Sandrine Dudoit is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Statistics at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her PhD in Statistics from UC Berkeley in 1999 and joined the faculty in 2001. Her research focuses on statistical methodology and computing with applications to genomics, biomedical research, and precision health. She co-founded the Bioconductor Project , an open-source software initiative for biological data analysis, and leads interdisciplinary projects in single-cell transcriptomics and computational biology. Education: PhD in Statistics (UC Berkeley, 1999), M.Sc. in Mathematics (Carleton University, Canada). Research interests include high-dimensional statistical learning, single-cell RNA-Seq analysis, stem cell differentiation in the olfactory system, and statistical computing. She collaborates with biologists like John Ngai to study neuroepithelial regeneration using cutting-edge sequencing technologies. Recent work emphasizes trajectory inference, biomarker discovery, and methodological advances in handling high-dimensional genomic data. Her lab develops tools for normalization, clustering, and differential expression analysis in large-scale biological datasets. She teaches courses on statistical genomics and serves as a leader in UC Berkeley’s Division of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS). Advising: Supervises PhD students in statistical methodology, computational biology, and bioinformatics. Grants: Active in securing funding for interdisciplinary research projects in genomics and data science. Labs/Teams: Core member of the Center for Computational Biology (CCB) and contributes to the Bioconductor community.
Roles & Affiliations: Duen Horng (Polo) Chau is a Professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. He co-directs the MS Analytics program and leads industry relations for The Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS) and corporate relations for The Center for Machine Learning. He teaches Data & Visual Analytics (CSE6242/CX4242) to over 1,000 students annually. His affiliations include the GVU Center, Institute for People and Technology (IPaT), and ML@GT. Education: PhD in Machine Learning (Carnegie Mellon University, 2012), MS in Machine Learning (CMU), MA in Human-Computer Interaction (CMU), B.Eng. in Information Engineering (The Chinese University of Hong Kong). Research: Focuses on human-centered AI, interpretable machine learning, adversarial robustness, graph visualization/mining, and social good applications (e.g., healthcare, anti-human trafficking). His lab develops tools like ActiVis (for neural network exploration), Diffusion Explainer (for text-to-image models), and TrafficVis (to combat trafficking). Research is funded by NSF, NIH, DARPA, NASA, and industry partners (Google, Intel, Meta). Awards: 17+ best paper awards, Google/Intel/Meta Faculty Awards, Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor (2023), Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty (2022), and the Carnegie Mellon Dissertation Award (2012). Grants & Labs: Leads projects on AI safety, robust speech recognition, and graph vulnerability. Collaborates with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on surgical planning via AR. His work influences industry platforms (e.g., Meta’s ML tools used by 25% engineers).
Amany Farag is a tenured Associate Professor at the University of Iowa College of Nursing and Co-Director of the VA Quality Scholars Program (Iowa City site). Her work bridges nursing science, human factors engineering, and data science to address critical patient safety challenges, with a specific focus on medication administration practices across healthcare settings. Education: Postdoctoral Scholar, Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing PhD, Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing MSN, University of Alexandria, Alexandria Egypt BSN, University of Alexandria, Alexandria Egypt Dr. Farag's research centers on reactive and proactive approaches to patient safety , with dual emphasis on medication error reporting systems and nurse fatigue prevention. Her work integrates human factors engineering and machine learning to develop novel interventions. Key themes include understanding how social and system factors influence nurses' error reporting behaviors, examining fatigue as a precursor to errors, and developing self-management strategies for nurse wellness. Recent projects explore intershift recovery, sleep hygiene using consumer technology, and the impact of shift work on cognitive performance. Publication trends reveal a strong focus on interdisciplinary safety science , with consistent output in nursing, human factors, and healthcare quality journals. Her work increasingly incorporates AI methodologies while maintaining clinical relevance to frontline nursing practice. Scientific Recognition: Mary Hanna Memorial Journalism Award (Journal of Peri-Anesthesia Nursing, 2016) Author of the Year (Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2018) Junior Investigator Award (Midwest Nursing Research Society, 2018) Rogers Endowed Lectureship Award (Mississippi Medical Center, 2018) Dr. Farag secures significant funding from national agencies including the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), NIOSH-funded Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest, CDC-funded Injury Prevention Research Center, and University of Iowa Institute for Clinical and Translational Science. Her collaborative approach spans nursing, data science, ergonomics, and public health teams. As Co-Director of the VA Quality Scholars Program, she mentors future healthcare quality leaders while advancing her research on medication safety systems and nurse fatigue mitigation strategies through interdisciplinary partnerships.
Helen Lu is an Associate Professor of Accounting and AI at Vlerick Business School and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland (FinTech Lead for the Master's in Business Analytics). She holds a PhD in Finance from Massey University, an MBA from London Business School, a Master's in Economics (Macroeconomics) from Peking University, and a Bachelor's in Computer Science Engineering from Northern Jiaotong University. Her research focuses on integrating AI into accounting and finance, including valuation, return predictability, ESG disclosure, executive succession, and FinTech disruptions. Before academia, Lu worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, specializing in capital raising and cross-border M&A in Asia-Pacific. Her work bridges academic research and industry practice, particularly in leveraging AI to solve complex financial and accounting challenges. She has published in top journals like the Journal of Accounting Research , Journal of Banking and Finance , and Journal of International Money and Finance . Her recent publications emphasize AI-driven valuation methods, ESG disclosure analysis, and the interplay between executive transitions and financial reporting. Her articles often highlight the application of machine learning to traditional finance problems, such as tail risk assessment and anomaly strategy correlations. Lu’s expertise spans multiple domains, with a focus on transforming data-driven technologies into actionable insights for financial decision-making. She actively contributes to academic discourse on sustainability metrics, particularly green asset valuation and corporate governance during crises.
Professor Rachel Harrison is a Professor in Computer Science at the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, Oxford Brookes University. Her research focuses on software metrics, machine learning, and requirements engineering with emphasis on empirical and automated software engineering solutions. She has over 160 publications and extensive industry collaborations with organizations like IBM and Philips Research Labs. Her work has been recognized through roles as Editor-in-Chief of the Software Quality Journal and leadership in conferences such as ICSE and ESEM. She leads the Dependable System Engineering Centre (DSERC) and is part of the Artificial Intelligence, Data Analysis and Systems (AIDAS) Institute and the Applied Software Engineering and Data Analytics (ASEDA) Group. Her research projects include AI applications for big data analysis (AIMi), automated review classification (ReClass), and software quality improvement (SEQUIN). Professor Harrison has served on over 50 international program committees and initiated workshops like RAISE and AIRE. Her teaching includes advanced computer science modules and leadership in courses like Essential Maths for University Study and Advanced Software Development . Her work bridges academic research and practical applications, particularly in healthcare technology (e.g., diabetes management systems) and mobile application usability. She advocates for rigorous software quality practices and has contributed to frameworks for requirements validation and risk assessment in software projects.
Abani Patra is a Professor of Computer Science, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, and Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tufts University. He also serves as the Center Director for Data Science at the Tufts Institute for Artificial Intelligence (TIAI). His research focuses on computational sciences and data-driven modeling, with applications spanning environmental systems, biomedical imaging, and geophysical hazards. He has directed major initiatives at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and previously founded the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences at the University at Buffalo. Education: PhD in Mathematics, University of Texas, 1995 MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri, 1990 BSc in Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, India Research Interests: Large-scale computational modeling and uncertainty quantification Data-driven approaches for geophysical hazards (e.g., debris flows, volcanic eruptions) Biomedical imaging and metabolic analysis Open science platforms for glaciology and volcanology Key Projects: Developed the Ghub platform for open cryosphere research Launched VICTOR, a cyberinfrastructure for volcanology Advanced AI-driven techniques for postfire debris flow prediction Grants & Leadership: Directed NSF and DOE programs in computational science PI for NSF Cyberinfrastructure grants Former director of the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences
Dr. Farzan Sasangohar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University, holding the Mike and Sugar Barnes Faculty Fellowship. He also serves as an Assistant Professor at Houston Methodist Hospital's Center for Outcomes Research and Department of Surgery. His academic roles include affiliations with the Environmental and Occupational Health, Biomedical Engineering, and multiple centers focused on health technologies and systems design. Education: PhD in Industrial Engineering (Human Factors Engineering), University of Toronto (2015) Research Interests: Human factors in healthcare delivery and telehealth systems Wearable technology for stress/health monitoring Crisis management team cognition and decision-making Remote patient monitoring systems Mental health self-management interventions Awards: Jack A. Kraft Innovator Award (HFES, 2023) Dr. Hamed K. Eldin Early Career Award (2022) William C. Howell Young Investigator Award (2021) TEES Young Faculty Fellow (2021) Nominated for Ergonomics Journal Best Paper (2021) Advising & Grants: Mentored over 15 graduate students including Dr. Mahnoosh Sadeghi (PhD 2023) Recipient of NSF PATHS-UP Engineering Research Center funding Active grants in offshore worker fatigue management and telehealth integration Labs/Teams: Director of the Applied Cognitive Ergonomics Lab (ACE-lab) , focusing on human-system interactions in healthcare, aviation, and disaster management. Current projects include: - Wearable stress monitoring systems - Telehealth integration frameworks - Crisis team cognition analysis
Lucila Ohno-Machado, MD, PhD, MBA, is the Waldemar von Zedtwitz Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at Yale University. She serves as Deputy Dean for Biomedical Informatics and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science at the Yale School of Medicine. Her leadership roles include overseeing informatics infrastructure for Yale’s academic health system and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across departments such as Medicine and the Halicioğlu Data Science Institute (previously at UCSD). Ohno-Machado holds an MD from the University of São Paulo (Brazil), an MBA from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (Brazil), and a PhD in Medical Information Sciences and Computer Science from Stanford University. She has held faculty positions at Harvard Medical School, MIT’s Health Sciences and Technology Division, and the UCSD Health Department of Biomedical Informatics, where she pioneered federated learning and privacy-preserving AI methodologies. Her research focuses on predictive analytics, federated learning, quantum computing in healthcare, and blockchain applications to enhance data security. She emphasizes addressing algorithmic bias and promoting health equity through data-driven solutions. Recent work includes developing frameworks for medical device safety evaluation and guiding principles to mitigate disparities in algorithmic healthcare applications. Key achievements include the Inaugural Helen M. Ranney Award (2024), election to the National Academy of Medicine (2024), and the William W. Stead Award (2019). She has led NIH-funded informatics centers and contributed to the first large-scale clinical data-sharing initiative across five UC medical systems. Her grants span AHRQ, PCORI, NSF, and blockchain-related initiatives through the IT/NIST Challenge Award. Ohno-Machado advises on translational research strategies and mentors teams in YBIC (Yale Biomedical Informatics & Computing). Her lab collaborates globally, leveraging federated models and AI to advance personalized medicine while prioritizing patient privacy. She also chairs the OHER Awards for Yale Research Excellence, promoting interdisciplinary health equity research.
Prof. Walter Schwaiger is a Full Professor at TU Wien’s Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, leading the Institute of Management Science. His academic roles include serving as Head of the Faculty Council since 2010 and holding various curriculum committee positions. He teaches critical courses such as Financial Management, Enterprise Risk Management, and IT-based Management across bachelor’s and master’s programs. His research focuses on three core areas: Financial Enterprise Management (stochastic NPV modeling for renewable energy investments), Enterprise Risk Management (risk maturity assessments via ERMMA studies), and IT-based Management (ontology-driven accounting frameworks like OntoREA). Recent work includes predictive analytics applications in credit risk scoring and pandemic-driven default prediction studies. Prof. Schwaiger has authored influential textbooks like IFRS-Finanzmanagement series and pioneered the REA-based ERP-Control system. He actively contributes to management control research, publishing in venues like Controlling and WingBusiness , and collaborates with institutions like Funk Stiftung on large-scale ERM maturity studies. His professional service includes leading faculty strategy groups and quality management initiatives at TU Wien, reflecting his commitment to institutional governance and academic excellence.
Dr hab. Krzysztof Węcel serves as Professor and current Head of the Department of Economic Informatics at Poznan University of Economics and Business (UEP), appointed on October 4, 2024. His primary affiliation spans over 25 years with UEP's Department of Economic Informatics, which maintains one of Poland's longest-running academic websites since 1998. He holds dual recognition through habilitation from University of Potsdam (2020) and professorship conferred by UEP (June 24, 2020). His academic milestones: Habilitation degree in Economic Informatics, University of Potsdam (2020) Professor title, Poznan University of Economics and Business (2020) Węcel's research centers on Semantic Technologies and data quality assessment across multilingual Wikipedia, with emphasis on company information verification, citation analysis, and open data applications. His work bridges Big Data analytics with practical business solutions, particularly in maritime logistics where he pioneered evolutionary algorithm-based AIS data processing. Current investigations focus on generative AI's dual role in creating and combating disinformation, including ChatGPT's impact on academic writing and fake news propagation. Recent publications (2022-2025) reveal three dominant trends: First, systematic analysis of Wikipedia's reliability across languages during crises like the pandemic and Ukraine war. Second, development of AI-driven fact-checking frameworks (e.g., OpenFact project's CLEF 2023 victory). Third, exploration of generative AI's societal impact ranging from student creativity to disinformation campaigns. Scientific awards received: Best Paper Award at ICIST 2017 Conference Award for most innovative article at NATCON 2018 conference Microsoft Azure for Research Award (2016) As academic advisor, he leads the 'Semantic Technologies' diploma seminar attracting high-achieving students, with participants winning the 29th UEP Foundation Competition (2025) and Eurostat's Web Intelligence Challenge (2024). His grant portfolio includes the 'Maritime Big Brother' project (2017) for ship voyage prediction using AIS data and Microsoft Azure funding for Wikipedia quality enhancement. Ongoing initiatives include OpenFact (fake news detection) and GOBLIN projects. He actively collaborates with SKN Data Science student circle (evidenced by 2024/2025 inaugural meeting) and international consortia like CLEF and QOD workshops. Departmental leadership involves managing the OpenFact research team that achieved top results in CheckThat! Lab competitions, alongside maritime data analytics groups applying evolutionary algorithms to shipping networks.
Dr. Paolo Bergamo is a Senior Researcher at the Swiss Seismological Service (SED), ETH Zurich, since April 2016. He specializes in engineering seismology, focusing on earthquake site response models, ground-motion modeling, and seismic risk assessment. His work includes projects such as the Earthquake Risk Model Switzerland (ERM-CH23) and the SERA Horizon2020 initiative. He holds a PhD in Earth Sciences from Politecnico di Torino (2012) and advanced degrees in Environmental Engineering. Key research areas include soil amplification analysis, geophysical surveys, and the integration of empirical and computational methods for seismic hazard mitigation. His contributions span microzonation studies, site characterization using borehole and ambient vibration data, and the development of design-compatible waveforms for Swiss building codes. Education: PhD in Water and Territory Management Engineering, Politecnico di Torino (2012) MSc and BSc in Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Torino (2008, 2005) Research Interests: Dr. Bergamo’s work emphasizes the collation of empirical ground-motion data with building codes, spatial modeling of soil amplification, and geophysical site characterization. He employs advanced techniques like surface-wave analysis, machine learning, and canonical correlation for seismic hazard assessment. Projects & Grants: ERM-CH23: Site response implementation and national seismic risk modeling SERA Project (Horizon2020): Site characterization indicators Swiss Federal Office for Environment-funded studies on microzonation and geophysical monitoring Labs & Teams: Active contributor to the Engineering Seismology group at SED, leading efforts in alpine valley seismic modeling and offshore site characterization in Lake Lucerne.
Mehebub Sahana is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in Geography at The University of Manchester. He leads a three-year research project on political partition, ecological degradation, and environmental sustainability in the Bengal Delta. His work focuses on transboundary river basins, socio-ecological resilience, and land-use dynamics in the Global South. He has been PI on projects funded by the International Science Partnerships Fund and SEED Impact Fund, addressing flood hazards, heat vulnerability, and environmental governance. Teaching roles include courses on GIS, environmental policy, and dissertation support at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has organized interdisciplinary workshops on transboundary river basins and serves as an editor for Taylor & Francis and Elsevier. Sahana’s research integrates remote sensing, GIS, and socio-economic analysis, contributing to UN SDGs related to climate action, sustainable cities, and responsible consumption. Scientific awards include the Best Paper Presentation Award (2015) and recognition for his work on lockdown effects during the pandemic (2022). His consultancy projects span high conservation value assessments, climate policy, and biodiversity reporting in India and Southeast Asia. He collaborates internationally, addressing challenges in South Asia’s transboundary ecosystems and climate vulnerability.
Rainald Loehner is a Distinguished Professor of Fluid Dynamics at George Mason University's Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics. Since 2003, he has led the Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics at George Mason University. He is currently a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS) for 2023, hosted by Professors Kai-Uwe Bletzinger and Roland Wüchner in the 'Adjoint-Based System Identification of Large-Scale Structures' Focus Group. Loehner received his Diplom Ingenieur (Maschinenbau) degree from the Technical University of Braunschweig, and his PhD and a DSc in civil engineering from the University College of Swansea, Wales. After teaching at Swansea for a year, he worked at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, followed by a research professorship at George Washington University. He joined George Mason University as an associate professor and was promoted to full professor in 1995 and distinguished professor in 2004. With over 35 years of experience, Professor Loehner's research spans the complete pipeline of numerical solvers and simulation tools. His expertise includes pre-processing, grid generation, numerical methods, field solvers, parallel computing, adaptive mesh refinement, fluid-structure interaction, shape optimization, system identification, and computational crowd dynamics. His current work focuses on developing advanced field solvers for compressible and incompressible flows, acoustics, electromagnetic wave propagation, heat and mass transfer, structural mechanics, and fluid-structure interaction. Key application areas include blast mitigation, ship hydrodynamics, blood flow, contaminant transport, and pedestrian safety. Loehner's recent research output (2020-2024) shows a strong trend toward digital twin technology and adjoint-based methods for structural analysis and optimization. His publications focus on high-fidelity digital twins for detecting structural weaknesses, risk assessment in engineering systems, and optimization of sensor placement. His work bridges computational mechanics with machine learning approaches, particularly in system identification and inverse problems, demonstrating how computational methods can solve complex real-world engineering challenges. 2020: Ranked #15119 in the Stanford List of Most Influential Scientists of the World; #8 in Aerospace and Aeronautics 2010: Distinguished International Career Award, Argentine Association of Computational Mechanics 2008: Fellow, International Association for Computational Mechanics 2006: Associate Fellow, AIAA 2005: Honorary Professor, University of Wales Swansea 2005: Advisory Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University 2004: Distinguished Professor of Fluid Dynamics, George Mason University 1999: Computational Mechanics Achievements Award, Japan Society of Mechanical Engineering 1993: Doctor of Science in Civil Engineering, University College of Swansea 1979-1983: Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (Top 1% of German Students) Professor Loehner has mentored numerous students through his work at George Mason University and has supervised research in computational fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, and related fields. His research has been supported by various grants from government agencies and industry partners, enabling the development of advanced simulation tools applied in aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, shock-structure interaction, and medical applications. His codes and methods have been widely adopted in industry and academia for applications ranging from aircraft and ship design to medical simulations and urban pathogen transmission modeling. Loehner leads the Center for Computational Fluid Dynamics at George Mason University, which focuses on developing cutting-edge computational methods for fluid dynamics and related multiphysics problems. The center works on strategic application areas including blast mitigation, ship hydrodynamics, blood flow simulation, and pedestrian movement modeling. As a TUM-IAS Fellow, he collaborates with the Chair of Computational Modeling and Simulation at TUM on adjoint-based system identification of large-scale structures, bringing together expertise in computational mechanics and digital twin technology to address complex engineering challenges.
Dr. Ahmed F. Abdelghany is the Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Operations Management at the David O'Maley College of Business, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, since January 2006. He specializes in commercial airlines, airports, big data cloud computing, business analytics, and operations research models. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Abdelghany worked in enterprise optimization at United Airlines, Chicago. Education: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Transportation Systems) from the University of Texas at Austin (2001) Dr. Abdelghany’s research focuses on airline network planning, flight scheduling, simulation of complex transportation systems, and NextGen air traffic management. He has authored two influential books: Modeling Applications in the Airline Industry (Routledge 2010) and Airline Network Planning and Scheduling (Wiley 2018). His publications analyze airline operations, competitive dynamics, and crowd management in transportation facilities. He teaches courses like Airline Management (BA 315) and Airline Operations & Mgmnt (BA 609), and participates in industry short courses. Dr. Abdelghany contributes to research projects such as NextGen air traffic implementation, integrated airport initiatives, and benefit-cost analysis of arrival management systems. His work bridges academic theory with real-world airline and transportation challenges.
Yan Huang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Software Engineering and Game Development at Kennesaw State University (KSU). His work bridges Federated Learning (FL) and Cybersecurity Education , with a focus on personalization and privacy in distributed systems. Research spans Machine Learning , Extended Reality (XR) , and Data Privacy . He has served as Editor of WCMC and Program Co-Chair for CyberSciTech 2020-2024. Research Trends: Recent publications emphasize Federated Learning for non-IID data, VR-based Cybersecurity Education , and Privacy-Preserving Algorithms in IoT and social media analytics. Key subfields include personalized learning architectures, graph learning, and game-theoretic privacy frameworks. Scientific Awards: Excellent Paper Award (Tsinghua Science and Technology, 2021) Best Paper Award (Future Generation Computer Systems, 2019) Best Paper Awards at IEEE SmartWorld 2021, COCOA 2019, and WASA 2019 Grants: Led over $600,000 in NSF and NSA-funded projects, including VR cybersecurity education for K-12 and XR engineering curricula. His lab recruits VR/AR Research Assistants via industry partnerships.
