Sri Kurniawan is a researcher at the Computational Media Department within Baskin Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz . With a focus on Human-Computer Interaction , their work spans assistive technology , virtual reality applications , and accessibility design for aging populations and people with disabilities. Key research areas: Accessibility , Virtual Reality , Human-Computer Interaction Recent work explores immersive systems for emergency preparedness and Mixed Reality in biomedical visualization Publications from 2000-2025 demonstrate sustained engagement in mobile health and inclusive game design . Collaborations with institutions like University of Manchester and University of California systems highlight cross-continental research impact.
Ulrika Persson-Fischier is a University Lecturer at the Department of Women's and Children's Health and the Center for Health and Sustainability at Uppsala University. She is based at Campus Gotland and plays a key role in interdisciplinary research and education focused on sustainability. She leads the international Master’s programme in Implementation, Transformative Learning, and Sustainability and has developed the Master’s in Sustainable Destination Development. Her academic background includes a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Oslo and foundational studies in anthropology, philosophy, and intellectual history at Uppsala University. Her research spans diverse fields including sustainable tourism, entrepreneurship, healthcare innovation, and risk management, unified through an anthropological lens emphasizing culture, complexity, and systemic change. She employs ethnographic methods and transdisciplinary collaboration to address wicked problems in sustainability. Her work is grounded in long-term fieldwork, from Siberia to Sweden, and she actively engages with societal actors to co-create knowledge. Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on sustainable tourism, cruise industry impacts, transformative learning, and innovation implementation. Themes include stakeholder co-creation, responsible governance, educational innovation for the SDGs, and the socio-cultural dimensions of sustainability transitions. Her work bridges theory and practice, particularly in island contexts like Gotland and Rapa Nui. Excellent teacher She supervises PhD and Master’s students, including Marije Poort and Fie Broker-Bulling, and leads multiple research projects on sustainable tourism and entrepreneurship. She has developed innovative educational tools such as the online module 'The Mission' for sustainability education. Her teaching spans anthropology, sustainability, CSR, qualitative methods, and entrepreneurship, and she is deeply committed to pedagogical development and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Ulrika is actively involved in Erasmus+ projects such as LISTO and VAMOS, promoting global virtual exchange and sustainable entrepreneurship education. Her research projects include 'Sustainable Arctic cruise communities', 'Hållbar turism i det nya normala', 'Cultural Heritage, Regional Development and Innovation', and 'Fishing for sustainability on Gotland'. She emphasizes collaboration between academia, industry, and local communities to foster resilient and regenerative systems.
Maurizio MUZZUPAPPA is a Full Professor at the Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering (University of Calabria) since 2018. His roles include Rector's Delegate for Technology Transfer, Academic Delegate for Education at DIMEG, and Head of the Physical Prototyping Laboratory at the MaTeRiA Center (UNICAL-CNISM collaboration). He supervises the Unical Racing Team in Formula SAE competitions and co-founded three university spin-offs: 3DResearch, Tech4Sea, and Q-BOT. As Scientific Director of projects like TECH4YOU (climate change adaptation technologies) and GROWN IN THE BLUE (Mediterranean reef conservation), he integrates research in industrial design, augmented reality, and underwater cultural heritage. He has authored over 200 publications (h-index 27) and holds 10 patents. His teaching includes Tools and Methods for Industrial Design and Formula SAE LAB . His research focuses on: Industrial design methodologies with parametric and sustainable approaches 3D prototyping and additive manufacturing User-Centered Design for product ergonomics Virtual/Augmented Reality applications in engineering and cultural heritage Underwater robotics and artifact restoration Recent publications highlight trends in AR for industrial maintenance, generative design tools, and mechatronic solutions for underwater heritage. He has supervised over 300 theses and 10 Ph.D. students while leading technology transfer initiatives.
Professor David E. Gloriam is a leading expert in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the University of Copenhagen , Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology. Recognized as a top 1% Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher, he leads GPCRdb, a major database with >50,000 annual users, and develops computational tools like GPCRgraphs for drug discovery. His innovation roles include Senior Scientific Expert at Kvantify A/S and applications in pharmaceutical industry tools with patent citations. Education: Ph.D. in Medicine (Uppsala University, 2006), M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Uppsala University, 2003) Leadership: Head of GPCRdb (2014–), EU COST Actions member (2014–17), and institutional leadership roles in Pharmaceutical Data Science unit and Research Leadership Forum Research Interests: His work spans computational modeling of GPCR dynamics, virtual screening methods for inaccessible receptors, pharmacogenomics (PGxDB platform), and biased signaling for safer drugs. He integrates structural biology, data science, and bioinformatics to advance pharmaceutical discovery. Awards: Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2022) IUPHAR Analytical Pharmacology Award (2023) Lars Arge Prize for Big Data (2021) UCPH Forward Talent Program (2019) ERC Starting Grant (2014) Teaching & Supervision: Teaches Molecular Pharmacology and AI in Drug Discovery , and supervises 3 current PhD students. He has mentored 13 PhDs and 14 Postdocs, with former members attaining tenured academic or industry roles.
Ozan K. Tonguz is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering. He holds appointments with CyLab and the Carnegie Mellon-Portugal program, focusing on advanced research in telecommunications, networking, and intelligent transportation systems. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University (1990) M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rutgers University (1986) B.S. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Essex (1980) Tonguz's research spans telecommunications and networking with emphasis on vehicular networks, wireless communications, cybersecurity, and smart infrastructure systems. His work bridges theoretical networking concepts with practical transportation applications, particularly in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. He has published approximately 300 papers in IEEE journals and conference proceedings and authored the book 'Ad Hoc Wireless Networks: A Communication-Theoretic Perspective' (Wiley, 2006). His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on vehicular networks and intelligent transportation systems, with particular attention to traffic flow optimization, virtual traffic light systems, and the application of wireless communication technologies to solve urban transportation challenges. His research has evolved from fundamental networking concepts to applied transportation solutions with real-world implementation potential. Tonguz actively mentors PhD students and has founded Virtual Traffic Lights, LLC, a CMU spinoff company addressing transportation problems through innovative communication paradigms. His work has received attention from IEEE Spectrum and other technical publications, highlighting the practical significance of his research in intelligent transportation systems. He leads research efforts in vehicular ad hoc networks, wireless ad hoc and sensor networks, self-organizing networks, smart grid applications, and security. His Virtual Traffic Lights technology has demonstrated potential to increase urban traffic flows by 60% during rush hours, with implications for reducing commute times, mitigating congestion, and supporting greener environments.
Johannes Schöning is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at the University of St. Gallen and leads the Ubiquitous Media Technology Lab . His research focuses on developing user interfaces that empower individuals and communities through data-driven decision-making, with interdisciplinary applications in geographic information science, public health, medical contexts, and extreme environments like space missions. He emphasizes methodological rigor from AI, computer graphics, and cognitive psychology. Organizes AlpCHI 2026 Chair of ACM Eugene Lawler Award Committee Editorial Board, AI Perspectives (Springer Nature) Research Trends : His publications from 2025–2024 reveal a focus on Mixed Reality (autoethnography, weight perception), Accessibility (visual impairment support), Environmental HCI (CO2 eco-feedback), and Geospatial Technologies (navigation externalities, map analytics). Interdisciplinary work appears in journals like Nature and PLOS ONE . Scientific Recognition : ACM Distinguished Member Best Paper & Accessibility Awards (Interact 2019, MobileHCI 2015) Junior Fellow, Gesellschaft für Informatik (2013) Academic Service : Active in conference leadership (SIGCHI Switzerland Chair 2021–2023, ISS 2016 Program Chair) and reviewing for top venues including ACM CHI , Ubicomp , and IEEE VR . Regular reviewer for European science foundations and DFG/BMBF proposals.
George Vasilakopoulos is a Professor in the Department of Digital Systems at the University of Piraeus , where he also serves as Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Personnel. By law, he is President of the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP) and the Employment and Career Structure (DASTA) of the university, overseeing the development of modern information systems. He earned his PhD from the University of London and has held leadership roles including Department President, Director of Postgraduate Programs, and Scientific Director of the Digital Health Services Laboratory. PhD: University of London Current Roles: Vice-Chancellor, Department of Digital Systems Professor Labs: Digital Health Services Laboratory His research focuses on Health Informatics , Cloud Computing , and Medical Data Security , with key contributions to: Emergency healthcare process automation Privacy-preserving personal health record systems Context-aware authorization models Cloud-based medical service frameworks Machine learning in clinical data analysis Interoperable health information systems The trends in his 15 most recent articles (2010-2015) reveal a consistent emphasis on integrating cloud infrastructure , semantic technologies , and mobile platforms to enhance emergency care, chronic disease management, and patient data security. His work bridges biomedical engineering , software architecture , and public health policy . He has held advisory roles for the Minister of Health on IT issues, served on hospital boards, and contributed to national committees for healthcare technology standards. His professional activities include project evaluation for Greek and European research programs and authoring three books on health informatics.
Mikael Johansson is a Professor at Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH), specializing in Control Technology . He teaches and coordinates courses such as Distributed Optimization (FEL3311) and various advanced-level degree projects in computer science, electrical engineering, and systems engineering. His research spans Control Systems , Machine Learning , and Optimization , with a focus on asynchronous algorithms, federated learning, and applications in energy systems and construction. His work includes 15 recent publications on topics like neural networks, distributed optimization, and battery technology. Notable areas of contribution are in asynchronous learning, federated learning with privacy constraints, and quasi-Newton methods for optimization. His research bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in urban design, healthcare, and autonomous systems.
Dr. Lucie Kruse is a researcher at the Department of Informatics, University of Hamburg, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Virtual Reality (VR). Her work focuses on immersive user interfaces for cognitive and physical training, particularly for older adults and those with dementia. She has been an active member of the University of Hamburg's HCI group since 2018 and served on the Ethics Commission since 2023. Her research interests include: Virtual Reality Exergames Serious Games Assistive Technologies Accessibility in VR Mental Health Applications Her publications from 2021-2025 demonstrate expertise in designing VR systems for healthcare, analyzing age-related interaction patterns, and developing inclusive interfaces. She has received multiple awards including the 2024 Honorable Mention for Best Poster at ACM SUI and the 2023 Honorable Mention at ACM CHI. Scientific Awards: Honorable Mention for Best Poster Award at ACM SUI (2024) Runner-Up Prize at Metaverse for the Good (2024) Honorable Mention at ACM CHI'23 Interactive Demo (2023) Honorable Mention at ACM VRST (2021) She has supervised multiple theses on topics like AI agents for mental health, accessibility of chatbots for seniors, and VR exergame design. Her work spans collaborations with institutions like HITLab NZ and Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute.
Professor David Abbink is a Full Professor of Haptic Human-Robot Interaction at Delft University of Technology, holding a joint appointment between the Department of Cognitive Robotics in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering since November 2023. He founded the Delft Haptics Lab and co-founded the Cognitive Robotics Department in 2017. Abbink leads the transdisciplinary research and innovation centre FRAIM, which was awarded the prestigious NWO Stevin Premie (Dutch Nobel Prize equivalent) in June 2024. Trained as a mechanical engineer specializing in biomechanics, Abbink's research focuses on human behavior adaptations when interacting with autonomous systems. He has published over a hundred scientific articles on human-robot interaction, haptics, shared control, tele-operation, driver assistance systems, and sensorimotor control. His research has been funded by industry partners (Nissan, Boeing, Renault), RVO (Brightsky project 2022-2026), and the Dutch Science Foundation NWO through personal grants (VENI 2010-2014, VIDI 2015-2019). Abbink's recent work centers on worker-robot relations as an academic focus, collaborating with organizations like Erasmus Medical Centre for nursing work, Schiphol and KLM for baggage handling, and KLM Engine Repair Services for maintenance work. He also serves as scientific director for the Centre for Meaningful Human Control, launched in October 2024. His work bridges engineering, social sciences, and practical applications to responsibly shape the future of work with emerging robotic capabilities. NWO Stevin Premie (2024) Best IEEE SMC journal paper on Cybernetics (2019) Top 25 scientific talents according to New Scientist (2015) Best teacher of Faculty 3mE (2013, 2014) Best teacher of Department of BioMechanical Engineering (seven consecutive years) Abbink has supervised over 110 MSc students and 11 PhD students. His educational contributions include developing the Master Programme in Robotics at TU Delft and receiving international recognition for his course 'The Human Controller.' He is also a prominent science communicator, featured on national television, radio, and major Dutch newspapers, and has delivered lectures at venues like The Royal Institution and Lowlands Festival. Despite his academic commitments, Abbink maintains a drummer persona, having recorded four albums and performed over 400 shows across three continents between 1999-2014.
Flavio Esposito is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department at Saint Louis University's School of Engineering. He also serves as a Research Institute Fellow and CS Graduate Coordinator. His office is located in ISE 234D at 3450 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO. Dr. Esposito's research focuses on cyber-physical systems and networked systems, including network virtualization, network management, Software-Defined Networks (SDN), network architectures, and wireless networks. He has a strong interest in interdisciplinary applications of these technologies to medicine and agriculture. His work bridges theoretical networking concepts with practical implementations. His publications span key areas in networking research, with recent work focusing on congestion control algorithms, virtual network embedding, recursive network architectures, and edge computing applications. The research trends show a progression from foundational networking protocols toward more sophisticated applications integrating machine learning, edge computing, and cyber-physical systems, with increasing emphasis on real-world applications in diverse domains. Outstanding Graduate Mentoring Faculty Award from the School of Engineering (2021) Finalist for the Undergraduate Mentoring Award in the College of Arts and Sciences Multiple NSF research awards including US Ignite, ICE-T, CNS Core, CC* Integration, CPS:TTP, and ModernCARE projects COMCAST Innovation Fund Award (January 2020) International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) Award ($150K) Dr. Esposito actively mentors PhD and MS students, with numerous current and past students who have gone on to positions at major tech companies, universities, and research institutions. He has been a Principal Investigator on multiple significant research grants totaling millions of dollars. He co-founded Spaghetti Code Labs with former PhD student Alessandro Sangiorgi, whose cybersecurity educational app WeeNet has achieved 5.7M+ downloads. He leads several research labs and teams focused on cyber-physical systems, with current openings for PhD students, visiting researchers, and postdocs working on networks, learning, edge computing, and applications to medicine and agriculture. His teams have developed numerous software systems including Software Mutant, Neighborhood Method Prototype, VINEA, ProtoRINA, and BUtorrent.
Karen la Cour is a Professor at the Department of Public Health , University of Southern Denmark (SDU) , leading the Research Unit for User Perspectives & Community-based Interventions . She holds a PhD from Karolinska Institutet (2008) and an MSc in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University (1991) . Her career spans roles as Head of Research Groups , Affiliated Professor at Suunaas Hospital, Norway , and Research Director at REHPA . Academic Degrees: PhD (Karolinska Institutet), MSc (Tufts University) Current Role: Professor, SDU; Focus on community-based cancer rehabilitation and palliative care Research Interests center on coordination of rehabilitation and palliative care , advanced cancer patient quality of life , occupational therapy interventions , and community-based healthcare models . Her work emphasizes social equality , home-life adaptation , and co-production with patients and relatives . Selected Articles highlight her contributions to advanced cancer care , existential support programs , and resource-oriented interventions . Recent studies focus on virtual rehabilitation for dementia , young adult cancer survivors , and environmental restorative potential in palliative settings. Scientific Awards include the Jeppe Juhl Jensen Endowment Grant (2019) , European Cancer Rehabilitation Symposium Poster Prize (2016) , Ropox Prize (2015) , and a Fulbright Scholarship (1989) . Supervision involves mentoring PhD and Master’s students , with seven PhD graduates and four current students. Her projects include YATAC (young adult cancer survivors), COMPAS (socioeconomically disadvantaged cancer patients), and BALanSE (balance and quality of life in cancer care).
Maija Aksela is a Professor at the University of Helsinki , affiliated with the Teachers' Academy and Department of Chemistry . She supervises doctoral students in the Doctoral Program in School, Education, Society and Culture and Doctoral Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences . Professor (Chemistry Education) Supervisor, University of Helsinki Doctoral Programs LUMA Centre Finland Leadership Her research focuses on science education , sustainability education , and non-formal learning . She has developed e-learning courses using instructional design frameworks and co-design approaches for climate change education. Recent publications include studies on project-based learning collaborations between secondary schools and universities, teacher self-efficacy in climate education, and student question utilization in environmental topics. Her work emphasizes student-centered methodologies and digital chemistry education . Awards highlight her contributions to STEM education , including the Global Best Award in 2018, Teachers' Academy founding membership in 2013, and UNESCO commission participation (2019-2022). Global Best Award 2018 Teachers' Academy Founding Member 2013 LUMA Center Excellence 2008 UNESCO Commission Member 2019-2022 She leads key projects like LUMA SUOMI and Non-formal Science Education , with active involvement in international collaborations (China, Jordan, Portugal, Turkey) and media appearances (MTV3, China partnerships).
Emily Cross is a Full Professor at the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences at ETH Zurich, leading the Social Brain Sciences Professorship since spring 2023. She previously held professorships at Bangor University (Wales), University of Glasgow (Scotland), Macquarie University (Australia), and Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute (Australia). Her research centers on how embodied experience shapes social learning and perception across diverse contexts. Key contributions include identifying neural signatures of embodied expertise using dancers, developing embodied neuroaesthetics theory, uncovering neurocognitive foundations of visual learning across lifespans, and pioneering paradigms for human-robot social engagement. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges technology, performing/visual arts, and social sciences to explore experience-dependent plasticity at brain and behavioral levels. Recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate intense focus on human-robot interaction dynamics, aesthetic movement perception, and context-dependent social cognition. Work increasingly examines self-disclosure mechanisms to robots, cultural influences on robot acceptance, and neural correlates of movement synchrony, reflecting her expanding influence at the neuroscience-robotics intersection. Scientific awards include: Philip Leverhulme Prize for Psychology Jacob Bronowski Award from British Science Foundation Young Talent Award from Dutch Neuroscience Society RoboHub and Insight Analytics top women in robotics listings Australia’s Superstars of STEM (2022) Cross passionately trains next-generation scientists with emphasis on research ethics. Her work attracts major funding from ERC, NIH, Fulbright Commission, ESRC, EPSRC, and UK Ministry of Defence. She serves on UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee (co-rapporteur for neurotechnology ethics report) and as Associate Editor for International Journal of Social Robotics. She leads ETH Zurich's dynamic Social Brain Sciences group, which embraces interdisciplinarity through research paradigms bridging technology, performing/visual arts, and biological/social sciences, while maintaining active roles in editorial boards and conference committees including Intelligent Virtual Agents and Affective Computing meetings.
Keunhyun (Keun) Park is an Assistant Professor of Urban Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Department of Forest Resources Management . He also holds an Adjunct Professor position at Utah State University in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. Education: BSc and MSc in Landscape Architecture from Seoul National University; PhD in Urban Planning and Design from the University of Utah Research Lab: Faculty lead of the Urban Nature Design Research Lab ( under_lab ) His research focuses on designing healthy, just, and resilient cities through urban nature , with particular emphasis on: Environmental justice and equitable access to urban green spaces Human behavior in public spaces using drone/sensor/VR technology Smart growth urban design impacts on public health and ecological systems Recent publications demonstrate expertise in GIS applications , pedestrian behavior analysis , and urban planning across 20+ studies from 2013-2025. Collaborations include the Vancouver Park Board , Metro Vancouver , and Wasatch Front Regional Council .
