John Lygeros is a Full Professor and Head of the Institute for Automatic Control at ETH Zurich's Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. He received his B.Eng. (1990) and M.Sc. (1991) from Imperial College London, and Ph.D. (1996) from UC Berkeley. Before joining ETH Zurich in 2006, he held academic positions at the University of Cambridge and University of Patras. His research focuses on: Modeling and control of hierarchical hybrid systems Large-scale dynamical systems applied to biochemical networks Control of automated transportation systems via wireless networks Energy systems and advanced manufacturing control His research demonstrates strong emphasis on optimization methods, distributed control architectures, and machine learning applications in control systems, with significant contributions to real-time optimization algorithms and data-driven control methodologies. Major scientific awards include: HSCC Test of Time Award (2024) ERC Advanced Grant (2018) O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award (2018) IEEE George S. Axelby Paper Award (2016) Three Golden Owl teaching awards from ETH Zurich He leads the Automatic Control Laboratory at ETH Zurich and serves as Director of the National Centre of Competence in Research 'Dependable Ubiquitous Automation'. He has advised over 60 doctoral candidates since 2017, with research spanning optimization algorithms, power systems, autonomous systems, and machine learning applications.
Elena Simperl is a Professor of Computer Science and Deputy Head of Department for Enterprise and Engagement at King's College London's Department of Informatics. She co-directs the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence and serves as Director of Research for the Open Data Institute. As a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Advanced Study, she leads the Trustworthy Knowledge Graphs focus group and contributes to advancing human-centric AI research across European institutions. Professor Simperl obtained her doctoral degree in Computer Science from the Free University of Berlin and her diploma from the Technical University of Munich. Prior to joining King's, she held academic positions in Germany, Austria, and at the University of Southampton, and was a Turing Fellow. Her career trajectory demonstrates consistent leadership in bridging academic research with practical applications in data ecosystems. Her research sits at the critical intersection of AI and social computing, focusing on human-centric approaches to building sociotechnical systems that integrate data, algorithms, and human capabilities. She investigates how to make knowledge engineering more accessible, how to leverage collective intelligence for data quality improvement, and how to design participatory AI systems that address societal challenges like misinformation. Her work spans knowledge graphs, semantic technologies, crowdsourcing, and open data, with particular emphasis on the social dimensions of data-intensive systems and the governance frameworks needed for trustworthy AI deployment. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong evolution toward integrating large language models with traditional knowledge engineering practices while maintaining human oversight. There's a clear trajectory from foundational work on knowledge representation toward increasingly applied research addressing real-world challenges in media ecosystems, citizen science, and data governance, with growing attention to policy implications of AI technologies. Fellow of the British Computer Society Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at TUM-IAS (2023) Ranked among top 100 most influential scholars in knowledge engineering of the last decade Included in Women in AI 2000 ranking Professor Simperl has led 14 major European and national research projects totaling millions in funding, including MediaFutures (a Horizon 2020 program tackling online misinformation), QROWD, ODINE, Data Pitch, and ACTION. She currently co-chairs the Croissant working group in ML Commons developing data standards for AI, and serves as president of the Semantic Web Science Association. Her research has directly influenced the development of data ecosystems supporting startups and citizen science initiatives across Europe, demonstrating exceptional ability to translate theoretical advances into practical impact. As Director of Research at the Open Data Institute, she oversees initiatives connecting data entrepreneurs with artists and civic organizations. Her leadership in the MediaFutures project established a data-driven innovation hub that supported 51 startups/SMEs and 43 artists through three open calls, creating a sustainable model for arts-technology collaborations addressing media challenges. Her work with the ODINE project helped create a European ecosystem for data-driven startups, demonstrating her commitment to building practical applications of open data principles.
Philippe Christe is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine. His research centers on host-parasite interactions, with a focus on bats, birds, and their ectoparasites, integrating behavioral, physiological, and genetic approaches. He leads the Christe Group, which investigates evolutionary and ecological dynamics in host-parasite systems, particularly avian malaria and bat-mite relationships. He is actively involved in conservation initiatives, including the Jorat Peri-Urban Nature Park, and collaborates with KORA on human-wildlife interactions. Bachelor's degree in biology, UNIL (1989) PhD in Zoology and Animal Ecology, UNIL (1994) Philippe Christe’s research interests lie at the intersection of parasitology, evolutionary ecology, and conservation biology. He investigates how host defenses evolve in response to parasitic pressures, examining trade-offs between immunity and life history traits such as reproduction and survival. His work often integrates field studies with experimental and molecular techniques. Key model systems include Parus major (great tit) and Culex pipiens in avian malaria, and bat species with their ectoparasitic mites. He also explores broader ecological interactions, including predator-prey dynamics and wildlife conservation in human-modified landscapes. His recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on disease ecology, wildlife conservation, and molecular methods. Articles span topics such as avian malaria transmission, lynx population dynamics, snow leopard behavior, and habitat fragmentation effects on insects. These works employ advanced techniques like DNA metabarcoding, spatial modeling, and long-term monitoring, demonstrating a trend toward interdisciplinary, data-driven ecological research with direct conservation applications. Dubois Foundation Prize for an educational CD-Rom on bats (2004) Communication Award from the Faculty of Biology and Medicine of UNIL (2017) Philippe Christe has supervised numerous PhD and Master’s students, contributing significantly to training the next generation of ecologists and evolutionary biologists. His group collaborates widely with institutions such as the Museum of Zoology in Lausanne and KORA, and participates in large-scale conservation projects involving snow leopards, lynx, and bats. He has been involved in research grants related to host-parasite coevolution, wildlife monitoring, and conservation strategies. His leadership in establishing the Jorat Peri-Urban Nature Park and involvement in the UNIL Interdisciplinary Center for Mountain Research highlight his commitment to applied science and environmental stewardship. He leads the Christe Group, which conducts research on host-parasite coevolution, with a focus on bats and their ectoparasites, and birds affected by avian malaria. The group combines fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and molecular analyses, and includes post-docs, PhD students, and technical staff. Collaborations extend to researchers in Bern, Paris, and Spain, fostering an international and interdisciplinary research environment.
Jean-Philippe MARTINET is a Lecturer in Parasitology at the School of Pharmacy , University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne. He specializes in medical and veterinary entomology, focusing on mosquito-borne zoonotic viruses (West Nile, Usutu) and entomopathogenic nematodes of the Mermithidae family. His work spans vector ecology, transmission dynamics, and climate change impacts on disease vectors. Pharmacist (Faculty of Pharmacy, Reims) Master's in Natural Environment Engineering: Wildlife and Environment PhD in Medical and Veterinary Entomology (defended 2021) Research Interests Vectorial transmission of arboviruses Mosquito surveillance and ecological modeling Temperature-dependent virus transmission Mermithid nematodes as biological control agents Recent Article Trends emphasize experimental studies on mosquito vector competence, climate change effects on Aedes species, and taxonomic advancements in disease vectors. His collaborations include the Pasteur Institute of New Caledonia and EA7510 ESCAPE. Laboratory Affiliations : Dengue and Arbovirus Research and Expertise Unit (UREDA) at Pasteur Institute of New Caledonia; EA7510 ESCAPE research unit in Reims.
Steven Sinkins is Professor in Microbiology and Tropical Medicine at the University of Glasgow, affiliated with the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. His research focuses on controlling mosquito-borne diseases through innovative biological approaches. He directs the ANTI-VeC international research network and leads a team investigating microbial solutions to vector-borne pathogens. Research interests center on: Wolbachia symbionts for arbovirus control Microsporidian malaria-blocking symbionts in Anopheles mosquitoes Field implementation of biocontrol strategies against dengue and Zika viruses Molecular mechanisms of pathogen blocking in mosquito vectors Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on: Wolbachia-mediated viral inhibition mechanisms Field trials of novel vector control methods Genetic and symbiotic approaches to disease prevention Mosquito-symbiont-pathogen tripartite interactions Scientific recognition includes: Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship (2006-2021) Leads multiple research grants: Wellcome Trust: Optimal implementation of Wolbachia programmes (2022-2027) Open Philanthropy: Microsporidia symbionts for malaria control (2020-2023) BBSRC: Genetic and symbiotic disease control strategies (2017-2020) Directs the Sinkins Group at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, collaborating internationally with partners in Malaysia, Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Australia to develop and implement novel vector control solutions.
Dr. Reza Samavi is an Associate Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University's Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architectural Science. He is also a Faculty Affiliate with the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence and directs the Trustworthy AI Research Lab (TAILab). Previously, he served as Assistant Professor and eHealth Graduate Program Coordinator at McMaster University's Department of Computing and Software (2014-2020). Holding a PhD in Computer Science (University of Toronto, 2013), his academic journey bridges industry experience with rigorous scholarly contributions. His research lies at the critical intersection of Trustworthy AI , Machine Learning Security , and Medical Informatics . He investigates Safety & Security of ML Algorithms Privacy-Preserving AI Systems Transparency Frameworks for Medical AI Blockchain-enabled Privacy Auditing Game Theory for Model Robustness Optimization-based Anonymization Techniques The TAILab research group under his leadership has produced groundbreaking work in Uncertainty Quantification for Neural Networks Robustness Against Adversarial Attacks Medical Image Analysis Clinical Decision Support Systems Emergency Medicine Predictive Modeling His recent projects focus on enhancing migrant youth mental health through LLM-based conversation agents and developing certified robustness guarantees for ensemble networks. Dr. Samavi's scholarly excellence is recognized through Privacy Technologies Research Award (IBM) Privacy By Design Research Award (Ontario IPC) Bridging Divides Emerging Research Grant (TMU) NSERC PGS-D Recipient (Co-supervised student) SOSCIP Accelerator Grant He has secured major funding from NSERC , SOSCIP , MITACS , HHS , and IDEaS programs. As a dedicated educator, Dr. Samavi teaches graduate courses in Secure Machine Learning and Software Testing while mentoring 15+ graduate students across PhD , MASc , and MEng programs. His lab has presented at premier venues including AAAI , IJCAI , and IEEE Transactions while maintaining active collaborations with institutions like Harvard, ETH Zurich, and the University of Waterloo.
Saumik Basu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia (UGA), based at the Tifton Campus within the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on developing sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for vegetable crops in South Georgia. He leads the Vegetable Entomology Lab, which investigates pest complexes like whiteflies, diamondback moths, and pepper weevils, along with their interactions with plant pathogens. His work emphasizes molecular ecology, plant defense mechanisms, and the role of abiotic factors (e.g., climate, soil microbiota) in pest management. Education: B.S. in Human Physiology, University of Calcutta M.S. in Biotechnology, Visva-Bharati University Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Virology, Jawaharlal Nehru University Postdoctoral Research: University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and Washington State University (WSU) Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms of plant-insect interactions Sustainable IPM for vegetable pests Plant defense signaling and phytohormonal crosstalk Impact of soil microbiota on pest-pathogen dynamics Climate change effects on agroecosystems Lab & Collaborations: The lab collaborates with county extension agents, growers, and other research groups to translate findings into practical solutions. Current projects address pest attack order effects on plant defenses and the role of biopesticides like Metarhizium fungus. Graduate students and postdocs work on topics such as soil amendments for pest resistance and vector-borne disease transmission. Advising & Grants: Advises Ph.D. candidate Sourav Pal and M.S. student Rajesh Udavant. Technical staff includes Charles Laney Gruver, an expert in field trials and insect rearing. Undergraduate Alexis Crossgrove supports lab activities. Labs/Teams: Vegetable Entomology Lab (UGA), previously affiliated with Molecular Plant Sciences at WSU.
Tyler Schartel serves as an Associate Research Scientist in Conservation Ecology at the Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research integrates computational methods with field ecology to address freshwater conservation and invasive species challenges. Research interests span: Freshwater mussel biodiversity and ecosystem health Machine learning applications for species distribution modeling Invasive pest risk assessment (vineyard moths, Xylella vectors) Protected lands effectiveness for conservation targets His work emphasizes algorithmic rigor in ecological informatics and climate-driven disease forecasting. Recent publications reveal strong trends in computational ecology: improving machine learning stability for cross-dataset species-richness modeling (2025), optimizing Maxent background selection for freshwater systems (2024), and developing climate-informed risk frameworks for agricultural pests (2022-2023). Key methodological contributions focus on predictor discriminability metrics and vector tolerance thresholds.
Stephen Waterman is a Clinical Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science at UC San Diego. His work focuses on vector-borne disease epidemiology, particularly dengue and Zika viruses, with a strong emphasis on public health preparedness and surveillance. He has conducted extensive research in Puerto Rico and other regions, investigating transmission dynamics, risk factors, and control strategies for mosquito-borne illnesses. Key research areas include: 1) Dengue vaccine efficacy and implementation, 2) Zoonotic disease surveillance, 3) Community-based interventions for vector control, and 4) Cross-border health issues. Over 150 peer-reviewed articles document his contributions to understanding disease epidemiology, clinical outcomes, and public health policy. Recent work addresses challenges in diagnosing dengue amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, optimizing Zika surveillance strategies, and evaluating vaccination cost-effectiveness. He collaborates with CDC, NIH, and global health agencies on outbreak investigations and policy development.
Asst. Prof. Hilal Öztürk Baydere serves in the Department of Western Languages and Literatures at Karadeniz Technical University's Faculty of Arts and Humanities since 2021, advancing to Assistant Professor in 2024 after beginning her academic career at the university's School of Foreign Languages in 2013. Her institutional trajectory reflects deep integration within Turkey's translation studies community. Her academic foundation includes: Doctorate in Translation Studies (2016-2022) from Istanbul University's Institute of Social Sciences Postgraduate degree in English Translation and Interpretation (2011-2015) from Hacettepe University Undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature (2007-2011) from Hacettepe University Her research centers on Translation Studies with acute focus on machine translation's disruption of literary translation practices. She investigates translator competence evolution in AI-driven environments, creativity preservation in machine-assisted workflows, and historical/cultural dimensions of translation. Her work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical technological applications, particularly examining lexical diversity and stylistic integrity in neural machine translation outputs. Publication analysis reveals three dominant research vectors: (1) Machine translation evaluation frameworks for literary texts (25% of output), (2) Historical/cultural memory representation through translation (33%), and (3) Translator identity and competence in digital ecosystems (42%). Recent work increasingly incorporates large language models while maintaining strong philological grounding in English-Turkish translation contexts. She actively supervises student research on AI translation applications including subtitle translation effectiveness and e-commerce review sentiment analysis. Her TUBITAK-funded doctoral scholarship (2017-2022) and current membership in the European 'Language in the Human-Machine Era' research consortium demonstrate significant grant acquisition and international collaboration. Conference participation spans 8+ annual international symposia since 2017, primarily KTUDELL and NALANS events. Her ongoing projects with the European Cooperation in Science and Technology group indicate future research directions exploring human-AI symbiosis in translation pedagogy and professional practice, particularly regarding creativity metrics and cultural adaptation in neural machine translation systems.
Kirsty Kitto is an Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney in the Learning Design and Technology Unit. With a background in theoretical physics and computer science, her research focuses on developing quantum-inspired models of contextuality to understand complex human behavior in educational systems. She explores the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) , Learning Analytics , and Educational Theory , seeking to bridge the divide between big data and pedagogical frameworks. Current Appointments : Associate Professor (2020-present), Senior Lecturer (2017-2020) Past Academic Roles : Senior Research Fellow (QUT), Senior Lecturer (QUT), Associate Lecturer (Flinders University) Her funded research includes projects on: Quantum models in cognitive systems (ARC Fellowship DP1094974) AI literacy in digital workplaces (IEEE Transactions study) Contextual learning analytics (DVC Education and Students Division) Skills passports for lifelong learning (UMAP 2024 paper) Kitto's recent work examines human-AI interaction in writing assessment, data storytelling for teacher-centered analytics, and causal modeling to strengthen educational theory-data connections. She actively supervises Masters and PhD students and contributes to policy debates through government submissions on generative AI in education. Her methodology combines mathematical formalism with sociotechnical analysis to address educational complexity.
Professor Ronald van Rij holds the position of Professor of Experimental Virology and Head of the Laboratory of Experimental Virology at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, Netherlands. He also serves as a Guest Professor at the University of Pavia, Italy. His research focuses on antiviral mechanisms in insects, particularly the roles of RNA interference (RNAi) and piRNA pathways in Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. He has pioneered studies on viral defense in insects and vector competence, with translational work on antiviral compounds against pathogens like Zika and SARS-CoV-2 through the international 'COVID Moonshot' project. Education includes a PhD from the University of Amsterdam (2002) and postdoctoral fellowships at UCSF (USA) and the Hubrecht Institute (Netherlands). He has received prestigious grants such as ERC Consolidator and VICI awards, and was honored as Lecturer of the Year (2019) and PhD Supervisor of the Year (2017). Awards: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (2020), NWO VICI (2017), ERC Consolidator (2014), NWO VIDI (2008), EMBO Fellowship (2002). Teaching: Coordinates courses on virology, non-coding RNA, and innate immunity at Radboud University. Labs: Manages a BSL-3 facility for studying vector-borne pathogens in mosquitoes. His work bridges basic science and translational medicine, with emphasis on small RNA pathways and arbovirus control.
Jen Pylypa is a researcher in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University , focusing on medical anthropology, transnational adoption, and immigrant health. She holds a B.A. in anthropology from the University of British Columbia and an M.A. and Ph.D. in medical and cultural anthropology from the University of Arizona. Research Interests: Health and well-being of women/children, self-medication practices, global health worker migration, Southeast Asia (Laos/Thailand), and immigrant communities in North America. Grants: SSHRC, NSF, and Wenner-Gren Foundation fellowships. Supervision: Mentors graduate students in medical anthropology, adoption studies, gender studies, and Southeast Asia research. Courses Taught: Anthropology of the Body, Ethnographic Methods, Health and Globalization, and Practicum Placement. Scientific Awards: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants American National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowships Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research grants
Nicole Gerardo is a Professor at Emory University and Director of the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Her lab studies evolutionary ecology in insect-microbe systems, including aphid-bacteria symbioses and fungus-growing ants. Education includes a Ph.D. from University of Texas at Austin (2004) and B.A. from Rice University (1997). Research integrates experimental evolution , genomics , and field ecology to address: Mechanisms of symbiont-mediated pathogen defense Transmission dynamics in mutualisms Host immunological trade-offs Agricultural applications of protective microbes Recent work examines priority effects in symbiont colonization, monarch butterfly microbiomes, and coevolution in ant-fungal systems. Field sites span Panama, Brazil, and agricultural ecosystems.
Lillian Lee is a Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University, affiliated with the College of Computing and Information Science. Her research bridges natural language processing (NLP) and social interaction, focusing on how computational methods can analyze and facilitate socially embedded processes. She co-developed the course “Natural Language Processing and Social Interaction” and leads the Cornell NLP Group. Her work spans sentiment analysis, computational social science, and multimodal interaction, with notable contributions to understanding language features in persuasion, online debate dynamics, and humor comprehension. Key research interests include analyzing digital traces of social interaction, evaluating AI systems through human-centered criteria, and exploring the interplay between language structure and societal influence. Recent projects examine pivotal moments in mental health counseling, cross-cultural historical narratives on Wikipedia, and the role of wording in message propagation. Awards: ACM Fellow, ACL Distinguished Service Award (2021), Test of Time Award, Fellow of the Association for Computational Linguistics Labs/Teams: Member of the Cornell Natural Language Processing Group Advising: Mentored numerous students whose work has driven impactful projects in NLP and computational social science
