across various healthcare settings including hospitals, oncology clinics, and primary care. His research examines barriers to treatment, optimal delivery methods (including telehealth and EHR-integrated tools), and effectiveness of various pharmacological and behavioral interventions for smoking cessation. National Cancer Institute funding (R01CA235697, R01CA207229, P50CA196530) National Institute on Drug Abuse funding (P50DA036151, K12DA000167) Continuous funding for over 15 years for tobacco cessation research As a mentor and leader, Dr. Toll oversees the Education and Training program at the Hollings Cancer Center, guiding the development of future cancer researchers. His Tobacco Treatment Program serves as a model for integrating tobacco cessation into comprehensive cancer care, and he has successfully implemented 'opt-out' tobacco treatment programs across multiple hospital systems in South Carolina. Dr. Toll leads a multidisciplinary research team focused on tobacco treatment, including psychologists, pharmacists, physicians, and implementation scientists working together to develop and test innovative approaches to smoking cessation for high-risk populations.
Daniel Leunbach is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Business, University of Oslo , specializing in Entrepreneurship . He teaches courses in strategy, innovation management, and entrepreneurship while integrating philosophy and psychology into his research to study decision-making under uncertainty. Ph.D. in Strategy and Entrepreneurship, University of Oslo MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Oslo BSc in Molecular Biology, University of Bergen His research explores the intersection of entrepreneurship theory , philosophy , and psychology , focusing on how entrepreneurs navigate situations where outcome probabilities are impossible to quantify. Recent publications investigate topics such as entrepreneurial imagination through poetry , resource acquisition negotiations , and Wittgensteinian approaches to defining entrepreneurship . Leunbach collaborates with scholars like Truls Erikson and Glenn Roger Kristiansen , publishing in journals such as Academy of Management Review , Scandinavian Journal of Management , and Journal of Business Venturing Design . He is affiliated with the Entrepreneurship (ENT) research group and consults on entrepreneurial decision-making frameworks.
Pontus Stenetorp is a Professor of Natural Language Processing at University College London (UCL) and holds a Specially Appointed Professorship at the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Japan. At UCL, he leads the NLP Group, serves as Deputy Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence, and directs the Facebook Artificial Intelligence/UCL PhD Programme. His research focuses on the intersection of human language and computational systems, emphasizing empirical approaches to advancing and evaluating language processing capabilities. He is affiliated with UCL's Department of Computer Science and NII's Large Language Model Research and Development Center. Stenetorp prioritizes in-person collaboration for internships and research visits due to institutional bureaucratic constraints at UCL. He actively supervises MSc theses in Machine Learning and Data Science programs but restricts undergraduate and industry-oriented projects to exceptional cases. Communication preferences include structured emails sent to role-specific addresses: p.stenetorp@cs.ucl.ac.uk (UCL), pontus@nii.ac.jp (NII), and pontus@stenetorp.se (general). His research group, the NLP Group at UCL, pursues cutting-edge projects in computational linguistics and AI, often involving collaborative efforts with students and industry partners. While no specific awards are listed, his dual institutional roles underscore his significant contributions to the field of NLP and AI research.
James Shorter is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He is affiliated with multiple prestigious institutes, including the Institute on Aging (IOA), the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), the Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), the Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI), and the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation. He mentors several training programs such as the Penn Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP), PennPREP, and the Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP), and serves as a Primary Trainer at the Center for Neurodegenerative Research (CNDR). Ph.D. in Cell Biology, University of London, 2000 M.A. in Biology, University of Oxford, 1995 Dr. Shorter’s research focuses on protein homeostasis, particularly the mechanisms of protein disaggregation and the role of prion-like domains in neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. His lab investigates the Hsp104 disaggregase from yeast and has engineered variants to combat human proteinopathies. They also identified the mammalian disaggregase system (Hsp110/Hsp70/Hsp40) and explore how small molecules and nuclear import receptors can reverse pathological phase transitions of RNA-binding proteins like TDP-43 and FUS. His work bridges structural biology, genetics, and translational neuroscience. His recent publications highlight trends in targeting TDP-43 and FUS proteinopathies, engineering Hsp104 for selective detoxification, understanding mitochondrial disaggregases like Skd3, and modulating phase transitions with nuclear import receptors. His research spans from fundamental mechanisms of protein folding to therapeutic development for neurodegenerative diseases. Faculty Member, Institute on Aging (IOA) Faculty Member, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) Mentor, Penn Summer Undergraduate Internship Program (SUIP) Primary Trainer, Center for Neurodegenerative Research (CNDR) Faculty Member, Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Member, Penn Institute for RNA Innovation Mentor, Translational Research Immersion Program (TRIP) Dr. Shorter advises numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers through the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Cell and Molecular Biology graduate groups. His lab receives funding from NIH and other sources to support research on protein disaggregation, phase separation, and neurodegenerative disease mechanisms. He has trained many scientists now active in academia and biotech. His lab, located in Stellar-Chance Laboratories, operates at the intersection of biochemistry, cell biology, and translational medicine, with active projects on Hsp104 engineering, mitochondrial proteostasis, and the role of RNA-binding proteins in disease. The lab collaborates widely across Penn and with international partners to advance understanding and treatment of protein misfolding disorders.
Andrew Warfield is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Senior Principal Engineer at Amazon. His research focuses on computer systems software, including virtualization, distributed storage, security, and high-availability systems. He previously held roles as Associate Professor at UBC, CTO at Coho Data, and Technical Director at Citrix Systems. His work has led to projects like Remus (high-availability replication), Tralfamadore (execution analysis), and secure hypervisor development with Xen. Warfield's education includes a PhD from the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory, where he researched I/O device virtualization under Steven Hand. He has held visiting roles at Intel Research Cambridge and internships at AT&T Research and Nortel Networks. Research Grants: Supported by Intel Research, NSERC, Network Appliance, and the Communications Security Establishment. Professional Activities: Technical Advisory Board Member at Teradici, and involvement in program committees for conferences like HotOS, EuroSys, and FAST. His research emphasizes practical systems, aiming to bridge the gap between theoretical computer science and real-world applications. Notable contributions include innovations in storage for virtualized environments, secure hypervisor architectures, and disaster-tolerant systems like SecondSite. Warfield is affiliated with UBC's Department of Computer Science and maintains active collaboration with industry partners. Though currently not actively recruiting students, his prior mentorship has influenced many in systems research.
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.
Dr. Prerna Arora is Associate Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, within the Graduate School of Education, Health & Psychology and the Department of Health Studies & Applied Educational Psychology. She directs the School Mental Health for Minoritized Youth and Families (SMILE) Research Lab, where she leads innovative research on mental health equity for immigrant-origin, racial and ethnic minoritized, and historically marginalized youth. Ph.D. in School Psychology – University of Texas at Austin M.A. in Educational Psychology – University of Texas at Austin B.S. in Biology – Arizona State University Predoctoral Internship – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Postdoctoral Training – University of Maryland School of Medicine Dr. Arora’s research focuses on culturally tailored mental health interventions, school-based services, barriers to care, and trauma-informed, equity-driven practices. Her work is grounded in participatory action research and mixed methods, aiming to bridge research-practice gaps and empower communities. She has led major funded projects from the Spencer Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the U.S. Department of Education, including a $4.9 million grant to train clinicians in culturally responsive services. Her recent publications reflect a strong thematic focus on mental health disparities, cultural adaptation of interventions, school climate, and help-seeking behaviors among AAPI, Latino/a, and immigrant youth. The body of work demonstrates a commitment to advancing equity, social justice, and measurement-based care in school psychology. American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program Spencer Foundation Research Grant NIMH Funding U.S. Department of Education OSEP Grant ($4.9 million) Dr. Arora actively mentors PhD and graduate students, many of whom co-author her publications. She has secured major grants that support training, research, and community partnerships. Her leadership extends to editorial roles as Associate Editor of School Mental Health and Consulting Editor of School Psychology Review , and she is a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic training and practice. She collaborates extensively with NYC-based organizations, building community-driven research models through the SMILE Lab.
Ying-Yi Chih is a Professor of Project Management at the Research School of Management, Australian National University (ANU) , and serves as the Associate Dean (Students and Industry Experience) for the College of Business and Economics. Her research focuses on project management, public-private partnerships (PPPs), value co-creation in projects, and employee well-being in project-based environments like the construction industry. She has published extensively in journals such as International Journal of Project Management and Journal of Construction Engineering and Management , with funding from government and industry sources. Education: PhD in Project Management Research Interests include: Infrastructure Project Planning and Management Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Value Co-Creation in Professional Services Employee Psychological Well-being and Performance Management Recent Publications highlight trends in green innovation, crisis resilience, leadership dynamics, and technology adoption in construction and project management. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry and public sector projects. Editorial Roles: Associate Editor for Journal of Management in Engineering and Editorial Board member for Journal of Vocational Behavior . Research Projects have explored value co-creation, international development projects, and performance management in multi-project environments, with collaborations across Australia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
