Christian Kowalkowski is Assistant Professor of Marketing at Hanken School of Economics, affiliated with the Centre for Relationship Marketing and Service Management (CERS) in Helsinki. He obtained his PhD in 2008 from Linköping University and holds adjunct professorships in Industrial Marketing and Service Management. His research focuses on service infusion in product firms, relationship dynamics in B2B contexts, service innovation frameworks, solutions marketing strategies, and value-creation methodologies. His work bridges theoretical concepts with practical business applications. Kowalkowski's publications primarily explore the evolution of service-oriented business models, technological impacts on service operations, and pricing strategy development. His research demonstrates consistent focus on service ecosystem development and organizational transformation. Awards recognizing his scholarly contributions include: The Service Industries Journal Best Paper Award (2014) Emerald Citations of Excellence (2015) Literati Network Award for Excellence (2012) Månadens forskare (Researcher of the Month, 2011) He serves in editorial roles for multiple journals including Journal of Services Marketing and Industrial Marketing Management , and participates in PhD supervision and examination committees.
Gene Cooperman is a Professor at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, with an affiliation in the College of Engineering. His research focuses on high-performance computing (HPC), transparent checkpoint-restart systems, and model checking. He leads the High Performance Computing Laboratory, where he explores checkpointing technologies like DMTCP, MANA for MPI, and CRAC for CUDA, aiming to enhance HPC workflows on supercomputers such as NERSC's Perlmutter. His work bridges distributed computing, parallel algorithms, and system software to address challenges in fault tolerance, scalability, and resource management. Cooperman has advised 10 PhD students and co-authored over 125 refereed publications, contributing to projects like Geant4-MultiThreaded and Roomy for disk-based computation. His teaching includes courses on computer systems and HPC seminars. Education: Background in computational algebra and parallel computing, transitioning to HPC systems and checkpointing. Research Themes: Transparent checkpointing, MPI agnostic solutions, CUDA integration, and HPC resource optimization. Recent articles emphasize MPI checkpointing, reversible debugging (FReD), and CUDA support, reflecting trends in distributed and GPU-accelerated systems. His grants include NSF, NERSC/DOE, and MemVerge funding. Cooperman collaborates with institutions like CERN and NERSC, advancing applications in particle physics simulations and supercomputing. Current students include Aayushi Gautam, Jiajun Cao, Rohan Garg, and Twinkle Jain.
Liangzhong Yao is a Professor and Director of the Smart Grid Research Institute at Wuhan University, China. He holds dual roles as Fellow of IEEE and IET, and has served in leadership positions such as Vice President of China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI) and Chair of IEC TC122. His expertise spans renewable energy grid integration, HVDC systems, smart grid technologies, and energy storage. Yao has led over 25 years of R&D projects with combined funding exceeding GBP 20 million and RMB 90 million, resulting in applied technologies in wind farms and HVDC grids. He has been awarded over 10 national and international accolades, including the IEC 1906 Standard Award and China Science and Technology Innovation Awards. Research focuses include AC-DC hybrid systems, distributed energy resource integration, and high-renewable energy grid operation. He has authored/co-authored 350+ publications, 60+ patents, and 4 books. Yao currently supervises 8 PhD and 10 Master's students, and serves on editorial boards of journals like CSEE Journal of Power Energy & Systems. His leadership roles in global standards bodies like IEC and CIGRE further highlight his contributions to advancing electrical engineering standards and practices.
Dr. Artin Backtash-Rad is a Senior Lecturer in Global Strategy & International Business at the Surrey Business School, University of Surrey, where he also serves as the Director of the MSc International Business Management programme. He holds a PhD in Global Strategic Management from Royal Holloway, University of London, an MBA in International Management from Carleton University, Canada, and a BSc in Industrial Management from the University of Tehran, Iran. He has held academic positions at University College London, Royal Holloway, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and the University of South Wales. BSc in Industrial Management, University of Tehran, Iran MBA in International Management, Carleton University, Canada PhD in Global Strategic Management, Royal Holloway, University of London Artin's research focuses on Global Strategic Management, with a particular emphasis on strategy implementation. His doctoral research involved a large-scale comparative study across 20 sectors in 20 countries, resulting in a comprehensive model for corporate-level strategy execution. His work integrates resource-based, industry, and institutional perspectives to develop a holistic theory of strategy implementation. He has conducted extensive research on barriers to implementation, supply chain strategies, manufacturing strategies, and transcontinental investments. His recent publications reflect a strong trend in developing taxonomies and theoretical models in strategic management, particularly in international and cross-sectoral contexts. He frequently presents at top-tier conferences such as the Academy of International Business (AIB), British Academy of Management (BAM), and Euro-Asia Management Studies Association (EAMSA), with recent work focusing on organizational culture transfer, research populations, and Europeanization of strategy. Artin is actively involved in academic service and leadership: Director of MSc International Business Management Member of the Doctoral Programmes Review Committee Personal Tutor for 22 students Work Placement Programme Tutor He supervises postgraduate research, currently guiding two PhD students, and has previously supervised numerous master’s and MBA dissertations across multiple institutions. His teaching spans strategic management, international business, entrepreneurship, research methodology, and operations management at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Artin is affiliated with leading academic organizations: Academy of International Business British Academy of Management Euro-Asia Management Studies Association
Eileen A. Lacey is the Class of 1933 Chair in Biological Sciences and Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. She leads the Lacey Lab based at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, focusing on vertebrate social behavior and population biology. Her research emphasizes evolutionary causes and consequences of social behavior in mammals, particularly subterranean rodents from Argentina and Chile. She combines field studies with genetic analyses to explore ecological drivers of sociality and genetic impacts of social living. Educational background: Not explicitly stated in text but inferred as PhD in Zoology/Behavioral Ecology from a top-tier university. Current lab members include PhD students Shannon O'Brien, Kwasi Wrensford, Erin Person, and Daisy Horr. Recent projects involve neuroendocrine mechanisms of dispersal in tuco-tucos and gut microbiome studies in social rodents. Research interests include evolutionary social behavior, behavioral ecology, molecular genetics, and conservation genetics. She maintains a captive colony of colonial tuco-tucos and collaborates with the MVZ's Evolutionary Genetics Laboratory. The lab actively promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM through anti-racist initiatives and educational outreach programs. Scientific achievements include groundbreaking work on MHC diversity in social rodents and ecological drivers of group living. Recent recognition includes NSF postdoctoral fellowships for lab members and awards like the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship. The lab's work has been featured in journals like Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology , Hormones and Behavior , and Journal of Mammalogy . Lab operations emphasize fieldwork in Argentina, California, and other global sites with captive colony studies. Future projects include investigating reproductive isolation mechanisms in California voles and the mechanistic underpinnings of social behavior in hyenas and ground squirrels.
Professor Alistair Brandon-Jones (PhD, PGDip, BSc Hons) is a Full Chaired Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the University of Bath's School of Management since 2014. He serves as Head of the Information, Decisions and Operations Division (2020–present) and holds Visiting Professor roles at Hult International Business School and Danish Technical University. His career spans academic leadership positions at Manchester Business School, Bath, and Warwick Business School, where he completed his PhD. Research Interests : Digitalisation of operations and supply chains, professional service operations, healthcare operations, and cybersecurity in AI systems. His work combines empirical methods with cross-sector collaborations, supported by UKRI, ESRC, EPSRC, and the Welsh Assembly Government. Key themes include telehealth integration , responsible AI deployment , and value-based procurement . Teaching & Consulting : He teaches Operations Management, Supply Chain, and Project Management across executive, MBA, and undergraduate levels, with consulting experience for Maersk, NHS, and Qatar Leadership Centre. His textbooks like Operations Management (10th ed., 2022) are globally cited. Scientific Awards : Times Higher Education Teaching Excellence Prize Association of MBAs (AMBA) Award Production Operations Management Society (POMS) Recognition Hult International Business School Teaching Prize Supervision & Projects : Currently supervising doctoral students in digital transformation, he leads two major projects: ESRC Digital Security by Design Social Science Hub (2020–2025) and Welsh Government Healthcare Integration (2009–2009). His research aligns with UN SDG 12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production) through supply chain innovations.
Pelin Bolat is an Associate Professor in the Department of Fundamental Sciences at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), College of Maritime Studies. She is actively engaged in maritime cybersecurity, risk assessment, and maritime safety research. Her work is supported by multiple BAP and EU-funded projects, with ongoing research extending into 2025. Her research interests include cybersecurity in maritime navigation systems, dynamic positioning, port state control, and GHG emissions in the maritime sector. She applies advanced methodologies such as fuzzy FUCOM, CORAS framework, and association rule mining to analyze cyber and operational risks. Her recent publications (2023–2025) reflect a strong trend in maritime cybersecurity, focusing on ECDIS, RADAR, ransomware, and cyber hygiene. These works span high-impact journals in maritime engineering and technology, demonstrating interdisciplinary engagement with computer science, safety engineering, and policy analysis. She serves as a principal investigator on several key projects, including cyber risk assessment of bridge navigation equipment and system dynamic modeling of maritime GHG emission measures. She also mentors 15 theses in progress, indicating her active role in student supervision. Her collaborative network includes researchers like Gökhan Kayişoğlu and international partners. While no formal awards are listed, her leadership in EU and BAP projects underscores her academic prominence.
Berat Z. Haznedaroğlu is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Istanbul, where he has been serving since 2014. He previously held an Assistant Professor position at the Department of Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, New York (2012–2014), and completed postdoctoral training at Yale University. His research is highly interdisciplinary, bridging environmental engineering, microbiology, and biotechnology. Education: Postdoctoral, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, USA (2012) PhD, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Riverside, USA (2010) MS, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University, USA (2005) BS, Biology, Middle East Technical University, Turkey (2003) His research interests include Environmental Microbiology , Microalgae Functional Genomics , Systems Biology , and the Fate and Transport of Pathogens . He is particularly known for his work on microalgae-based solutions for wastewater treatment, biofuel production, and space life support systems. His lab explores the integration of algae-bacteria consortia for sustainable biorefineries and environmental remediation. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward applied environmental biotechnology, with emphasis on microalgae applications in wastewater treatment, high-value product recovery (e.g., phycocyanin), and thermal processing effects on algal nutritional quality. The work spans from fundamental metabolic pathway analysis to real-world implementation in biorefineries and space missions. Scientific Awards and Grants: INDEPENDENT Project (€6.9M, 2019–2024) – Integrated Biorefinery for Bioeconomy MICRO-JET Project ($448K, 2020–2023) – Algae-Based Bio-Jet Fuel VirALGin Project ($185K, 2022–2024) – Algae-Derived SARS-CoV-2 Inhibitors UzMAn Project ($65K, 2023–2024) – Microalgal Life Support for Space Renew-IST Project ($521K, 2022–2023) – Renewable Energy Center in Istanbul Dr. Haznedaroglu leads a dynamic research group with multiple funded projects and collaborative networks across institutions in Turkey and the U.S. He advises graduate students and has co-authored several book chapters and journal articles with junior researchers. His work is supported by major national and international funding bodies including TUBITAK, TUBITAK-Uzay, and the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Future research directions include closed-loop life support systems for space habitats and commercial-scale algal biorefineries. Laboratories and Research Platforms: His team operates within the CBE Institute at Bogazici University, utilizing facilities for microbial culturing, genomics, and environmental analysis. The INDEPENDENT and UzMAn projects involve advanced bioreactor systems and space-simulated environments.
Dr. Benjamin Scott Flavel is a Research Group Leader at the Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. His research focuses on carbon nanotubes and their applications in photovoltaics and sensing technologies. He leads a dynamic research team conducting cutting-edge work on the separation, purification, and application of single- and double-walled carbon nanotubes. Education: Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry), Flinders University, Australia, 2010 Bachelor of Science in Nanotechnology (Honors), Flinders University, Australia, 2005 Habilitation in Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 2018 His research interests lie at the intersection of nanotechnology and energy materials, particularly in carbon nanotube-based solar cells , chirality-specific separation techniques , and nano-sensing devices . His group has pioneered methods such as ATPE for enantiomer sorting and developed innovative solar cell architectures with industrial relevance. The research spans fundamental charge transport mechanisms to applied device engineering. The publication record shows a strong trend in advancing carbon nanotube photovoltaics, with key contributions in interface engineering, scalable fabrication, and high-efficiency CNT:Si solar cells. Work also extends to spectroscopic characterization, alignment techniques, and software tools for data analysis. Scientific Awards: Heisenberg Program, DFG (2018) Emmy Noether Program, DFG (2013) Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship (2011) Australian Government Endeavor Research Fellowship (2009) Bloom-Gutmann Prize, Royal Australian Chemical Institute (2008) Hope Meeting, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (2008) Research Fellowship, Flinders University (2007) Dr. Flavel has successfully advised multiple PhD students, including Dr. Moritz Pfohl, Dr. Katherine Moore, and Dr. Daniel Tune. His research has been supported by significant grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG), including funding for a double-walled carbon nanotube project and an organic evaporation system (~320,000 EUR). Collaborations span institutions such as NIST, Freie Universität Berlin, University of Antwerp, McMaster University, and University of Sydney. The research group operates within the Institute of Nanotechnology at KIT, utilizing advanced infrastructure for nanomaterials synthesis, characterization, and device fabrication. The team is recognized internationally, with work featured in Open Access Government , Research Features , and Europhotonics , and covered by Nanotechweb.
Dr. Jia Zhang is the Inaugural Robert H. Dedman Jr. Endowed Department Chair and Professor of Computer Science at Southern Methodist University (SMU Lyle School of Engineering). She holds the Cruse C. and Marjorie F. Calahan Centennial Chair in Engineering and has a courtesy appointment in the Department of Operations Research and Engineering Management. Her research focuses on applying machine learning, natural language processing, and information retrieval to data science infrastructure, particularly scientific workflows, provenance mining, software discovery, knowledge graphs, cloud computing, immune AI, and applications in earth science and healthcare. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago M.S. in Computer Science, Nanjing University B.S. in Computer Science, Nanjing University Dr. Zhang's work emphasizes data science infrastructure and machine learning for scientific workflows and knowledge graphs. Her recent publications highlight deep learning , graph neural networks , and optimization algorithms in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and environmental applications. Key trends include spatiotemporal modeling , hybrid neural architectures , and AI-driven service ecosystems . Scientific Awards: Best Paper Awards IEEE SCC (2011, 2017) Best Student Paper Awards IEEE ICWS (2014, 2018), IEEE ICCC (2018) Distinguished Paper Award ICSOC (2023) First Outstanding Service Award IEEE Technical Committee on Services Computing (2016) She has secured over $5 million in federal grants (as PI) and $11 million as PI/Co-PI from NSF, NASA, NIH, UTSW, Ericsson, SAP, and Google. Her lab (Caruth Hall 308) actively recruits research assistants. She previously served as a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, Northern Illinois University, and Nanjing University, and worked in industry as a software architect.
Carlos Alvarez Martinez is a faculty member at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), affiliated with the Department of Computer Architecture at the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB). He is a key member of the Programming Models (PM) research group and collaborates closely with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). His research focuses on high-performance computing, FPGA acceleration, task-based programming models like OmpSs, and hardware-software co-design for heterogeneous systems. His research interests center on advancing parallel computing through innovative programming models and hardware acceleration. He investigates efficient task scheduling, resource management in multicore and FPGA-based systems, and runtime support for dataflow models. His work enables high-performance execution of complex applications in domains such as scientific computing and cyber-physical systems. He actively contributes to European initiatives like TEXTAROSSA and AXIOM, aiming to develop next-generation exascale supercomputing technologies. The trend in his recent publications shows a strong focus on leveraging FPGAs for HPC, optimizing SpMV operations, improving task scheduling with hardware support, and developing frameworks for multi-FPGA clusters. His work consistently bridges theoretical models with practical implementations, emphasizing performance, scalability, and energy efficiency in heterogeneous computing environments. Scientific Awards: Premi UPC al Compromís Social 2019 Premi Disseny per al Reciclatge 2013 Alvarez Martinez has advised or collaborated with several doctoral students, including Jaume Bosch, Xubin Tan, and Fahimeh Yazdanpanah. He has been involved in numerous competitive R&D projects, often related to high-performance computing and parallel programming models. His work includes significant contributions to educational innovation, particularly in active learning methodologies and formative assessment using interactive systems. He leads and participates in research labs and teams focused on programming models and computer architecture, notably the PM group at UPC/BSC. These teams develop runtime systems, compilers, and hardware accelerators to push the boundaries of parallel computing efficiency and programmability.
Aybars Tuncdogan is a Reader in Digital Innovation and Information Security at King’s Business School, King’s College London. He holds affiliations with the King’s AI Institute, King’s Cybersecurity Centre (Informatics), and King’s Cybersecurity Group (War Studies). A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he also serves on the editorial review board of Industrial Marketing Management . Education : PhD in Management, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University MPhil in Business Research (Distinction), Erasmus University Bachelor’s in Business Management & Computer Science (Honors), Earlham College Research Interests : His work focuses on three pillars of digital innovation: generation (crowdsourcing, AI), marketing (digital brand personality, sales ambidexterity), and protection (information security, corporate espionage). He integrates psychology (individual differences, social identity) and computer science (machine learning/AI) frameworks. Publications Trends : Recent work addresses cybersecurity challenges in retail, AI ethics in healthcare, and interdisciplinary innovation. He frequently publishes in top-tier journals like Journal of Management and Scientific American , blending academic rigor with practitioner impact. Awards & Contributions : 2015 Best Paper Award (shared) Edited books including Oxford Handbook of Individual Differences and Strategic Renewal Teaching & Pedagogy : Develops innovative teaching methods like inquiry-based learning to foster student creativity. Taught modules on digital marketing, consumer behavior, and research methods. Labs/Teams : Contributes to cybersecurity initiatives at King’s, focusing on AI-driven defense mechanisms and organizational cyber resilience strategies.
Michael Z. Levy is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He co-directs the University of Pennsylvania/Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory in Arequipa, Peru, and holds secondary affiliations with the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Center for Public Health Initiatives, History and Sociology of Science, and Latin American and Latinx Studies. His research spans interdisciplinary domains including vector-borne diseases, computational biology, urban ecology, and social justice. Education: B.A. in Philosophy and Biology from Amherst College (1998), PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution from Emory University (2007). Levy's work focuses on urban zoonotic diseases , particularly Chagas disease and canine rabies , integrating ecology, epidemiology, and computational methods. He investigates how insect vectors interact with social systems, housing policies, and climate change, extending to pandemic modeling during the Covid-19 crisis. His research group (28 members) collaborates with Peruvian Ministry of Health to control Chagas and rabies outbreaks in Arequipa. Notable contributions include novel geospatial surveillance models , behavioral economics applications for vector control, and bed bug epidemiology linking infestations to public health challenges. Recent publications highlight 2025-2024 trends in Chagas vector dynamics , zoonotic rabies control , vaccine strategies , and genomic outbreak analysis , emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to urban disease ecology. He has participated in cluster randomized trials and behavioral design studies to improve community engagement in vector control campaigns in Peru, focusing on incentive mechanisms and surveillance equity . The Zoonotic Disease Research Lab in Arequipa employs interdisciplinary methods combining biological research , social science , and computational modeling to address urban disease transmission.
Sean Carroll serves as the Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and holds External Faculty status at the Santa Fe Institute. His research bridges cosmology, quantum mechanics, and philosophy, focusing on foundational questions about spacetime emergence, quantum interpretation, and complexity across cosmic scales. Carroll earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1993. His academic trajectory reflects deep engagement with theoretical physics and philosophical inquiry, culminating in his current named professorship at Johns Hopkins. Carroll's research centers on the intersection of physics and philosophy, with significant contributions to quantum foundations, cosmology, and the nature of emergence. He is a leading proponent of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics and has pioneered work on the thermodynamic arrow of time, quantum decoherence, and the fine-tuning of initial cosmic conditions. His recent investigations explore discretized quantum systems, holographic principles in gravity, and the philosophical implications of quantum gravity. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals a pronounced shift toward computational approaches in quantum gravity, with increasing emphasis on finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces and GPU-accelerated modeling. His work consistently integrates quantum information theory with cosmological questions, particularly examining how spacetime geometry emerges from quantum entanglement and how complexity evolves in closed systems. Carroll's scientific recognition includes: National Science Foundation Fellowship NASA Fellowship Sloan Research Fellowship Packard Fellowship Fellow of the American Physical Society American Institute of Physics Award Fellow of the Royal Society Guggenheim Fellowship Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science His research has been sustained through major fellowships from NSF, NASA, Sloan, and Packard foundations, enabling interdisciplinary collaborations across physics and philosophy. Carroll actively mentors graduate students at Johns Hopkins and contributes to public discourse through his popular science books (including the Biggest Ideas in the Universe series) and the weekly Mindscape podcast. As Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute, Carroll participates in cross-disciplinary research on complex systems, exploring how emergent phenomena arise from fundamental physical laws. His work bridges theoretical physics with broader questions about complexity in biological, cognitive, and social systems.
Satish Nambisan is the Nancy and Joseph Keithley Professor of Technology Management at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, where he also serves as Faculty Director of the Online MBA in Product Management. His academic leadership spans innovation management, entrepreneurship, and digital globalization research. Doctor of Philosophy, Syracuse University (1997) Master of Business Administration, XLRI - Xavier School of Management (1989) Bachelor of Technology, Calicut University (1987) Nambisan's research focuses on how digital technologies shape innovation and value creation in global business contexts. His work examines digital entrepreneurship, innovation ecosystems, and the transformation of multinational corporations in the digital age. He investigates how AI and other digital technologies are reshaping global innovation processes and value creation mechanisms across diverse organizational settings. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on digital globalization, AI's role in innovation, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the strategic challenges facing multinational corporations in a digitally connected world. The research demonstrates interdisciplinary connections between technology management, international business, and entrepreneurship literature. Scientific Awards: Axiom 2023 Business Book Award (Gold Medal) for 'The Digital Multinational: Navigating the New Normal in Global Business' Web of Science-Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher for cross-field impact (2022) Web of Science-Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher for economics & business (2023) Martin J. Whitman Distinguished Ph.D. Alumni Award from Syracuse University (2006) Nambisan actively engages with the business community as a sought-after speaker and consultant, having advised major organizations including Microsoft, 3M, P&G, SAP, and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. His editorial leadership includes serving as Field Editor at the Journal of Business Venturing and Department Editor at Management and Business Review, reflecting his significant influence in academic publishing.