Hadi Meidani is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine , specifically within the Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign . He teaches courses in Civil and Environmental Engineering, including topics like Systems Engineering & Economics , Machine Learning in CEE , and Uncertainty Quantification . Ph.D., Civil Engineering, University of Southern California (2012) M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California (2012) M.S., Structural Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (2005) B.S., Civil Engineering, K.N. Toosi University of Technology (2002) Dr. Meidani's research focuses on uncertainty quantification , scientific machine learning , and optimization under uncertainty for engineering systems. His work spans stochastic multiscale analysis , physics-informed machine learning , and model reduction techniques. His recent publications emphasize machine learning for infrastructure systems , graph neural networks , physics-informed models , and traffic assignment . Key trends include deep learning , multi-fidelity modeling , and neural operator transformers applied to metamaterial design , seismic reliability , and autonomous freight delivery .
R. Edwin García is a Professor at the School of Materials Engineering at Purdue University, where he has been faculty since 2005. He holds appointments in the Materials Engineering department within Purdue's College of Engineering, specifically in the School of Materials Engineering located in the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering at Purdue's West Lafayette campus. His educational background includes: B.S. in Physics from the National University of Mexico (1996) M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2000) Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering with a minor in Applied Mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003) Professor García's research focuses on the design of materials and devices through the development of a fundamental understanding of the solid state physics of individual phases, their short and long range interactions, and associated microstructural properties and time evolution. His current research emphasizes establishing relationships between material properties and resultant performance and degradation in electrochemical systems. He integrates computational approaches ranging from kinetic Monte Carlo, phase field and level set methods, to finite elements, finite volumes, and symbolic computing. His work particularly addresses microstructure design, crystallographic texture, and grain boundary science and engineering to control the topology of underlying phases and establish practical relations between processing, microstructure, and material properties. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on lithium-ion battery technology, ferroelectric materials, and computational modeling of material behaviors. The research trends show increasing integration of machine learning with traditional computational methods, exploration of novel sintering techniques like flash sintering, and deeper investigation into the fundamental mechanisms of material degradation in energy storage systems. His work spans multiple length scales from atomistic to continuum modeling, reflecting a comprehensive approach to materials design and analysis. Professor García teaches several courses including MSE 230 (Structure and Properties of Materials), MSE 350 (Thermodynamics of Materials), MSE 597G (Modeling and Simulation of Materials), MSE 597I (Introduction to Computational Materials), and MSE 597N (Physical Properties of Crystals). He mentors graduate students in areas related to computational materials science, battery technology, and microstructural evolution. His research group, the Laboratory of Computational Microstructures, focuses on developing home-grown analytical theories and algorithms to resolve relevant time and length scales in materials systems. The group's work has significant implications for portable power sources, including rechargeable batteries and fuel cells, as well as for ferroelectric ceramic applications.
Jiwoong Park is Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, and simultaneously Professor of Molecular Engineering in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. His interdisciplinary research group, the Park Group, is jointly affiliated with the James Franck Institute and the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at UChicago, and operates from the Gordon Center for Integrative Science. Education & Training Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley (2003) B.S., Seoul National University (1996) Junior Fellow, Rowland Institute, Harvard University (2003–2006) Assistant → Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University (2006–2016) Research Interests Park’s research centers on the science and technology of precisely engineered nanomaterials, particularly atomically-thin two-dimensional (2D) crystals and van der Waals solids. Spanning chemistry, physics, materials science and electrical engineering, his group develops novel synthetic, imaging and characterization techniques to uncover new physical phenomena and translate them into scalable device technologies. Key thrusts include growth of wafer-scale molecular crystals, optical and transport spectroscopy of 2D semiconductors, mechanical behavior of polycrystalline nanomembranes, and integration of these materials into photonic, electronic and energy-harvesting devices. Scientific Awards Elected Fellow of the American Physical Society (2022) – “for the development of synthetic, imaging, and characterization techniques of atomically thin materials and the discovery of novel properties of van der Waals solids.” Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2023) – recognition for multiple papers ranking in the global top 1% by citations in Materials Science and Chemistry. Group & Collaborations The Park Group is an interdisciplinary team of postdocs, graduate researchers and undergraduates housed in the Gordon Center for Integrative Science. The group actively collaborates with colleagues across the Department of Chemistry, Department of Physics, and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, leveraging shared facilities at the James Franck Institute and MRSEC to push the frontiers of 2D material science.
Olaf Steinbach is a University Professor (Univ.-Prof.) at the Institute of Applied Mathematics at Graz University of Technology. His academic career spans over three decades with continuous research activity from 1992 to the present, including publications scheduled for 2026. He serves as a project manager for several research initiatives including the Special Research Area (SFB) F90 Computational Electric Machine Laboratory, which runs from 2022 to 2026. Professor Steinbach's research interests primarily focus on Numerical Analysis and Computational Mathematics . His work centers around developing and analyzing advanced numerical methods, particularly Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Boundary Element Methods (BEM), for solving partial differential equations (PDEs) and optimal control problems. His research spans both theoretical aspects (such as error analysis, stability, and convergence) and practical applications (including electric machines, electromagnetics, and biomechanics). He has made significant contributions to space-time finite element methods, which treat time as an additional dimension in the discretization process, leading to more robust and efficient solvers for time-dependent problems. Analysis of his recent publications (2021-2026) reveals a strong focus on optimal control problems governed by partial differential equations, with particular emphasis on elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic PDEs. His work demonstrates a consistent pattern of developing robust numerical methods with rigorous error analysis, often incorporating regularization techniques to handle challenging constraints. The applications span computational electromagnetics (particularly electric machines), fluid dynamics, and wave propagation problems. His research increasingly incorporates advanced computational techniques including parallel computing and isogeometric analysis. Professor Steinbach has supervised numerous doctoral students and has been actively involved in organizing academic events, including summer schools on Boundary Element Methods. His collaborative network extends across multiple disciplines and institutions, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work in computational mathematics. His research has been supported through multiple significant projects including DK-W1244 Doctoral Program on Partial Differential Equations, the EU CASOPT project on optimization of industrial devices, and the ongoing Special Research Area on Computational Electric Machine Laboratory. These projects demonstrate his leadership in establishing research frameworks that bridge theoretical mathematics with practical engineering applications. Professor Steinbach maintains an active research group within the Institute of Applied Mathematics, collaborating closely with researchers in computational engineering, electrical engineering, and biomechanics. His work on the Computational Electric Machine Laboratory represents a particularly strong interdisciplinary effort combining mathematical theory with electrical engineering applications.
Zhiqiang Yu serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature at Baruch College's Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, City University of New York. With over two decades of teaching experience, he has established himself as a dedicated educator specializing in Chinese language, cinema, and civilization courses. Education: Ph.D. in Chinese, University of Washington M.A. in Asian Civilization, University of Iowa B.A. in Chinese Literature, Fudan University (Shanghai) Professor Yu's research focuses on innovative approaches to Chinese language pedagogy, with particular interest in applying economic principles and artificial intelligence to language teaching. His work bridges traditional linguistic scholarship with modern educational technology, examining how efficiency, resource allocation, and technological advancements can enhance language learning outcomes. His research spans Chinese linguistics, dialectology, cinema studies, and cultural elements in language teaching. His publication record reveals a consistent trajectory toward optimizing language instruction through systematic analysis. Recent work increasingly focuses on AI applications in language education and the economic framework of pedagogical efficiency. His scholarship demonstrates a progression from traditional linguistic analysis toward innovative teaching methodologies that incorporate modern technological and theoretical frameworks. Scientific Awards: Award of Excellent Academic Research Reviewer from Journal of International Chinese Education (2016) Graduate Teaching Fellowship from University of Washington (1993) Graduate Teaching Fellowship from University of Iowa (1989) Graduate Research Fellowship from University of Iowa (1988) Student Excellency Award from Fudan University (1984) Professor Yu has served extensively on departmental committees including as Department Assessment Coordinator and Secretary of the Asian and Asian-American Studies Committee. He has organized numerous academic events featuring prominent Chinese cultural figures and has contributed to developing Chinese language curriculum resources including online placement tests. His professional service extends to editorial work for CUNY publications and Chinese language training for the New York Police Academy. He maintains active involvement with multiple professional organizations including the American Name Society, American Oriental Society, American Society of Geolinguistics, Association for Asian Studies, and Chinese Language Teachers Association, frequently presenting at international conferences on Chinese language pedagogy.
Justin Wan is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. His research focuses on scientific computing, medical image processing, computational finance, and machine learning. He holds a Ph.D. from UCLA (1998), an M.A. from UCLA (1995), and a B.Sc. from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (1992). Wan’s work bridges numerical methods, optimization, and deep learning, with applications in financial modeling, medical imaging, and fluid dynamics. His research interests include advanced techniques in scientific computing (e.g., multigrid methods), computer graphics simulation, and medical image enhancement (e.g., CT scan artifact reduction). He has pioneered applications of machine learning to computational finance, including option pricing and hedging using deep neural networks and GANs. His recent work explores denoising diffusion models and multi-agent systems for optimal execution in finance. Publications span topics like volatility surface computation, optimal mass transport for image registration, and parallel solvers for fluid dynamics. His methods address challenges in high-dimensional problems, robust numerical valuation, and scalable algorithms for large datasets. Wan collaborates across disciplines, integrating mathematical rigor with practical engineering solutions.
Prof. Dr. Hakkı Polat Gülkan is a Professor at Başkent University's Civil Engineering Department. With a PhD (1971) and Master's (1968) from the University of Illinois in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor's (1966) from METU, his career spans over five decades in earthquake engineering, structural dynamics, and disaster management. PhD: University of Illinois, Civil Engineering (1971) Master's: University of Illinois, Civil Engineering (1968) Bachelor's: Middle East Technical University, Civil Engineering (1966) His research focuses on seismic risk assessment, structural behavior under extreme loads, and disaster mitigation strategies. Key contributions include earthquake simulator development, ground motion analysis, and retrofitting techniques for masonry and reinforced concrete structures. He has published extensively on deformation limits, response spectra, and historical building preservation. Recent work includes 15+ articles from 2024-2012 analyzing Istanbul's seismic hazards, Marmara region dynamics, and post-earthquake structural integrity. Conference papers address Turkey's endemic building vulnerabilities and deformation thresholds for seismic isolation systems. Scientific Achievements: Elected to U.S. National Academy of Engineering (2023) As an active journal reviewer for 13+ publications (2023-2024), he contributes to advancing earthquake engineering discourse. His teaching portfolio includes advanced structural analysis, concrete mechanics, and seismic design courses.
Kurt Maute is a Professor and Palmer Engineering Chair at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS). He currently serves as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. His academic journey includes a PhD in Civil Engineering (University of Stuttgart, 1998) and a Dipl.-Ing. in Aerospace Engineering (University of Stuttgart, 1992). He has held progressively senior roles at CU Boulder, including Associate Dean for Research (2012–2014), Associate Professor (2006–2012), and Assistant Professor (2000–2006). Maute’s research focuses on structural topology optimization, multi-disciplinary optimization, and aeroelastic systems. He has pioneered methods integrating XFEM, level-set techniques, and isogeometric analysis for complex engineering problems. His work spans fluid-structure interaction, hypersonic vehicle design, and additive manufacturing. His notable contributions include advancements in immersed boundary methods, multi-material optimization, and uncertainty quantification. Awards include the NSF Career Award (2004) and Palmer Endowed Chair (2016–present). Maute’s lab (Aerospace Mechanics Research Center, AMREC) addresses challenges in computational mechanics and multi-physics systems. He has advised numerous students and led grants in battery modeling, topology optimization, and aerospace systems. His research bridges theory and application, emphasizing industrial relevance and computational innovation.
Prof. David Ham is a Professor of Computational Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London. His research focuses on high-level abstractions for scientific computation, particularly in geophysical fluids and numerical software. He leads the Firedrake project and co-developed the dolfin-adjoint framework, which received the 2015 Wilkinson Prize for Numerical Software. Ham holds a BSc (Mathematics) and LLB from The Australian National University, and a PhD from TU Delft. His career includes roles as a NERC Independent Research Fellow and Grantham Research Fellow at Imperial College. He is affiliated with the Grantham Institute, Mathematics of Planet Earth, and Software Performance Optimisation groups. His research spans computational science, including finite element methods, adjoint-based inversion, and parallel computing. Recent work emphasizes differentiable programming integration with machine learning and geophysical modeling. Ham has contributed to numerous grants and projects, including EPSRC and NERC-funded initiatives. He leads development of software tools like Firedrake and Thetis, advancing computational methods for oceanography and geodynamics.
Magnus Linnarsson is a Professor of History at Stockholm University's Department of History, specializing in political history with a focus on early modern and modern Sweden. His research examines institutional change, public-private service organization, and the evolution of the welfare city. He leads undergraduate programs and supervises students at all levels. PhD in History (2010), Lund University Associate Professor (2017), Stockholm University His research spans four centuries of political conflicts over public services, state formation, and urban development. Key works include analyses of Sweden's postal, customs, and welfare systems, comparing hierarchical and contractual state organization models. Recent publications (2024) in Nordic Welfare Cities explore urban citizenship and inclusive welfare systems since 1850, challenging national narratives by emphasizing local governance. Earlier studies (2022–2018) dissected regime shifts, mercantile-state relations, and publicness concepts in tramway and telecom debates. Current projects include: Skiftande regimer (2021–2025): State formation and administrative reform (Vetenskapsrådet-funded) Olika vägar till välfärdsstaden (2021–2025): Nordic urban welfare debates (Riksbankens jubileumsfond-funded) He advocates for interdisciplinary analysis of political economy, institutional loyalty, and spatial dynamics, connecting historical debates to modern policy challenges.
Professor Yanghua Wang is a leading academic in Geophysics at Imperial College London's Faculty of Engineering. He serves as Principal of the Resource Geophysics Academy and Director of the Centre for Reservoir Geophysics. His career spans over four decades, with roles including Research Manager at Robertson Research and a PhD from Imperial College London (1995–1997). He holds prestigious awards such as Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (2021) and membership in the Chinese Academy of Engineering (2023). Education highlights include a BSc (1983) and MSc (1994) in Geophysics, followed by a PhD in Geophysics (1997). His research focuses on seismic inversion, reservoir geophysics, and time-frequency analysis, with notable monographs on seismic inversion and signal processing. He leads interdisciplinary projects combining machine learning with geophysical modeling, addressing challenges in reservoir characterization and seismic data processing. Research interests emphasize geophysical inversion techniques, anisotropic media analysis, and applications in energy exploration. He has pioneered methods like the W transform for seismic signal analysis and contributed to advancements in physics-informed neural networks. His work bridges theoretical geophysics with practical reservoir engineering solutions. Prof. Wang’s lab, the Resource Geophysics Academy, focuses on innovative geophysical methodologies for subsurface characterization. His recent projects include AI-driven data assimilation for large-scale systems and high-resolution seismic imaging techniques. Collaborations span academia and industry, addressing global energy and resource challenges.
Mark McQuilling is an Associate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University's School of Science and Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering from Wright State University, alongside M.S. and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. His research focuses on experimental fluid mechanics, low Reynolds number flows, laminar-to-turbulent transition, airfoil design, unsteady aerodynamics (turbomachinery and airdrop systems), bio-fluid flows, and flow control. His work integrates advanced fluid dynamics techniques with practical applications in aerospace and biomedical engineering. Dr. McQuilling oversees the Fluid Systems Laboratory, which includes subsonic and supersonic wind tunnels, a water tunnel, and thermal system facilities. These labs support undergraduate and graduate research, with capabilities such as Laser Doppler Velocimetry, DPIV systems, and strain gauge balances. His thermal research spans micro-scale fluid phenomena to planetary atmospheric modeling, including studies on Uranus/Neptune vortex dynamics and airdrop parachute aerodynamics. Highlighted research areas include low-pressure turbine blade aerodynamics, parachute drag prediction, and bio-fluid studies like pharyngeal airflow analysis in sleep apnea patients. His peer-reviewed publications (over 20 entries) address topics ranging from micro-air vehicle wing design to thermal management in turbine blades. McQuilling is active in professional organizations like AIAA, ASME, and ASEE, and previously worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory. His email is mark.mcquilling@slu.edu.
Mohamed Farhat is a Senior Scientist at EPFL's School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, where he leads the Research Group on Cavitation and Interface Phenomena. He serves as PhD Director, Lecturer, and Member of EPFL Doctoral Committee (Mechanics), while also representing EPFL at CLUSER association and coordinating activities at the Société Hydrotechnique de France (SHF). His research expertise spans Cavitation & Multiphase flows, Flow Induced Noise & Vibration, Fluid-Structure Interaction, Flow control, Flow instabilities in hydro turbines and pumps, Condition monitoring of Hydraulic Machines, Hemodynamics, and Advanced Instrumentation in Fluid Dynamics. Farhat's work uniquely bridges fundamental fluid mechanics with practical applications across hydropower, marine propulsion, healthcare, and water management sectors. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong focus on cavitation bubble dynamics, with particular emphasis on measurement techniques for collapsing bubbles, vortex shedding control, hydrodynamic monitoring of hydraulic machinery, and biomedical applications of cavitation phenomena. His work increasingly integrates advanced imaging techniques with computational modeling to understand complex multiphase flow phenomena. 2021: Life Sciences Book Award of the International Academy of Astronautics 2019: 1st Prize Winner of Scientific Image Contest (Swiss National Science Foundation) 2020: EPFL-Rhyming Prize (Best PhD thesis in Fluid Mechanics) 2018: EPFL-EDME Prize (Best PhD thesis in Mechanics) 2015: Edmund Optics Educational Award 2014: APS-DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion Award Farhat has successfully supervised numerous PhD students including Ali Amini, Philippe Ausoni, and Outi Supponen, with research spanning from fundamental bubble dynamics to practical hydraulic machinery applications. His Cavitation Research Group maintains strong collaborations with industry partners in hydropower and medical device sectors. Current research directions include advanced instrumentation for cavitation monitoring, condition-based maintenance of hydraulic machinery, and biomedical applications of cavitation phenomena in therapeutic ultrasound and drug delivery.
Yuxia Hu is a Professor at the University of Western Australia, affiliated with the School of Engineering (Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering) and the School of Social Sciences, Planning and Transport Research Centre. Her research focuses on geotechnical engineering, particularly in large deformation FE analysis, offshore foundation systems, and soil-structure interaction. She has contributed to advancements in suction caissons, plate anchors, and computational mechanics, with applications in offshore wind energy and infrastructure stability. Research Interests: Large deformation FE analysis of soils, soil-structure interaction, offshore foundation systems, soil mechanics, and pavement engineering. Awards: Telford Premium, British Geotechnical Association Prize, and Significant Junior/Senior Paper Award. Grants: Leads projects on offshore anchors, carbon capture in pavements, and road maintenance optimization. Her work addresses challenges in geotechnical design and sustainable infrastructure, with a focus on numerical modeling and experimental validation. Collaborations span academia and industry, emphasizing practical solutions for complex soil-structure systems.
Yves Bourgault is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Ottawa. He holds a MSc and PhD from Laval University. His research focuses on computational fluid dynamics, numerical methods, finite element techniques, and continuum mechanics modeling, with applications in cardiac electrophysiology and ecological systems. Dr. Bourgault has supervised several graduate students, including Edward Boey (co-supervised), Sana Keita, Saint-Cyr Koyagurebo-Ime, and Kak Choon Loy. His work integrates advanced numerical techniques to address complex problems in biomedical engineering, environmental science, and mathematical physics. Key methodologies include finite element methods, deferred correction schemes, and anisotropic mesh adaptation. His research group is part of the Applied Mathematics division at the University of Ottawa, emphasizing interdisciplinary applications. Recent work explores climate change impacts on ecological systems, cardiac tissue modeling using high-resolution MRI data, and robust numerical methods for reaction-diffusion equations. Publications span topics such as bidomain models for cardiac electrophysiology, fluid-structure interaction in heart mechanics, and mathematical modeling of fuel cells. His contributions bridge theoretical numerical analysis with real-world biomedical and environmental challenges.
