Thomas Richter is a leading academic and Professor at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) , where he serves as Lead Research Fellow and Head of the Research Programme "Accountability and Participation" . His work focuses on the institutional and material determinants of authoritarian rule , executive personalization , and global political economy , particularly in the Middle East and North Africa region. Education: PhD in Political Science (summa cum laude) at the University of Bremen (2008); studies at Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research explores the interplay of rentier statehood and economic reforms , civil society under authoritarian regimes , and shrinking civic spaces . Recent projects include the Merian Center for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) and the Monitoring System and Transfer Platform Radicalisation (MOTRA) , funded by BMBF and DFG. Richter has published extensively on topics such as anti-Semitism , executive power dynamics , and public opinion on military service in Germany. He has received notable awards, including the Lijphart/Przeworski/Verba Data Set Award (2017) and the Gero Erdmann-Preis für vergleichende Area-Forschung (2022) . His collaborative work spans institutions like the WZB Berlin and Université de Tunis . Richter is also a co-editor of the Perspectives on the Maghreb series with Amsterdam University Press.
Dr. Saiedeh Razavi is an Associate Professor and the inaugural Chair in Heavy Construction at McMaster University's Department of Civil Engineering, directing the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics (MITL). She holds a multidisciplinary background with degrees in Computer Engineering (B.Sc., Sharif University), Artificial Intelligence (M.Sc., Iran), and Civil Engineering (Ph.D., Waterloo). Her research focuses on smart infrastructure, connected mobility, and construction safety, funded by NSERC and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Key areas include transforming construction management through AI, autonomous vehicles, and smart work zones. Education: B.Sc. (Sharif), M.Sc. (Iran), Ph.D. (Waterloo) Research Interests: Smart cities, connected vehicle systems, data fusion, risk analysis, and sustainable logistics Leadership Roles: Director of MITL, Associate Chair (Research), and lead of national/international multidisciplinary projects Her work bridges academia, government, and industry to enhance mobility and safety. Notable grants include NSERC funding for transformative transportation systems. Awards include teaching excellence and innovation in team-based projects. Grants & Projects: NSERC, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and industry collaborations Labs/Teams: MITL, CPS-based construction safety initiatives, and autonomous vehicle research groups
Ke Yang serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), College of Sciences. He founded and leads the Cohort for AI REsponsibility (CAREAI) initiative, while also holding core faculty positions in UTSA's School of Data Science and MATRIX (AI Consortium for Human Well-being). Education: Ph.D. from New York University (supervised by Prof. Julia Stoyanovich) Research Focus: Dr. Yang's work centers on AI trustworthiness and responsibility , with specialized expertise in algorithmic fairness, data ethics, and human-centered data science. His research addresses critical challenges including Large Language Model hallucinations, explainable AI frameworks, and algorithmic accountability mechanisms. He actively develops open-source tools like Ranking Facts and FairDAGs to implement these principles in practical systems. Publication Trends: Recent work (2020-2025) demonstrates evolving focus from foundational fairness in ranking systems toward generative AI safety and medical applications. His publications show strong theoretical grounding combined with real-world implementation, particularly in privacy policy analysis and medical question-answering systems using causal inference techniques. Scientific Recognition: Pearl Brownstein Doctoral Research Award (NYU Tandon School of Engineering) CDS Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of Massachusetts) Professional Development: Dr. Yang has secured significant research funding including the CDS Postdoctoral Fellowship at UMass. His graduate work at NYU and Drexel University was fully supported by research assistantships, demonstrating consistent funding acquisition throughout his career. He actively contributes to academic community building through conference tutorials and educational initiatives. Research Ecosystem: He directs CAREAI at UTSA while collaborating across institutional boundaries through MATRIX and the School of Data Science. Previously, he contributed to the Data systems Research for Exploration, Analytics, and Modeling (DREAM) lab and Center for Data Science at UMass Amherst, maintaining continuity in his responsible AI research trajectory.
Dimitris Mitropoulos is an Assistant Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) in the Department of Business Administration, where he teaches courses on Distributed Ledger Technologies, Data Security and Privacy, Algorithms and Business Analytics, and Introduction to Programming. He also serves as Head of the Reliability Engineering Directorate at the National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET), Greece's national research and education network organization. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Computer Science Department at Columbia University. Dr. Mitropoulos received his Ph.D. degree in Secure Software Development Technologies from the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) in 2014. His doctoral research was supported by the Heracleitus II Scholarship, co-financed by the European Union and Greek national funds. He is a member of prestigious professional organizations including ACM, IEEE, and USENIX. Dr. Mitropoulos conducts pioneering research at the intersection of software engineering and cybersecurity, with particular expertise in secure software development, vulnerability analysis, and blockchain security. His work spans multiple dimensions of software security including code injection attacks, infrastructure as code security, smart contract analysis, and dependency management in software ecosystems. His research methodology combines static and dynamic analysis techniques with empirical studies of real-world software systems, particularly focusing on Java, Python, and Solidity ecosystems. His recent work has made significant contributions to understanding security vulnerabilities in modern software development practices and infrastructure management. Dr. Mitropoulos has received numerous prestigious awards for his research contributions, including the Research Excellence Award from NKUA (2025), Distinguished Paper and Artifact Awards at PLDI '22, Best Data Showcase Award at MSR 2018, and multiple postdoctoral research funding scholarships. His work on "Finding typing compiler bugs" was recognized with both Distinguished Paper and Artifact Awards at PLDI '22, highlighting the significance and reproducibility of his research. He has also received recognition for his service to the academic community, including a Certificate of Appreciation from ESEC/FSE '21 for his contributions to conference organization. Dr. Mitropoulos has been actively involved in securing research funding and leading significant research projects. He currently serves as Principal Investigator for the SecOPERA project (2023-Today), funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe. Previously, he contributed to several major EU and US-funded projects including eSSIF-Lab (2019-2022), FASTEN (2019-2022), PRIViLEDGE (2018-2021), CERTCOOP (2017-2020), PANORAMIX (2016-2019), and TREDISEC (2016-2018). His research has been supported by diverse funding sources including the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program, the National Science Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Mitropoulos plays an active role in the international research community through various leadership positions. He serves on program committees for top-tier conferences including OOPSLA (2026), ICSE (2026), ESEC/FSE (2025), and ISSTA (2025). He has previously served as Workshop Co-Chair for ISSTA 2025 and Student Volunteer Chair for ESEC/FSE 2021. His contributions to mentoring the next generation of researchers include serving as a mentor for the ICSE Student Mentoring Workshop (2022) and supervising Google Summer of Code projects (2017).
Danel Ahman is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Computer Science , University of Tartu , Estonia, specializing in programming language theory . His research focuses on dependent/refinement types , computational effects , and verified software . Education PhD in Theoretical Computer Science (University of Edinburgh, 2017) MPhil in Advanced Computer Science (University of Cambridge, 2012) BSc in Informatics (Tallinn University of Technology, 2010) Research Interests : Danel investigates programming languages with algebraic effects and effect handlers for verified software, exploring denotational/operational semantics and fibrational approaches to effects. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical formal verification. Scientific Awards : Estonian Research Council grant (2025) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (2019) PhD dissertation prize (2018) Google/Citrix dissertation awards (2012) Teaching & Supervision : He teaches courses like Logic in Computer Science and Functional Programming at the University of Tartu, and supervised BSc/MSc theses on topics including asynchronous effects and formal verification. Danel also organizes research seminars and guest lectures on F*.
Professor Stephen Croft is a faculty member at Lancaster University , affiliated with the School of Engineering . His research focuses on Nuclear Materials Measurement Science , with expertise in radiation detection, neutron interrogation, and X-ray/gamma-ray spectroscopy. Current projects include cosmic ray neutron monitoring , active neutron interrogation of nuclear materials , and radiation damage assessment . His recent publications emphasize semi-empirical modeling of atomic interactions and advanced detection techniques for nuclear applications. He has contributed to understanding vacancy transfer probabilities , X-ray fluorescence cross-sections , and water detection in nuclear environments . His work supports nuclear security, power plant safety, and space weather monitoring. Scientific awards : None explicitly mentioned in the text. Research groups : Involved in Nuclear Space Weather initiatives.
Stephen D. Hart is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University, with expertise in clinical-forensic psychology. His work focuses on assessment in criminal and civil settings, particularly violence risk and psychopathic personality disorder. He has also served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Bergen since 2000 and provides violence risk assessment and management services through Protect International Risk and Safety Services. Dr. Hart completed his education at the University of British Columbia, obtaining a BA in 1984, MA in 1987, and PhD in 1993. He began teaching at Simon Fraser University in 1990 and was appointed a regular faculty member in 1994. His primary research interest is clinical-forensic assessment, with specific focus on violence risk (including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, stalking, workplace violence, and terrorism) and psychopathic personality disorder. He co-developed the Structured Professional Judgment (SPJ) approach to violence risk assessment and has co-authored numerous SPJ violence risk assessment guides including HCR-20, RSVP, SVR-20, SARA, B-SAFER, SAM, PATRIARCH, MLG, and EARLI. He also developed the Comprehensive Assessment of Psychopathic Personality (CAPP) concept map with colleagues at Glasgow Caledonian University and the University of Liverpool. His publication record shows consistent output with significant contributions to understanding violence risk assessment across cultures and settings, as evidenced by his work on cases like Ewert v. Canada. His recent publications focus on economic analysis of crime costs associated with psychopathic personality disorder, stalking recidivism, and online stalking behaviors. Distinguished Contributions Award, American Academy of Forensic Psychology (2019) Distinguished Achievement Award, Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (2009) Career Achievement Award, Section on Clinical Emergencies and Crises (Section VII) of the Society of Clinical Psychology (2003) Jerome Fisher Memorial Lecture Award (2001) Saleem Shah Award for Early Career Research Excellence (1995) Dr. Hart has supervised numerous graduate and undergraduate students at Simon Fraser University and other institutions, and has acted as external examiner for graduate students worldwide. His research has received substantial funding, enabling the development and validation of multiple assessment instruments that have become standards in forensic practice. He has also served as Editor of the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management, further demonstrating his leadership in the field. Dr. Hart leads or significantly contributes to research teams focused on violence risk assessment and psychopathy assessment, collaborating with international colleagues across multiple disciplines including psychology, psychiatry, criminology, and law. His work bridges academic research and practical application in forensic settings globally.
Joss Wright is an Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute , University of Oxford. He co-directs the Oxford EPSRC Cybersecurity Doctoral Training Centre and the Oxford Martin Programme on the Wildlife Trade, focusing on computational approaches to social science questions about information control and privacy. Education : PhD in Computer Science from the University of York (research on anonymous communication systems), postdoctoral work at the University of Siegen (cloud computing security). His research spans internet censorship , privacy-enhancing technologies , and cyber-enabled crime (notably the online illegal wildlife trade ). He bridges technical analyses of security systems with their social and political implications, advising the European Commission and UK Parliamentary Science Committee on digital policy. Recent work includes machine learning applications to detect patent filing trends related to wildlife trade and analyzing Chinese smart city surveillance for human rights risks. He has contributed to media outlets like the Guardian and New Scientist. Notable projects include the Oxford Martin Programme on Wildlife Trade and studies on discriminatory effects of internet filtering . He supervises students like William Lugoloobi (DPhil in Social Data Science) and former advisee Samantha Bradshaw (now Assistant Professor at American University).
Thorsten Koch serves as Head of the Department of Applied Algorithmic Intelligence Methods within the Division of Mathematical Algorithmic Intelligence at Zuse Institute Berlin (ZIB). His research spans mathematical optimization, energy systems modeling, quantum computing applications, and scientometrics. Koch leads significant research projects including FAN (focusing on AI in scholarly communication), UNSEEN (energy scenarios), HPO-NAVI (research software visibility), and Multi-Energy Models for European Energy System Planning. Koch's research interests center on developing advanced optimization algorithms for complex systems, particularly in energy networks and scientific data analysis. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with practical applications in gas network optimization, wind farm design, portfolio management, and quantum computing. He has pioneered methods for large-scale mixed-integer programming, scenario generation, and the integration of machine learning with traditional optimization techniques. His recent publications demonstrate growing emphasis on quantum optimization, scientometrics, and the application of AI to scientific communication infrastructure. His publication trends reveal a strategic expansion from traditional mathematical optimization into quantum computing applications and scientific data infrastructure. Recent work shows increasing collaboration across disciplines - connecting energy systems analysis with financial modeling, integrating machine learning with optimization solvers, and applying computational methods to scientometrics. The 15 most recent articles highlight three major thrusts: quantum optimization (33%), energy systems modeling (27%), and scientific data infrastructure (40%), reflecting his leadership in both theoretical algorithm development and practical implementation for societal challenges. Koch actively contributes to research infrastructure through leadership roles in projects like KOBV (Berlin-Brandenburg Cooperative Library Network), HDC (Humanities Data Centre), and CIB (future library networks). His work on the DeepGreen initiative focuses on establishing legally secure workflows for implementing open-access components in scientific publication licensing agreements, demonstrating his commitment to open science principles and research data management.
Daniel E. Horton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, where he leads the Climate Change Research Group (CCRG). His interdisciplinary work bridges atmospheric science, environmental health, and geoscience through advanced modeling techniques. Education: Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from University of Michigan B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Texas A&M University B.S. in Physics from Tulane University Horton's research spans extreme weather events, near-term societal impacts of climate change, geologic climate evolution, and exoplanet habitability. His group integrates atmospheric, biospheric, cryospheric, hydrospheric, and lithospheric processes using numerical models, environmental observations, and machine learning. Recent work emphasizes environmental justice through neighborhood-scale air quality analysis and transportation electrification impacts. Analysis of his 10 most recent publications (2022-2023) reveals three dominant research thrusts: (1) urban air quality modeling with WRF-CMAQ systems focusing on racial disparities in pollution exposure, (2) transportation electrification impacts on public health and equity, particularly for heavy-duty vehicles, and (3) hydrological extremes including precipitation variability and post-wildfire debris flows. Machine learning applications are increasingly prominent across all research areas. Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2023) for research on air quality, public health, and equity implications of transportation electrification Horton secured a $600,000 NSF grant supporting both research and educational initiatives, including after-school sustainability programming for Chicago middle schools. His Climate Change Research Group actively recruits graduate students for projects at the intersection of climate science and societal impacts, with strong collaborations across environmental health, urban planning, and engineering disciplines. Current work emphasizes equity-centered climate solutions through fine-scale spatial analysis of pollution and health outcomes.
Gianfranco Chicco is a Full Professor at the Politecnico di Torino , Italy, within the Department of Energy (DENERG). He serves as Scientific Director of the Electrical Power Systems research group and the Turin unit of the ENSIEL Consortium. A Fellow of IEEE (since 2018), he has held editorial leadership roles as Editor-in-Chief of Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks and Subject Editor of Energy , while chairing major conferences like IEEE ISGT Europe 2017 and UPEC 2020. Education : Laurea (cum laude) in Electrical Engineering (1987), Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (1992), Doctor Honoris Causa (2017, Polytechnic University of Bucharest; 2018, Technical University 'Gheorghe Asachi' of Iasi). Research Interests : Focus on power transmission and distribution systems , distributed energy resources , and multi-energy smart grids , with applications in artificial intelligence , load management , and power quality . His work addresses technical, economic, and environmental aspects of distributed generation and smart grid sustainability . Publications Trends : Recent articles emphasize photovoltaic power optimization , dynamic grid modeling , and multi-energy system coordination , reflecting expertise in renewable integration , clustering algorithms , and adaptive control . Key subfields include voltage stability , load forecasting , and blockchain for energy trading . Awards : IEEE Fellow (2018-) Best Paper Awards at SEST (2018, 2020) Doctor Honoris Causa (2017, 2018) 'Giancarlo Vallauri' Degree Prize (1988) Advising and Grants : Supervises PhD students in power converters , renewable integration , and high-voltage measurement methodologies . Leads European projects like H2020 MIGRATE and OSMOSE, focusing on grid resilience , clustering-based network planning , and multi-energy sustainability .
Adam J. Aviv is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at The George Washington University, leading the George Washington University Usable Security and Privacy Lab (gwusec) . His work focuses on computer security, privacy, and usable security , with a particular emphasis on user behavior, authentication systems, and mobile/web security. University: The George Washington University Academic Rank: Associate Professor Email: aaviv@gwu.edu Research Interests: His research investigates how users interact with security and privacy systems, including studies on: Biometric and mobile authentication Password manager usability Generative AI risk perception Online proctoring and institutional decisions Data breach responses Privacy labels and user trust Recent Publications (2024–2025) span venues like USENIX Security, IEEE S&P, ACM CHI, and PoPETs, covering topics such as: Wearable-based contact tracing in low-resource settings WhatsApp mod security perceptions Password manager issues Privacy label accuracy Grants & Awards: Recipient of the OVPR Research Mentorship Award for his work with students. Currently holds NSF grants for collaborative cybersecurity research and travel funding for Privacy Enhancing Technology Symposium. Teaching: Offers Intro to Usable Security and Privacy (CSCI 4533/6533) in Fall 2025, with students engaging in: Secure messaging studies Interview and survey methodology Full research projects with ethics reports Laboratory: The gwusec lab focuses on user-centered security and privacy research , collaborating with institutions like Tel Aviv University and University of Haifa.
Professor Marios C. Angelides is a full-time faculty member at Brunel University London , serving as Professor of Computing and Divisional Lead within the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences . He leads the Creative Computing Research Group under the Institute of Digital Futures and contributes to the Digital Media department at Brunel Design School. BSc (First Class Honours) and PhD in Computing from the London School of Economics (LSE) Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Chartered Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS CITP) His research focuses on Creative Computing , specifically applying Machine Learning , Serious Gaming , and Cognitive Modeling to develop Smart IoT Applications . His work spans autonomous drone fleets for environmental monitoring, cybersecurity middleware for Android systems, wearable technology for lifestyle recommendations, and historical analysis of Alan Turing’s legacy in modern AI. Recent publications highlight trends in deploying Machine Learning for: IoT systems optimization Autonomous aerial/underwater vehicle coordination Deepfake detection using Turing’s Imitation Game Energy allocation in CubeSats via gaming mechanics Scientific recognition includes being Deputy Editor of The Computer Journal and runner-up for the 2016 Oxford University Press Wilkes Award . He has supervised PhD students in topics like Smart Android Middleware for Cybersecurity and Wearable Recommendation Systems , with active involvement in editorial boards and international conferences.
Dr. Martin Kleppmann is an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge, specializing in local-first software and security protocols . He leads research in distributed systems, focusing on decentralized architectures, collaborative editing tools, and cryptographic methods. As a key contributor to the Automerge open-source project, he bridges academic innovation with real-world applications. Formerly a research fellow at TU Munich (2022–2023) and Cambridge (2015–2022), he has also worked as a software engineer and startup founder, including LinkedIn (acquired 2012). Research Interests span Distributed Systems Security , Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types (CRDTs) , Collaborative Software , and Cryptography . His work addresses challenges in decentralized social networks, privacy-preserving protocols, and efficient data synchronization. Recent projects include Kintsugi (end-to-end encrypted key recovery) and Pudding (private user discovery for anonymity networks). Publications emphasize Collaborative text editing (2025: Eg-walker, 2023: The Art of the Fugue) CRDTs for JSON and trees (2021, 2017) Privacy in decentralized systems (2024: Pudding, 2025: Emission Impossible) Scientific Awards include Gilles Muller Best Artifact Award (EuroSys 2025) Distinguished Paper & Artifact Awards (OOPSLA 2017) Best Presentation Awards (Security Protocols Workshop 2018, PaPoC 2025)
Milind Tiwari is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Financial Crime at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security, Charles Sturt University. He holds a PhD in Money Laundering from Bond University, a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Manchester, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Christ University. As a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), he brings extensive industry experience from working with Big 4 firms including KPMG, EY, and Deloitte in both India and Australia. Dr. Tiwari's research spans multiple dimensions of financial crime with particular expertise in money laundering detection mechanisms, trade-based money laundering (TBML), food crime as a money laundering typology, and emerging threats in digital spaces including cryptocurrency and the metaverse. His work integrates advanced data analytics, blockchain technology, and artificial intelligence to develop innovative approaches to financial crime detection and prevention. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory focusing on increasingly complex intersections of technology and crime, with substantial contributions in 2024-2025 covering metacrime, cryptocurrency exchanges, food crime, and metaverse policing. These works appear in high-impact journals across criminology, finance, and technology disciplines. Dr. Tiwari has received significant recognition for his work, including the Emerald Literati Award and the Vice-chancellor's award for outstanding thesis. He is an active member of professional organizations including the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Association of Certified Anti-money laundering specialists (ACAMS), and Australia and New Zealand Accounting and Finance Association (AFAANZ). As an educator, Dr. Tiwari teaches specialized courses including JST 545 – Money Laundering and JST 549 – White Collar Psychopaths, bringing his practical industry experience and cutting-edge research directly into the classroom. His current research projects focus on TBML (Trade-Based Money Laundering) and CTAS, addressing critical vulnerabilities in the global financial system.
