Dr. Juan Manuel Berbel Pineda is a full Professor at the Department of Business Organization and Marketing at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain. His academic work focuses on tourism economics, sustainable tourism practices, and international business strategies, particularly within the hotel industry and textile sector. Key research areas: Tourism Economics, Sustainable Tourism, International Business Strategy Affiliated with IMEGS (Innovation and Marketing for a Sustainable Global Environment) research group Doctoral Programs: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Family Business His research explores tourism competitiveness and internationalization patterns through empirical studies on hotel chains in Latin America, fair trade impacts in emerging economies, and post-COVID-19 rural tourism development. Analysis of 15 recent publications reveals strong emphasis on structural equation modeling, cross-cultural comparisons, and market segmentation strategies. Current academic activity includes international collaborations with institutions like Massey University, Varna University of Management, and University of Mauritius. His 2020 work on Ecuadorian chia seed exports demonstrates methodology for EU market selection using 7-dimensional indicators, while his sustainable tourism studies provide frameworks for pandemic-era tourism revival through non-overcrowding strategies.
Jose Luis Belmonte Postigo is an active researcher and faculty member at the University of Seville, specifically in the Department of American History within the Faculty of Philosophy, Arts and Humanities. His academic career spans over a decade, with research activity documented from 2010 to the present. He earned his doctorate from the Pablo de Olavide University with a thesis on slavery in Santiago de Cuba (1780-1803), supervised by Dr. Juan Marchena Fernández. Belmonte Postigo's research focuses on the history of slavery in the Spanish Caribbean and Latin America, with particular attention to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Peru, and the broader Atlantic World. His work examines the social, economic, and cultural dimensions of slavery, including enslaved people's resistance strategies, social mobility, and the complex relationships between masters and slaves. He has conducted extensive research on how enslaved individuals navigated systems of power, sought freedom, and maintained cultural practices across the colonial period. His publications reveal a strong interest in the microhistories of enslaved individuals and communities, analyzing how they negotiated their circumstances within rigid colonial structures. Belmonte Postigo has made significant contributions to understanding the regional variations of slavery across the Spanish Empire, particularly examining how local contexts shaped slave societies in different parts of the Caribbean and Latin America. Belmonte Postigo has received recognition for his scholarly work, with a substantial following on academic platforms like Academia.edu where he has 938 followers. He collaborates with scholars across Latin America and Spain, contributing to edited volumes and participating in international research projects focused on slavery and colonial history. In addition to his research, Belmonte Postigo has demonstrated commitment to academic service through peer reviewing and contributing to scholarly journals. His expertise in colonial slavery has positioned him as a key contributor to ongoing scholarly conversations about the legacy of slavery in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Miguel Ángel Bernal Merino serves as a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Modern Philology, Translation and Interpretation at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Concurrently, he acts as convener of the MA in Translation at the University of Roehampton in London, managing its Specialised Translation, Audiovisual Translation, and Intercultural Communication pathways since 2005. His academic profile bridges theoretical research and industry application in localization disciplines. PhD in The Localisation of Video Games, Imperial College London MSc in The Localisation of Multimedia Interactive Entertainment Software, Imperial College London Certificate in Software Localisation, University of Limerick CELTA, University of Cambridge MPhil in Lip-Synched Dubbing, Universidad de Alicante MA in Hispanic Literature, University of Rhode Island BA in English & Spanish Linguistics, Universidad de Alicante Bernal Merino's research pioneers the expansion of Translation Studies into interactive media domains. His work on video game localization examines interactivity, cultural adaptation, glocalisation, and playability, while his audiovisual translation research investigates creativity in lip-synched dubbing, subtitling, and audiodescription. He extends these frameworks into gaming-based language learning through haptic environments and multisensory reinforcement, exploring physiological aspects of multilingual cognition and polysemiotic neural networks. This multidisciplinary approach fundamentally challenges traditional boundaries in translation theory. His publication trajectory reveals evolving industry-academia integration, shifting from foundational game localization frameworks (2008-2015) toward user-centered research and educational applications (2018-2024). Recent work emphasizes measurable business impacts through quality localization, regional market adaptations, and crowd-sourced methodologies, demonstrating consistent influence on professional standards across gaming and translation sectors. Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Bernal Merino supervises doctoral research on mobile game localization, transmedia fan experiences, and historical game content translation while developing industry-academia pipelines through projects like AHRC's Media Across Borders. His funded initiatives—including Maximising ROI through Quality Game Localisation and Video Games for Language Learning—bridge theoretical innovation with commercial implementation, focusing on glocalisation strategies, interactivity metrics, and playability optimization. These collaborations connect European universities, gaming studios, and localization service providers. As chair of the IGDA Localization SIG and member of GIR Discourse, Communication and Society, he directs international forums for game localization discourse. His work with Routes into Languages promotes audiovisual media in language education, while REF-readiness collaborations enhance research excellence across European institutions through his professional network spanning industry conferences like GDC Summit and Game Global.
Alicia Orea Giner is a Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences of Rey Juan Carlos University, specializing in sustainable tourism and social justice. Her research focuses on Generation Z's sustainable consumption practices in food tourism, AI integration in hospitality, and ethical dimensions of tourism. She co-authored the award-winning article The way we live, the way we travel: generation Z and sustainable consumption in food tourism experiences , recognized with the 2024 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award. Her work bridges sustainability, technology, and cultural studies. Key themes include feminist methodologies in tourism research, transformative travel through ecofeminism, and post-pandemic food tourism trends. She explores AI applications in service robots, wellness tourism's mental health connections, and marginalized communities' roles in culinary tourism. Recent studies address LGBTQ+ tourism challenges, stakeholder participation in World Heritage sites, and ghost tours' cultural narratives. Awards highlight her contributions to sustainability and social justice in tourism. Awards: 2024 Emerald Literati Outstanding Paper Award Research Foci: Food Tourism, AI Ethics, Feminist Tourism Studies, Cultural Heritage Management Labs/Teams: No specific lab mentioned; collaborates across interdisciplinary tourism research networks.
Danfeng Zhang is a faculty member at Duke University whose research sits at the intersection of programming languages and security. Active across the premier PL conferences since 2015, Zhang has served on more than two-dozen program committees and currently co-chairs the POPL Student Research Competition. Education & Affiliation: Home page: users.cs.duke.edu/~dz132 Affiliation: Duke University, United States Research Interests: Zhang’s work spans programming-language design, static and dynamic analysis, formal verification, and security. A recurring theme is developing language-based techniques that guarantee strong security and privacy properties—ranging from side-channel resistance and constant-time execution to differential-privacy proofs—while preserving performance and usability. His recent projects combine type systems, program logics, and automated reasoning to build practical verification tools for concurrent, speculative, and approximate software. Publication Trends: Across nine representative papers (2015-2024) Zhang has advanced static detection of cache side channels, automated proofs of differential privacy, and relaxed concurrency models. The trajectory shows deepening integration of security concerns into language infrastructure, with tool-building (CtChecker, SpecSafe, LightDP) that bridge formal guarantees and real-world systems. Service & Leadership: 2024 POPL Student Research Competition Co-Chair 2025 POPL Program Committee member Repeated reviewer/PC member: PLDI, SPLASH/OOPSLA, ISSTA, ECOOP, APLAS, PriSC, PASS Zhang regularly mentors student researchers through SRC sessions and workshop panels, fostering diversity and early-career participation in the programming-languages community.
Baris Ata is the Sigmund E. Edelstone Distinguished Service Professor of Operations Management at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His work bridges theoretical operations management with practical applications, focusing on dynamic decision-making under uncertainty. Research Interests Ata’s research spans stochastic networks, manufacturing/service operations, healthcare delivery, and social sector innovation. Recent projects address high-dimensional stochastic control, xenotransplantation candidate selection, criminal justice logistics, and last-mile delivery challenges in Africa. Scientific Awards Best Paper in Service Science Award, INFORMS (2009) William Pierskalla Best Paper Award, INFORMS (2015) Wickham Skinner Best Paper Award, POMS (2019) Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Young Scholar Prize, INFORMS (2015) Emory Williams MBA Teaching Award (2021) Recent Publications Ata’s recent work includes topics in dynamic pricing, stochastic control, and healthcare logistics. His papers examine congestion-based pricing strategies, equilibrium analysis in queues, and policy design for organ transplantation. Broad disciplines include operations management, stochastic modeling, and healthcare analytics.
Antonia Agulló Agüero is a distinguished Professor at Pompeu Fabra University specializing in Financial and Tax Law. With a scholarly career spanning over four decades from 1980 to 2025, she has established herself as a leading authority in Spanish tax law with growing expertise in EU tax frameworks and public finance systems. Her academic contributions include 26 journal articles, 27 collaborative works, 15 books, and direction of 20 doctoral theses. Her research interests focus on Tax Law , Financial Law , and Public Finance , with particular expertise in EU Taxation, Local Government Finance, Constitutional Tax Law, and International Taxation. Her scholarly work demonstrates a clear evolution from foundational tax principles to complex contemporary issues including healthcare financing, cross-border taxation, and fiscal policy responses to economic crises. Analysis of her most recent publications (2016-2020) reveals increasing attention to healthcare financing mechanisms, EU tax harmonization challenges, and the constitutional dimensions of public spending. Her work bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical policy applications, particularly in regional tax autonomy and fiscal federalism within Spain's autonomous communities framework. As a dedicated academic mentor, she has supervised 20 doctoral students whose research spans diverse tax law topics including international double taxation, public debt concepts, soft law in international taxation, and environmental taxation. Her students have gone on to contribute significantly to academic and professional tax discourse in Spain. Her scholarly infrastructure includes leadership in academic publications, participation in professional tax councils (notably the Barcelona Tax Council), and contributions to major tax law reforms including Spain's General Tax Law and Personal Income Tax legislation. Her work continues to influence tax policy development in Spain and EU member states.
Karina Gibert is a Full Professor at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), specifically at the Faculty of Computer Science of Barcelona (FIB) in the Department of Statistics and Operations Research. With a permanent teaching position since 1990, she contributes to research and education with a focus on Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Explainable AI, and Ethics in AI. Full Professor, UPC (since 1990) PhD in Informatics Engineering Postgraduate in Higher Education Teaching Director and co-founder of IDEAI research center Dean of the Official Professional College on Informatics Engineering of Catalonia Active in bridging the gender gap in STEAM through multiple initiatives Her research focuses on extracting strategic knowledge from data and intelligent systems with ethical and explainable perspectives. She has led various projects including Diet4You for personalized diets, INSESS-COVID19 for social vulnerability analysis, Top Rosies Talent for female AI development, and ciutadanIA for AI culture promotion. Her work spans health, environment, sustainability, tourism, and social technology applications. As an editor of Environmental Modeling and Software journal and active academic, she contributes to international conferences, working groups, and research collaborations. Her service includes membership on various ethics and AI strategy committees and advisory boards. Women Tech Award 2023 National Informatics Engineering Award in Digital Dissemination 2022 Ada Byron Award 2022 Honorific Mention of Creu Casas award 2021 donaTIC 2018 Award Finalist at AMETIC Awards 2021 Finalist of European Social Services Awards 2021
Yolanda Vidal Segui is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), affiliated with the Escola d'Enginyeria de Barcelona Est (EEBE). Her research focuses on wind energy systems, predictive maintenance, and structural health monitoring of wind turbines. She leads projects in the CoDAlab and WinTurCoM research groups, specializing in data-driven models, condition monitoring, and failure prognosis. Her work integrates machine learning, mathematical modeling, and sensor technology to enhance turbine reliability and energy efficiency. Dr. Vidal holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and has authored over 350 publications. Her contributions include advancements in SCADA data analysis, vibration-based diagnostics, and AI-driven condition monitoring systems. She has received several accolades, including the WindEurope Technology Workshop recognition and the IFIT Distinction in Mechanism and Machine Science. Her research bridges academia and industry, addressing challenges in offshore wind turbine integrity and maintenance strategies. Active in professional service, she serves on conference committees and editorial boards (e.g., Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Wind Energy). Her work emphasizes sustainable energy solutions and has been applied in real-world scenarios like the Alpha Ventus wind farm. She also contributes to educational initiatives, developing innovative teaching materials for engineering students.
Mar Pérez-Sanagustín is an Associate Professor at the Institute de Recherche en Informatique (IRIT) , Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier. She actively participates in international conferences such as EIAH, ATICA, and EDEN, focusing on Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Smart Cities, and MOOCs. Award-winning researcher with the 1rst ITWorldEdu Award and Best Demo Award at ECTEL 2013 Specializes in datafication in education, collaborative learning, and social media integration Research interests include: Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and its intersection with computer science Smart Cities Learning ecosystems and context-aware services Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and educational analytics Space-aware design for mobile learning Personal Learning Environments and collaborative tools Her recent publications analyze trends in TEL methodology, the PROF-XXI Framework, and global blended learning initiatives. She actively collaborates with institutions like Universidad Carlos III, UNED, and BUAP de México, and has been invited to keynotes and workshops across Europe and Latin America. Scientific awards: 1rst ITWorldEdu Award (2014) for educational technology solutions Best Demo Award at ECTEL 2013
Luis Merino Cabañas is a Professor at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide , affiliated with the Deporte e Informática department and leading the SRL Service Robotics Laboratory . His research focuses on robotics, systems engineering, and automation, with a specialization in human-robot interaction and path planning. Education : PhD in Systems Engineering from the Universidad de Sevilla (2007), where his thesis explored cooperative perception techniques for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in forest fire detection. Research Trends : Recent work (2023–2025) emphasizes 3D path planning, sensor fusion (LiDAR, radar, inertial systems), neural distance fields for safe navigation, and socially aware robotics. His studies integrate AI, genetic programming, and multi-modal perception for applications in construction, healthcare, and GNSS-denied environments. Labs & Teams : He leads the SRL Service Robotics Laboratory , contributing to projects like the Skyeye team and BIM2ROS integration for construction robotics.
Fernando Caballero Benítez is a Professor in the Department of Sports and Information Technology at the University of Pablo de Olavide, specializing in Systems Engineering and Automation. He leads research activities within the Service Robotics Laboratory (SRL) and contributes to PhD programs in Engineering, Data Science, and Bioinformatics. His research interests focus on Robotics , Computer Vision , and Systems Engineering , with significant contributions to the theoretical understanding of active matter systems. His work bridges engineering applications with statistical physics principles, particularly in the context of robotic systems and unmanned aerial vehicles. His publication record demonstrates expertise in theoretical frameworks for understanding complex systems, with a notable 2018 paper analyzing phase separation phenomena in active matter using renormalization group techniques. This research connects statistical mechanics with potential applications in multi-robot systems and collective behavior. His academic collaborations include prominent researchers such as Aníbal Ollero Baturone, Michael E. Cates, and Cesare Nardini, reflecting interdisciplinary work spanning engineering and theoretical physics. Dr. Caballero Benítez completed his doctoral studies at the University of Seville in 2007 with a thesis on homography-based techniques for unmanned aerial vehicle self-localization using monocular imagery, supervised by Dr. Aníbal Ollero Baturone and Dr. Joaquín Ferruz Melero. His work continues to focus on the intersection of robotics, computer vision, and theoretical frameworks for complex systems.
Marta Rodríguez Castro is an Assistant Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising. She leads the New Media research group, focusing on trends in digital journalism, public service media governance, and media innovation. Her teaching includes courses on audiovisual company management, media business models, and journalism ethics across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Her research explores public service media's role in liberal democracies, digital transformation challenges, accessibility in broadcasting, and proximity journalism. Notable projects include studies on European public broadcasting's value frameworks, platform regulation impacts, and participatory citizen engagement mechanisms. Recent work highlights the combat against disinformation through PSM initiatives, gender-focused journalism practices, and the strategic use of innovation in media sustainability. She has published extensively on public value tests, media governance, and digital transformation in journals and peer-reviewed volumes. Though no formal awards are listed, her contributions to media policy debates and innovative pedagogical approaches reflect her academic standing. Her advising focuses on doctoral students in contemporary communication studies, with emphasis on European comparative media analysis. Marta collaborates with institutions like RTPA (Asturias public media) and European media networks, contributing to policy discussions on media accessibility, regional broadcasting models, and digital accountability frameworks.
Mireia Artigot Golobardes is an Associate Professor of Civil Law at the Faculty of Law, Pompeu Fabra University, where she holds a Ramón y Cajal research fellowship. She is admitted to the bar in both New York and Barcelona and previously clerked for Hon. Edwin H. Stern at the New Jersey Appellate Division. Her interdisciplinary research examines private law through economic lenses, with specializations in contract law, consumer protection, and digital market regulation. Education: JSD & LLM, Cornell Law School Law Degree & BA Economics, Pompeu Fabra University BA Music, Conservatory of Barcelona Research Focus: Her work investigates algorithmic decision-making in consumer transactions, AI's impact on fundamental rights, sustainability in contract law, and regulatory frameworks for digital markets. She leads significant projects including: JuLIA (Justice, Fundamental Rights and AI) - EU-funded judicial training program AlgorithmLaw - Examining algorithmic transparency in legal norms iConsumers - Studying digital market impacts on consumer rights Publications: Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on law-economics-technology intersections. Recent works examine algorithmic personalization in consumer contracts (2022), sustainability challenges in market regulation (2024), and limitations of data protection frameworks (2021). The publications show progressive engagement with emerging digital law challenges. Awards & Honors: Ramón y Cajal Research Fellowship (Spain's prestigious research award) Professional Activities: She maintains international connections through visiting professorships at Brooklyn Law School, University of Kassel, University of Trento, and research visits to NYU and University of Western Cape. She serves as Teaching Fellow for the Europaeum Program at Oxford University and is affiliated with UPF's Center for Studies in AI and Natural Intelligence.
Patricia Lucía Barber Pérez is a Full Professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where she works in the Department of Quantitative Methods in Economics and Management within the School of Economics, Business and Tourism. She is a prominent member of the Health Economics and Public Policies Research Group and serves as Principal Investigator for multiple national and European health workforce planning projects. Her professional activities include teaching courses such as Final Degree Project (Economics), Final Degree Project (Business Administration and Management), and Basic Statistics Applied to the Tourism Sector. Dr. Barber's research focuses primarily on Health Economics with particular emphasis on system dynamics and applied simulation models for healthcare planning and management systems, especially human resources management. Her work encompasses structural models of simultaneous equations and empirical applications in health economics areas including smoking, economic valuation, and equity. She has made significant contributions to understanding healthcare workforce needs, physician supply-demand dynamics, and pandemic economic impacts. The analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on health workforce planning and forecasting, with particular attention to specialist physician needs across various medical fields. Her research employs sophisticated modeling techniques including system dynamics to project future healthcare workforce requirements. A notable trend is her extensive work on pandemic-related economic impacts and healthcare system resilience, reflecting the evolving priorities in health economics research following global health crises. Dr. Barber has participated in numerous research projects funded by the Ministry of Health, European Commission, and local government entities. Her collaborative work extends across Spain and internationally, particularly with Latin American countries on healthcare workforce planning initiatives. She has served as Principal Investigator for major projects including the 2021-2035 Specialist Physician Supply and Demand Report for Spain and various European health initiatives. Her academic contributions span multiple research teams, most notably the Health Economics and Public Policies Research Group at ULPGC. She frequently collaborates with researchers across Spain and internationally, particularly with B. González López-Valcárcel on numerous health economics projects. Her work bridges academic research with practical health policy applications, influencing healthcare planning at regional, national, and European levels.
