Ella Sheer has been a software engineer for 8 years and is in love with software architecture.

Ella Sheer has been a software engineer for 8 years and is in love with software architecture. Show more

Experienced CyberSecurity Specialist | Strategic Advisor & Threat Intelligence Expert
In a world where digital threats are becoming increasingly complex, I help organizations elevate their cybersecurity to the next level. With extensive experience in national and international projects across government institutions, ministries, and the industrial sector—including ASML, E.ON, and the Ministry of Defense—I specialize in advising on complex security challenges and facilitating collaboration between stakeholders.

My Expertise
✅ Compliance & AI Security Policies – Supporting compliance with BIO, NIS2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and GDPR.

✅ Strategic Cybersecurity Advisory – Developing and implementing robust security strategies tailored to business objectives and risk profiles.

✅ (Cybersecurity Threat) Intelligence – Identifying and analyzing threats to prepare organizations for emerging risks.

✅ Geo-Analysis & Intelligence Consulting – Integrating geographical data for advanced analysis and strategic risk management.
My mission is to help organizations stay ahead of the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. Through deep insights, a strategic approach, and collaboration using methodologies like Agile, I support organizations in strengthening their current security posture while ensuring long-term resilience.

Interested in discussing cybersecurity challenges or strategic opportunities? Let’s connect!

Experienced CyberSecurity Specialist | Strategic Advisor & Threat Intelligence Expert In a world where digital threats are becoming increasingly complex, I help organizations elevate their cybersecurity to the next level. With extensive experience i... Show more

Robert is a Solution Architect with a background in Observability and Application Security. His prior experience includes Applications Performance Management, Enterprise Applications Integration, and Embedded Systems. Robert holds a Masters Degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California.

Robert is a Solution Architect with a background in Observability and Application Security. His prior experience includes Applications Performance Management, Enterprise Applications Integration, and Embedded Systems. Robert holds a Masters Degree in... Show more

Amy Ballantyne is a multiple TEDx Speaker, Executive Life Coach, Workplace Wellness & Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Trainer/ Master Coach of NLP, and host of the podcast: Power To The People Pleasers. Her whole-person coaching approach serves executives, professionals and entrepreneurs to breakthrough their barriers and excel to new heights.

She is a dynamic and engaging speaker and trainer having spoken to companies and organizations internationally including BNI (Business Networking International), Schlegel Villages, Ernst & Young, USANA Health Sciences, SunLife, Manulife, Vidyard, YPO, Hazelview, ProResp, Canfitpro and more.
Her mission is to inspire 10,000 humans to embrace their worthiness and release the daily overwhelm, pressure and stress that is preventing them from living the life they desire.

Amy Ballantyne is a multiple TEDx Speaker, Executive Life Coach, Workplace Wellness & Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Trainer/ Master Coach of NLP, and host of the podcast: Power To The People Pleasers. Her whole-person coaching approach serves execu... Show more

Ritwik Joshi is a well-recognized technical expert with over a decade of experience in AI, Robotics, and Automation. He started his entrepreneurial journey as the ex-co-founder of an AI-based chatbot startup, where he was instrumental in shaping both the technology and strategy. Ritwik has a deep understanding of cutting-edge technologies, having developed advanced applications for humanoid robots and integrated cognitive capabilities that push the limits of innovation.

With education from IIM Ahmedabad and ISB Hyderabad, Ritwik has sharpened his skills in entrepreneurship, strategic planning, and corporate communication. His expertise in Robotics and Generative AI allows him to craft solutions that tackle complex business challenges.

As a seasoned 2X TEDx and public speaker, Ritwik has shared his knowledge at prominent events like IBM Developer Connect Conferences and Microsoft Students Club Pilani. His blend of technical expertise and business insight makes him a respected leader in the industry, continually driving the future of technology and entrepreneurship.

Ritwik Joshi is a well-recognized technical expert with over a decade of experience in AI, Robotics, and Automation. He started his entrepreneurial journey as the ex-co-founder of an AI-based chatbot startup, where he was instrumental in shaping both... Show more

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

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

I am Sai Saketh Cherukuri, a final-year M.Sc. student in Mathematics with a specialization in Computer Science at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. My work sits at the intersection of mathematical rigor and high-performance computing, specifically in the domain of LLM inference optimization and system-level efficiency.

As an active contributor to the open-source AI ecosystem, I specialize in hardware acceleration and performance tuning using the vLLM engine. I am currently leveraging the MLPerf Inference benchmark suite to evaluate industry-standard models like Llama 3.1-8B, applying a mathematical lens to analyze the statistical significance of throughput variances across different quantization kernels.

By combining a deep understanding of mathematical modeling with practical GPU-level implementation, I aim to bridge the gap between theoretical optimization and practical systems engineering. My goal is to build scalable, cost-transparent solutions that make high-performance machine learning accessible and economically sustainable for the global developer community.

I am Sai Saketh Cherukuri, a final-year M.Sc. student in Mathematics with a specialization in Computer Science at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. My work sits at the intersection of mathematical rigor and high-performance computing, ... Show more

Chemikerin, Promotion in medizinischer Biochemie
Geschäftsführerin der Fa. Micromun Institut für mikrobiologische Forschung GmbH
Geschäftsführende Gesellschafterin der BioResQ gGmbH
seit 18 Jahren Lehrtätigkeit an der Hochschule Neubrandenburg

Chemikerin, Promotion in medizinischer Biochemie Geschäftsführerin der Fa. Micromun Institut für mikrobiologische Forschung GmbH Geschäftsführende Gesellschafterin der BioResQ gGmbH seit 18 Jahren Lehrtätigkeit an der Hochschule Neubrandenburg Show more

I am interested in data authorisation and access control, astronomical data models, systems integration and data interoperability. I have a diverse background; with a PhD in astrophysics, I worked as a research fellow, provided technical support, and managed data systems at the Australian Astronomical Observatory. I'm now based in the Australian Astronomical Optics group at Macquarie University, leading teams to build better data infrastructure for researchers.

I am interested in data authorisation and access control, astronomical data models, systems integration and data interoperability. I have a diverse background; with a PhD in astrophysics, I worked as a research fellow, provided technical support, and... Show more

Harsha Priya Ganapathy is an AI/ML Engineer and Research Scholar with a Master’s degree in Computer Science specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. She has published multiple AI research papers and has built real-world AI applications in healthcare, energy optimization, and computer vision.
She actively mentors students in AI and cloud technologies, has delivered technical webinars on hackathon strategy and AI system design, and works at the intersection of applied machine learning and scalable software systems.
Her work focuses on making advanced AI accessible through practical system integration using modern development frameworks.

Harsha Priya Ganapathy is an AI/ML Engineer and Research Scholar with a Master’s degree in Computer Science specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. She has published multiple AI research papers and has built real-world AI applic... Show more

Alexandra Waldherr holds a degree in chemical engineering and completed studies in molecular medicine and drug development. She is currently a doctorate reseracher at the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen (Germany).

Her passion for quantum computing started to grow from experiments back in 2018. Since then, she has been part of various projects, and together with Somya Rathee and Nico Einsidler founded the Quantum Society Austria in 2021.

Alexandra has worked at BASF, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, CERN and the European Space Agency. She was Fellow at the Stanford Center for Responsible Quantum Technology between 2023 to 2025.

Alexandra Waldherr holds a degree in chemical engineering and completed studies in molecular medicine and drug development. She is currently a doctorate reseracher at the Max Planck Institutes in Tübingen (Germany). Her passion for quantum computi... Show more

I am a former physician with clinical background in divergent cognition: how thinking processes work under different conditions. For the past year I have applied that lens to large language models, conducting systematic empirical research across multiple architectures. My studies challenge several widely held assumptions about LLM behaviour, including the effectiveness of structured prompt engineering, the nature of hallucinations, and the conditions under which reasoning capacity is suppressed or expressed. I do not approach these systems as an engineer, but by using my training to observe how minds actually behave, which sometimes means seeing things that standard benchmarks miss.

I am a former physician with clinical background in divergent cognition: how thinking processes work under different conditions. For the past year I have applied that lens to large language models, conducting systematic empirical research across mult... Show more

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

Yingfan Xu is a Ph.D. researcher in Engineering (Data Science concentration) at Oklahoma State University, working on real-world multimodal AI. His recent work focuses on building reproducible pipelines that fuse relational clinical metadata with medical images for patient-level prediction tasks, and translating models into deployable systems. He has research experience across computer vision, multimodal learning, and machine learning engineering, and has published work on deep learning for early prediction of disease, wildlife monitoring and acoustic species identification. Yingfan enjoys sharing practical, end-to-end patterns that help data professionals move from SQL-managed data to production-ready AI.

Yingfan Xu is a Ph.D. researcher in Engineering (Data Science concentration) at Oklahoma State University, working on real-world multimodal AI. His recent work focuses on building reproducible pipelines that fuse relational clinical metadata with med... Show more

Mellon Sawyer Postdoctoral Fellow in Transpacific Thought at NYU

Mellon Sawyer Postdoctoral Fellow in Transpacific Thought at NYU Show more

Ramsey Elkholy is a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and anthropologist who founded the indietronica collective Monotronic in 2016. He conceived the project as a communal platform where instruments interweave into a single expressive force. Rather than spotlighting individual virtuosity, he emphasizes shared intention and group chemistry, encouraging collaborators to shape each track with their own textures, instincts, and creative voice.

Elkholy’s parallel career in anthropology informs that philosophy. He earned a PhD and authored Being and Becoming: Embodiment and Experience Among the Orang Rimba of Sumatra, a study of rainforest foragers in Indonesia. His research explored how identity, environment, and daily practice intertwine. That perspective carries into his music, where rhythm and atmosphere reflect lived experience and collective awareness.

Travel has also played a defining role in his artistic development. After spending three years backpacking across Asia and beyond, studying Indian music in Calcutta, and completing two years of fieldwork in Sumatra, Ramsey Elkholy Monotronic developed a deep sensitivity to polyrhythm and texture. He has described the rainforest at night as a vast, layered symphony. Raised in New York and now based in Los Angeles, he works from a home garage studio.

Monotronic’s 2026 album Waiting for You represents a significant chapter in the collective’s growth. The record features acclaimed bassist Mohini Dey on Close Enough and legendary drummer Omar Hakim throughout the project. Several accompanying videos, including Looking Away and Everything Moves, premiered at number one on VEVO, expanding the band’s reach and visual identity.

The album blends indie rock, pop, and electronic elements into a cohesive, cinematic sound marked by reflective lyrics and polished production. Everything Moves unfolds in a high-energy escape room setting, while Kettle Song pairs dynamic choreography with striking imagery. Many of the songs were written during time spent in Tulum, where coastal landscapes shaped the album’s contemplative mood.

Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2019, Monotronic has earned praise from outlets such as Rolling Stone and Relix. A rotating roster of accomplished musicians has contributed to the project, many of whom have ties to major artists across genres. Singles including Kids of Summer and In Between have drawn a strong critical response, reinforcing Elkholy’s reputation for genre-fluid songwriting and immersive sound design.

Ramsey Elkholy is a guitarist, producer, songwriter, and anthropologist who founded the indietronica collective Monotronic in 2016. He conceived the project as a communal platform where instruments interweave into a single expressive force. Rather th... Show more

Sahara is a computational linguist and AI security researcher dedicated to building culturally coherent, resilient, and trustworthy technology. Currently a Project Lead for AI Data Operations, she focuses on the frontier of "Linguistic Security", synthesizing computational linguistics, adversarial safety, and open-source collaboration. As a technical builder within the NAMAA Arabic NLP community and a UCLA trained linguist, Sahara translates cultural and script specific nuances into defensive frameworks for more secure AI systems. As a first generation Palestinian-Mexican American, she is committed to architecting digital spaces that are safe, accessible, and technically representative of the global communities they serve.

Note: As a first-time BSides speaker, I am excited about working with a mentor to refine this technical briefing for the San Diego security community.

Sahara is a computational linguist and AI security researcher dedicated to building culturally coherent, resilient, and trustworthy technology. Currently a Project Lead for AI Data Operations, she focuses on the frontier of "Linguistic Security", syn... Show more

Head of the advanced physics laboratory at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Head of the advanced physics laboratory at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Show more

Sepha Soul was created by Jeanette and Frode Josepha‑Hveding - partners in life, in vision, and in the belief that the future of wellbeing begins with reconnecting to ourselves. Jeanette brings the intuitive, soulful dimension of the project, while Frode brings the technical imagination and engineering mindset. Together, they form the heart and structure of Sepha Soul.

Sepha Soul was created by Jeanette and Frode Josepha‑Hveding - partners in life, in vision, and in the belief that the future of wellbeing begins with reconnecting to ourselves. Jeanette brings the intuitive, soulful dimension of the project, while F... Show more

Stefano Besseghini past President of ARERA, Italy’s independent regulatory authority for energy, networks, and environment. A physicist by training, he combines academic rigor with institutional leadership, driving innovation and efficiency in essential public services. With a career spanning research, industry, and public governance recognized as one of Europe’s most authoritative voices on regulation, sustainability, and the future of energy systems.

He is known for making complex energy and sustainability issues clear and engaging, regularly addresses international conferences, institutional events, and corporate forums, bringing authority, clarity, and vision to discussions on the future of energy, innovation, and regulation.

Stefano Besseghini past President of ARERA, Italy’s independent regulatory authority for energy, networks, and environment. A physicist by training, he combines academic rigor with institutional leadership, driving innovation and efficiency in essent... Show more

Gareth Thomas is an electrical engineer (control), community builder, and technology enthusiast with a passion for turning emerging ideas into practical, scalable solutions. Known for his strong coding skills and ability to bring people together, Gareth sits at the intersection of engineering excellence and vibrant tech communities.

He is a driving force behind PyData Eindhoven and played a key role in bringing JuliaCon to Eindhoven, helping position the city as a hub for scientific computing and modern data tooling. As a regular meetup organizer, Gareth has built and nurtured spaces where developers, researchers, and industry practitioners connect, learn, and collaborate.

Professionally, Gareth previously worked at MathWorks, gaining deep experience in technical computing and developer-facing tooling. He later founded his own company, focused on embracing new technologies, modernizing Python ecosystems, Python version migrations, and building robust testing strategies—helping teams move fast without breaking things. Currently he is working at ProRail through CGI, after helping ASML change the world one nanometer at a time.

Beyond code and consulting, Gareth is also the host of his own podcast, where he explores software engineering, open source, community leadership, and the real-world challenges of adopting new technologies.

Whether he’s shipping code, organizing events, or sparking conversations, Gareth is driven by one core belief: great software is built by strong communities, curious minds, and a willingness to evolve.

Gareth Thomas is an electrical engineer (control), community builder, and technology enthusiast with a passion for turning emerging ideas into practical, scalable solutions. Known for his strong coding skills and ability to bring people together, Gar... Show more

Rebecca Garden, PhD, is Associate Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and Executive Director for the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, an education and research collaborative. Her research brings health humanities and disability studies perspectives to bear on public health, healthcare practice, and pedagogy on topics involving disability and Deaf cultures, aging and dementia, and New American/refugee literature and health. She teaches public health and medical students as well as humanities and social science students.

Rebecca Garden, PhD, is Associate Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and Executive Director for the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, an education and research collaborative. Her research brings h... Show more

I'm a member of the Rust infrastructure and compiler teams and the Leadership Council. I teach Rust at a university and sometimes do Rust trainings. Apart from that I also work as a researcher at an HPC center.

I'm a member of the Rust infrastructure and compiler teams and the Leadership Council. I teach Rust at a university and sometimes do Rust trainings. Apart from that I also work as a researcher at an HPC center. Show more

Studium der Umweltingenieurwissenschaften an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (bis 2008). Promotion zur Optimierung von Biogasanlagen mit Fokus auf Erfahrungswissen. Stationen in Angewandter Bauforschung und Universitätsentwicklung (Mediendidaktik). Seit 08/2023 Professorin für Technikkommunikation an der TH Nürnberg. Entwickelt und erforscht erfahrungsbasierte Lehrkonzepte wie „Move–Build–Reflect“ und arbeitet als Coach und Mentorin an der Schnittstelle von Wissenschaft, Selbstführung und Karrieregestaltung.

Studium der Umweltingenieurwissenschaften an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (bis 2008). Promotion zur Optimierung von Biogasanlagen mit Fokus auf Erfahrungswissen. Stationen in Angewandter Bauforschung und Universitätsentwicklung (Mediendidaktik). Se... Show more

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

Zakiya Davidson is a graduate researcher at North Carolina A&T State University whose work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, federated learning, blockchain systems, and equity-centered technology design.

Currently working with Dr. Patooghy and collaborating faculty, Zakiya is contributing to research initiatives focused on blockchain-enabled federated learning (BCFL) for two critical domains: improving maternal health equity in underserved communities and strengthening defenses against data poisoning attacks in Agricultural IoT systems. Her work investigates how privacy-preserving, fairness-aware AI systems can be designed to protect data sovereignty while improving model reliability and equitable outcomes.

Zakiya brings over 20 years of experience in data engineering and enterprise analytics across industries including media, logistics, and marketing. She is currently pursuing advanced graduate studies in data analytics and machine learning, with a long-term research agenda centered on ethical AI, distributed systems, and the development of resilient AI infrastructures for marginalized communities.

Her work reflects a commitment to positioning NC A&T as a leader in AI fairness, privacy-preserving computation, and applied research that advances both technological innovation and social impact.

Zakiya Davidson is a graduate researcher at North Carolina A&T State University whose work sits at the intersection of artificial intelligence, federated learning, blockchain systems, and equity-centered technology design. Currently working with D... Show more

I studied technical chemistry. After that I worked for 3 years at a shipyard, 2 years in dairy research and 3 years in the plastics industry.
The following 32 years I was a scientific employee at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany): 14 years in the process engineering laboratory and 18 years in the ergonomics laboratory. I taught the students how to do the laboratory experiments, always trying out new ideas in order to optimize my teaching style. In the final years I also gave lectures. Since August 2021 I am retired.

I studied technical chemistry. After that I worked for 3 years at a shipyard, 2 years in dairy research and 3 years in the plastics industry. The following 32 years I was a scientific employee at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany):... Show more

Sai Surya Raja Amogha Tenneti is a Scientist with over five years of hands-on experience in mammalian cell culture, protein large molecule bioprocessing, and automated bioreactor platforms. She has worked extensively in GMP-aligned environments and is recognized as an AMBR Super User with deep expertise in Sartorius ambr 15 and ambr 250 systems. Her work centers on upstream process development supporting monoclonal antibody and AAV production.
In her current role at Eurofins PSS at Janssen, Amogha independently designs, executes, and analyzes AMBR-based studies to optimize media performance, feeding strategies, and process parameters. She has led qualification and validation activities for AMBR systems and cell culture analyzers, authored and executed protocols, and contributed to automation initiatives that improved operational efficiency and data reliability. She also trains and mentors other scientists, strengthening team capability and technical expertise.
Amogha has a strong foundation in analytical and molecular techniques, including HPLC, LC-MS, ELISA, Western blotting, qPCR, and gas chromatography. Her background includes scale-down modeling, data analysis, troubleshooting, and cross-functional collaboration across upstream, analytical, and process development teams. She holds a Master of Science in Bioinnovation and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Temple University.

Sai Surya Raja Amogha Tenneti is a Scientist with over five years of hands-on experience in mammalian cell culture, protein large molecule bioprocessing, and automated bioreactor platforms. She has worked extensively in GMP-aligned environments and i... Show more

Almudena Barreiro es cofundadora de Data for Good Madrid, una iniciativa sin ánimo de lucro que ayuda a organizaciones del tercer sector a aprovechar el poder de los datos para generar impacto social. Su trabajo se centra en el uso ético e inclusivo de la inteligencia artificial, con un fuerte compromiso hacia valores como la equidad, la transparencia y la protección de la dignidad humana.

Actualmente es consultora y científica de datos en Next Digital, donde lidera proyectos relacionados con la calidad del dato, analítica predictiva e inteligencia artificial responsable. Combina una sólida formación en matemáticas y estadística con experiencia técnica aplicada y una mirada crítica sobre el impacto de los sistemas algorítmicos en la sociedad.

Además, colabora en Sesgo404, una sección del canal de YouTube Sirviendo Código, donde analiza las implicaciones éticas y sociales de la IA para acercar estos temas complejos a una audiencia más amplia.

Almudena Barreiro es cofundadora de Data for Good Madrid, una iniciativa sin ánimo de lucro que ayuda a organizaciones del tercer sector a aprovechar el poder de los datos para generar impacto social. Su trabajo se centra en el uso ético e inclusivo ... Show more