Samir Elhedhli is a Professor in the Department of Management Sciences at the University of Waterloo, within the Faculty of Engineering. His research focuses on Large-scale Optimization, Logistics, Supply Chain Design, Healthcare Operations, Airline Scheduling, and Data Analytics. He has held grants from NSERC, CFI, OCE, and MITACS, collaborating with industries in aircraft manufacturing, airline scheduling, and warehouse management. Education: PhD in Management Science, McGill University (2001) Master's in Industrial Engineering, Bilkent University (1996) Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering, Bilkent University (1994) Research Interests: Data Analytics & Data Science Large-scale Optimization (Interior-point methods, decomposition, column generation) Supply-chain Analytics (Logistics, warehousing, routing, scheduling) Environmental Sustainability in Supply Chains Key Awards: CORS Service Award (2013) University of Waterloo Distinguished and Outstanding Performance Awards (2005–2019) Grants & Advising: Active grants from NSERC, CFI, OCE, and MITACS Currently accepting graduate student applications Administration & Service: Chair, Department of Management Sciences (2014–2018) President, Canadian Operational Research Society (2011–2012) Co-Editor-in-Chief, INFOR Journal (2014–present) Labs & Teams: Leads the WanOpt research group focused on optimization methodologies and applications.
Gad Allon is the Jeffrey A. Keswin Professor and Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He directs the Management and Technology Program and teaches in the Education Entrepreneurship program. His research focuses on operations strategy, service systems, gig economy dynamics, and education technology. A co-founder of ForClass, a platform enhancing classroom engagement, he advises firms on service and operations strategy. Allon holds a Ph.D. from Columbia Business School and degrees from the Israeli Institute of Technology. Recognized as one of the ‘World’s Top 40 B-School professors under 40,’ he has pioneered work on behavioral drivers in service systems and gig economies. His recent research explores multihoming in gig work, machine learning in causal inference, and agile product development. Academic contributions span over 50 publications in top journals, emphasizing real-world applications of operations management theories. Education: Ph.D. in Management Science, Columbia Business School (New York) Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, Israeli Institute of Technology Research Interests: Professor Allon’s work bridges theoretical operations research with practical challenges in service systems, digital platforms, and educational technology. Key themes include optimizing customer service through behavioral insights, analyzing labor dynamics in gig economies, and leveraging machine learning for causal inference in business decisions. Notable Contributions: Co-founder of ForClass, addressing classroom engagement Leading studies on worker behavior in gig economies Groundbreaking work on call center retrials and service quality trade-offs Labs/Initiatives: Active in educational technology innovation through ForClass and advises on large-scale service marketplace design through Wharton’s Management and Technology Program.
Dengfeng Sun is a Professor and Associate Head of the Gambaro Graduate Program in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. His research focuses on distributed control systems, autonomy, resilient networks, and air traffic management. Sun holds a B.Eng. from Tsinghua University, an M.S. from The Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. His work spans advanced air mobility, UAV trajectory planning, and stochastic optimization for large-scale systems. Key contributions include resilient UAV traffic control, distributed state estimation algorithms, and fault detection methods for navigation systems. Sun's research has been published in top journals like IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems and Transportation Research Part E. Education: B.Eng., Tsinghua University (2000) M.S., Ohio State University (2002) Ph.D., UC Berkeley (2008) He advises on cutting-edge projects integrating robotics, autonomous systems, and cloud-based traffic modeling. His lab develops solutions for urban air mobility, emergency medical UAV networks, and next-generation air traffic control systems. Notable collaborations include work with NASA and industry partners on continuous descent approach procedures and metroplex routing paradigms. Sun's work bridges theoretical control systems with practical applications in aviation and infrastructure optimization.
Refik Soyer is a Professor of Statistics at The George Washington University. His research focuses on Bayesian statistics, reliability modeling, decision analysis, and time series analysis. He has made significant contributions to the application of Bayesian methods in reliability engineering, queueing systems, and adversarial risk analysis. Education: D. Sc. in Statistics (1985), George Washington University His recent publications highlight advancements in Bayesian reliability analysis, adversarial decision frameworks, and computational methods for time series and queueing systems. Areas of emphasis include dynamic INAR processes, accelerated life testing, and software failure modeling. Soyer's work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in call centers, healthcare fraud detection, and risk management.
Jesus Escudero-Sahuquillo is a Full Professor at the Computing Systems Department (DSI) of the Faculty of Computer Science Engineering at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), Spain. His academic journey began at UCLM where he completed his Degree in Computer Science in 2006, followed by a Master of Science in 2008, and a PhD in Advanced Computing Technologies in 2011. His professional experience includes: Full Professor at UCLM (current position) PostDoc at Technical University of Valencia (2015) PhD Senior Engineer at Oracle Norway (2013-2015) 5-year PostDoc position at UCLM funded by UCLM and European Commission (2016) Dr. Escudero-Sahuquillo's research focuses on high-performance computing and Big Data, with particular emphasis on interconnection networks and related optimization strategies. His work spans congestion management, routing algorithms, network topologies, and power saving techniques. He has extensive experience with InfiniBand technology and has contributed significantly to congestion control mechanisms in high-performance interconnects. His publication record demonstrates a strong focus on advancing network performance in high-performance computing environments. Over the past decade, his research has evolved from foundational work on routing algorithms and network topologies to more sophisticated congestion management techniques applicable to modern data centers and exascale computing architectures. His most recent work addresses cutting-edge challenges in packet identification, hybrid congestion control, and adaptive routing for next-generation interconnection networks. Dr. Escudero-Sahuquillo has served as a program committee member and reviewer for numerous prestigious conferences and journals including IEEE Micro, IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, and Journal of Parallel and Distributed Computing. He was the co-organizer for five editions of the IEEE International Workshop on High-Performance Interconnection Networks in the Exascale and Big-Data Era (HiPINEB). His research has been supported through participation in multiple projects funded by the European Commission and the Spanish Government. He has collaborated extensively with researchers across Europe and has been instrumental in advancing the state of the art in high-performance interconnection networks.
Eleni Stai is an Assistant Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), affiliated with the Division of Communication, Electronic and Information Engineering. She holds advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Applied Mathematical Sciences from NTUA and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her academic credentials include: Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering, NTUA (2009) B.Sc. in Mathematics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2013) M.Sc. in Applied Mathematical Sciences, NTUA (2014) Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, NTUA (2015) Dr. Stai's research integrates advanced optimization techniques with communications networks and energy systems. She develops stochastic and deterministic optimization frameworks for network resource allocation, data analytics on complex topologies, and smart-grid control applications. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations in energy-harvesting networks, network slicing, and reinforcement learning for distributed systems. Analysis of her recent publications reveals dominant research thrusts in AI-driven network management (particularly O-RAN and network slicing), energy-integrated communications, and optimization of energy communities. A significant portion of her work addresses the convergence of 5G/6G networking with power systems, emphasizing real-time control and sustainability. Her scientific contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards: Chorafas Foundation Best Ph.D. Thesis award Thomaidis Foundation Best M.Sc. Thesis award Best Paper Award at ICT 2016 Best Presenter Award at IEEE ENERGYCON 2022 Dr. Stai serves on technical program committees for major international conferences and has co-authored the book "Evolutionary Dynamics of Complex Communications Networks". She teaches undergraduate courses in Queuing Systems, Computer Networks, and Social Network Analysis, reflecting her expertise in network theory and applications. Her research trajectory demonstrates continuous evolution from fundamental network optimization to AI-enhanced solutions for next-generation communication-energy systems. Her work builds upon her postdoctoral experience at EPFL (2016-2020) and ETH Zurich (2020-2023), where she developed advanced frameworks for communications networks and energy systems.
Igor Francetic is a Research Fellow at the Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care at the University of Bristol. He holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of Basel (2019) and has expertise in health economics, applied microeconomics, and econometric analysis. His research focuses on healthcare organization, health behaviors, and policy evaluation, with a particular emphasis on emergency care prioritization, primary care workforce dynamics, and health inequalities. He has contributed to policy-oriented projects in Switzerland and Tanzania, including studies on hospital networks, patient safety, and health systems governance. **Education**: PhD in Public Health (University of Basel, 2019) MSc in Economics (University of Lausanne, 2016) BA in Economics (University of Lugano, 2012) BSc in Business Administration (SUPSI, 2011) **Research Interests**: His work explores cancer screening, spillover effects in healthcare, emergency care disparities, and primary care networks. He employs microeconometric and network analysis tools, leveraging platforms like R and Stata. Recent studies include evaluating skill-mix changes in primary care (England), socioeconomic disparities in emergency care access, and the impact of social accountability monitoring in Tanzania. **Awards & Fellowships**: SSPH+ Fellow, Swiss School of Public Health (2024–) SNSF Ambizione Fellow, SUPSI (2024–) **Teaching**: Co-lecturer for the Health Economics unit (ECON 32202) at the University of Bristol. **Professional Memberships**: Health Economists' Study Group UK (HESG) Royal Economic Society (RES) Swiss Society of Health Economics (sggö) Croatian Health Economics Association (CHEA) – Co-founder and board member
Dr. Jose Escribano is a Lecturer in Aviation & Logistics at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London. His research focuses on humanitarian logistics optimization, AI-driven airspace management, and urban resilience strategies. He holds a First Class Honours bachelor’s degree (2015) and a PhD (2021) from Imperial College London. Dr. Escribano is affiliated with the Centre for Transport Engineering and Modelling and the Transport Systems and Logistics Project D-Risk SHIFT. His academic qualifications include a BEng in Engineering and a PhD in Civil Engineering, both from Imperial College London. His professional affiliations include the Institution of Civil Engineers, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He has received the 2023 Transportation Research Board Best Paper Award and a JSPS Fellowship for urban evacuation modelling. Dr. Escribano’s research integrates stochastic modelling, machine learning, and simulation to address challenges in humanitarian response, UAV coordination for disaster relief, and airspace safety. His work emphasizes endogenous value-of-information analysis and the application of cutting-edge technologies to enhance societal resilience. He has collaborated with the United Nations World Food Programme on UAV deployment models for humanitarian contexts. His recent publications span topics like air traffic network resilience, autonomous vehicle optimization, and last-mile delivery mechanisms. He advises doctoral candidates in transportation systems, logistics, and air traffic management, offering opportunities for PhD research in these domains.
Weining Kang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her research focuses on probability theory, stochastic processes, stochastic networks, and queueing systems. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, San Diego (2005). Her work emphasizes fluid models for many-server queues, stochastic networks with abandonment, and reflected diffusions. Notable contributions include analyzing nonlinear Volterra equations in queueing systems, equivalence of fluid models for Gt/GI/N+GI queues, and stationary distribution characterizations for reflected diffusions. She collaborates frequently with experts like K. Ramanan and G. Pang on stochastic network dynamics and performance analysis. Recent publications (2023-2007) explore long-time limits of measure-valued equations, submartingale problems for diffusions, and diffusion approximations for input-queued switches. Her work bridges theoretical stochastic analysis with practical applications in operations research and network engineering. While no formal awards are listed, her extensive peer-reviewed publications and collaborative research highlight her contributions to stochastic systems analysis. She advises on fluid model methodologies and has contributed to ACM Sigmetrics and SIAM journals.
H. Jonathan Chao is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at New York University (NYU Tandon School of Engineering). He is the Director of the High-Speed Networking Lab, leading a team of 6 PhD students and 10 Master’s students. His research focuses on software-defined networking, network function virtualization, datacenter networks, and high-speed packet processing. Chao has held significant roles, including Head of the ECE Department (2004–2014) and former CTO of Coree Networks. He has authored over 200 publications and holds 58 patents. His awards include IEEE Fellow and National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow. Education: B.S. and M.S. from National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan), Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Research Highlights Developing solutions for data center networks, network security, and quality of service control. Pioneering work in programmable packet schedulers, reinforcement learning for traffic engineering, and SDN security frameworks like SDNShield. Contributions to hybrid SDN networks, bufferless switch architectures, and energy-efficient data center designs. Awards Fellow of National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellow of IEEE Telcordia Excellence Award (1987) IEEE Best Paper Award (2001) IEEE New Jersey Coast Section Speaker of the Year (2003) Advisees & Labs Supervises 6 PhD and 10 Master’s students in the High-Speed Networking Lab. Collaborates with the Center for Advanced Technology in Telecommunications (CATT) to advance telecom innovations. Labs & Teams Directs the High-Speed Networking Lab, focusing on cutting-edge networking solutions, and contributes to CATT’s mission of technology transfer and entrepreneurship.
Vincenzo Liberatore is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer and Data Sciences at Case Western Reserve University’s Case School of Engineering, and currently serves as Associate Chair. His research focuses on smart grid technologies, real-time network control, distributed systems, and randomized algorithms. He holds a PhD and MS in Computer Science from Rutgers University (1998 and 1994), and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Sapienza University of Rome (1992). Dr. Liberatore developed the Energy Information Dashboard (EIDA) with FirstEnergy, an educational tool modeling electricity markets and grid dynamics. He has contributed to patents like the 2014 'High-Performance Streaming Dictionary.' His work spans publications in control systems, theoretical computer science, and energy grid communication. He has served on program committees for the Workshop on Factory Communication Systems (WFCS) and International Conference on Mobile Data Management (MDM). Teaching responsibilities include courses in computer science and engineering, reflecting his expertise in both academia and industry-relevant research.
Saverio Mascolo is a Full Professor at the Polytechnic University of Bari , Department of Electrical and Information Engineering. He leads the Control of Computing and Communication Systems Lab (C3Lab) and contributes to IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking as an Associate Editor. His research focuses on Future Internet, network congestion control, and real-time communication systems. Laurea in Electronic Engineering, Politecnico di Bari (1991) PhD in Electronic and Automatic Control, Politecnico di Bari (1995) Visiting researcher roles at UCLA (1995, 1999), INRIA (2004), and FTW (2004) Research spans network congestion control , adaptive video streaming , and real-time communication . His lab develops protocols like TCP Westwood+ and contributes to WebRTC standards. Current projects include low-delay protocols for immersive video streaming and autonomous systems control. Recent publications emphasize adaptive threshold mechanisms in congestion control, millimeter-wave radar datasets , and immersive teleoperation systems . Projects integrate nonlinear control , time-delay analysis , and cloud-based multimedia delivery . Scientific recognition includes: Elevated to IEEE Fellow (2018) for congestion control contributions Google Faculty Award (2014) for WebRTC research Cisco Research Award (2013) for video streaming control Best paper awards at MMSYS (2025, 2024, 2016) Grants fund research in cloud-based video platforms (MISE, 2017-2020), WebRTC optimization (MIUR, 2012-2015), and network control algorithms. His lab collaborates with institutions like Uppsala University (since 2001) and industry partners.
Mahsa Derakhshani is a Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Associate Professor) in Digital Communications at Loughborough University's Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering. She leads research in the Signal Processing and Networks Research Group (SPNRG) and serves as an Associate Editor for the IET Signal Processing Journal. Her academic journey includes a PhD from McGill University (2013), followed by postdoctoral roles at the University of Toronto and Imperial College London. Key awards include the Royal Academy of Engineering/The Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship (2020-21) and NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships (2015-2017). Research interests focus on digital communications, machine learning for signal processing, wireless networks, and reinforcement learning applications. Recent work addresses challenges in satellite communications, OTFS modulation, and opto-physiological monitoring. She has authored over 70 publications spanning topics like NOMA systems, MIMO optimization, and edge-assisted live streaming. Education: PhD (McGill, 2013), MSc (Sharif University, 2008), BSc (Sharif University, 2006) Affiliations: IEEE Senior Member, IET Member, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Grants & Funding: Leverhulme Trust, Royal Academy of Engineering, NSERC Labs/Teams: Active in SPNRG and collaborates on projects involving 5G/6G networks, satellite systems, and biomedical signal processing. Current research emphasizes AI-driven solutions for communication networks and wearable health monitoring technologies.
Erik Teodoor Verhoef is a Full Professor of Spatial Economics at the Department of Spatial Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He also serves as a Visiting Professor at the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds since 2009. Previously, he was a Member of the Faculty Board (serving as Research Director and Vice dean) at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, VU University Amsterdam from 2008 to 2011. His educational background includes a Cum Laude graduation in Economics from State University Groningen in 1991, followed by a PhD from VU University Amsterdam under the supervision of Professors Peter Nijkamp and Piet Rietveld. Since 1996, he has been an Elected Research Fellow at the Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam-Rotterdam. Verhoef's research focuses on traffic congestion, static and dynamic network analysis, urban externalities, second-best regulation, efficiency and equity aspects of spatial externalities and regulation, spatial equilibrium modelling, valuation, transport economics, and urban economics. His work has significantly contributed to understanding congestion pricing mechanisms, transport policy design, and the economic analysis of transportation networks. His research often combines sophisticated theoretical modeling with empirical analysis to provide practical insights into optimal transport policies. His publication record shows a consistent contribution to transportation economics, with particular emphasis on congestion pricing, road pricing schemes, and the economic analysis of transportation networks. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on equity implications of pricing mechanisms, behavioral responses to transport policies, and the integration of reliability considerations into transport economics. The Epainos Prize 1996, European Regional Science Association Honorable Mention for the 1996 Dissertation Prize of the Transportation Science Section of INFORMS RSUE Award for Innovative Research by Recent Doctoral Candidates 2000 Reimut Jochimsen Prize 2006 Honorable Mention for the WCTRS Prize 2007 Highly Cited Author Award 2004–2008, Journal of Urban Economics Elected Fellow of the Regional Science Association International (2010) Verhoef serves in significant editorial capacities, including as one of two Editors-in-Chief for Economics of Transportation and Associate Editor for Transportation Research B. He also serves on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals including the Journal of Urban Economics, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, and Journal of Regional Science. His academic leadership extends to international organizations where he serves on the Founding Board of the International Transportation Economics Association and as Vice-chair of NECTAR, while having organized numerous academic events including the Nectar-Kuhmo Summer Schools and the European Regional Science Association Conference.
Dr. Xinxin Hu is an Associate Professor at the University of Houston-Downtown in the Department of General Business, Marketing, and Supply Chain under the Marilyn Davis College of Business. Her research focuses on decision-making under uncertainty, supply chain contracts, and retail management. PhD in Operations Management, University of Michigan MA in Statistics, University of Michigan BA in Operations Research, Fudan University Her research interests center on supply chain optimization, with a focus on lateral transshipment strategies, risk management, and sustainable operations. She has published in top journals like Management Science , OMEGA , and Production and Operations Management . Recent publications highlight her work in wind energy integration, decentralized inventory systems, and competitive distribution strategies. Her service roles include leadership positions in university academic policy and college-level scholarship committees.
