Dr. Srihari Rohini is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering with a joint appointment in Linguistics at the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo in 1992. Her research focuses on information extraction, natural language processing, and multimedia information retrieval. Key areas include: Multilingual text mining and analysis Cross-document information retrieval Sentiment and opinion mining Dialogue systems and conversational AI Recent publications demonstrate advancements in LLM-based dialogue systems, misinformation countermeasures, and accessible AI technologies. Her group develops frameworks for emotional support agents, multilingual argument analysis, and hallucination detection in large language models. As Director of the Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR), she leads initiatives in document understanding and knowledge extraction. Her work has applications in legal domain analysis, social media monitoring, and assistive communication technologies.
Professor Daniel Martin Katz is a Full-Time Faculty member at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Director of the Law Lab. He holds a PhD, JD, M.P.P., and B.S., with expertise in applying computational methods to legal systems. His research focuses on Legal Informatics, AI in Law, Blockchain, and Complexity Science. Notable awards include the Fastcase 50 and ABA Journal's Legal Rebels. He co-founded LexPredict and advises legal tech startups. His work bridges law, technology, and innovation, emphasizing data-driven legal practices. Education: PhD (University of Michigan), JD (University of Michigan Law School), M.P.P. (University of Michigan), B.S. (University of Oregon). Research interests include AI ethics, legal analytics, and computational governance. He edits journals like the International Journal of Law and Information Technology and contributes to global legal tech discourse through media appearances and conferences. His articles explore AI's impact on legal assessment (e.g., GPT-4 passing the bar exam), legal complexity analysis, and NLP applications. Awards highlight his transformative role in legal innovation. Advising includes roles at LexPredict and NextLaw Labs. Labs include the Law Lab and collaborations with Stanford CodeX.
Kathryn O’Toole is an Associate Professor of Psychology at North Park University since 2015, emphasizing collaborative teaching methods and experiential learning opportunities for students in Chicago’s nonprofit, healthcare, and educational sectors. She holds a PhD and MA in Developmental Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and a BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Education: PhD, Developmental Psychology, Loyola University Chicago MA, Developmental Psychology, Loyola University Chicago BS, Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Her research focuses on developmental psychology, particularly how digital media and environmental distractors affect early childhood literacy, attention mechanisms, and learning outcomes. This work bridges cognitive development with modern educational technology. O’Toole’s recent publications examine differences in story comprehension between print and electronic books, pre-literacy skill development across media contexts, and how televised distractors impact task performance in preschoolers. These studies highlight her interest in understanding how young children process information in evolving technological environments.
Johanna Lindström is a Lecturer at the Åbo Akademi University , affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics, and Law . Her work spans interdisciplinary domains including Place Branding , Digital Twinning , and Tourist Attraction Analysis , with methodological focus on Case Study approaches. Education : Not disclosed in provided text Research Interests center on indirect value creation in tourism, stakeholder-driven digital twinning for urban and cultural contexts, and media multitasking effects in communication. She applies participatory design and content creation frameworks to real-world cases like Trollywood and Tom Tits Science Center . Article Trends reveal increasing emphasis on digital twinning in urban planning and film production, place branding for cultural institutions, and media multitasking in consumer behavior, with collaborations across Finland and Sweden.
Sidney S. Fels is a Professor at the University of British Columbia, affiliated with the Human Communication Technologies Lab in Vancouver. His research spans Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Virtual Reality, Biomechanical Engineering, Speech Synthesis, and Medical Imaging. He focuses on innovative interfaces, surgical simulation, and AI-driven educational tools. Recent work includes advancements in touch interaction systems (e.g., HaloTouch), chatbot-assisted learning, and biomechanical modeling for medical applications. His research interests emphasize bridging computational models with real-world applications, particularly in healthcare and education. Notable contributions include contributions to CHI conferences, SIGGRAPH, and INTERSPEECH, showcasing work on AI ethics in learning environments, vocal tract modeling, and pervasive computing systems. Fels collaborates extensively with researchers in engineering, medicine, and computer science, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to solving complex human-centric challenges. Labs/Teams: Human Communication Technologies Lab at UBC.
Debra Worthington serves as Professor and Director of the School of Communication & Journalism at Auburn University. With over 30 years of experience in communication scholarship and teaching, she has established herself as a leading expert in listening research, juror decision-making, and communication education. Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Kansas, an MA from Wichita University, and a BA from Auburn University. Dr. Worthington has been instrumental in advancing the field of listening research through her scholarly contributions and leadership roles. PhD, University of Kansas MA, Wichita University BA, Auburn University Dr. Worthington's research primarily focuses on effective listening, communication metacognitive strategies, legal communication, and juror decision-making processes. She has made significant contributions to understanding how listening functions in various contexts, particularly in courtroom settings and mediated environments. Her work has established foundational frameworks for measuring and assessing listening behaviors and competencies. Her recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on listening theory and application across diverse contexts, including community engagement, peacebuilding, organizational settings, and digital communication environments. The trajectory of her research shows a progression from juror decision-making to broader applications of listening theory in educational, organizational, and societal contexts. Dr. Worthington has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing her contributions to the field: Ralph G. Nichols Listening Award Burton Award for Legal Achievement ILA Researcher of the Year Award Induction into the International Listening Association's Hall of Fame (2017) She has secured multiple research contracts and grants from public and private organizations and served as past president of the International Listening Association. Dr. Worthington has also authored or co-authored several influential books, including multiple editions of "Listening: Processes, Functions and Competency" and "The Sourcebook of Listening Research: Methodology and Measures." Her teaching portfolio includes courses on small group communication, persuasive discourse, health communication, legal communication, and interpersonal communication.
Daniel Lowd is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Oregon . He studies adversarial machine learning , probabilistic graphical models , and statistical relational AI , with applications to security and data poisoning defense. His research has been funded by the DARPA Media Forensics (MediFor) program (2016), and he received tenure in 2017. He co-organizes the annual Workshop on Tractable Probabilistic Modeling , including at ICML and IJCAI. Key research areas: Probabilistic AI, Adversarial Learning, Markov Logic Major collaborations: Javid Ebrahimi, Jonathan Brophy, Zayd Hammoudeh Recent publications include work on robust regression (SaTML 2023), influence estimation (JMLR 2023), and neural score estimation (ICML/NeurIPS 2021-2023). He maintains the Libra Toolkit for probabilistic models. As an active academic, he advises PhD students like Shivvrat Arya (now at UTD), Jonathan Brophy , and Zayd Hammoudeh . He advocates for faculty unionization and open science, and is a unicyclist in his free time.
Matthew Manos: Academic & Social Innovator Matthew Manos serves as Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Associate Professor of Practice in Design Strategy at the University of Southern California. He is the founder of verynice , a design strategy firm that provides free services to nonprofits, working with clients like Apple, UNICEF, and NASA. He previously chaired the Los Angeles Creative Advisory Board under Mayor Garcetti and designed curricula for the IYC high school initiative. His research focuses on creative facilitation tools in healthcare, education, and social entrepreneurship. Education Master of Fine Arts in Media Design Practices, ArtCenter College of Design Bachelor of Arts in Design Media Arts, UCLA Research & Impact Manos pioneers frameworks for equitable collaboration and strategic foresight . His work includes Models of Impact (a toolkit for social enterprises) and Comix from the Heart (healthcare storytelling via comics). His articles in Forbes , HOW Magazine , and academic journals address CSR, education reform, and design ethics. Awards & Recognition Golden Root Award (2013) for pro-bono leadership Forbes 30 Under 30 nomination LA Mayor’s Pro Bono Service Award (2014, 2018) Leadership & Outreach At USC, he oversees admissions, curriculum, and industry partnerships. He has lectured globally at institutions like Singularity University and Google, advocating for design-driven social change . Prior roles include adjunct professorships at CCA and ArtCenter, and teaching at Moscow’s Strelka Institute. Projects & Labs verynice : Pro-bono design services ($50M+ impact) Models of Impact : Used by 100,000+ practitioners Comix from the Heart : Patient-art collaboration in healthcare
Jesper Aagaard is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences at Aarhus University, Faculty of Arts, Denmark. He is actively involved in research on digital technologies and their impact on human behavior, education, and psychological experience. Research Interests: His work bridges philosophy, psychology, and education, with a strong focus on phenomenology , philosophy of technology , digital education , and qualitative methods . He explores themes such as digital distraction (digital distraktion), digital formation (digital dannelse), and the emerging field of technopsychology . His research fingerprint highlights expertise in digitization, qualitative research, educational technology, and cyberbullying. Recent Research Trends: His most recent publications (2024–2025) reflect a deepening engagement with philosophical foundations of human-technology relations, including post-phenomenology, habit-formation, and normativity in technological design. He is developing the concept of 'technopsychology' as a new framework for understanding psychological inquiry in the digital age. Scientific Awards: Aarhus Universitets Forskningsfonds ph.d.-pris 2018 Advising and Grants: Aagaard has served as Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple research projects, including 'Digital dannelse' (2017–2020) and 'Educators’ perception of ’useful’ digital technologies in university teaching and learning' (2020–2023). He is currently a participant in two active projects: 'En ny tilgang til undersøgelsen af digitale afbrydelser i hverdagen' (2025–2027) and the 'Nordic Network on Research in Innovative Learning Environments' (2025–2027). These roles indicate significant grant acquisition and project leadership, as well as likely advising of students and early-career researchers. Labs and Teams: While no formal lab is mentioned, Aagaard collaborates within research networks focused on innovative learning environments and human-technology relations. He has organized academic events such as Kvalekonferencen 2023 and participates in international conferences like the 4S Annual Meeting, indicating active engagement in scholarly communities.
Dr Fiona Essig serves as a Lecturer (Education) in the Department of Psychology within the School of Mental Health & Psychological Sciences at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. She joined the BSc Psychology programme in January 2020 after teaching positions at the Open University and University of Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education. Her educational qualifications include: BSc (Hons) in Cognitive Science (University of Westminster) MSc in Psychological Research Methods (University of Hertfordshire) PhD in Cognitive Psychology (University of Hertfordshire) Dr Essig's research centers on cognitive mechanisms with specific focus on attentional processes, verbal task switching paradigms, media multitasking behaviors, and the cognitive profile of adult dyspraxia. Her pandemic-era work examined student media consumption patterns during remote learning, bridging cognitive theory with contemporary educational challenges. She integrates these research strands into her teaching of advanced cognitive concepts. Her professional recognitions include: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) Chartered Psychologist status through the British Psychological Society Dr Essig actively supervises undergraduate and taught postgraduate project students while delivering core curriculum components including foundation/advanced graduate attributes modules, the extended essay library dissertation, addictions specialization, and a dedicated Year 3 Psychology of Creativity module. Her educational leadership emphasizes practical application of cognitive principles in learning environments.
Shahriar Nirjon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on Embedded Intelligence, developing end-to-end systems that make resource-constrained real-time and embedded sensing systems capable of learning, adapting, and evolving. Dr. Nirjon received his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 2014. Before joining UNC Chapel Hill in 2015, he worked as a Research Scientist at HP Labs (2014-2015) and as a Research Intern at Microsoft Research (Summer 2013) and Deutsche Telekom Lab (Summer 2010). His primary research interest is Embedded Intelligence, with recent works broadly categorized into embedded deep learning and multi-modal sensing techniques. Applications of his research span wearables and implantables, long-term monitoring and control systems, smart home environments, and mobile health solutions. Dr. Nirjon's research bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations, resulting in systems that have real-world impact in healthcare, safety, and everyday computing. His work has been highlighted in prominent media outlets including IEEE Spectrum, The Economist, New Scientist, and BBC. Dr. Nirjon's publication record demonstrates a strong focus on mobile computing systems, embedded sensor networks, and wireless technologies. His recent work shows increasing integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence with embedded systems, particularly in healthcare applications. There's a clear trajectory toward more sophisticated, energy-efficient systems capable of on-device intelligence, with growing emphasis on privacy-preserving techniques and real-world deployments in healthcare settings. Best Paper Award, Challenges in AI and Machine Learning for IoT (AIChallengeIoT '20) Best Presentation Award, Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (Ubicomp '20) Best Paper Award, Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems (DCOSS '19) Best Presentation Award, Vehicular Networking Conference App Contest (VNC '18) Best Demo Runner Up, Vehicular Networking Conference App Contest (VNC '18) Best Paper Nomination, Embedded Wireless Systems and Networks (EWSN '17) Best Demo Runner Up Award, Embedded Networked Sensor Systems (SenSys '16) Best Paper Award, Mobile Systems, Applications, and Services (MOBISYS '14) Best Paper Award, Real-Time and Embedded Technology and Applications Symposium (RTAS '12) Dr. Nirjon has advised numerous PhD students including Chong Shao (Google), Shiwei Fang (Assistant Professor at Augusta University), Tamzeed Islam (Research Staff at Amazon), Bashima Islam (Assistant Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute), Seulki Lee (Assistant Professor at UNIST, Korea), and Yubo Luo (Black Sesame Technologies Inc.). He currently advises Mahathir Monjur, Zhenyu Wang, and Louie Lu who are in various stages of their PhD programs. His research is supported by significant grants including an NSF CAREER award ($561K), an NSF SCH grant ($941K), and multiple other NSF-funded projects totaling over $2 million. His active projects include Audio Privacy, Pedestrian Safety, IoT Data Privacy, and HVAC Acoustic Fingerprinting. Dr. Nirjon leads research in the Embedded Intelligence Lab at UNC Chapel Hill, where his team develops cutting-edge technologies in mobile computing, embedded systems, and wireless networks. His work spans multiple domains including healthcare (mobile health systems), safety (pedestrian safety applications), and smart environments (smart homes). He collaborates with researchers across disciplines, particularly in healthcare through the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP), and is actively involved in the Be-A-Maker (BeAM) network of makerspaces at UNC.
Frank Schumann is a Professor of Human Resources Management and Business Psychology at the University of Applied Sciences Mittweida , Faculty of Industrial Engineering, since May 2019. He has held academic roles at this institution since 2013 as an Academic Assistant and previously as a Research Assistant (2004-2012) in the SAXEED project. Specialization: Industrial & Organizational Psychology, Clinical Psychology (Diploma from TU Dresden) Additional Qualifications: Specialist Psychologist for Legal Psychology (BDP/DGPs), Psychological Psychotherapist (DGVT) Professional Experience: Forensic expert (since 2010), former therapist (2015-2016), and industry experience in insurance and organizational consulting. His research focuses on attention restoration in multitasking environments, experiential learning for entrepreneurship, and psychological aspects of sustainable event management. Recent work includes empirical studies on digital fatigue recovery (Frontiers in Psychology, 2022) and educational practices for student-athletes. Key collaborations include co-edited publications with Andreas Schneider and Susanne Günther on interdisciplinary topics spanning psychology, media studies, and business education.
Jennifer Lee is an Instructor in the Learning Design and Technology department at Purdue University. Her work focuses on integrating technology into education, with a particular emphasis on media multitasking and distributed learning. Ph.D. in Educational Computing M.S. in Computer Education & Cognitive System (Instructional Systems Technology) B.A. in Computer Science B.Ed. in Teaching of English as a Second Language Her research explores how emerging technologies and media multitasking influence learning outcomes, cognition, and instructional design. She has contributed to understanding the interplay between technology theory and practical classroom applications. Lee's publications highlight trends in educational technology, with a focus on cognitive load, instructional strategies, and multimedia learning. While no formal awards are listed, her certifications in competency-based training underscore her expertise in pedagogical design.
Shan Xu is an Associate Professor at Texas Tech University's College of Media and Communication. She holds a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University's School of Communication (2019), an M.A. from Washington State University, and a B.A. from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Her research focuses on human-technology interactions, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and media multitasking, aiming to enhance health, well-being, and productivity through dynamic longitudinal studies. She directs the Human-Tech Dynamics Lab and utilizes methodologies like ecological momentary assessment and machine learning. Her research examines reciprocal causality in media use and effects, emphasizing time series analysis and machine learning. Key areas include AI adoption dynamics, social media engagement, and vaccine hesitancy. Her work is supported by the National Science Foundation and Texas Tech University grants. She teaches courses in PR Strategies, Research Methods, Health Communication, and Human-AI Interaction. Educations: Ph.D., Communication, The Ohio State University (2019) M.A., Communication, Washington State University B.A., Beijing Foreign Studies University Her lab explores socio-technical systems and organizational readiness for cyberinfrastructure. Awards include the 2023 Texas Tech Outstanding Research Award and a 2023-2024 Fellowship for Community-Engaged Scholarship. Grants & Support: NSF, Waterhouse Foundation, Texas Tech University Lab Affiliation: Human-Tech Dynamics Lab
