Prof. Dr. Sven Raum is Chair of Algebra at the University of Potsdam , Germany, within the Institute of Mathematics . His research focuses on operator algebras and their interactions with groups and group-like structures, including Hecke algebras, groupoids, quantum groups, and tensor categories. He leads the research group GOAT (Gruppen- und Operatoralgebren-Treffen), which includes postdocs Sanaz Pooya and Jonathan Taylor.
Daniela Silvestre holds the position of Professor of Management and Cost Control at ISCE – Instituto Superior de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo. She is also a Restaurant and Bar Management Trainer at the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve (Faro) and a PhD student at Universidade Europeia. Her academic background includes a Master's in Hotel Management from Universidade do Algarve. Her research focuses on hospitality sector innovations, food systems sustainability, and culinary documentation. Key projects include Inovação Tecnologica na Arte de Maridar e Gestão de Alimentação e Bebidas do Algarve (SAICT-ALG/39590/2018), exploring technological advancements in food and beverage management. She actively contributes to academic discourse through conferences and publications, emphasizing design science research and holistic approaches to culinary standards. Daniela combines academic roles with practical expertise as a consultant and event organizer, bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world hospitality challenges.
Brad Barnes is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Georgia's School of Computing. His research focuses on parallel and distributed computing, computer architecture, operating systems, and computing education. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Georgia (2011) and a BS from the College of Charleston (2004). Barnes has been actively involved in curriculum development, including Open Educational Resources initiatives to reduce student textbook costs. He has received multiple teaching awards including the UGA Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award (2024) and three Student Career Success Influencer Awards (2022-2024). Education: PhD in Computer Science, University of Georgia, 2011 BS in Computer Science, College of Charleston, 2004 Research Interests: Barnes' work emphasizes improving computing education through active learning environments and studying student engagement metrics. His recent grants include a $17,340 ALG Continuous Improvement Grant (2024) to update CSCI 1302 course materials. He has also contributed to outreach programs like elevateCS, which received Google funding in 2017 to expand high school CS education. Grants & Funding: Continuous Improvement Grant ($17,340) - Affordable Learning Georgia (2024) Google igniteCS Grant - elevateCS Program (2017) Multiple UGA Learning Technologies and Provost's Office grants for curriculum innovation (2016-2020)
Dr. Alexandra Lawson is a Lecturer in Visual Arts at the School of Creative Arts, University of Southern Queensland. She holds a PhD from USQ with research focusing on participation in art, and has extensive experience as a curator and gallery operator. Her work includes collaborations with regional art institutions and development of CBD creative spaces through partnerships with local councils. Her research explores contemporary art practices through critical lenses including art criticism , art theory and visual culture studies , with particular emphasis on exhibition curation practices and regional arts development. She investigates how art functions as social practice and its role in community revitalization. Recent publications focus on educational innovations in visual arts and social work education, particularly examining: Virtual reality applications for sensitive topic training The role of behavioral interventions in online learning Community-centered approaches to arts engagement She maintains active curatorial practice through her gallery ALG, producing exhibitions and critical essays that bridge academic and community art spaces.
Ulrik Bo Rufus Enstad is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oslo, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics. He began his postdoc in August 2024, after leading a three-year researcher project with international mobility funded by the Research Council of Norway, including stays at Stockholm University and the University of Potsdam. He earned his PhD at the University of Oslo in 2020 under Professor Nadia Larsen and Professor Franz Luef. Education: PhD in Mathematics, University of Oslo (2020) His research focuses on operator algebras and harmonic analysis, particularly sampling problems approached via C*-algebras and von Neumann algebras of associated groups and groupoids. Recent work includes criteria for Gabor frames over rational lattices, density theorems for projective representations, and applications of nilpotent group algebras to projection comparison. Publications span 2019-2025, concentrating on time-frequency analysis, sampling theory, and structural properties of operator algebras. Collaborators include Jordy Timo van Velthoven, Sven Raum, Eduard Vilalta, and others. Teaching roles include MAT1120 Linear Algebra (Fall 2024), advanced functional analysis, and calculus courses since 2016. Affiliated with the Operator Algebras research group and C*-seminar at the University of Oslo.
José Pedro Morgado is an Adjunct Professor at Universidade Lusófona's Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (FEFD) and a core member of the CIDEFES research group. His roles include teaching biochemistry, sports training, and swimming across undergraduate to doctoral programs, alongside supervising master's and doctoral theses in exercise science. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Motricity from Universidade de Lisboa (2016) and has extensive teaching experience at institutions like Universidade Europeia and Instituto Superior de Ciências Educativas. His research focuses on exercise immunology, training load assessment, and swimming physiology, with notable work on immune response to exercise and overtraining in elite athletes. He has led projects like ACTIVUS (dual career development for athletes) and ISC (inclusive swimming for disabled youth), receiving EU funding and recognition for pediatric exercise science contributions. Morgado is also a certified Level 3 swimming coach with Benfica and Algés e Dafundo clubs, achieving national and international athlete success. Key awards include the 2018 Expert's Choice Award for Pediatric Exercise Science and a doctoral scholarship. He actively contributes to the European College of Sports Science and has published widely on topics like heart rate variability, fatigue, and exercise in military contexts.
Vincent Lafforgue is a CNRS Researcher at the Institute Fourier , Université Grenoble Alpes, specializing in Algebraic Geometry and the Langlands Program . His work bridges mathematical physics , K-theory , and non-Archimedean geometry . Notably, he proved the Baum-Connes conjecture for certain discrete groups and established global Langlands correspondence for function fields. Education : Lycée Louis-le-Grand, École normale supérieure, University of Paris Advisor : Jean-Benoît Bost His research spans geometric representation theory , operator algebras , and geometric group theory . Recent publications focus on Shtukas for reductive groups and their role in global Langlands parameterization. Earlier works include proofs of property (T) variants and counterexamples to the Baum-Connes conjecture. Scientific awards include: EMS Prize (2000) CNRS Silver Medal (2015) Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics (2019) Lafforgue served as Plenary Speaker at ICM 2018 and co-organized the 2010 meeting Groups and Large-Scale Geometry . His technical contributions extend to p-adic valuations and automorphic form eigenvalues .
Dr. Robert S. Keyser is a Professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering Technology at Kennesaw State University's College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. With expertise spanning industrial engineering, lean manufacturing, and human factors, Dr. Keyser applies engineering principles to diverse fields including healthcare systems, manufacturing, and higher education. His interdisciplinary approach bridges traditional engineering with practical applications in real-world settings. Dr. Keyser's educational background includes: PhD in Industrial Engineering (Manufacturing Systems concentration) from the University of Tennessee (2008) MS in Statistics from the University of Tennessee (2005) MBA in Management from East Tennessee State University (1992) BS in Statistics from the University of Tennessee (1988) His research interests focus on applying industrial engineering tools such as Lean manufacturing, work measurement, human factors, and reliability analysis across multiple sectors. Dr. Keyser has developed particular expertise in healthcare systems engineering, where he applies process improvement methodologies to address challenges in blood donation, fluoride varnish application, and pandemic response in educational settings. His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues from health sciences, statistics, and computer science. Dr. Keyser's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on healthcare applications, blood donation systems, and pandemic response in higher education. His research shows a consistent pattern of applying industrial engineering principles to solve complex problems in diverse settings, with increasing emphasis on technology integration and data-driven decision making. The breadth of his work spans traditional manufacturing contexts to innovative applications in healthcare and education. Dr. Keyser has received significant research funding including: NIH R15 grant ($426,490) for removing barriers to fluoride varnish application in primary care Virtual Reality Blood Donor Experience grant ($5,000) ALG Textbook Transformation grant ($16,200) for creating no-cost work measurement textbooks Georgia Affordable Learning Grant ($11,800) for developing no-cost learning materials As an educator, Dr. Keyser teaches a wide range of courses including Work Measurement and Ergonomics, Operations Research, Systems Simulation, and Human Factors Engineering. He has developed several OER (Open Educational Resource) textbooks to reduce costs for students. His teaching philosophy emphasizes practical application of engineering principles to real-world problems, often incorporating case studies from his research projects. Dr. Keyser is an active member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) and collaborates extensively with colleagues both within Kennesaw State University and at other institutions, particularly on healthcare-related engineering projects.
