Alanson Sample is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan (since 2018), leading the Interactive Sensing and Computing Lab. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, Cyber-Physical Systems, and wireless technology innovations. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington (2011), with prior postdoctoral work there developing implantable medical devices. Before academia, Sample held senior roles at Disney Research (2013-2018) as Executive Lab Director and Principal Research Scientist, leading teams in Robotics, AI, Computer Vision, and HCI. Earlier, he worked at Intel Labs (2008-2013) on energy harvesting for wearables and IoT. Key research themes include wireless power systems, embedded sensing, and privacy-aware technologies. Over 150+ publications span topics like magnetic sensing (MagDesk), acoustic gesture recognition (HandSAW), and privacy-preserving activity tracking (PrivacyMic). His work bridges academic and industry innovation, particularly in scalable interactive systems and medical technology. Notable projects include the Quasistatic Cavity Resonance wireless charging system, RFID-based sensing platforms (WISP), and wearable health monitoring devices. His lab develops hardware-software co-design frameworks for energy-efficient embedded systems. Current research emphasizes medical applications, smart infrastructure, and ubiquitous computing interfaces.
Jonathan T. Barron is a Researcher at Google DeepMind in San Francisco, specializing in Computer Vision , Neural Rendering , and 3D Scene Reconstruction . He earned his PhD at UC Berkeley under Jitendra Malik and has pioneered advancements in NeRF (Neural Radiance Fields) and diffusion-based 3D generation. Research Interests : Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Generative AI, Image Processing, and 3D Reconstruction via Radiance Fields. His work includes Bolt3D for rapid 3D scene generation, CAT3D/CAT4D for text-to-3D/4D, and Zip-NeRF for anti-aliased radiance fields. He has also developed real-time rendering frameworks like SMERF and NeRF-Casting for reflections. Scientific awards: PAMI Young Researcher Award He has served as Area Chair for CVPR, ICCV, and NeurIPS, and his research is widely adopted in applications like Google's Lens Blur , Portrait Mode , and Jump VR .
Andreas Geiger is a Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Tübingen, Germany. He leads the Autonomous Vision Group (AVG) within CyberValley and is a core faculty member of the Tübingen AI Center. His roles also include PI in the ML in Science Excellence Cluster and the CRC Robust Vision, as well as ELLIS Fellow and coordinator of the ELLIS PhD program. He specializes in machine learning models for computer vision, robotics, and autonomous systems, with applications in self-driving cars, VR/AR, and scientific document analysis. Educational background: While not explicitly detailed, his positions imply a Ph.D. in Computer Science or related field. His work spans interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like ETH Zürich, Microsoft, and the University of Bonn. Research focuses on 3D scene understanding, Gaussian splatting, generative models, and reliable autonomous systems. Notable contributions include the KITTI dataset and foundational work in neural radiance fields. Awards include the Sage 10-Year Impact Award (2024), ERC Starting Grant (2019), and IEEE PAMI Young Researcher Award (2018). Key projects include the Scholar Inbox paper recommender platform, ReSim (reliable world simulation), and advancements in 3D scene generation (e.g., UrbanCAD, PrITTI). His lab maintains a strong focus on open-source tools and datasets, such as the CARLA Route Generator. Grants and funding include support from Vector Stiftung (MINT innovation program) and EU initiatives like the ML in Science Cluster. His team collaborates internationally, with recent work presented at CVPR, SIGGRAPH, and NeurIPS.
Michele Zorzi is a Professor of Telecommunications at the School of Engineering, University of Padova, Italy, where he has held a faculty position since 2003. He leads the SIGNET (Signal processing and Networking) Research Group, focusing on cutting-edge wireless networking challenges including mmWave communications and underwater networks. His extensive publication record exceeds 600 papers in top-tier journals and conferences, reflecting significant contributions to the field through both theoretical and experimental work. He received his Laurea Degree (1990) and Ph.D. (1994) in Electrical Engineering from the University of Padova. Prior academic appointments include Politecnico di Milano (1993-1996), University of California San Diego (1995-1998), and University of Ferrara (1998-2003), where he progressed from Associate Professor to full Professor. His educational trajectory demonstrates deep roots in Italian academia with international exposure. Professor Zorzi's research spans wireless communications and networking, with current emphases on mmWave networking for vehicular systems, underwater acoustic/optical communications, non-terrestrial networks, and AI-driven networking solutions. His group conducts experimental validations including at-sea trials for underwater systems and testbeds for vehicular networks. Key projects include PRATA for predictive QoS in autonomous driving and IoT-based environmental monitoring of the Venice Lagoon, demonstrating practical applications of theoretical work. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals strong trends in applying artificial intelligence to networking challenges across diverse environments. There is significant emphasis on vehicular networks (predictive QoS, teleoperated driving), underwater systems (acoustic/optical communications, AUV swarms), and satellite networks (Starlink integration, NTN security). Experimental validation in real-world scenarios like the Venice Lagoon monitoring project and underwater sea trials characterizes his applied research approach. His scientific accolades include: IEEE Fellow (2007) IEEE Communications Society Best Tutorial Paper Award (2008, 2019) Stephen O. Rice Best Paper Award (2018) Multiple best paper awards at IEEE conferences (2005-2020) As principal investigator for numerous European and US research projects plus 20+ industry-funded initiatives, Professor Zorzi has mentored over 35 PhD students and post-docs. Graduates now hold prominent positions at institutions including Stanford, UCSD, CTTC, and Huawei. His SIGNET group maintains active international collaborations and contributes to open-source networking tools via GitHub, demonstrating commitment to community engagement. The SIGNET Research Group, housed within the Department of Information Engineering, operates specialized experimental facilities for mmWave and underwater communications. Current initiatives include AI-based predictive QoS frameworks for vehicular networks, underwater optical communication systems using ultraviolet light, and large-scale IoT deployments for environmental monitoring. The group's GitHub presence indicates strong open-science practices, while recent sea trials confirm hands-on experimental capabilities beyond theoretical work.
Michael Baldea is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin . He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota (2006), with prior degrees from 'Babeş-Bolyai' University in Romania (M.Sc. 2001, Diploma 2000). His research group develops theoretical and computational methods for Process and Energy Systems Engineering , focusing on integrated decision-making, performance optimization, and process intensification with industrial validation. Education: Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota (2006) M.Sc., Interface Process Engineering, 'Babeş-Bolyai' University (2001) Diploma, Chemical Engineering, 'Babeş-Bolyai' University (2000) Research Thrusts: Integrated decision-making in chemical/energy supply chains Process performance monitoring and optimization Process integration and intensification Key applications include grid-responsive chemical plants, intensified distillation/column designs, and renewable energy integration for building systems. Scientific Awards: Frank A. Liddell, Jr. Fellowship NSF CAREER Award (2015-2020) Moncrief Grand Challenges Faculty Award (2014) AIChE Outstanding Young Researcher Award (2017) Implementation : His group has translated research into commercial tools through partnerships with industrial test beds and is working to integrate methods into commercial simulators. They explore predictive approaches for building energy management and strategic capital investment analysis in next-generation energy systems.
Jakob Foerster is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford's Department of Engineering Science and a Supernumerary Fellow at St Anne's College. He leads the FLAIR lab, focusing on multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL), human-AI coordination, and AI foundational research. Previously, he was a Research Scientist at Facebook AI Research (FAIR) and holds a DPhil from Oxford. His work has been cited over 5,000 times and includes seminal contributions like QMIX and the Hanabi Challenge. Research interests span compute-efficient scaling of AI, MARL applications in finance and bio, and ethical AI. He actively collaborates across academia and industry, co-organizing workshops like NeurIPS' Emergent Communication. His lab emphasizes open-ended RL, environment design, and scalable algorithms. Notable awards include the CIFAR AI Chair (2019) and NeurIPS Best Paper Runner-Up (2018). Current efforts include FLAIR's research on zero-shot coordination and the JaxMARL framework. He advises students in Oxford's Engineering DPhil and AIMS CDT programs.
Zongyi Li is a Research Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology , hosted by Kaiming He. They are currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech (2019-2025), mentored by Anima Anandkumar and Andrew Stuart. Ph.D. candidate: Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Caltech (2019-2025) B.Sc. in Computer Science and Mathematics with a Jazz minor from Washington University in St. Louis (2015-2019) They focus on Neural Operators for learning solution operators in Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) , particularly in fluid mechanics and earth science . Their work models physical simulations with chaotic behaviors and complex geometries, showing applications in weather forecasting , carbon storage , and aerodynamics simulation . Publications emphasize resolution-invariant models , chaotic systems , and zero-shot super-resolution capabilities. Their research combines Fourier analysis , graph networks , and physics-informed loss functions to achieve state-of-the-art performance in PDE solving with up to 1000x speedup over traditional solvers. Fellowships: Kortschak Scholarship PIMCO Fellowship Amazon AI4Science Fellowship Nvidia Fellowship MIT Novo Nordisk AI Fellowship Code & Open-Source: Co-developer of the NeuralOperator library Implementations for Fourier Neural Operators , Graph Neural Operators , and Tensorized Neural Operators Media Recognition: Quanta Magazine MIT Tech Review NVIDIA Features Towards Data Science
Prof. Dr. Otmar Hilliges is a Full Professor at the Department of Computer Science at ETH Zurich. He leads the AIT lab and serves as the head of the Institute of Intelligent Interactive Systems. His research focuses on spatio-temporal understanding of human movement and interaction, leveraging algorithms and representations from videos, images, and sensor data for applications in Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Human-Robot Interaction. Education: Diplom (MSc) in Computer Science, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany PhD in Computer Science, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Germany (2009) Research Interests: Hilliges' work spans computer vision, robotics, and human-computer interaction. He develops methods for 3D human pose estimation, generative models for realistic avatar creation, and physically plausible simulation of human-object interactions. His research emphasizes practical applications in AR/VR and assistive robotics, aiming to bridge the gap between perception and action. Grants & Contributions: ERC Consolidator Grant (2022-2027): 'AI-Perceive: Robust Human-Centric Computer Vision for Advanced AI-Agents' Google Research Agreement (2020-2025): 'Generative Modelling of Humans' Microsoft Research Grants: Focus on human-centric robotics and interactive technologies Labs & Teams: Leads the AIT Lab at ETH Zurich, which pioneers research in intelligent interactive systems, emphasizing human-centric AI and robotics. The lab collaborates on projects ranging from drone cinematography to haptic feedback systems.
Jörg F. Löffler is a Full Professor of Metal Physics and Technology at the Department of Materials, ETH Zürich , where he has been since 2003. He previously served as Chairman of the Department (2010–2013) and holds Adjunct Professor positions at Tohoku University (Japan) and a Visiting Faculty role at Caltech. His research focuses on bulk metallic glasses , metallic biomaterials , and magnetic materials , combining synthesis, characterization, and applications in biomedical and structural contexts. Educations : Studied Physics and Materials Science at Saarland University (Germany), earned his doctorate at ETH Zurich and Paul Scherrer Institute on magnetism and neutron scattering (1997). Research Trends : Recent work explores additive manufacturing (e.g., laser powder bed fusion), biodegradable magnesium alloys for implants, and magneto-structural coupling in metallic glasses. Collaborative efforts integrate in situ analysis with computational modeling. Scientific Awards : International Magnesium Science and Technology Award (2023) MRS Fellow (2021) DGM 'Breakthrough' Prize (2016) Masing Memorial Prize (2005) ETH Zurich Medal (1998) Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1998-2001) Löffler advises the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UC Davis and serves on editorial boards. His group at ETH Zürich investigates advanced metallic materials using synchrotron radiation and neutron scattering facilities.
Javier Alonso-Mora is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology, specializing in Learning & Autonomous Control. His research focuses on autonomous systems, robotics, motion planning, and transportation logistics, with applications in mobile manipulation, dynamic environments, and urban mobility. He leads key projects such as INTERACT (Intuitive Interaction for Robots among Humans) and ACT (Perceptive Acting Under Uncertainty), exploring human-robot interaction, autonomous vehicles, and healthcare robotics. Notable achievements include an ERC Starting Grant (2022) and a Veni Grant (2017). His work addresses challenges in robot navigation, control systems, and fleet optimization, with contributions to both theoretical advancements and practical implementations. Projects like TRiLOGy focus on sustainable water transportation, while HARMONY advances assistive robotics in healthcare. Alonso-Mora’s research leverages geometric fabrics for motion planning, probabilistic modeling for dynamic environments, and multi-agent coordination. He collaborates internationally and contributes to open-source frameworks for robotics. His recent publications emphasize safety-aware control, instance-aware semantic mapping, and adaptive systems for cluttered environments.
Desiderio Kovar is a Professor at the University of Texas at Austin holding the BFGoodrich Professorship in Materials Engineering and the Distinguished Teaching Professor title within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Cockrell School of Engineering. He is affiliated with the Texas Materials Institute, the Center for Electromechanics, and is a core member of the Center for Additive Manufacturing and Design Innovation. Dr. Kovar currently serves as the Associate Chair for Academics for the Mechanical Engineering Department. Dr. Kovar's research focuses on the interface between materials science and engineering and additive manufacturing, with particular expertise in ceramic processing. His work encompasses Advanced Design and Manufacturing, Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, and Nano and Micro-scale Engineering. He teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in the Materials Engineering area, having developed the Materials Science and Engineering minor in 2018, the first minor in Engineering at UT Austin. His recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on ceramic additive manufacturing processes, particularly Selective Laser Flash Sintering and Micro-Cold Spray technologies. These works explore fundamental mechanisms of high-velocity particle impact, sintering kinetics, and process optimization for ceramic film and part production, reflecting his pioneering work in direct ceramic additive manufacturing without polymer binders. Dr. Kovar has received numerous prestigious awards for his teaching and research: Engineering Foundation Young Faculty Excellence Award (2000) Teaching Excellence Award from the Student Engineering Council (2000) Cockrell School of Engineering's Jack and Maxine Zarrow Family K-16 Teaching Innovation Award (2014) Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Award for Excellence in Engineering Teaching (2016) Mechanical Engineering Department's Teaching Award (2016) University of Texas' Outstanding Graduate Advisor (2012) Inducted into the University of Texas at Austin's Academy of Distinguished Teachers (2019) Dr. Kovar has supervised 47 undergraduate students, 21 MS theses, and 17 Ph.D. dissertations, and currently supervises 12 graduate students and one undergraduate student. His research has been generously funded by the National Science Foundation, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, the Army Research Laboratory, the Office of Naval Research, the US Department of Energy, and various corporate sponsors. In 2013, he founded the Cockrell School's Longhorn Maker Studio, which evolved into Texas Inventionworks. Dr. Kovar leads the Kovar Research Group which currently includes multiple graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working across three main research thrusts: Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics by Selective Laser Flash Sintering, Additive Manufacturing of Ceramics by Indirect Selective Laser Sintering, and Direct Writing of Patterned Films and Devices using the Micro-cold Spray Process.
Felix Bott is a Researcher at Technische Universität München (TUM), currently affiliated with PainLabMunich at Rechts der Isar Hospital since September 2020. Previously, he served as a Research Associate and Teaching Assistant in the Mechanics & High Performance Computing Group at TUM from April 2018 to March 2020. His academic credentials include a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (TUM, 2018) and a Master de Sciences, Technologies, Santé specializing in multi-scale mechanics modeling (2019). Research Focus Bott's research specializes in computational mechanics, emphasizing mesh-free discretization techniques like Moving Kriging Collocation and Peridynamics. He develops probabilistic numerical methods for uncertainty quantification and inverse analyses, with applications in solid mechanics and engineering simulations. His work bridges theoretical computational frameworks with practical engineering challenges. Teaching & Advising As a teaching assistant, he led courses in Engineering Mechanics I (WS 2018/19) and Engineering Mechanics II (SS 2018, SS 2019). He supervised multiple student projects including Master's theses on peridynamics-based continuum modeling, Bachelor's theses on medical device mechanics, and research internships in dynamical systems visualization and impact phenomena simulation. Laboratory Affiliations Currently conducts research at PainLabMunich (Rechts der Isar Hospital), focusing on computational approaches for medical-mechanical problems. Previously contributed to the Mechanics & High Performance Computing Group at TUM, developing advanced numerical methods for engineering applications.
Giacomo Indiveri is a dual Professor at the Faculty of Science of the University of Zurich and the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering of ETH Zurich . He serves as the Director of the Institute of Neuroinformatics at both institutions. Indiveri holds an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (1992) from the University of Genoa and a Ph.D. in Computer Science (2004) from the same university. Primary Affiliation: University of Zurich (Faculty of Science, Institute of Neuroinformatics) Secondary Affiliation: ETH Zurich (Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering) Indiveri's research bridges neuroscience , computer science , and machine learning to develop neuromorphic cognitive systems . His work focuses on spike-based learning , recurrent neural networks , and analog/digital circuit design for real-time sensory-motor systems . He integrates emerging memory technologies into fault-tolerant event-based architectures, enabling brain-inspired computing paradigms in applications like robotics and medical monitoring. His recent publications emphasize neuromorphic hardware for epileptic seizure detection , spiking neural networks in robotic painting , and scalable processors with on-chip learning . These works explore biologically plausible neurons , delay lines , and memory arrays for temporal processing, with applications in healthcare , edge computing , and adaptive control . Scientific Awards & Recognitions: 2021 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Best Paper Award Senior Member of IEEE Society ERC Fellow with three European Research Council grants Indiveri's group at the Institute of Neuroinformatics develops event-based systems for real-world validation of brain-inspired computing. His work includes multi-core processors , feedback optimizers , and dynamic routing architectures , supported by grants for advancing neuromorphic technologies .
David Bindel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Cornell University, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, and Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2006. His research focuses on applied numerical linear algebra, eigenvalue problems, and their applications in plasma physics, network analysis, and nonlinear systems. He develops methods for analyzing complex systems, including magnetic confinement in stellarators, stability of MHD systems, and community detection in networks. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical computational tools, such as formal verification of linear algebra algorithms and scalable Gaussian process models. Bindel’s research explores the interplay between structure and computation, leveraging eigenvalue analysis to address challenges in computer vision, opinion dynamics, and engineering design. He has contributed to advancements in numerical methods for large-scale systems, including iterative solvers, spectral approximation techniques, and stochastic optimization. His interdisciplinary approach spans applied mathematics, computer science, and physics, with applications in fusion energy, machine learning, and network science. Recent work highlights include high-order expansions for magnetic confinement, adaptive filtering for dynamical systems, and Bayesian optimization strategies. His publications emphasize rigorous analysis alongside computational scalability, addressing both theoretical and practical aspects of modern scientific computing. Despite no explicitly listed awards, his contributions reflect significant impact in his fields.
John Evans is an Associate Professor and Jack Rominger Faculty Fellow in the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, affiliated with the Applied Mathematics program. He serves as Associate Chair for Undergraduate Curriculum and is part of the Aerospace Mechanics Research Center (AMREC). His research focuses on computational mechanics, particularly fluid dynamics, fluid-structure interaction, and turbulence modeling using high-order and structure-preserving methods. Evans holds a PhD (2011) and MS (2008) in Computational and Applied Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, and dual BS/MS degrees in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2006). Before joining CU Boulder, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES). His research interests include isogeometric analysis, immersed methods, and data-driven turbulence modeling. Notable contributions include development of divergence-conforming discretizations for incompressible flows, stabilized collocation methods, and invariant subgrid stress models. He leads the AMREC lab and collaborates on plasma-fueled propulsion systems and geometrically sensitive simulations. Key Awards: 2021: Rocky Mountain AIAA Educator of the Year 2021: Gallagher Young Investigator Medal 2019-2021: Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher Professional Activities: Editor of Engineering Computations, Senior AIAA Member, Simons Visiting Professor (2019) Evans' work bridges advanced numerical methods with real-world engineering challenges. His lab develops open-source tools like XIGA for multi-material problems and focuses on immersive simulation environments. Current projects explore turbulence closure models, plasma propulsion, and topology optimization with B-spline-based approaches.
