Mohammad Pirani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ottawa, with a joint appointment at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Previously, he held postdoctoral and research assistant professor roles at the University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Education: Ph.D., Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo (2017) MASc., Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo (2014) BASc., Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (2011) His research focuses on resilient and fault-tolerant control in complex systems, including networked control systems and multi-agent systems . He explores intersections with network science , cybersecurity , and machine learning , addressing vulnerabilities in cyber-physical systems like automotive networks. Notable contributions include publications in IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Systems and Automatica , with recent work on network critical slowing down and graph-theoretic resilience strategies. His research trends emphasize reliable learning , security in distributed systems , and data-driven detection of critical transitions . Scientific Awards: Senior Member, IEEE Mohammad Pirani holds a dual appointment at the University of Ottawa and an adjunct professor position at the University of Waterloo. His work bridges mechatronics , robotics and automation , and networked systems , with future directions targeting cybersecurity in cyber-physical systems.
Emily Cross is a Full Professor at the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences at ETH Zurich, leading the Social Brain Sciences Professorship since spring 2023. She previously held professorships at Bangor University (Wales), University of Glasgow (Scotland), Macquarie University (Australia), and Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute (Australia). Her research centers on how embodied experience shapes social learning and perception across diverse contexts. Key contributions include identifying neural signatures of embodied expertise using dancers, developing embodied neuroaesthetics theory, uncovering neurocognitive foundations of visual learning across lifespans, and pioneering paradigms for human-robot social engagement. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges technology, performing/visual arts, and social sciences to explore experience-dependent plasticity at brain and behavioral levels. Recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate intense focus on human-robot interaction dynamics, aesthetic movement perception, and context-dependent social cognition. Work increasingly examines self-disclosure mechanisms to robots, cultural influences on robot acceptance, and neural correlates of movement synchrony, reflecting her expanding influence at the neuroscience-robotics intersection. Scientific awards include: Philip Leverhulme Prize for Psychology Jacob Bronowski Award from British Science Foundation Young Talent Award from Dutch Neuroscience Society RoboHub and Insight Analytics top women in robotics listings Australia’s Superstars of STEM (2022) Cross passionately trains next-generation scientists with emphasis on research ethics. Her work attracts major funding from ERC, NIH, Fulbright Commission, ESRC, EPSRC, and UK Ministry of Defence. She serves on UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee (co-rapporteur for neurotechnology ethics report) and as Associate Editor for International Journal of Social Robotics. She leads ETH Zurich's dynamic Social Brain Sciences group, which embraces interdisciplinarity through research paradigms bridging technology, performing/visual arts, and biological/social sciences, while maintaining active roles in editorial boards and conference committees including Intelligent Virtual Agents and Affective Computing meetings.
Abraham D. Stroock is an Assistant Professor at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, since 2003. He holds a B.A. in Physics (Cornell, 1995), M.S. in Solid State Physics (University of Paris, 1997), and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (Harvard, 2002). His research bridges microfluidics, biophysics, and sustainable energy. Education: B.A., Physics, Cornell University (1995) M.S., Solid State Physics, University of Paris VI/XI (1997) Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Harvard University (2002) The Stroock Lab explores micrometer-scale chemical processes inspired by plant biology, focusing on liquid manipulation, negative-pressure water properties, vascular development in tissue engineering, and fluid mechanics in microsystems. Key technologies include microtensiometers and nanoporous membranes . His recent work (2025-2024) spans optical phenotyping using soft robotics, hydromechanical signaling in plants, tissue scaffolds for regenerative medicine, and advanced models for transpiration control. These studies integrate bioengineering, nanotechnology, and environmental science. Scientific Awards: Van Ness Lectureship (2010) Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award (2009) NSF CAREER Award (2008) MIT Technology Review TR35 (2007) ONR Young Investigator Award (2004) 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2006) Beckman Young Investigator Award (2006) Dreyfus New Faculty Award (2003) He has led projects on superheated loop heat pipes , phosphorescent oxygen sensors , and synthetic tree-on-a-chip systems. His teaching includes advanced biomolecular engineering (ChemE 7770), and he contributes to policy through the Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CBE) Policy Committee.
Karen M Feigh is a Professor and Associate Chair for Research in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, holding the prestigious David S. Lewis Professorship. Her interdisciplinary work integrates aerospace engineering with cognitive sciences to address human-machine interaction challenges in complex aviation and autonomy systems. Education B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology MPhil in Aeronautics, Cranfield University, UK Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. Feigh's research centers on cognitive engineering applications for flight operations and air traffic management. Through ethnographic studies, human-in-the-loop experiments, and expert system design, she develops solutions that align technology with human cognitive processes to enhance safety and efficiency in NextGen air traffic concepts, vertical lift systems, and autonomous vehicle operations. Scientific Awards David S. Lewis Professorship in the School of Aerospace Engineering (2025) AIAA Wilbur and Orville Wright Graduate Award (2006) Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship (2005) National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2001-2006) Marshall Scholarship (2001-2003) As director of the Cognitive Engineering Center (CEC), Dr. Feigh mentors graduate researchers and leads interdisciplinary collaborations across Georgia Tech's research ecosystem. The CEC, embedded within the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence and Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines, secures funding from agencies including NSF and AIAA to advance adaptive intelligence for industrial robotics and air traffic control systems. Laboratories and Collaborations The Cognitive Engineering Center under Dr. Feigh's leadership conducts field work, human-subjects studies, and mathematical modeling to solve human-machine interaction challenges. The lab maintains active partnerships with NASA, FAA, and industry stakeholders to implement research findings in real-world aerospace operations, with current focus on adaptive interfaces for autonomous systems and crew decision support tools.
Olli Seppänen serves as Associate Professor in Civil Engineering at Aalto University's School of Engineering, specializing in operations management for construction productivity improvement. He coordinates the Vision 2030 consortium—comprising 13 Finnish construction and design firms—to develop industrialized building methods for 2030, while leading multiple Business Finland-funded research initiatives focused on digital construction workflows and real-time monitoring. His research centers on lean construction principles, location-based management systems, and digital transformation through IoT, AI, and robotic vision. Key focus areas include prefabrication optimization, construction logistics, and shifting work off-site to industrialize processes. He aims to solve industry-wide productivity challenges by creating real-time situational awareness and implementing takt production systems for workflow stability. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong emphasis on digital twin frameworks, semantic modeling for quality assurance, and AI applications in risk management. His work bridges theoretical lean construction concepts with practical implementations, particularly in real-time resource tracking, waste reduction in MEP work, and cross-sector learning from high-performing teams. Seppänen has received significant recognition including: School of Engineering doctoral dissertation award (2024) Best paper at IEEE Wireless Sensors Conference (2019) Nordic Conference best paper award for PhD research (2019) DSc dissertation award (2010) As principal investigator, he manages: Vision 2030 consortium projects (2-3 annually; PI for two current projects) iCONS: Real-time resource flow monitoring via indoor positioning RECAP: Deep learning analysis of progress/quality from images/point clouds DiCtion: Integrated data systems for real-time stakeholder situation pictures He actively contributes to the "Performance in Building Design and Construction" research group and leverages the Vision 2030 consortium as a collaborative platform for industry transformation, driving adoption of digitalized, industrialized construction methods through academic-industry partnerships.
Professor Lyudmila Mihaylova is a distinguished academic at the University of Sheffield's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, where she holds the position of Professor of Signal Processing and Control. She has established herself as a leading researcher in the fields of signal processing, Bayesian methods, and autonomous systems, with significant contributions to particle filtering techniques for intelligent transportation systems. Her work bridges theoretical developments with practical applications across multiple domains including transportation, healthcare, and industrial automation. Prof. Mihaylova's research interests center on nonlinear filtering, sequential Monte Carlo methods, statistical signal processing, and sensor data fusion. Her work spans both theoretical advancements and practical implementations, with particular focus on high-dimensional problems including vehicular traffic flow estimation, image processing, and localization in sensor networks. She has extensive experience with various image modalities such as optical, thermal, LIDAR, SAR, and hyperspectral imaging. Her group actively develops novel methods for autonomous intelligent systems focusing on sensing, tracking, decision making, and machine learning applications. Analysis of Prof. Mihaylova's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward uncertainty quantification in machine learning models, particularly for safety-critical applications. Her work increasingly integrates traditional signal processing techniques with modern deep learning approaches, with applications spanning sewer inspection robotics, medical diagnostics (particularly sleep apnea detection), UAV swarm tracking, industrial manufacturing, and autonomous vehicle systems. A significant portion of her recent research focuses on developing robust methods that can handle incomplete or outlier-corrupted data while providing reliable uncertainty estimates. Among her notable professional achievements: President of the International Society of Information Fusion (ISIF) Senior member of the IEEE Signal Processing Society Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems Associate Editor for Elsevier Signal Processing Journal Prof. Mihaylova has successfully mentored numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom have gone on to prominent academic and industry positions. Her research has been supported by major funding bodies including EPSRC, EU, MOD/DSTL, and industry partners, with recent projects including 'Protecting Environments with UAV Swarms' (InnovateUK, 2022-2024), 'ShiRAS: Towards Safe and Reliable Autonomy in Sensor Driven Systems' (NSF-EPSRC, 2019-2023), and 'Confident safety integration for Cobots' (Lloyd's Register Foundation, 2019-2020). Her research group follows a collaborative approach with the philosophy 'We share knowledge, we grow.' Prof. Mihaylova maintains active research collaborations with institutions worldwide and has held previous academic positions at Lancaster University (2006-2013) and University of Bristol (2004-2006), along with research visiting positions at the University of Ghent, Katholic University of Leuven, and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Keenan Albee is a Robotics Technologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and an incoming Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California (starting Fall 2025). His research focuses on autonomous robotics for extreme environments including lunar missions, microgravity, and underwater operations. Education: Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics (Autonomous Systems), MIT (2022) S.M. in Aeronautics and Astronautics, MIT (2019) B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University (2017) Albee’s work integrates optimal control , reinforcement learning , and motion planning to develop autonomy for mobile robotic systems operating under uncertainty. His expertise spans space robotics , microgravity systems , and underwater robotics , with a focus on environment-aware algorithm design. Recent research includes parametric information-aware motion planning (RATTLE algorithm), distributed multi-agent exploration, and robust control for uncooperative targets. His publications highlight on-orbit validation of autonomy algorithms via NASA’s Astrobee platform and upcoming lunar missions. Scientific Awards: NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship (2022) Albee actively develops open-source autonomy frameworks and will establish the Laboratory for Autonomous Systems in Exploration and Robotics (LASER) at USC. His work bridges theoretical control methods with real-world deployment, including first-of-its-kind achievements in space robotics.
John F. Reid is a prominent Research Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the College of Engineering , with dual appointments in Computer Science and Agricultural and Biological Engineering . He serves as Executive Director of the Center for Digital Agriculture . With over 35 years of experience in academic and industrial R&D, his career spans faculty roles at UIUC (1986-2000), leadership at Deere & Company (2000-2020), and Vice President positions at Brunswick Corporation (2020-2022). Education : Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering (Texas A&M, 1987), M.S. and B.S. in Agricultural Engineering (Virginia Tech, 1982 & 1980) Dr. Reid's research focuses on agricultural automation , machine vision , and innovation management . He has pioneered agricultural robotics , precision technologies , and embodied AI applications in food, construction, and marine systems. His work has resulted in over 30 patents in automated guidance , sensor systems , and agricultural informatics . His scientific contributions center on stereo vision navigation , 3D field mapping , and adaptive control systems for mobile equipment. These innovations underpin modern precision agriculture and agricultural robotics frameworks. Major awards include: NAE Election (2019) ASABE Fellow (2004) University Scholar (1995) Academy of Engineering Excellence (2020) He holds leadership roles in international organizations including the CIGR Working Group on Circular Bioeconomy Systems (Chair 2024-present) and Fraunhofer USA (2013-2022).
Shimon Y. Nof is a Professor of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University's PRISM Center , where he directs NSF-industry supported research on collaborative robotics, cyber-physical systems, and industrial automation. He has held visiting positions at MIT and universities across six countries. Education: B.Sc./M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering & Management (Technion, Israel), Ph.D. in Industrial & Operations Engineering (University of Michigan) Key Achievements: Pioneered computer-aided facility design and Collaborative Control Theory (CCT), with applications spanning factories of the future, agricultural robotics, and transportation security systems His research focuses on cyber-supported integration of distributed e-Work systems and robotics, including precision agriculture with sensor networks. The PRISM Center under his leadership has developed groundbreaking protocols like Best Matching Protocol (BMP) and HUB-CI telerobotics, with real-world implementations across 400+ labs globally. Scientific honors include: Engelberger Medal (2002) Induction into Purdue's Book of Great Teachers (1999) Leadership roles in IFPR and IFAC Multiple book awards from Association of American Publishers The PRISM Global Research Network (est. 2001) now extends his work through 18 books and 6 patents, including the FTTP-TIF communication protocol and Facility Sensor Network (FSN) technology currently applied in greenhouse robotic operations.
Dr. Shelley Wickham is an Associate Professor and ARC DECRA Fellow at the University of Sydney, holding joint appointments in the Schools of Chemistry and Physics. She serves as a Westpac Research Fellow and leads the DNA Nanotechnology Group at the Sydney Nano Institute. Dr. Wickham is also co-Champion of the Sydney Nano Institute Grand Challenge project in Molecular Nanorobotics for Health, co-lead of the School of Physics Grand Challenge on Nanoscale brain navigation for targeted drug delivery, and faculty mentor of the University of Sydney BIOMOD team. Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Physics from University of Sydney PhD in Condensed Matter Physics from University of Oxford Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Wyss Institute Dr. Wickham's research focuses on self-assembling nanotechnology and molecular robotics, particularly in the design and assembly of programmable nanostructures out of DNA. Her work spans applications in cell biology, materials science, and nanomedicine. Current research projects include design and synthesis of self-assembling DNA nanostructures, proto-cells made of DNA gels that move under flow, new plasma fabrication methods for biomolecule micropatterning, and DNA computation circuits for navigating the brain using machine learning. Her research aligns with the Faculty of Science Research Strengths in Molecules to Materials, Preventing and Treating Disease & Disorder, and Next Generation Materials. Analysis of Dr. Wickham's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on DNA nanotechnology with increasing sophistication in structural complexity and biological applications. Her work has evolved from fundamental DNA origami structures to increasingly complex multi-component systems with practical applications in nanomedicine and biomimetic engineering. Recent publications show strong interdisciplinary collaboration across chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering disciplines, with emphasis on real-world applications including drug delivery systems and biomolecular sensors. ARC DECRA Fellow Westpac Research Fellow BIOMOD World Champions (2019) Dr. Wickham actively mentors PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in her DNA nanotechnology group. She has secured significant research funding including ARC Discovery Projects, Westpac Scholarships, and NSW Health grants. Her current grants support projects such as '3D Bio-Nanomaterial Displays with Designer Architectures and Functions' and 'RNA aptamer sensing devices for rapid detection of blood clotting.' Dr. Wickham encourages applications from diverse backgrounds and maintains active collaborations with researchers at Harvard, Oxford, and other international institutions. Dr. Wickham leads the DNA Nanotechnology Group at the University of Sydney, which is part of the Sydney Nano Institute. Her lab focuses on building tools from DNA origami - including tweezers, spanners, wrenches and springs - to better understand biological processes at the nanoscale. The group has achieved notable success with the BIOMOD team winning world championships in 2019, and continues to develop innovative approaches to molecular robotics for healthcare applications.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Kopp is a faculty member at Bielefeld University's Faculty of Engineering and serves as Research Group Leader of the Cognitive Systems and Social Interaction Group . He also holds administrative roles as Vice Dean and Deputy CITEC Coordinator . His work focuses on Artificial Intelligence , Cognitive Systems , and Socio-Technical World research areas. Research Group Leader: Cognitive Systems and Social Interaction Group Vice Dean: Faculty of Engineering Deputy Coordinator: Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) Project Manager: TRR 318 "Constructing Explainability" subprojects His research explores human-agent interaction , multimodal conversational agents , and social AI through projects like 39-Inf-11 Human-Machine Interaction and 39-M-Inf-VKI Virtual Humans and Conversational Agents . Publications address topics including adaptive explanation generation , gesture synthesis , and social cognition in dynamic environments. Current research topics span cooperative AI , explainable decision-making , and sensorimotor grounding in artificial systems.
Summary Luis A. Duffaut Espinosa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Vermont (UVM), affiliated with the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. His research focuses on control theory, estimation, robotics, and nonlinear systems with applications in autonomy, quantum control, and environmental monitoring. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Old Dominion University (2009) and has held academic positions at George Mason University and postdoctoral roles at Johns Hopkins University and the University of New South Wales. Education: Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (2009), Old Dominion University M.S. in Mathematics (2005), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú B.S. in Physics (2003), Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería, Peru Research Interests: His work emphasizes data-driven control and estimation methodologies, including model-free approaches for power systems, environmental monitoring, and quantum control. Current projects include real-time data assimilation in harsh environments, resilient robotics in GPS-denied conditions, and SAR with small satellites. He co-directs the Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory (AIRLab) and is part of the CREATE center. Recognition: 2024 NSF CAREER Award for work on safety-aware data-driven control frameworks Teaching & Advising: He teaches courses in estimation theory, control systems, and signal processing. Advises a team of graduate and undergraduate students focusing on autonomy, robotics, and control systems. Notable students include Danial Waleed (Ph.D. 2024), Jacob Friz-Trillo (M.S. 2025), and Farnaz Boudaghi (Ph.D. candidate). Labs & Collaborations: AIRLab: Focuses on data-driven control for autonomy in robotics and engineered systems CREATE: Research on resilient energy and autonomous technologies
Andreas Malikopoulos is a Professor at Cornell University's School of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Director of the Information and Decision Science Lab (IDS Lab). Previously, he held roles as the Terri Connor Kelly and John Kelly Career Development Professor at the University of Delaware (UD) and founding Director of UD's Sociotechnical Systems Center. He also served as the Alvin M. Weinberg Fellow at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Deputy Director of ORNL's Urban Dynamics Institute, and Senior Researcher at General Motors R&D. His research focuses on cyber-physical systems (CPS), stochastic control, and learning-driven approaches for optimizing energy efficiency and sustainable mobility in smart cities and transportation systems. Education: PhD (Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2008), M.S. (Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 2004), Diploma (National Technical University of Athens, 2000). Research Interests: Analysis and control of CPS, stochastic scheduling, game theory, and mechanism design applied to emerging mobility systems (e.g., autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles). He emphasizes integrating learning and control for socially optimal solutions in transportation networks. Awards: IEEE ITS Young Researcher Award (2019), UD’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Award (2020), Alvin M. Weinberg Fellowship (2010), and recognition as a NAS Kavli Frontiers of Science Scholar (2012). He is an IEEE Senior Member, ASME Fellow, and serves on editorial boards of leading journals. Teaching: Focuses on optimal decision-making, control theory, and emerging mobility systems. Courses include stochastic optimal control and game theory at Cornell. Labs: Leads the IDS Lab, which develops scalable frameworks for CPS and smart city applications. Current projects include coordinated routing for mixed-traffic systems and AI-driven recommendations for autonomous vehicles.
Kaidi Yang is an Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, specializing in Intelligent Transportation Systems and related fields. He holds a PhD from ETH Zurich (2019), an M.Sc. in Control Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University (2014), and dual bachelor’s degrees in Automation and Mathematics from Tsinghua University (2011). His research focuses on advancing traffic control, connected/automated vehicles, shared mobility systems, and data privacy in transportation. He has contributed to developing algorithms for efficient traffic signal control, platooning coordination, and privacy-preserving data sharing in transportation networks. Education: Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering (Transportation), ETH Zurich, 2019 M.Sc., Control Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, 2014 B.Sc./B.Eng., Dual Degrees in Pure/Applied Mathematics and Automation, Tsinghua University, 2011 Yang has received prestigious awards including the Swiss National Science Foundation’s Postdoc Mobility Fellowship (2021–2022) and the IEEE ITS Conference Best Student Paper Award (2020). He serves as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (2024). His work bridges theoretical advancements in operations research, robotics, and machine learning with practical applications in urban mobility systems. Recent efforts emphasize integrating privacy-preserving techniques into traffic management and optimizing mixed-autonomy platoon control.
Marcelo M. Wanderley is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT) at McGill University's Schulich School of Music. His academic roles include Area Coordinator for Music Technology and membership on the Executive Committee. He holds a PhD in acoustics, signal processing, and computer science from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI). Wanderley's research focuses on novel interfaces for music performance, digital musical instruments (DMIs), and human-computer interaction. He has authored influential works such as New Digital Musical Instruments: Control and Interaction Beyond the Keyboard (2006) and pioneered research in gestural control of music. His work integrates engineering, computer science, and musicology to create innovative performance tools, including the T-Stick and Karlax instruments. He has held visiting professorships at Université de Bretagne Sud, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil), and the University of Mons (Belgium), where he was awarded prestigious chairs. Wanderley's awards include the Inria International Chair (2016–2020) and the Distinguished Visitor Award from the University of Auckland. His research has been widely cited in the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME), and he actively contributes to editorial boards (e.g., Computer Music Journal ) and academic leadership roles. Wanderley's lab, the Input Devices and Music Interaction Lab (IDMIL), develops open-source frameworks like Puara and Probatio for DMI design and mapping. Key research areas include haptic feedback systems, motion capture of musical performances, and accessibility in music technology. He emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging engineering, art, and cognitive science to advance musical expression and performance practices.
