Stephanie Wilson is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at City St George's, University of London, and Co-Director of the Centre for HCI Design (HCID). She co-founded the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Diversity in Data Visualization (DIVERSE CDT) and contributes to the Institute for Creativity and AI. Her research emphasizes inclusive interaction design, data visualization, co-design, and innovative digital technologies for healthcare, particularly for people with aphasia. She has supervised 17 PhD students to completion and led significant projects like EVA Park and INCA, which explore accessible virtual worlds and digital tools for aphasia. Her work has earned multiple awards, including ACM SIGCHI Honorable Mention Awards and the Tech4Good Accessibility Award Finalist. Stephanie has secured over £10 million in research funding, including grants from EPSRC and Innovate UK, and actively contributes to academic governance through roles like Chair of the Research Degrees Committee and establishing the Women++ group. She advocates for participatory design and ethical research practices in healthcare technology.
Dr. phil. André Fiebig is a Permanent Research Associate and PostDoc at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Technical Acoustics (ISTA) within Faculty V - Transportation and Mechanical Systems at Technical University of Berlin. From January 2019 to December 2024, he served as a Visiting Professor responsible for the field of psychoacoustics, funded by the HEAD Genuit Foundation. Since January 2025, he has been leading the 'Psychoacoustics and Noise Effects' working group at the Department of Technical Acoustics. His research spans multiple areas within psychoacoustics and soundscape studies, including fundamentals and modeling of psychoacoustic sensation variables, binaural psychoacoustics, assessment of ambient noise and soundscapes, and psychoacoustic evaluation of sound insulation measures. His work also addresses cognitive stimulus integration of auditory sensations, auditory recreation, acoustic quality of stay, characterization of quiet areas, and measuring sound-induced emotions. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on urban soundscapes, noise-conscious behavior in transportation, and the development of methodological frameworks for soundscape assessment. His work often integrates psychoacoustic principles with environmental considerations, particularly examining the relationship between sound environments and human health. Recent research shows increasing emphasis on cross-cultural studies of noise perception and the development of standardized assessment methodologies. Dr. Fiebig is involved in the EARS (Education and Applied Research on Soundscapes) initiative and has contributed to numerous collaborative research projects examining the intersection of urban planning, environmental acoustics, and human perception. His work frequently appears in major acoustics conferences and journals, demonstrating his active role in advancing the field of psychoacoustics and soundscape research. His laboratory work focuses on psychoacoustic testing methodologies, soundscape assessment techniques, and the development of evaluation instruments for noise protection measures. The 'Psychoacoustics and Noise Effects' working group under his leadership conducts research on both theoretical aspects of sound perception and practical applications for urban noise management.
Angela Book is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Brock University. She holds a Ph.D. from Queen’s University and specializes in Forensic Psychology, with a focus on psychopathy and its relationship to victim selection, emotion perception, and deceptive behavior. Her research explores how psychopathic traits influence vulnerability judgments and social manipulation. She is affiliated with Brock’s Psychology Department and has contributed extensively to forensic assessment methodologies and youth psychopathy research. Education: Ph.D. in Psychology, Queen’s University Research Interests: Forensic Psychology, psychopathy, emotion perception, victim selection, deception detection, vulnerability assessment. Grants & Advising: No specific grants or advisee records explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Labs/Teams: Not explicitly detailed in the text, though her work aligns with forensic and clinical psychology research groups at Brock.
Joshua Fairfield is the William Donald Bain Family Professor of Law and Director of Artificial Intelligence Legal Innovation Strategy at Washington and Lee University's School of Law. His expertise spans digital property, data privacy, cryptocurrencies, and virtual worlds regulation. He holds a BA from Swarthmore College and a JD from the University of Chicago. Professor Fairfield's research focuses on the intersection of law and technology, particularly in digital ownership, privacy rights, and emerging technologies like IoT and blockchain. He has authored influential books, including Owned: Property, Privacy and the New Digital Serfdom (2017) and Runaway Technology: Can Law Keep Up? (2021). His work critiques corporate control over digital devices and advocates for consumer rights in the digital age. Education: BA, Swarthmore College; JD, University of Chicago Key Achievements: Fulbright Grant (2012–2013), American Law Institute Member (2013) Consulting: Advises U.S. agencies like the White House Office of Technology and Homeland Security Privacy Office His recent articles address topics such as environmental AI ethics, NFT regulation, and smart contract governance. Fairfield emphasizes the need for updated legal frameworks to protect digital rights and ensure democratic control over technology. He directs the AI Legal Innovation Strategy initiative, focusing on integrating AI into legal systems while addressing ethical and regulatory challenges.
Catherine Guastavino is a Professor at McGill University's School of Information Studies (within the Faculty of Arts) and an Associate Member at the Schulich School of Music. She also contributes to the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT). Her roles include leading research projects and supervising graduate students in music technology and related fields. She holds a PhD in Psychoacoustics from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI), an MSc from IRCAM (France), and a BSc in Mathematics from McGill University. Her research focuses on auditory perception, soundscape analysis, human-computer interaction, and urban acoustics. Notable projects include the 'Sounds in the City' partnership addressing urban noise policy and the development of immersive soundscape simulation tools. She leads or co-leads grants from SSHRC, NSERC, and MITACS, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to sound in urban environments. Guastavino's work bridges academic research with practical applications, such as designing sound installations for public spaces and improving acoustic environments in transportation and performance venues. She collaborates with city planners, musicians, and engineers, reflecting her commitment to making cities sound better through evidence-based strategies. Key Projects: SSHRC Partnership Grant for urban soundscape management (2018-2023) NSERC Discovery Grant on auditory localization (2019-2024) MITACS projects on Montreal festival soundscapes and noise policy Labs & Partnerships: Multimodal Interaction Laboratory (MIL) Collaborations with Ville de Montréal and Quartier des Spectacles Education: PhD: Psychoacoustics (Paris VI) MSc: Computer Science & Music Technology (IRCAM) BSc: Mathematics (McGill) Her teaching includes courses like Music Information Retrieval, integrating computational methods with artistic and scientific applications.
Jan Borchers is a full professor of computer science and head of the Media Computing Group, an endowed Chair in the Computer Science Department at RWTH Aachen University. He serves as deputy member of the Faculty Council for Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences (2024-2026) and previously headed the Computer Science Department's Examination Board from 2015 until February 2025. Borchers established his research group in 2003, pioneering modern HCI academic research and teaching in Germany, and opened Germany's first Fab Lab in 2009. Borchers received his PhD 'summa cum laude' in computer science from Darmstadt University of Technology in 2000. Before joining RWTH Aachen, he held faculty positions at Stanford University and ETH Zurich. His PhD thesis, 'A Pattern Approach to Interaction Design,' became the first book to bring design patterns to HCI. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction with particular interest in new user interfaces for soft robotics, textile user interfaces, 3D printing and personal fabrication, augmented reality, wearable and tangible computing, interfaces for software development, deceptive patterns, and interactive guides and exhibits. He is a member of ACM, SIGCHI, SIGCHI Germany, and GI, and introduced the Interactivity format to the CHI conference in 2005. Recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on deceptive patterns/dark patterns in UI design, textile interfaces, and the impact of generative AI on creative teamwork. His work spans from fundamental research in interaction techniques to practical applications in smart homes, accessibility, and children's interfaces, with a consistent focus on usability and user-centered design. IDC 2025 Best Work in Progress: 'If They Have No Choice, They'll Accept!' CHI'25 Student Games Competition Winner: 'The Deceptive Dungeon' RWTH-Wissenschaftsnacht 2024 Best Science Slam: 'Usability: 4 Prinzipien guter User Interfaces' Multiple CHI/UIST Honorable Mentions and Best Paper awards spanning two decades Author of influential books including 'A Pattern Approach to Interaction Design' and 'Arduino In A Nutshell' Borchers has provided extensive consulting, training, and user interface design services to major clients including AirBus, Apple, ARD, Bayer, Children's Museum Boston, Daimler, Handelsblatt, OTIS, Scout24, TEDx, and Deutsche Telekom. He actively organizes the Computer Science Department's weekly Faculty Lunch since 2003 and coordinates the department's public relations and web presence since 2010. He leads the Media Computing Group, which has become a leading German lab in terms of archival publications at CHI, the top international conference in HCI. Since March 2025, he serves as faculty patron for TechLabs Aachen, a student initiative providing practical digital skills training.
Dr. James W. Navalta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research focuses on physiological responses to outdoor exercise (hiking, trail running) and the validity/reliability of wearable technology. He earned his B.S. in Physical Education and Biology from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, M.S. in Kinesiology from UNLV, and Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from Purdue University. Education: B.S. - Physical Education & Biology, Brigham Young University–Hawaii M.S. - Kinesiology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Ph.D. - Exercise Physiology, Purdue University His research portfolio includes: Wearable technology validation for physiological measurements Comparative studies of indoor vs outdoor exercise environments Impact of gender-inclusive approaches on sports science Metabolic and cardiovascular responses to unconventional workouts Psychological benefits of nature immersion Recent publications demonstrate expertise in: Wearable device accuracy testing VO2max and lactate threshold validation Environmental influence on exercise physiology Methodological improvements in data collection Gender-inclusive research design Outdoor activity impact assessment As co-founder and executive editor of the International Journal of Exercise Science, he contributes significantly to academic discourse. He also serves on editorial boards for journals related to digital health and exercise technology.
Marilena Vendittelli is a Professor at Sapienza University of Rome, affiliated with the Robotics group. Her research spans control systems, biomedical robotics, motion planning, and autonomous systems. Research Areas: Control systems for robotics and nonholonomic systems Biomedical applications (hyperthermia therapy, needle insertion) UAV navigation and obstacle avoidance Haptics and human-robot interaction Adaptive estimation algorithms Recent Publications focus on adaptive control of bio-heat equations, safe UAV motion planning, soft robotics actuation, and haptic feedback in medical procedures.
Prof. Dr. Eling de Bruin is a Lecturer at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST) at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on developing and evaluating exergame-based interventions targeting neurocognitive disorders, motor-cognitive training for aging populations, and stroke rehabilitation. He leads studies on personalized exergame protocols (e.g., PEMOCS framework) and their impact on cognitive function, gait recovery, and fall prevention. His work integrates wearable sensor technology, biofeedback systems, and clinical assessment tools to improve outcomes for chronic conditions like stroke, diabetes, and sarcopenia. Key areas include exergame design, hybrid training modalities, and biomarker validation (e.g., heart rate variability for neurocognitive screening). His research also explores sports biomechanics in youth athletes and injury prevention strategies for alpine skiers. Collaborative projects involve interdisciplinary teams from rehabilitation medicine, biomedical engineering, and computer science to create user-centered exergame solutions. Current initiatives emphasize home-based interventions and tele-rehabilitation to enhance accessibility for older adults and long-term care residents. Methodological contributions include validation of motor-cognitive assessment systems using virtual reality and inertial measurement units.
Stephane Cotin is a Research Director at Inria and leader of the MIMESIS team, specializing in real-time physics-based medical simulations. His work focuses on surgical training, planning, and image-guided therapy, with over 200 scientific articles and the development of the open-source SOFA framework. He co-founded InSimo, Twinical, and EVE, and previously held roles at Harvard Medical School and Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab. Cotin’s research bridges imaging, robotics, and medicine to improve healthcare outcomes, emphasizing patient-specific biophysical modeling and real-time computation. His awards include the Academy of Sciences Award (2018) and Dirk Bartz Medical Prize (2015). He has advised numerous PhD students and led projects like MediTwin and PREMYOM, advancing digital twin technologies for precision medicine.
Prof. Dr. Silvia Schneider is a distinguished Professor of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at Ruhr University Bochum, where she serves as Director of the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health (FBZ). She also coordinates the Bochum-Marburg site of the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG). Previously, she held professorial positions at the University of Basel, where she served as Dean of the Psychology Faculty. Her academic career spans over three decades with significant contributions to child and adolescent mental health research. Dr. Schneider earned her doctorate from Philipps-University Marburg in 1992 with highest honors (summa cum laude) for her dissertation on "Psychological Transmission of Panic Syndrome." She completed her habilitation at Technical University Braunschweig in 2002. Her academic qualifications include board certification as a Psychological Psychotherapist (1999) and specialized credentials in behavioral therapy for children and adolescents (1998). Dr. Schneider's research primarily focuses on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of emotional disorders in childhood and adolescence. Her work examines familial transmission of emotional disorders, clinical baby and infant research, and diagnosis of mental disorders across the lifespan. She has pioneered research on anxiety disorders, particularly separation anxiety, and has developed innovative treatment approaches including exposure-based therapies. Her current work increasingly integrates neurobiological perspectives with clinical interventions, examining brain-behavior relationships in anxiety disorders through neuroimaging studies. Her extensive publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on child and adolescent mental health, with recent work expanding into digital interventions, virtual reality therapies, and large-scale multicenter studies examining anxiety disorders from both clinical and neurobiological perspectives. Her research bridges basic science with clinical application, maintaining a strong focus on evidence-based interventions for children and families. Visiting Professor at Anxiety and Depression Research Center, UCLA (2015-2016) Visiting Scholar at Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, University of Pennsylvania (2009-2010) Honorary Professorship at University of Surrey Roehampton (2003-2010) Swiss National Science Foundation Professorship (2003-2006) DFG Habilitation Scholarship (1998-2001) Cassianeum Educational Foundation Dissertation Prize (1994) Dr. Schneider has successfully secured substantial research funding from major German and international funding bodies including the German Research Foundation (DFG), German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and Swiss National Science Foundation. Her current projects include "The Role of Parents in Child Development in the Context of Immigration" (DFG), "Mobile Research Laboratory" (DFG), and "Improving Mental Health in Refugee Families" (BMBF). As Director of the FBZ, she leads a large interdisciplinary team conducting cutting-edge research while providing evidence-based clinical services. As Director of the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health (FBZ) at Ruhr University Bochum, Dr. Schneider oversees a comprehensive research infrastructure supporting studies from basic developmental science to clinical interventions. The FBZ serves as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration across psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, with particular strengths in anxiety disorders research, early intervention, and innovative treatment approaches including digital health solutions.
Dr. Chien-Ming Huang is the John C. Malone Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University. He leads the Intuitive Computing Laboratory and is affiliated with the Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare, Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Institute for Assured Autonomy, and Data Science and AI Institute. His research focuses on human-robot interaction, human-computer interaction, and artificial intelligence applications in healthcare and education. BS in Computer Science, National Chiao Tung University (2006) MS in Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology (2010) PhD in Computer Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison (2015) Postdoctoral Research, Yale University (2015-2017) Dr. Huang's work bridges human-robot interaction, robotics, and AI to develop technologies that enhance social, physical, and behavioral support for diverse populations. His research includes adaptive robot systems for autism intervention, aging care technologies, and explainable AI frameworks for medical decision support. Current projects focus on end-user robot programming, socially aware navigation, and conversational agents for health management. His publications span major venues like Science Robotics , HRI, CHI, and ICRA, with recent emphasis on robot error awareness, small talk in collaboration, and AI explanation design for healthcare. Dr. Huang has received numerous accolades including the NSF CAREER Award and John C. Malone Endowed Chair. 2022 NSF CAREER Award John C. Malone Endowed Chair 2013 RSS Best Paper Runner-Up 2012 Human-Robot Interaction Pioneer Dr. Huang mentors PhD, postdoctoral, and undergraduate researchers, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration and technical rigor. He serves as Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction and has organized key conferences including HRI and ICMI. His lab develops systems for robotic assistance in surgical training, home healthcare, and educational contexts.
Julie Beth Schweitzer is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UC Davis Health School of Medicine and a key figure at the MIND Institute. She serves as Director of the CTSC Mentoring Academy for Research Excellence (MARE), Director of the Mentored Clinical Research Training Program (MCRTP), and Co-Director of the CTSC TL1 Program. Her work bridges cognitive neuroscience and clinical psychology, focusing on ADHD across the lifespan and its comorbidities. Education: A.B. from University of Southern California (1982), M.S. (1987) and Ph.D. (1990) in Clinical Psychology from University of Massachusetts Amherst, with internship at University of Minnesota and fellowship at Emory University. Dr. Schweitzer's research explores brain-behavior-environmental relationships in ADHD, utilizing neuroimaging to study self-control development and designing tech-based interventions like virtual reality and computerized games to enhance attention and academic outcomes in ADHD and autism. Her work spans developmental psychology, translational neuroscience, and mental health technology. Recent publications highlight her focus on predicting ADHD symptom trajectories, environmental influences (e.g., phthalate exposure, neighborhood conditions), and behavioral interventions (e.g., fidget devices). Studies also address cognitive functioning in autism-ADHD comorbidity and irritability as a predictive factor. Scientific Awards & Honors Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring, UC Davis Health (2024) President Elect, International Society for Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (2027-2029) Selected Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (2018) Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research (1989) Predoctoral Traineeship, U.S. Department of Education (1984-1987) Dr. Schweitzer actively trains translational scientists through the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center, emphasizing mentoring excellence. Her leadership roles and research programs underscore her commitment to advancing ADHD and developmental disorder studies, integrating clinical practice, neuroscience, and environmental health.
Philipp Neumann is a Professor and Chair of High-Performance Computing at Helmut Schmidt University since 2019. Previously, he held roles including Senior Researcher at the German Climate Computing Center (2016–2019), Postdoc at the University of Hamburg (2017–2019), and completed his Habilitation in Scientific Computing at TU Munich (2019). He transitioned to DESY/Universität Hamburg in May 2024. Education : PhD (Dr. rer. nat.) in Scientific Computing at TU Munich (2008–2013) Habilitation in Scientific Computing at TU Munich (2019) Studies in Technomathematics at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2003–2008) Research Interests focus on high-performance computing, parallel and distributed systems, computational science, and applications in climate modeling. His work bridges computational methods with medical challenges, including surgical simulation training, wound healing mechanisms, and gastrointestinal pathology. Professional Activities include leadership roles in major conferences such as steering committee member for ISPDC (since 2021) and program committee roles in IPDPS, ICCS, and IEEE Cluster. He also managed the DFG priority program SPPEXA (2013–2016). Labs/Teams include the Chair for High-Performance Computing at Helmut Schmidt University and collaborations with the German Climate Computing Center. His current work at DESY/Universität Hamburg likely expands these computational efforts into interdisciplinary research.
Rajesh Krishna BALAN is a Full-Time Professor at the School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) at Singapore Management University (SMU) . His research focuses on Human-Machine Collaborative Systems , Pervasive Sensing , and Health & Wellbeing technologies. Based in Singapore, he leverages mobile computing to address urban sustainability and quality-of-life challenges. PhD from Carnegie Mellon University (2006) Specializes in WiFi sensing , VR/AR , and health monitoring Advises PhD students in areas like urban mobility , empathetic design , and cyber-physical systems Beyond academia, BALAN's work bridges ubiquitous computing and public health , with applications in ageing populations , mental health analytics , and smart city optimization . His recent publications highlight cross-disciplinary approaches to sleep analysis , group behavior modeling , and contactless physiological sensing . BALAN actively contributes to educational technology through projects like Technology-Enhanced Learning frameworks. He is also a mentor in collaborative research areas including biomedical informatics and lifestyle monitoring , with a focus on mobile GPU optimization and low-power systems .
