Physical & Life Sciences

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

Patrick Coates

Patrick Coates

The e-Assessment Association is a not-for profit organisation representing over 5,000 members and key industry suppliers globally. Founded in 20078, the eAA is committed to communicating the positive contributions of technology to assessment practices and developing best practice guidelines for both technology providers and end-users.
Patrick Coates has worked in e-assessment for over 30 years in all its aspects around e-testing, e-marking and e-portfolio. During this period, Patrick has worked with both large and small e-assessment vendors, UK and International regulators as well as organisations using e-assessment technologies. Most recently, Patrick has been working in companies using AI to support e-assessment to improve assessment and better support candidates. Under Patrick’s leadership the eAA, a not-for profit organisation, has extended the range of eAA services and events, sharing industry best practice and celebrating the benefits that technology brings to learning and assessment.

The e-Assessment Association is a not-for profit organisation representing over 5,000 members and key industry suppliers globally. Founded in 20078, the eAA is committed to communicating the positive contributions of technology to assessment practice... Show more

Lucie Camanez

Lucie Camanez

I am a data enthusiast transitioning from a career in oceanography and ecology to data science. Since 2022, I have been exploring Shiny and learning how to create user-friendly applications for survey monitoring. While I’m not an expert developer yet, I am passionate about simplifying complex processes for non-technical users and sharing what I learn along the way. My background in environmental sciences and statistics helps me bring a unique perspective to problem-solving and data visualization.

I am a data enthusiast transitioning from a career in oceanography and ecology to data science. Since 2022, I have been exploring Shiny and learning how to create user-friendly applications for survey monitoring. While I’m not an expert developer yet... Show more

Jenn Donahue

Jenn Donahue

Jenn Donahue PhD is a retired US Navy Captain and engineer who works on large scale, high profile engineering projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates river in the midst of the Iraq war, commanded an 800-personnel Battalion in Afghanistan, and constructed combat outposts in the middle of deserts filled with insurgents. Jenn has led earthquake and tsunami reconnaissance missions in places like Samoa and Japan; designed the seismic plans for a bridge over the Panama Canal; and built roads in the coldest climes of Ketchikan. Along the way she mentored scores of young leaders. Today Jenn runs JL Donahue Engineering and lectures at UC Berkeley and UCLA.

Jenn Donahue PhD is a retired US Navy Captain and engineer who works on large scale, high profile engineering projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates river in the midst of the Iraq war, commanded an 80... Show more

Amanda Martin

Amanda Martin

Raised in a no-tech farming community in rural Arizona, Dr. Amanda Martin discovered the transformative power of technology and the world of possibilities it opens. This revelation came in college when open-source software became her catalyst for personal growth, reshaping her perspective on how technology can democratize access, empower collaboration, and provide solutions to pressing global issues.

With her Doctorate in Computer Science, Dr. Martin passionately embraced the ethos of open-source endeavors and now serves as the Director of Program Management at the Linux Foundation. Currently, within the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), championing open-source security and global collaboration.

Never forgetting her roots, Dr. Martin continues to propagate her lifelong commitment to education, teaching subjects ranging from technology to physics. Yet, it's her sustained awe for science and technology and her passion to share this wonder with as many individuals as possible that truly make her an inspirational figure.

In essence, Dr. Amanda Martin stands as a testament to the transformative power of open-source technology, continually inspiring others to explore the remarkable potentials of this realm.

Raised in a no-tech farming community in rural Arizona, Dr. Amanda Martin discovered the transformative power of technology and the world of possibilities it opens. This revelation came in college when open-source software became her catalyst for per... Show more

Muhsin Tamturk

Muhsin Tamturk

Dr. Muhsin Tamturk is currently a Senior Researcher in R&D at Antares Global. He is also a Quantum Advocate and a certified IBM Quantum Computing Developer. 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 in R&D at Antares Global. He is also a Quantum Advocate and a certified IBM Quantum Computing Developer. His academic background includes a BSc in Mathematics, an MSc in Financial Mathematics, a PhD... Show more

Nathan Case

Nathan Case

Nathan Case is a successful executive and builder, pushing for change in security and the culture surrounding it. Leading strategic initiatives and the creation of new technologies in the healthcare, information technology and cloud industries, focusing on security. A passion for Incident Response, and operational security in all forms. Pushing the bounds of threat detection and response. Finding new thoughts and bringing them to the fields of security and technology.

Nathan Case is a successful executive and builder, pushing for change in security and the culture surrounding it. Leading strategic initiatives and the creation of new technologies in the healthcare, information technology and cloud industries, focus... Show more

Gábor Mészáros

Gábor Mészáros

Mathematician turned software engineer turned network scientist. I explore how structure and behavior emerge in complex systems — from code ecosystems to large graphs. Passionate about Python, powered mostly by coffee, and firmly in the tabs-over-spaces camp.

Mathematician turned software engineer turned network scientist. I explore how structure and behavior emerge in complex systems — from code ecosystems to large graphs. Passionate about Python, powered mostly by coffee, and firmly in the tabs-over-spa... Show more

Fariba Yazdanpanah

Fariba Yazdanpanah

Dr. Fariba Yazdanpanah is a General Preventive Medicine and Public Health resident at the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center with more than 15 years of experience in clinical medicine and research. She is also board-certified in Cardiology by Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Dr. Yazdanpanah is committed to advancing patient safety and quality of care through the integration of preventive and curative approaches. Her work focuses on developing innovative healthcare strategies and conducting impactful, cutting-edge clinical research within academic and healthcare systems.

Dr. Fariba Yazdanpanah is a General Preventive Medicine and Public Health resident at the University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center with more than 15 years of experience in clinical medicine and research. She is also board-certified in Cardi... Show more

Matic Petrič

Matic Petrič

Matic Petrič studied theoretical physics at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics in physics.

During his studies, Pertič worked at T-Labs, the Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, where he derived a problem formulation for optimizing traffic flow in real time with Quantum Annealing.

After finishing his degree during the pandemic, he is now working as a Quantum Computing Researcher at Fraunhofer FOKUS, focusing on hybrid quantum-classical algorithms, and working on Eclipse Qrisp - a high level programming language he'll be presenting on stage together with Raphael Seidel during WAD'24.

Matic Petrič studied theoretical physics at University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics in physics. During his studies, Pertič worked at T-Labs, the Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, where he derived a problem formulation for optimizing traffic ... 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

Godhuli Das

Godhuli Das

Godhuli is an ERP and CRM enthusiast who works at the intersection of enterprise systems and applied AI. She is currently an Oracle Finance Functional Consultant at TCS and previously worked at Cognizant as an Oracle Fusion and EBS Functional Consultant. She holds an MTech in Computer Technology from Jadavpur University, with research in machine learning, deep learning, and computational biology. An active community volunteer and tech event host, she enjoys building collaborative spaces and exploring how ML models move from research into real production pipelines. She is also nurturing WallWonders, a mural venture inspired by her mother’s dream.

Godhuli is an ERP and CRM enthusiast who works at the intersection of enterprise systems and applied AI. She is currently an Oracle Finance Functional Consultant at TCS and previously worked at Cognizant as an Oracle Fusion and EBS Functional Consult... Show more

Nathan Brewer

Nathan Brewer

I am a Data Scientist. I have a few simple and crucial skills, asking a good question, being able to research to find the answer and being able to explain it once I've found it. I learn through play and I build my own playgrounds. I had a role working with the team discovering the heaviest known elements: 117 and 118 (Ts and Og). I make tools that make my team successful and I can find a needle in a haystack (if you need a needle).

I'm keenly interested in mentorship, the use of technology in the learning process, data science, machine learning, ethical AI, puzzles, visualization, math, physics and FLOSS. I really enjoy effective illustrations and experiments that can unlock solving very complicated problems. I love a good one sentence story.

I am a Data Scientist. I have a few simple and crucial skills, asking a good question, being able to research to find the answer and being able to explain it once I've found it. I learn through play and I build my own playgrounds. I had a role workin... Show more

Margina Cohen

Margina Cohen

Margina, J.D., Ed.S., is a dynamic advocate, author, and educator with a passion for empowering others through shared knowledge and social justice advocacy. With extensive experience in educational leadership, she combines her legal expertise with her dedication to educational equity. A strong advocate for parental rights and education reform, Margina believes every child deserves access to quality education and support. Through her work with the Cooley Innocence Project, she has come to understand that educational equity is fundamental to true criminal justice reform. By championing parental advocacy and fostering collaborative community initiatives, Margina aims to create a more just and equitable system for all.

Margina, J.D., Ed.S., is a dynamic advocate, author, and educator with a passion for empowering others through shared knowledge and social justice advocacy. With extensive experience in educational leadership, she combines her legal expertise with he... Show more

Clio Rom

Clio Rom

Clio Rom is a second-year doctoral student in art history at Penn State, with a Masters Italian Renaissance Art History from Syracuse University, with a GIS certificate and BA in Art History from the University of Arkansas. Her primary research interests lie in depicting and engaging with the natural world in sixteenth and seventeenth-century Italy in objects and spaces such as paintings, botanical texts, gardens, and textiles.
Clio is starting her dissertation research which examines how nature, power, and cultural identity intersected in early modern Italy through a study of the Barberini family and their use of nature as a form of expression and control. Her work will focus on the Barberini garden on the Quirinal Hill during their occupancy throughout the seventeenth century. She hopes to reconstruct the garden's design, evolution, and functions as both a physical space and a cultural artifact that participated in a larger pan-European system of meaning-making through naturalia.

Clio Rom is a second-year doctoral student in art history at Penn State, with a Masters Italian Renaissance Art History from Syracuse University, with a GIS certificate and BA in Art History from the University of Arkansas. Her primary research inter... Show more

Tasfia Rahman

Tasfia Rahman

Tasfia Rahman is PhD candidate studying anthropology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Tasfia’s research explores how historical trauma from war and xenophobia can shape the contemporary mental health experiences and perceptions for multiple generations of Bangladeshi immigrant women in New York City. She is also interested in how gender and racial inequalities shape notions around trauma, mental health, identity, and personhood. Currently, she is pursuing her dissertation fieldwork, which consists of an ethnography of the different Bangladeshi communities in NYC, including participant observation in women-led spaces and oral history interviews with intergenerational dyads of women from different families. Her research interests include transnational feminism, critical ethnic and race studies, South Asian mental health, and psychological anthropology.

Tasfia Rahman is PhD candidate studying anthropology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Tasfia’s research explores how historical trauma from war and xenophobia can shape the contemporary mental health experiences and perc... Show more

Cheolkyu Kim

Cheolkyu Kim

Cheolkyu Kim is the Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Onto Innovation. Throughout his professional career, he has specialized primarily in application development for metrology and inspection. Kim earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Rhode Island.

Cheolkyu Kim is the Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Onto Innovation. Throughout his professional career, he has specialized primarily in application development for metrology and inspection. Kim earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of... Show more

Tom Sherman

Tom Sherman

In 2017, Tom Sherman discovered the 5th season of the year after nearly a decade of studying timekeeping and measurement systems. He then spent the next 3 years deconstructing the Gregorian Calendar and re-engineering a New Calendar system using modern math, science and logic that divides time evenly, precisely, and accurately, for the first time in the history of time. With humor, philosophy, and curiosity, Tom is able to expand your perception of reality and uncover new systems and patterns that are currently hiding in plain sight.

In 2017, Tom Sherman discovered the 5th season of the year after nearly a decade of studying timekeeping and measurement systems. He then spent the next 3 years deconstructing the Gregorian Calendar and re-engineering a New Calendar system using mode... Show more

Valerio Pascucci

Valerio Pascucci

Valerio Pascucci is the founding Director of the Center for Extreme Data Management Analysis and Visualization (CEDMAV) of the University of Utah. Valerio is also a Faculty member of the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, a Professor of the School of Computing, University of Utah, and a DOE Laboratory Fellow of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Valerio Pascucci is the founding Director of the Center for Extreme Data Management Analysis and Visualization (CEDMAV) of the University of Utah. Valerio is also a Faculty member of the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, a Professor of the ... Show more

Letsatsi Lekhooa

Letsatsi Lekhooa

Letsatsi Lekhooa is a Systems Librarian at the National University of Lesotho Library and the Chairperson of the Lesotho Research and Education Network (LesREN). His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital governance, open knowledge infrastructure, and digital rights within public and academic institutions. He has extensive experience supporting research systems, institutional repositories, data governance frameworks, and digital transformation initiatives in higher education.

He is a Research Fellow in AI in Academic Writing and Publishing and serves on editorial and peer review boards for academic journals. His research and professional engagements examine how emerging technologies, particularly AI-driven systems, affect access to information, privacy, accountability, and intellectual freedom in libraries and knowledge institutions. He has contributed to national and regional discussions on digital policy, open science, and technology governance across Africa.

Letsatsi is actively involved in multi-stakeholder initiatives on climate action, data governance, and digital inclusion, and regularly supports capacity building for librarians, researchers, and policymakers. His current interests include rights-based approaches to AI adoption in libraries, responsible data use, and strengthening public trust in digital knowledge systems

Letsatsi Lekhooa is a Systems Librarian at the National University of Lesotho Library and the Chairperson of the Lesotho Research and Education Network (LesREN). His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital governance, ope... Show more

Sameer Shende

Sameer Shende

Sameer Shende serves as a Research Professor and the Director of the Performance Research Lab at the University of Oregon and the President and Director of ParaTools, Inc. (USA) and ParaTools, SAS (France). He serves as the Technical Lead of the Extreme-scale Scientific Software Stack (E4S), TAU, and PDT projects. His research interests include scientific software stacks, performance instrumentation, compiler optimizations, measurement, and analysis tools for HPC.

Sameer Shende serves as a Research Professor and the Director of the Performance Research Lab at the University of Oregon and the President and Director of ParaTools, Inc. (USA) and ParaTools, SAS (France). He serves as the Technical Lead of the Extr... Show more

Shelly Hattan

Shelly Hattan

Shelly Hattan brings over 30 years of experience in the water industry, including 18.5 years with the Tarrant Regional Water District. She holds both a BS and MS from the University of Texas at Arlington, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and a Certified Construction Manager.

For the past 15 years, Shelly has been a key leader on the Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL), overseeing the installation of 92 miles of 108- and 84-inch pipeline, over 100 tunnels, as well as the completion of 150 MGD, 210 MGD and 277 MGD pump stations. She is currently completing Phase 3 of the IPL and initiating Phases 4 and 5, a combined effort projected to span the next 11 years.

Shelly is an active member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and the Hydraulic Institute (HI), contributing her expertise through multiple committee roles.

Shelly Hattan brings over 30 years of experience in the water industry, including 18.5 years with the Tarrant Regional Water District. She holds both a BS and MS from the University of Texas at Arlington, is a licensed Professional Engineer, and a Ce... Show more

Hércules Pereira

Hércules Pereira

Apaixonado por tecnologia e suas soluções, formado em Técnico de Informática para Internet e Tecnólogo em Banco de Dados pela FATEC de São José dos Campos. Nos últimos anos, dedicou-se à administração de servidores SQL Server, abrangendo desde a instalação de instâncias standalone, otimizações de queries SQL até projetos complexos migrações, upgrades e melhorias. Possui conhecimentos técnicos em High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR), utilizando tecnologias como Failover Cluster Instances (FCI), Availability Groups (AG), Log Shipping e Data Replication. Experiência em Cloud Computing na AWS, Azure e Google com foco em administração e migrações online ou offline por meio de estratégias como Rehosting e Replatforming voltado para serviços de dados em ambientes IaaS, PaaS e SaaS.

Apaixonado por tecnologia e suas soluções, formado em Técnico de Informática para Internet e Tecnólogo em Banco de Dados pela FATEC de São José dos Campos. Nos últimos anos, dedicou-se à administração de servidores SQL Server, abrangendo desde a inst... Show more

Subhash Gehlot

Subhash Gehlot

professional with strong expertise in Kubernetes platforms, DevSecOps practices, and zero-trust security. With hands-on experience in implementing admission control policies, container security scanning, and secure deployment pipelines, Subhash focuses on bridging the gap between development speed and security compliance. Having worked across full-stack development, SQL architecture, on-call operations, and cloud-native platforms, Subhash brings a practical perspective to container security.

professional with strong expertise in Kubernetes platforms, DevSecOps practices, and zero-trust security. With hands-on experience in implementing admission control policies, container security scanning, and secure deployment pipelines, Subhash focus... Show more

Scott Reed

Scott Reed

Scott's career in software began in 1993 at IBM. Along the way he has developed enterprise solutions for both Microsoft and Cardinal Health. In 2014 he formed Crafting Bytes, a small software studio and consulting firm. He leads teams of software engineers, software testers, software architects, cloud architects and Dev-Ops engineers to deliver quality software into the hands of users in the quickest way possible. He speaks at conferences and user groups on a variety of software engineering topics. He is the chair of the Software Architecture User Group in San Diego.

Scott's career in software began in 1993 at IBM. Along the way he has developed enterprise solutions for both Microsoft and Cardinal Health. In 2014 he formed Crafting Bytes, a small software studio and consulting firm. He leads teams of software eng... Show more

Anna John

Anna John

I’m a designer and product manager specializing in human–AI collaboration and applied intelligence systems. With a Masters in Human Computer Interaction degree from Carnegie Mellon University, I’ve led design and product strategy for AI platforms across hiring and training. At Zenafide, I focus on turning complex AI workflows into intuitive, no-code-driven systems that scale from prototype to agentic systems for hiring and recruiting. My work bridges design thinking, systems architecture, and product growth—helping teams make AI practical, safe, and human.

I’m a designer and product manager specializing in human–AI collaboration and applied intelligence systems. With a Masters in Human Computer Interaction degree from Carnegie Mellon University, I’ve led design and product strategy for AI platforms ac... Show more

Florencia de la Rosa

Florencia de la Rosa

I'm a biologist with a PhD in Biological Sciences. I started out researching climate impacts on aquatic systems and now focus on bridging science, tech, and education to support ecological transition. I work as a lecturer, AI trainer, and sustainability consultant.

I'm a biologist with a PhD in Biological Sciences. I started out researching climate impacts on aquatic systems and now focus on bridging science, tech, and education to support ecological transition. I work as a lecturer, AI trainer, and sustainabil... Show more

Abdurrahmon Akesire

Abdurrahmon Akesire

Akesire Abdurrahmon is a dedicated and ambitious final-year student at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), specializing in Applied Geophysics. With a strong passion for geophysical exploration especially in the energy and mineral exploration, he has developed expertise in integrating magnetic, gravity, radiometric and vertical electrical sounding (VES) data for subsurface analysis using software like ArcGIS, Oasis Montaj, WinResist, and most importantly, his knowledge on python in application of Data Science in various Geophysical Investigations. His academic journey has been marked by excellence in research, particularly in the application of geophysical techniques for energy and mineral exploration in Nigeria.

He has actively participated in several fieldwork, geophysical data acquisition, analysis and interpretation, enhancing his practical knowledge in the discipline. His current research focuses on evaluating iron ore deposits in Calabar, Southern Nigeria, analyses of petroleum potential in some selected areas in Ondo State (a potential green field for oil and gas) utilizing geophysical methods to support economic and industrial development. He also has a lined up research work on application of geophysical methods to analyze geothermal potential zones in some selected areas in Nigeria.

Beyond academics, he is a proactive problem solver, a leader and a keen learner, with aspirations to contribute significantly to the energy industry through innovative exploration techniques and sustainable energy management.

Akesire Abdurrahmon is a dedicated and ambitious final-year student at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), specializing in Applied Geophysics. With a strong passion for geophysical exploration especially in the energy and mineral expl... Show more

Abenezer Tafese

Abenezer Tafese

Abenezer Tafese is an MPH student at Thomas Jefferson University and a physician trained in Ethiopia, dedicated to improving cancer care and research in Africa. He spent four years working at the cancer treatment centers of the University of Gondar and Addis Ababa University, where he witnessed the challenges of cancer care and prevention firsthand. His research focuses on cancer prevention and survival disparities, particularly in breast and cervical cancer. Through his work, he aims to bridge gaps in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment access in Ethiopia, Africa, and other underserved regions.

Abenezer Tafese is an MPH student at Thomas Jefferson University and a physician trained in Ethiopia, dedicated to improving cancer care and research in Africa. He spent four years working at the cancer treatment centers of the University of Gondar a... Show more

Alejandro Lazaro

Alejandro Lazaro

I am a Cloud Architect specialised in AWS, I have been working with AWS for 6 years and I have 7 AWS certifications: the 2 professional, the 3 associate and the Security and the Data Analytics Specialties. I am also AWS Community Builder and AWS Ambassador in my company.

I started as a developer but evolved to a software architect first and finally to a cloud architect. Now with more than 10 years of experience, I have been involved with different clients in all phases of software development and have worked with all types of architectures: monolithic, microservices, event-driven, SOA (service-oriented), serverless, cloud-native... I have also worked on modernisation projects and DevOps transformations. I often teach my co-workers about AWS and I like to collaborate on anything AWS-related that I can help with.

I love serverless, event-driven architectures, DevOps, CDK and new technology challenges!

I am a Cloud Architect specialised in AWS, I have been working with AWS for 6 years and I have 7 AWS certifications: the 2 professional, the 3 associate and the Security and the Data Analytics Specialties. I am also AWS Community Builder and AWS Amba... Show more

Aniruddha Dhole

Aniruddha Dhole

A dynamic Quality and Design Assurance professional whose career has been dedicated to elevating product quality and regulatory compliance within the complex MedTech and Bio-Pharmaceutical sectors. Aniruddha's deep technical background allows him to serve as an authoritative subject matter expert on critical industry standards, including ISO 14971 risk assessment, EU MDR transition, and US FDA regulations.

My experience includes leading cross-functional teams to define, validate, and launch new products, managing the complete Design History File (DHF) lifecycle, and implementing Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques to reduce manufacturing defects. Proficient in quality methodologies like FMEA, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Gage R&R, Aniruddha excels at transforming non-conformance issues into streamlined, compliant processes. Currently serving as a Design Quality Engineer, he brings immediate, real-world insight into process validation (IQ, OQ, PQ) and maintaining a robust quality system.

A dynamic Quality and Design Assurance professional whose career has been dedicated to elevating product quality and regulatory compliance within the complex MedTech and Bio-Pharmaceutical sectors. Aniruddha's deep technical background allows him to ... Show more

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