Ruohan Gao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park , with affiliate appointments at the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) , Maryland Robotics Center (MRC) , and Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM) . His research focuses on Computer Vision and Machine Learning , emphasizing Multisensory Machine Intelligence that integrates sight, sound, and touch . He aims to enable machines to perceive, understand, and interact with the world as humans do, with applications in robotic manipulation , audio-visual localization , and differentiable rendering . Article Trends : Span 2018–2025 , centering on audio-visual perception , multisensory datasets , and robotics . Recurring themes include object-centric learning , sound synthesis , and cross-modal consistency . Scientific Awards : Michael H. Granof Award (UT Austin’s Top 1 Doctoral Dissertation, 2021) Best Paper Award Runner-Up (BMVC 2021) Best Paper Award Finalist (CVPR 2019) Highlight Paper (CVPR 2023) He leads the UMD Multisensory Machine Intelligence Lab and collaborates with institutions like Stanford and The University of Texas at Austin . Contact: rhgao@umd.edu .
Ravid Shwartz-Ziv is an Assistant Professor and Faculty Fellow at NYU's Center for Data Science, with a dual role as Senior Research Scientist at Wand AI. His research bridges theoretical foundations and practical applications in artificial intelligence, focusing on Large Language Models (LLMs), information theory, and neural network interpretability. Ph.D. in Computational Neuroscience, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2021) B.Sc. in Computer Science and Computational Biology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2014) His research spans: Developing min-p sampling for LLM text generation Preventing representation collapse in Transformers Creating contamination-free LLM benchmarks like LiveBench Advancing information-theoretic frameworks for neural networks Exploring representation learning and model adaptation Recent publications demonstrate expertise in LLM efficiency, self-supervised learning, and multi-agent systems. Notable awards include the Google PhD Fellowship, Moore-Sloan Fellowship, and multiple best paper recognitions. He has led research initiatives at Intel and Google AI, focusing on neural network compression, XGBoost comparisons for tabular data, and innovative benchmarking frameworks.
Prof. Dr. Johanna Heitzer is a University Professor for Mathematics Education at RWTH Aachen University since 2011. She leads the Teaching and Research Area of Mathematics Education within the university's mathematics department. Her office is located in Room 352 of the Kreuzherrenstraße 2 building in Aachen. She serves as co-editor of the journal 'mathematik lehren,' co-author of the 'Mathematics - New Ways' textbook series, and holds numerous committee positions including membership in the Faculty Advisory Board and Structural Commission of the Center Council. 1989: High school diploma 1989-1994: Mathematics and Physics Teacher Training at RWTH Aachen 1994-1996: Traineeship at Aachen Teacher Training College 1997: Research assistant at University of Münster 1998-2007: Mathematics and Physics teacher at Korschenbroich Gymnasium 2007-2010: Scientific assistant and doctorate at RWTH Aachen 2011-present: University Professor at RWTH Aachen Professor Heitzer's research focuses on the training and further education of mathematics teachers, development of contemporary teaching materials, applied and interdisciplinary mathematics, and the transition from school to university. Her work emphasizes concept formation, linguistic communication in mathematics, and the historical development of mathematical ideas as teaching resources. She investigates mathematics-specific learning and cognitive processes through multiple research projects including the Aachen school-university project iMPACt. Her recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong trend toward integrating digital technologies in mathematics education, particularly 3D printing and e-learning tools. She has increasingly focused on the social relevance of mathematics, exploring concepts of fairness, sustainability, and citizen empowerment through mathematical modeling. Her work bridges theoretical mathematics education with practical classroom applications, maintaining a strong connection to both historical perspectives and contemporary educational challenges. Special prize from Sparkasse Bad Hersfeld-Rotenburg for best mathematics Abitur (1989) Borchers Plaque for doctoral examinations passed with distinction (2011) DMV honor as Mathemaker of the Month (2013) Brigitte Gilles Prize 2013 for the MINT-L4 Center Professor Heitzer has supervised numerous doctoral students, serving as primary or secondary advisor for at least nine PhD dissertations between 2016-2021. Her research projects include the School-University Project MathePlus Aachen (iMPACt), e-Learning 'Mathematics for Civil Engineers,' and the development of mathematics items for StudiChecks NRW. She has secured funding through the Quality Initiative for Teacher Education (both phases) and participates in the ComeIn project focused on digitalization in teacher training. Her grants consistently emphasize practical applications of mathematics education research with direct impact on classroom practice. As a founding member of the MINT-L4@RWTH center and initiator of the working group Mathematical Education for Sustainable Development, Professor Heitzer has established significant collaborative structures. She participates in the Subject Didactics Forum at the Teacher Training Center of RWTH Aachen and has served in leadership roles including Chair of the Center Council (2014-2016) and Board member of the Teacher Training Center (2014-2017). Her work connects with national and international networks through her membership in the Society for Mathematics Education (GDM), the German Association for Mathematics and Science Education (MNU), and the German Mathematical Society (DMV).
Margaret Carlyle is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Sociology at the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan. She is a graduate student supervisor and member of UBCO’s Science and Technology Studies (STS) Collective. Her academic journey includes postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago and University of Cambridge, and a Visiting Assistant Professor role at the University of Minnesota. Research Interests: Carlyle specializes in the history of medicine, science, and technology within early modern France and transatlantic contexts. Her work examines women’s roles as experimentalists, artisans, and translators in scientific knowledge formation, utilizing archival and museum sources. Key themes include scientific imaging, medical technologies, gender and women’s studies, and the intersection of race and science in the French Atlantic World. Selected Articles: Recent publications analyze Enlightenment anatomy education, reproductive technologies, and transnational scientific networks. Her research spans topics from midwifery training to fetal representation in media, reflecting interdisciplinary engagement with medical humanities and material culture. Scientific Awards: SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2021–2023) UBCO Curricular Innovation Grant (2023) CIHR Project Grant (2023–2027) Molina Fellow at Huntington Library (2014) Teaching & Public Engagement: Offers courses on science and empire, reproductive technologies, and pandemics. Created the SSHRC-funded Reproductive Technologies podcast and co-curated the University of Chicago’s 'Fetus in Utero' digital exhibition. Collaborates on medical education tools for chronic gynecological pain.
Oisin Mac Aodha is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Machine Learning at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh. He is also an ELLIS Scholar and founder of the Turing interest group on biodiversity monitoring and forecasting, having previously served as a Turing Fellow from 2021-2025. Mac Aodha completed his undergraduate degree in electronic engineering from the University of Galway in Ireland, followed by his MSc and PhD at University College London (UCL). His academic journey includes postdoctoral positions at UCL (2013-2016) working with Prof. Gabriel Brostow and Prof. Kate Jones, and at Caltech (2016-2019) in Prof. Pietro Perona's Computational Vision Lab as part of the Visipedia team. His research centers on computer vision and machine learning with emphasis on 3D understanding, human-in-the-loop methods, and AI for conservation and biodiversity monitoring. He has made significant contributions to monocular depth estimation (including the influential Monodepth2 paper), fine-grained visual categorization, and biodiversity monitoring systems. His work bridges theoretical machine learning with practical ecological applications, developing tools for species identification, range estimation, and conservation efforts. Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward ecological applications while maintaining fundamental contributions to 3D vision and representation learning. His major scientific achievements include: Turing Fellow (2021-2025) ELLIS Scholar Founder of the Turing interest group on biodiversity monitoring and forecasting Co-organizer of the Fine-Grained Visual Categorization (FGVC) workshop series at major vision conferences Mac Aodha advises multiple PhD students and postdocs working on computer vision for biodiversity monitoring, 3D understanding, and human-in-the-loop learning. His team has developed practical tools like Whombat (an open-source annotation tool for bioacoustics) and contributed to field-deployed biodiversity monitoring systems. He has served as Area Chair for top conferences including NeurIPS, CVPR, ICCV, and ICML, demonstrating his standing in the computer vision community. His research group collaborates extensively with ecologists at University College London, particularly with Prof. Kate Jones' team, bridging machine learning expertise with ecological domain knowledge. The Vision at Edinburgh group he contributes to focuses on developing practical AI tools that address real-world conservation challenges while advancing fundamental computer vision research.
Roberto Navigli serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Sapienza University of Rome, conducting pioneering research in Natural Language Processing. He holds editorial leadership positions including Associate Editor of the Artificial Intelligence Journal and membership on the Journal of Natural Language Engineering editorial board. His research program centers on multilingual semantic technologies, with foundational contributions to word sense disambiguation, ontology learning from unstructured text, and large-scale knowledge acquisition systems. Navigli's work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications in relation extraction and open information extraction, emphasizing cross-lingual capabilities and resource scalability. Publication analysis reveals a sustained focus on semantic resource development, evolving from early WordNet extensions (2003) to contemporary open knowledge extraction frameworks (2015). This trajectory demonstrates consistent innovation in transforming unstructured text into structured knowledge representations for multilingual applications. Major scientific recognition includes: Marco Cadoli 2007 AI*IA Prize for best doctoral thesis in AI Marco Somalvico 2013 AI*IA Prize for best young AI researcher ERC Starting Grant (2011-2016) for multilingual word sense disambiguation Google Focused Research Award on Natural Language Understanding Navigli directs significant research initiatives funded by competitive grants, including his ERC project and Google collaboration, while providing academic leadership through area chair roles at ACL, WWW, and *SEM conferences. His service as senior program committee member for IJCAI and editorial board positions underscores substantial community impact.
Dr. Martha Sidury Christiansen is a Professor of Applied Linguistics/TESOL at the University of Texas at San Antonio , where she serves in the College of Education and Human Development . She is the Principal Investigator of Project RESPETO , a NSF-funded initiative exploring racial equity in engineering education. Her work spans sociolinguistics, digital literacies, and raciolinguistic analysis, with a focus on transnational multilingual communities. Born in Veracruz, Mexico Ph.D. in Foreign/Second Language Education (Ohio State University, 2013) M.A. in English Composition (Indiana University, 2007) B.A. in English Language Teaching (Universidad Veracruzana, 2002) Her research examines how transnational youth navigate digital spaces through multiliteracies , challenges Western academic writing norms via Mexican decolonial methodologies , and investigates raciolinguistic intersections in identity formation. The 15 most recent publications reveal a strong focus on digital communication , transnationalism , and critical pedagogy across journals like TESOL Quarterly and Language@Internet . 2023-2025: Expanding raciolinguistic frameworks in digital contexts 2021-2022: Analyzing multimodal identity construction 2019-2020: Exploring Mexican bilinguals' online language use She has received multiple honors including ACUE Fellow (2023), Fulbright Scholar (2017), and Faculty Leadership Fellow (2021-2022). Her presentations at conferences like ICOLLITE and DDVM Lab highlight her expertise in critical sociolinguistic awareness and digital discourse analysis . Dr. Christiansen actively consults for nonprofits on linguistic equity and multilingual education .
Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is a Professor of Music at the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music and former Chair of the Jazz Studies Department (2002-2008). A distinguished academic and performer, he has held leadership roles such as Associate Dean of the Culture, Community & Impact Committee and served as Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC (1999-2001). His career spans decades, including chairing the Afro-African American Studies Department and directing Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota (1990-1999), and a Visiting Professorship at Maria-Curie Sklodowska University in Lublin, Poland (1997). PhD, University of Kansas (1983) MM, University of Kansas (1978) BM, Florida A&M University (1976) Dr. McCurdy's research and professional work focus on Jazz Studies , African American Music , and Artist Entrepreneurship . He has pioneered innovative educational approaches through publications like Teaching Music in Performance Through Jazz and The Artist Entrepreneur , blending pedagogy with cultural analysis. His Langston Hughes Project , a multimedia exploration of Hughes' poetry, has been performed internationally with artists like Ice-T and premiered at iconic venues such as Disney Hall (2015) and the Grammy Museum (2019). His publications demonstrate expertise in Jazz education , African American cultural theory , and performance pedagogy , with works including African Americans and Popular Culture (2007) and Meet the Great Jazz Legends (2004). These contributions reflect his commitment to preserving jazz heritage while advancing contemporary academic discourse. Jazz Educator of the Year 2005 (LA Jazz Society) Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Kansas (2001) FM Awards Winner for Best 'Live' Performance (2015) Dr. McCurdy has shaped global jazz education through roles at the Grammy Foundation , Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camp , and Walt Disney All-American Summer College Jazz Ensemble . He has collaborated with legendary artists including Joe Williams , Rosemary Clooney , Arturo Sandoval , and Dianne Reeves , while performing with Yamaha International Corporation as a featured artist. His creative projects, such as the Shanghai Jazz: A Cultural Mix premiere (2019), highlight his dedication to cross-cultural artistic exchange.
Allison Godwin is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, joining the faculty in 2023. She holds a B.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2014) in Chemical Engineering and Science Education from Clemson University. At Purdue University, she was a tenured member of the School of Engineering Education and held a joint appointment in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering (2020). Research Interests: Engineering identity development, particularly for underrepresented groups Inclusive pedagogies to reduce equity gaps in STEM Engineering workforce diversity and retention strategies Mixed-methods research on belonging and motivation Scientific Awards: 2023 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Research 2022 AERA Division I Outstanding Research Publication Award 2021 CEE William H. Corcoran Award 2017-Present NSF CAREER Award 2016 NARST Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award Leadership Roles: Past Chair of ASEE Educational Research Methods Division (2021-2023) Associate Editor for Chemical Engineering Education (2020-Present) Co-led Purdue’s Faculty Learning Community for inclusive teaching
Claire Robins serves as Professor of Museology and Art at University College London's Institute of Education, leading the Art, Design & Museology Academic Group and acting as Department Graduate Tutor for the Department of Culture, Communication and Media. Her work critically bridges art practice, museum studies, and educational theory to advance democratic engagement in cultural institutions. Education: PhD in Museum Education, University of London (2009) Master's degree in Gallery/Museum Education, University of London Bachelor's degree in Fine Art, St Martins School of Art (now University of the Arts London) Research Focus: Robins investigates the intersection of artists' practices with critical pedagogy, emphasizing progressive education and avant-gardist strategies in twentieth-century knowledge production. Her scholarship examines how contextual forces shape learning definitions in museums, with particular attention to materialities, pedagogic forms, and democratic potential within institutional frameworks. This work consistently challenges conventional museum narratives through artist-led interventions. Publication Trends: Her 15 most recent publications (2012-2025) reveal sustained exploration of museology-art education synergies, highlighting pedagogic innovation through artists' interventions, critical assessment frameworks, and democratic museum practices. Key thematic threads include narrative disruption in galleries, sustainability in art education assessment, and the transformative role of fiction in reimagining museum epistemologies. Advising & Leadership: Robins has supervised PhD/EdD students since 2010 and directed the MA Art Education, Culture and Practice program (2011-2023). She currently teaches MA modules in Museums and Galleries in Education and leads the Education and Curation component, while mentoring MA dissertations. Her leadership extends to developing gallery-based short courses with Engage. Professional Engagement: As editorial board member for Arts & Communication and Engage , and active participant in ICOM and NSEAD, Robins shapes global discourse through international keynotes (e.g., Korean Society for Education in the Arts, 2019) and curated seminars like Soft Subjects: Material Practice in Gallery Education (2024). Her review work for Routledge and Intellect Books further demonstrates scholarly stewardship.
David De Roure is Professor of e-Research at the University of Oxford and Academic Director of both the Digital Scholarship initiative and the Laboratory for AI Security Research. He is also an Honorary Research Professor at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), where he serves as Technical Director of the Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music (PRiSM). His work bridges computer science, digital humanities, cybersecurity, and music through his distinctive interdisciplinary approach. De Roure received his PhD in 1990 supervised by David W Barron and Peter Henderson, with research in Lisp and distributed systems. Prior to joining Oxford in 2010, he was Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton and Director of the Centre for Pervasive Computing in the Environment. His career spans multiple institutions and research domains, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary work. De Roure's research focuses on new methods of digital scholarship, innovation in knowledge infrastructure, cybersecurity, and computational approaches to music. His work uniquely combines humanities (digital musicology), social sciences (social machines and web science), engineering (Internet of Things), and computer science (distributed systems, AI). A key theme is empowering human creativity through technology rather than replacing humans with AI. He emphasizes co-creation between humans and machines, particularly in music composition where he explores how algorithms can generate fragments for human assembly. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on AI security in IoT systems, digital scholarship methods, and the intersection of music with computational approaches. There's a clear trajectory from foundational work in social machines and web science toward current applications in cybersecurity and music-AI co-creation. His publications consistently bridge technical domains with humanistic inquiry, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses real-world challenges. Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS) Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (FIMA) Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) Chartered IT Professional (CITP) Turing Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute (2018-2024) De Roure has co-founded three major interdisciplinary initiatives: PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity (the world's largest socio-technical research center focused on IoT security), the Software Sustainability Institute (dedicated to improving research software), and PRiSM at RNCM. He was Director of the Oxford e-Research Centre from 2012-17 and has led numerous research projects including SOCIAM (The Theory and Practice of Social Machines), FAST (Fusing Audio and Semantic Technologies), and Transforming Musicology. The Laboratory for AI Security Research, which he directs, took its first PhD students in 2024. At Oxford, De Roure chairs the Digital Research Cluster at Wolfson College and oversees the Laboratory for AI Security Research. The PRiSM team at RNCM has produced numerous musical works and performances, including six premieres in New York in 2024. He has been involved in designing gesture recognition software used in many performances and has collaborated on public engagement projects including the Science Together project which released a Hip Hop album. His current work includes exploring Chladni Plates for new musical instrument design and developing algorithmically enhanced instruments.
Carey E. Priebe is a Professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. He maintains strong affiliations with multiple research centers including the Johns Hopkins University Center for Imaging Science, the Mathematical Institute for Data Science, and the Human Language Technology Center of Excellence. His academic career spans several decades with significant contributions to statistical methodology and theory. Dr. Priebe's research focuses on computational statistics, statistical pattern recognition, and statistical inference for high-dimensional and graph data. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in areas such as brain connectome mapping, network analysis, and image processing. He has made significant contributions to spectral graph theory, graph matching, and vertex nomination, with applications ranging from neuroscience to national security. His publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to statistical methodology, with a notable emphasis on graph-based statistical methods. His research trajectory shows increasing focus on network data analysis, particularly in the last decade, with applications to brain mapping and connectome analysis as evidenced by his NSF BRAIN Initiative grant and Nature publication. 2013 Erskine Fellow (University of Canterbury) 2011 McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising 2010 ASA SDNS Distinguished Achievement Award 2009 Erskine Fellow (University of Canterbury) 2008 National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellow 2008 Pond Award for Excellence in Teaching NSF BRAIN EAGER grant recipient (2014) Professor Priebe has supervised an extensive number of doctoral students whose work spans statistical methodology, network analysis, and machine learning. His students have secured positions at prestigious institutions including academia (University of Wisconsin, Boston University), government research labs, and major technology companies (Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon). His research has been supported by significant grants from NSF, DARPA, and other agencies focused on national security applications and fundamental statistical methodology development. He maintains active collaborations across multiple disciplines and institutions, as evidenced by his numerous conference presentations and visiting appointments including at The Alan Turing Institute and The Isaac Newton Institute. His work bridges theoretical statistics with practical applications in neuroscience, security, and data science.
Przemysław Kordos is a Professor at the University of Warsaw , affiliated with the Faculty of Liberal Arts , where he serves as Coordinator for the Development of the Modern Greek Philology Program . He holds two PhDs in Humanities (2007, 2019) and was awarded the Loukis Papaphilippou Seat of Advancement in Modern Greek scholarship. Education: MA in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology (University of Warsaw, 2001) MS in Sociology (University of Warsaw, 2002) PhD in Humanities (University of Warsaw, 2007) Second PhD in Humanities (University of Warsaw, 2019) His research interests span: Contemporary Modern Greek and Cypriot literature Polish-Greek cultural relations (philhellenism) Social and ethnographic issues in Greece and Cyprus Travel literature analysis Fantasy literature's cultural implications His scientific work reveals a focus on linguistic assimilation in foreign language learning (via fMRI studies), historical parallels between Polish and Greek independence movements, and critical analyses of Cypriot folk culture's politicization. Key scientific awards include: Loukis Papaphilippou Seat (University of Warsaw) Internships at EKPA and IKY (Greece) Scholarships at IMXA (Greece) and MUNI (Czech Republic) His academic contributions include cataloging 60+ Polish travel accounts to Greece, analyzing the shift from travel literature to tourism discourse, and examining the Hellene-Romios dichotomy's role in modern Greek identity construction.
Desmond Elliott is an Associate Professor in the Natural Language Processing section at the Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen (UCPH). His research focuses on multimodal and multilingual models with specific emphasis on vision-language integration and tokenization-free NLP approaches. He teaches Bachelor and Master's level courses including Advanced Topics in Natural Language Processing (since 2019), Grundlæggende Data Science (since 2023), and previously Data Science (2021-2023). His research interests center on building and understanding multimodal and multilingual models , particularly exploring vision and language interactions through billion-parameter systems. Current work investigates cultural representation disparities in vision-language models, parameter-efficient captioning, and multimodal distributional semantics across diverse domains including food culture and medical imaging. His methodology emphasizes real-world applicability in non-English contexts and ethical considerations in multimodal systems. Elliott's recent publications (2025) demonstrate leadership in multimodal NLP, with significant contributions to vision-language pretraining, multilingual evaluation frameworks, and clinical NLP applications. His work spans theoretical advancements in model architectures and practical implementations addressing challenges in low-resource languages and domain adaptation. Best Long Paper Award at EMNLP 2021 Best Poster Award at COLING 2019 As an active educator, Elliott contributes to courses on Fair and Transparent Machine Learning and previously taught Information Retrieval. His research collaborations span international institutions with particular focus on European and non-English language contexts, reflecting UCPH's recognition as Europe's #1 institution for HCI research over the past decade.
Yiming Yang is a Professor at the Language Technologies Institute and Machine Learning Department within the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University , where he has held faculty positions since 2003. His research spans foundational and applied aspects of machine learning , artificial intelligence , and scientific computing . Professor, Carnegie Mellon University (2003–Present) Associate Professor, Carnegie Mellon University (1996–2003) Yang's research focuses on LLM-based problem-solving agents , combinatorial optimization , and scalable oversight frameworks . His work explores diffusion models, Langevin dynamics, and Fourier neural operators for NP-hard problems, while advancing reinforcement learning techniques for self-play supervision and principle-driven fine-tuning of large language models. Recent publications highlight his contributions to code synthesis , PDE solving , and multi-agent reinforcement learning . Key methodologies include demonstration-guided control, retrieval-augmented reasoning, and test-time scaling laws. His team has developed frameworks like FEEDER for efficient in-context learning and μTransfer-FNO for zero-shot hyperparameter transfer in PDE solvers. Notable scientific achievements include: Best Student Paper Runner Up (2013) Best Theoretical Paper Award (1994) Best Theoretical Paper Award (1993) Yang has mentored over 20 PhD students and postdocs, including Shengyu Feng , Zhiqing Sun , and Aman Madaan , across domains like graph learning , extreme multi-label classification , and language model alignment .
