Tapio Schneider is the Theodore Y. Wu Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. His research focuses on atmospheric dynamics across Earth and other planets, climate modeling innovations, and geophysical turbulence analysis. He contributes to the Climate Modeling Alliance (CliMA) and develops advanced computational tools for climate prediction. Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Vordiplom, 1993) Princeton University (M.Sc. 1997, Ph.D. 2001) University of Washington, Seattle (Visiting Graduate Student, 1994-1995) His research spans climate dynamics , atmospheric turbulence , and AI-enhanced climate modeling , addressing challenges in cloud dynamics, extreme weather patterns, and planetary climate systems. Current work emphasizes hybrid machine learning-physical models and computational acceleration for high-resolution simulations. Recent publications highlight trends in AI integration for climate science, with applications in hydrology , cloud microphysics , ocean circulation , snowpack modeling , and climate tipping points . His team develops open-source tools like ClimateMachine for GPU-accelerated simulations. Scientific Recognition: Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2022) Rosenstiel Award (2019) World Economic Forum Young Scientist (2012) David and Lucile Packard Fellow (2005-2010) Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2004-2006) Tapio leads climate dynamics research at Caltech, directs the Linde Center for Global Environmental Science (2011-2012), and serves as Editor for the Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems . His group collaborates with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2016-2024) and Google Research (2022-present).
Gregg M. Garfin is a Professor and Specialist in Climate, Natural Resources, and Policy at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Deputy Director for Science Translation and Outreach at the Arizona Institute for Resilience. He holds a Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of Arizona (2003), an M.S. in Geology and Geography from the University of Massachusetts (1997), and a B.S. in Geology and Geography from the same institution (1993). His work bridges science and societal decision-making, focusing on climate adaptation, drought management, and climate services. He directs the Water, Society, and Policy M.S. Program and has led interdisciplinary projects on climate resilience, including contributions to the Fourth National Climate Assessment. Roles: Professor, Deputy Director, Program Director Affiliations: Arizona Institute for Resilience, School of Natural Resources and the Environment Research Interests His research emphasizes climate adaptation strategies, climate policy, and the co-production of knowledge between scientists and decision-makers. Key areas include: Climate impacts on water resources and ecosystems Extreme heat and drought resilience in urban and border communities Climate change communication and education Awards & Recognition Garfin has received multiple accolades, including AAAS Fellowship (2020), University of Arizona Service Awards (2020, 2015), and the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) Visiting Fellowship (2018). His work has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and media outlets, emphasizing actionable science for climate resilience. Grants & Contributions He has led federal and transnational projects, including binational climate resilience initiatives in the U.S.-Mexico border region and flood risk assessments in Seoul, South Korea. His work integrates participatory governance approaches to enhance community preparedness.
Dr. Dmytro Matsypura is an Associate Professor in the Discipline of Business Analytics at the University of Sydney Business School. He holds a BA (Hons) from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), an MS (Hons) from KPI, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on optimization methodologies, network science, and their applications in finance, transportation, ecology, and graph theory. He is a recipient of multiple teaching awards, including the Wayne Lonergan Outstanding Teaching Award (Early Career) in 2010. Education: PhD in Management Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2006) MS (Hons) in Information Systems, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (2000) BA (Hons) in Business Administration, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (1998) Research Interests: Dr. Matsypura’s work spans operations research and management science, with a focus on mathematical optimization and network science. His methodological contributions include developing efficient optimization algorithms, while his applied research addresses real-world challenges in finance, engineering, and ecology. Notable applications include wildfire fuel management, portfolio margining, and credit card fraud detection via graph-based models. Awards and Recognition: Teaching Excellence Award (2008, 2013, 2018) Wayne Lonergan Outstanding Teaching Award (Early Career) (2010) Grants and Projects: Current projects include Bushfire Analytics: Optimization of Fuel Reduction (2023, ARC Discovery Project). His research frequently integrates interdisciplinary collaborations, such as applying graph theory to biomedical problems and cybersecurity. Labs/Teams: Active in the Sydney Environment Institute, contributing to projects at the intersection of analytics and sustainability. Collaborates with industry on fraud detection and supply chain optimization.
Dr. Baijian "Justin" Yang serves as the Associate Dean for Research at Purdue Polytechnic Institute and is a Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology at Purdue University. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Michigan State University, with Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Automation (EECS) from Tsinghua University. Dr. Yang has established himself as a leader in multiple interdisciplinary research domains. Dr. Yang's educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science, Michigan State University (2002) MS in Automation (EECS), Tsinghua University (1998) BS in Automation (EECS), Tsinghua University (1995) His research interests span multiple cutting-edge domains with practical applications: Cybersecurity : Developing novel approaches for threat intelligence, security education, and network defense Big Data : Creating innovative algorithms for dimension reduction, regression with categorical variables, and tensor decomposition Applied Machine Learning : Implementing AI solutions in healthcare, manufacturing, and forestry applications Digital Forestry : Using UAV imagery and remote sensing for forest management and tree species classification Dr. Yang's publication record demonstrates significant impact across multiple disciplines, with recent work focusing on spatial transcriptomics analysis (SiGra), delirium detection using limited-lead EEG, and visual localization technologies. His research bridges theoretical advances with practical applications in healthcare, manufacturing quality control, and environmental monitoring. The interdisciplinary nature of his work is evident in collaborations spanning computer science, healthcare, forestry, and manufacturing domains. His scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous awards: 2023 HRSA Building Bridges to Better Health Competition Winner (Phase 1) and 2nd place ($100,000 prize) in Phase 3 2023 Outstanding Faculty Award in Engagement, Department of Computer and Information Technology, Purdue University 2021 Leadership in Manufacturing Award, Manufacturing Times Digital (MxD) 2021 Good to Great Award, Purdue Polytechnic 2020 Outstanding Faculty Award in Discovery, Department of Computer and Information Technology 2019 University Faculty Scholars, Purdue University As an educator and mentor, Dr. Yang has advised numerous graduate students through their PhD and Master's research. His leadership extends to significant service roles including serving as Faculty Champion for the Holistic Safety and Security research impact area at Purdue Polytechnic from 2018 to 2021, board membership with ATMAE (2014-2016), and participation in the IEEE Cybersecurity Initiative Steering Committee (2015-2017). He holds valuable industry certifications including CISSP, MCSE, and Six Sigma Black Belt, demonstrating his commitment to bridging academic research with industry practice. Dr. Yang leads multiple research projects including "Digital Forestry" for developing tools to quantify forest function, "CHEESE" (Cyber Human Ecosystem of Engaged Security Education), and "CICI" (Supporting Controlled Unclassified Information with a Campus Awareness and Risk Management Framework). His work on "Applied Machine Learning" focuses on solving real-world problems, while his "Dimension Reduction and Memory Amnestic Big Data Regression" project innovates computational algorithms for large-scale data analysis.
Benjamin J. Keys is a Research Associate at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School within the Public Economics program. His work focuses on public economics, environmental economics, and financial risk management with particular emphasis on housing markets and climate change impacts. University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School Public Economics Department His research explores: Climate risk capitalization in housing markets Mortgage insurance moral hazard Consumer credit card payment behaviors Emergency credit systems Regional economic redistribution through mortgages Email: benkeys@wharton.upenn.edu Scientific awards include: Fellowships on Consumer Financial Management
Associate Professor Marcus Cattani is a faculty member at Edith Cowan University (ECU), affiliated with the School of Medical and Health Sciences and the Department of Occupational Health and Safety. He serves as Deputy Director of the WA Government-funded MARS Centre, focusing on Mental Awareness, Respect, and Safety initiatives. Since joining ECU in 2015, he has developed risk management and leadership programs for undergraduate/postgraduate programs and supervises PhD/Master's research. His research emphasizes injury risk reduction in industries like mining, oil/gas, and construction, with recent focus on agriculture safety and radiation exposure in Western Australian mining. Education: Doctor of Philosophy (Occupational Health and Safety), Murdoch University (2004) Master of Science, United Kingdom (1995) Research interests include occupational safety frameworks, real-time exposure assessment, fatigue management, and safety leadership tools. Current projects address critical controls for construction fatalities, radiation exposure in mining, and OHS systems for remote work. Over 30 years of industry experience as an occupational hygienist and HSE consultant informs his academic and applied work. Key collaborations involve government agencies (DMIRS, Water Corporation) and industry partners (Rio Tinto, Lifeline WA). Recent grants include MARS Centre initiatives and NORM exposure studies. His 2025 focus includes translating injury prevention techniques into agriculture contexts. Professional memberships include Australian Institute of Health and Safety (Chartered OHS Professional) and the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists.
Brett Sanders is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on developing innovative algorithms for flow and transport in river and coastal systems and integrating information technologies to create more accurate and efficient simulation tools for flood hazard assessment. His primary research interests include: Flooding and erosion hazards, particularly coastal flooding and urban flooding Surface water quality Low impact development impacts on hydrology Dam-break flooding Aerial and terrestrial lidar scanning Geographical information systems High performance computing for simulation tools Social dimensions of flood risk and adaptation behaviors Dr. Sanders' recent publications (2024-2025) reveal a comprehensive research program addressing both technical and social aspects of flood risk. His work spans computational hydrodynamics, flood hazard mapping, infrastructure vulnerability assessment, and the socioeconomic dimensions of flood risk. He has made significant contributions to understanding multi-grid modeling of urban flooding, post-fire flood hazards, satellite-based monitoring of land motion, and social inequalities in flood exposure. His research demonstrates how flood dynamics are more complex than simple bath-tub filling models suggest, with important implications for urban planning and climate adaptation. Dr. Sanders has received recognition as a Chancellor's Professor at UC Irvine, indicating distinguished scholarly achievement. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1997) M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1994) B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (1993)
Ines M. L. Azevedo is a Professor in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at Stanford University, with courtesy appointments in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth System Science. As a Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy, her research bridges environmental, technical, economic, and policy dimensions of energy systems. Research Focus: Energy system transitions, air pollution impacts, climate change mitigation, and equity in electrification. Awards: C3E Women in Clean Energy Research Award (2017) Philip L. Dowd Fellowship (2017) World Economic Forum Young Scientists Under 40 (2014) Advising: Mentors doctoral and master's students in energy systems and environmental research. Recent Article Trends: Analyzes air quality in India, lifecycle impacts of battery recycling, and equity dimensions of transportation electrification.
Ben Seiyon Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at George Mason University's College of Science. His work bridges computational statistics, climate modeling, and environmental risk assessment. Education: PhD in Statistics, Pennsylvania State University (2020) Lee specializes in computational methods for high-dimensional spatiotemporal data and uncertainty quantification in climate models. His research explores climate change impacts on extreme hydrological events, wildfire emissions, and medical decision-making. Recent publications focus on Bayesian spatiotemporal frameworks for extreme precipitation analysis, zero-inflated spatial models, and multisector uncertainty quantification. His work addresses challenges in flood risk assessment, agricultural yield projections, and healthcare compliance metrics.
Andrew Plantinga is a Professor of Natural Resource Economics and Policy at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, UC Santa Barbara. He also serves as Director of the Productive Landscapes Group at the Environmental Markets Solution Lab (emLab). His academic journey includes faculty roles at Oregon State University and the University of Maine before joining UCSB in 2012. He holds a PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Berkeley, an MS in Forestry from the University of Wisconsin, and a BA in English from Grinnell College. Plantinga’s research focuses on the economics of land use, climate change, and forests. Key areas include econometric modeling of land-use decisions, environmental policy analysis, and wildfire risk management. A current NSF-funded project examines how wildfire salience influences public agency decisions. He emphasizes tradable property rights for groundwater management and has authored/co-authored over 80 journal articles, including high-impact publications in Journal of Environmental Economics and Management and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . His work frequently addresses policy implications of land-use changes, such as urban growth boundaries and agricultural intensification. Recent studies explore wildfire management effectiveness, stranded public lands’ economic impacts, and carbon sequestration costs. Plantinga advises PhD students focusing on economics, including Linus Blomqvist. Grants include NSF support for wildfire policy analysis. He teaches Bren School courses like Natural Resource Economics and Cost-Benefit Analysis. His labs and collaborations, such as emLab, aim to bridge economic and ecological approaches to environmental challenges.
Ross Meentemeyer is a Professor and Director of the Center for Geospatial Analytics at North Carolina State University, affiliated with the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources in the College of Natural Resources. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2000) and a B.S. in Geography from the University of Georgia (1993). His research focuses on geospatial analytics, ecological forecasting, biological invasions, and forest health, with a strong emphasis on integrating geospatial data and modeling to address environmental challenges. Dr. Meentemeyer's work includes developing decision-support tools for pest management, climate adaptation, and land-use planning. Notable projects involve forecasting invasive species spread via international trade, creating open-source geospatial platforms, and modeling floodplain development risks. He collaborates extensively with federal agencies like USDA, DOI, and NPS to translate research into practical solutions. His grants include multi-million dollar NSF and USDA-funded initiatives addressing plant disease pandemics, agricultural pest threats, and geospatial infrastructure development. Key outcomes include the PAdb system for pandemic prediction and the FUTURES model for urbanization forecasting. He also leads efforts to enhance stakeholder engagement through participatory modeling tools like Tangible Landscape. Research contributions span 20+ years, with over 100 peer-reviewed articles on topics like viewscape modeling, river water dynamics, and wildfire-epidemic interactions. His work bridges ecological and social sciences, emphasizing actionable solutions for sustainable land management and climate resilience.
May Yuan is the Ashbel Smith Professor of Geospatial Information Sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT-Dallas), affiliated with the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. She directs the Geospatial Analytics and Innovative Applications (GAIA) Lab. Her research focuses on space-time representation, GIS analytics, and environmental/social problem-solving (e.g., disaster risk, pollution, crime mapping). She holds a Ph.D. in Geography from SUNY Buffalo (1994) and B.S. from National Taiwan University (1987). Previously, she was Brandt Professor and Director of the Center for Spatial Analysis at the University of Oklahoma (1994–2014). Education: Ph.D. in Geography, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1994 M.A. in Geography, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1992 B.S. in Geography, National Taiwan University, 1987 Research Interests: Her work integrates space-time GIS databases with cognitive science, environmental modeling, and social dynamics. Key areas include: - Spatiotemporal query and analytics for geographic processes - GIS-based disaster risk assessment (wildfires, tornadoes) - Urban air quality modeling - Neurogeography and Alzheimer’s disease prediction using environmental complexity metrics - Deep mapping and spatial narratives. Grants & Partnerships: Supported by NSF, NASA, DoD, DHS, NOAA, EPA, and state agencies. Her GAIA Lab explores 'place' concepts in space-time analytics. Awards & Roles: Fellow, AAAS and AAG Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Geographical Information Science (2017–present) Former President, Cartography and Geographic Information Society (2020–2021) and UCGIS (2011–2012) Member, NOAA Environmental Information Services Working Group (2016–2022) Labs/Teams: Leads the GAIA Lab, collaborating on geospatial AI, environmental health, and urban analytics.
Mariam Zachariah serves as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy within the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London. She is a core contributor to World Weather Attribution (WWA), an international scientific collaboration conducting rapid climate change attribution analyses for extreme weather events globally. Her work bridges climate science, vulnerability assessment, and policy-relevant research. Her educational foundation includes a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), where she investigated climate impacts on Indian agriculture. This research focused on drought and extreme temperature effects on crop yields in major agrarian regions, recognizing agriculture's critical role in India's climate-vulnerable economy. Zachariah's research centers on near-real-time attribution of extreme events to quantify human-induced climate change influences. Her expertise spans climate modeling, statistical analysis of extreme weather, and integrating vulnerability frameworks to assess compound impacts on communities. She examines how climate change interacts with socioeconomic factors to exacerbate disasters, particularly in agricultural systems and flood-prone regions worldwide. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a dominant focus on rapid attribution of droughts, floods, and heatwaves across diverse global contexts - from the Horn of Africa to Central Europe and South America. These studies consistently demonstrate climate change as a significant amplifier of event severity, while emphasizing how pre-existing vulnerabilities determine actual impacts. Her work increasingly addresses compound hazards and the intersection of climate change with infrastructure failures and land management. As a key member of the World Weather Attribution initiative, Zachariah collaborates with climate scientists, social scientists, and vulnerability experts in a unique operational framework that delivers scientific assessments within days of extreme events. This work directly informs policymakers, media, and affected communities about climate change's role in contemporary disasters.
Mustafa Gül is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. He also serves as Director of Internationalization at the Faculty of Engineering’s Deans Office. His research focuses on smart, sustainable, and resilient cities, with an emphasis on infrastructure monitoring and energy-efficient systems. Education: PhD in Civil Engineering (University of Central Florida, 2009), MSc in Electrical Engineering (University of Central Florida, 2011), MSc in Civil Engineering (Boğaziçi University, 2004), BSc in Civil Engineering (Boğaziçi University, 2002). Dr. Gül’s research spans two primary domains: Crowdsensing-based Monitoring of Built and Natural Environments (CoMBiNE) using AI, signal processing, and data analytics for infrastructure health; and Energy-Efficient Smart Cities through solar PV integration, IoT applications, and net-zero energy homes. His work bridges structural engineering, machine learning, and sustainable urban development. Recent publications highlight advancements in smartphone-based damage detection, UAV-assisted disaster assessment, and AI-driven energy systems. His team’s work on crowdsensing bridges, solar PV optimization, and smartphone analytics has been widely recognized in journals like Structural Control and Health Monitoring and Energy and AI . Notably, his 2017 paper earned the Best Paper Award at ISARC. Students supervised include Azim, R. , Keskin, M. , and Do, N. T. , among others. Scientific Awards: Best Paper Award, 34th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC 2017) Dr. Gül’s projects often involve interdisciplinary collaboration, leveraging sensor networks, computer vision, and optimization algorithms to address urban resilience and energy sustainability. His leadership extends to course CIV E 779 and ongoing research initiatives in Alberta, Canada.
Drew R. Gentner is an Associate Professor of Chemical & Environmental Engineering at Yale University, with an additional appointment in the School of the Environment. His research focuses on air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and their intersections with climate, energy, and health. He holds a B.S. from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. Affiliations: Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science, Yale School of the Environment Research Interests: Complex organic mixtures, urban air quality, non-traditional emissions (e.g., volatile chemical products), indoor air pollution, climate impacts of energy systems. Dr. Gentner leads the Gentner Research Group, which employs advanced analytical techniques and sensor networks to study atmospheric processes. Recent work highlights the role of asphalt and commercial cooking emissions in urban pollution. His team collaborates on large-scale field campaigns like AEROMMA and ASCENT. Key findings include identifying gaps in emissions reporting and demonstrating the health risks of aged wildfire smoke. His group develops low-cost sensors and calibration methods for high-spatiotemporal air quality monitoring. Grants & Funding: NSF, NOAA, EPA, and private foundations support his work on energy efficiency, sensor networks, and pollution mitigation. Labs/Teams: SEARCH Center at Yale, Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT), and collaborations with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
