Brian Thomas is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Customs and Excise Studies. With 36 years of experience as a former customs officer at the Australian Customs Service, he specializes in tariff classification, policy development, customs systems, and staff training. He has designed and delivered national and international training programs for customs officials, government personnel, and industry stakeholders. Education: BA Cert IV in Assessment & Workplace Training Research Interests: Brian's work focuses on the practical and theoretical aspects of customs and excise, including tariff legislation, administrative frameworks, and the development of training methodologies for global customs operations. His expertise bridges policy implementation and workforce capacity building in customs administration.
Jamal Olaimat serves as an Associate Professor and Middle East Regional Manager for the Centre for Customs and Excise Studies (CCES) at Charles Sturt University, leveraging 25 years of expertise in international trade and customs systems. Based in Amman, Jordan, he represents the university across Middle Eastern institutions while maintaining active roles in global customs policy development. His research concentrates on practical customs administration, including rules of origin implementation, tariff classification frameworks, and trade policy formulation. Olaimat specializes in bridging theoretical customs principles with real-world applications, particularly in WTO accession processes and regional trade agreement compliance. His work emphasizes capacity building for customs authorities in developing economies through standardized procedures and audit methodologies. Professor Olaimat has directed significant grant-funded initiatives including the USAID AMIR1 & 2 programs focused on Jordan's WTO accession and the ASEZA Project, alongside serving as Deputy Chief of Party for the Jordan Customs Administration Modernization Program (CAMP). These projects involved managing multi-million dollar international development grants targeting customs modernization and trade facilitation. As Middle East Regional Manager for CCES, Olaimat leads cross-border collaborations with customs authorities, the World Customs Organization, and regional training institutions. He oversees capacity development programs across Kuwait and Jordan while representing CCES in WCO working groups on harmonized tariff systems, directly influencing Middle Eastern customs infrastructure modernization.
Hedyeh Beyhaghi is an Assistant Professor at the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on algorithmic game theory, mechanism design, machine learning theory, and algorithms under uncertainty. She earned her PhD in Computer Science from Cornell University (2019) and held postdoctoral positions at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC), Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Cornell University, 2019 Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 2012 Research Interests: Her work bridges theoretical computer science and economics, addressing challenges in strategic decision-making under uncertainty. Key areas include: Mechanism design for multi-item auctions and competitive markets Algorithmic fairness in learning and matching systems Pandora's Box problem variants and applications Strategic learning dynamics in adversarial environments Teaching: Currently instructs COMPSCI 611 - Advanced Algorithms (Spring 2025). Past courses include advanced topics in algorithms and complexity. Lab Affiliation: Theoretical Computer Science Group at UMass Amherst.
Jürgen Ringbeck is an Honorary Professor at the Supply Chain Management Group of WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. His research focuses on sustainability transformations in transportation, particularly aviation, emphasizing strategies for climate-neutral operations and innovative digital business models. Key research areas include: Development of corporate strategies for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) Decarbonization through transparency in carbon footprints and energy efficiency Impact of global regulations on air transport sustainability Teaching : He teaches the Master of Science course on 'Transportation Management', integrating climate-neutral transport strategies into coursework. Publications : Recent work examines post-COVID-19 aviation sustainability, door-to-door travel foresight, and low-cost airline business models. His 2021 study on airport slot allocation incorporating CO2 pricing highlights regulatory innovation. Engagement : As aireg President, he drives Germany’s sustainable aviation strategy, advocating for leadership in SAF adoption. Grants & Labs : Active in collaborative projects through WHU’s Supply Chain Management Group, though specific grants or labs are not detailed here.
Bodan Velkovski is an academic at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, holding the rank of Assistant. His research focuses on modern power systems, particularly renewable energy integration, smart grid technologies, and power quality analysis. With an institutional email (bodan@feit.ukim.edu.mk), he actively contributes to advancing sustainable energy solutions. Research Interests: Velkovski's work spans interdisciplinary domains including: Design and optimization of renewable energy communities Electric vehicle-grid integration frameworks Advanced power quality disturbance analysis and simulation tools GPU-accelerated computational methods for power systems Innovative e-learning platforms for engineering education His 15 most recent publications (2020-2024) demonstrate consistent focus on energy transition challenges, with 73% addressing renewable community operations, 20% on power quality instrumentation, and 7% on educational technology. This reflects a balanced portfolio bridging theoretical research with applied engineering solutions. Educational Contributions: Velkovski develops collaborative learning environments, notably creating remote laboratory platforms for vocational electrical engineering training that enable hands-on experimentation through digital interfaces.
Greg Weppner is an Associate Professor and course coordinator for the Bachelor of Border Management and Master of Customs Administration programs at Charles Sturt University. He served 37 years with the Australian Customs Service, holding roles such as Director Dumping Operations and representing Australia at WTO negotiations. Currently, he serves as a WTO panellist adjudicating disputes between Canada and China. Education: Bachelor of Commerce Master of International Customs Law and Administration (MICLA) Cert IV in Training and Assessment Research & Expertise: Specializes in international trade regulations, anti-dumping policies, WTO/GATT compliance, and customs procedures. Contributed to revising the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention and has extensive experience in tariff classification, valuation, and origin determinations. Awards: Charles Sturt University Individual Performance Excellence Award (2015) Professional Contributions: Served as Customs Attaché in the USA, chaired Customs Broker licensing committees, and advised on trade facilitation policies including goods declarations and temporary imports. Active in global forums like the World Customs Organization (WCO).
Dimitris Vrakas is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics, School of Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). He holds a PhD in Intelligent Planning Systems and has conducted post-doctoral research focusing on Planning for the Semantic Web. His professional experience includes roles as a Lecturer (per Greek law 407/80), Informatics Instructor in multiple educational institutions, and IT consultant for medium-sized enterprises through the Go-online Project. Education: Bachelor of Science (1995–1999): Informatics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki PhD (2000–2004): Intelligent Planning Systems, Dept. of Informatics, AUTh Postdoctoral Research (2005–2007): Planning for the Semantic Web, AUTh Research Interests: Automated Planning, Heuristic Functions, Intelligent Autonomous Systems, Machine Learning Applications (Energy Management, NILM), Semantic Web Services, and Smart Environment Technologies. His work bridges theoretical AI advancements with practical implementations in energy systems and emergency response. Publications: Over 45 papers (including 15 journal articles) and 5 book chapters, with a focus on energy disaggregation, evacuation algorithms, and semantic web composition. His work demonstrates expertise in applying advanced techniques like GANs for data generation and reinforcement learning for adaptive planning. Awards: 2025 ACM SIGMOD Test-of-Time Award for contributions to time-series clustering Advising & Grants: Active in guiding PhD candidates (as per recent calls) and coordinating projects like the IRIS RISK PARADIGM for industrial safety. His work involves developing smart university platforms for energy monitoring and collaborating on EU-funded initiatives. Labs & Teams: Member of the Intelligent Systems Lab at AUTh, contributing to projects like the BOnSAI ontology for smart buildings and the IRISPortal for risk management. He also coordinates the Hellenic Artificial Intelligence Society and chairs conferences like SETN 2016.
Muhammad Tauhidur Rahman is an Associate Professor of Instruction in Geospatial Information Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, serving as Director of Graduate Studies. He holds affiliations with the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Geography from The University of Oklahoma (2010), an M.S. in Geography from Texas State University (2004), and a B.A. in Geography with Honors from The University of Texas at Austin (2002). Rahman’s research focuses on urban and environmental sustainability, geospatial technologies, human-environment interactions, land-use changes, and environmental hazards in regions like the Middle East and South Asia. He employs advanced statistical methods, machine learning, and remote sensing to address water resource management, urbanization impacts, and disaster vulnerability. Notable projects include groundwater potential mapping in Bangladesh and flood hazard analysis in Yemen. His publications (2023–2025) highlight interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges, integrating GIS, machine learning, and policy analysis. He has secured grants totaling over $3 million for projects on urban resilience, water management, and environmental monitoring in Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh. Rahman serves on editorial boards for journals like Remote Sensing and Water , and guest-edits special issues on smart cities and geospatial technologies. He advises graduate students on topics ranging from UAV-based environmental monitoring to carbon sequestration in Chinese cities. His work emphasizes bridging geospatial science with societal needs, particularly in developing regions.
Dr. Boyu Kuang is a Research Fellow in Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence at Cranfield University, affiliated with the Centre for Computational Engineering Sciences. His work bridges academic research with industrial applications in aviation, robotics, and energy systems. Current role: Research Fellow in Computer Vision and AI Key affiliations: Centre for Computational Engineering Sciences Research interests include semantic segmentation , object detection , weakly and self-supervised learning , multi-modal perception , and vision-language foundation models . His methodology emphasizes robust AI systems for low-resource industrial environments , with applications in aviation maintenance , robotics , and energy infrastructure monitoring . He leads the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning module at Cranfield. Key activities include the UKRI, ATI, and Airbus-funded ONEHeart project on autonomous systems and intelligent inspection. Collaborations span Stanford University , King’s College London , Civil Aviation University of China , and industry partners like Airbus and Leidos . Publications focus on vision-language models , multi-modal perception , and industrial AI . As an Editorial Board Member for Discover Artificial Intelligence (Springer Nature), he contributes to academic governance. Peer review experience includes 60+ journal manuscripts for venues like IEEE Transactions on Image Processing and Elsevier Neural Networks . Facilities utilized include DARTeC and AIRC .
Thomas Bieber is a full-time Professor of Tax Law at the Institute for Financial Law, Tax Law and Tax Policy of Johannes Kepler University Linz , where he serves as institute head since 2022. His career spans over two decades in Austrian academia with progressive roles from assistant to associate professor, including deputy head of the Research Institute for Customs and Foreign Trade Law (ZAW Linz) . He holds habilitation in Financial and Tax Law and has received multiple international awards including the Wolfgang Gassner Science Prize and Maurice Lauré Prize for his groundbreaking work on import turnover taxation. His research focuses on customs law , excise duties , and EU tax harmonization , with recent emphasis on digital taxation , carbon border adjustments , and AI applications in tax administration . He leads major EU-commissioned studies on excise duty logistics and has co-authored two 2025 books on digital VAT systems and Multinational Tax Reform . As a curriculum co-editor of the authoritative "Spektrum der Steuerwissenschaften" journal, he shapes Austrian tax discourse. His 15 most recent publications reveal trends in customs-VAT integration (2013-2025), energy taxation (2016-2023), and digital compliance (2022-2024), with increasing focus on blockchain applications and carbon leakage in taxation. He has secured multiple FFG research grants, including 2013's customs law digitalization project with MIC. As deputy head of ZAW Linz and senate member at JKU, he influences academic governance. Scientific awards include: Wolfgang Gassner Science Prize 2019 Maurice Lauré Prize 2019 Gustav Figdor Prize 2019 Ludwig Scharinger Prize 2007 As head of the Institute since 2022, he oversees 12 faculty members across tax law, customs, and environmental taxation. His 2025 lecture series covers topics from climate protection taxation to medical practice taxation , reflecting his interdisciplinary approach.
Filip Lindskog is a Professor of Insurance Mathematics at Stockholm University (SU) , where he heads the Mathematical Statistics division within the Department of Mathematics . With a background in financial mathematics and actuarial science, his research focuses on quantitative risk management, non-life insurance pricing, and applications of biostochastics and biostatistics. He has co-authored the textbook Risk and Portfolio Analysis: Principles and Methods (Springer, 2012) and supervises PhD students in actuarial mathematics. Education \n \n MSc in Engineering Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (2000) \n PhD in Mathematical Statistics, ETH Zürich (2004) \n Research Interests Filip's work spans actuarial mathematics , financial risk modeling , and insurance analytics . He investigates stochastic processes in regime-switching environments, capital requirements for insurers, and mathematical frameworks for claims reserving. His recent publications emphasize machine learning applications in risk adjustment, asymptotic analysis of Poisson models, and regulatory compliance under IFRS 17.\n Scientific Contributions \n \n Editor, Scandinavian Actuarial Journal (2018–present) \n Director of SU's Master's Program in Actuarial Mathematics (2016–present) \n Head of SU's Mathematical Statistics Division (2018–present) \n \n Students and Collaborations Current and former PhD students include Nils Engler , Lina Palmborg , Jonas Alm , and Johan Nykvist . Former postdocs include Julie Thøgersen , Abhishek Pal Majumder , and Kristoffer Lindensjö . His research group explores discrete random structures, financial applications of biostatistics, and insurance modeling under capacity constraints.\n
Professor Zeljko Vasko is a distinguished full professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, with dual professorships in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (awarded May 2019) and Economic Planning and Development (awarded April 2020). His academic career spans over two decades of research and teaching in agricultural economics, with a specific focus on the Bosnian context. Professor Vasko's research interests encompass agricultural economics, rural development, agricultural policy, food security, agricultural trade, rural finance, and project management in agriculture. His scholarly work addresses critical issues facing Bosnian agriculture, including trade integration with European markets, sustainable agricultural practices, rural tourism development, and the economic viability of agricultural production systems. Recent publications demonstrate his engagement with contemporary challenges such as pandemic impacts on food systems and the implementation of the EU Green Agenda in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His extensive publication record, spanning from 1997 through 2025, shows consistent scholarly productivity with numerous articles in international journals covering agricultural economics and policy. His research often combines theoretical economic analysis with practical field studies, producing policy-relevant insights for Bosnian agricultural development. Professor Vasko's work frequently examines the intersection of local agricultural systems with broader regional and international frameworks, particularly regarding EU integration processes. As an educator, Professor Vasko teaches across all academic cycles at the Faculty of Agriculture, offering courses in project management, rural financing, investment analysis, and agricultural planning. His teaching reflects his research expertise, providing students with both theoretical foundations and practical applications in agricultural economics and rural development. Full Professor in Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (since May 2019) Full Professor in Economic Planning and Development (since April 2020) Author of over 100 scholarly publications from 1997-2025 Contributor to multiple strategic agricultural development plans for Bosnia and Herzegovina Active participant in international research collaborations and projects Professor Vasko's work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, making significant contributions to understanding and improving agricultural systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His research continues to evolve with emerging challenges in agricultural economics and rural development, maintaining relevance to both academic discourse and practical policy implementation.
