Matthew Louis Mauriello is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Delaware , where he directs the Sensify Lab . He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Maryland (2018) and completed postdoctoral work at Stanford University (School of Medicine, 2020; School of Public Policy & Environmental Engineering Department, 2019). Research interests span Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Ubiquitous Computing, and User-Centered Design with applications in: Sustainability Human-Building Interaction Wearable Technology Personal Informatics Educational Game Design Mental Health Interventions Recent publications highlight trends in stress monitoring (skin-like biosensors, workplace wellbeing), energy auditing (thermography systems), and educational technology (block-based programming tools for teachers). His work appears in ACM CHI, ACM Human-Computer Interaction, and Building and Environment. Scientific awards include: Best Paper Honorable Mention, CHI 2016 Best Paper Honorable Mention, CHI 2015 Best of WebSci'18 Teaching at University of Delaware encompasses courses like Educational Game Design Operating Systems Advanced Web Technologies Computing for Social Good with a focus on project-based learning and systems thinking.
Gierad Laput is a Senior Engineering Manager at Apple, leading the Perception and Interaction Engineering organization under Machine Intelligence Neural Design (MIND) at Apple AI/ML (AIML). He is also an Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction Institute. His research sits at the intersection of sensing systems, interactive technologies, and machine learning, with applications in ambient intelligence, wearables, and AI-driven interactive experiences. Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University Founding member of CMU's Future Interfaces Group Former Google Ph.D. Fellow, Disney Imagineer, and recipient of 10 Best Paper Awards/Nominations His research agenda at Apple leverages cutting-edge hardware to develop multimodal ML systems for vision, audio, and motion sensors, enabling features like head gesture detection for AirPods, Apple Intelligence integrations, and health monitoring tools. Recent collaborative projects include Vision Pro hand interaction systems and WatchOS updates for cycling/fall detection. Key research areas include human-computer interaction , machine learning for sensor fusion , and smart environment sensing . Over 35 publications cover transformative technologies like ViBand (bio-acoustic sensing), EM-Sense (touch recognition), SkinTrack (arm as touchpad), and ElectroDermis (stretchable electronics). Scientific honors include: Fast Company Innovation by Design Award (2017) Google PhD Fellowship (2018) Swartz Entrepreneurial Fellowship (2018) Best Paper Awards at ACM UIST (2016) and ACM CHI (2015) As an educator, he has taught courses at CMU and the University of Michigan on on-device machine learning , signal processing , and human-centered design . His lab has mentored numerous researchers now pursuing PhDs at MIT, UW, CMU, and Northwestern.
Christian Theobalt is a Professor of Computer Science at Saarland University and Scientific Director of the Visual Computing and Artificial Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Informatics . He leads the Saarbruecken Center for Visual Computing as a strategic partnership between Google and MPI. PhD in Computer Science (2005) from MPI-INF/Saarland University Postdoctoral Researcher at MPI (2005-2007) Visiting Assistant Professor at Stanford (2007-2009) His research focuses on the intersection of Computer Graphics, Computer Vision, and Artificial Intelligence , with specializations in: 3D/4D Human Reconstruction Neural Rendering Performance Capture Geometric Deep Learning Volumetric Video Quantum Visual Computing Recent article trends show emphasis on: Quantum computing applications in visual reconstruction Neural rendering with radiance fields Human motion capture from egocentric views Gesture-language interaction modeling Multi-modal scene understanding Real-time free-viewpoint rendering Scientific Awards : Fellow of EUROGRAPHICS (2022) CVPR Best Student Paper Honorable Mention (2020) ERC Consolidator Grant (2017) Karl Heinz Beckurts Award (2017) Busy Beaver Teaching Award (2016) ERC Starting Grant (2013) Advising over 50 students and researchers including: Current researchers: Viktor Rudnev, Linjie Lyu, Mohit Mendiratta Postdocs: Kwang In Kim, Kiran Varanasi Alumni: Franziska Mueller (Google), Dushyant Mehta (Qualcomm), Ayush Tewari (MIT) Grants include ERC grants, Google Glass Research Award, and multiple industry partnerships. His lab maintains cutting-edge facilities with: Multi-camera capture systems Quantum annealing infrastructure HDR radiance field technology GPU clusters for AI research Time-of-flight imaging systems Event camera arrays
Prof. Christian Holz is an Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Deputy Head of the Institute of Intelligent Interactive Systems at ETH Zürich. His work focuses on advancing human-computer interaction through innovations in wearable technologies, mixed reality systems, and sensor-driven applications. Key research areas include motion capture, physiological signal processing, and adaptive user interfaces. Holz leads the SIPLab (siplab.ethz.ch), producing influential work at the intersection of computer science and biomedical engineering. His research explores cutting-edge topics such as egocentric vision systems, wearable health monitoring devices, and VR/AR applications. Recent studies investigate cybersickness detection via EEG, heart rate estimation from eye-tracking cameras, and scalable motion capture using inertial/UWB sensors. Holz's work emphasizes practical applications in healthcare, education, and human-centered computing. Publications reflect a strong focus on interdisciplinary solutions, combining machine learning with sensor data analysis. Notable contributions include the EgoSim multi-view simulator, WildPPG biomedical dataset, and MiBOT cardiovascular modulation device. His research bridges theoretical advancements with real-world usability in domains like emergency response training, chronic disease monitoring, and immersive education.
Prof. Hedan Bai is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, specializing in robotics materials, bio-inspired systems, and soft robotics. Their research focuses on developing advanced materials for sensing, energy-efficient systems, and biomedical applications. Notable projects include the SmartSuit architecture for space exploration and self-healing optical sensors for soft robots. Research interests span bioelectronics, stretchable sensors, haptic interfaces, and biomimetic materials. Bai's work integrates material science with robotics to create adaptive, sustainable, and intelligent systems. Key areas include wireless implants for neuromodulation, environmental-responsive textiles, and energy-harvesting devices. Publications highlight innovations in optical waveguides, self-healing materials, and wearable technologies. Their interdisciplinary approach bridges robotics, biomedical engineering, and aerospace applications. No formal awards are listed, but contributions to next-gen materials for robotics are prominent. Advising and grants are not detailed in the text, but Bai's lab focuses on projects like SmartSuit for extravehicular activities and synthetic afferent neural networks. Collaborations likely involve aerospace and biomedical sectors.
Shrikanth (Shri) Narayanan is a University Professor and holder of the Niki and Max Nikias Chair in Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), serving as the inaugural Vice President for Presidential Initiatives. He leads the Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab (SAIL) and holds joint appointments in Computer Science, Linguistics, Psychology, Neuroscience, Pediatrics, and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His research focuses on speech and audio processing, behavioral signal processing, and real-time MRI of speech production, with applications in healthcare, education, and technology. Education: B.E. in Electrical Engineering from College of Engineering, Guindy (Chennai, India, 1988); M.S., Engineer, and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from UCLA (1990, 1992, 1995). Research interests span computational linguistics, machine learning, and multimodal human behavior analysis. He pioneered technologies for speech biomarkers in mental health, real-time MRI of speech production, and wearable sensor systems for longitudinal health studies. His work in speech emotion recognition, forensic interviews, and clinical applications has been recognized through over 40 awards, including the IEEE Flanagan Award and ISCA Medal. He has published extensively in journals like Proceedings of the IEEE , Journal of the Acoustical Society of America , and PLOS One . Key Grants: NSF CAREER, Okawa Research, IBM Faculty, Google/Amazon awards. Labs/Teams: Signal Analysis & Interpretation Lab (SAIL), USC Information Sciences Institute (ISI), Google Visiting Faculty Researcher.
Professor Hutan Ashrafian is a clinician-scientist and surgeon at the University of Leeds Business School, holding dual roles as Professor of Research Impact and Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College London. His expertise spans AI in healthcare, metabolic surgery, and ancient history. He pioneered STARD-AI and QUADAS-AI guidelines for AI diagnostics, collaborated on AI-driven breast cancer screening with Google and NHS, and led global health policy initiatives. Ashrafian’s work bridges medicine, history, and philosophy, including his contributions to understanding historical figures’ medical conditions, such as King Tutankhamun’s epilepsy. He has authored over 550 publications, 12 books, and holds a PhD in computational physiology and an MBA with distinction. Awards include the Hunterian Prize and Wellcome Trust Fellowship. His research also explores AI ethics, quantum physics paradoxes, and art-based medical diagnostics. Education: PhD in Computational Physiology (Imperial College London) MBA (Warwick Business School) MD (University College London) Bachelor of Science in Immunology (University College London) Research Interests: Ashrafian’s work spans: AI in Medicine: Diagnostic algorithms, guideline development (STARD-AI/QUADAS-AI), and ethical frameworks. Metabolic Surgery: Bariatric interventions, gut microbiome, and obesity treatments. Ancient History: Medical analyses of historical figures (e.g., Tutankhamun, Julius Caesar) and art-based pathology identification. Philosophy: AI rights (AIONAI law), temporal paradoxes, and the Simulation Argument. Awards: Royal College of Surgeons Arris and Gale Lectureship Hunterian Prize Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship Advising & Innovation: Supervised >50 PhD students, co-founded Oxford Medical Products (weight loss tech), and serves as CSO at Flagship Pioneering’s Preemptive Health division. He advises on NHS digital transformation and global health policy. Labs/Teams: Leads AI initiatives at Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation and collaborates with Google, NICE, and international institutions on health tech solutions.
Adrian Weller is a prominent researcher and academic at the University of Cambridge, serving as a Director of Research in Machine Learning within the Department of Engineering. He holds multiple significant leadership roles including Programme Director for Trust and Society at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI), and previously served as Programme Director for AI at The Alan Turing Institute, the UK national institute for data science and AI. His work bridges theoretical machine learning research with practical applications and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Weller's research interests span a broad spectrum of AI and machine learning topics with a particular focus on ensuring beneficial societal outcomes. His work encompasses explainability, fairness, robustness, scalability, privacy, safety, and ethics in AI systems. He has made significant contributions to trustworthy machine learning, including developing frameworks for AI governance, certification, and human-AI collaboration. His research group actively investigates neuro-symbolic approaches, privacy-preserving techniques, and methods for improving the reliability and interpretability of AI systems. His recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward addressing the practical challenges of deploying AI systems in real-world contexts, particularly focusing on certification frameworks, governance mechanisms, and human-centered approaches. His work spans theoretical advances in machine learning architectures while maintaining a strong connection to societal impact, with publications appearing in top venues across AI, machine learning, and interdisciplinary applications. Scientific Awards: MBE for services to digital innovation (2022 Queen's Birthday Honours) Turing AI Fellowship for Trustworthy Machine Learning Weller actively supervises a large group of PhD students and postdocs, with current students including Juyeon Heo, Yanzhi Chen, Katie Collins, Isaac Reid, Yichao Liang, Herbie Bradley, and Shoaib Siddiqui. His former students have gone on to positions at leading institutions including Google DeepMind, ETH Zurich, NYU, and MPI-IS Tübingen. He has served on numerous advisory boards including the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, UNESCO's expert group on AI ethics, and the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on AI. His research has been supported through his Turing AI Fellowship and various collaborative projects focused on safe and ethical AI development. Weller leads a vibrant research group focused on trustworthy machine learning, which actively organizes workshops and conferences including ICML 2024 (where he served as Program Chair), multiple workshops on responsible AI, and events through the ELLIS network. His group collaborates extensively across disciplines, working with researchers in computer science, social sciences, law, and policy to address the multifaceted challenges of developing beneficial AI systems.
Dr. Carolyn Emery is a Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, with joint appointments in Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences at the Cumming School of Medicine. She holds leadership roles as Chair of the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre (an International Olympic Committee Research Centre) and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Her affiliations include the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and O’Brien Institute for Public Health. Dr. Emery’s education includes a BScPT from Queen’s University (1988), MSc in Epidemiology from the University of Calgary (1999), and PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Alberta (2004). Her research focuses on injury prevention in youth sports, concussion, and pediatric rehabilitation, aiming to reduce long-term health consequences such as osteoarthritis and post-concussion syndrome. She leads major grants including CIHR’s “SHRed Injuries” and NFL-funded concussion surveillance programs. Her research interests emphasize practical interventions for injury prevention, including neuromuscular training and policy changes. Recent work explores concussion outcomes in adolescents, biomechanical injury mechanisms, and global sport safety initiatives. She has published extensively on topics like sport-related musculoskeletal injuries, concussion management, and the epidemiology of youth sports. Dr. Emery has received over 20 awards, including the Royal Society of Canada Fellowship, Killam Professorship, and CIHR Canada Research Chair. Her work bridges clinical practice, policy, and community engagement to enhance public health outcomes in sports and youth recreation. Her lab, the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, collaborates internationally to develop evidence-based strategies for injury prevention. Current projects include evaluating the impact of tackle laws in rugby, head acceleration in wrestling, and long-term consequences of pediatric concussions.
Adriana Kovashka is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh , affiliated with the School of Computing and Information and serving as Department Chair . Her academic journey began with BA degrees in Computer Science and Media Studies from Pomona College (2008) and a PhD in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Austin (2014). Joined Pitt’s faculty in January 2015 NSF CAREER awardee (2021) Google Faculty Research Award recipient Dr. Kovashka’s research spans Computer Vision , Machine Learning , and Natural Language Processing , focusing on visual rhetoric, weak multimodal supervision, and domain adaptation. She pioneered techniques for analyzing political imagery, developing robust object detection frameworks, and exploring the intersection of visual and textual persuasion through large-scale annotated datasets. Her recent work emphasizes geographic diversity in vision-language systems, audio-visual fusion for domain generalization, and shape-texture bias mitigation in CNNs. Key publications include groundbreaking studies on symbolic reasoning, multimodal dialogue systems, and ethical AI applications in education. Scientific honors include: NSF CRII Award (2016) NSF CAREER Award (2021) Pitt CRDF Award (2016, 2018) Best Paper at ECV Workshop (2021) Google Faculty Research Award (2016, 2018) Dr. Kovashka actively mentors students in multimodal learning projects and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on NSF-funded initiatives. She co-organizes workshops like the first CVPR workshop on advertisement understanding and leads research groups exploring human-AI co-learning systems.
Daniel Epstein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), where he leads the Personal Informatics Everyday (PIE) Lab. He holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Computer Science and is affiliated with the Connected Learning Lab, Institute for Future Health, and Accessibility Research Collective. Epstein earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science & Engineering from the University of Washington and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Virginia. His research focuses on how personal tracking technology can better serve diverse users' needs, emphasizing ethical design, health equity, and long-term user engagement. Notable areas include pregnancy tracking, wearable technology for children and ADHD management, and AI-driven health chatbots. Epstein has received grants from NSF, Snap Inc., and UCI programs, totaling over $650k in funding. Epstein's work bridges HCI and health informatics, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications. He advises six Ph.D. students and has mentored numerous undergraduates. Awards include the ACM Senior Member distinction (2025), CHI Best Paper (2023), and NSF CAREER Award (2023). Professional service includes program committees for CHI, CSCW, and UbiComp, plus leadership roles in workshops like the Workgroup on Interactive Systems in Healthcare (WISH). Beyond academia, Epstein enjoys hiking, collecting turtle figures, and advocating for accessible technology.
Tanzeem Choudhury is a Professor at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, specializing in Information Sciences. She co-founded HealthRhythms Inc. and directs the People-Aware Computing lab, focusing on machine learning for human activity and social network analysis. Her work pioneered the 'Reality Mining' field, leveraging mobile sensors to model social interactions. Choudhury holds a Ph.D. from MIT's Media Lab and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Rochester. Her research spans wearable tech, mental health interventions, and ubiquitous computing. Notable projects include affective touch wearables for anxiety reduction, stress detection systems (e.g., StressSense), and the BeWell app for well-being monitoring. Choudhury has been recognized as an ACM Fellow and SIGCHI Academy member, with impactful contributions to healthcare technology and sensor-based behavioral analysis. Current lab initiatives include developing closed-loop interventions for mental health, equity-driven sensing systems, and exploring AI integration in psychotherapy. She advises PhD students on topics like digital biomarkers, burnout detection in healthcare workers, and smartphone-based mental health assessment. Education: Ph.D. in Media Arts & Sciences (MIT), M.S. (MIT Media Lab), B.S. in Electrical Engineering (University of Rochester) Lab Team: Includes PhD candidates (Dan Adler, Yiran Zhao) and researchers focusing on health AI, wearable devices, and clinical applications. Major Awards: ACM Fellowship (2020), SIGCHI Academy (2018), Best Paper Awards at Ubicomp and MobileHCI conferences. Key Projects: OptoBeat (skin-tone calibrated blood oxygen sensor), EmotionCheck (anxiety intervention), and Affective Touch devices.
Bobak Mortazavi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on medical analytics, machine learning, wearable sensors, and cyber-physical systems. He leads interdisciplinary projects in healthcare technology, including AI-driven diagnostics and predictive modeling for cardiovascular diseases. He has received notable awards such as the Best Demonstration Award at IEEE EMBS 2012 and the Best Paper Award at the Fourth International Conference on Data Analytics 2015. His work bridges machine learning with clinical applications, emphasizing practical solutions for healthcare challenges. Recent research includes developing AI tools for aortic stenosis detection, electrolyte estimation via ECG, and real-time patient monitoring systems. He collaborates with industry and academic partners to advance telemedicine and wearable health technologies. Key contributions include the SMART-LV project for smartphone-based cardiac diagnostics and the ArterialNet framework for blood pressure reconstruction using wearable sensors. His work is published in top journals like IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics and Elsevier's Pervasive and Mobile Computing.
Dr. Kaya de Barbaro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin (College of Liberal Arts). She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California San Diego. Her research focuses on bridging computer science and developmental/clinical psychology, particularly maternal mental health and infant social-emotional development. She directs the Daily Activity Lab, which uses mobile/wearable sensors and machine learning to analyze real-world interactions, aiming to develop just-in-time interventions for new mothers. Key research areas include maternal-infant dynamics, physiological synchronization, and the impact of environmental chaos on development. She has pioneered methods for analyzing high-density data, such as Granger causality and machine learning algorithms to detect behaviors like crying and holding. Recent work emphasizes leveraging ecological momentary assessment surveys and 24-hour LENA audio recordings to understand proximal mechanisms of development. Dr. de Barbaro teaches Psychology 333D (Introduction to Developmental Psychology) and has developed curricula for both in-person and online formats. She is actively involved in training students through the Eureka program at UT Austin. Her lab collaborates on tools like chatbots for postpartum mental health and has published extensively on sensor-based methodologies in developmental science.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland
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.
