Dr. Chen Wang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University at Buffalo. He holds a PhD from Nanyang Technological University and a B.Eng from the Beijing Institute of Technology. His research focuses on robotic perception, vision, and learning, emphasizing algorithm development for autonomous systems. He is affiliated with the Spatial AI and Robotics Lab (SAIR Lab) and serves as an Associate Editor for The International Journal of Robotics Research (IJRR) and IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) . His work spans neuro-symbolic AI, SLAM systems, and reinforcement learning for robotics. Dr. Wang's research interests include creating efficient algorithms with theoretical guarantees, open-source distribution, and real-world validation. He has contributed to areas like visual navigation, few-shot detection, and robot autonomy frameworks. His educational background in electrical engineering and robotics underscores his expertise in bridging theory and practical applications. Notable contributions include the iWalker framework for humanoid robots, AirSLAM for visual SLAM, and SuperPC for 3D point cloud processing. His editorial roles and conference service (e.g., CVPR Area Chair) reflect his leadership in the field. The SAIR Lab under his direction advances spatial AI, robotics, and autonomous systems through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Univ.-Prof. Martin Pinzger is a Professor at the Department of Informatics Systems, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt. He serves as Head of Department and Member of the Senate, actively contributing to academic governance. Research Focus: Automating Software Engineering Tasks, Mining Software Repositories, Program Analysis, Software Evolution and Visualization Recent Work: Developing tools for API evolution analysis, cybersecurity AI (CAI), robotics benchmarking (RobotPerf), and dependency validation His research combines empirical studies with tool development for software maintenance and security. Current projects address challenges in REST API breaking changes, cloud security certifications, and robotic system performance evaluation. Publications since 2023 demonstrate continued engagement with topics spanning AI-driven code segmentation, microservice API evolution, and cybersecurity tool development. Key trends include cross-disciplinary applications of NLP to software engineering and security-focused tool creation. Contact: martin.pinzger@aau.at
Matthias Stürmer is a Professor at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and Head of the Institute for Public Sector Transformation (90%) while also serving as Head of the Digital Sustainability Research Center at the University of Bern's Institute of Computer Science (10%). His roles include teaching, research, and consulting on digitalization topics such as digital sustainability, open source software, AI, NLP, open data, and public procurement. He earned a Dr. sc. ETH Zurich in 2009 and habilitation in 2020. His career includes senior roles at EY and Liip AG, and he holds leadership positions in organizations like CH Open and the Parliamentary Group for Digital Sustainability. **Education**: PhD (ETH Zurich, 2009), Licentiate in Business Administration (University of Bern, 2005). Studies included computer science and business administration, with an Erasmus semester at the University of Oviedo (Spain). **Research Interests**: Focus on digital sustainability, digital sovereignty, AI ethics, open source governance, smart cities, and public procurement strategies. His work bridges technical innovation with public sector challenges, emphasizing long-term societal benefits over short-term vendor dependencies. **Publications**: Over 38 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including foundational work on digital sustainability frameworks, open government data impact analysis, and collaborative innovation models. Recent focus areas include data colonialism risks and sustainable environmental data management. **Awards**: While no explicit awards listed, his leadership roles and prolific publications highlight recognition in academic and policy circles. **Advising & Grants**: Advises on public sector digitalization policies, contributes to Swiss federal IT strategies, and leads research projects funded by organizations like the University of Bern. Active in shaping Open Source adoption policies for public institutions. **Labs/Teams**: Directs the Research Center for Digital Sustainability at the University of Bern, collaborating with industry and government partners on projects like the Open Data Impact Framework and Open Finance initiatives.
Laila Shereen Sakr is an Assistant Professor of Film & Media Studies and Faculty Affiliate in Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She co-founded Wireframe, a digital media studio focusing on critical game design, data visualization, VR/AR, and digital activism. Her research explores algorithmic culture, media theory/practice, and feminist Middle East studies through creative coding, data visualization, and immersive worldbuilding. Key projects include the VJ Um Amel data-body and R-Shief software system. Education: PhD in Media Arts + Practice (USC), M.F.A. in Digital Arts (UC Santa Cruz), M.A. in Arab Studies (Georgetown). Research interests span technocultural intersections, digital humanities, and global human rights. Her work examines social media's role in shaping virtual political identities and has been exhibited globally (e.g., SF MoMA, Jordan National Gallery of Art). She co-edits Media Theory and After Video , and collaborates with MIT's Global Media Technologies & Cultures Lab. Publications analyze Arab Spring media dynamics, digital dissidence in MENA, and feminist digital praxis. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal , Science , and The Guardian . Her creative research bridges art and activism, emphasizing open-source Arabic localization. Current projects explore the ethical implications of data-driven narratives in post-revolutionary contexts.
Professor Akram Hourani is a Discipline Leader and Professor in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at RMIT University's School of Engineering. He holds roles as Program Manager for the Master of Engineering (Telecom & Network Eng.) and Deputy Director of the Centre for Opto-electronic Materials and Sensors (COMAS). Prior to academia, he was an ICT Program Manager in the telecommunications industry, leading projects in satellite and telecommunications infrastructure. His research focuses on advanced signal processing, satellite communications, radar systems (including SAR), neuromorphic hardware, and IoT. He has secured grants from ARC, CRC, government departments, and DSTG, with over 130 publications. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities), and 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Education: PhD in Electronics & Telecommunications (2016, RMIT University) Non-academic roles: R&D Engineering Program Manager at Inteltec Emirates (2006–2013) Key research themes include interference mitigation, 5G/6G networks, neuromorphic sensing, and AI-driven satellite IoT. He is listed in Stanford's top 2% scientists for career-long and single-year impact. His teaching includes courses on satellite communications and wireless sensor networks. Grants & Funding: ARC, CRC, DSTG, and government-funded projects since 2017 Collaborations: CSIRO, industry partners in telecommunications and aerospace His lab focuses on next-generation communication systems, with active projects in mega satellite networks, neuromorphic hardware, and AI for IoT sensing. He supervises PhD/Masters research in areas like satellite connectivity and machine learning applications.
Fotios Petropoulos is a Professor at the University of Bath, holding the Management Chair in Management Science within the School of Management's Information, Decisions & Operations department. He also served as the Spyros Makridakis Chair in Forecasting at the University of Nicosia (2023–2023). His research focuses on time series forecasting, judgmental approaches, and integrating statistical and human judgment in decision-making processes. He has contributed to improving forecasting accuracy through temporal aggregation and hierarchical methods. Petropoulos holds a Doctor of Engineering (2012) and Bachelor of Engineering (2007) from the National Technical University of Athens. Editor of the International Journal of Forecasting (2020–present) Associate Editor of Foresight: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting (2015–2022) Director of the International Institute of Forecasters (2016–2018) His research interests emphasize forecasting processes, model selection, and the role of judgment in statistical models. Key areas include temporal aggregation, forecast reconciliation, and behavioral operations analytics. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, focusing on topics like computational cost optimization, probabilistic forecasting, and scalable reconciliation methods. His work contributes to Sustainable Development Goals related to education and innovation. Recent articles highlight advancements in univariate forecasting efficiency, forecast selection criteria, and dynamic reconciliation. Petropoulos is a member of the Smart Warehousing and Logistics Systems group and actively participates in editorial boards of leading forecasting journals. His academic and professional roles bridge theoretical research and practical applications in operational decision-making.
Dr. Dimitrios Koutsonikolas is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Northeastern University, leading the WiNS Lab. Previously, he held a tenured position at the University at Buffalo. His research focuses on experimental wireless networking and mobile computing, particularly millimeter-wave systems, 5G/6G networks, energy-efficient protocols, and high-bandwidth applications like VR/AR. He has published over 80 papers in top venues (e.g., MobiCom, INFOCOM), received NSF CAREER and IEEE awards, and led major grants including an NSF-funded $3M project for an open 5G/6G testbed. His lab explores cutting-edge technologies like O-RAN, beam management, and edge computing for latency-critical applications. Education: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University (2010). Research Interests: Experimental validation of wireless protocols, mmWave networking, latency-optimized edge computing, and cross-layer design. Current projects include TARGET (5G/6G latency solutions) and the X5G testbed for open spectrum utilization. Recent Trends in Articles: Focus on 5G deployment maturity, mmWave beam management, and 6G-ready technologies like autonomous space networks. Work bridges theoretical contributions with practical implementations, leveraging testbeds for real-world validation. Awards: Notable honors include IEEE Region 1 Innovation (2019), NSF CAREER (2016), and multiple best paper awards at MobiCom, WCNC, and Globecom. Recognized for both research and teaching excellence. Grants & Labs: Principal investigator on NSF grants ($3M+), leading collaborations with IMDEA Networks and industry partners. WiNS Lab develops open-source tools for 5G testing and explores sub-THz channels. Advises over 15 students, many advancing to top tech firms (e.g., Apple, HP Labs).
Paul Fischer is a Professor at the University of Illinois, holding dual appointments in the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science and the Mechanical Science and Engineering department. His research focuses on advanced numerical methods for fluid dynamics, particularly leveraging spectral element techniques and high-performance computing. He is a core contributor to the Nek5000/NekRS computational frameworks. Recent work emphasizes turbulence modeling, exascale CFD simulations, and multiphase flow dynamics in complex systems like pebble bed reactors. His research interests span spectral methods, large eddy simulation (LES), direct numerical simulation (DNS), and parallel computing architectures. Key projects include developing scalable algorithms for Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models and exploring non-conforming domain decomposition approaches for reacting flows. His contributions bridge computational methodology and engineering applications, with a focus on exascale-ready solutions. Publications from 2024-2025 highlight advancements in energy-efficient CFD simulations, turbulence transition mechanisms in granular media, and reduced order modeling for turbulent flows. Collaborations involve cross-disciplinary teams focusing on combustion, fluid-structure interaction, and high-fidelity flow analysis. He maintains active involvement in computational fluid dynamics communities and contributes to open-source software tools critical for industrial and academic research. Current efforts prioritize scalability, accuracy, and adaptability in numerical methods for next-generation supercomputing platforms.
Maarten de Rijke is a Professor at the University of Amsterdam's Informatics Institute, leading the Information Retrieval Lab (IRLab). He specializes in information retrieval, machine learning, and recommendation systems, focusing on neural ranking models, fairness, and conversational search. His work bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in reproducibility, robustness, and ethical AI. He supervises numerous PhD students and postdocs, including recent defenses by Barrie Kersbergen, Antonis Krasakis, and Vera Provatorova. His lab collaborates internationally, organizing events like SIGIR workshops and the Search Engines Amsterdam (SEA) meetup. Key awards include the Best Reproducibility Paper Award (2025) and Best Paper at WSDM 2021. Research interests span generative retrieval, adversarial robustness, and fairness in ranking. Notable projects include the FULTR dataset, FairDiverse toolkit, and studies on empathetic conversational systems. He actively promotes open science through reproducible methodologies and community-driven benchmarks.
Philip Cardiff is a Professor in Computational Mechanics at the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University College Dublin. He holds a BE (2008) and PhD (2012) in Mechanical Engineering from UCD. His research focuses on computational mechanics, machine learning, and their integration, with expertise in finite volume methods, fluid-solid interaction, and biomechanics. He leads the Bekaert University Technology Centre and contributes to editorial roles in the Journal of Open Source Software and OpenFOAM Journal . Cardiff has secured grants from ERC, I-Form, and the UCD Energy Institute, addressing challenges in offshore energy, advanced manufacturing, and cardiac xenotransplantation. Education: BE in Mechanical Engineering, University College Dublin (2008) PhD in Development of the Finite Volume Method for Hip Joint Analysis, University College Dublin (2012) Professional Diploma in University Teaching & Learning, University College Dublin Research Interests: Computational mechanics, finite volume methods, and machine learning integration Fluid-solid interaction, biomechanics, and materials science Applications in additive manufacturing, energy systems, and biomedical engineering Grants & Awards: ERC Consolidator Grant (2020–2025) Funded Investigator in I-Form and UCD Energy Institute Principal Investigator in UCD Centre for Biomedical Engineering Teaching & Leadership: Programme Director for MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering (2018–2023) Coordinates modules in computational mechanics and advanced materials processing Advocates constructivist teaching approaches with active learning strategies Labs & Collaborations: UCD Centre for Mechanics Bekaert University Technology Centre MaREI and I-Form Research Centres
Eileen Martin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geophysics and Applied Math and Statistics at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research focuses on near-surface geophysics, environmental monitoring, and the application of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology. She leads projects involving fiber-optic sensing for permafrost degradation, urban seismic monitoring, and mining safety. Martin has developed open-source tools like DASCore and contributes to scalable computational methods for geophysical data analysis. Education: PhD (2018) in Computational and Mathematical Engineering from Stanford University; MS (2017) in Geophysics from Stanford; BS (2012) in Mathematics and Physics from UT Austin. Research interests include fiber-optic sensing systems, seismic imaging, data-intensive computing, and applications in environmental science. Her work bridges geophysics with computational methods, emphasizing real-world deployment in challenging environments like arctic permafrost sites and underground mines. Her recent work explores DAS for glacier monitoring, mine seismicity detection, and urban infrastructure assessment. Collaborative projects include Arctic permafrost monitoring and developing public datasets for geoscience research (PubDAS repository). Grants and lab activities include NSF CAREER funding for scalable computational seismology and partnerships with industry on fiber-optic monitoring solutions.
Professor Saman Amarasinghe is a full Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Principal Investigator at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). He leads the Commit compiler research group, which focuses on programming languages and compilers that maximize application performance on modern computing platforms. His work spans multiple academic departments and research centers, with strong affiliations to both MIT's School of Engineering and CSAIL. Professor Amarasinghe's research interests center around high-performance domain-specific languages and compiler technology . His work combines language design with sophisticated compilation techniques to deliver unprecedented performance for targeted application domains. His research spans multiple areas including image processing (Halide), sparse tensor algebra (TACO), graph analytics (GraphIt), stream computations (StreamIt), and bioinformatics (Seq). A significant thread throughout his work is the application of machine learning for compiler optimizations, from Meta optimization in 2003 to the OpenTuner autotuner framework. Analysis of Professor Amarasinghe's recent publications reveals a strong focus on sparse computing , compiler vectorization , and domain-specific language implementation . His work consistently bridges theoretical compiler concepts with practical performance gains across diverse application domains. The progression from earlier work on StreamIt and Halide to more recent projects like GraphIt and TACO shows an evolution toward more specialized, high-performance DSLs targeting specific computational patterns. His 2020-2025 publications particularly emphasize sparse tensor operations, GPU acceleration, and machine learning integration with compiler technology. ACM Fellow (2019) Professor Amarasinghe has made significant contributions to academic entrepreneurship and student development. He founded Determina, Inc. (acquired by VMware) based on security research from his MIT lab and co-founded Lanka Internet Services, Ltd., Sri Lanka's first ISP. As faculty director of MIT Global Startup Labs, his programs across 17 countries have helped create over 20 successful startups. His teaching includes the popular Performance Engineering of Software Systems (6.172) course with Professor Charles Leiserson, as well as innovative project-based courses like the Open Source Software Project Lab and Bring Your Own Software Project Lab. His educational approach emphasizes hands-on experience with compiler and language design concepts. Professor Amarasinghe leads the Commit compiler research group at MIT CSAIL, which has produced numerous influential domain-specific languages and compilers including Halide, TACO, Simit, StreamIt, and GraphIt. The lab maintains strong industry connections through projects like OpenTuner and Determina, and collaborates with researchers worldwide on compiler technology. The group's work spans both theoretical compiler research and practical implementation, with a consistent focus on bridging the performance gap between high-level programming abstractions and hardware capabilities.
Srinivas Narayana is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University, specializing in programmable networking, formal verification, and systems research. He holds a PhD from Princeton University and a B.Tech from IIT Madras, with postdoctoral work at MIT. His research focuses on building safe, high-performance networks through optimizing compilers, verified programming, and distributed system monitoring. He has received NSF grants, the CGO 2022 Distinguished Paper Award, and the 2017 SIGCOMM Best Paper Award. Education: PhD and MA in Computer Science, Princeton University (2016) B.Tech in Computer Science, IIT Madras (2010) Postdoctoral Research, MIT (2018) Research Interests: His work bridges networking and systems with a focus on compilers, formal methods, and programmable hardware. Notable projects include K2 compiler for eBPF, the eBPF verifier soundness work, and congestion control mechanisms like CCP. He explores parallel packet processing, privacy-preserving analytics, and load balancing strategies. Grants & Awards: NSF Awards #2422076, #1910796, #2019302 eBPF Foundation Grant Facebook Networking Research Award Network Programming Initiative (NPI) Funding Lab & Teams: Leads the NetSys group at Rutgers, collaborating with teams on projects like the eBPF verifier, verified packet processing, and network monitoring tools like Marple. His lab emphasizes open-source contributions and industry collaboration.
Alberto Santini is an Associate Professor of Operational Research and a Ramon y Cajal fellow at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain. He is also an affiliate professor at the Barcelona Graduate School of Mathematics and the Data Science Centre at the Barcelona School of Economics. During 2025-2027, he coordinates the Transportation group of the Spanish O.R. Society. His research focuses on optimization methods applied to transportation, logistics, and sustainability, including scheduling, vehicle routing, and heuristic algorithms. He has contributed to solving complex problems like last-mile delivery integration with public transport, airline flight scheduling, and energy-efficient vertical farming. His work often employs advanced techniques like column generation and decomposition strategies. Notable contributions include decomposition strategies for vehicle routing heuristics and the application of metaheuristics such as Adaptive Large Neighbourhood Search (ALNS). He is the founder of EUROYoung and AIROYoung, youth branches within prominent operational research societies. His GitHub repositories, such as cvrp-decomposition , provide open-source implementations of his algorithms. Santini’s research addresses real-world challenges like epidemic resource allocation and sustainable logistics, reflecting his commitment to both theoretical and applied operational research. Awards: Ramon y Cajal Fellow Labs/Teams: Leads Transportation group (Spanish O.R. Society), Founded EUROYoung/AIROYoung.
Luca Sterpone is a Full Professor at the Department of Control and Computer Science (DAUIN), Politecnico di Torino. He serves as Head of the Control and Computer Engineering Department (2023-2027), coordinates the Aerospace and Safety Computing Lab, and is a member of the Academic Senate and Power Electronics Innovation Center (PEIC). His research spans reconfigurable computing, fault tolerance, and radiation effects analysis in electronic systems. Professor since 2021 Department Head (DAUIN) since 2023 Coordinates international collaborations with ESA, AMD Xilinx, NVIDIA, and Thales Alenia Space Develops radiation-hardened FPGA tools (SETA, VERI-Place, PyXEL) 2007 EDAA Outstanding Dissertation Award and 2005 IEEE Best Paper Award Research Focus : Designing radiation-tolerant systems for aerospace, including fault-tolerant AI accelerators, FPGA reliability, and software-based error mitigation. He investigates soft error propagation in nanoscale circuits and develops tools for radiation sensitivity analysis in VLSI. His work integrates hardware-software co-design for mission-critical applications. Awards : EDAA Outstanding Dissertation Award (2007) IEEE European Test Symposium Best Paper (2005) SMACD Best EDA Tool Award (2018) ARC Best Paper candidate (2018) Teaching : He leads courses in Reconfigurable Computing (PhD level), GPU Programming , and Operating Systems . He has formal responsibility for teaching roles across 9 bachelor's and 7 master's years, and mentors multiple PhD students. Collaborations : Coordinates with the European Space Agency (ESA), University of Bielefeld, Universidad de Sevilla, and industrial partners like AMD Xilinx, NVIDIA, and General Motors. He leads projects such as RESCHIP4EU, VEGAS, and TERRAC for radiation-hardened computing solutions.
