Stavrakakis Ioannis is a Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, School of Science, University of Athens, where he has served since 2002. He previously held academic positions at Northeastern University (1994-1999) and University of Vermont (1988-1994). Ph.D., Electrical Engineering (1988), University of Virginia Diploma, Electrical Engineering (1983), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki His research focuses on network resource allocation algorithms , cooperative content dissemination , mobile ad hoc networks , and privacy-aware protocols . He leads the Advanced Networking Research (ANR) Group. Recent publications highlight trends in AI-driven network optimization , edge computing for VR , drone-assisted sensor networks , and privacy in vehicular systems . Key themes include game theory applications, energy-efficient protocols, and distributed learning frameworks. Contact: ioannis@di.uoa.gr
Diego Klabjan is a Professor at Northwestern University within the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences. He serves as the Founding Director of the Master of Science in Machine Learning and Data Science Program and Director of the Center for Deep Learning. Ph.D. in Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization from Georgia Institute of Technology (1999) B.S. in Applied Mathematics from University of Ljubljana (1994) His research focuses on machine learning, deep learning, and analytics with applications in finance, transportation, sports, and bioinformatics. Key contributions include federated learning algorithms, reinforcement learning for cryptocurrency trading, and neural network applications in impact mechanics. Recent publications highlight advancements in blockchain-based federated learning, second-order policy gradient convergence, and ensemble deep reinforcement learning. His work bridges theoretical foundations with industrial applications across diverse sectors. Preseren’s Award for the Best Undergraduate Thesis (1994) Transportation Science Section Dissertation Prize (2000) Intel's Outstanding Researcher Award (2019) Jack Meredith Best Paper Honorable Mention (2022) Klabjan has advised notable students including Luis Guimarães (2015 APDIO/IO Award winner) and Young Woong Park (2015 INFORMS Computing Society Best Student Paper recipient). His collaborations span Fortune 500 companies and startups in analytics-driven domains.
János Kertész is a Professor at the Department of Network and Data Science at Central European University (CEU) since 2012, and previously held the position of Professor at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (1992–2018). He obtained his PhD in Physics from Eötvös University (1980) and DSc from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1989). His research spans statistical physics applications, complex networks, and financial analysis. He has authored over 280 papers and served on editorial boards of journals like Journal of Physics A and Physical Review E . His research focuses on interdisciplinary topics including social network dynamics, systemic risk in economic systems, and algorithmic bias in digital environments. Notable awards include the Széchenyi Prize (Hungary’s highest scientific honor) and the Finland Distinguished Professorship. He has led projects such as SAI (Socially Explainable AI) and HUMANE-AI-NET, addressing algorithmic bias and AI ethics. His work bridges physics-based modeling with real-world social and economic systems, emphasizing computational approaches to corruption, opinion formation, and innovation diffusion. Key contributions include modeling cascading failures in interdependent networks and analyzing attention dynamics on platforms like Sina Weibo during the pandemic. He advises on systemic risk mitigation strategies and collaborates internationally, with visiting roles in Germany, the U.S., France, Italy, and Finland.
Dr ASM Kayes serves as Senior Lecturer in Cybersecurity and Cyber Curriculum Lead at La Trobe University's Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, where he shapes cybersecurity education programs including Master's, Bachelor's, and Double Degrees. His academic journey began with a PhD from Swinburne University of Technology in 2015, followed by postdoctoral research at La Trobe before joining as Lecturer in 2019 and promotion to Senior Lecturer in 2022. His research spans critical cybersecurity domains including data security, privacy preservation, context-aware access control, malware/ransomware defense, and IoT/fog/cloud security leveraging AI/ML techniques. Dr Kayes has established himself as a leading voice in blockchain security frameworks, privacy policy analysis, and cyber incident response through publications in top-tier venues like ACM Computing Surveys, IEEE Internet of Things Journal, and Computers & Security. His recent publications reveal a strong trajectory toward integrating AI with traditional security frameworks, particularly in blockchain risk assessment (2025), cross-domain access control (2025), and IoT behavior prediction (2024). The research demonstrates consistent focus on practical security solutions addressing ransomware mitigation, privacy breaches, and emerging threats in decentralized systems. Over $880,000 secured as Chief Investigator for cybersecurity projects Australian Government Department of Social Services grant (2023-2026) for cyberbullying prevention AustCyber research funds with industry partners (2020-2023) SmartSat CRC and ASCRIN PhD scholarship grants (2021) Dr Kayes has successfully supervised 5 PhD candidates to completion and currently mentors 5 doctoral students across diverse topics including AI-driven threat hunting, satellite network security, and blockchain risk frameworks. His collaborative network spans UK, USA, Europe, and Asia, with active industry partnerships through Westpac, BHP, and Quantum Victoria. He serves on editorial boards for leading cybersecurity journals and has examined HDR dissertations globally, reflecting his significant standing in the academic community.
Yu Chen is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York. He leads the Ubiquitous Smart & Sustainable Computing (US2C) Lab and serves as Director of the Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity (CIAC). His research focuses on Trust, Security, and Privacy in Edge-Fog-Cloud Computing, IoT, and Smart Cities. Dr. Chen holds a PhD from the University of Southern California (2006), with prior research under Professors Kai Hwang and Anthony F. J. Levi. His work has been funded by NSF, DoD, AFOSR, and industrial partners, yielding over 200 publications. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and SPIE, and a member of ACM. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California (2006) Affiliations: Director, US2C Lab Associate Director, CIAC Research Interests: Smart Cities, Intelligent Surveillance, Edge-Fog-Cloud Computing, IoT Security, and Privacy-Preserving Technologies. His work emphasizes real-time systems, resilient edge architectures, and decentralized consensus protocols for IoT. Grants & Awards: Funded by NSF, DoD, AFOSR, NYS MDPI Computers 2019 Best Paper Award Best Student Poster Award (IEEE AIPR 2014) Students & Labs: Advised 19 students (PhD/Master’s). Key projects include secure edge video processing, ENF-based authentication, and blockchain for IoT. The US2C Lab explores smart city applications and edge computing resilience.
Diego F. Aranha is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Aarhus University . His research focuses on cryptographic systems, cybersecurity, and privacy-preserving technologies with applications in voting systems, post-quantum cryptography, and secure computation. He has contributed extensively to homomorphic encryption, secure multiparty computation (MPC), and cryptanalysis of cryptographic implementations. Key projects include: MPCC (2025-2028) : Multi-Party Computation in the Confidential Cloud SCI (2024-2027) : Secure Computation Infrastructures for the Retail Industry RENAIS (2021-2026) : Residue Number Systems for Cryptography His work emphasizes practical efficiency and formal verification of cryptographic protocols. Recent publications highlight advancements in lattice-based cryptography, secure voting schemes, and mitigating side-channel vulnerabilities in post-quantum algorithms. He actively collaborates on open-source cryptographic libraries and standards, with a focus on bridging theoretical security and real-world implementation challenges.
Aleksandar Jevremović is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Informatics and Computing, Singidunum University (Belgrade, Serbia), and holds multiple academic and professional roles. He is the Serbian representative at the UNESCO IFIP Technical Committee on Human-Computer Interaction since 2018. He has served as Vice-Dean of his faculty (2015–2018) and held visiting professorships at institutions like Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (North Macedonia) and Tallinn University (Estonia). His research focuses on cybersecurity, IoT, AI, and e-learning innovation. Education and Affiliations: External Researcher at the Mathematical Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Visiting Scholar at Cyprus Interaction Lab (Cyprus University of Technology) Alumni/Postdoc Researcher at Tallinn University's HCI Group Member of IEEE and the Informatics Association of Serbia Research Interests: Jevremović’s work spans cybersecurity (e.g., intrusion detection, secure IoT protocols), human-computer interaction (HCI), AI-driven education tools, and neurotechnological applications like EEG-based assessment systems. He emphasizes practical solutions for digital safety, such as children’s online protection and cryptographic key generation from biometric data. Grants and Projects: Member of the External Advisory Committee for the EU-funded ONTOCHAIN project (2022–2023) Mentor for training schools like AAPELE Training School and NET4Age-Friendly initiatives Trainer in IoT, cybersecurity, and health promotion programs across Europe Labs and Teams: He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects like CASPER (Children Agents for Secure and Privacy Enhanced Reaction) and led the development of WIDE, a collaborative web development education platform.
Dr. Man Ho Allen Au is an honorary professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Hong Kong (HKU), with a career spanning cutting-edge research in applied cryptography, information security, and blockchain technology. His work bridges theoretical innovation and industrial applications. BEng, MPhil from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2003, 2005) PhD from University of Wollongong (2009) A former associate professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Dr. Au’s research drives advancements in blockchain technology , applied cryptography , and privacy-preserving techniques , with deployments in Hyperledger Fabric and discussions by privacy-focused currencies like Monero. His publications in top venues (CRYPTO, IEEE S&P, CCS) focus on lattice-based cryptography , secure protocols , and privacy-enhancing technologies . These works have attracted over 25 million HKD in grants, including RGC GRF and ITF projects. 2021 : New Frontiers of Lattice-Based Cryptography (RGC GRF), Secure Computation over Encrypted Data (ITF Seed), Blockchain Platform for Data Sharing (ITF Platform) 2020 : Practical Post-Quantum Zero-Knowledge Proofs (RGC GRF), NSFC project on quantum-resistant schemes 2019–2017 : Blockchain for logistics, anti-counterfeit systems, and post-quantum signature constructions Awarded the 2009 PET runner-up for privacy research, Dr. Au contributes to standards via ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 working group and the Hong Kong Blockchain Society.
Thor Inge Fossen is a Professor of Navigation and Marine Craft Control at the Department of Engineering Cybernetics, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He is a key scientist at the Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI (NCEI) and internationally recognized for his work in navigation systems, guidance systems, and control of marine vessels, aircraft, and drones. Professor Fossen holds a PhD in Engineering Cybernetics and an MSc in Marine Technology. His academic journey has led him to become a Fellow of AAIA, IEEE, and IFAC, reflecting his significant contributions to the field. His research spans several critical areas in marine and aerospace systems: Marine craft hydrodynamics and motion control Navigation, guidance, and control systems for marine craft, aircraft, and drones Cybersecurity of autonomous vehicles Sea-state estimation and wave analysis Attitude control and estimation Fossen's marine craft model, which is widely used in the industry Professor Fossen's publication record demonstrates a strong focus on adaptive control systems, particularly Line-of-Sight (LOS) guidance laws, with numerous papers on 3D path following for marine and aerial vehicles. His recent work (2023-2025) shows increasing integration of machine learning techniques with traditional control systems, particularly in areas like constrained control allocation using deep neural networks. There's also a growing emphasis on cybersecurity aspects of autonomous vehicle guidance systems. His scientific recognition includes: Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AAIA) Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) Professor Fossen has been actively involved in advising graduate students, with numerous PhD and MSc graduates. He has led significant research projects including the Marine Systems Simulator (MSS) and the Python Vehicle Simulator, which are widely used tools in the field. His current appointments include being a Study Program Coordinator for the Master's program in Cybernetics and Robotics at NTNU and a Key Scientist at the Norwegian Centre for Embodied AI. He leads research teams focused on embodied AI applications for marine systems, with particular emphasis on safe and secure autonomous operations in complex maritime environments. His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical marine applications, making significant contributions to both academic research and industry implementation.
Kristian Gjøsteen is a Professor at the Department of Mathematical Sciences within the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) . He actively contributes to the Algebra Group and specializes in cryptographic systems with a focus on electronic voting , security proofs , and privacy-enhancing technologies . Educational Background: MSc and PhD from NTNU Research Interests: His work spans cryptography , key exchange protocols , cloud security , and formal verification of security mechanisms. Particular emphasis is placed on coercion-resistant voting systems , lattice-based encryption , and blockchain privacy models . Article Trends: Recent publications demonstrate expertise in post-quantum cryptography , machine-checked security , and privacy-preserving voting architectures . Collaborative efforts explore hybrid cryptographic schemes , verifiable decryption , and mix-net implementations for secure elections.
Anna Monreale is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Pisa and a key member of the Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Laboratory (KDD-Lab), a joint research group with the Information Science and Technology Institute of the National Research Council (ISTI-CNR) in Pisa. Her academic career is rooted in the University of Pisa, where she completed her Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. in Computer Science. Her research focuses on privacy-preserving data analytics, with core interests in big data analytics, social network analysis, spatio-temporal mining, and explainable AI. She is particularly known for her work on privacy-by-design in data mining and evaluating privacy risks in analytical processes. Her research bridges technical innovation with ethical and legal considerations in data science. Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward explainable AI, privacy in federated learning, and risk assessment in mobility and health data. She actively contributes to developing methods for explaining black-box models, assessing privacy exposure, and balancing privacy, utility, and fairness in AI systems. Privacy by Design Ambassador (2014) ISTI-CNR Young++ Researcher Award (2014) Monreale has advised and co-chaired several international workshops, including PriSMO, PinSoDa, and MoKMaSD, and serves on editorial boards such as Transactions on Data Privacy. She teaches advanced data mining, big data ethics, and database systems across multiple graduate and undergraduate programs. She is involved in major EU projects like SoBigData, XAI, TAILOR, and HumMingBird, reflecting her leadership in data science and AI ethics. She is affiliated with the KDD-Lab, a prominent research group focused on knowledge discovery, social mining, and big data analytics, contributing to both theoretical advances and real-world applications in privacy-aware data science.
Cecilio Angulo Bahón is a full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), affiliated with the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB) and the Department of Systems, Automatics and Industrial Informatics Engineering . He leads research in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics , with significant contributions to healthcare data analytics, digital twins, and human-robot collaboration. His research spans machine learning for medical data harmonization, generative adversarial networks in health informatics, and evolutionary algorithms for control systems. Recent publications focus on synthetic healthcare data generation, climate-resilient agriculture , and UMAP-based data analysis . His work bridges AI theory with practical applications in industrial and healthcare domains. Scientific awards include the Sant Jordi 2023 Digital Polytechnic Initiative Award . He has supervised doctoral candidates like Carlos Flores-Vázquez and N. Raya, with key collaborations at the IDEAI-UPC Intelligent Data Science and AI Research Group and the Institute of Robotics and Industrial Informatics (CSIC-UPC).
Qiang Zhu is a Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, holding the William E. Stirton Professorship (2017–2024). He founded the Data Science/Management Research Laboratory and is affiliated with the Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS). His research spans data science, data management, and machine learning. Ph.D., University of Waterloo M.S., McMaster University M.Eng., Southeast University B.S., Southeast University Research focuses on advanced data indexing, query optimization, and AI-driven data management, with applications in genomics, network systems, and education. His work integrates machine learning with database systems for scalable solutions. Recent publications include topics in federated learning fairness, digital twin middleware, project-based CS education, and genome data indexing. Scientific contributions recognized through awards like the Wilkes Award (2008), ACM Distinguished Scientist (2013), and Springer Nature Editor of Distinction (2025). 2013–2018: Department Chair NSF, IBM, and Ford grants Over 250 conference committee roles He directs the Data Science/Management Research Lab, focusing on collaborative projects in genome analytics and smart computing infrastructures.
Assoc Prof Henry Nguyen is an Associate Professor at Griffith University's School of Information and Communication Technology, with expertise in data integration, data quality, recommender systems, and big data visualization. He directs the Responsible Big Data Lab and has secured over $3.5M in funding since 2015 from ARC, DFAT, and industry partners. PhD & Master's from EPFL, Switzerland ARC DECRA Award (2020) His research focuses on privacy-preserving AI for social data , IoT , and satellite analytics , with over 200 publications in top venues like SIGMOD, KDD, and IEEE TKDE. Recent work spans federated learning , graph neural networks , and secure AI systems . Article trends highlight 2024-2025 publications on: Federated recommendation security On-device AI optimization Privacy-preserving explainable AI Graph condensation techniques LLM-powered risk analysis Cloud-edge collaboration Scientific contributions include ARC DECRA Award 2020 Multiple senior PC roles in A* conferences Citations in International AI Safety Report 2025 Henry Nguyen supervises 12 active PhD/MSc students and has directed 8 completed doctoral theses . His funded projects include collaborations with Ubitech , KARI , and CSIRO , focusing on Australia-Korea partnerships and responsible AI development.
Nele Mentens is a full professor at both KU Leuven and Leiden University, where she leads cutting-edge research in applied cryptography, hardware security, and secure embedded systems. At KU Leuven, she is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Technology and the Electrical Engineering Department (ESAT), leading the Emerging Technologies, Systems & Security (ES&S) research group at the Diepenbeek campus. Simultaneously, she holds a full professorship at Leiden University’s Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), focusing on applied cryptography and security. She has been instrumental in numerous national and international research initiatives, including Horizon Europe and NWO-funded projects. Full Professor, KU Leuven (since 2023) Full Professor, Leiden University (since 2020) Associate Professor, KU Leuven (2014–2023) Post-doctoral Researcher & Lecturer, KHLim / KU Leuven (2007–2014) Ph.D. in Engineering Science, KU Leuven (2007) M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven (2003) Her research focuses on secure and efficient hardware design, particularly for cryptographic applications on FPGAs, reconfigurable architectures, IoT security, and neuromorphic computing. She explores physical attack resistance, side-channel analysis protection, and trusted computing architectures, with applications in healthcare, industrial monitoring, and endpoint AI. Her work bridges theoretical cryptography with practical hardware implementations, emphasizing energy efficiency and real-time performance. The 15 most recent publications reflect a strong trend toward secure, energy-efficient, and intelligent embedded systems. Topics include neuromorphic AI accelerators, trusted IoT architectures, dynamic reconfiguration for side-channel protection, and secure medical data processing. These works span disciplines such as computer architecture, cybersecurity, digital design, and embedded systems, with a focus on hardware-software co-design and real-world deployment. Nele Mentens has received recognition for her contributions, including: Best Paper Award, DATE'16 Best Paper Nomination, AsianHOST'17 Best Paper Award, CHES'19 She has supervised over 15 Ph.D. students and post-docs, both current and former, and has served as principal investigator in approximately 25 funded research projects. Her work has attracted significant grants from Horizon Europe, NWO, FWO, and national innovation programs. She actively contributes to the academic community through editorial roles in top journals and leadership in major conferences. Nele Mentens leads the ES&S research group at KU Leuven and collaborates closely with LIACS at Leiden University. Her team includes Ph.D. students, post-docs, and research experts working on projects like NimbleAI, NeuroSoC, and TrustedIoT. She has also established secure electronics labs through infrastructure grants and maintains strong international ties with institutions such as EPFL, Ruhr University Bochum, and ETH Zurich.
