Szende Thomas is a full Professor at Inalco (Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales). He serves as Director of the EA 4514 Plidam research center and heads the Hungarian Studies section at Inalco. His academic work focuses on language teaching, cultural differences in dictionaries, and applied linguistics. Director, EA 4514 Plidam Research Center Head of Hungarian Studies Section, Inalco Member, UNESCO Chair "Language Policies for Multilingualism" Executive Committee Jury member, Paris University Thesis Prize Member, Inalco Scientific Council His research spans language didactics , applied linguistics , and lexicography . He has published extensively on second culture teaching, bilingual dictionary analysis, and language appropriation dynamics, with recent work on language-culture pedagogy and grammatical instruction methodologies. Key publication themes include: intercultural education , language policy in Central/Eastern Europe , bilingual dictionary design , and Hungarian language didactics . His academic contributions extend to methodological works like the Assimil Hungarian language series and specialized dictionaries.
Nick Thieberger is an Associate Professor in the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He also holds adjunct positions at the University of Sydney, University of Hawai'i, LaTrobe University, Australian National University, and the University of Tasmania. Thieberger serves as Director of PARADISEC (Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures), President of DELAMAN (Digital Endangered Languages and Musics Archives Network), and Deputy Director of the Research Unit for Indigenous Language at the University of Melbourne. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and leads multiple major research projects including Nyingarn and Modularised cultural heritage archives. Thieberger's primary research interests focus on language documentation, endangered languages, and digital archiving methodologies. His work bridges linguistics, digital humanities, and Indigenous language preservation, with particular emphasis on Pacific and Australian Indigenous languages. He has developed innovative approaches to linguistic archiving, including the creation of PARADISEC, which has become a model for digital language archives worldwide. His research spans theoretical linguistics, practical archiving solutions, and community-based language work, with significant contributions to Nafsan (South Efate) language documentation and Australian Indigenous language preservation. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward integrating digital humanities with language documentation, particularly focusing on computational approaches to endangered language preservation. Thieberger's work increasingly addresses ethical considerations in linguistic archiving, community-led documentation models, and the development of platforms that give Indigenous communities control over their linguistic heritage. His research shows a progression from descriptive linguistics toward infrastructure development for language preservation, with growing emphasis on access protocols, data sovereignty, and the technical challenges of long-term digital preservation. Open Scholarship Award (2025) for PARADISEC team Digital Repository of Ireland Award for Research and Innovation (2024) DASSH award for Research Partnership and Social Impact (2021) Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2021) Ludwig Leichhardt Jubilee Fellowship by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2013-2015) ARC Australian Postdoctoral award (2004-2007) QEII Fellowship (2009-2014) Future Fellowship (2014-2018) Thieberger has secured substantial grant funding throughout his career, including multiple ARC grants as Chief Investigator. He leads the ARC LIEF grant 'Nyingarn: a platform for primary sources in Australian Indigenous languages' (2021-2025) and another ARC LIEF grant for 'Modularised cultural heritage archives – future-proofing PARADISEC' (2022-2025). He also serves as Chief Investigator in the ARDC-funded 'Online Heritage Resource Manager to Describo Collections' project (2023-2024) and in the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (2014-2025). His grant portfolio reflects his dual focus on theoretical linguistic research and practical infrastructure development for language preservation. Thieberger directs PARADISEC, a pioneering digital archive for endangered language materials that has become an international model. He also leads the Nyingarn project team, which is developing a platform specifically for Australian Indigenous language materials. Through DELAMAN, he coordinates with other language archives worldwide to establish best practices for digital language preservation. His work with the Language Data Commons of Australia (LDACA) further demonstrates his commitment to building research infrastructure that serves both academic researchers and Indigenous communities.
Talant Mawkanuli is an Adjunct Associate Teaching Professor at the University of Washington, affiliated with the Department of Linguistics, Department of Anthropology, Department of Asian Languages and Literature, and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. He serves as Director of Turkic and Central Eurasian Studies, and holds affiliations with the Jackson School’s East Asia Center, Ellison Center, and Middle East Center. Education: PhD in 1999 from Indiana University, Bloomington His research focuses on Turkic and sociocultural linguistics, emphasizing Central Eurasian and Chinese languages within social/cultural contexts. Key areas include language endangerment, minoritized languages, and ethnicity. He conducts fieldwork and interdisciplinary projects on language documentation (e.g., Jungar Tuvan) and historical analysis of Chaghatay manuscripts. Teaching spans Turkic languages and Central Eurasian/Chinese societies. No scientific awards explicitly mentioned. Collaborative projects include language documentation and historical linguistics studies.
David Garlan is a Professor at the Software and Societal Systems Department within the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University , where he also serves as Associate Dean for Master’s Programs . He received his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon in 1987 after working in industry as a software architect. His research focuses on controlling complexity in large software systems through formalized architectural design, self-adaptive systems, and cyber-physical systems. He developed AcmeStudio , a widely used architecture design environment, and pioneered formal representation and analysis of software architecture. Education : Ph.D. in Computer Science (Carnegie Mellon, 1987) Research Interests include: Software Architecture: Formal methods for architectural design, end-user composition, and architectural styles Self-Adaptive Systems: Stochastic planning, model checking, security adaptation, and uncertainty reduction Cyber-Physical Systems: Multi-view design methods, consistency checking, and automotive systems Recent Article Trends address microservice resiliency, hybrid planning (combining formal methods and ML), simulation-augmented robotics, and sustainable machine translation. Themes include stochastic modeling , probabilistic verification , and adaptive decision-making . Scientific Awards : Stevens Award Citation (2005) ACM SIGSOFT Outstanding Research Award (2011) Allen Newell Award for Research Excellence (2016) IEEE TCSE Distinguished Education Award (2017) Nancy Mead Award (2017) Fellow of IEEE and ACM Advising and Grants : He has advised 25+ graduate students and collaborated on projects with Toyota and the Software Engineering Institute. His work includes model-based adaptation, automated planning, and formal verification of adaptive systems. Labs & Teams : Affiliated with the Institute for Software Research and works on tools like AcmeStudio, Rainbow, and IPL for architectural modeling and self-adaptation.
Liang-Yuan 'Leo' Wu is a Researcher at the University of Michigan's Computer Science and Engineering department, working with Prof. Dhruv 'DJ' Jain in the Soundability Lab at the AI Laboratory. He recently completed his Master's degree in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan. His educational background includes: Master of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, University of Michigan (2022-Present) University of Edinburgh (2021) Bachelor's degree, National Taiwan University (2017-2021) Wu's research centers on human-centered AI solutions for auditory accessibility, with deep collaboration with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community. He develops technologies that leverage multimodal AI and large language models to interpret soundscapes, generate personalized audio descriptions, and enhance captioning systems—particularly in challenging environments like clinical settings where communication accuracy is critical. His work bridges technical innovation with real-world user needs through mixed-methods UX research. His publication trajectory reveals a strategic focus on applying cutting-edge AI models to solve accessibility gaps in sound interpretation and captioning, with increasing emphasis on healthcare applications and community-driven design principles. This represents a significant shift toward context-aware, deployable accessibility tools rather than theoretical frameworks. Wu's research impact is recognized through: BEST POSTER AWARD at ASSETS 2024 for CARTGPT Google Academic Research Award for 'Audio Scene Understanding' proposal While not yet mentoring formal advisees, Wu secures competitive research funding through awards like Google's Academic Research Award and actively collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across HCI, AI, and accessibility domains. His work in the Soundability Lab emphasizes community co-creation with DHH individuals to ensure technologies address authentic user needs rather than theoretical scenarios. The Soundability Lab serves as Wu's primary research environment, focusing on making sound universally accessible through AI-driven innovation. The lab maintains direct partnerships with the DHH community throughout the research lifecycle—from problem identification to solution validation—ensuring technologies are both technically robust and socially impactful.
Dacia Dressen-Hammouda is a Professor of Universities at Université Clermont Auvergne, affiliated with the ACTé Laboratory (Activity, Knowledge, Transmission, Education). She co-leads Theme 1 ( Situations of knowledge transmission and learning ) and has held significant educational responsibilities since 2007, including designing and managing the Multilingual Technical Documentation Engineering and Multilingual Information Design programs. Her research spans English for Specific Purposes (ESP) , multimodality , indexicality , and intercultural rhetoric , with a focus on digital communication and AI integration in education. Research Themes include: Digital and multimodal supports in specialized English Genre-based pedagogies for professional and academic writing Intercultural challenges in second-language politeness negotiation Recontextualization of expert knowledge in digital media Indexicality as a framework for disciplinary identity analysis Article Trends highlight her work on multimodal literacy through instructional videos, indexicality in professional writing , and digital science communication . She explores how digital tools reshape genre mastery and how intercultural exchanges influence academic writing practices. Scientific Contributions include collaborations with researchers like Ciara R. Wigham and Susan Birch-Becaas , with projects such as the DILAN Project (Digital Language and Communication Training for EU Scientists). She has supervised PhD candidates Hamza Miftah and Nedjah Zerrouki , focusing on AI-driven writing support and multimodal travel blogs. Lab Engagement : As co-responsible for Theme 1 at the ACTé Laboratory, she integrates activity theory and ethnographic approaches to study writing as a social and pedagogical activity.
Kourosh Davoudi is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Ontario Tech University's Faculty of Science. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from York University with a focus on Machine Learning and Data Mining. Prior to joining Ontario Tech in 2019, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Waterloo's Department of Management Sciences. His research interests span Natural Language Processing, Deep Learning, Reinforcement Learning, Graph Mining, and Machine Learning. He actively supervises graduate students in these areas and teaches courses such as Data Mining and Artificial Intelligence. His research emphasizes practical applications of AI techniques in areas like outbreak detection, sentiment analysis, and automated grading systems. Recent work includes innovations in neural document segmentation, vision-language models, and hybrid outbreak detection using social media data. His publications consistently address challenges in algorithm design, explainable AI, and domain-specific NLP applications. Dr. Davoudi has contributed to conferences such as COLING, EMNLP, and IEEE transactions, focusing on interdisciplinary applications of machine learning. His work bridges theoretical advancements with real-world problems in healthcare, education, and social media analysis.
Alva L. Couch is an Associate Professor at Tufts University's School of Engineering, Department of Computer Science, with a career spanning over 30 years. His work bridges network/system administration, autonomic computing, and hydrologic data science, focusing on scalable solutions for data management and automated system administration. Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics (1988), B.S. in Architecture (1978), and B.A. in Bassoon/Contrabassoon Performance (1978). Research Interests His research centers on: Network and System Administration: Tools like SLINK, Maelstrom, and Babble for dependency analysis, cloud migration, and policy enforcement. Geo-informatics: MEDFORD metadata language and HydroShare platform for hydrologic data curation and discovery. Autonomic Computing: Promise theory, convergent operators, and closure models for self-managing systems. Recent Work Trends His 2024-2018 publications emphasize: Cloud-based hydrologic data management (AnVILMEDFORD, HydroShare) Metadata standards for interdisciplinary research Machine learning for system administration Agent-based resource sharing models Scientific Awards Liebner Teaching Award (1996) Seymour Simches Advising Award (2017) Best Paper Awards: LISA 1996, AIMS 2008, LISA 2001 LISA 2000 Best Student Paper (with Michael Gilfix) Contributions He developed key software like Peep (network auralization) and Slink (configuration management), supported by NSF grants and industry partnerships. His work with CUAHSI's Water Data Center shapes national hydrologic data infrastructure. He also advocates for science education and privacy in computing.
Christa de Kleine is a Professor in the School of Education at Notre Dame of Maryland University. She has been a faculty member since 1998 and served as the coordinator of the university’s M.A in TESOL program since its development in the late 1990s. Her teaching encompasses language acquisition and linguistic diversity in both the MA TESOL program and the Ph.D. program for Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations. Education: Ph.D., M.Phil, and M.A. in Linguistics from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY); M.A. in English Language and Linguistics from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Her research focuses on Creole English speakers in ESL programs, linguistic diversity in education, and the impact of standard language ideology. She has collaborated extensively with Dr. Rachele Lawton on studies of Generation 1.5 students and community college writing instruction. She is principal investigator on a grant-funded project examining English language teaching practices in Panama, informed by its postcolonial context. Notable scientific awards include the 2020 Maryland TESOL Teacher of the Year, multiple Faculty Research and Development Awards from Notre Dame of Maryland University (2016, 2013), NIH grant funding (2007), and Sociological Initiatives Foundation support (2004). She has presented nationally and internationally on topics related to language acquisition and linguistic diversity.
Bradley Schmerl serves as a Principal Systems Scientist in the Software and Societal Systems Department (S3D) within Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. His research advances software engineering practices for modern challenges in distributed heterogeneous systems, self-adaptation, and cyber-physical integration. He leads the ABLE research group and actively mentors students in the Masters in Software Engineering program while teaching core courses like Software Architecture and Software Engineering Practicum. Dr. Schmerl's work addresses critical challenges in composing continuously evolving software systems, including components from untrusted third parties and on-the-fly recomposition for environmental changes. His research develops reusable, analyzable tools for software composition with emphasis on model-based adaptation, uncertainty management, and cross-language integration. Key projects include Rainbow for runtime architecture reflection, Acme for formal architectural foundations, and Cyber-physical Systems research linking software models with physical dynamics. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals intensifying focus on robotics software architecture (particularly ROS-based systems), explainable AI for architectural tradeoff analysis, and configuration management in adaptive systems. Trends show growing integration of machine learning for auto-tuning, empirical studies of misconfigurations, and dimensionality reduction techniques for visualizing design spaces—consistently bridging theoretical rigor with practical tool development for real-world applications. Scientific Awards: No specific awards were documented in the source materials. Dr. Schmerl serves as Practice Area Lead and mentor in CMU's Masters in Software Engineering program, guiding client projects including Rainbow UI for self-adaptive framework interfaces, CoBot UI for telepresence robots, and Educational Telepresence Tasking Language development. His research receives support through ABLE group projects funded by grants targeting software architecture foundations, adaptation mechanisms, and cyber-physical system validation. As a core member of the ABLE research group, he directs investigations into architecture-based self-adaptation with active projects spanning Rainbow (runtime architecture models for dynamic adaptation), Acme (formal architectural styles and tools), and Cyber-physical Systems (software-physical model integration). The group also maintains legacy work in End-User Architecting, Architecture Evolution, and service-oriented platforms for intelligence analysis through SORASCS.
Dr. Lisa Lim is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Education at Curtin University, serving as Dean, International for the Faculty of Humanities since 2022. Previously, she held professorial positions at the National University of Singapore, Universiteit van Amsterdam, University of Hong Kong (where she was Head of the School of English), and the University of Sydney (Chair of Department). Her research focuses on language contact, World Englishes, and sociolinguistics of globalization. She has authored/co-authored influential books such as Languages in Contact (2016) and The Multilingual Citizen (2018, shortlisted for the BAAL Book Prize 2019). Her work investigates linguistic minorities, including the Peranakans in Singapore and Sri Lanka Malay communities. Lim has been a consultant for the Oxford English Dictionary and runs the linguisticminorities.hk project documenting Hong Kong’s linguistic diversity. She teaches courses on language and communication, emphasizing fieldwork and public engagement. Lim’s advising includes students like Tan Ying Ying (NTU) and Giovanna Tang (CUHK), who pursue careers in linguistics and education. She balances academic rigor with family life, advocating for work-life harmony.
Karen Schramm serves as Professor in the Department of English at Delaware Valley University, where she has taught 23 distinct courses since joining this teaching-focused institution. Her academic journey spans appointments at Rutgers University, the University of Delaware, Rowan University, and community colleges, with her current role emphasizing innovative pedagogy and environmental advocacy. As a Partner in Conservation with the World Wildlife Fund, she actively supports global wilderness protection initiatives across the Amazon and American Prairie. Education: Ph.D. in English (American Literature), University of Delaware M.A. in English, Rutgers University B.A. in English, Rutgers University Dr. Schramm's research centers on environmental literature's role in American cultural identity, particularly examining wilderness narratives from the American Renaissance period. Her scholarship bridges literary analysis with conservation ethics through courses like Environmental Literature and Introduction to Literature: Creature Comforts, which explores animal representations in fiction and creative non-fiction. This interdisciplinary approach extends to her personal commitment to nature, demonstrated by her lifelong documentation of cicada emergences since childhood. Her 30+ publications reveal consistent thematic evolution from early pedagogical innovations to current environmental scholarship, featuring definitive contributions in Oxford and Cambridge University Press volumes. While haiku poetry reflects her nature-focused aesthetic, her academic work demonstrates sophisticated analysis of wilderness discourse in American literature and practical applications in educational technology. The publications collectively showcase her dual commitment to advancing literary scholarship and transforming classroom practice through creative methodology. Scientific Awards: $300 award for best article in Teaching for Success (1997) Dr. Schramm has mentored student writers through 15 consecutive years (1998-2013) as advisor and copy-editor for The Gleaner , the university's literary magazine, while developing innovative teaching methodologies like the 'Angered Porcupine' approach. Her scholarly productivity includes six biographical entries for the American National Biography and multiple book chapters addressing technology integration in education, though specific research grants aren't documented in available materials. Her conservation partnership with WWF represents significant professional engagement beyond traditional academic boundaries. No dedicated research laboratories or formal research teams are referenced in her professional documentation, with scholarly activities primarily conducted through individual publication and institutional teaching roles.
Cindy Schneider is a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of New England (UNE), based in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. She specializes in language documentation, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics, with a focus on Pacific languages. Her research explores language policy, literacy practices, and the intersection of language and law. Education: Cindy holds a BS in Business/Marketing (Delaware), GrDip Linguistics (UNE), MA in Linguistics (Oregon), PhD in Linguistics (UNE), and LLB (UNE). Research Interests span language documentation (Pacific languages), sociolinguistic policy, vernacular literacy, language and legal systems, and mutual intelligibility between related language varieties. She has extensive fieldwork experience in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya. Publications include a monograph on the grammar of Abma (Vanuatu) and numerous articles on linguistic intelligibility, courtroom language dynamics, and language planning. Recent research focuses on language policy in multilingual courtrooms and language vitality in Pacific Island communities. Supervised over 20 graduate students in topics like language ecology, legal linguistics, and literacy practices. Recipient of multiple teaching commendations for courses such as LING244 (Language and the Law). Consultant for linguistic analyses in consumer law and authorship disputes. Community Engagement includes developing literacy resources in Suru Kavian and other Pacific languages, and organizing orthography workshops for Indigenous communities.
Joan M. Schwartz is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Art History and Art Conservation at Queen’s University. She holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, an M.A. from the University of British Columbia, and a Ph.D. from Queen’s University. Her career includes over two decades of work in photography acquisition and research at the National Archives of Canada before joining academia. She is a Fellow of both the Society of American Archivists and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Her research focuses on the history of photography, 19th-century visual culture, and the intersection of archives with memory and power. Notable projects include the four-year SSHRC-funded study on ‘Picturing Canada: photographic images and geographical imaginings in British North America, 1839–1889,’ examining photography’s role in Canadian nation-building. She has co-edited influential works such as Picturing Place: Photography and the Geographical Imagination and contributed to major encyclopedias like The Oxford Companion to the Photograph . Dr. Schwartz’s publications span archival theory, photographic materiality, and the cultural politics of visual representation. She has curated exhibitions such as From Coast to Cariboo , exploring the legacy of photographer Frederick Dally. Her work bridges art history, geography, and archival science, emphasizing how photographic archives shape collective memory and national identity. Key honors include her fellowships and editorial roles with prestigious journals like Archival Science . Her current research continues to explore photography’s role in historical narratives and its material and conceptual dimensions.
Nikitas Karanikolas serves as Professor in the Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering at the University of West Attica since March 2018, following a distinguished career progression from Assistant Professor (2004) to Associate Professor (2010) and Professor (2014) at the Technological Educational Institute of Athens. His professional trajectory includes significant roles as Systems Head of TEI Athens Library (1996-1997) and Chief of Informatics at Aretaieio University Hospital (1997-2004), alongside leadership positions in the Greek Computer Society as Board Member (2004-2006) and Secretary General (2006-2008). His academic foundation includes: Bachelor's in Statistics and Informatics from Athens University of Economics and Business (1988) PhD in Applied Informatics from Athens University of Economics and Business (1994) with thesis "Technological and Linguistic approaches in Natural Language Understanding" Dr. Karanikolas maintains an exceptionally broad research portfolio spanning Natural Language Processing , Computational Linguistics , Medical Informatics , and Green Energy systems. His work consistently bridges theoretical computational frameworks with practical healthcare applications, particularly evident in recent dementia care technologies and Greek language processing systems. The interdisciplinary nature of his research connects computational phonology with medical diagnostics and e-government applications. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a pronounced shift toward AI-driven healthcare solutions (particularly dementia patient monitoring), multilingual NLP systems (Greek and Polish), and urban safety applications . His work demonstrates consistent methodology development in ontological representations and multimodal fusion techniques, with increasing emphasis on real-world clinical and governmental implementations since 2023. No scientific awards were documented in the source materials. With 16 journal papers, 68 conference publications, and six authoritative Greek university textbooks, Dr. Karanikolas maintains an active research trajectory. His advising capacity is evidenced through extensive publication mentorship, particularly in medical informatics and NLP projects. While specific grant details are unavailable, his hospital information system implementations and textbook authorship suggest successful research funding acquisition. Current research activities focus on multimodal aggression prediction systems for dementia care, Greek language ontological frameworks, and urban navigation safety applications, primarily conducted through the University of West Attica's informatics infrastructure.
