Jonathan Santo is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), where he serves as Director of the Graduate Developmental Psychology Program and as a faculty member in the Office of Latino/Latin-American Studies. His research explores peer relations, cultural differences in self-esteem, and classroom-level influences on child and adolescent development, with a focus on improving school environments and fostering positive social interactions. ORCA Faculty Fellow His research spans broad areas including Developmental Psychology , Social Support Systems , and Cross-Cultural Peer Dynamics , with specific attention to peer victimization , self-continuity , school climate , and developmental trajectories in Brazilian and Colombian youth . Recent publications analyze topics like hikikomori experiences , friendship security , and HPA axis dysregulation in adolescents. Scientific awards include the ORCA Faculty Fellow recognition. His work often involves longitudinal assessments of peer relationships cross-cultural comparisons (Brazil, Colombia, China, Nigeria, Singapore, U.S.) policy-focused blog posts on family separations and school interventions
Prof. Dr. ir. BJ (Jeroen) de Kloet is a Professor of Globalisation Studies and Director of the Amsterdam Centre for Globalisation Studies (ACGS) at the University of Amsterdam 's Faculty of Humanities, Department of Media Studies. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Hong Kong Baptist University and has been actively involved in international academic collaborations across Asia and Europe. Key Research Areas: Globalization, Chinese cinema, urban studies, postcolonial theory, cultural politics Awards: Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in Social Sciences and Humanities (2023) Teaching: Engages in critical reflection on academic labor through seminars like 'How to survive the university?' His recent publications explore topics such as platformization, digital intimacies, and the politics of heritage-making. He has presented at major conferences in Venice, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei, focusing on the intersection of creativity, control, and urban transformation.
Mathias Funk is an Associate Professor in the Industrial Design department at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), leading the Things Ecology lab. His research focuses on designing with data and systems behavior, particularly in IoT and medical technology contexts. He co-founded UXsuite GmbH and developed the OOCSI communication framework. With a PhD in Electrical Engineering from TU/e (2011), Funk has held academic roles since 2013, including postdoctoral positions in Electrical Engineering and Industrial Design. He teaches courses like 'Data-enabled design' and supervises projects on AI, data foundry, and OOCSI applications. His work bridges engineering and design, addressing sustainability and human values through systemic design approaches. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, TU/e (2011) Computer Science background from RWTH Aachen Postdoc at TU/e's Electrical Engineering and Industrial Design departments Research Interests: Data-driven design methodologies, IoT systems, medical technology innovation, sustainable design practices, and interactive systems for musical expression. Recent work emphasizes telemonitoring efficacy in heart failure care and federated learning applications. Awards: Best Paper Award (2014) Honorable Mention (2021) Grants/Projects: Leading initiatives like MEDICAID (medtech solutions), ACACIA (interpretable AI), and Data-Driven Servitizing in Professional Printing. Active in clinical workflow prototyping and cardiovascular disease detection projects. Lab Activities: Manages the Things Ecology lab, focusing on systemic design challenges in smart ecosystems. Collaborates internationally through spin-offs and visiting lectureships.
Dr. Bimlesh Wadhwa is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and serves as Assistant Dean for Student Life at Tembusu College. She holds dual affiliations as a Residential Fellow at Tembusu College and an active member of the School of Computing's academic community. Her work bridges software engineering, human-computer interaction (HCI), and computing education. Dr. Wadhwa's research focuses on gender issues in HCI, software design quality, and digital well-being. She has pioneered initiatives like the Code for Community program to bring computing education to underserved groups. Her pedagogical contributions include developing courses on object-oriented design, software engineering principles, and interaction design. She actively engages with professional communities through roles such as Faculty Representative at the Singapore Computer Society Student Chapter and advisor to the Computing Club at NUS. Her recent work addresses pressing societal challenges like technology-facilitated sexual violence and integrates AI into educational contexts. She has organized major competitions including CodeXtreme and the Singapore Science and Engineering Fair, fostering innovation among students. Her interdisciplinary collaborations span healthcare applications, smart city technologies, and educational equity initiatives. Dr. Wadhwa’s scholarly contributions include over 80 publications in top venues such as FSE, CHI, and IEEE conferences. She has co-edited book chapters for Springer and Wiley on HCI and informatics, reflecting her commitment to advancing both technical and societal dimensions of computing. In addition to her academic roles, she leads MakerLab initiatives and contributes to national educational policies on computational thinking. Her work emphasizes bridging academia-industry gaps through projects like the GEAR mobile game-assisted rehabilitation system and cloud service brokerage frameworks.
Florian 'Floyd' Mueller is a Professor of Future Interfaces at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where he directs the award-winning Exertion Games Lab within the Department of Human-Centred Computing (ranked among the top 20 HCI departments globally). Previously, he held positions at RMIT University, Stanford, University of Melbourne, Microsoft Research, MIT Media Lab, Fuji-Xerox Palo Alto Labs, Xerox Parc, and Australia's CSIRO. Mueller is a member of the prestigious ACM SIGCHI Academy, an honorary group recognizing leaders who have made substantial contributions to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Professor Mueller's research focuses on the intersections between technology, the human body, and play. He originated the concept of "Exertion Interface," arguing that we should not just design "easy-to-use" interactions when "hard-to-use" interactions can also be beneficial. His work spans movement-based interactions, whole-body interfaces, uncomfortable interactions, somaesthetics, and exertion games. Mueller's research methodology often employs research through design, design ethnography, and autoethnography to explore these novel interaction paradigms, incorporating mixed-reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, electronic muscle stimulation, biosensors, wearables, and drones. His recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on bodily interactions and human-computer integration, with particular emphasis on emerging subfields like WaterHCI and SportsHCI, brain-computer interfaces, and gustosonic (taste and sound) experiences. Mueller's work has evolved from foundational exertion game concepts to more sophisticated explorations of human-computer integration where technology becomes seamlessly woven into the fabric of human experience. Professor Mueller's contributions have been widely recognized with numerous awards including: Inaugural honouree of the Australian Design Centre's Design Honours Tall Poppy award for "intellectual and scientific excellence" 10 "Best Paper Honorable Mentions" (top 5%) from premier HCI conferences 2 "Best Paper" awards (top 1%) at CHI PLAY and CHI Shortlisted for the European Innovation Games Award (alongside Nintendo's WiiFit) Nokia Mindtrek Ubimedia Award Mueller has successfully secured some of Australia's largest and most competitive research grants, achieving a remarkable 14% success rate on Australian Research Council Discovery Project applications. He has served as General co-Chair for CHI PLAY'18 and CHI'20, becoming the first Australian-based researcher to spearhead HCI's highest-ranked publication outlet, and is currently General co-Chair for CHI'24. He is Associate Editor for tier A journals including Elsevier's IJHCS (International Journal of Human-Computer Studies) and ACM's IMWUT (Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies). As director of the Exertion Games Lab, Mueller leads a research team whose innovations have been experienced by over 20,000 users across 3 continents and featured on the BBC, ABC, Discovery Science Channel, and Wired magazine. The lab has produced groundbreaking work in bodily interfaces, co-founding the CHI PLAY conference series and establishing new research directions in SportsHCI and WaterHCI through recent "Grand Challenges" papers. Mueller's lab continues to push boundaries with projects exploring brain-to-brain interfaces, lucid dreaming induction, and novel gustosonic experiences.
Jo Wood is Professor of Visual Analytics in the Department of Computer Science at City, University of London, where she has been employed since January 14, 2000. Her work bridges computer science, geographic information science, and human-computer interaction, focusing on innovative methods for visualizing complex spatial and behavioral data. Her research interests center on visual analytics , information visualization , and geovisualization , with applications in transportation, public health, crisis response, and citizen science. She investigates how interactive visual interfaces can support exploratory data analysis, decision-making, and storytelling, particularly through small multiples, faceted views, and sketch-based rendering techniques. The trends in her recent publications reflect a consistent focus on user-centered design , spatial data abstraction , and interactive exploration of multivariate datasets. Her work often integrates real-world behavioral data such as GPS tracks, cycling patterns, and crowd-sourced information to build meaningful visual narratives and support analytical reasoning. Throughout her career, Jo Wood has contributed significantly to the advancement of visual analytics through high-impact publications in top-tier venues such as IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics and Computer Graphics Forum. Her collaborations with researchers like Jason Dykes and Aidan Slingsby highlight her role in a vibrant research community. She has supervised numerous research projects and mentored students in visualization and geospatial analytics, though specific names are not listed in the provided text. Her work has been supported by various research grants, particularly in domains involving urban mobility, energy modeling, and crisis informatics, though grant details are not specified here. Jo Wood has also contributed to the design of visual analytics systems for applications including disease spread modeling, bicycle-hire scheme monitoring, and persuasive technology for health and leisure, demonstrating a strong commitment to impactful, interdisciplinary research.
Kimberly A. Whitler serves as the Frank M. Sands Sr. Associate Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. With nearly 20 years of industry experience in general management, strategy, and marketing roles within CPG and retailing sectors, she brings practical expertise to her academic work. Her career includes significant positions at Procter & Gamble, Aurora Foods, David's Bridal, and PetSmart, where she helped build $1B+ brands including Tide, Bounce, Downy and Zest. Dr. Whitler's educational background includes: B.A. in psychology and business administration from Eureka College MBA from the University of Arizona, Eller School of Business M.S. and Ph.D. from Indiana University, Kelley School of Business Whitler is an authority on marketing strategy, brand management, and marketing performance, with particular expertise in understanding how a firm's marketing performance is affected by its C-suite and board. Her research focuses on C-level marketing management challenges, digital marketing transformation, employer branding, and the emerging field of athlete branding through NIL (Name, Image & Likeness). She has authored over 350 articles as a Forbes senior contributor and published in top journals including Harvard Business Review, Journal of Marketing, and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. Her award-winning publications demonstrate a consistent progression from traditional brand management topics toward more strategic considerations of marketing's role at the executive and board levels. Recent work examines digital transformation, brand purpose, and the evolving CMO role, reflecting her deep understanding of how marketing strategy intersects with organizational leadership. Whitler has received numerous professional accolades: Ranked as a Top Influencer of CMOs Named Favorite Professor of Top MBA Students in Poets and Quants Winner of Darden's Morton Award in 2018 and 2021 Finalist for Journal of Marketing's 2018 MSI/Paul H. Root Award Winner of 2017 Robert D. Buzzell Best Paper award Winner of 2020 Sheth Foundation Award As an active consultant and speaker, Whitler has worked with numerous C-level organizations including Coca-Cola, McDonald's, U.S. Department of Defense, and Gartner. She has been cited over 3,600 times in major media outlets including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Bloomberg, establishing herself as a leading voice in marketing strategy. Her industry experience informs her teaching and research, creating a valuable bridge between academic theory and practical application. Whitler leads research initiatives focused on marketing leadership and brand strategy, often collaborating with industry partners to ensure practical relevance of her work. Her recent projects include examining the impact of marketers on corporate boards and developing frameworks for effective marketing technology implementation, positioning her at the forefront of strategic marketing research.
Dr. Ryan B Graham is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa , with cross-appointments to the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering . He holds Adjunct Assistant Professor positions at Queen's University and University of Waterloo , reflecting his interdisciplinary collaborations in biomechanics and biomedical engineering. His research focuses on spine movement analysis , motion capture validation , and sensor technology applications in clinical and military contexts. Recent work includes developing markerless motion capture systems, assessing movement reliability, and modeling spine dynamics for injury prevention. Editorial Contributions: Associate Editor for Biomechanics and Control of Human Movement at Frontiers in Sports and Active Living Dr. Graham's academic network includes collaborations with institutions in Canada, the UK, and the Netherlands, with a focus on advancing biomechanical methodologies and their clinical translation.
Buyung Kosasih is a Professor in the School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wollongong. He has held this position since 2000 and focuses on teaching and research in mechanical engineering, including Machine Dynamics, Finite Element Methods, and Renewable Energy Technology. His research spans fluid dynamics in industrial processes, renewable energy systems, and aqueous lubrication. Key projects include 3D-printed surfboard fin optimization and steel coating dynamics. Research interests emphasize experimental and computational fluid dynamics, particularly in renewable energy turbines and tribological systems. Notable awards include the 2013 Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning Award. He has supervised numerous students and led over 20 funded projects, including ARC grants for steel innovation and renewable energy. Collaborative work includes the Steel Research Hub and HVAC/cool roof efficiency studies.
Suvi Saarikallio is a Professor of Music Education at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland , affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies . She leads interdisciplinary research bridging music psychology, education, and therapy, with a focus on youth development, emotion regulation, and well-being. Research Groups: Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (2022-2029), Musiconnect (2022-2027) Key Projects: Music and You, Stress & music listening, MPACT (Music and Sports), Music and Cross-modal Associations, SOSUS (Social Sustainability for Children) Research Trends: Her recent publications explore music's role in emotional regulation, cross-modal perception, health outcomes, and educational applications. Themes include AI's impact on music evaluation, rhythm's connection to cognitive skills, and music's influence on stress and social-emotional development. Contact: suvi.saarikallio@jyu.fi
Dino Pedreschi is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Pisa, affiliated with the Department of Computer Science (DI-UNIPI). He co-leads the Pisa KDD Lab, a joint research initiative between the University of Pisa and the Italian National Research Council’s Institute of Information Science and Technology, one of the earliest labs focused on data mining and knowledge discovery. His research spans Big Data Analytics , Social Network Analysis , Human Mobility Analysis , Privacy-by-Design , Explainable AI (XAI) , and ethical data mining . He is a pioneer in privacy-preserving data mining and has contributed significantly to understanding societal impacts of AI and big data. Recent publications highlight trends in explainable AI , fairness-aware data mining , urban mobility modeling , and socio-economic nowcasting , reflecting a strong interdisciplinary focus combining computer science, social science, and policy. Notable scientific awards include: Google Research Award on Privacy (2009) University of Pisa Ordine del Cherubino (2017) Pedreschi has played leadership roles in major conferences such as ECML/PKDD (Co-Chair 2004), ICDM (Vice-Chair 2005), and ICDE (Vice-Chair 2014). He founded the Business Informatics MSc program at the University of Pisa to train interdisciplinary data scientists. He has been a visiting scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, CWI Amsterdam, UCLA, and the Barabási Lab at Northeastern University. He actively contributes to European research initiatives including SoBigData++, FAIR, and TAILOR, and has advised on AI policy, including testimony before the Italian Parliament on AI and labor markets. He is a key member of the Pisa KDD Lab, a leading research group in data science and AI ethics, fostering collaboration between academia and public institutions.
Cecilia Mascolo is a Professor of Mobile Systems at the University of Cambridge , specifically in the Department of Computer Science and Technology . She co-directs the Centre for Mobile, Wearable System and Augmented Intelligence and is a Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge . Her research focuses on mobile systems , machine learning for mobile health , and earable technology . She has been awarded prestigious grants such as the ERC Advanced Research Grant (2019-2025) and the EPSRC Open Research Fellowship (2025-2030). Currently on sabbatical at Harvard University , her work bridges systems and machine learning for health applications. Education: PhD in Computer Science from the University of Bologna, Italy. Previous Affiliation: Faculty at University College London before 2008. Her research spans mobile and wearable systems for health and behavior monitoring, focusing on on-device machine learning , uncertainty-aware models , and audio-based diagnostics . Key areas include federated learning , edge computing , and respiratory disease progression analysis via wearables. She explores earable technology for physiological monitoring, gait analysis, and even toothbrushing tracking using in-ear sensors. Her recent publications highlight advancements in earable-based health monitoring , including heart rate estimation , respiratory rate detection , and ECG analysis using machine learning. She emphasizes longitudinal health data from consumer devices, advocating for scalable diagnostics beyond traditional clinical standards. Scientific Awards: ERC Advanced Research Grant EPSRC Open Research Fellowship Best Paper Award - IEEE Percom 10-Year Impact Award - ACM Ubicomp Computer Laboratory Ring Hall of Fame Best Paper Award Student: Andrea Ferlini - ACM SIGMOBILE Doctoral Dissertation Runner-up She leads the Mobile Systems Research Laboratory , mentoring a team of 15 researchers (postdocs and PhD students), and has graduated over 25 PhD students. Her teaching includes Mobile Health courses at the University of Cambridge, and she serves as Director of Studies for Computer Science at Jesus College.
Professor Emma Rich is affiliated with the University of Bath as a Professor of Physical Activity and Health Pedagogy and Director of the SPHERE Research Centre (Centre for Sport, Physical Activity and Health Equality). Her work bridges sociology and education , focusing on intersections between digital health technologies , body politics , and health inequities in educational and sport contexts. University: University of Bath Role: Professor & Research Centre Director Research Interests : Emma’s expertise spans critical pedagogy , digital health studies , obesity policy critique , and gendered body narratives . She pioneers feminist new materialist approaches to analyze how digital platforms shape health identities and practices among youth. Recent Publications examine digital health’s impact on body dissatisfaction , teacher mind maps , and spatial dynamics in digitized health education. These works emphasize datafication and quantified self trends in adolescent health behaviors. Awards & Recognition : Elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2022) Nominated for FSHI Book Prize (2024) Bristol Bath Healthcare Research Impact Award (2019) Leadership & Collaborations : She leads international projects like the Wellcome Trust-funded Digital Health Generation and DigiHealthPE (UNA Europa), collaborating with institutions across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Her work integrates UN Sustainable Development Goals , particularly those addressing health equity and digital inclusion .
Igor Jurisica is a Professor at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute’s Data Science Discovery Centre for Chronic Diseases. He also serves as Visiting Scientist at IBM CAS, Scientific Director of the World Community Grid, and Chief Scientist at the Creative Destruction Lab (Rotman School of Management). His research focuses on integrative computational biology, data mining, and AI-driven models for cancer mechanisms, drug discovery, and chronic disease management. Key affiliations include the Osteoarthritis Research Program, Schroeder Arthritis Institute, and leadership roles in open science initiatives like the World Community Grid, a global distributed computing platform with 810,000+ volunteers. Jurisica’s work bridges computational tools (e.g., NAViGaTOR visualization platform, MirDIP databases) and clinical applications, emphasizing explainable AI in healthcare. Research interests span proteomics, microRNA regulation, systems vaccinology, and multi-omics integration for disease stratification. Notable contributions include identifying prognostic signatures in cancer and osteoarthritis, machine learning models for drug repurposing, and sportomics analyses of athletic biomarkers. He has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher (2014-2016) and ranked among the Top 100 AI Leaders in Oncology (2023). His labs develop open-access tools like PathDIP, OsteoDIP, and miRAnno to advance translational research.
John Zilcosky is a Professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Toronto. He specializes in modern European literature, psychoanalysis, trauma studies, travel writing, and the history/philosophy of sports. His affiliations include the Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures and the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies. Zilcosky has authored influential books like Kafka’s Travels (winner of the MLA Scaglione Prize) and Uncanny Encounters , exploring themes such as colonialism, trauma, and literary theory. He has received prestigious awards including the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship. His research bridges interdisciplinary fields, examining literary responses to trauma, sport narratives, and temporalities. Zilcosky’s grants include SSHRC funding and NEH support, reflecting his impactful contributions to scholarship. He currently teaches courses on Kafka, Sebald, and modernist literature, maintaining an active role in academic leadership, including honorary presidency of the International Comparative Literature Association’s Literary Theory committee.
