Prof. Walter Leal Filho is a distinguished academic and researcher holding professorial positions at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). He is the founding director of the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR) and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP). With over 30 years of editorial experience, he has authored over 500 publications, focusing on sustainability, climate change, and environmental management. His research interests span Climate Change, Urban Resilience, Natural Resource Management, and Sustainability Education. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to address global challenges, such as space debris mitigation and bio-based materials for sustainable packaging. His work bridges policy, education, and practical solutions for sustainable development. Prof. Leal Filho’s recent articles highlight trends in sustainable urban planning, space sustainability, and ecosystem conservation in the Amazon. He has been recognized as a Top Cited Scholar 2024, reflecting his impactful contributions. With 1,200+ co-authors and a global network, he collaborates widely, fostering international research and education initiatives. As director of ESSSR and IUSDRP, he leads programs advancing sustainability science and interdisciplinary research. His academic leadership and prolific publications underscore his role as a pivotal figure in global sustainability efforts.
Prof. Kai S. Exner is a Professor of Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen's Faculty of Chemistry and a member of the Zentrum für Medizinische Biotechnologie (ZMB). His research focuses on electrocatalysis , particularly optimizing electrode materials for energy applications such as batteries, electrolyzers, and fuel cells. He employs computational methods like ab initio calculations and microkinetic modeling to bridge theoretical insights with experimental and industrial applications, emphasizing sustainable catalyst design without relying on noble metals. His work integrates basic research with applied medical biotechnology through ZMB collaborations, though his primary affiliation lies in the Faculty of Chemistry. Exner has pioneered concepts like the electrochemical-step asymmetry index and free-energy span model, which are critical for screening electrocatalysts. His research group, 'Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry,' actively explores mechanisms behind oxygen and chlorine evolution reactions, emphasizing selectivity control and reaction pathway complexity. Exner received the Gottschalk-Diederich-Baedeker-Preis (2024) for advancing the energy transition through foundational electrocatalysis research. He leads Aktuelles Projekt funded by third-party grants and collaborates with facilities like the Analytics Core Facility Essen (ACE) and Imaging Center Campus Essen (ICCE). His advisory role focuses on guiding theoretical and computational approaches in electrochemistry, and he has established a reputation for interdisciplinary research connecting computational chemistry with practical energy solutions.
Tommi Jaakkola is the Thomas Siebel Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his MSc in theoretical physics from Helsinki University of Technology in 1992 and his PhD from MIT in computational neuroscience in 1997. After completing a postdoctoral position in computational molecular biology as a DOE/Sloan fellow at UCSC, he joined the MIT EECS faculty in 1998. His research advances how machines can learn, predict or control, and do so at scale in an efficient, principled, and interpretable manner. His work in machine learning extends from foundational theory to modern applications, focusing especially on statistical inference and estimation tasks that lie at the heart of complex learning problems. He designs new methods, theory and algorithms to automate the use and generation of semi-structured data such as natural language text, images, molecules, or strategies. Jaakkola applies and develops algorithms to solve multi-faceted recommender, retrieval, or inferential tasks (particularly in biomedical contexts), design and optimize molecules or reactions for drug design, and model strategic, game theoretic interactions. His recent work heavily focuses on diffusion models, protein structure prediction, molecular design, and generative AI, with significant publications in top conferences including ICML, NeurIPS, and ICLR. His scientific contributions span multiple disciplines with significant impact in both theoretical machine learning and practical applications in computational biology and chemistry, including notable work on antibiotic discovery published in Cell. Current advisees: Julia Balla, Bowen Jing, Hannes Stärk, Peter Holderrieth, Chenyu Wang Recent graduates: Gabriele Corso (Boltz PBC), Ezra Erives (DE Shaw), Jason Yim (Xaira) Jaakkola maintains an active research program through MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), with his office located in the Stata Center (32-G470). His work bridges theoretical machine learning with practical applications, making significant contributions to both the academic field and potential real-world impact in healthcare and drug discovery.
Kangsang Lee is Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Central Florida's College of Sciences. His research develops novel synthetic methods in organosilicon chemistry and polymer science. Recent work explores catalytic C-H silylation techniques and silicone-acrylate copolymer systems with applications in advanced materials and conductive coatings. His group investigates fundamental reaction mechanisms while developing practical synthetic protocols.
Clare Hemmings is a Professor of Feminist Theory at the Department of Gender Studies, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where she has been since 1999. Her work bridges feminist theory, queer studies, and sexuality studies, with a focus on how these fields are institutionalized and narrated. She holds a PhD and has authored seminal works like Why Stories Matter (2011) and Considering Emma Goldman (2018), which explore feminist historiography and political ambivalence. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary methods, including archival interventions and creative writing to challenge dominant narratives. Hemmings’ research interests include feminist epistemology, queer of color critique, and anarchist thought. She has been active in countering 'anti-gender' movements and is currently developing a project on 'Feminist Knowledge Struggles.' Her work is marked by attention to form, affect, and the intersection of nationalism, feminism, and sexuality. She supervises PhD students Senel Wanniarachchi and Rawda Elaskary and has received the FWSA Book Prize 2012 for Why Stories Matter . Hemmings’ articles span feminist theory, political mobilizations, and affect studies. Her recent work engages with family memory archives and decolonial methodologies. She is a prolific scholar, contributing to journals like Memory Studies , Feminist Studies , and Radical Philosophy . Her interdisciplinary approach integrates literary criticism, sociology, and activism, offering transformative frameworks for feminist praxis.
Ramsey McGlazer is an Associate Professor specializing in twentieth-century European and Latin American literature, film, and critical theory. His research engages with poetry, politics-aesthetics intersections, critical carceral studies, and feminist/queer/psychoanalytic frameworks. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Critical Theory from UC Berkeley (2015) and previously taught at the University of St Andrews and Brown University’s Pembroke Center. McGlazer’s work interrogates modernist critiques of progress, radical psychiatry movements, and the interplay between aesthetic practices and institutional critique. His acclaimed monograph Old Schools: Modernism, Education, and the Critique of Progress (2020) won the American Association for Italian Studies First Book Prize. Current projects include The Clinic and its Double , exploring mid-century radical psychiatry and avant-garde art. He serves as Senior Editor of Critical Times and Coeditor of Italian Culture , and has translated key works like Rita Segato’s The War Against Women . McGlazer’s writing appears in venues such as Los Angeles Review of Books and n+1 . Research interests span Surrealist provocations, Brazilian artist Lygia Clark’s propositions, and transnational feminist solidarities. His scholarship bridges literary analysis with critical engagements in carceral studies, postcolonial theory, and decolonial thought.
Robert Rohling is a Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Applied Science, affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and holding a joint appointment with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. As Director of the Institute of Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS), his research focuses on biomedical engineering, medical imaging, robotics, and computational methods. B.A.Sc. (UBC) M.Eng. (McGill) Ph.D. (Cambridge) Rohling's work spans three primary research areas: medical imaging (3D ultrasound, spatial compounding, elasticity reconstruction), medical information systems (radiologist navigation tools for large image datasets), and robotic calibration for surgical applications. His multidisciplinary approach integrates mechanical and electrical engineering principles with clinical needs. Rohling's publications (2020-2022) reveal trends in advanced ultrasound techniques (e.g., shear wave vibro-elastography), AI-driven image processing (cycleGAN translation), and computational optimization for diagnostic accuracy. Keywords across his work include Medical Imaging, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics, and Computational Modeling. As director of the Robotics and Control Laboratory , Rohling leads interdisciplinary collaborations with industry and clinical partners to address practical challenges in medical diagnostics and surgical robotics. His research emphasizes translating engineering innovations into clinical practice.
Rebecca Herissone is Professor of Musicology at the University of Manchester and a leading scholar in early modern English music. She co-edits the peer-reviewed journal Music & Letters and serves on editorial boards for the Purcell Society, Musica Britannica, and the Complete Works of John Eccles. Her research focuses on seventeenth-century creativity, material culture, and the ontological dimensions of music notation. Key research areas: Early Modern Music, Creativity, Source Study, Notation, Reception Major awards: Diana McVeagh Prize (2015), Westrup Prize (2007) Her recent work includes digital humanities projects on music preservation and critical editions of Purcell's operas. She has pioneered interdisciplinary approaches connecting musicology with drama, art, and literature, and currently leads research on Purcell's posthumous reception in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Her teaching spans music historiography, performance practices, and advanced source analysis.
Pieter d'Hoine serves as Professor and Vice Dean of Education at KU Leuven's Higher Institute for Philosophy. He is affiliated with the Wulf Mansion Centre for Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy and LECTIO – KU Leuven Institute for the Study of Textual Transmission. Additional institutional roles include membership on the Board of the Institute for Living Languages, HIW Faculty Council, and Philosophy Program Oversight Committees. His research centers on Ancient Philosophy with emphasis on Neoplatonism, particularly Proclean metaphysics, logical structures in Platonic/Aristotelian commentaries, and mechanisms of philosophical canon formation. He investigates knowledge transmission from Greek-Roman antiquity through medieval and Renaissance scholarship, integrating digital humanities methodologies to analyze textual evolution and conceptual continuity across historical periods. Recent publications (2024) exhibit concentrated focus on Proclus' metaphysical frameworks, including predication theory, modes of being, and theological elements within Platonic exegesis. His work bridges textual criticism with systematic philosophy, examining how ancient commentators shaped enduring philosophical paradigms through citation practices and logical innovation in works like the Elements of Theology . No major scientific awards are documented in the provided materials. He actively supervises doctoral research, including G.J. Ruz Troncoso's analysis of Proclus' argumentative structures and S-H. Yang's study of Aristotelian metaphysics. Current funding supports eight major projects: "Een nieuw model voor de editie van antieke filosofische fragmenten" (2025-2031) as Co-promotor "De filosofische canon en de citaties van Plato en Aristoteles" (2024-2028) as Promotor "Rechtvaardigheid voor dieren" (Justice for Animals, 2024-2028) as Promotor "De mechanica van Canonvorming" (Canon Formation Mechanics, 2024-2028) as Promotor His research ecosystem operates through the Wulf Mansion Centre and LECTIO institute, which coordinate international collaborations on premodern textual transmission, utilizing digital tools to map philosophical concept evolution across millennia.
Ameil Joseph is an Associate Professor at McMaster University's School of Social Work, where they contribute to critical scholarship at the intersection of mental health, race, and social justice. Their work examines how ideas about difference, normalcy, sexuality, eugenics, race, ability and mental 'illness' cohere and perform within policy, law and practice, with over a decade of professional experience in mental health settings including supportive housing, settlement services, crisis respite, and forensic community treatment. Education: Ph.D in Social Work, York University (2009-2014) MSW, Wilfrid Laurier University (2005-2007) BA in Psychology, University of Waterloo (1998-2003) Dr. Joseph's research engages with critical mental health, postcolonial theory, critical race theory, and critical disability studies to examine the historical production of ideas about difference. Their scholarship particularly focuses on how these ideas manifest in mental health systems, immigration policy, and criminal justice, with attention to issues of social justice, violence, ethics, and confluence. Their work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implications, addressing the complex interplay of colonialism, racism, sanism, and eugenics in contemporary social systems. Analysis of Dr. Joseph's recent publications reveals a sustained focus on colonial and eugenic violence within mental health, immigration, and criminal justice systems. Their scholarship consistently examines how racism, sanism, and ableism intersect to produce particular forms of state violence, particularly against racialized immigrants with mental health conditions. Recent work has expanded to address temporal dimensions of oppression, data colonialism, and community responses to grief and loss during the pandemic, demonstrating both theoretical sophistication and practical relevance to current social issues. Scientific Awards: University Scholar 2025 - Recognized for research leadership and impact among eight McMaster professors honored as University Scholars Dr. Joseph has secured significant research funding, including nearly $75,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for community-engaged projects addressing social justice issues. Their teaching portfolio includes advanced courses on critical mental health perspectives, race and colonialism in Canadian society, and social justice theory. While specific graduate students aren't listed in available materials, their extensive co-author network suggests active mentorship and collaboration. Dr. Joseph contributes to community-based initiatives in Hamilton addressing racism in healthcare and mental health systems, connecting academic scholarship with practical community responses to systemic issues. Dr. Joseph maintains an active presence in community responses to contemporary challenges, particularly through initiatives addressing grief during the pandemic and systemic racism in healthcare. Their work exemplifies the integration of scholarly rigor with community engagement, demonstrating how academic research can inform and be informed by real-world social justice efforts.
Steven Jackson is a Professor of Information Science and Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University's Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, with additional graduate field appointments in Communication and Public Affairs. Since July 2023, he has served as Vice-Provost for Academic Innovation at Cornell, and previously held leadership positions as Chair of Information Science and Dean of William Keeton House. His work bridges academic research with significant institutional leadership in higher education innovation. Dr. Jackson's research focuses on critical intersections of technology, society, and the environment, with three primary strands: technology ethics, law and policy; maintenance, repair and sustainability; and technology, inequality and global development. His work draws from American pragmatism, political economy, and science and technology studies, integrating methods from sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and media studies. He is particularly interested in how computing practices meet social and material worlds, with implications for infrastructure, collaboration, sustainability, and cultural practice. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on repair as both theoretical concept and practical methodology, exploring 'ordinary hope' as a framework for technological engagement and examining unmaking as a necessary counterpart to design. The research spans diverse geographical contexts from the global North to South, addressing caste dynamics in computing, digital authoritarianism, and infrastructure challenges in developing contexts. Dr. Jackson has received significant recognition including an NSF CAREER award and more than twenty paper awards at leading computing and information science venues. His research has been supported by major organizations including the U.S. National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, World Bank, Intel Research, Atkinson Center for Sustainability, and the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council. As an advisor, Dr. Jackson has mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to prominent positions at institutions worldwide. He currently advises Jen Liu, Amy Cheatle, Daniel Mwesigwa, Johan Michalove, and Ritik Batra, while his former students include Palashi Vaghela (Assistant Professor at Simon Fraser University), Samir Passi (Responsible AI Researcher at Microsoft), Maggie Jack (Assistant Professor at NYU), and Ranjit Singh (Senior Researcher at Data and Society). Dr. Jackson convenes the Computing On Earth Lab, an experimental collaboration bringing together social scientists, humanists, artists, and engineers to rethink the material and planetary foundations of computing. The lab reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that address computing's environmental impacts and sustainability challenges.
Christopher G. Atkeson is a Professor at the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), where he has been since 2000 after previously holding positions at MIT and Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on fulfilling the science fiction vision of machines achieving human levels of competence in perception, cognition, and action, with particular emphasis on understanding how to get machines to generate and perceive human behavior. Atkeson's work spans two complementary approaches: humanoid robotics and human aware environments. His research interests include nonparametric learning, memory-based learning, reinforcement learning, learning from demonstration, and modeling human behavior. He is particularly known for his work on robot learning of challenging dynamic tasks such as juggling, trajectory-based optimization, and soft robotics (including his contributions to the Baymax character in Disney's Big Hero 6). His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on tactile sensing (FingerVision), human-in-the-loop optimization for exoskeletons, deep learning for locomotion control, and trajectory-based optimization methods. His work consistently bridges theoretical foundations in machine learning with practical implementations on physical robots. Among his scientific recognitions are an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, a Sloan Research Fellowship, and a Teaching Award from the MIT Graduate Student Council. Atkeson has advised numerous students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry, including notable researchers like Andrew Moore and Stefan Schaal. His teaching includes courses on dynamic optimization, humanoids, kinematics, dynamics, and control.
Prof. Dr. Claudine Moulin is a Full Professor of Historical Linguistics at the Department of German Studies, University of Trier. She co-directs the Trier Center for Digital Humanities and serves as Vertrauensdozentin der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. With academic roots in Brussels and Bamberg, she completed her PhD in 1990 and Habilitation in 1999 at the University of Bamberg. Her research spans medieval and early modern languages, manuscript studies, digital humanities, and Luxembourgish linguistics. As a leading scholar in historical linguistics, Moulin's work explores urban language history, phraseology, and cultural knowledge transmission through manuscripts. She has directed major digital humanities projects like LexicoLux and Cartul@rium, while pioneering digital codicology methods for medieval texts. Her research combines traditional philology with computational approaches. Her academic accolades include the Akademiepreis Rheinland-Pfalz (2010), Landesverdienstorden (2014), and the Verdienstkreuz am Bande (2025). She has held visiting professorships at Sorbonne, EHESS Paris, and EPHE, and received fellowships from the Humboldt Foundation and European Science Foundation. Notable Academic Roles: Co-founder and Chair of DHd (Digital Humanities in German-speaking countries) Founding member of Trier Center for Language and Communication Member of German Historical Institute Paris scientific board Advisory positions at Austrian Center for Digital Humanities and Herzog August Bibliothek Her editorial leadership includes chief editorship of Sprachwissenschaft journal and co-editorship of Germanistische Bibliothek monograph series. She has mentored over 40 graduate students in topics ranging from medieval marginalia to urban language studies.
Haijun Xia is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where he directs the Foundation Interface Lab and contributes to the Cognitive Science and Design Lab. His work focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-AI Collaboration , emphasizing the development of dynamic, malleable interfaces that integrate human cognition with intelligent systems to enhance thinking and working paradigms. Education: Bachelor's, Tsinghua University Master's and PhD, University of Toronto His research spans generative AI , interface design , and creative collaboration , with applications in data visualization, programming, and scholarly work. He advocates for treating information as a malleable material that can be flexibly manipulated by users and AI agents. Recent publications highlight advancements in: 2025 CHI Conference - Generative user interfaces, malleable overview-detail designs, and compositional structures for human-AI co-creation 2024 CHI Conference - Structured design space exploration with LLMs, ASCII diagram analysis, and adaptive presentation systems 2023 CHI/UIST Conferences - Data particle visualization, contextual logging tools, and metaphor generation for science communication Scientific recognitions include: Multiple Best Paper Awards and Honorable Mentions at CHI and UIST Hellman Fellowship and grants from NSF , Microsoft , Google , Meta , Apple , and Adobe He actively recruits undergraduate and graduate interns and has an upcoming postdoc position in early 2025 for researchers interested in foundational interface development.
Jonas Højbak Tilsted serves as an Instructor at the SAXO-Institute, University of Copenhagen, specializing in Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, and History. His academic role integrates teaching and research within these interconnected humanities disciplines. His research spans foundational humanities fields with distinct emphases: Archaeology: Analysis of material culture to reconstruct past societies and human behavior. Ethnology: Comparative study of cultural practices, beliefs, and social structures across ethnic groups. Classics: Examination of ancient Greek and Latin languages, literature, and societal frameworks. History: Critical investigation of historical events, periods, and their socio-political contexts.
