Dr. Young-Jin Cha is a tenured full Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba, affiliated with the Price Faculty of Engineering. He holds a PhD from Texas A&M University and has postdoctoral experience at MIT. His research focuses on deep learning-based structural health monitoring (SHM), autonomous UAVs for infrastructure inspection, and smart transportation systems, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and $1.2M in grants. He is a Fellow of ASCE and has received notable awards including the 2021 Merit Award and 2022 International Association of Advanced Materials Scientist Award. His work has been cited over 9,200 times globally. Research interests include automated SHM with UAVs, nonlinear system identification, unsupervised deep learning for damage detection, and sustainable infrastructure design. He serves as an editor for journals like Structural Control & Health Monitoring and Engineering Reports . His lab, the Laboratory for Infrastructure Science and Technology (LIST), develops advanced technologies for infrastructure resilience. Key achievements include pioneering deep learning-based SHM with UAVs, top-cited papers in civil engineering journals, and leadership in organizing international conferences. He actively seeks graduate students for research in AI-driven infrastructure solutions.
Jie Xu is a Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and a CASE Affiliated Scientist at the University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering . Her research focuses on engineering durable, scalable, and sustainable polymer semiconductors for skin-like electronics and autonomous material discovery. Education : PhD in Chemistry (Nanjing University), Postdoctoral Fellow (Stanford University) Her research bridges polymer physics , self-driving laboratories , and AI-guided material synthesis to address challenges in stretchable electronics, recyclable polymers, and energy-efficient manufacturing. She pioneered polymer circuits that remain conductive under extreme deformation and developed the first roll-to-roll mass-production method for stretchable semiconductors. Her 15 most recent articles highlight advancements in AI-driven polymer discovery , biodegradable electronics , and multi-modal energy dissipation . Key themes include autonomous experimentation , hydrogen-bonded polymer systems , and machine learning for conjugated polymers , with applications in wearable medical sensors , soft robotics , and human-computer interfaces . Scientific accolades include the Materials Research Society Postdoctoral Award , MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 , and recognition as a Scialog Fellow . She serves on editorial boards for APL Machine Learning and Flexible Electronics , and her team at Argonne includes postdocs and students working on self-driving labs and degradable polymers .
Fahim Khan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at California Polytechnic State University’s College of Engineering. He specializes in computer graphics, data visualization, computer vision, and machine learning, with a focus on applying these technologies to education, environmental monitoring, and public safety. His research emphasizes making complex data accessible through advanced tools, bridging the gap between raw data and actionable insights. He is deeply committed to inclusive education and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. His work often integrates citizen science initiatives, empowering communities through mobile applications and machine learning. Notable projects include real-time rip current detection systems and platforms for high school students to engage in research. Khan advocates for equity in technology, designing inclusive learning environments and promoting diversity in STEM. He actively supports the university’s Learn by Doing philosophy, blending practical education with theoretical rigor. Professionally, he contributes to coastal observation networks and autonomous vehicle datasets while maintaining a balance through outdoor activities like exploring Pismo Beach. His research trends reflect a strong focus on mobile computing, environmental applications, and education technology, with recent efforts emphasizing citizen science and data-driven solutions. While no formal grants or advising records are detailed, his projects implicitly involve collaborative efforts. He is affiliated with labs focused on environmental monitoring and mobile technology development, though specific lab names are not mentioned.
Larissa Samuelson is a Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of East Anglia, specializing in developmental cognitive science with a focus on early word and category learning. She holds administrative roles including Director of Research (2018–present). Her research integrates neural network models with empirical studies to understand how children process information and learn language. Education: BS (Honors) in Psychology, Indiana University (1993) PhD in Psychology & Cognitive Science, Indiana University (2000) Research Interests: Cognitive development in early childhood Word learning mechanisms and neural models Executive function development Cross-cultural language processing Awards: American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award (2010) European Research Council Grant (2025–2031) Recipient of Leverhulme Trust funding (2025–2029) Projects: System of shape representations in cognition Neural process theory of vocabulary variability Language processing in deaf individuals Lab & Teams: Leads the Developmental Dynamics Laboratory , focusing on precision science of word learning and ensuring equitable early language potential for toddlers.
Professor Brian Surgenor is a faculty member at Queen's University's Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, part of the Smith Engineering faculty. He holds a B.Sc. (1977), M.Eng. (AECL/Whiteshell), and Ph.D. (1983) in Mechanical Engineering from Queen's University. His research focuses on machine vision systems for automation, autonomous vehicle navigation, and mechatronic system design education. He has held key administrative roles including Department Head (1993-2002), Associate Dean (2008-2013), and Vice-Dean (2013-2016). His work emphasizes interdisciplinary innovation, such as the Mitchell Hall design project and contributions to Ingenuity Labs. Education: B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University (1977) M.Eng. Engineering Physics, McMaster University (AECL/Whiteshell) Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University (1983) Research interests include: - Pneumatic servosystems - Intelligent algorithms for machine vision - Off-road autonomous vehicle systems - Mechatronics education methodologies - Hybrid powertrain systems for vehicles His recent publications (2017–2024) explore autonomous systems, machine vision applications, and fuel cell hybrid technologies. Notable trends include advancements in UAV-based infrastructure inspection, terrain-adaptive autonomous driving, and low-cost machine vision solutions for small part sorting. His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical industrial automation challenges. He has contributed to laboratory design for CDIO curricula and pioneered mechatronics education through problem-based learning. His administrative leadership has shaped Queen's engineering graduate programs and research infrastructure. Currently involved in Ingenuity Labs, fostering cross-disciplinary innovation.
Wei Pang is a Professor of Computer Science and Bicentennial Research Leader at the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He leads the BCML Lab and is affiliated with the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics and National Robotarium. His expertise spans bio-inspired computing, machine learning, and AI applications in healthcare, robotics, and sustainability. Pang holds a PhD in Computing Science from the University of Aberdeen, with prior roles including Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and research fellowships in systems biology. Affiliations: Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Centre for Robotics, National Robotarium Education: PhD in Computing Science (2009), MEng (by research), BSc (Jilin University, China) Research Interests: Bio-inspired computing (e.g., artificial immune systems, swarm intelligence), machine learning (deep learning, explainable AI), healthcare applications (medical imaging, disease detection), and interdisciplinary projects in robotics and environmental science. His work addresses challenges in robust AI, fairness, and accountable machine learning. Recent Projects: EPSRC-funded RAIns and MI projects, CRUK-funded Endo.AI, and PRIME project on minority ethnic communities' digital experiences. His research has secured over £10M in grants, including £3.5M institutional funding. Awards: Scottish Crucible Award (2015), ADMA Best Paper Runner-Up (2016), EPSRC PRIME Award (2024) Grants/Advising: Supervised 12 PhD completions; contributed to £10M+ external funding. Labs/Teams: BCML Lab (focusing on bio-inspired AI), collaborations with Oxford, Cambridge, and industrial partners like Weather2 and Data2Text.
Melih Kandemir is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Southern Denmark University. He also serves as Research Group Leader at the Bosch Center for Artificial Intelligence (2018–2021) and held a previous role as Assistant Professor at Ozyegin University (2017–2018). His research focuses on machine learning, Bayesian methods, reinforcement learning, and uncertainty quantification. **Education**: PhD in Computer Science from Aalto University (2013), specializing in 'Learning Mental States from Biosignals'. **Research Interests**: Machine Learning, Bayesian Inference, Reinforcement Learning, Deep Neural Networks, Stochastic Processes. His work emphasizes theoretical foundations and practical applications in domains like medical imaging, control systems, and robotics. **Awards**: Two Best Paper Awards (2017). **Grants & Projects**: Includes the Carlsberg Young Researcher Fellowship (2022–2026), Novo Nordisk Foundation grants (2021–2024), and DFF-funded research on PAC-Bayesian reinforcement learning (2025–2027). **Labs/Teams**: Leads research on Bayesian deep learning and reinforcement learning within the Bosch Center for AI and SDU's interdisciplinary groups.
Erisa Karafili is an Associate Professor in Cybersecurity at the University of Southampton. She leads Teaching Methods Innovation at the GCHQ/EPSRC Academic Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE) and is a Champion in Security by Design at ACE-CSR. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, she joined the University in 2020 after roles including a Marie Curie Fellowship at Imperial College London, where she investigated cyber-attack attribution techniques. Her research focuses on formal methods applied to security, IoT threat models, and secure data sharing frameworks. Education: PhD in non-classical logics applied to multi-agent systems security from the University of Verona. Previous positions include PostDoc at Technical University of Denmark and Researcher at Imperial College London. Research Interests: Cyber-attack attribution, IoT security, formal methods in cybersecurity, data privacy, and argumentation-based reasoning for security. Awards: Higher Education Academy Fellowship. Current PhD Students: Betul Gokkaya, Mohammed Homaid Alquliti, Peter Geoffrey Williams, Steve Johnson. Active Projects: Heterogeneous Material Integrated MEMS/NEMS-Photonics Platform for Secure Communication (collaborative with Jize Yan and others).
Dr. Paul Henderson is a Lecturer in Machine Learning at the School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow. He holds a BA in Mathematics (University of Cambridge, 2009), an MSc in Informatics (University of Edinburgh, 2010), and a PhD in Computer Vision (University of Edinburgh, 2018). His research focuses on generative AI, probabilistic machine learning, and minimally-supervised approaches to 3D computer vision, with applications in healthcare, computer graphics, and physical sciences. Education: PhD in Computer Vision (University of Edinburgh, 2018) MSc in Informatics (University of Edinburgh, 2010) BA in Mathematics (University of Cambridge, 2009) His work spans generative models, medical imaging, and robotics. Notable contributions include datasets like Flat’n’Fold and techniques in diffusion models for text-to-image retrieval. He has received grants including the Royal Society Research Grant (2022-2023) and the Vesuvius Challenge Autosegmentation Prize (2025). He supervises PhD students in topics such as medical image segmentation and generative AI. Teaching: CS5002 Advanced Programming, CS4061/CS5014 Machine Learning.
Lawrence Kim is an Assistant Professor at the School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, Tangible User Interfaces, and Human-Robot Interaction, with teaching interests in Physical Computing and Human-Centered Computing. Education: PhD in Mechanical Engineering (Stanford University, 2020), MS in Mechanical Engineering (Stanford, 2015), and BS in Mechanical Engineering (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013). Research interests emphasize tangible interaction design, swarm robotics, and assistive technologies for special needs populations. His work includes developing interfaces like Woogu for child education and DiminishAR for cognitive enhancement. He directs the Tangent Lab (https://tangent.cs.sfu.ca/), exploring embodied and robotic interaction. Teaching includes courses such as CMPT 263 (Introduction to Human-Centered Computing) and CMPT 415/416 (Special Research Projects). His recent articles address topics like head posture correction in VR, programmable fidgeting with swarm robots, and stress prediction via mouse movements.
David Hästbacka is an Associate Professor (tenure track) at the Department of Computing Sciences, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences at Tampere University. His research focuses on software engineering, industrial automation, and energy systems, emphasizing system architecture, interoperability frameworks, and dependable IoT solutions. He leads a research group exploring edge and cloud computing, semantic integration, and smart energy systems. Education & Professional Background : While specific educational details are not provided, his academic career includes roles such as Postdoctoral Researcher in the SEMIS project (2017-2020) and extensive involvement in EU-funded initiatives like COCOP (EU H2020) and Horizon Europe projects. Research Projects : Active in high-impact projects like Hedge-IoT (Horizon Europe, 2024-2027), TwinfFlow (Business Finland), and TRINEFLEX (Horizon Europe), with a focus on industrial automation, distributed systems, and energy grids. Past projects include FEMMa (Business Finland), DisMa (Academy of Finland), and Arrowhead (ECSEL). Teaching & Supervision : Specializes in Web/Cloud architectures, IoT systems, and dependable automation technologies. Supervises students in topics like edge computing frameworks and MLOps pipelines. Technical Contributions : Develops frameworks for industrial interoperability (e.g., OPC UA PubSub integration), edge-cloud toolchains, and MLOps methodologies. His work addresses challenges in microservices, Kubernetes distributions, and semantic data integration. Labs & Teams : Leads a research group advancing automation technologies through interdisciplinary collaboration, with partnerships in industry and academia to bridge theory and practice in smart systems.
Marc Pollefeys is a Full Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich and Director of the Microsoft Mixed Reality and AI Zurich Lab. He has held roles such as Visiting Professor at Stanford University (2007) and Assistant/Associate Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill (2002–2009). His research focuses on 3D computer vision, robotics, machine learning, and augmented reality. Education: PhD in Computer Science from KU Leuven (1999), followed by postdoctoral research there until 2002. He transitioned to academic roles at UNC-Chapel Hill before joining ETH Zurich in 2007. Research interests include 3D reconstruction, visual localization, SLAM, and applications in archaeology, urban modeling, and robotics. Notable projects include real-time 3D scanning, city-scale reconstruction, and autonomous vision-based drones. Key awards include ACM Fellow (2022), IEEE Fellow (2012), and ERC Starting Grant (2008). He advises numerous PhD students and collaborates with institutions like Google and Microsoft. Labs and teams: Leads the Computer Vision and Geometry (CVG) lab at ETH Zurich and directs the Microsoft Mixed Reality and AI Lab. His work bridges academia and industry, focusing on perception for mixed reality and autonomous systems.
Roman Kuc is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Yale University, affiliated with the School of Engineering & Applied Science. He directs the Intelligent Sensors Laboratory, focusing on biomimetic sensors for robotics and bioengineering. His research explores brain-based devices (BBDs), sonar sensing, and neuromorphic processing inspired by biological systems. He holds a BSEE from Illinois Institute of Technology and a PhD from Columbia University. Dr. Kuc’s work bridges signal processing, robotics, and bioengineering, with applications in autonomous systems and clinical diagnostics. He has published over 200 papers and authored textbooks like Electrical Engineering in Context and The Digital Information Age . Notable honors include an honorary doctorate from the Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics and the Yale Sheffield Distinguished Teaching Award. His research themes include cognitive mapping via sonar echoes, neural network-based classification of environmental features, and biomimetic approaches to echolocation. Recent work emphasizes sensorimotor integration and robust performance in uncertain environments. Scientific awards highlight his contributions to robotics, signal processing, and education. His lab develops systems that emulate biological sensory mechanisms, aiming to advance robotics, medical applications, and assistive technologies.
Chun Ouyang is a Professor at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in the School of Computer Science within the Faculty of Science. With an extensive publication record spanning over two decades from 2002 to 2025, Professor Ouyang has established themselves as a leading researcher in Business Process Management, Process Mining, and Explainable AI. Their work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications across healthcare, finance, and industrial sectors. Professor Ouyang's research interests primarily focus on Business Process Management systems, Process Mining techniques, Explainable Artificial Intelligence, and Healthcare Process Analysis. Their work has evolved from foundational BPMN/BPEL translation research in the early 2000s to sophisticated process mining approaches in the 2010s, and most recently to cutting-edge Explainable AI applications in clinical and business contexts. They have developed novel methodologies for process querying, predictive process analytics, and XAI evaluation frameworks that have significantly advanced the field. Their research consistently emphasizes practical applicability while maintaining strong theoretical foundations, with publications in top-tier journals and conferences including IEEE Transactions, Springer journals, and major BPM conferences. Analysis of Professor Ouyang's recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strategic research trajectory that integrates traditional process mining with modern AI techniques, particularly focusing on explainability and trustworthiness. Their work demonstrates a consistent pattern of addressing real-world challenges through rigorous methodological development, with increasing emphasis on healthcare applications, clinical decision support systems, and the ethical implications of AI deployment. The publications show strong interdisciplinary collaboration patterns, particularly with medical researchers and industry partners. Professor Ouyang has mentored numerous PhD students and early-career researchers who have gone on to establish themselves in the BPM and AI communities. Their research group at QUT has secured multiple competitive grants supporting innovative work in process analytics and AI. They maintain active collaborations with leading researchers globally, including Catarina Pinto Moreira, Arthur ter Hofstede, and Moe Wynn. Professor Ouyang leads the Process Analytics Research Group at QUT, which focuses on developing advanced techniques for business process analysis, prediction, and optimization. The group maintains strong industry connections with healthcare providers, financial institutions, and government agencies, ensuring their research has practical impact. Current projects include developing trustworthy AI systems for clinical decision support, cross-organizational process analysis frameworks, and next-generation process mining techniques for complex, distributed systems.
Prof. Dr. Enkelejda Kasneci is a Distinguished Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), leading the Chair of Human-Centered Technologies for Learning. She holds dual affiliations within TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology and TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. Her research integrates AI, eye-tracking, and immersive technologies to advance educational paradigms. She directs the TUM Center for Educational Technologies and chairs the MSc program 'AI in Society.' Education: PhD in Computer Science from University of Tübingen (2013), M.Sc. from University of Stuttgart (2007). Earlier roles include Assistant Professor and Dean of Studies at University of Tübingen. Research Focus: Human-centered AI applications in education, multimodal interaction design, and privacy-preserving eye-tracking. Her work bridges technology and pedagogy through projects like AI tutor PEER, VR Classroom, and Privacy-Preserving Eye-tracking. Key Projects: Leads EU-funded projects VIVA (€1.125M), DigiProMIN (€163K), and SARA Kids (€244.8K). Active in policy initiatives like Europe’s AI Imperative. Awards: TUM Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Medal (2024), Liesel Beckmann Distinguished Professorship (2022), and Südwestmetall Research Prize (2014). Grants & Advising: Over €5M in secured funding across 12+ projects. Supervises 14+ PhD researchers and mentors postdocs in AI education and HCI. Labs & Teams: IT-Stiftung EdTech Lab houses advanced VR/eye-tracking setups. Research group includes 20+ members spanning AI, HCI, and educational technology.
