Olga Sorkine-Hornung is a Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich and head of the Institute of Visual Computing. She leads the Interactive Geometry Lab, focusing on theoretical and practical advancements in digital content creation, geometry processing, and shape modeling. Current position: ETH Zurich, Department of Computer Science Previous roles: Courant Institute (NYU), Technical University of Berlin Education: BSc and PhD from Tel Aviv University, postdoc at TU Berlin Her research spans shape representation, digital fabrication, computer animation, and fundamental geometry processing. Key contributions include Laplacian surface editing, as-rigid-as-possible deformation, and generalized winding numbers. She works on applications in VR, AR, and autonomous systems. Awards include Test of Time Awards (2024), ACM Fellow (2020), ERC Consolidator Grant (2020), and EUROGRAPHICS Young Researcher Award (2008). She has supervised numerous students and co-developed software libraries like libigl and Instant Meshes . Co-chair roles for SIGGRAPH, Eurographics, and Pacific Graphics Editorial board member for ACM Transactions on Graphics and other journals Keynote speaker at VMV, CVPR, and SIAM conferences Her work bridges mathematical rigor with practical implementation, advancing computer graphics and geometry processing through intuitive algorithms that maintain surface detail while enabling efficient computation.
Anthony Rowe is the Siewiorek and Walker Family Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and a Chief Scientist at Bosch Research. His primary affiliation is with the CyLab and the Wireless, Sensing and Embedded Systems (WiSE Lab) at CMU. He specializes in networked embedded systems, sensor networks, and extended reality (XR) technologies. His research emphasizes energy-efficient sensing, real-time localization, and XR integration with physical systems. Research Focus: His work spans XR systems (e.g., AR/VR edge networking in ARENA), mmWave radar for sensing (e.g., tire wear monitoring via Osprey), distributed edge computing (Silverline), and low-power wide-area networking (OpenChirp). Recent efforts include AI-integrated XR platforms (XaiR) and radar tomography (DART). Grants & Projects: Leads the CONIX Research Center ($27.5M NSF/DARPA grant), Bosch-funded edge computing projects, and DOE initiatives on microgrids. Notable projects include ARENA (XR edge architecture), GridBallast (smart grid control), and rural microgrid deployments in Haiti. Awards: Best Student Paper (ISMAR 2024), Best Paper (IPSN 2020), and the Steven J. Fenves Research Award (2015). Recognized for innovations in localization (MobiCom 2021), radar (ICRA 2023), and energy systems (BuildSys 2010). Teaching: Teaches courses on embedded systems (18-349/18-449), real-time systems, and mixed reality (18-453). Courses emphasize hands-on design and real-world applications. Labs & Teams: Directs the WiSE Lab, collaborating with Bosch Research and industry partners. The lab develops open-source frameworks like ARENA and OpenChirp, and contributes to standards for edge computing and sensing.
David Lindlbauer is an Assistant Professor at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) of Carnegie Mellon University, where he leads the Augmented Perception Lab and co-directs the CMU Extended Reality Technology Center. His research bridges human perception, extended reality (AR/VR), and computational interaction techniques, focusing on developing systems that dynamically adapt interface elements based on environmental context, user cognition, and task requirements. He completed his PhD at TU Berlin under Prof. Marc Alexa and held a postdoctoral position at ETH Zurich's Advanced Interactive Technologies lab. His work has been published extensively at top venues including ACM CHI, UIST, and IEEE VR, with research themes spanning gaze tracking, spatial audio optimization, haptic feedback, and multimodal notification systems. Media outlets like MIT Technology Review and Fast Company Design have featured his innovations. Dr. Lindlbauer has received prestigious grants from Meta, NSF, and ETH Zurich, and serves on program committees for CHI, UIST, and ISMAR. He has been recognized with Best Paper awards at ISS 2023 and CHI 2016, and his lab develops tools like MineXR for personalized XR interfaces and RealityReplay for temporal change visualization in mixed reality environments.
Dhruv Jain is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Michigan , with affiliations in the School of Information and Michigan Medicine . He leads the Soundability Lab , focusing on transforming hearing into a programmable interface through human-centered AI systems. PhD from University of Washington MS from MIT Media Lab Formerly worked at Microsoft Research, Google, and Apple Research Interests intersect Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) , Audio AI , Accessibility , and Hearing Health . His work develops systems like SoundWatch (smartwatch-based sound awareness) and HomeSound (IoT sound visualization) to expand auditory access for DHH individuals and other domains. Recent Publications (2023–2025) span top venues like CHI , ASSETS , and ICMI , with trends including generative AI for real-time captioning , adaptive soundscapes , and clinical communication tools . SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award (2023) William Chan Memorial Dissertation Award (2023) Best Poster Award at ASSETS 2024 Google Academic Research Award (2024) NIH Grant ($450k, 2023) William Demant Foundation Grant ($740k, 2025) Teaching includes Accessible Computing (undergraduate) and Advanced Accessibility (graduate), alongside global DIY workshops in five countries. The Soundability Lab collaborates with neuroscientists, clinicians, and Deaf scholars to create deployable systems like clinical communication tools now at Michigan Medicine and features integrated into Apple devices.
Elahe Soltanaghai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and a Faculty Affiliate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is also a 2022 NCSA Fellow and received her PhD in Computer Science from the University of Virginia (2019), MS in Computer Engineering from Sharif University of Technology (2014), and dual BS degrees in Computer and Information Technology Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology (2011, 2013). PhD: University of Virginia, Computer Science, 2019 MS: Sharif University of Technology, Computer Engineering, 2014 BS (Computer Engineering): Amirkabir University of Technology, 2011 BS (Information Technology Engineering): Amirkabir University of Technology, 2013 Her research spans wireless sensing and communication, focusing on Millimeter-wave Radar Sensing (for automotive, mixed reality, structural monitoring), Machine Learning for Wireless Systems (adaptive sensing/communication), Forest IoT (through-canopy biomass and soil sensing), Metaverse Technologies (gaze-based VR/AR), and Low-Power Backscatter Communication (WiFi/power-line tags). She directs the Wireless, Sensing & Embedded Networked Systems (iSENS) Lab and co-directs the Illinois Center for IoT. Her work bridges wireless networking with cyber-physical sensing , emphasizing environmental monitoring (e.g., wildfire fuel detection via radar tags) and human-computer interaction (e.g., gaze-tracking in VR). Recent articles include innovations in passive radar profiling , through-canopy biomass characterization , and integrated communication-sensing protocols . Scientific Awards: Google Research Scholar Award (2022) N2Women Rising Star (2021) ACM SIGMOBILE Dissertation Award (2020) EECS Rising Stars (2019) NCSA Faculty Fellowship (2023) Best Demo Runner-up, IPSN (2023) Teaching Excellence Award (2023) Grants: NASA FireTech Program Grant (2025) NSF Grant for Radar-based Perception (2024) Insper-Illinois Grant for VR Research (2024) Keysight Research Gifts (2022, 2023) T-Mobile Research Gift (2022)
Michael Nebeling is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan's School of Information (UMSI), leading the Information Interaction Lab. His research focuses on Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality (XR) interfaces, emphasizing usability, accessibility, and privacy. He co-directs the HCI seminar series in the Michigan Interactive and Social Computing (MISC) group and teaches AR/VR courses (SI 559/659). Nebeling has held roles such as UIST 2026 General Co-Chair and CHI 2026 Subcommittee Co-Chair. He pioneered the Extended Reality for Everybody Coursera specialization and the XR MOOC series . His work includes projects like XRDirector , MRAT , and 360proto , addressing challenges in XR design and tool development. Awards include the Disney Research Faculty Award, Mozilla Research Award, and Epic MegaGrant. He advises the student-led Alternate Reality Initiative (ARI) and collaborates with industry partners like Meta, Epic, and Disney. Education: PhD in Computer Science from ETH Zurich (2015), Postdoc at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (2016). Research Themes: XR toolkits, privacy/security in AR/VR, inclusive design, educational applications, and ethical considerations in mixed reality. Over 90 publications in venues like CHI, UIST, and ACM Transactions on CHI. Awards: Disney Research Faculty Award (2018), Mozilla Research Award (2018), Epic MegaGrant (2019), Meta Reality Labs Gift (2020). Recognized with Best Paper Awards at CHI and UIST.
Ira Kemelmacher-Shlizerman is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington and Director of the UW Reality Lab. She also serves as a Principal Scientist at Google, where she leads the Shopping Gen AI visuals teams focusing on Virtual Try-On, 3D, and product videos. Her research spans computer vision, computer graphics, and Generative AI, with particular contributions to virtual try-on technology, 3D modeling, and augmented reality applications. Professor Kemelmacher-Shlizerman's research interests focus on Generative AI applications in visual computing. Her work bridges the gap between theoretical computer vision and practical applications, particularly in e-commerce and virtual reality. She has made significant contributions to virtual try-on technology, 3D editing with generative models, and AI applications for shopping experiences. Her research combines deep learning with traditional computer vision techniques to solve challenging problems in image and video synthesis. Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward Generative AI applications for visual shopping experiences, virtual try-on technology, and 3D content creation. The work spans multiple top conferences including CVPR, SIGGRAPH, and ICCV, with a focus on practical applications of computer vision and graphics. Her research has evolved from foundational work in face reconstruction and aging to current applications in virtual shopping and 3D content generation. Google faculty award Madrona prize GeekWire Innovation of the Year Award Covers of CACM and SIGGRAPH Best student paper honorable mention at CVPR'21 Best demo runner up MobiSys'22 Senior member of IEEE Distinguished Member of ACM Professor Kemelmacher-Shlizerman has successfully tech-transferred multiple research projects to industry. She founded Dreambit, a startup acquired by Meta, and previously built and launched the Face Movies feature at Google. She currently leads Google's Shopping Gen AI visuals teams, focusing on 10x improvements to shopping journeys. Her UW Reality Lab serves as a hub for AR/VR research with industry partnerships. She has mentored numerous PhD students who have become researchers in both academia and industry, with several publications featuring student co-authors receiving recognition at top conferences. Professor Kemelmacher-Shlizerman leads the Graphics and Imaging Laboratory (GRAIL) and the UW Reality Lab, which focuses on augmented and virtual reality research with industry partnerships including Google. The labs work on cutting-edge projects in virtual try-on, 3D modeling, and immersive experiences, bridging academic research with real-world applications.
Bertrand Schneider is an Associate Professor of Education at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education (GSE). He holds a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Technology Design from Stanford University (2015) and previously served as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford's Transformative Learning Technologies Laboratory. His research focuses on educational interfaces (e.g., augmented reality, tangible tools) and multimodal learning analytics, particularly in collaborative and informal learning environments. He investigates how technologies like gaze-tracking and motion sensors can assess student learning trajectories and improve instructional strategies in makerspaces and remote teaching contexts. Education : Ph.D., Learning Sciences and Technology Design, Stanford University (2015) Postdoctoral Researcher, Transformative Learning Technologies Laboratory, Stanford University Research Interests : Educational technologies (AR, tangible interfaces, multitouch) Multimodal data analysis (gaze, body movement, speech) Collaborative learning in formal/informal settings Remote teaching strategies using shared gaze visualizations AI applications in personalized feedback and misinformation discernment Key Contributions : Developed methodologies for capturing joint visual attention in collaborative learning Advocated for ethical implementation of multimodal learning analytics Explored AR's dual-edged impact on student engagement and collaboration Labs/Teams : Current research aligns with GSE's focus on innovative learning technologies Prior affiliation with Stanford's Transformative Learning Technologies Lab
Gerd Bruder is an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida , affiliated with the Department of Computer Science . He previously held positions as a Research Associate Professor at UCF's Institute for Simulation and Training (2016-2022), Post-Doc at University of Hamburg (2014-2016), and Post-Doc at University of Würzburg (2011-2014). Habilitation : Computer Science, University of Hamburg (2017) Ph.D. : Computer Science, University of Münster (2011) M.Sc. : Computer Science (minor in Mathematics), University of Münster (2009) Research Interests : Gerd Bruder's work focuses on Extended Reality (XR) systems, spanning Virtual Reality (VR) , Augmented Reality (AR) , and Mixed Reality (MR) . Key areas include human factors , digital twins , 3D user interfaces , and perceptual modeling , with applications in healthcare, military operations, architecture, and smart environments. Recent Publications highlight innovations in XR locomotion , trust calibration with autonomous agents, spatial cognition , and haptic-visual integration . His 2025 articles address task-switching efficiency in XR and collaborative mixed reality design. Scientific Awards : Best Paper at ACM VRST 2023 2021 TechConnect Innovation Award Best Demo at ACM SUI 2021 Multiple Best Paper Awards (2016-2023) Best Poster & Demo Awards (2015-2020) Patents include systems for medical simulation , smart environment interruption management , and adaptive AR interfaces . His work bridges academic research and practical applications across VR, AR, and MR domains.
Kwang Moo Yi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he conducts research in computer vision and machine learning. He is affiliated with the Computer Vision Lab, CAIDA (Centre for Artificial Intelligence Decision-making and Action), and ICICS (Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems) at UBC. Education: B.Sc. from Seoul National University Ph.D. from Seoul National University under Prof. Jin Young Choi Post-doctoral researcher at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) with Prof. Pascal Fua and Prof. Vincent Lepetit Dr. Yi's research focuses on Visual Geometry with the goal of understanding local environments, adapting to them, and acting within them. His work spans applications in autonomous vehicles, drones, robots, and Augmented/Mixed Reality systems. He employs machine learning, particularly deep learning, as the primary tool for advancing computer vision capabilities. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on neural rendering techniques, especially 3D Gaussian Splatting and Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF). The research trends show increasing sophistication in handling occlusions, improving rendering quality, and developing more efficient training methods for neural fields. There's also significant work connecting computer vision with practical applications in industrial settings and energy systems. Dr. Yi serves as an area chair for top computer vision and machine learning conferences including CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICML, and AAAI. He was part of the organizing committee for CVPR 2023. He supervises graduate students including Eric (who recently completed his PhD), Gopal (now at Samsung Research), and Jeong-Gi (joining as a postdoctoral fellow). His teaching includes CPSC 425: Computer Vision and CPSC 533Y: 3D Computer Vision with Deep Learning. Dr. Yi is actively involved with the Computer Vision Lab at UBC, collaborating with researchers across CAIDA and ICICS. His work bridges theoretical computer vision with practical applications in various domains including astronomy, industrial automation, and energy systems.
Jay David Bolter holds the Wesley Chair of New Media and serves as Professor and Director of Computational Media at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he is affiliated with the School of Literature, Media, and Communication within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. A foundational figure in digital media studies, he is renowned for his influential theoretical works and practical contributions to new media forms. His research spans Augmented Reality , Virtual Reality , Digital Culture , and the History of Media , with particular emphasis on remediation theory (developed with Richard Grusin) and the evolution of digital writing. As an active member of the Augmented Environments Lab, Bolter creates narrative-driven AR applications for cultural heritage sites and educational contexts, blending theoretical rigor with experimental design. His work consistently examines how new media technologies reshape human perception and cultural practices. Recent publications reveal a concentrated exploration of reality media (AR/VR) as narrative spaces, with articles addressing biofeedback integration in VR fitness, agency-driven interactive storytelling, and theoretical frameworks for understanding immersive experiences. His scholarship bridges historical media analysis with cutting-edge technical implementation, demonstrating how remediation processes continue to evolve in mixed reality environments. This trajectory reflects his lifelong investigation into the interplay between technological capabilities and human expression. Bolter maintains significant collaborative partnerships, including co-authoring seminal texts like Remediation and developing the Storyspace hypertext system with Michael Joyce. His leadership in the Augmented Environments Lab drives interdisciplinary projects that merge humanities perspectives with technological innovation, particularly in creating culturally resonant AR experiences. Teaching responsibilities include advanced courses in mixed reality design, computational media, and digital media theory, shaping the next generation of media scholars and practitioners.
Dr. Iro Armeni is Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, leading the Gradient Spaces research group. Her interdisciplinary research bridges architecture, civil engineering, and computer vision to develop data-driven methods for sustainable and adaptive built environments. Professor Armeni's work focuses on creating gradient environments that blend physical and digital realities through mixed reality technologies. She develops computational methods for 3D scene understanding, generative design, and adaptive spaces that respond to human needs. Her research integrates AI with architectural design to improve sustainability, inclusivity, and reusability of built spaces. Current projects include 3D scene graph representations, automated BIM modeling from visual data, and neuro-symbolic approaches for design optimization. She has developed tools like HoloLabel (AR semantic labeling) and SemSpray (VR annotation) for construction information management. Professor Armeni holds a PhD from Stanford University, supported by a Google PhD Fellowship, and completed postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich with an ETH Fellowship. She teaches courses on Computer Vision for the Built Environment and Mixed Reality applications.
Dr. Zara Ersozlu is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education within the School of Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia. With a distinguished international career spanning multiple continents, she has held academic positions at prestigious institutions including North Carolina State University (USA), Gazi and Gaziosmanpasa Universities (Turkey), National Taiwan Normal University (Taiwan), The University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, and Deakin University. Her academic journey includes tenured positions as an Associate Professor and leadership roles as Department Head and Chair in teacher education disciplines. Currently, she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in mathematics education, including Effective Pedagogies in Primary Mathematics, K-6 Mathematics, K-6 Numeracy, and Digitally Supported Learning. Dr. Ersozlu earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Firat University in Turkey and her Master of Art from Sakarya University. Her extensive academic preparation is complemented by five years of practical teaching experience in public schools prior to entering academia. This blend of theoretical knowledge and practical classroom experience informs her approach to teacher education and educational research. At the broadest level, Dr. Ersozlu's research investigates solutions to real-life problems impacting people's well-being, success, and capacity to achieve. Her scholarly work spans primary and secondary mathematics education, the psychology of mathematics (including metacognition, self-regulation, and anxiety), cross-cultural educational studies, teacher education, virtual simulated learning environments, and educational assessment. She has increasingly focused on the transformative potential of AI and machine learning in education, exploring how these technologies alter teaching, learning, and research processes. Her methodological expertise encompasses both quantitative and qualitative approaches, allowing her to effectively analyze both small and large educational datasets. Analysis of Dr. Ersozlu's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on mathematics anxiety, teacher education, and the integration of technology in learning environments. Her work demonstrates a consistent focus on practical applications of educational research to address real-world challenges in mathematics education. The interdisciplinary nature of her research connects educational psychology, technology integration, and cross-cultural perspectives, with particular attention to how these elements intersect in teacher preparation and student learning outcomes. 2023 ATEA Research Recognition Award from the Australian Teacher Education Association 2021 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE, UK) 2010 Fellowship Program for Postdoctoral Researchers from the Council of Higher Education of Turkey Dr. Ersozlu is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars, currently supervising four PhD students and having successfully guided ten students to completion. Her grant portfolio includes significant funding for projects such as Best Practice Guidelines for RPL in Initial Teacher Education Programs ($60,000), Exploring the Reciprocal Relationship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Resilience ($2,599), and multiple conference travel awards. She serves as an Associate Editor for several prominent journals including the International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education and as Editor for Interdisciplinary STEM Education. Her editorial work reflects her standing as a respected voice in mathematics education research. Dr. Ersozlu's academic leadership extends to her role in developing innovative teaching approaches that integrate virtual simulation technology and learning analytics. Her work with TeachLivE™, a mixed-reality classroom simulation platform, demonstrates her commitment to creating authentic learning experiences for teacher education students. Through these initiatives, she bridges the gap between educational theory and classroom practice, preparing future educators to effectively implement evidence-based teaching strategies in diverse learning environments.
Sara Hennessy is a Professor of Educational Dialogue and Pedagogical Inquiry at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge , where she teaches and supervises Masters and doctoral students. She serves as Research Director of the £30m+ FCDO-funded EdTech Hub and leads the Cambridge Educational Dialogue Research (CEDiR) Group . Her research spans high- and low-income countries, focusing on classroom dialogue analysis, technology-mediated pedagogy, and teacher professional development. Education: BSc in Social Psychology (LSE), MA (Cantab), PhD in Psychology (UCL) Professional Memberships: American Educational Research Association (AERA), British Educational Research Association (BERA), European Association for Research into Learning and Instruction (EARLI) Research Interests: Hennessy’s work examines how digital technologies can enhance classroom dialogue and collaborative learning, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. She developed the T-SEDA toolkit for classroom dialogue analysis, which underpins multimedia professional development resources. Her projects include Camtree (global practitioner research platform) and the EdTech Hub , investigating equitable uses of educational technology in low-income contexts. Publications: Her recent articles analyze mixed-methods approaches to classroom dialogue, technology’s role in Tanzanian teacher development, and linguistic considerations in resource localization. Earlier works focus on interactive whiteboards, OERs, and socio-cultural perspectives on technology integration. Scientific Awards: ESRC Research Fellowship (2007-2010): Consolidated practitioner-researcher collaboration methodologies Editorial Roles: Former editor of the British Journal of Educational Technology (2016-2024) and editorial board member of the International Journal of Science Education .
Maarten Hornikx is a Full Professor in Building Acoustics at the Department of the Built Environment , Eindhoven University of Technology. He serves as Vice-Dean of the department, leads the Building Acoustics Chair of Unit Building Physics and Services (BPS), and coordinates the Science of Sound and Music course series since 2013. His research focuses on computational modeling of sound propagation in built environments, with applications in mixed reality platforms and numerical analysis of outdoor/indoor propagation effects like vegetation and meteorological influences. Education : PhD in Applied Acoustics (Chalmers University of Technology, 2009); MSc in Architecture, Building and Planning (2004) Hornikx promotes open research software in acoustics and has received multiple grants, including Marie Curie Individual and Career Integration Grants. His recent publications explore AI-driven diffusion equation modeling, acoustic absorber optimization, and advanced numerical methods like the discontinuous Galerkin technique. He has held international leadership roles, including chairing the Computational Acoustics Technical Committee of the European Acoustics Association and serving as Associate Editor for Acta Acustica . Scientific Awards : Marie Curie Fellowship (2009-2011); Marie Curie Career Integration Grant (2012); 4TU.Built Environment Center Scientific Director (2020-2021); eScience Center Fellow (2022) As a research leader, Hornikx guided the H2020-ITN Acoutect project and conducted sabbaticals at Aalto University, Stockholm University (2018), and Politecnico Torino (2022). His group emphasizes computational acoustics and open-source tools to enhance reproducibility and collaboration.
