Dr. Michael Mühlebach is a Lecturer at the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, and affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen, Germany. He holds a Bachelor's (2010) and Master's (2013) from ETH Zurich, recognized with awards for academic excellence in Robotics, Systems, and Control. His research focuses on multibody dynamics, nonlinear system control, and model predictive control, with applications in robotics and aerospace systems. His work spans theoretical advancements in variational integrators and practical implementations in systems like the Cubli (a reaction wheel-based 3D inverted pendulum) and flying platforms for ducted fan actuation. Publications highlight contributions to model predictive control schemes with stability guarantees, nonlinear analysis, and distributed event-based state estimation. Key awards include the Outstanding D-MAVT Bachelor Award and Willi-Studer Prize. His research integrates control theory with real-world applications, emphasizing both foundational mathematics and engineering implementations. No grants or lab affiliations are explicitly listed in the provided text.
Professor Brian Leeds DeMarco is a leading academic in the Department of Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), serving as the IQUIST Director and Bardeen Faculty Scholar. He specializes in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, with a focus on quantum simulation using ultracold atoms in optical lattices to address problems in condensed matter physics. His research has led to groundbreaking discoveries, including the first quantum-degenerate Fermi gas and three-dimensional Anderson localization of matter, earning him prestigious awards like the NSF CAREER Award and Sloan Fellowship. DeMarco holds a B.A. in Physics from SUNY Geneseo (1996) and a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder (2001). His postdoctoral work at NIST with David Wineland advanced quantum computing with trapped ions. At UIUC since 2003, he has held roles such as Associate Head for Undergraduate Programs and currently chairs NASA's Fundamental Physical Sciences Standing Review Board. His research explores quantum simulation, quantum computing architectures, and ultracold matter. Notable achievements include identifying phase-slip crossover in optical lattices and pioneering 3D Anderson localization. He has published over 30 high-impact articles, with recent work focusing on quantum simulators and hybrid quantum systems. Awards: APS Fellow, University of Illinois Scholar, NASA Review Board Chair, Defense Sciences Study Group member. Grants: NSF, ONR, Sloan Foundation support for quantum simulation and ultracold atom research. DeMarco leads the DeMarco Group, advancing quantum technologies and training students in experimental physics. His lab’s work on quantum testbeds and trapped ion processors positions him at the forefront of quantum information science.
Haryadi S. Gunawi is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago where he leads the UCARE research group (UChicago systems research on Availability, Reliability, and Efficiency). His work focuses on improving the dependability of storage and cloud computing systems, with a particular emphasis on addressing performance stability, reliability, and scalability challenges in modern computing environments. Dr. Gunawi received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2009. Following his doctoral studies, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley from 2010 to 2012 before joining the University of Chicago faculty. His research focuses on three main areas: (1) performance stability, where he builds storage and distributed systems robust to latency tails and "limping" hardware; (2) reliability and scalability, where he addresses concurrency and scalability bugs in cloud-scale distributed systems; and (3) the intersection of machine learning and systems, exploring how machine learning techniques can solve operating and storage system problems. His work often combines theoretical insights with practical system implementations that address real-world challenges in cloud and storage infrastructure. Dr. Gunawi's publication record shows a consistent focus on storage and cloud system reliability, with recent work increasingly incorporating machine learning techniques to address traditional systems challenges. His research spans the full stack from hardware interfaces to distributed system design, with a strong emphasis on practical solutions that can be deployed in production environments. His work often involves close collaboration with industry partners to ensure real-world relevance and impact. Dr. Gunawi has received numerous prestigious awards including the NSF CAREER award, NSF Computing Innovation Fellowship, Google Faculty Research Award, multiple NetApp Faculty Fellowships, and an Honorable Mention for the 2009 ACM Doctoral Dissertation Award. He has also received the Provost's Global Faculty Award and Facebook Faculty Research Award, highlighting the broad recognition of his contributions to the field. As an advisor, Dr. Gunawi has mentored several PhD students including Ruidan Li, Ray Andrew, Rani Ayu Putri, and William Nixon. His research has been supported by major grants from NSF, Google, Facebook, and NetApp, enabling his team to pursue ambitious research projects at the intersection of systems, storage, and machine learning. Dr. Gunawi leads the UCARE research group at UChicago, which focuses on improving the dependability of storage and cloud-scale distributed systems. He is also involved with the Chameleon cloud research infrastructure project and the broader Systems Group at UChicago, contributing to a vibrant research community focused on systems, programming languages, and software engineering.
Professor Omer Rana serves as Professor of Performance Engineering and International Dean for the Middle East at Cardiff University's School of Computer Science and Informatics. He also holds the prestigious position of Cross-Council Research Director for the UK National Edge AI Hub, demonstrating his leadership in national research initiatives. Previously, he led the Complex Systems research group and served as Dean of International for the Physical Sciences and Engineering College at Cardiff University. Professor Rana is a Fellow of both the Learned Society of Wales and the Higher Education Academy, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Welsh Ethnic Minority Professors Initiative (WEMPI). His research expertise centers on the intersection of intelligent systems and high performance distributed computing, with particular focus on applying intelligent techniques to resource management in distributed systems. His scholarly contributions span edge computing, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, federated learning, privacy-preserving systems, and sustainable computing. Professor Rana has published extensively in top-tier journals and conferences, with recent work emphasizing practical applications in industrial automation, smart buildings, and sustainable computing solutions. Professor Rana's publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in edge computing and distributed systems research, with a growing emphasis on practical implementations across diverse application domains. His work bridges theoretical computer science with real-world technological challenges, particularly in industrial automation, smart environments, and sustainable infrastructure. Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Professor Rana actively supervises postgraduate students and has secured significant research funding for projects related to edge computing, IoT, and distributed systems. His international collaborations span Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, reflecting his global influence in the field. He serves as a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop chair, and panel moderator at major international conferences including IEEE/ACM Utility and Cloud Computing (UCC) and IEEE Edge Computing. He leads multiple research initiatives, most notably as Cross-Council Research Director for the UK National Edge AI Hub, where he shapes national research directions in edge computing and AI. His work has practical applications across industrial automation, smart building management, electric vehicle infrastructure, and sustainable computing solutions.
Chee-Wooi Ten is a tenured Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University, where he has served since 2010 and achieved tenure in 2016. He concurrently holds an Affiliated Professor appointment in Applied Computing and directs both the PSERC Site and ICC CPS Center. His institutional roles emphasize cyber-physical security integration within power infrastructure. His educational background includes: PhD in Electrical Engineering from University College Dublin (2009) MSc in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University (2001) BSc in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University (1999) Ten's research pioneers cyber-informed security engineering strategies for bulk power systems, focusing on quantifying rare events through system risk models and data science. His work bridges power grid interactions with robotics and transportation systems to advance decarbonization and electrification. Key methodologies include validating cyber-physical security frameworks against steady-state and dynamic grid approaches, with emphasis on attack/defense combinatorics and smart home technologies. This transdisciplinary approach supports the fourth industrial revolution's resilience requirements. His publication trends reveal strong focus on risk-aggregated substation testbeds using generative adversarial networks, cyber insurance models for power systems, and cascading failure analysis from switching attacks. Recent works increasingly integrate machine learning with physics-based modeling to address cybersecurity threats in inverter-based resource integration and distribution emergency operations. Ten has secured over $6.5M in active funding including: $2M DOE grant (MTU portion $105,000) for CyDERMS Center on DERs/Microgrids cybersecurity $704,409 CyManII award for secure digitalization in smart manufacturing $1.05M DOE ARPA-E grant for decarbonized freight transportation modeling NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program ($3.38M) His grants consistently address risk management through data-driven and physics-based modeling, with industry partnerships through PSERC and utility collaborations. As ICC CPS Center Director, he leads research on cyber-physical security testbeds and coordinates the PSERC Summer Transformation School. His team develops validation frameworks for NERC CIP compliance while addressing practical pain points in OT cybersecurity for grid operators.
Jiannong Cao is a Chair Professor and Director of the University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics at the Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has held various academic roles since 1990, including Assistant Professor at City University of Hong Kong and Lecturer at Australian universities. PhD in Computer Science, Washington State University (1990) MSc in Computer Science, Washington State University (1986) BSc in Computer Science, Nanjing University (1982) His research focuses on cloud and edge computing , parallel and distributed computing , and mobile computing , with significant contributions to wireless sensor networks (WSN) for structural health monitoring (SHM) and software-defined networking (SDN) for vehicular communications. Recent work includes WiFi-based non-invasive health monitoring systems and multi-user computation partitioning in mobile cloud environments. Dr. Cao’s publications demonstrate trends in WSN optimization , SDN architectures , and cognitive modeling for network embedding , with applications in smart healthcare , transportation systems , and industrial IoT . Ministry of Education Natural Science Award (2018) ACM Distinguished Member (2017) IEEE Fellow (2014) Best Paper Awards at IEEE DSAA, SMARTCOMP, WCNC He has mentored numerous researchers, including Linchuan Xu , Xuefeng Liu , and Weigang Wu , who have authored key publications in top venues like ACM WSDM and IEEE INFOCOM . His professional roles include chairing IEEE committees and serving on grant panels for the Hong Kong Research Grant Council.
Dr. Shahab Mehraeen is a Professor and holder of the Newton B Thomas Professorship in the Division of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Louisiana State University's College of Engineering. He directs the Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Laboratory, focusing on power systems stability, renewable energies integration, smart grid technologies, energy conversion, and nonlinear/adaptive/decentralized control systems. His research explores innovative solutions for modern power grids, including hybrid AC-DC systems, microgrid stability, and advanced protection mechanisms. He has developed experimental testbeds like the IEEE 14-bus power system and DC microgrid setups for validating control algorithms. Dr. Mehraeen's publications demonstrate consistent focus on renewable integration, grid protection, and smart grid innovations with recent emphasis on DC circuit breakers and co-simulation techniques. His work integrates theoretical development with practical implementation. Research Areas Power systems stability and control Renewable energy grid integration Smart grid technologies Microgrid design and optimization Advanced circuit protection systems Awards and Recognition National Science Foundation CAREER Award recipient Holder of a US patent for infrastructure inspection and rehabilitation Research Team Leads a team of 11 graduate students working on projects related to power systems, renewable energy integration, and smart grid technologies.
David Bermbach is a Full Professor of Scalable Software Systems at Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin) since 2023, where he heads the Scalable Software Systems research group within Faculty IV - Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. He is also co-affiliated with the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF). Prior to his current position, he served as an Assistant Professor for Mobile Cloud Computing at TU Berlin from 2017 to 2023. His educational background includes a diploma in Business Engineering (2010) and a PhD with distinction in Computer Science (2014), both from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Prof. Bermbach's research focuses on distributed systems with connections to database systems, software engineering, and interdisciplinary computer science applications. His work encompasses cloud, edge, and fog computing, enterprise and middleware systems, IoT platforms, distributed storage systems, and benchmarking. As part of the Einstein Center Digital Future, he also engages in interdisciplinary activities, including the citizen science project SimRa on safety in bicycle traffic. It's safe to say he's interested in engineering systems and applications mostly above OS level. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on serverless computing, edge computing, and distributed systems, with research spanning from theoretical foundations to practical implementations addressing real-world challenges in geo-distributed environments. Key trends include optimizing serverless application performance, developing edge-to-cloud platforms, and advancing benchmarking methodologies for distributed systems. Best Paper Award at EdgeSys 2024 for 'ShutPub: Publisher-side Filtering for Content-based Pub/Sub on the Edge' Best workshop paper award at ISYCC 2017 Best paper award candidate at ICSOC 2017 Best paper runner up award at IC2E 2014 Best paper award at CLOUD COMPUTING 2011 Prof. Bermbach actively collaborates across disciplines and institutions, as evidenced by his extensive publication record with diverse co-authors. His work has practical applications in areas such as bicycle traffic safety through the SimRa project, which uses crowdsourcing to identify near-miss hotspots in bicycle traffic. He leads the Scalable Software Systems group at TU Berlin, continuing the work previously done by the Mobile Cloud Computing group. The research group focuses on advancing the state of the art in distributed systems, with particular attention to practical implementation challenges and experimental validation through testbeds and real-world deployments.
Anh Tuan Le is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology. He holds a PhD in Power Systems from Chalmers (2004) and a Master's in Energy Economics from the Asian Institute of Technology (1997). Specializes in power grid planning, electricity market modeling, and renewable energy integration Active in electric vehicle-grid interaction and battery storage systems Develops voltage stability solutions and decentralized control strategies His recent research focuses on: Flexibility markets for congestion management Machine learning applications in load forecasting Real-time security margin control using AI Key projects include: DigiRES (2024-2027): Digital integration of multi-energy flexibility POTENT-X (2024-2027): Port energy transition hubs FLEXIGRID (2019-2023): Distribution grid flexibility solutions
Jeffrey Krolik is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto (1987) and previously served as an Assistant Professor at Concordia University and Assistant Research Scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Ph.D. University of Toronto (1987) M.A. University of Toronto (1983) B.A. University of Toronto (1980) His research focuses on physics-based and statistical signal processing with applications in radar, sonar, microwave remote sensing, and medical imaging. Key projects include adaptive beamforming for ocean acoustic waveguides, aircraft height finding via HF radar, and motion-robust fMRI algorithms. Recent publications cover multipath mitigation in sonar arrays, vibrational radar backscatter communication, and CNN implementations for radar signal processing. His work spans underwater acoustics, urban radar tracking, and distributed sensor networks. He teaches advanced courses in sensor array signal processing, digital audio systems, and radar applications. His research has been supported through collaborations with institutions like Scripps and consulting roles with ONR, DARPA, and Air Force Rome Laboratories. Key contributions include waveguide invariant processing, matched-field beamforming, and novel approaches to radar clutter suppression in urban and maritime environments. His work integrates statistical signal processing with physical propagation models across diverse domains.
Renjie Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Data Science and AI Institute. His research focuses on wireless networking and mobile computing, with significant contributions to millimeter-wave communications, software-defined radio, and IoT systems. Dr. Zhao received his B.E. in Electric Power Engineering and Automation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2018, followed by an M.S. (2020) and Ph.D. (2023) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California San Diego, where he was advised by Professor Xinyu Zhang. His research centers around three main areas: next-generation wireless network architectures (5G millimeter wave, 6G joint communication and sensing, Internet of Things), novel radio hardware and software design (software-defined radio, wireless brain interfaces, low-power ultra-wide-band), and ubiquitous communication and sensing systems (smart homes, virtual/augmented reality, localization, ultra-reliable RFID for supply chains). His work bridges theoretical innovation with practical implementation, often resulting in open-source hardware and software platforms that advance the field. Dr. Zhao's research has been published in top conferences including ACM SIGCOMM, MobiCom, and NSDI. His work demonstrates a clear progression from foundational wireless communication systems to increasingly sophisticated sensing and localization applications, with consistent focus on practical deployment challenges and solutions. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award at ACM MobiCom 2020 for work on massive MIMO millimeter-wave software radio Best Paper Award at ACM SenSys 2023 for NeuroRadar paper Hopkins AITC funding for AI technologies promoting healthy aging Dr. Zhao actively serves the research community as TPC member for major conferences including MobiCom'25, NSDI'25, and MobiSys'25, and as a reviewer for leading journals. He is involved in multiple NSF-funded projects, including an NSF CIRC project developing the next-stage M-Cube platform. His lab, focused on wireless systems, maintains strong industry connections with companies like Qualcomm and Samsung. Dr. Zhao leads the M-Cube project, an open-source millimeter-wave massive MIMO software radio platform that has been adopted by numerous research institutions worldwide. His team continues to develop innovative wireless technologies with practical applications in supply chain management, healthcare, and smart environments.
Frank Fitzek serves as Full Professor holding the Deutsche Telekom Chair of Communication Networks at Dresden University of Technology, where he directs the Centre for Tactile Internet (CeTI) Cluster of Excellence and maintains association with the Faculty of Computer Sciences. His work is institutionally anchored within the School of Engineering Sciences and actively engages with 5G Lab Germany and 6G-life Hub initiatives, positioning him at the forefront of next-generation communication research. Fitzek's research spans communication networks, tactile internet systems, 5G/6G mobile technologies, network coding, quantum networking, virtual twinning, and haptic feedback systems. His recent publications demonstrate emphasis on resilient network architectures through quantum security protocols, cloud-native 5G implementations, theoretical communications frameworks, and human-computer interaction in mixed reality environments. This work consistently bridges theoretical innovation with practical testbed validations across multiple emerging technology domains. As Director of CeTI, Fitzek leads a major interdisciplinary research cluster focused on ultra-low latency networks enabling remote physical interaction. His affiliations with 5G Lab Germany and 6G-life Hub facilitate industry-academic collaboration on standardization and deployment of future communication infrastructures, with particular emphasis on network coding techniques and tactile internet applications that transform industrial automation and teleoperation scenarios.
Jelena Mirkovic serves as Principal Scientist at USC Information Sciences Institute (USC/ISI) and Research Associate Professor at the University of Southern California's Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science. She has held faculty positions at USC since 2010, progressing from Research Assistant Professor to her current role as Research Associate Professor since 2017, while also serving as Project Leader at USC/ISI. Her educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from UCLA (2003) MS in Computer Science from UCLA (2000) B.Sc. in Computer Science from University of Belgrade, Serbia (1998) Mirkovic's research spans network security, human-centered attacks, and cybersecurity experimentation infrastructure. Her work focuses on critical security challenges including botnets, denial-of-service attacks, IP spoofing, vulnerability scanning, and user-centric privacy. She has pioneered methodologies for security experiments and led major infrastructure projects including the DETER testbed and SPHERE (Security and Privacy Heterogeneous Environment for Reproducible Experimentation). Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent innovation across multiple security domains. Her work demonstrates strong technical depth in DDoS defense systems (particularly DNS protection), binary vulnerability analysis, privacy-preserving systems, and security experimentation infrastructure. A notable trend is her focus on bridging theoretical security concepts with practical implementation through large-scale testbeds and real-world data analysis. Her significant scientific achievements include: IEEE Senior Member distinction Best paper award at IEEE COMSNETS 2023 for DNS DDoS defense research Mirkovic has secured substantial research funding as Principal Investigator or Co-PI on numerous grants from NSF, DHS, and other agencies. Current major projects include SPHERE (Security and Privacy Heterogeneous Environment for Reproducible Experimentation), DISCERN (Datasets to Illuminate Suspicious Computations), and modernizing DeterLab education infrastructure. She has successfully led multiple REU sites focused on cybersecurity education and workforce development. She directs the STEEL (Security Research Lab) at USC/ISI, which develops innovative security solutions through interdisciplinary research in network security, human factors in security, and cybersecurity experimentation infrastructure. The lab emphasizes practical implementations that address real-world security challenges while advancing theoretical understanding of security systems.
Marianna Ivashina is a Professor and Head of the Antenna Systems Research Group at Chalmers University of Technology's Department of Electrical Engineering . Her work focuses on array antennas , antenna integration with electronics , optimal beamforming , and over-the-air measurement methods . The group has achieved international recognition for innovations in ultra-wideband (UWB) feeds , Gap waveguide antennas , and Doherty-power-amplifier-integrated antennas for 5G/6G and radio telescope applications. Key projects include the SSF Sweden-Taiwan collaboration , EU Horizon 2020 MyWave , and VINNOVA ENERGETIC initiatives. Her recent publications emphasize millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) , with applications in 5G/6G networks , satellite communication (SatCom) , and advanced antenna testing chambers . She explores beamforming optimization , self-interference mitigation , and hybrid OTA environments to enhance wireless system performance. The group's work bridges theoretical advancements with practical implementations, including RFSoC testbeds and high-efficiency antenna arrays . Marianna leads major research programs funded by Ericsson , VINNOVA , and EUREKA EURIPIDES2 , addressing challenges in beamforming , antenna-IC integration , and automated design for 5G/6G . These projects highlight her role in advancing millimeter-wave communication and sensor integration technologies.
Ryan Caverly serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, holding the prestigious McKnight Land-Grant Professorship. His research bridges theoretical control frameworks with practical aerospace and robotics applications, focusing on dynamic modeling and system control. Education: BS in Honours Mechanical Engineering from McGill University MS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan Professor Caverly's research centers on input-output stability, robust control of nonlinear systems, and computationally efficient modeling of flexible structures. His work spans aerospace vehicles, spacecraft, and robotic manipulators, emphasizing theoretical rigor alongside real-world implementation challenges in structural flexibility and control precision. Recent publications reveal strong emphasis on predictive control for orbital mechanics, hypersonic vehicle dynamics, and cable-driven systems. His work consistently integrates convex optimization, state estimation, and structural dynamics to solve complex problems in solar sail technology, UAV navigation, and hypersonic flow measurement. Scientific Awards: McKnight Land-Grant Professor Caverly leads multiple externally funded projects including NASA-sponsored research on solar sail momentum management, UAV state estimation with Honeywell, hypersonic bow shock measurements with the Air Force, and deployable space structure control. His grants portfolio demonstrates significant industry and government collaboration in aerospace innovation. He directs the Aerospace, Robotics, Dynamics, and Control (ARDC) Lab, which specializes in the intersection of dynamic modeling and control theory for flexible multi-body systems, with particular focus on cable-driven mechanisms and lightweight aerospace structures.
