Tom A.E. Oomen is a Full Professor in the Department of Control Systems Technology at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He holds affiliations with the Mechanical Engineering School and the EAISI High Tech Systems institute. His research focuses on data-driven control, motion control of mechatronic systems, and system identification, with applications in industries like automotive, medical, and energy systems. Academically, he earned his MSc and PhD from TU/e, and held visiting positions at KTH (Sweden) and the University of Newcastle (Australia). He has received notable grants (NWO Veni/Vidi) and awards, including IEEE and Mechatronics Paper Prize recognition. Oomen is a Senior Member of the IEEE and serves as an Associate Editor for IFAC Mechatronics and IEEE Control Systems Letters. His work bridges fundamental research and industry collaboration, emphasizing advanced motion control and learning algorithms. Projects include PROACTHIS (projection-based control) and ML4CONTROL (AI-driven motion control). He has supervised 99+ works and contributed to over 500 research outputs.
Javier Alonso-Mora is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology, specializing in Learning & Autonomous Control. His research focuses on autonomous systems, robotics, motion planning, and transportation logistics, with applications in mobile manipulation, dynamic environments, and urban mobility. He leads key projects such as INTERACT (Intuitive Interaction for Robots among Humans) and ACT (Perceptive Acting Under Uncertainty), exploring human-robot interaction, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare robotics. Notable achievements include an ERC Starting Grant (2022) and a Veni Grant (2017). His work addresses challenges in robot navigation, control systems, and fleet optimization, with contributions to both theoretical advancements and practical implementations. Projects like TRiLOGy focus on sustainable water transportation, while HARMONY advances assistive robotics in healthcare. Alonso-Mora’s research leverages geometric fabrics for motion planning, probabilistic modeling for dynamic environments, and multi-agent coordination. He collaborates internationally and contributes to open-source frameworks for robotics. His recent publications emphasize safety-aware control, instance-aware semantic mapping, and adaptive systems for cluttered environments.
Phuong H. Nguyen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He leads the digital Power & Energy Systems (digi-PES) lab, focusing on smart energy systems, distributed control, and IoT integration for future energy grids. His research addresses energy transition challenges, including microgrid optimization, flexibility markets, and data-driven grid management. Nguyen holds a PhD from TU/e (2010) and has held visiting researcher positions at Clemson University. His work contributes to UN SDG goals related to affordable and clean energy. Education: Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (2002) Master's in Electrical Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology (2004) PhD in Electrical Engineering, TU/e (2010) Key Research Areas: Smart Grids and Cyber-Physical Systems Distributed Energy Resource Management Local Energy Markets and Flexibility Provision IoT and Big Data in Energy Systems Awards & Recognition: Best Paper Award SEST 2020 Projects & Grants: REACT-D: Reactive Power Management (Project Manager) Al-driven Applications to Smarten Power System Operation (Project Lead) UNIversity Campus as a Self-Regulated Network (Co-Manager) Labs & Teams: The digi-PES lab develops cyber-physical tools for energy transition, including microgrid simulations, flexibility markets, and grid resilience strategies.
Raquel Fernández is Full Professor of Computational Linguistics and Dialogue Systems at the University of Amsterdam, where she leads the Dialogue Modelling Group at the Institute for Logic, Language & Computation (ILLC). As Vice-Director for Research at ILLC and a Fellow of the ELLIS Society, she bridges computational linguistics, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence through her research on language use in multimodal and conversational contexts. PhD in Computational Linguistics from King's College London Prior research positions at University of Potsdam and Stanford University's CSLI Her work explores how cognitive constraints, social interaction, and perception shape language use, with a focus on: Visually-grounded language processing Multimodal dialogue modeling Model uncertainty and calibration Language grounding in multimodal data Language learning and semantic change Dialogue reference resolution Recent publications analyze multimodal reasoning limitations, cross-lingual knowledge consistency, and uncertainty modeling in dialogue systems. She has received multiple accolades including an ERC Consolidator Grant , NWO VENI/VIDI/Aspasia fellowships , and EMNLP/GenBench awards . Outstanding Paper Award (EMNLP 2023) Best Data Award (GenBench Workshop 2023) ELLIS Society Fellow ERC Consolidator Grant #819455 recipient NWO VENI/VIDI/Aspasia awardee As a leader in academic service, she serves on the SIGDAT Executive Committee and chairs multiple conference committees. Her lab develops models for multimodal dialogue, visual storytelling, and grounded language understanding.
Prof. dr. Steven Hoekstra is an Associate Professor of Atomic and Molecular Physics at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering, within the Van Swinderen Institute. His research focuses on precision measurements using cold molecules to explore fundamental physics, including Stark deceleration, laser cooling, and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. He leads the NL-eEDM program at Nikhef, investigating the electron's electric dipole moment. Hoekstra is also involved in educational innovation, having received the Teacher of the Year award (2020) and a Senior Teacher Qualification (2023). He has supervised over 11 PhD theses and currently mentors 5 students. His work combines experimental techniques with theoretical insights, addressing questions like symmetry violations and quantum dynamics. Key projects include manipulating BaF molecules with electrostatic fields and exploring levitated nanoparticles as sensors. Hoekstra has secured major grants, including NWO VICI (2022) and VIDI (2013), and collaborates internationally on projects like the European Strategy for particle physics. Recent articles highlight advancements in molecular beam control, spin-precession methods for EDM searches, and opportunities in radioactive molecules. He actively participates in the Physics Olympiad Netherlands as chair, contributing to science outreach and education.
Massimo Mischi is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and chairs the Signal Processing Systems (SPS) Division , the largest division at TU/e with over 250 researchers. He founded the Biomedical Diagnostics (BM/d) Lab in 2012, which now includes 180 researchers and clinical/industrial advisors, focusing on biomedical signal processing for diagnostics and monitoring.
Thomas Bäck is a Professor at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) , Leiden University , Netherlands, and a member of the interdisciplinary programme Society, Artificial Intelligence and Life Sciences (SAILS) . His academic career spans roles at Leiden University (1996–present) and leadership positions at the Center for Applied Systems Analysis in Dortmund (1994–2000). Education : Diplom-Informatiker (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1990) Dr. rer. nat. (Computer Science), Technische Universität Dortmund (1994) Research Interests : Dr. Bäck specializes in evolutionary computation , machine learning , and their applications in sustainable smart industry and healthcare . Recent work focuses on integrating large language models (LLMs) and quantum computing into optimization frameworks, with projects like CIMPLO (predictive maintenance), ECOLE (experience-based optimization), and SAPPAO (airline operations optimization). Scientific Contributions : His 526+ publications cover evolutionary algorithms, quantum optimization, and LLM-driven design, with recent trends including: Quantum computing (e.g., quantum approximate optimization, quantum advantage challenges) LLM integration (e.g., hyperparameter tuning, mutation control, code evolution graphs) Healthcare and industry (e.g., predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, melt quality prediction) Algorithm benchmarking (e.g., IOHprofiler, MA-BBOB, explainable benchmarking) Scientific Awards : IEEE Fellow (2022) Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) member (2021) Academia Europaea member (2022) IEEE Computational Intelligence Society Evolutionary Computation Pioneer Award (2015) Fellow, International Society of Genetic and Evolutionary Computation (2003) Best Ph.D. thesis award, German Society of Computer Science (GI) (1995) Advising and Grants : He supervises Ph.D. candidates in evolutionary computation and machine learning and has secured 7 major grants from organizations like the Dutch Research Council , European Commission , and The Research Council of Norway . His editorial roles include Editor-in-Chief of the Evolutionary Computation Journal and associate editorships in leading AI journals.
Elly Konijn is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and Network Institute of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding the Fenna Diemer-Lindeboom Endowed Chair. As chair of the Media Psychology Amsterdam program, her work bridges media psychology, social robots, affective processing, and adolescent media use . Research Pillars : Relating to media figures, virtual humans, and social robots Media-based reality perceptions and moral standards Adolescent media effects (cyberbullying, video games, body image) Recent Publications explore emotional bonding with robots, narrative complexity in film, and media's impact on adolescent cognition. Her 2025 Communication Theory article introduces a framework for human-artificial others relationships. Scientific Recognition : KNAW/NWO Eurekaprijs (2015) Computable Award (2021) Network Institute Competitive Research Funding (2025) She supervises 16 PhD students and leads projects like ROBOT-BOND (ERC Advanced Grant 2025-2029) and Communicating with Social Robots (2020-2025). Her documentaries (e.g., Alice Cares ) translate research into public discourse.
Ibo van de Poel is a Full Professor at Delft University of Technology , within the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management , specifically in the Section Philosophy . He holds the prestigious Antoni van Leeuwenhoek professorship , awarded to excellent young researchers, and is a leading figure in Design for Values , engineering ethics , and technology as social experimentation . Education: Van de Poel studied Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society at the University of Twente , with a propaedeutic exam in Mechanical Engineering . He earned his PhD in Science and Technology Studies (STS) in 1998 from the University of Twente , under the supervision of Prof. Dr. A. Rip. Research Interests: His research spans three major themes: Design for Values : Investigating how moral values can be integrated into engineering design, including empirical studies on how engineers handle value conflicts. Moral Responsibility in R&D Networks : Exploring the "problem of many hands" in large-scale research and development projects, developing formalizations and empirical methods. Ethics of Emerging Technologies : Examining ethical issues in new technologies like nanotechnology and synthetic biology , with a focus on technology as social experimentation . Publications and Impact: Van de Poel has authored over 25 international peer-reviewed articles and 15 book contributions . He is co-editor of major works including the Handbook of Philosophy of Technology and the Engineering Sciences (Elsevier, 2009), Philosophy and Engineering (Springer, 2010), and Ethics, Engineering and Technology (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011). His recent work includes leading the VICI project "New Technologies as Social Experiments" , funded by NWO. Scientific Awards: Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Professorship (TU Delft) VICI Grant for "New Technologies as Social Experiments: Conditions for Morally Responsible Experimentation" Advising and Grants: Van de Poel has led and contributed to multiple high-impact projects, including: NWO Project on "Moral Responsibility in R&D Networks" (2007–2012) EU Project on ethical issues in synthetic biology (2009–2011) VICI Project on "New Technologies as Social Experiments" (ongoing) He has also supervised PhD students and contributed to educational innovations, including the development of the AGORA web-based program and the first Dutch textbook on ethics and technology . Labs and Teams: Van de Poel is an active member of 4TU.Ethics & Technology , a federation of Dutch technical universities focused on ethics and technology. He contributes to the Simon Stevin Series in the Ethics of Technology and participates in various reading groups and PhD communities within the network.
Ming Cao is a Full Professor at the University of Groningen (Netherlands), holding positions in the Department of Discrete Technology and Production Automation, the Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen, and serving as Chair of the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI. His academic roles include Director of the Jantina Tammes School and membership in prestigious organizations such as the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) and the European Commission’s DG CNECT. Cao’s research focuses on multi-agent systems, autonomous robotics, complex networks, and cooperative control, with applications in robotics, epidemic modeling, and biomimetic sensors. Education: PostDoc in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University (2008), PhD in Electrical Engineering from Yale University (2007). Research Interests: Multi-agent systems, distributed decision-making, cooperative control, robotic teams, seal whisker-inspired flow sensing, and privacy-preserving control systems. Recent Trends in Articles: Recent work emphasizes co-evolutionary dynamics in social-technical systems, privacy in control systems, and biomimetic robotics. Key topics include feedback mechanisms in cooperation, hypergraph-based epidemic models, and seal whisker mechanics for underwater sensing. Awards: European Control Award (2016), Manfred Thoma Medal (2017), ERC Grant (2012). Grants: Vidi Grant from NWO (2015) for agent coordination research. Labs/Teams: Jan C. Willems Center for Systems and Control, Research Center for Data Science and Systems Complexity (DSSC). Active in editorial roles for journals like Artificial Life and Robotics and the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization .
Dr. Sander Los is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences (Department of Cognitive Psychology), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He earned his PhD in 1994 with a thesis on 'On the origin of mixing costs: Exploring information processing in pure and mixed blocks of trials' under Prof. Andries Sanders. His research focuses on temporal dynamics of preparatory processes, co-developing the formalized Multiple Trace Theory (fMTP) to explain temporal preparation across time scales (seconds to days). His work integrates cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and computational modeling to explore attentional mechanisms, statistical learning, and spatiotemporal dynamics. Education: PhD in Cognitive Psychology (VU Amsterdam, 1994), postdoctoral research at VU Amsterdam, progressing to Assistant Professor before his current role. Key research areas include visual attention, response inhibition, and long-term memory. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles and serves on editorial boards for journals like Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics and Acta Psychologica . Research Interests: His studies investigate how humans prepare for upcoming events temporally and spatially, with recent work on statistical learning guiding visual attention and computational frameworks for temporal preparation. Collaborations emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to understanding attention allocation and neural underpinnings of timing. Grants & Advising: No explicit grants listed, but active in training students (1 supervised PhD thesis). His courses include Methodology, Research Methods, and Practical Skills for Researchers at VU Amsterdam. Labs/Teams: Works closely with colleagues on the fMTP model and statistical learning projects, emphasizing team-based computational and experimental psychology.
Theo Hofman is an Associate Professor and Program Director in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He specializes in integrated design methods for complex engineering systems, focusing on powertrain systems for automotive, maritime, and aerospace applications. His work emphasizes computational design synthesis, machine learning, and model-based optimization. Education: Hofman holds an MSc (1999) and PhD (2007) in Mechanical Engineering from TU/e. He has held roles at Thales Cryogenics and Drivetrain Innovations before joining TU/e. He also served as an Invited Professor at ETH Zurich and Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France. Research Interests: His research spans hybrid electric vehicles, powertrain design, energy management systems, and sustainable transportation. Key areas include automated design tools, thermal management, and co-design of plant and control systems. Applications include electric trucks, ships, and aircraft. Articles Trends: His recent publications (2021–2025) emphasize electric vehicle infrastructure optimization, battery systems, and control strategies. Key themes include energy efficiency, thermal management, and co-design methodologies for automotive and mobility systems. Scientific Awards: IEEE VPPC 2024 Best Paper Award. Advising & Grants: He has supervised over 104 MSc, 14 PDEng, and 10 PhD students. Active projects include the 'Green Transport Delta' initiative (2021–2024) and Bosch Transmission collaborations. His courses include 'Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Powertrain Design' and 'Automotive Systems Engineering Project.' Labs/Teams: He leads the Group Hofman and collaborates with the MEGEVH (France) and TU/e’s EAISI Mobility initiative. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to affordable and clean energy, industry innovation, and climate action.
Zian Qin serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy at Delft University of Technology, Netherlands. His academic journey includes a B.Sc. from Beihang University (2009), M.Sc. from Beijing Institute of Technology (2012), and Ph.D. from Aalborg University (2015), all in Electrical Engineering, with a Visiting Scientist stint at RWTH Aachen University (2014). B.Sc., Electrical Engineering, Beihang University (2009) M.Sc., Electrical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology (2012) Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Aalborg University (2015) His research centers on power electronics-based grid stability, solid-state transformers, and battery energy storage systems. Key contributions span DC microgrid control, magnetic material optimization, and EV charging infrastructure, with fingerprints highlighting expertise in power quality ( 100% ), voltage stability ( 87% ), and grid-forming applications ( 79% ). Current projects like ECS4DRES and GROW focus on resilient renewable energy systems and African energy storage solutions. His 154+ publications reveal strong emphasis on power electronics control ( 83% ), grid integration ( 79% ), and EV technologies ( 42% ), with recent work targeting microgrid vulnerability reduction and data-driven magnetic loss modeling. Awards include IEEE Prize Paper Awards (2023), World Top 2% Scientist recognition, and IEEE Innovation Awards (2024). IEEE International Challenge Excellent Innovation Award (2024) IEEE Open Journal Prize Paper Award (2023) World's Top 2% Scientist (2022-2024) Featured IES Journal Articles (2023) IEEE TIE Distinguished Reviewer (2020) As Founding Chair of IEEE Transportation Electrification Council Benelux Chapter and Dutch National for Cigre WG B4.101, he leads critical industry collaborations. His editorial roles in IEEE TPEL/TIE/JESTPE and projects like PROGRESSUS demonstrate significant grant leadership in next-generation power infrastructure. Lab activities focus on DC systems, energy conversion, and storage validation through Delft's Electrical Sustainable Energy facilities.
Jan van den Ende is a Full Professor of Management of Technology and Innovation at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University. He is also Professor of Horticulture Innovation and a Visiting Professor at LUISS Università Guido Carli in Rome, Italy, reflecting his broad academic engagement across disciplines and institutions. His research centers on the development of new products and services, with a focus on idea management , control of NPD projects , design management , and sustainable innovation . His work is deeply interdisciplinary, spanning innovation management, organizational studies, and strategic management, as reflected in his publications in top journals such as Research Policy , Harvard Business Review , and IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management . The trends in his recent publications highlight a sustained focus on innovation processes in complex environments, including project-based organizations, multinational enterprises, and high-tech industries like video games. His research increasingly explores socio-organizational dynamics such as status, resource scarcity, and entrepreneurial incubation. He has held long-standing editorial roles in leading journals including: Research Policy (Editor since 2003) IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management (Editor since 2007) Journal of Management Studies (Editor since 2009) Service Business (Editor since 2012) He teaches in MBA and Executive Education programs for global firms such as ASML, FrieslandCampina, IFF, and MAN, bridging academic research with industry practice. He has supervised 25 academic works, indicating a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of scholars. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to sustainable economic growth and innovation. He earned his PhD from Delft University of Technology.
Said Hamdioui serves as a full Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft University of Technology. His research focuses on cutting-edge hardware architectures for neuromorphic computing and energy-efficient AI acceleration, with particular emphasis on memristor-based systems, emerging memory technologies, and fault-tolerant designs for edge applications. His research interests span Neuromorphic Computing , Memristor-Based Architectures , and Energy-Efficient AI Hardware , addressing critical challenges in hardware security, computation-in-memory, and reliable edge AI deployment. Recent work demonstrates significant advancements in RRAM/FeFET testing methodologies, spiking neural network implementations, and spin wave computing alternatives to traditional CMOS. His publications reveal strong trends toward real-world deployment of brain-inspired hardware with practical constraints like power efficiency, testability, and security. Award highlights include: DATE'20 Best Paper Award DFT'21 Outstanding Student Paper ETS 2021 Best Paper Award LATS 2018 & 2022 Best Paper Awards Professor Hamdioui actively contributes to the research community through editorial roles at IEEE Transactions on VLSI Systems , IEEE Design & Test , and Journal of Electronic Testing from 2017-2018. His leadership in multi-partner projects like CONVOLVE and NEUROKIT2E demonstrates strong industry-academia collaboration for edge AI solutions. Current work shows increasing focus on practical deployment challenges including in-field fault monitoring, security vulnerabilities in neuromorphic systems, and realistic brain simulation frameworks.
