Franziska Mueller is a Research Scientist at Google Zurich , specializing in Augmented Perception . Prior to joining Google, she earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Saarland University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Christian Theobalt, focusing on real-time hand reconstruction from RGB and depth images. Ph.D. in Computer Science (2016-2020) at Saarland University Master’s and Bachelor’s in Computer Science at Saarland University Research visits at Stanford University (2018) and Reality Labs Research (2019) Her research emphasizes the integration of model-based techniques and machine learning components for real-time 3D hand pose estimation, occlusion handling, and hand-object interaction tracking. Key contributions include methods for single-camera reconstruction and datasets like HandSeg. Scientific Awards : Dr. Eduard Martin Award (2021) Google PhD Fellowship (2017) Günter-Hotz-Medal (2016) Bachelor Award (2015) Völklinger Abiturpreis (2012)
Harish Ravichandar is an Assistant Professor at the School of Interactive Computing , Georgia Institute of Technology, and a core faculty member of the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM) . He leads the Structured Techniques for Algorithmic Robotics (STAR) Lab , focusing on structured computational frameworks and learning algorithms with inductive biases to enhance robot efficiency, reliability, and self-sufficiency in human-robot collaboration and complex applications like dexterous manipulation and multi-agent coordination. His research bridges robot learning , human-robot interaction , and multi-agent systems , emphasizing stable, frugal, and safe skill acquisition from human demonstrations. Key themes include intention inference , trajectory optimization , and heterogeneous team coordination , often leveraging Koopman operators , hypernetworks , and graph-based methods . Scientific recognition includes the NSF CAREER Award , IEEE MRS Best Paper Award , and Georgia Tech’s College of Computing Outstanding Post-Doctoral Research Award . His work also received the ASME DSCC Best Student Paper Award and P&W Institute Graduate Fellowship . Harish’s educational background includes a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Connecticut (2018) , an M.S. from the University of Florida (2014) , and a B.E. in Instrumentation and Control Engineering from Anna University (2012) . He previously held postdoctoral and research scientist roles at Georgia Tech before his current position.
Johan Eklöf is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences . His research emphasizes marine ecology , focusing on interactions between marine biodiversity, environmental conditions (including climate), and societal impacts . He teaches courses such as Management of Aquatic Resources in the Tropics , Marine Ecology for the Biogeo Program , and Ecology II . Research Focus: Causal relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem resilience Foundation species as drivers of ecosystem services Optimizing resource management under climate change Projects: Principal Investigator for FORCE (2023-present), a transdisciplinary Baltic Sea recovery project Contributor to NordSalt (climate impacts on Nordic salt marshes) and PlantFish (Baltic Sea vegetation-fish interactions) Scientific Leadership : Supervises 2 current PhD students and co-supervises 6 additional PhD/postdocs Formerly mentored 4 PhD graduates and >40 MSc students Environmental Context: His work spans Baltic Sea and Western Indian Ocean ecosystems, using seagrass beds , mussel beds , and coastal benthic systems as primary models. Recent publications highlight climate change impacts on trophic cascades , habitat connectivity , and policy frameworks for marine conservation .
Mohammad Modarres is the Nicole J. Kim Eminent Professor at the University of Maryland within the A.J. Clark School of Engineering. He serves as Director of the Center for Risk and Reliability (CRR) and is a Professor of Nuclear Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Modarres co-founded the world's first degree-granting graduate curriculum in reliability engineering at the University of Maryland and has established himself as an international expert in reliability and risk analysis. Dr. Modarres received his educational credentials from prestigious institutions: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tehran Polytechnic M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT M.S. and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from MIT Dr. Modarres' research spans multiple critical areas in engineering risk and reliability. His primary interests include probabilistic risk assessment, uncertainty analysis, probabilistic physics of failure, and probabilistic fracture mechanics. His work encompasses both experimental investigations and sophisticated probabilistic model development. He has made significant contributions to materials degradation science, prognosis and health management systems, and nuclear safety analysis. His research bridges theoretical developments with practical applications in complex engineering systems, particularly in nuclear power and aerospace sectors. Analysis of Dr. Modarres' recent publications reveals a strong trend toward integrating advanced data science techniques with traditional reliability engineering. His work increasingly incorporates machine learning, deep learning, and entropy-based approaches to solve complex problems in prognostics and health management. There's a clear focus on multi-unit systems, particularly in nuclear power applications, and a growing emphasis on data-driven methodologies for remaining useful life estimation and failure prediction. His research maintains a strong foundation in probabilistic methods while embracing cutting-edge computational approaches. Dr. Modarres has received numerous prestigious honors and awards throughout his distinguished career: Nicole Y. Kim Eminent Professorship in Engineering Minta Martin Professorship in A.J. Clark School of Engineering University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher (2019) Tommy Thompson Award for outstanding lifetime contributions to nuclear safety (American Nuclear Society) Fellow, American Nuclear Society Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Life Fellow of IEEE 1996 Maryland Inventor of the Year Award (in Information Sciences) FDA Commissioner Special Citation for Contributions to Risk Assessment Methods (2004) 2008 International Research Leadership Award (Society for Reliability Engineering, Quality and Operations Management) Honorary Doctorate from Universidad Da Vinci de Guatemala As the founding director of the Center for Risk and Reliability, Dr. Modarres has built a world-renowned program that has awarded over 500 Ph.D. and master's degrees. His research has been supported by significant grants from government agencies and industry partners, particularly in nuclear safety, aerospace reliability, and critical infrastructure protection. He has mentored numerous students who have gone on to become leaders in reliability engineering across various industries. His center collaborates extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other international organizations on risk assessment methodologies. The Center for Risk and Reliability (CRR), which Dr. Modarres directs, serves as a hub for multidisciplinary research in risk and reliability engineering. The center has recently renovated its facilities to enhance collaboration among researchers from different engineering disciplines. CRR maintains strong partnerships with industry leaders including Amazon Lab126 (as evidenced by their collaboration on device durability research) and has been instrumental in advancing probabilistic risk assessment tools used in nuclear power plant safety analysis. The center hosts regular seminars, workshops, and international conferences, positioning itself at the forefront of risk and reliability research globally.
Prof. Dr. Ingo Scholtes is Chair of Machine Learning for Complex Networks at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg's Center for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (CAIDAS). His research spans network science, graph machine learning, and computational social science, with applications in software engineering, ecology, biology, and physics. He received a Juniorfellowship from the German Informatics Society (2014) and an SNSF Professorship (CHF 1.5Mio, 2018). Current affiliations: JMU Würzburg (since 2021), University of Zurich (2018-2024), Bergische Universität Wuppertal (2019-2021) Research focus: Higher-order network modeling, temporal graph analysis, AI for collaborative systems, causality-aware machine learning His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in temporal network analysis , graph neural networks for time-series, and higher-order models across software engineering and social science domains. He co-chairs multiple international workshops on complex networks and serves as associate editor for EPJ Data Science and Advances in Complex Systems. Key scientific contributions: Foundational work on higher-order network models published in Nature Physics Methodological innovations in temporal network visualization (HOTVis) and path-based analysis (pathpy) As both educator and organizer, he leads the Computational Social Science Section at GI e.V., mentors across disciplines, and develops tools like git2net for collaboration analysis. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in network science.
Ian Ewart is an Associate Professor at the University of Reading's School of the Built Environment, serving as Head of Construction and Engineering Management and Research Group Lead for Organisation, People and Technology. He chairs the Research Ethics Committee since 2016 and supervises undergraduate/postgraduate dissertations. His academic journey spans engineering and anthropology: DPhil Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Oxford, St Hugh's College (2007-2012) MSc Material Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, St Hugh's College (2006-2007) BA (Hons) Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College (2003-2006) Diploma in Management Studies, University of the West of England (1990-1994) BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, Staffordshire University (1983-1987) Ewart's research integrates ethnographic methods with digital technology studies, examining human-technology interactions in construction and domestic settings. His work bridges engineering practice and social anthropology, focusing on skill transmission, sustainable design, and multisensory experiences in virtual environments. Publications from 2025-2013 reveal a dominant trajectory in digital twins for socio-ecological sustainability, VR-based occupant behavior prediction, and HBIM for heritage conservation. The corpus demonstrates consistent cross-disciplinary innovation, merging archaeological reconstructions with healthcare applications while maintaining anthropological rigor. Key recognition: ESRC Future Research Leader fellowship (2013) for Designing Healthy Homes project He supervises PhD candidates like Afolabi Dania (Nigerian sustainable construction) and Joanna Hull (Heritage BIM), leveraging ESRC funding for ethnography-VR health studies. His grants emphasize participatory design and real-world impact assessment in built environments. Leaders the Organisation, People and Technology research group, developing multisensory Roman town reconstructions with sound/smell integration to advance archaeological and architectural experience modeling.
Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy is a leading figure in marketing and service science at The University of Queensland's Business School. She serves as Program Lead for Innovation Pathways (FaBA) and co-founded the Service Innovation Alliance (SIA) research hub, focusing on customer experience, AI, digital transformation, and sustainability. With Fellow status in the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy, she holds international recognition including Research.com's World's Best Business Scientists ranking and the Christopher Lovelock Career Contributions to the Services Discipline Award (2025). University of Queensland Business School Honorary Visiting Professor, Cambridge Service Alliance Research Collaborator, University of Cambridge Her research spans customer experience management, service ecosystems, digital transformation, and healthcare services. She has pioneered frameworks for customer value co-creation and service recovery strategies, integrating AI and behavioral science. Her 2019 paper on customer experience insights was implemented by a major B2B organization, while her work on value co-creation improved outcomes at Lutheran Community Care. Recent publications focus on AI impacts in food and beverage services, sustainable service ecosystems, and digital health interventions. She has secured over $89 million in competitive grants, including multiple ARC Linkage and Discovery Projects, and leads cross-disciplinary teams with institutions like Cambridge University and Arizona State University. 2024 - ARC College of Experts appointment 2023 - Bo Edvardsson Industry Impact in Services Award 2022 - Elected Fellow of Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia 2021 - Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2018 - Ranked most influential marketing academic in Australia With over 220 publications and a Google Scholar H-index of 62, she has mentored 15 PhD students and examined theses at multiple universities. Her teaching spans 30+ years across undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive programs in Australia, USA, Italy, China, and Korea, with awards for blended learning and corporate education.
Nathaniel D. Daw serves as the Huo Professor in Computational and Theoretical Neuroscience and Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at Princeton University, based at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. His research integrates computational modeling with experimental neuroscience to investigate fundamental mechanisms of learning and decision-making. Daw's research focuses on computational and theoretical neuroscience, specializing in reinforcement learning, memory systems, and decision-making processes. He examines how neural circuits represent value, update beliefs through experience, and balance model-based versus model-free control strategies. His work frequently bridges theoretical frameworks with behavioral and neural data to explain phenomena ranging from habitual behavior to flexible cognitive control. Analysis of his 2025 publications reveals dominant themes in neural replay mechanisms, individual differences in learning trajectories, and clinical applications to eating disorders. His work increasingly incorporates large language models for psychological assessment while maintaining core focus on interpretable cognitive architectures and hierarchical planning. Daw maintains active research operations through the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, an interdisciplinary hub fostering collaboration between computational modelers, neuroscientists, and psychologists to advance understanding of neural mechanisms underlying cognition.
Marcella Lusardi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Princeton Materials Institute at Princeton University, leading interdisciplinary research at the intersection of materials synthesis, catalysis, and sustainability. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT (2018) B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University (2012) Dr. Lusardi's research focuses on designing advanced catalytic materials for environmental challenges, with core expertise in surface science, light-matter interactions, and complex materials processing. Her group develops natural and engineered materials for energy and sustainability applications, emphasizing CO 2 capture/reduction, pollution abatement, and photocatalysis through molecular-level catalyst design. The MatCat Lab integrates experimental techniques like NMR spectroscopy with computational guidance to create scalable solutions for closed carbon cycles and greener chemical processes. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2019-2025) reveals a dominant focus on zeolite-based catalysis for CO 2 conversion and carbonylation reactions, with growing emphasis on supramolecular assemblies and water-tolerant acid catalysts. Her work consistently bridges fundamental material properties with practical sustainability applications, showing progression toward integrated systems for direct air capture and light-mediated reactions. The MatCat Lab employs a highly interdisciplinary approach centered on defect engineering in silica matrices and molecular recognition for supramolecular networks. Current projects target tailored reaction environments for CO 2 reduction and microplastic oxidation, utilizing advanced synthesis methods and structural elucidation to develop practical catalytic technologies for a sustainable future.
J.D. Jansen is a full Professor at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the School of Civil Engineering & Geosciences, specializing in the Reservoir Engineering department. His research focuses on systems and control theory applied to subsurface flow mechanics, with applications in oil and gas production, geothermal energy, and induced seismicity. He actively contributes to academic networks through editorial roles, keynote presentations, and international collaborations. Active in computational geosciences (modeling, simulation, data analysis) Member of the Dutch Mining Council since 2016 Recipient of two Society of Petroleum Engineers awards in 2018 His work emphasizes optimization of subsurface processes, numerical modeling of porous materials, and seismicity mitigation. Recent publications highlight fault slip mechanics, benchmarking simulations, and stress pattern analysis in geothermal systems. Collaborations span geomechanics, reservoir engineering, and data assimilation domains. Scientific awards include: Distinguished Membership of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (2018) SPE Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty (2018) He leads research initiatives in induced seismicity, particularly in the Groningen Field, and contributes to model-based production optimization. Media engagements since 2020 demonstrate public outreach in energy transition topics.
Joseph A. Campbell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Purdue University, leading the Collaborative AI for Machines and People (CAMP) Lab. He holds a Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Computer Science and Computer Engineering from Arizona State University. Before academia, he worked as a software engineer for five years. Prior to Purdue, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute. His research focuses on explainable machine learning and robotics, particularly how agents use explanations for self-improvement and decision-making. Key areas include theory of mind in multi-agent systems, lifelong learning, and interpretable transfer learning. His work bridges robotics and AI, with applications in human-robot interaction and prosthetic control. Notable publications include advancements in reinforcement learning with language models, multi-agent collaboration frameworks, and methods for enhancing state estimation in robots. His research has been presented at top conferences like NeurIPS, EMNLP, and CoRL. Dr. Campbell maintains an active GitHub profile (joe-campbell) with repositories such as Interaction Primitives for robotics applications. His lab, CAMP, explores AI systems that collaborate effectively with humans and other machines.
Bruno Felisberto Martins Ribeiro is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Purdue University, joining the department in Fall 2015. His research focuses on endowing machine learning algorithms with robust invariant representations for relational and temporal data, emphasizing causal and associational tasks. Key research areas include Networking and Operating Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2010). Education: Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2010 Research Interests: Explores invariances in mathematics and machine learning to improve model robustness. Key topics include graph and tensor invariances, causal relationships, adversarial robustness, and applications in recommendation systems, robotics, and drug discovery. His lab’s work has advanced counterfactual task frameworks and causal reasoning in machine learning. Recent Contributions: Recent publications address zero-shot generalization in graph neural networks, causal discovery methods, and defenses against adversarial attacks. His work spans conferences like ICML, NeurIPS, and SIGCOMM. Awards: Best Paper Award at ACM CODASPY 2021 Best Paper Award at SIGMETRICS 2016 Best Paper Award at IEEE NetSciCom 2014 Advising & Students: Supervises current PhD students Beatrice Bevilacqua, Jincheng Zhou, and Yucheng Zhang, along with MSc student Ipsit Mantri. Notable former students include S Chandra Mouli (Meta), Yangze Zhou (Spotify), and Jianfei Gao (Vector Institute). Labs & Teams: Leads research in invariant representations and causal ML, collaborating with institutions like Stanford during his sabbatical. His work bridges theory and practice, impacting areas like network analysis and AI-driven healthcare.
Professor Patricia H. Reiff is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University and Associate Director for Outreach Programs at the Rice Space Institute. Her research focuses on space plasma physics, magnetospheric dynamics, auroras, and space weather. She has led missions like the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and contributed to the Dynamics Explorer, Polar, and Cluster missions. Reiff has pioneered public education initiatives, including the Discovery Dome portable planetarium system and the 'Totality!' planetarium show, reaching global audiences. She has trained fourteen PhD students and directs the Master of Science Teaching (MST) program, which has produced 36 teacher alumni as of 2024. Education: B.S. Physics (Oklahoma State University, 1971), M.S. Space Science (Rice University, 1974), and Ph.D. Space Physics and Astronomy (Rice University, 1975). Her research uses data from missions like MMS and citizen science projects like Citizen CATE to study magnetic reconnection and space weather effects. Key research interests include solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions, magnetospheric reconnection, and the societal impacts of space weather. She has authored over 160 refereed publications and holds an H-index of 40. Reiff’s awards include AGU Fellow (1997), the Athelstan Spilhaus Award (2009), and NASA Group Achievement Awards. She is a vocal advocate for STEM education, frequently appearing in media to discuss eclipses and space science, including her role as a solar eclipse tour guide and science commentator.
Hiroyuki Iseki is Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at University of Maryland's School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and Research Affiliate with the National Center for Smart Growth. His work examines interactions between transportation, land use, equity, and environmental sustainability. Research focuses on: Transit-oriented development impacts on firm location Equity in public transit finance Climate policy implementation in urban planning Active transportation infrastructure analysis Recent publications analyze post-pandemic transit demand shifts, campus multimodal conflicts, and bicycle accessibility modeling. Methodological strengths include spatial econometrics, GIS analysis, and longitudinal data approaches. Work increasingly addresses climate adaptation in transportation planning and EV charging grid impacts. Research contributes to urban policy through WMATA collaborations and Japanese municipal climate planning studies. Current PhD program directorship advances urban planning analytics training.
Professor Phil Clark is a Professor of International Politics at SOAS University of London, specializing in conflict and post-conflict issues with a focus on transitional justice, peacebuilding, and reconciliation after mass atrocity in Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. He holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Bachelor of International Studies from Flinders University. His research focuses on international, national, and community-based responses to mass violence in Central Africa, particularly examining the gacaca community courts in post-genocide Rwanda and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Professor Clark has advised multiple governments (Danish, Sudanese, Swedish, Ugandan, and UK), international organizations (ICC, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), and NGOs (Human Rights Watch, Crisis Group) on conflict issues in Africa. Professor Clark's work spans several key areas including the History, Politics and Law of the African Great Lakes; Transitional Justice Theory and Practice; the Politics of Violence; Community-Based and Customary Law; Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation; the Politics of International Criminal Justice; Peacebuilding, Security and Post-Conflict Reconstruction; and Moral and Political Philosophy. His approach often combines theoretical analysis with practical fieldwork in post-conflict societies. His publications reveal a consistent focus on the tension between international legal frameworks and local justice mechanisms, particularly examining how post-genocide societies navigate complex reconciliation processes. Over time, his work has evolved from documenting specific cases (like the gacaca courts) to analyzing broader patterns of transitional justice and international criminal law across the African continent. Shortlisted for the Raphael Lemkin Award for best book on genocide and mass violence (for "Distant Justice: The Impact of the International Criminal Court on African Politics") Regular contributor to major media outlets including The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Washington Post, The Guardian, and BBC Frequent media commentator on international news networks including BBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, CNN, and Deutsche Welle Professor Clark has supervised multiple PhD students working on topics related to conflict analysis, women's access to transitional justice, China-Africa relations, and conflict transformation. His current research includes "Intergenerational Justice in Eastern Africa" and "Reframing Justice after Atrocity," which examines justice interactions beyond the linear international-to-national transmission of norms and practices. He has led significant research projects, including serving as technical advisor and co-author of a 2007 UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights project surveying popular perceptions of transitional justice and peacebuilding in northern Uganda. His ongoing work continues to shape academic and policy discussions about justice mechanisms in post-conflict societies.
