Dr. Richard Currie Smith serves as an Instructor in the Department of Anthropology at Kent State University's Kent campus, with contact details including email rsmit120@kent.edu and mailing address 800 E. Summit St., Kent, OH 44242. His research interests span the comprehensive discipline of Anthropology, with specialized focus across all four primary subfields: Cultural Anthropology examining societal structures, Archaeology investigating material remains, Biological Anthropology analyzing human evolution, and Linguistic Anthropology studying language systems.
Justin Kitzes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, where he joined the faculty in 2017. His research group, the Kitzes Lab, operates within the Ecology and Evolution group and focuses on measuring, understanding, and predicting biodiversity loss in human-dominated landscapes through innovative bioacoustic approaches. Education Ph.D. (2012) from the University of California, Berkeley under John Harte and Adina Merenlender Postdoctoral scholar in the Energy and Resources Group and Data Science Fellow at the Berkeley Institute for Data Science, UC Berkeley Research Interests Dr. Kitzes' work centers on the question: How are species distributed across complex landscapes, and how do human impacts drive these distributions? Specializing in terrestrial bioacoustics , his lab develops automated acoustic field recording systems and machine learning models to study rare and hard-to-detect species. Current research emphasizes temperate breeding birds and anurans, addressing critical gaps in natural history, conservation, and ecology through computational methods that overcome limitations of traditional survey techniques. Research Trends Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal Dr. Kitzes' leadership in merging artificial intelligence with bioacoustic monitoring to tackle global biodiversity challenges. Key advancements include open-source tool development (OpenSoundscape), zero-shot learning for species identification, and rigorous evaluation of forest management impacts on avian populations. His work consistently bridges computational innovation with conservation application, demonstrating how AI can fill critical knowledge gaps while maintaining scientific rigor through reproducible workflows. Advising and Funding The Kitzes Lab actively mentors graduate and undergraduate students, with regular openings for new researchers. Dr. Kitzes' work has secured major funding from the National Science Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Geographic, Microsoft, and the Academic Data Science Alliance, supporting large-scale acoustic monitoring projects and methodological innovations. Lab and Collaborations The Kitzes Lab pioneers bioacoustic research through tools like OpenSoundscape and the AudioMoth Guide. Current projects include Pennsylvania forest monitoring initiatives and global soundscape synthesis efforts. The lab maintains strong commitments to open science, reproducibility, and community engagement through public datasets, software, and educational resources like "Eavesdropping on Birds" and "On the Record".
Bri Jackson is a Lecturer in the Department of Foreign Language at Virginia Commonwealth University. While his formal academic role is in language education, his research focuses on advanced computational methods in pathology, including machine learning applications for cancer diagnosis, virtual immunohistochemistry, and digital pathology tools. His work spans histopathological analysis, immuno-oncology, and biomedical imaging. Jackson's research has led to the development of innovative algorithms for virtual diagnostic companion tools, foundation models for whole slide image analysis, and benchmarks for cervical cytology classification. His publications emphasize precision oncology, including biomarker multiplexing, molecular response prediction, and AI-driven histopathological interpretation. Key areas include non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and splenic involvement in pancreatic cancer prognosis. He has also explored educational challenges in pathology residency programs during the pandemic, viral epidemiology, and rare congenital disorders involving multiple organ systems. Jackson's work bridges computational biology with clinical diagnostics, though no scientific awards or student advisement details are mentioned in the available data.
Madi Babaiasl is a Clare Booth Luce Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University's School of Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on developing innovative robotic solutions for assistance, rehabilitation, agriculture, and education applications. Education: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (Robotics) from Washington State University M.S. in Mechatronics Engineering from Tabriz University, Iran B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Tabriz University, Iran Dr. Babaiasl's research spans multiple domains at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, control theory, and artificial intelligence. Her primary focus centers on developing safe and efficient human-robot interaction systems, particularly for assistive and rehabilitation applications. She investigates human intention detection, agricultural automation, and novel approaches to robotics education, integrating knowledge from psychology, physical therapy, agriculture, and education to create comprehensive robotic solutions. Her work addresses real-world problems such as developing devices to suppress hand tremors for Parkinson's patients and creating steerable needles for surgical applications. Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a clear evolution from medical robotics (particularly steerable needles) toward more diverse applications including assistive and agricultural robotics. The newer publications increasingly incorporate advanced AI techniques like transformer models, large language models, and multimodal signal processing for human-robot interaction, with strong emphasis on practical implementation using ROS2, edge computing, and real-time control systems for applications where cloud connectivity may be limited. Scientific Recognition: Featured in RSIP Vision Magazine as a Woman in Science (January 2022) Featured in SWE's 'A Day in The Life of Robotics Engineer' blog (April 2022) Multiple features in university publications for steerable needle research (2018-2019) Wanda Munn Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement (2019) Top 0.2% in national university entrance exams in Iran (2006) Recent lab achievements including Midwest Robotics Workshop 2025 Travel Grant (2025) Dr. Babaiasl actively mentors students through her Mecharithm Lab at SLU, seeking those with robotics foundations, programming skills (particularly Python), and familiarity with ROS. She has successfully blended academic and entrepreneurial pursuits by founding Mecharithm in 2021, which generated $73,000 in its first year. Her mentorship philosophy emphasizes project-based learning, self-directed growth, and developing as an independent researcher. Leading the Mecharithm Lab, Dr. Babaiasl oversees research projects including WheelArm (enhancing independence in assistive robotic systems), multi-modal human intent recognition, and deploying large language models for intuitive human-robot interaction. Her lab comprises graduate and undergraduate students primarily from Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science backgrounds, working on meaningful projects that aim to leave a lasting legacy for society through robotics innovation.
Jie Wang is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell's R. Miner School of Computer and Information Sciences. He joined UMass Lowell in 2001 as a Full Professor and chaired the department for 9 years from 2007 to 2016. He serves as Director for China Partnership of the US-based Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP) since 2011. Prior to UMass Lowell, he was Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina. Professor Wang's research spans multiple areas including text mining algorithms and systems, data modeling, combinatorial optimizations, network security, wireless sensor networks, and computational complexity theory. His work has evolved from theoretical foundations in computational complexity (1980s-early 2000s) to practical applications in data analysis, intelligent text automation, and AI systems. His recent publications focus on AI-Oracle machines, LLMs, text mining, document engineering, and network security. His research portfolio demonstrates a clear evolution from theoretical computer science to applied research with practical impact. The publications show increasing focus on AI, text mining, and document engineering in recent years, while maintaining foundations in algorithm design and network security. His work bridges theoretical computer science with real-world applications across multiple domains. Honorary Advisor (2013) - NeoUnion Hong Kong Education Science Culture Organization MHE Scholar (2012) - Ministry of Higher Education, China PMYR Award for Major New Initiatives (2010) - University of Massachusetts Lowell Teaching Excellence Award (2002) - University of Massachusetts Lowell Nominee of Board of Governors' Teaching Excellence Award (2000) - University of North Carolina Professor Wang has graduated 18 PhD students and is currently directing 5 PhD students. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, IBM, Intel, and other companies totaling approximately $4.8 million. He is active in professional service, including chairing conference program committees, serving as journal editors, and as editor-in-chief of a book series on mathematical and interdisciplinary modeling. His laboratory work focuses on text mining systems, network security applications, and computational models for practical problems.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Tandy Warnow is a Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, holding multiple appointments across campus. She is the W. W. Grainger Chair in the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, where she also serves as Associate Head. Her additional affiliations include Professorships in Mathematics, Statistics, and the Coordinated Science Lab, as well as appointments at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. She also has affiliate status in several departments including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, Entomology, and Plant Biology. Warnow's research spans computational biology, network science, and historical linguistics. Her primary focus is on algorithmic problems in computational biology, developing methods for phylogenomics, multiple sequence alignment, and metagenomics. She has made significant contributions to large-scale phylogeny estimation, with theoretical guarantees and empirical validation. In network science, she collaborates with George Chacko on understanding scientific communities and developing novel clustering methods. Her work in historical linguistics involves inferring evolutionary histories of languages. Warnow's recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate her continued leadership in both computational biology and network science. Her work shows a consistent trend toward developing scalable algorithms for large datasets, with particular attention to theoretical guarantees and empirical performance. She has made important contributions to community detection in networks, phylogenetic placement methods, and metagenomic analysis. Her scientific honors include being a Fellow of the ISCB (2017), ACM (2015), and AAAS (2021), as well as receiving the Senior Scientist Award from the International Society for Computational Biology in 2024. She currently serves as Treasurer of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the ISCB (2025-2027). Warnow maintains an active research program with multiple current grants from the National Science Foundation, including a collaborative project on cyber-infrastructure for community detection in large networks (2024-2027), a PPoSS LARGE grant on scalable graph algorithms (2023-2028), and an Insper-Illinois collaboration on meso-scale structures in large graphs (2023-2028). She is organizing a workshop on large-scale phylogenetics at the NSF-funded Institute for Mathematical and Statistical Innovation in August 2025. She advises graduate students in the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, with a preference for students who have taken her courses and demonstrated strong programming skills. Her research group focuses on the intersection of graph algorithms, machine learning, and biological applications.
Herman Pontzer is a Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology and Director of Graduate Studies of Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University, with additional appointments as Associate Research Professor of Global Health and Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2006. His research integrates lab and field studies to investigate how ecology, evolution, and lifestyle shape metabolism, health, and physical activity in humans and apes. Fieldwork focuses on hunter-gatherer and pastoralist communities in Africa and South America, while lab work employs advanced techniques like doubly labeled water analysis to measure energetics. Pontzer's research centers on evolutionary physiology, metabolic adaptation, and human ecology. Key interests include: Energetic trade-offs in evolution and daily life Impacts of diet, physical activity, and environment on health Physiological adaptations in small-scale societies Evolution of human locomotion and water conservation His work challenges conventional views on obesity, exercise efficacy, and metabolic aging. His publications (2022–2025) demonstrate consistent themes: environmental stressors (drought, heat), metabolic measurement innovations, and cross-cultural health disparities. Over 60% of recent papers analyze energy/water expenditure in diverse populations, highlighting adaptations to climate, subsistence strategies, and life stages like pregnancy. This reflects a focus on human resilience and evolutionary constraints. Awards & Honors: Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award, Penn State (2017) 40 Under 40 Rising Stars in N.Y. Food Policy (2017) Presidential Award for Distinguished Scholarship, Hunter College (2016) Harbison Faculty Fellowship, Washington University (2010) Herrnstein Prize, Harvard University (2006) As Director of Graduate Studies, he oversees evolutionary anthropology doctoral training. He leads the Pontzer Lab, which conducts field expeditions and collaborates globally. Current projects include NSF-funded studies on hydration stress in Kenyan pastoralists and metabolic limits in endurance athletes.
University of North Carolina at CharlotteUnited States
Albert Park is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte's College of Computing and Informatics. His research bridges computational methods with health informatics applications. Education: BS/MS in Computer Science (Virginia Tech), PhD in Biomedical and Health Informatics (University of Washington) Prior affiliation: NIH-NLM Post-Doctoral Fellow at University of Utah Research focuses on computational analysis of social networks in health contexts, human-centered design of health technologies, and machine learning applications for patient-provider interactions and peer support systems. His lab develops novel methodologies for analyzing social computing platforms and health-related discussions. Recent publications examine Reddit-based mental health communities, vocabulary homophily in online health forums, and NLP tool reliability for analyzing social health data. Key methodologies include text mining, visualization, and longitudinal behavioral analysis. Awards: NIH-NLM Post-Doctoral Fellowship Actively recruiting Ph.D. students with technical expertise in social computing or machine learning and interdisciplinary understanding of social/behavioral sciences.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Stephanie W. Jamison is a Professor in the Department of Asian Languages & Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She specializes in Indo-Iranian languages, with a primary focus on Vedic Sanskrit and Middle Indo-Aryan, combining linguistic, literary, and cultural analysis. PhD in Historical and Indo-European Linguistics from Yale University (1977) Her research spans multiple disciplines including mythology, ritual practices, gender studies, and comparative poetics with Greek materials. She teaches Sanskrit, Middle Indo-Aryan, and Old Iranian language and literature, along with courses on Indo-European linguistics and Classical Indian civilization. Her publications reflect deep engagement with Vedic texts, including a complete English translation of the Rig Veda (co-authored with Joel P. Brereton). Her work explores intersections of language, religion, law, and cultural identity in ancient South Asian contexts.
Paul S. Rosenbloom is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Southern California , with affiliations at the Institute for Creative Technologies . His work focuses on cognitive architectures , particularly the development of the Sigma architecture and contributions to the Common Model of Cognition . He has pioneered the integration of symbolic, probabilistic, and neural systems in AI research. Research Interests: Dr. Rosenbloom's research spans hybrid symbol systems , neural-symbolic integration , and the evolution of computational models of cognition . His recent work rethinks the Physical Symbol Systems Hypothesis through hybrid systems that bridge symbolic AI and neural networks, addressing challenges in universality , compositional reasoning , and cognitive modeling . Scientific Awards: 2011 Kurzweil Award for Best AGI Idea 2012 Kurzweil Award for Best AGI Paper 2023 Springer Prize for Best Paper Publications and Contributions: He has authored over 150 publications and co-authored foundational works on the Common Model of Cognition with Laird, Lebiere, and Stocco. His research has been supported by grants from the U.S. Army RDECOM and USC's Institute for Creative Technologies. He has mentored numerous collaborators and co-authors, including researchers like V. Ustun , A. Demski , and H. Joshi , in projects spanning virtual humans , reinforcement learning , and distributed vector representations .
Michael L Weiss is a Professor at Cornell University, affiliated with the Department of Linguistics, Department of Classics, and Medieval Studies Program within the College of Arts and Sciences. His work spans multiple disciplines in historical linguistics. Research Focus: Indo-European linguistics, historical phonology/morphology of Greek, Latin, and Sabellic languages, Tocharian and Old Irish historical grammars Key Contributions: Author of foundational textbooks including Kuśiññe Kantwo for Tocharian B and the Outline of the Historical and Comparative Grammar of Latin Recent Publications: 2024 work on Indo-European vocabulary of institutions, 2023 analysis of Latin uncia , 2022 studies on Venetic sound changes and Oscan epigraphy Interdisciplinary Approach: Combines philological, linguistic, and ritual analysis in works like Language and Ritual in Sabellic Italy His scholarship demonstrates consistent engagement with Proto-Indo-European reconstructions, measurement terminology evolution, and agricultural technology lexicon analysis. Publications in venues like Die Sprache and Classical Philology show his commitment to both detailed case studies and broad theoretical questions.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Stephanie M Hilger serves as Professor across multiple units at the University of Illinois, holding primary appointments in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures and Program in Comparative and World Literature within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Additional affiliations include French and Italian, Gender and Women's Studies, the Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, and the European Union Center. Since 2021, she has expanded her interdisciplinary work into medical humanities through the medical college. Her research centers on eighteenth-century literature and culture through the dual lenses of gender studies and medical humanities. Hilger investigates how Enlightenment-era discourses constructed sexual ambiguity, particularly through medical case studies of so-called 'hermaphrodites,' arguing for intersectional analyses of sex/gender, disability, race, and ethnicity. Her work bridges historical literary analysis with contemporary medical humanities frameworks, examining physician-writers and the evolution of embodied cognition concepts. Hilger's publication trends reveal a sustained focus on Enlightenment gender dynamics that has progressively integrated medical humanities perspectives. Early works analyzed German women's responses to the French Revolution, while recent scholarship examines eighteenth-century medical discourses on intersex bodies and their implications for modern health humanities. Her edited volumes systematically establish German studies as a critical site for medical humanities innovation. Presidential Initiative Award for 'The Art of Medicine' public outreach project 2017 Medical Scholars Program Outstanding Advisor of the Year Center for Advanced Study Fellowships (2008, 2019) Goethe Society Essay Prize (2016) Lynn Martin Award for Distinguished Women Teachers (2011-2012) As an award-winning advisor, Hilger has received multiple teaching honors from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and was recognized as Outstanding Advisor by the Medical Scholars Program. Her grant portfolio includes significant funding from the Presidential Initiative to Celebrate the Impact of the Arts and Humanities for curriculum development and public outreach initiatives connecting medicine with the humanities. Current projects include an edited collection on Medical Humanities in German Studies and research on eighteenth-century physician-writers.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityUnited States
Vinodh Venkatesh is Professor of Spanish at Virginia Tech’s Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. He is a renowned scholar in Latin American and Spanish literature, cinema, and television, with a focus on gender, masculinity, and neoliberalism. Venkatesh has authored three monographs and co-edited six collections, while publishing over 45 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Ph.D. in Romance Languages (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2011) M.A. in Spanish Literature (University of Florida, 2008) B.A. in Spanish and Public Policy Analysis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005) His research interrogates masculinity in Latin American fiction , queer cinema , and neoliberalism’s cultural impact . Venkatesh’s Crisis TV (2024) and Capitán Latinoamérica (2020) analyze superhero narratives as metaphors for political and social change. His work frequently intersects with feminist theory , urban studies , and transnational media . Venkatesh’s scientific awards include the Scholar-in-Residence (Texas Tech, 2025), Academy for Teaching Excellence (2022-), and CLAHS Diversity Award (2018). He has secured grants from Virginia Tech, the Spanish Ministry of Culture, and collaborative initiatives. As a public intellectual , Venkatesh contributes to The Conversation and InkStick Media , connecting academic discourse to Latinx representation and real-world social justice . He serves on editorial boards including Chasqui and the Journal of Men’s Studies .
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityUnited States
Janell Watson is Professor of French and Chair of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures at Virginia Tech's College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. She has been a member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 1999 and serves as Editor of the minnesota review , a journal of creative and critical writing that launched in 1960. She also serves on the editorial board of the international journal Deleuze Studies . Watson earned her doctorate in French from Duke University. Her academic journey has positioned her as a leading scholar in critical theory and French philosophy, with a particular focus on the works of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Her research interests span Critical Theory, French Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Deleuze and Guattari Studies, Literary Theory, and Material Culture Studies. Watson's scholarly work explores the intersections of philosophy, literature, and material culture, with particular attention to how objects and spaces shape human experience and social relations. Her research bridges continental philosophy with literary analysis, creating innovative frameworks for understanding cultural production and consumption. Watson's publications demonstrate a consistent engagement with Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical concepts, applying them to diverse areas including literary analysis, media studies, and cultural critique. Her work shows an evolution from focused literary studies to broader applications of philosophical concepts across multiple disciplines, with recent work like 'Postmedia Hans' (2023) and 'Schizoanalysis as Metamodeling' indicating continued relevance and innovation in contemporary theoretical discourse. As department chair, Watson is actively working with faculty to expand study-abroad programs and hosts cultural events, film festivals, and weekly conversation tables that are open to the community at large. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom into building academic community and fostering cultural exchange. Watson maintains an active scholarly presence through her editorial work and ongoing research, contributing significantly to the fields of French studies and critical theory. Her dual role as administrator and scholar exemplifies her commitment to both institutional growth and intellectual advancement.
Ronald Kanterman serves as Adjunct Faculty in Fire Science and Professional Studies within the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven. With 47 years of fire service experience, he currently holds the position of Executive Inspector for the FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention while teaching at the university. His research interests span multiple critical areas of fire science and emergency management. Kanterman specializes in fire prevention strategies , occupational safety and health protocols for firefighters, and hazardous materials response . His work emphasizes practical applications in fire service administration and emergency management systems, with particular focus on leadership development and organizational resilience within fire departments. His scholarly output demonstrates consistent contribution to fire service literature, with publications spanning fire officer safety, hazardous materials response, and fire service leadership. The articles reveal a strong emphasis on practical applications with theoretical underpinnings in fire science, showing evolution from technical firefighting procedures toward broader organizational and leadership concerns in later publications. Over 180 published works in fire service literature Regular contributor to Fire Engineering magazine and Fireengineering.com Author of multiple textbooks including "Fire Officer's Guide to Occupational Safety and Health" (2019) Kanterman has taught for 32 years at various two and four-year colleges at undergraduate and graduate levels, including serving as an Adjunct Instructor at the National Fire Academy. He has been instrumental in fire service education through his long-standing involvement with the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC), where he has taught for 25 years and served on the Educational Advisory Committee. Beyond academia, he volunteers with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and serves as an Instructor for the Local Assistance State Teams program.
