Physical & Life Sciences

Scholars dedicating their careers to the study of living organisms and non-living systems

Mariyam Mohd

Mariyam Mohd

I bring 11 years of experience across Cognizant, Oracle, and AWS, spanning presales, sales, and post‑sales roles. I hold a PGDM from IIM Kozhikode. Over the past five years at Microsoft, I’ve been driving strategic engagement and business growth for global enterprise customers—most notably Walmart and Goldman Sachs—serving as their Account Manager.

I bring 11 years of experience across Cognizant, Oracle, and AWS, spanning presales, sales, and post‑sales roles. I hold a PGDM from IIM Kozhikode. Over the past five years at Microsoft, I’ve been driving strategic engagement and business growth for ... Show more

Francisco Bernardo

Francisco Bernardo

Francisco Bernardo, PhD, is a research engineer and designer focused on Human-centred computaional toolkits for user innovation. He has extensive work experience in the industry, academia, and at their interface, where he conducts applied research at the intersection of art and creative technology.

Francisco Bernardo, PhD, is a research engineer and designer focused on Human-centred computaional toolkits for user innovation. He has extensive work experience in the industry, academia, and at their interface, where he conducts applied research at... Show more

Dr. Cathy Sarvis

Dr. Cathy Sarvis

Dr. Cathy Sarvis is a dynamic speaker, educator, and wellness strategist who has spent more than three decades helping individuals and organizations perform at their best—physically, mentally, and professionally. Her mission has been clear since 1988, when she began teaching aerobics while still in high school: empower people to live healthier, more energized lives and exceed the goals they once believed were out of reach.

Early in her career, Dr. Sarvis became a leader in the corporate wellness space, spending more than a decade designing and delivering instructor trainings and workplace wellness programs. She worked closely with executives and leadership teams to improve employee productivity, retention, and morale—while reducing workplace injuries, repetitive stress disorders, and rising healthcare costs. This hands-on experience shaped her ability to translate complex health and performance concepts into practical, results-driven strategies.

Dr. Sarvis graduated Summa Cum Laude and Salutatorian from Life University, earning both a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and a Doctorate in Chiropractic. She holds chiropractic licenses in three states and practiced for 25 years in Woodstock, Georgia. Since 2008, she has also served as Adjunct Faculty at Life University, mentoring future healthcare leaders and professionals.
A pioneer in digital education, Dr. Sarvis built a global audience after amassing more than four million views on her YouTube channel, DoctorCathy. In 2009, she launched an online platform that reached tens of thousands of women worldwide, teaching natural approaches to healthy pregnancies, empowered births, and raising thriving families. Her expertise has taken her to stages across the United States and internationally, including engagements in England, Scotland, Italy, Belgium, and Costa Rica, speaking for state organizations, schools, and professional conferences.

Committed to advancing leadership within her profession, Dr. Sarvis has served on the Board of the League of Chiropractic Women since 2013 and on the Georgia Council of Chiropractic Board since 2014. From 2020 to 2025, she hosted the weekly Georgia Chiro Connection webinar series and served as a regular host and educator for multiple national platforms, including ChiroSecure’s Empowering Women in Chiropractic, ChiroTouch, and the League of Chiropractic Women—collectively reaching thousands of professionals through virtual stages.
Her leadership and impact have been widely recognized. In 2017, Dr. Sarvis was named one of the “Top 25 Chiropractors” by Dr. Josh Axe, and in 2021 she was honored as the Georgia Council of Chiropractic Chiropractor of the Year.

Beyond the accolades, Dr. Sarvis is a trusted mentor who has trained and guided more than 150 students and doctors in her office, and she continues to coach professionals and entrepreneurs to develop winning strategies for sustainable success. Known for blending wisdom, warmth, and real-world insight, she brings both authority and authenticity to every room she enters.

A proud military wife, Dr. Cathy considers her greatest joy to be her children, Anthony and Alessia. Whether traveling, laughing, or creating unforgettable memories together, they keep her grounded, inspired, and always learning.

Dr. Cathy Sarvis is a dynamic speaker, educator, and wellness strategist who has spent more than three decades helping individuals and organizations perform at their best—physically, mentally, and professionally. Her mission has been clear since 1988... Show more

Muhsin Tamturk

Muhsin Tamturk

Dr. Muhsin Tamturk is currently a Senior Researcher and Quantum Advocate. His academic background includes a BSc in Mathematics, an MSc in Financial Mathematics, a PhD in Actuarial Mathematics, and an additional MSc in Applied Quantum Computing.

Dr. Tamturk has previously held positions as a Senior AI Engineer, Data Scientist, and Analytical Developer. He has authored several academic papers in the fields of quantum computing, insurance, and finance.

Dr. Muhsin Tamturk is currently a Senior Researcher and Quantum Advocate. His academic background includes a BSc in Mathematics, an MSc in Financial Mathematics, a PhD in Actuarial Mathematics, and an additional MSc in Applied Quantum Computing. D... Show more

Philip Hillman

Philip Hillman

Specializing in building and directing high-performing design organizations for global giants like Google and Amazon.

I leverage AI to transform both how we design (accelerating workflows) and what we design (intelligent features), driving operational efficiency and delivering commercial impact across FinTech, AdTech, and E-commerce.

Currently UX Manager at Google. Previously Head of UX Research & Design at Credit Suisse.

Specializing in building and directing high-performing design organizations for global giants like Google and Amazon. I leverage AI to transform both how we design (accelerating workflows) and what we design (intelligent features), driving operati... Show more

Janet Robb Robb

Janet Robb Robb

Janet has been working within the Microsoft Dynamics ego system for over 24 years. Both within Microsoft , Partner networks & Consultancy. She is one of the leading change practitioners in Dynamics & Power Platform, she knows what works & the effort it requires to be successful.

Janet is one of the founding members of the power platform community & known for mentoring & supporting up & coming talent. Janet is passionate about ensuring a safe & equal opportunities for women within the IT industry.
She is known for being straight talking – you have be warned.

Janet has been working within the Microsoft Dynamics ego system for over 24 years. Both within Microsoft , Partner networks & Consultancy. She is one of the leading change practitioners in Dynamics & Power Platform, she knows what works & the effort... Show more

Jack Arens

Jack Arens

Jack is the Lead Software Architect at Layer, where he builds the technical foundation for a platform that connects building data to Building Information Models (BIM). A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Raikes School, Jack combines a lifelong passion for solving complex problems with deep technical expertise to help the architecture, engineering, and construction industries work smarter.

Jack is the Lead Software Architect at Layer, where he builds the technical foundation for a platform that connects building data to Building Information Models (BIM). A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Raikes Scho... Show more

Kira Buckley

Kira Buckley

A wellbeing guide. Kira Buckley is an integrative medicine practitioner, writer, and ceremonial guide whose work sits at the intersection of somatics, ancestral intelligence, nervous system regulation, and cultural repair.
With a background as a former educator and over a decade of clinical and experiential work in acupuncture, herbal medicine, somatic therapy, and ritual facilitation, Kira speaks to what happens beneath behavior—where the body carries stories that language, systems, and family structures often fail to name.
Her talks explore themes such as:
The inherited costs of caretaking, productivity, and “being strong”
Rest as a physiological and cultural recalibration—not a luxury
How grief, burnout, and chronic symptoms are often signals of misalignment rather than pathology
Reclaiming authority from external validation, tradition, and transactional love
The body as a living archive of ancestral memory and future possibility
Kira is known for her grounded presence, sharp insight, and ability to translate complex somatic and spiritual concepts into language that is accessible, embodied, and actionable. She does not offer platitudes or performance healing—she invites people into honest self-contact, practical integration, and courageous choice-making.
Whether speaking to educators, healers, creatives, caregivers, or organizational leaders, Kira’s work leaves audiences with more than inspiration—it leaves them with permission and tools to live in deeper alignment with their bodies, boundaries, and truth.

A wellbeing guide. Kira Buckley is an integrative medicine practitioner, writer, and ceremonial guide whose work sits at the intersection of somatics, ancestral intelligence, nervous system regulation, and cultural repair. With a background as a for... Show more

Anna van Dillen

Anna van Dillen

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clients. Previously a travelling consultant at Thoughtworks, a tribe master building a big data organisation, and a people development manager in a cloud-native startup, she brings over a decade of hands-on experience in delivery and organisational change. In recent years she has integrated systemic coaching and breathwork training into her practice, using simple, evidence-informed nervous system tools to help leaders and teams stay clear-headed, collaborative and sustainable in high-pressure environments.

Anna van Dillen is a freelance consultant, trainer and coach working with tech organisations on agile leadership, product development and ways of working – currently supporting a German industrial tech company in the Black Forest alongside other clie... Show more

Karthik Govardhanan

Karthik Govardhanan

Karthik Govardhanan is affiliated with Boston University and has spent over 14 years building and scaling AI-powered search and discovery systems across large-scale retail and e-commerce platforms. His work spans search relevance, personalization, SEO, and conversational commerce, with a strong focus on applying large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, and semantic search in production environments.

Karthik Govardhanan is affiliated with Boston University and has spent over 14 years building and scaling AI-powered search and discovery systems across large-scale retail and e-commerce platforms. His work spans search relevance, personalization, SE... Show more

Raakesh Raajasekar

Raakesh Raajasekar

Lead Site Reliability Engineer with 7+ years of experience in optimising system reliability, automating infrastructure, and scaling cloud-based applications. Passionate about reducing manual toil and enhancing operational efficiency.

Lead Site Reliability Engineer with 7+ years of experience in optimising system reliability, automating infrastructure, and scaling cloud-based applications. Passionate about reducing manual toil and enhancing operational efficiency. Show more

Stu Johnstone

Stu Johnstone

Stu Johnstone, data architect and founder of two successful startups. With 25+ years' experience, Stu leads tech teams across Mantel Group working with AWS, Azure and Databricks.

Stu Johnstone, data architect and founder of two successful startups. With 25+ years' experience, Stu leads tech teams across Mantel Group working with AWS, Azure and Databricks. Show more

Lisa Tee

Lisa Tee

Lisa is a pharmacist dedicated to empowering patients to take care of their own health with ever advancing technology.

Lisa is a pharmacist dedicated to empowering patients to take care of their own health with ever advancing technology. Show more

Daan van Berkel

Daan van Berkel

Daan van Berkel is a enthusiastic software tinkerer with a knack for presenting technical details in a clear and concise manner.

Daan van Berkel is a enthusiastic software tinkerer with a knack for presenting technical details in a clear and concise manner. Show more

Sinchan Banerjee

Sinchan Banerjee

Sinchan Banerjee is currently a Director of Enterprise Architecture at UST who architects and drives delivery of enterprise-grade data platforms, large-scale data migrations, and digital transformations for the US healthcare industry. With over 15 years of hands-on experience, he has architected, implemented, and delivered data engineering solutions for both batch and streaming workloads with terabytes of data in cloud and on-premises environments.He develops data strategy of next generation products, leads research on how Generative AI can augment data engineering and drives delivery of enterprise-grade data platforms, large-scale data migrations, and digital transformations for the US healthcare industry.His research interests include Agentic AI, data engineering automation, and intelligent data applications.

An expert in scalable data architectures, AWS and Azure stack, service-oriented architectures, and various big data and streaming tools. For his decade long expertise in building data engineering solution, Packt invited him to author their flagship book on data engineering - “Scalable Data Architecture with Java”. He is also lead author of a patent on Predictive analytics and has published several research papers.

Sinchan Banerjee is currently a Director of Enterprise Architecture at UST who architects and drives delivery of enterprise-grade data platforms, large-scale data migrations, and digital transformations for the US healthcare industry. With over 15 y... Show more

Naveen Suresh

Naveen Suresh

Naveen Suresh is an AI/ML Engineer at Teragonia, where he builds ontology-driven systems for schema matching, automated data modeling, and document intelligence. He previously engineered C++ low-latency trading systems at Morgan Stanley and conducted NLP and multimodal ML research at Carnegie Mellon University during his graduate studies in Computational Data Science. Naveen also worked on generative AI and reinforcement learning methods for de-novo drug discovery. His current work integrates knowledge graphs and LLMs to unify complex enterprise data.

Naveen Suresh is an AI/ML Engineer at Teragonia, where he builds ontology-driven systems for schema matching, automated data modeling, and document intelligence. He previously engineered C++ low-latency trading systems at Morgan Stanley and conducted... Show more

Steve Pousty

Steve Pousty

Steve is a Dad, Partner, Son, and Principal Community Architect focused on AI. He can teach you about Data Analysis, Computer Vision, AI, Kubernetes, Java, Python, and PostgreSQL. He has deep subject area expertise in GIS/Spatial, Statistics, and Ecology. Before Red Hat, Steve was a developer Advocate for Crunchy Data, DigitalGlobe, VMWare, LinkedIn, deCarta, and ESRI. Steve has a Ph.D. in Ecology and can easily be bribed with offers of bird watching or fly fishing.

Steve is a Dad, Partner, Son, and Principal Community Architect focused on AI. He can teach you about Data Analysis, Computer Vision, AI, Kubernetes, Java, Python, and PostgreSQL. He has deep subject area expertise in GIS/Spatial, Statistics, and Eco... Show more

Laura Berman Fortgang

Laura Berman Fortgang

Laura Berman Fortgang, MCC, is a globally recognized pioneer in coaching and leadership development with over 30 years of experience. A founding member of the International Coach Federation, Laura has helped entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations, including NASA, the World Bank, and Fortune 500 companies, unlock purpose-driven growth. She is a best-selling author, TEDx speaker (2.1M+ views), and sought-after expert featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and other top media outlets.

Laura Berman Fortgang, MCC, is a globally recognized pioneer in coaching and leadership development with over 30 years of experience. A founding member of the International Coach Federation, Laura has helped entrepreneurs, executives, and organizatio... Show more

Eric Shuss

Eric Shuss

With over 35 years of experience in ERP, robotics, and artificial intelligence, Eric has established a distinguished career in the technology sector. He has spent more than 20 years specializing in Axapta, Dynamics AX, and D365, demonstrating a deep understanding of these platforms. As a former COO of a high-tech manufacturing company, Eric has firsthand experience in operational leadership and strategic decision-making.

In addition to their executive roles as CEO, CIO, and CTO in various AI, professional services, and software companies, Eric has served as an industry analyst focusing on supply chain, life sciences, manufacturing, and retail. A recognized speaker and author, they have received multiple awards for their contributions to ethical AI. Currently, Eric is a board member of several AI and robotics companies, where they continue to influence the future of technology.

With over 35 years of experience in ERP, robotics, and artificial intelligence, Eric has established a distinguished career in the technology sector. He has spent more than 20 years specializing in Axapta, Dynamics AX, and D365, demonstrating a deep ... Show more

Vadim Deylgat

Vadim Deylgat

Vadim discovered his passion for business analysis at the intersection of his training as psychologist and his deep interest in information technology. With years of business and IT experience in his backpack, he now focusses on training & coaching best practices to the analysts at Colruyt Group IT, and on building a thriving BA community where knowledge sharing is second nature.

Vadim discovered his passion for business analysis at the intersection of his training as psychologist and his deep interest in information technology. With years of business and IT experience in his backpack, he now focusses on training & coaching b... Show more

Shelly Lesher

Shelly Lesher

Shelly R. Lesher is Professor and Chair of the Physics Department at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As an experimental nuclear physicist, Dr. Lesher has authored over 60 scientific publications that focus on understanding the structure of nuclei and is involved in public scholarship around the intersection of nuclear science and society through a podcast, My Nuclear Life. She has held postdoctoral positions at the Katholiek Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and her honors include a Yale Presidential Fellowship and election as fellow of the American Physical Society.

Shelly R. Lesher is Professor and Chair of the Physics Department at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As an experimental nuclear physicist, Dr. Lesher has authored over 60 scientific publications that focus on understandin... Show more

John Ajera

John Ajera

John Ajera is responsible for GeoNet’s platforms, security, and remote networks, ensuring the reliable delivery of critical geoscience information to emergency management agencies, the public, and the global scientific community.

John Ajera is responsible for GeoNet’s platforms, security, and remote networks, ensuring the reliable delivery of critical geoscience information to emergency management agencies, the public, and the global scientific community. Show more

Manuel Martins

Manuel Martins

Manuel Martins is a Portuguese computer scientist specializing in computational algebra and software architecture. He earned his Ph.D. in 2019, contributing to the development of the Francy framework, which enhances interactive capabilities within the GAP system. His research focuses on discrete mathematics and building computational tools for advanced mathematical computation and visualization.

With a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Industrial Informatics) completed in 2008, Manuel brings over 15 years of experience across public and private sectors. He currently serves as a Senior Web Analyst at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), where he works on the Platform Engineering team within the Computing Department, specializing in software design and architecture.

Manuel Martins is a Portuguese computer scientist specializing in computational algebra and software architecture. He earned his Ph.D. in 2019, contributing to the development of the Francy framework, which enhances interactive capabilities within th... Show more

Ilyass Mousaid

Ilyass Mousaid

I sit right at the messy intersection of hard science and market strategy. As a Technology Transfer Officer at UM6P, my day job is helping inventions survive the 'Valley of Death'—that difficult gap between a lab discovery and a shelf-ready product.

I’m an engineer by training (Arts & Métiers) and PMP certified, so I’ve been in the trenches. Having co-authored research on frugal innovation, water treatment and mining platforms, I know the frustration of engineering challenges firsthand.

Right now, I’m focused on one thing: using AI to streamline the innovation process. I’m currently building workflows that help researchers and startups use Google's multimodal models to validate inventions, analyze prior art, and simulate complex systems before they ever hit the market.

I sit right at the messy intersection of hard science and market strategy. As a Technology Transfer Officer at UM6P, my day job is helping inventions survive the 'Valley of Death'—that difficult gap between a lab discovery and a shelf-ready product. ... Show more

Francesco Panico

Francesco Panico

Francesco Panico is a Senior IT Consultant at Imola Informatica with 16+ years of experience in enterprise architecture, application integration, and IT process automation.
His work focuses on DevOps, API governance, and security within large-scale banking and insurance ecosystems.

Francesco is currently researching how LLMs can automate and standardize the API lifecycle, improving consistency, cost-efficiency, and policy enforcement.

He likes speaking about AI-driven innovation in enterprise IT, with a focus on practical applications and real-world adoption.

Francesco Panico is a Senior IT Consultant at Imola Informatica with 16+ years of experience in enterprise architecture, application integration, and IT process automation. His work focuses on DevOps, API governance, and security within large-scale ... Show more

Deb Walther

Deb Walther

Deb is a recovering scientist who discovered SharePoint back in 2008. She has extensive experience in regulated companies in Biotech and Financial Services industries that specialized in the management and validation of business process and solution implementation. Deb has functioned as a Project Manager Business Analyst, Validation Engineer and in her current role as a Sr Engineer at SkyTerra. She excels in analysis, requirements gathering, design, configuration, documentation, training, and launching new solutions. Her job is to make your job easier.

Deb is a recovering scientist who discovered SharePoint back in 2008. She has extensive experience in regulated companies in Biotech and Financial Services industries that specialized in the management and validation of business process and solution ... Show more

Adam Salah

Adam Salah

Long time AI enthusiast from Prolog to Copilot, via MS-ML and several other stops.
Hands-on experience with various AI platforms, currently researching AI systems for deployment at SFU.
Educator: Taught at UBC, Langara and many schools around North America. Delivered dev/admin and user training as an MCT, around the globe.
Geek: Software architect, developer by training with over 30 years of hands-on expertise in Microsoft technologies, specializing in M365, Azure, data platforms, and analytics.
Over 20 years of SharePoint, many years of years of Teams, Power tools, SQL Server, and Viva stack experience.
Proficient in migrations, configuration, customization, and development.
Holds MCSE/MCSD certifications for SharePoint and Apps, MCSE SharePoint, and MCSE Data and analytics, Viva practitioner.

Long time AI enthusiast from Prolog to Copilot, via MS-ML and several other stops. Hands-on experience with various AI platforms, currently researching AI systems for deployment at SFU. Educator: Taught at UBC, Langara and many schools around Nort... Show more

Ravi Motha

Ravi Motha

Ravi is a experienced web developer with decades of experience building award winning web sites , micro sites, SaaS applications and campaigns for a wide range of clients (eBay, Coca-Cola, Ford, Orange, Deutsche Bank, Rolls-Royce and Fox International Channels).
He has always looked for innovative ways to use technology to provide solutions to make life easier for clients and users. He is also just as keen on process, because he believes knowing why will help you build a better product.

Ravi is a experienced web developer with decades of experience building award winning web sites , micro sites, SaaS applications and campaigns for a wide range of clients (eBay, Coca-Cola, Ford, Orange, Deutsche Bank, Rolls-Royce and Fox Internation... Show more

Doudou BA

Doudou BA

Doudou BA is Senegalese, Founder and CEO of OneNine, a Swedish Startup focused on AI data infrastructure for low-resource (African) languages, supplying training data to AI tier labs such as OpenAI, Google, Meta, Anthropic... His vision: make AI truly global so anyone can communicate with technology in their native language.
He also serves as Operations Research Scientist at A.P. Moller-Maersk, building intelligent systems across 200+ countries. His PhD at Charles University Prague focused on deep learning for environmental modeling. Publications in Journal of Hydroinformatics (2025) and Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics.

more: https://www.doudouba.tech/

Doudou BA is Senegalese, Founder and CEO of OneNine, a Swedish Startup focused on AI data infrastructure for low-resource (African) languages, supplying training data to AI tier labs such as OpenAI, Google, Meta, Anthropic... His vision: make AI trul... Show more

Nisha Joshi

Nisha Joshi

Nisha Joshi is an executive coach, transformation leader and podcaster with over two decades of experience driving impactful change across industries, from logistics and retail to broadcast media and startups. She specialises in aligning culture, leadership and execution to help organisations achieve strategic clarity and high-performing teams without friction or burnout.

Nisha is the co-host of The Delivery Space Podcast, where she and industry leaders explore the realities of leadership, culture and transformation through their direct experiences. She is also a frequent speaker at industry events, helping senior leaders shift from firefighting delivery challenges to creating cultures of autonomy, collaboration and innovation.

Beyond her work, Nisha is a lifelong learner, an avid reader and a podcast enthusiast. She once appeared in a Boy George music video, has a knack for winning Blackadder trivia battles, and loves deep conversations about the future of leadership.

Nisha Joshi is an executive coach, transformation leader and podcaster with over two decades of experience driving impactful change across industries, from logistics and retail to broadcast media and startups. She specialises in aligning culture, lea... Show more

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