Vittorio Solina is a Researcher at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (DIMEG) of the University of Calabria, specializing in industrial systems simulation and digital twin technologies. His work spans Industry 4.0/5.0 applications, supply chain optimization, and human-robot collaboration. Affiliation: University of Calabria Academic Role: Researcher (Legge 240/10) Research Focus: Digital twins, simulation modeling, sustainable manufacturing His research emphasizes advanced simulation tools for decision support, including applications in Industry 4.0 , Smart Manufacturing , and Agri-Food Supply Chains . Recent work explores adaptive simulation optimization for Industry 5.0 and 5G-enabled robotics. Key publication trends include: (1) Digital twin integration for supply chain resilience (2024-2025), (2) Simulation automation methodologies (2025), and (3) Human-robot collaboration frameworks (2024).
Robert West is an Associate Professor at EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences , leading the Data Science Lab (dlab) . His research focuses on Natural Language Processing , Machine Learning , and Computational Social Science , analyzing human-generated data from the web, social media, and online platforms. Education : PhD in Computer Science (2016) - Stanford University MSc in Computer Science (2010) - McGill University BSc in Computer Science (2007) - Technische Universität München Research Interests : West develops algorithms for analyzing large-scale web data, with emphasis on multilingual NLP , social network analysis , and AI ethics . His work bridges machine learning with social science to understand digital human behavior. Scientific Awards : ICWSM’22 Adamic–Glance Distinguished Young Researcher Award Google Faculty Research Award Facebook Research Award Multiple Outstanding Paper Awards at ICWSM and WWW Advising & Grants : He advises 12 PhD students and has secured funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation , Swiss Data Science Center , and industry partners. His lab maintains collaborations with Microsoft Research and CROSS . Labs & Collaborations : West leads the Data Science Lab at EPFL, which focuses on web-scale data analysis , privacy-preserving machine learning , and AI for social good . The lab develops tools like Wikispeedia and Quotebank for public data exploration.
Francesca Stradolini is a Lecturer at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the Electrical Engineering Doctoral School (EDEE). She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from EPFL (2018), with prior education in Bio Engineering and Neuroscience from the University of Genoa (2012, 2015). Her current work focuses on R&D engineering for medical devices, emphasizing system lifecycle management, human factors engineering, and compliance with CE/FDA regulations. As an invited guest, she contributes to usability engineering education and interdisciplinary research at EPFL. PhD: IoT Bio-Electronic Multi-Panel Device for On-line Monitoring of Anaesthesia Delivery (EPFL, 2018) MSc: Bio Engineering (University of Genoa, 2015) BSc: Bio Engineering (University of Genoa, 2012) Her research spans bioelectronics, IoT-enabled medical monitoring, and electrochemical sensor development for clinical applications. Key areas include anesthesia delivery systems, wearable diagnostics, implantable devices, and human factors engineering. Her work integrates fluidic systems, noble metal nanostructures, and open-source hardware (e.g., Raspberry Pi) to address challenges in traceability, fouling mitigation, and pharmacokinetic modeling. Scientific recognition includes the Ville de Lausanne Award (2019) , EPFL Outstanding PhD Thesis Distinction (2018) , and a Best Paper Award at MOBIHEALTH (2016) . She has published extensively in journals like IEEE TBIOCAS, Sensors and Actuators B, and IEEE Sensors Journal, with collaborative studies on propofol monitoring, carbon nanoallotrope drug detection, and implantable sensor validation. Her technical expertise includes managing medical device development lifecycles, designing IoT architectures for intensive care, and optimizing electrochemical sensors for stability in undiluted biological fluids. She has contributed to conferences such as IEEE BioCAS, ISCAS, and MOBIHEALTH, focusing on translational studies in personalized medicine and 3D-printed medical systems.
Dimitrios Skalkos serves as a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, holding the specific title of Professor of Innovation Management in Food Businesses. His office is located in building X2, room X2-206c on the Ioannina Campus (45110 Ioannina), and he leads the Food Chemistry Laboratory. He earned his Basic Degree in Chemistry from the University of Ioannina (1980-1985) followed by a Doctoral Degree from the University of Toledo, USA (1986-1989) with dissertation research on "Di- and Tetrahydroporphyrins: Syntheses and Antitumor Activities". Skalkos's research spans Food Business Management, Food Innovation, and Innovation Management, with specialized focus on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Aromatic Plants, Innovative Foods, and Strategic Marketing. His work bridges academic research with industry applications in food systems, emphasizing Greek agricultural products and pandemic-era consumer behavior. His 36 publications (2020-2024) reveal strong trends in post-pandemic food innovation, consumer perception of traditional Greek foods, functional food development (particularly olive oil, cheese, and grape by-products), and sustainable agri-food supply chains. Key thematic clusters include traceability systems, bioactive properties of novel foods, and economic impacts on food choices. He has actively supervised Master's and PhD students through departmental presentations, directed 23 research programs, and organized 15 seminars and conferences. His laboratory website ( https://foods.chem.uoi.gr ) showcases ongoing food chemistry innovations.
Prof. Magnus Fröhling is a Full Professor of Circular Economy and Sustainability Assessment at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), leading the Chair of Circular Economy and Sustainability Assessment at TUM Campus Straubing. He holds a doctorate and habilitation from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), specializing in material flow analysis and resource efficiency. His career includes roles as a professor at TU Bergakademie Freiberg before joining TUM in 2018. Fröhling’s research focuses on quantitative approaches for circular economy systems, including industrial value chains, built environments, and bioeconomy. He co-leads the TUM Mission Network Circular Economy, an interdisciplinary platform for research and innovation. **Education:** Bachelor/Master in Industrial Engineering, Karlsruhe University (TH) PhD in Industrial Engineering (2005), Karlsruhe University Habilitation in Business Administration (2011), KIT **Research Interests:** Circular economy concepts for automotive industry, buildings, and energy systems; sustainability assessment in bioeconomy; policy instruments for resource efficiency. His work emphasizes lifecycle analysis and closed-loop systems. **Awards:** TUM Sustainability Award (2021) and recognition for groundbreaking research on sustainability in industrial biotechnology (2020). **Advising & Grants:** Leads research initiatives like CirculaTUM, focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration. His work integrates policy analysis, technological innovation, and industrial ecology to advance sustainability goals. **Labs/Teams:** Active in TUM’s Green Fuel Center and SynBioFoundry@TUM, promoting sustainable energy and biotechnology solutions.
Professor Simon Buckingham Shum is a leading academic in Learning Informatics at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), serving as inaugural Director of the Connected Intelligence Centre since 2014. His work bridges Human-Computer Interaction, Educational Technology, and Learning Analytics to develop AI-driven tools like OnTask that enhance student belonging through personalized feedback. Key research areas: Human-Computer Interaction, Learning Analytics, AI in Education, Collective Intelligence Recent work focuses: LLM-augmented qualitative analysis, Belonging Analytics frameworks, and ethical AI implementation in education CIC received the 2024 Vice-Chancellor’s Student Experience Award for scaling OnTask across multiple faculties. His contributions span over 30 years, including founding roles at The Open University’s Knowledge Media Institute and innovations in Open Educational Resources (OER), SocialLearn, and FutureLearn platforms. Notable awards: 2024 Student Experience Award (OnTask), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), DEFI STRI Researcher at University of Cambridge Education: B.Sc. in Psychology (York), M.Sc. in Ergonomics (UCL), PhD in Human-Computer Interaction (York) He leads multidisciplinary collaborations with teams across Business, Law, and Education faculties, pioneering tools like Theme Explorer and Qreframer bot. His recent focus on the "metacrisis" reframes educational technology’s role in addressing global systemic challenges through transdisciplinary approaches.
Ming Hu is a Professor and University of Toronto Distinguished Professor of Business Operations and Analytics at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He serves as Area Coordinator for the Operations Management & Statistics Area and holds editorial leadership roles including Editor-in-Chief of Naval Research Logistics and Associate Editor for multiple top journals. MS in Applied Mathematics, Brown University (2003) PhD in Operations Research, Columbia University (2009) His research focuses on sharing economy , social operations , and platform economics , examining how operational decisions can maximize societal benefit. Key areas include crowdfunding , two-sided markets , crowdsourcing , and group buying , with applications to DEI , sustainability , and AI-empowered operations . Recent work analyzes spatial operations in delivery systems, algorithmic fairness , and climate change adaptation in agricultural supply chains. His publications span top journals like Management Science and Operations Research , covering topics from blockchain traceability to quantum-inspired optimization . Scientific recognitions include: Wickham Skinner Early-Career Research Award (2016) Best Operations Management Paper in Management Science (2017) 2018 Poets & Quants Best 40 Under 40 MBA Professors As an Amazon Scholar (2022–) and Chair of Chain Analytics Institute (2023–), he bridges academic research with industry applications in AI-driven logistics and sustainable operations.
Georg Raithel is a Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he has been a faculty member since 1997 following postdoctoral research at NIST as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow. His research focuses on experimental atomic, molecular, and optical physics, specializing in Rydberg atom systems for quantum sensing and precision measurement applications. His academic background includes: Habilitation, University of Munich, Germany (1995) Ph.D., University of Munich, Germany (1990) Diploma, University of Munich, Germany (1987) Raithel's work centers on Rydberg atoms and their applications in quantum sensing, precision spectroscopy, and quantum information. His group investigates electromagnetically induced transparency in vapor cells, atom interferometry, ultracold plasmas, and Rydberg-atom-ion molecules. Recent breakthroughs include tractor atom interferometry for rotation sensing and SI-traceable electric field probes, bridging fundamental physics with practical quantum technologies. His publication trends show increasing focus on applied quantum systems, particularly Rydberg-atom-based sensors for electromagnetic field measurement, quantum communication protocols, and precision metrology devices. This evolution reflects a strategic shift from fundamental Rydberg physics toward engineered quantum solutions for real-world measurement challenges. Major scientific recognitions include: Fellow of the American Physical Society Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship Raithel has mentored approximately thirty Ph.D. students who now hold positions across academia, industry, and government laboratories. His research has been supported by sustained funding from the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy, enabling development of advanced laser systems for cold atom manipulation and quantum control. The Raithel laboratory, housed in Homer A. Neal Laboratory (rooms SB149, SB283, SB290), maintains multiple experimental setups for laser cooling, optical trapping, and vapor-cell spectroscopy. His group actively collaborates with industry through Rydberg Technologies Inc., which he co-founded to commercialize atom-based sensing technology.
Julian McAuley is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering. His research spans recommender systems, machine learning, natural language processing, music information retrieval, and multimodal learning. He maintains an active research group with numerous PhD students and postdocs working on cutting-edge AI problems. His research interests focus on developing advanced algorithms for personalized recommendation systems, with particular emphasis on sequential recommendation, multimodal learning, and integrating large language models with traditional recommendation approaches. His work bridges the gap between theoretical machine learning and practical applications across multiple domains including e-commerce, music, and healthcare. McAuley has published extensively in top-tier conferences including NeurIPS, ICML, KDD, SIGIR, and ACL, with his most recent work exploring the intersection of large language models and recommendation systems. His publications reveal a strong trend toward multimodal approaches that combine text, vision, and audio for more comprehensive understanding and recommendation. He has received significant research funding from major technology companies including Google, Amazon, Facebook, Adobe, and Samsung, as well as government agencies like the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense. His work has practical applications across multiple industries, with a focus on improving user experience through better personalization. McAuley advises numerous PhD students who have gone on to successful careers at leading technology companies and academic institutions. His former students include Wang-Cheng Kang and Jianmo Ni at Google DeepMind, Chris Donahue and Zachary Lipton as assistant professors at CMU, and Ruining He at Google Deepmind.
Jiliang Tang is an MSU Foundation Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU), part of the College of Engineering. He holds a PhD from Arizona State University (2015) and previously worked as a research scientist at Yahoo Research. His research focuses on graph machine learning, trustworthy AI, and applications in education and biology. He has received numerous awards, including the 2022 AI's 10 to Watch, IAPR J.K. Aggarwal Award, and NSF CAREER Award. Education: PhD in Computer Science, Arizona State University, 2015 (Advisor: Huan Liu) Research Interests: Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and Deep Learning on Graphs Trustworthy AI: Safety, Robustness, and Fairness AI+X Applications: Education Technology and Biological Data Analysis His work bridges theoretical advancements and practical applications, with contributions to graph representation learning, privacy in generative models, and educational AI systems. Awards & Recognition: Over 8 best paper awards (or runner-ups) Rock Star Award from Association of Chinese Scholars in Computing Extensive media coverage for innovations in AI education and biology Grants & Projects: NSF CAREER Award (2019) for research on signed networks Co-PI on a $1.7M grant for 5G research Leadership in projects like DSE Lab and Data Science initiatives Labs & Teams: Directs the Data Science and Engineering (DSE) Lab at MSU, focusing on advancing AI for real-world challenges. The lab collaborates with industry leaders and publishes widely in top conferences (e.g., KDD, SIGIR, ACL).
Xavier Brusset is a Professor in Supply Chain at SKEMA Business School since 2016, where he also serves as Director of the PRISM Research Center since 2017. Previously, he held professorial positions at Toulouse Business School (2015-2016) and ESSCA School of Management (2009-2015), where he was responsible for the Master 2 in Purchasing and Supply Chain Management program. His academic journey includes a PhD in Management Sciences from Université Catholique de Louvain (2010) and a Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches from Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense (2016). His research spans multiple critical areas in supply chain management, with particular focus on supply chain resilience, blockchain applications, weather risk management, and pandemic impacts on supply chains. Brusset has developed innovative approaches to understanding how supply chain partners interact, how information affects their behavior, and how external disruptions like weather anomalies and pandemics impact operational efficiency. His work bridges theoretical models with practical applications, often developing decision-support tools for managers facing complex supply chain challenges. Brusset's publication record shows a clear evolution of research interests, beginning with foundational work on supply chain contracts and information sharing, then expanding to weather risk management, and most recently focusing on pandemic disruptions and blockchain applications. His 15 most recent publications (2018-2025) demonstrate increasing sophistication in modeling complex supply chain phenomena, with particular emphasis on network effects, ripple effects, and multi-echelon optimization under disruption scenarios. Editorial board member of Logistics Research Editor of International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management (2022-2023) Recognized EU expert for CINEA research projects evaluation Organizer of the Colloquium on European Research in Retailing (CERR) Reviewer for multiple top journals including International Journal of Production Economics As an advisor, Brusset has supervised doctoral students including R. Alkhudary (co-director, Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas) and V. Capocasale (rapporteur). His professional experience extends beyond academia to include industry roles in financial markets and logistics technology, having co-founded WebLogistix, a platform for sharing logistics information in Argentina. His research has practical applications across multiple sectors, particularly in retail, food supply chains, and manufacturing, where he develops tools to help managers mitigate risks and optimize operations under uncertainty.
Christopher S. Tang is a UCLA Distinguished Professor and Edward W. Carter Chair in Business Administration at the Anderson School of Management , where he researches global supply chain management with a focus on social innovation in developing countries . He also serves as Senior Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and Faculty Director of the Center for Global Management . Education: Ph.D. in Management Science (1985, Yale University) M.Phil. in Administrative Science (1983, Yale University) M.A. in Statistics (1983, Yale University) B.Sc. in Mathematics (First Class Honors, 1981, King’s College, University of London) His research explores the intersection of corporate responsibility and supply chain innovation , addressing topics like microfinancing , mobile platforms for developing economies , direct agricultural procurement , and disaster response logistics . He emphasizes visibility, integrity, and agility in uncertain environments. Recent work highlights AI adoption benefits for supply chains , strategies to reduce forced labor risks , and policy impacts on ride-sharing platforms . His research bridges operations management and social justice , advocating for environmental stewardship alongside business growth. Scientific Awards: Salzberg Medallion (2017) Lifetime Fellow, INFORMS (2011) Responsible Research in Management Award (2017) Teaching Excellence Award (multiple years, UCLA-NUS) Dean’s Excellent Service Award (2014) As an influential adviser and consultant , Tang has worked with Amazon, HP, IBM, Nestlé, GKN , and Accenture . He has taught at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology , and served as visiting professor at Cambridge University and the Institute of Advanced Study at HKUST .
Associate Professor Nicole Hartley serves as MBA Director at UQ Business School and Future of Health Research Hub Lead at The University of Queensland. With 19 years of academic experience across institutions in Sydney and Queensland, she holds appointments across multiple faculties including Business, Economics and Law; Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences; and Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology. Her academic affiliations span the Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, Centre for Enterprise AI, and Queensland Digital Health Centre. Dr. Hartley is an internationally recognized research academic specializing in services marketing and digital technology. Her research interests encompass service technology, virtualized services, customer preference and adoption, new media, service innovation, and corporate digital responsibility. She particularly focuses on customer perceptions in response to technological disruption in service delivery, with special emphasis on healthcare services. Her work bridges business, technology, and healthcare domains, examining how digital transformation affects consumer behavior and service experiences. Her extensive publication record demonstrates consistent research output across multiple disciplines, with recent work concentrating on telehealth implementation, corporate digital responsibility, consumer trust in digital environments, and healthcare service innovation. The interdisciplinary nature of her research connects marketing theory with practical healthcare applications, particularly in the context of digital transformation and service delivery. Dr. Hartley has successfully supervised numerous PhD candidates to completion and currently mentors several doctoral students working on topics ranging from sustainable consumption to healthcare innovation and digital service experiences. Her research has been supported by significant funding from Queensland Health, NHMRC, and other organizations, focusing on telehealth, digital service transformation, and healthcare innovation. As Director of MBA and Executive Education at UQ Business School, Dr. Hartley combines her academic expertise with practical industry experience, having previously worked as Marketing Manager/Director in tourism, education, and communication industries in Australia and the UK. She is an award-winning educator with expertise in marketing strategy, digital media, consumer behavior, and experiential industry-based projects.
Sotirios Liaskos is an Associate Professor in the School of Information Technology at the Faculty of Science, York University. He is a leading researcher in requirements engineering and conceptual modeling, with a focus on goal models, empirical evaluation, and model-driven engineering. Research Interests: Requirements Engineering Goal and Conceptual Modeling Empirical Software Engineering Model-Driven Design and Automation Uncertainty and Decision-Theoretic Reasoning in Models Applications in Blockchain and Reinforcement Learning His recent work emphasizes the empirical validation of modeling constructs, the integration of decision theory into goal models, and the automated generation of secure workflows and AI training environments. He has led and co-authored numerous experimental studies on model comprehensibility and semantic quality. Publication Trends: His publications consistently appear in top venues like ER, RE, and iStar. The last five years show a strong trend toward empirical evaluation of modeling languages, decision-theoretic goal models, and applications of goal modeling in emerging domains such as blockchain and reinforcement learning simulation design. Scientific Contributions: Developed frameworks for empirical evaluation of modeling language ontologies (Peira framework). Advanced decision-theoretic approaches to goal modeling under uncertainty. Pioneered model-driven methods for generating blockchain simulators and reinforcement learning environments. Conducted foundational empirical studies on the comprehensibility of contribution links and visualization alternatives in goal models. Advising and Collaboration: He has advised several researchers including Ibrahim Jaouhar, Wisal Tambosi, Mehrnaz Zhian, and Saba Zarbaf. He maintains a highly collaborative research profile with frequent co-authorship with John Mylopoulos, Shakil M. Khan, and other international researchers. He has served as a co-editor for multiple iStar workshop proceedings, indicating leadership in the goal-oriented requirements engineering community. Labs and Teams: While no specific lab name is mentioned, his work is closely associated with research groups focused on requirements engineering and conceptual modeling, likely within York University’s software engineering research cluster. His collaborations span institutions in Canada, Europe, and beyond.
Dr. Michael Baym is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School with affiliate appointments in Microbiology and the Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, and as an Associate Member of the Broad Institute. He leads the Baym Lab, which studies microbial evolutionary genomics and antibiotic resistance through a hybrid of experimental, computational, and theoretical approaches. His research focuses on: Antibiotic Resistance Evolution and practical interventions Mobile Genetic Elements (plasmids, phages, transposons) Computational Genomic Algorithms for big data analysis Synthetic Biology tools and technologies Key recent publications explore phage discovery systems , phylogenetic compression of microbial genomes, and RNA-guided gene drives in plasmids. His work is supported by multiple NIH/NIGMS and NSF grants including a MIRA award. Scientific honors include: Packard Fellowship (2018) Pew Biomedical Scholarship (2020) Sloan Research Fellowship (2020) A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award (2021) SSQBio Mentorship Award (2022) The lab actively trains PhD students and postdoctoral fellows with alumni occupying academic and industry positions globally. Current team members include researchers from interdisciplinary backgrounds working at the intersection of experiment, computation, and theory .
