Cecilia Boschini is a Researcher affiliated with the Institute for Theoretische Informatik (Theoretical Computer Science) at ETH Zürich. Her work focuses on advanced cryptographic systems, particularly in post-quantum cryptography, lattice-based protocols, and privacy-preserving technologies. She contributes to developing secure digital signature schemes, threshold cryptography, and efficient cryptographic algorithms resistant to quantum computing threats. Her research bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in cybersecurity and distributed systems. Key contributions include innovations in fail-stop signatures, two-round threshold signatures (Ringtail), and lattice-based multi-signature systems (MuSig-L). Boschini’s work emphasizes balancing security with efficiency, often addressing challenges in mobile device security and memory encryption. She has published extensively in top-tier venues, with a focus on cryptographic protocols that enhance privacy and data integrity without compromising usability.
Christos Gatzidis serves as Executive Dean of Bournemouth University's Faculty of Science and Technology since October 2023, overseeing six departments including Computing and Informatics, Creative Technology, and Psychology. Previously Deputy Dean (2021-2023) and Head of Creative Technology Department (2016-2021), he was appointed Professor in Creative Technology in November 2019. The Faculty leads five REF Units of Assessment and secures funding from AHRC, NIHR, and Innovate UK for research spanning digital healthcare, gaming technologies, and cultural heritage applications. His educational qualifications include: PhD in Information Science, City University London (2010) PG Cert in Research Degree Supervision, Bournemouth University (2010) MA in Computer Animation, Teesside University (2003) BSc (Hons) in Computer Studies (Visualisation), University of Derby (2002) Professor Gatzidis specializes in computer graphics with research spanning virtual reality, serious games, and digital healthcare applications. His work bridges technical innovation and practical implementation, particularly in mindfulness prototypes for healthcare and stroke rehabilitation systems. Current projects focus on the multidisciplinary application of gaming technologies in medical contexts, emphasizing user experience and therapeutic outcomes through collaborations with industry partners. His publication record (2014-2025) demonstrates evolving expertise from foundational computer graphics research in terrain generation and deformation to applied work in healthcare, cultural heritage, and music education. Key trends include virtual reality for therapeutic mindfulness, usability studies in mobile gaming, and digital cultural presentation techniques, reflecting a trajectory toward socially impactful technological solutions with strong industry translation. No scientific awards are documented in the provided information. He has supervised PhD students and secured competitive research funding, including two Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. His principal investigator role in a virtual reality mindfulness prototype project exemplifies his approach to translating academic research into practical industry solutions, with current focus on expanding knowledge exchange activities to support the University's civic engagement mission. As Executive Dean, he leads faculty-wide research strategy across six departments, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations particularly in digital healthcare and cultural heritage. His personal research integrates computer graphics expertise with clinical applications through partnerships with healthcare providers and technology companies, driving innovation in therapeutic VR systems and educational gaming platforms.
Danfeng Zhang is a faculty member at Duke University whose research sits at the intersection of programming languages and security. Active across the premier PL conferences since 2015, Zhang has served on more than two-dozen program committees and currently co-chairs the POPL Student Research Competition. Education & Affiliation: Home page: users.cs.duke.edu/~dz132 Affiliation: Duke University, United States Research Interests: Zhang’s work spans programming-language design, static and dynamic analysis, formal verification, and security. A recurring theme is developing language-based techniques that guarantee strong security and privacy properties—ranging from side-channel resistance and constant-time execution to differential-privacy proofs—while preserving performance and usability. His recent projects combine type systems, program logics, and automated reasoning to build practical verification tools for concurrent, speculative, and approximate software. Publication Trends: Across nine representative papers (2015-2024) Zhang has advanced static detection of cache side channels, automated proofs of differential privacy, and relaxed concurrency models. The trajectory shows deepening integration of security concerns into language infrastructure, with tool-building (CtChecker, SpecSafe, LightDP) that bridge formal guarantees and real-world systems. Service & Leadership: 2024 POPL Student Research Competition Co-Chair 2025 POPL Program Committee member Repeated reviewer/PC member: PLDI, SPLASH/OOPSLA, ISSTA, ECOOP, APLAS, PriSC, PASS Zhang regularly mentors student researchers through SRC sessions and workshop panels, fostering diversity and early-career participation in the programming-languages community.
Professor Markus Helfert is a leading academic in Digital Service Innovation and Digital Transformation at Maynooth University's School of Business . He serves as Director of the Innovation Value Institute , Hub for Data and Digital Research, and holds Science Foundation Ireland Principal Investigator roles at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and Adapt Research Centre. His research spans Service Innovation , Artificial Intelligence , Intelligent Transportation Systems , FinTech , and Enterprise Architecture , with active involvement in European Standardisation initiatives.
Jun Li is a Full Professor in the Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Notre Dame's College of Science. He specializes in developing statistical and computational methods for big data, with a focus on interdisciplinary applications in bioinformatics, machine learning, and data mining. His career includes tenure as an Assistant Professor (2012–2017) and promotion to Associate Professor (2017) before becoming Full Professor (2020). Dr. Li holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Stanford University (2012), supervised by Robert Tibshirani, and earlier degrees from Tsinghua University: a B.E. in Automation (2004) and an M.S. in Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems (2007). Research Interests : Dr. Li’s work centers on advancing computational frameworks for handling large-scale datasets, integrating statistical rigor with algorithmic innovation. Recent themes include AI-driven code improvement, ethical LLM applications in HCI, and GUI automation. His methodologies emphasize human-AI collaboration and transparency in algorithmic systems. Publications : His 2025 work explores LLM vulnerabilities in GUI agents, AI-assisted education tools like GLITTER, and ethical challenges in HCI research. Earlier studies (2024–2023) address topics such as natural language database queries, privacy-preserving app promotion analysis, and multimodal task learning. Lab/Teams : Affiliated with Notre Dame’s computational statistics research groups, focusing on interdisciplinary projects bridging statistics, computer science, and applied mathematics. His work often involves collaborations with industry and academic partners to translate theoretical advancements into practical applications.
Jeff Offutt is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Computer Science at the University at Albany, College of Nanotechnology, Software, & Engineering. Previously, he was a Full Professor with Tenure in Software Engineering at George Mason University since 2005. He received his PhD in Information & Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1988. His research spans software testing, mutation testing, model-based testing, automatic test data generation, web application testing, and software engineering education. He has led significant projects such as the NSF-funded integration of CS into K-5 classrooms and the Google-funded SPARC project for scalable CS1/CS2 instruction. The 15 most recent articles reflect a continued focus on mutation testing cost reduction, model-based testing oracles, educational innovations, and security aspects of web applications. Trends include empirical validation, industrial applicability, and bridging theory with practice in software testing and engineering education. John Toups Presidential Medal for Excellence in Teaching (2020) George Mason University’s Alumni Association Faculty Member of the Year (2020) Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (2019) Best Paper Award at ICST 2021 10-Year Most Influential Paper Award at MODELS 2020 George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award (2013) ACM Notable Article Award (2013) Jeff Offutt has mentored numerous graduate students including Upsorn Praphamontripong, Nan Li, and Yu-Seung Ma, and has led major grant-funded projects such as the SPARC educational model and NSF initiatives on K-5 CS integration. His textbook Introduction to Software Testing (with Paul Ammann) is widely adopted globally. He led the MS in Software Engineering program at GMU and developed several new courses in software testing, web engineering, and usability. He pioneered innovative teaching methods using web technologies and asynchronous learning models. He also co-founded the IEEE International Conference on Software Testing, Verification and Validation (ICST) and served as Editor-in-Chief of Software Testing, Verification and Reliability from 2007 to 2019.
Christopher G. Healey is the Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Analytics in the Institute for Advanced Analytics and a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. His research spans visualization, data analytics, text analytics, sentiment analysis, machine learning, cognitive psychology, computer graphics, and social media analytics. He has graduated 15 Ph.D. and 26 master's students and secured over $6 million in research funding from agencies including the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Security Agency, Army Research Office, and various industry partners. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and is a senior member of both IEEE and ACM, as well as a member of the NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers. His research focuses on developing visualization techniques that leverage visual perception to support rapid, accurate, and effective analysis of large, complex datasets. More recently, he has been investigating machine learning for natural language processing and text analytics. His work includes projects on visualizing election results, sentiment estimation for social media, and wildfire narratives using large-scale social media data. His publications demonstrate a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with visualization, particularly for text analytics and social media analysis. He has made significant contributions to visualizing deep neural networks, cyber situation awareness, and pandemic response analytics, showing how visualization can enhance understanding of complex systems and large datasets across multiple domains. IBM Faculty Award (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) Senior member, Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) (2007) Senior member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) (2007) NC State Academy of Outstanding Teachers inductee (2003) National Science Foundation Faculty Early CAREER Award (2001) He has successfully mentored numerous graduate students and secured significant research funding across multiple projects. His work with the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense demonstrates strong industry and government partnerships. His recent projects focus on visualizing social media narratives, deep neural networks for text understanding, and predictive analytics for large document collections. He leads research groups focused on visualization and analytics, working with teams to develop innovative approaches for data exploration and analysis. His current work continues to push the boundaries of how visualization can be used to enhance understanding of complex data across domains including public health, cybersecurity, and social media analysis.
Dr. Ugur Turhan is a Senior Lecturer in aviation at UNSW Canberra with over two decades of experience in academic and professional settings. His expertise spans Air Traffic Management, Airport Operations, Aviation Safety, and Human Factors in Aviation. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor at Eskisehir Technical University and Anadolu University, and held a visiting professorship at Embry Riddle Aviation Academy. Dr. Turhan earned his Ph.D. in Civil Aviation Management from Anadolu University. His academic journey includes significant contributions to aviation education and research across multiple institutions in Turkey and internationally. Dr. Turhan's research focuses on critical aspects of aviation safety and efficiency. His work explores human factors in air traffic control, aircraft maintenance procedures, and emergency management in aviation contexts. He has developed innovative approaches to training air traffic controllers using 3D simulation technology and has investigated the relationship between safety culture and operational performance in aviation organizations. His research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications to enhance aviation safety standards globally. Analysis of Dr. Turhan's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on human factors across aviation domains. His work consistently addresses safety management systems, cognitive workload assessment, and maintenance procedures. A notable trend is the integration of neurophysiological measurements with operational data to assess air traffic controller performance. His research also demonstrates growing interest in the application of advanced technologies for improving maintenance documentation and technician performance. Dr. Turhan has secured significant research funding through multiple international projects. His leadership roles include: Researcher and Eskisehir Technical University Coordinator for the FACT project under European Commission HORIZON2020 SESAR call (2020-present) Researcher and Eskisehir Technical University Coordinator for the Skill-UP project under Erasmus+ (2020-present) Researcher and Anadolu University Coordinator for the STRESS Project under HORIZON 2020-SESAR-2015-1 (2016-2018) Researcher and Anadolu University Coordinator for the IMPACT Project under HORIZON 2020-DRS-2014 (2015-2018) Researcher and Anadolu University Coordinator for SECONOMICS project under European Commission FP7 (2012-2015) Researcher for Boeing-sponsored International Project on Aviation Educational Software (2014-2016) Dr. Turhan has supervised multiple doctoral and master's students in aviation-related fields. His doctoral students include Birsen Acikel (2016) who researched flight training airspace complexity and Tarık Güneş (2021) who assessed aircraft maintenance technician competency. His master's students have investigated topics ranging from Turkish airspace flexibility to aircraft maintenance documentation. Dr. Turhan also serves as a valuable resource for prospective PhD students interested in human factors and safety in aviation and air traffic management.
Dr. Florian Urmetzer serves as Associate Teaching Professor and founding Director of the Ecosystems, Platforms & Strategy (EPS) Research Group at the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). His expertise centers on strategy formulation tools for business ecosystems and platforms within manufacturing and services sectors. He teaches the Business Ecosystem Strategy course and leads IfM Engage consultancy projects for clients including IBM, ATOS, ABN-AMRO, CEMEX, Pearson Education, Leonardo rescue helicopters, and the NHS. Urmetzer holds a distinction MSc in Network Centred Computing and PhD from the University of Reading's School of Systems Engineering. His doctoral research developed real-time usability evaluation methods for distributed collaborative environments. Academically, he has been a visiting researcher at Barcelona Supercomputing Center and Politecnico di Milano. His research investigates industrial ecosystems from strategic and managerial perspectives, encompassing supply chains, digital platforms, and business ecosystem dynamics. This work has been published in leading journals including Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Information Systems, and Journal of Service Research. Analysis of his recent publications reveals dominant trends in technological sovereignty, platform ecosystem governance, and manufacturing relocation strategies. Prior to Cambridge, Urmetzer gained extensive industry experience as a consultant at Accenture in Zürich, Senior Researcher at SAP labs, and roles at Volkswagen AG, Gartner Inc., and IBM. He currently leads the EPS Research Group, which develops frameworks for organizations navigating complex industrial ecosystem dynamics.
Jelena Mirkovic serves as Principal Scientist at USC Information Sciences Institute (USC/ISI) and Research Associate Professor at the University of Southern California's Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science. She has held faculty positions at USC since 2010, progressing from Research Assistant Professor to her current role as Research Associate Professor since 2017, while also serving as Project Leader at USC/ISI. Her educational background includes: PhD in Computer Science from UCLA (2003) MS in Computer Science from UCLA (2000) B.Sc. in Computer Science from University of Belgrade, Serbia (1998) Mirkovic's research spans network security, human-centered attacks, and cybersecurity experimentation infrastructure. Her work focuses on critical security challenges including botnets, denial-of-service attacks, IP spoofing, vulnerability scanning, and user-centric privacy. She has pioneered methodologies for security experiments and led major infrastructure projects including the DETER testbed and SPHERE (Security and Privacy Heterogeneous Environment for Reproducible Experimentation). Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent innovation across multiple security domains. Her work demonstrates strong technical depth in DDoS defense systems (particularly DNS protection), binary vulnerability analysis, privacy-preserving systems, and security experimentation infrastructure. A notable trend is her focus on bridging theoretical security concepts with practical implementation through large-scale testbeds and real-world data analysis. Her significant scientific achievements include: IEEE Senior Member distinction Best paper award at IEEE COMSNETS 2023 for DNS DDoS defense research Mirkovic has secured substantial research funding as Principal Investigator or Co-PI on numerous grants from NSF, DHS, and other agencies. Current major projects include SPHERE (Security and Privacy Heterogeneous Environment for Reproducible Experimentation), DISCERN (Datasets to Illuminate Suspicious Computations), and modernizing DeterLab education infrastructure. She has successfully led multiple REU sites focused on cybersecurity education and workforce development. She directs the STEEL (Security Research Lab) at USC/ISI, which develops innovative security solutions through interdisciplinary research in network security, human factors in security, and cybersecurity experimentation infrastructure. The lab emphasizes practical implementations that address real-world security challenges while advancing theoretical understanding of security systems.
Dominik Wermke serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University. He is affiliated with multiple research entities including the Secure Computing Institute (SCI), the Wolfpack Security and Privacy Research (WSPR) Lab, and the Secure Software Supply Chain Center (S3C2). His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Computer Science from Leibniz University Hannover (2023) M.Sc. from Saarland University (2016) B.Sc. from Saarland University (2015) Wermke's research focuses on computer security with emphasis on human-centered security, examining how security mechanisms align with software professionals' and end users' needs, practices, and limitations. His work employs mixed-methods approaches including interviews, user studies, surveys, and large-scale ecosystem analyses to identify behavioral patterns and systemic risks in secure software development. His expertise spans cybersecurity, human-computer interaction, and user experience with particular focus on software supply chain security and open source ecosystems. His publication record shows a clear trend toward addressing software supply chain security challenges through empirical studies of developer practices, trust mechanisms in open source communities, and reproducible builds. Recent work increasingly examines the human factors in security implementations, with publications appearing in top venues including IEEE S&P, USENIX Security, ACM CCS, and NDSS. His notable recognition includes: Distinguished Paper Award at the 43rd IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (2022) Wermke actively mentors students interested in security research, with his lab focusing on empirical security studies that bridge technical and human aspects of software security. His research has been supported through institutional affiliations with NC State's security research centers which provide infrastructure for large-scale security ecosystem analyses. He maintains active collaborations with researchers at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security and other institutions, evidenced by multi-institutional publications. His current research agenda continues to explore security challenges in modern software development practices with particular attention to supply chain vulnerabilities and trust mechanisms in distributed development environments.
Garreth Tigwell is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information at RIT, co-directing the CAIR Lab with Dr. Kristen Shinohara. His research focuses on accessibility in digital design, particularly for disabled users, addressing challenges faced by novice and expert creators. His work spans topics like accessible prototyping tools, cultural considerations in design, and inclusive mixed reality interfaces. Education: BSc in Psychology, University of Dundee, 2012 MSc (Distinction) in User Experience Engineering, University of Dundee, 2014 PhD in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), University of Dundee, 2019 Research Interests: Designing accessible digital systems for blind, deaf, and low-vision users Adaptable user interfaces for mixed reality and textured surfaces Cultural dimensions in accessibility pedagogy Authentication methods for visually impaired users Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes AR/VR accessibility, cultural design frameworks, and haptic authentication. His studies often involve collaborations with global researchers and industry partners. Awards: Best Paper (MobileHCI 2022) CHI Honorable Mention (2023, 2024) NSF-funded research projects Advising & Grants: Active in mentoring graduate students and securing grants. His lab focuses on born-accessible AI tools and inclusive design education. Teaches courses like HCI Research Methods and Future Interactions. Labs/Teams: Co-leads the CAIR Lab, which develops technologies to bridge accessibility gaps in digital design and prototyping.
Dr. Zhibao Mian is a Lecturer in the School of Computer Science at the University of Hull, UK, and previously held an Associate Professor position at Northwest Normal University. He specializes in trustworthy AI, machine learning, and intelligent maintenance systems. His research integrates AI with IoT, blockchain, and digital twins in Industry 4.0/5.0 contexts. He leads projects on predictive maintenance for offshore wind turbines and AI-driven sustainable energy solutions. Dr. Mian holds a PhD from the University of Hull and an MSc from the University of Nottingham. Research interests include AI ethics, model-based safety analysis, and RCM. He has secured grants such as the CPHC-funded study on AI in software education and oversees multiple PhD scholarships. Notable roles include Editorial Board member of the American Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Reviewer for high-impact journals/conferences like JSS and IEEE. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and received the Royal Academy of Engineering's 2024 Exceptional Talent designation. Recent publications (2023-2025) focus on ordinal networks, outlier detection, Belt and Road trade analysis, and carbon emissions modeling. He actively advises PhD students on topics like UAV-based anomaly detection and predictive maintenance frameworks.
Dr. Barbara Polivka is the Associate Dean for Research and Professor at the University of Kansas School of Nursing. She holds a BSN and MSN from the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing and Health, and a PhD in Nursing from The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on environmental health (e.g., lead poisoning prevention, asthma triggers) and health services research (e.g., public health nursing standards, nursing workforce challenges). She has secured NIH, NIOSH, and AHRQ funding for projects addressing home safety hazards and asthma management in older adults. Professional Affiliations include the American Academy of Nursing (Fellow), American Public Health Association, and Midwest Nursing Research Society. Key grants include current NIEHS funding for real-time asthma exposure monitoring and prior NIOSH support for virtual home safety training. Awards include the Ruth B. Freeman Award (APHA) and Ohio Healthy Homes Achievement Award. Teaching spans undergraduate through doctoral levels, with emphasis on community/public health nursing. Mentored numerous PhD/DNP students in environmental health and health disparities. Current work explores口罩使用对哮喘患者的影响, pandemic-related disinfectant exposure risks, and medication literacy in aging populations.
Steve Sprecher is a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Northeastern University. His research focuses on network and web security, systems security, practical applications of machine learning in security, censorship measurement, and privacy. He holds a PhD from Northeastern University, advised by Engin Kirda, and earned his MS and BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, where he worked with J. Alex Halderman and Roya Ensafi on censorship, ransomware, and network measurement. His teaching experience includes serving as the Instructor of Record for Foundations of Computer Security & Privacy at Northeastern (Winter 2023), and as Head Graduate Student Instructor for the introductory computer security course at the University of Michigan (2017-2019). He has also held roles as a Teaching Assistant and Guest Lecturer in multiple security-related courses. Sprecher's publications address cutting-edge security challenges such as HTTP protocol vulnerabilities, third-party script management, and decentralized internet control mechanisms. His work bridges theoretical research with practical applications, emphasizing both technical depth and real-world impact.
