Gilbert Fridgen is Full Professor in Digital Financial Services and holder of the PayPal-FNR PEARL Chair at the University of Luxembourg's Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT). He leads the FINATRAX research group focusing on blockchain, digital identity, and sustainable digital solutions. His research explores decentralized technologies in finance, energy systems, and public administration. Current projects investigate blockchain applications in industrial demand response, NFT markets, EU digital identity wallets, and DeFi institutional adoption. Prof. Fridgen examines the intersection of technology with regulatory frameworks and user behavior in energy and financial systems. He collaborates extensively with industry partners including PayPal and Spuerkeess. Prof. Fridgen actively contributes to EU digital policy discussions, particularly regarding the European Digital Identity Wallet framework and decentralized finance governance.
Professor Andrew Hudson-Smith is the Director of the Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) at University College London (UCL), where he holds the title of Professor of Digital Urban Systems. He leads UCL's academic and applied research in smart cities, digital twins, and urban informatics. His roles include Editor-in-Chief of the Future Internet Journal and academic lead for the Smart Queen Elizabeth Park project. He contributes to strategic initiatives such as the Greater London Authority Smart London Board and EPSRC Digital Economy Programme Advisory Board. Education: PhD (2003), MSc (1996) from UCL; BSc in Geography from the University of Plymouth (1992). Research focuses on digital urban systems, IoT applications, sustainable urban planning, and cyberphysical systems. Notable projects include urban heat island monitoring, participatory planning platforms, and metaverse-driven urban design. His work bridges technology, art, and public engagement, exemplified by initiatives like Tales of Things and the Haggle-O-Tron. Recent publications emphasize digital twins, metaverse urbanism, and IoT integration in urban environments. Awards include a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts. His work addresses SDGs 3 (Good Health) and 11 (Sustainable Cities), with a focus on equitable smart city development and public space innovation.
Christian FISCH is an Associate Professor in Business Economics and Entrepreneurship at the University of Luxembourg's Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT). His research focuses on the intersection of entrepreneurship with digital technologies, venture finance, and socio-cultural influences. Key areas include blockchain-based financing mechanisms (e.g., ICOs), the psychological and digital identity aspects of entrepreneurs, and the impact of environmental/climate factors on entrepreneurial activity. He has published extensively in top journals, addressing topics such as B Corp certification signaling effects, venture capital decision-making, and the paradox of technology adoption among SMEs. His work spans both theoretical contributions (e.g., extending Schumpeterian frameworks) and applied analyses (e.g., post-pandemic entrepreneurial resilience). FISCH collaborates with global institutions, leveraging mixed-methods approaches including digital trace analysis from platforms like Twitter to study investor behavior and entrepreneurial traits. He has no listed awards but maintains active research agendas in decentralized finance, climate entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural entrepreneurial motivations. Professional activities include editorial roles in entrepreneurship journals and advising on innovation policy. His research often addresses emerging trends such as NFTs in creative industries, DAO governance structures, and the role of trademarks/patents in regional innovation ecosystems.
Wenjia Tang is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, contributing to Professor Terry Flew's ARC Laureate project "Mediated Trust". Her work examines digital platforms, media policies, and transnational media dynamics with emphasis on U.S.-China comparative frameworks. Her educational background includes: BA from Sichuan University MA from University College London (UCL) PhD from the University of Sydney Dr. Tang's research spans platform regulation, streaming media business models, and transnational technology policy, with specialized focus on cultural creation in social media, recommendation algorithms, and geopolitical implications of AI, virtual reality, and metaverse technologies. She analyzes how digital platforms navigate regulatory environments while shaping global content ecosystems. Her 2023-2025 publications reveal consistent thematic focus on Chinese digital platforms' global expansion strategies (WeTV, Tencent Video), regulatory challenges in emerging technologies (NFTs, metaverse), and data sovereignty frameworks. This body of work demonstrates methodological emphasis on comparative analysis between Western and Chinese tech ecosystems, particularly regarding content localization, policy adaptation, and geopolitical tensions in digital markets. Currently working on the ARC Laureate "Mediated Trust" project investigating digital media trust mechanisms, Dr. Tang has no documented graduate student supervision. Her research directly informs policy discussions through submissions like the News Media Assistance Program response. She operates within the Mediated Trust research team, an ARC-funded initiative examining trust architectures in algorithmic media environments, with particular attention to cross-cultural regulatory approaches.
Christopher Kruegel is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where he conducts research in systems security. He is affiliated with the International Secure Systems Lab (iSecLab) and was a co-founder of Lastline, Inc., which was acquired by VMware in 2020. His work focuses on creating practical security solutions that address real-world problems through system building and experimental validation. Professor Kruegel's research spans multiple areas of computer security including malware analysis, web security, network security, and vulnerability analysis. His work often involves developing systems that analyze programs for malicious behavior, scanning web applications for vulnerabilities, and improving privacy on social networks. He has made significant contributions to firmware security, smart contract analysis, and mobile security through his extensive publication record. His 15 most recent publications (2022-2023) demonstrate a strong focus on practical security solutions across diverse domains including firmware security (Shimware, Fuzzware), blockchain and smart contract security (Confusum Contractum, NFT security), mobile security (TEEzz, Columbus), and vulnerability detection techniques (Actor, Toss a Fault to Your Witcher). His research shows consistent innovation in security tools and methodologies with several papers receiving distinguished awards. Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, UCSB Academic Senate Distinguished Artifact Award for Fuzzware paper Distinguished Paper Award for Ramblr paper Best Student Paper Award for Detecting Spammers On Social Networks Professor Kruegel has advised numerous graduate students and collaborated extensively with researchers at UCSB and beyond. His work has been funded by various research grants supporting his security research initiatives. He is actively involved in the International Secure Systems Lab, which focuses on practical security solutions for real-world problems.
Dr. Aleksandra Jordanoska is a Senior Lecturer at King's College London's Dickson Poon School of Law, specializing in corporate law and financial regulation. She holds a PhD from Queen Mary University of London (funded by a Queen Mary Research Studentship) and an MPhil in Criminology from the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on financial markets governance, FinTech regulation, and white-collar crime, with recent grants from the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust. She has held visiting roles at institutions like UC Berkeley and ANU. Teaching includes undergraduate Company Law and postgraduate courses on FinTech policy and financial crime regulation. Key research projects include the 'Global White-Collar Crime Survey' and studies on NFT regulatory risks. She co-chairs the Law and Society Association's Regulatory Governance Network and collaborates internationally on compliance and crime prevention initiatives. Her work employs interdisciplinary methods, including interviews with industry stakeholders and observational studies of legal proceedings. She is actively involved in funding initiatives through organizations like the ESRC and King's College London.
Konstantinos Pelechrinis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics and Networked Systems at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Computing and Information. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of California, Riverside. His research focuses on network science, urban informatics, and sports analytics. He has been recognized with the Army Research Office Young Investigator Award for his contributions. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California, Riverside Research Interests: Urban mobility patterns and infrastructure analysis Sports performance quantification and strategy Data-driven decision-making in transportation systems Network science applications in social and urban systems His recent work explores topics such as implicit biases in sports refereeing, anomaly detection in NFT markets, and optimizing bike-sharing systems using predictive models. He also investigates urban infrastructure resilience through projects like the Epui platform for experimental urban informatics. Awards: Army Research Office Young Investigator Award He contributes to academic outreach through courses like TELCOM2125 (Network Science and Analysis) and collaborates on initiatives like the Healthy Ride Pittsburgh bike-sharing study. His lab focuses on bridging theoretical models with real-world urban and sports datasets.
Slavko Alčakovic is a Visiting Professor at the University of Singidunum in Belgrade, Serbia. Holding a PhD in Marketing and Trade from the same university, his academic journey includes a Master's in Financial Management and Investment Banking from Lincoln University (2008-2010) and a Bachelor's in Accounting and Auditing from the University of Singidunum (2004-2008). He primarily focuses on digital marketing, sports marketing, and consumer behavior, with particular interest in Super Bowl advertising trends, generational marketing, and media digitalization impacts. Education: BSc in Accounting & Auditing, University of Singidunum (2004-2008) MSc in Financial Management & Investment Banking, Lincoln University (2008-2010) PhD in Marketing & Trade, University of Singidunum (2010-2013) Research Focus: His work examines digital marketing innovations (including NFTs and AI applications), political communication shifts from traditional to digital media, and hybrid learning dynamics. Publications frequently analyze Super Bowl advertising patterns (2017-2025), Generation Z's market behavior, and team cohesion in sports contexts. Collaborative Work: Frequently collaborates with scholars like A. Belačić, V. Gavranović, and I. Savić across disciplines including marketing, education, and sports psychology. His research spans both academic journals (e.g., The European Journal of Applied Economics ) and international conferences (Sinteza, SINERGIJA).
Jiyun Kang serves as an Associate Professor at Purdue University's White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management within the College of Health and Human Sciences. Her research examines consumer behavior, well-being, and sustainable practices across fashion, luxury, and retail sectors, with emphasis on artificial intelligence applications, crisis management, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Her academic credentials include: PhD in Human Ecology from Louisiana State University (2010) MS in Business/Marketing from Seoul National University (2005) BA in English Language and Literature from Korea University (2002) Dr. Kang's research spans consumer psychology, sustainable consumption, and digital innovation in retail. She investigates decision fatigue in luxury contexts, AI-driven mitigation of purchase hesitation, and psychological ownership in fashion subscription models. Her work consistently employs quantitative methods including machine learning and causal modeling to analyze brand-consumer dynamics during ethical crises and sustainability transitions. Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals three dominant trends: (1) blockchain/NFT applications for luxury authentication, (2) AI ethics in retail crisis management, and (3) intersectional approaches to sustainable fashion through psychological ownership frameworks. Methodologically, she increasingly integrates natural language processing with traditional consumer behavior models to examine corporate social responsibility perceptions. Scientific awards: No awards are documented in the provided materials. Advising and grants: The source text contains no information regarding graduate student mentorship or externally funded research projects.
Brett Hemenway Falk is a Researcher in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as director of the Crypto and Society Lab, focusing on privacy and security in digital environments and facilitating transparency and trust. His work combines rigorous mathematical approaches with practical implementations in cryptography and blockchain technology. Education: Sc.B. in Mathematics from Brown University Ph.D. in Mathematics from UCLA Research Interests include: Cryptography and secure multi-party computation protocols Blockchain technology (cross-chain interoperability, financial network stability, on-chain governance) Privacy-preserving algorithms and data security Coding theory applications in secure systems Scientific Contributions include: Developing practical secure computation protocols Advancing ORAM (Oblivious RAM) architectures Analyzing decentralized governance mechanisms Exploring DeFi network stability and token economics His teaching activities feature the popular MCIT 582 Blockchain course at Penn. Research funding comes from NSF, DARPA, IARPA, ONR, ARL, NIH , and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
Dr. Ying Zhu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at the Lang School of Business and Economics, University of Guelph. She holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from Texas A&M University, alongside master’s degrees in Computer Science (Minzu University, China) and Management (University of Lethbridge, Canada). Previously, she served as an Associate Professor at UBC Okanagan. Her research focuses on digital marketing, consumer behavior, marketing analytics, and the impact of technology (e.g., AI, Metaverse) on consumer decisions. She has published 19 peer-reviewed articles since 2017, many in top-tier journals like American Psychologist and European Journal of Marketing . Her work explores themes such as brand extension strategies, digital advertising effectiveness, and sustainability initiatives. Dr. Zhu has received significant funding through SSHRC grants and has been recognized for her teaching excellence, including the Golden Apple Award. She actively advises graduate students and volunteers with community organizations like the Kelowna Museums Society. Her research on smartphone-induced consumer behavior has garnered media attention in outlets like Time Magazine , Global News , and Science Daily .
Dr. Emre Sefer is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Özyeğin University, specializing in machine learning and bioinformatics. He holds a Ph.D. in Computational Biology from Carnegie Mellon University (2015), an M.S. in Computer Science from University of Maryland College Park (2011), and a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Boğaziçi University (2008). His research bridges graph machine learning with financial networks, bioinformatics, and data engineering. Ph.D.: Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University M.S.: Computer Science, University of Maryland College Park B.S.: Computer Engineering, Boğaziçi University Research focuses on applying machine learning to financial and biological networks: Bioinformatics : 3D genome modeling, protein modifications, transcriptomic analysis Graph Machine Learning : GNNs for fraud detection, drug response prediction, and network evolution Financial Networks : Cryptocurrency investment strategies, asset price prediction His lab (OzU Machine Learning in Finance and Bioinformatics Lab) develops graph-based deep learning methods for cross-domain applications, including NFT market analysis and chromatin structure prediction. He received the Best research paper award at Recomb 2016 for work on 3D genome architecture. Former postdoc at CMU Machine Learning Department Industry experience as Quantitative Strategist at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan
Farinaz Koushanfar is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California San Diego (UCSD) . She holds the Siavouche Nemat-Nasser Endowed Chair and serves as Founding Co-Director of the Center for Machine-Intelligence, Computing and Security . Her affiliations include NSF Trust-Hub (Co-PI) and NSF TILOS AI Institute . She also serves on the Editorial Board of The Proceedings of the IEEE . Research Focus: Prof. Koushanfar leads research in secure and efficient computing , including robust/safe AI , hardware/system security , AI-based optimization , and cryptographically secure privacy-preserving computing . Her work pioneered logic obfuscation/locking for chip security, automated co-design of AI systems , watermarking/tracing of deep learning models , and physical proofs of provenance . She explores co-design with cryptographic constructs for privacy preservation and manages nonlinearities in ciphertext domains. Article Trends: Recent publications show expertise in neural watermarking (deepfakes, media authentication), zero-knowledge proof frameworks , Trojan attack defenses in ML models, secure federated learning , and hardware acceleration of cryptographic protocols . Her work combines machine learning , cryptography , and physical design security across 2022-2025 publications. Scientific Awards: Fellow of ACM Fellow of IEEE Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow of Kavli Foundation of NAS Inducted to NAI 2024 Fellows Advising & Leadership: She has advised multiple PhD students who became faculty at top universities (e.g., Stanford, Purdue). She chairs conferences like ACM WiSec 2024 and co-led the NSF SaTC decadal review. Her lab ( ACES Lab ) produces award-winning graduates like Bita Rouhani (DAC Under-40 Innovators) and Shehzeen Hussain (UCSD Best Dissertation Award).
Amiya Nayak is a Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on Fault-Tolerant Computing , Distributed Systems , and Ad hoc and Sensor Networks . He specializes in cybersecurity, IoT security, blockchain integration, and machine learning applications in healthcare and vehicular networks. His work addresses challenges in secure communication protocols, distributed learning frameworks, and energy-efficient network designs. Notable research areas include: IoT Security : Developing frameworks for threat detection, privacy-preserving systems, and blockchain-empowered IoT defenses. Federated Learning : Enhancing healthcare predictions and IoT management through decentralized, privacy-aware machine learning. Vehicular Networks : Securing Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication and optimizing QoS in cooperative internet of vehicles (IoV). Network Optimization : Leveraging deep reinforcement learning and graph neural networks for WDM network restoration and edge computing. His publications (2020–2025) highlight contributions to: Secure authentication protocols in medical sensor networks. AI-driven metaverse security solutions. Decentralized energy trading using NFTs. Energy-efficient sleep scheduling in wireless body area networks (WBANs). Nayak holds a Ph.D. and is a P.Eng. (Professional Engineer). His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications in telecommunications and healthcare systems.
Kari M. Koskinen is a University Lecturer at Aalto University's Department of Information and Service Management. His research focuses on cybersecurity, digital ecosystems, and technology management with applications in healthcare, agriculture, and smart cities. He frequently collaborates with scholars like Hadi Ghanbari and Sonja Hyrynsalmi on topics ranging from ransomware mitigation to sustainable mobility solutions. His work emphasizes real-world case studies, such as analyzing the Vastaamo psychotherapy clinic data breach and examining supply chain attacks in manufacturing. Key contributions include frameworks for cloud-based integration platforms, risk management in digital ecosystems, and the socio-technical implications of autonomous vehicles. Koskinen also explores visibility labor in NFT markets and how digital platforms address development challenges in the Global South. His teaching cases, published in the Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases, bridge theoretical concepts with practical cybersecurity scenarios.
