Physical & Life Sciences

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

Isha Bhonde

Isha Bhonde

Physical Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, Geriatric PT

Physical Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, Geriatric PT Show more

Shivangi Chaughule

Shivangi Chaughule

Physical therapist, exercise physiologist, geriatric physical therapist.

Physical therapist, exercise physiologist, geriatric physical therapist. Show more

Ellie McGowan

Ellie McGowan

Ellie McGowan is an experienced Scrum Master with a passion for empowering neurodivergent individuals in the tech industry. A late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD professional, Ellie brings a unique perspective to agile practices, combining her deep understanding of neurodiversity with years of coaching expertise. She is a strong advocate for creating inclusive, supportive environments where neurodivergent teams can thrive. With a personal journey shaped by the challenges of burnout, misdiagnosis, and resilience, Ellie's talks offer actionable insights for leaders and organisations aiming to foster innovation through diversity.

Ellie McGowan is an experienced Scrum Master with a passion for empowering neurodivergent individuals in the tech industry. A late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD professional, Ellie brings a unique perspective to agile practices, combining her deep unde... Show more

Jeremy Luerkens

Jeremy Luerkens

Jeremy serves as a Principal Solutions Architect at Collins Aerospace. He began his career as a Software Engineer and has over twenty-five years of experience developing and architecting commercial and enterprise software. He has a passion for sharing his experiences and has presented at many grass roots and industry conferences, including Microsoft TechEd. His flagship product, Extranet Collaboration Manager, received the Penton Media's Windows IT Pro ® Editor's Best Awards.

Jeremy is currently the lead architect of the DevOps Toolchain within the Collins Aerospace Digital Product Lifecycle Accelerator, where he is guiding the delivery of Enterprise DevOps services designed to increase the efficiency, speed, and security of a wide array of avionics and defense products with complex compliance and regulatory requirements. His recognition as a Finalist or Semi-finalist for the Collins Aerospace Engineer of the Year Award in 2022, 2023 and 2024 highlights his significant & consistent contributions.

Jeremy resides in Robins, Iowa where he lives with his wife and three kids. For over a decade, he has been a cornerstone of the local youth sports community as a baseball and softball coach. When he manages to find a moment away from family and the field, Jeremy enjoys the challenges of golf and a thoughtful chess match.

Jeremy serves as a Principal Solutions Architect at Collins Aerospace. He began his career as a Software Engineer and has over twenty-five years of experience developing and architecting commercial and enterprise software. He has a passion for sharin... Show more

Raphael Dumhart

Raphael Dumhart

Raphael Dumhart is a consultant for software development and software architecture. On top of that, he's also the Head of Training of the Software Quality Lab Academy GmbH and trains customers from all around the world in software architecture and other topics. He spent 10 years of his life as the Head of Development for an international cooperation and founded two startups, where he acted as CTO and CEO, respectively.

Raphael Dumhart is a consultant for software development and software architecture. On top of that, he's also the Head of Training of the Software Quality Lab Academy GmbH and trains customers from all around the world in software architecture and ot... Show more

Kelvin Ngware

Kelvin Ngware

Kelvin Ngware is a Technical Consultant based in Nairobi Kenya. He is passionate about Data Security and writes blogs(kevoh.ninja), deliver talks and workshops on how to secure data using Microsoft's Security and Compliance solutions such as Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Entra ID.
He is also passionate about knowledge sharing where he is part of the team running the Azure Kenya User Group community to share knowledge on different Microsoft technologies.

Kelvin Ngware is a Technical Consultant based in Nairobi Kenya. He is passionate about Data Security and writes blogs(kevoh.ninja), deliver talks and workshops on how to secure data using Microsoft's Security and Compliance solutions such as Microsof... Show more

Tajinder Singh

Tajinder Singh

Tajinder Singh is an AI Architect at Virginia Tech. He is passionate about distributed systems, cloud computing, observability, data, AI and scalability. He enjoys mentoring others to be successful. During his free time, he likes to jog and enjoy awesome chai.

Tajinder Singh is an AI Architect at Virginia Tech. He is passionate about distributed systems, cloud computing, observability, data, AI and scalability. He enjoys mentoring others to be successful. During his free time, he likes to jog and enjoy aw... Show more

Flavio Felder

Flavio Felder

Born and grown up in Switzerland. After a 4-year apprenticeship as an electronic technician and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, working full-time as a scientific assistant at the institute of embedded systems of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

Born and grown up in Switzerland. After a 4-year apprenticeship as an electronic technician and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, working full-time as a scientific assistant at the institute of embedded systems of the Zurich University... Show more

Sarita Dhage

Sarita Dhage

Manager - MES Business Integrator | Eli Lilly and Company
Sarita Santosh Dhage is a seasoned Manufacturing Execution System (MES) professional with over 14 years of extensive experience, currently serving as Manager - MES Business Integrator at Eli Lilly and Company. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Sarita brings deep expertise in the design, configuration, and implementation of manufacturing execution systems, with a specialized focus on Emerson Syncade MES solutions.
As an MES Design Lead for Eli Lilly's Indianapolis manufacturing site, Sarita has successfully led the transformation of paper batch records into digital formats, ensuring seamless integration with manufacturing processes while adhering to ISA 88 standards, GMP requirements, and FDA 21 CFR regulations. Her leadership in recipe authoring has established high-quality standards and best practices across implementation teams.
Prior to her current role, Sarita served as MES SAP Integration Lead for Lilly's Limerick, Ireland manufacturing site, where she orchestrated complex interface activities using REST API technology. Her technical acumen extends to multiple integration projects involving SAP, EWM, and DeltaV DCS systems across global manufacturing operations.
Sarita's technical proficiency spans numerous platforms including Emerson Syncade, DeltaV DCS, InfoBatch Reporting, and LabVantage, complemented by expertise in SQL, VB Script, XML, HTML, and XSLT. Her certifications in Syncade, GAMP, and InfoBatch Reporting underscore her commitment to technical excellence.
Before joining Eli Lilly in April 2023, Sarita built a substantial career at Emerson Process Management, where she spent 12 years as a Senior MES Engineer and System Engineer, contributing to major MES implementations for leading biopharmaceutical companies including Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Novo Nordisk, and Alexion.
A graduate of Pune University, India with a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science, Sarita combines technical prowess with exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills. Her comprehensive understanding of biopharmaceutical processes—spanning cell culture, upstream and downstream operations, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing—enables her to deliver MES solutions that effectively bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementation.

Manager - MES Business Integrator | Eli Lilly and Company Sarita Santosh Dhage is a seasoned Manufacturing Execution System (MES) professional with over 14 years of extensive experience, currently serving as Manager - MES Business Integrator at Eli ... Show more

Arvind Kumar Akula

Arvind Kumar Akula

Arvind Kumar Akula is a seasoned Senior Staff Engineer with over 18 years of expertise in designing and supporting large-scale enterprise applications. His technical proficiency spans a wide range of technologies, including Java, Spring, AWS cloud services, GraphQL, AI, ML, RAG, Agents and micro services architecture. Arvind has extensive experience working with critical sectors such as banking, payments, criminal processing, and gaming solutions. He has successfully led backend architecture enhancements, developed scalable micro services, and integrated modern cloud technologies across various platforms. His notable roles include positions at Guaranteed Rate, Inc., eBay Inc., and Silicon Valley Bank, where he delivered impactful digital solutions. Arvind holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from JNTU, Hyderabad.

Arvind Kumar Akula is a seasoned Senior Staff Engineer with over 18 years of expertise in designing and supporting large-scale enterprise applications. His technical proficiency spans a wide range of technologies, including Java, Spring, AWS cloud se... Show more

Thrushna Matharasi

Thrushna Matharasi

Thrushna Matharasi is a distinguished data engineering and analytics leader based in Frisco, Texas, with over 12 years of industry experience. She has completed the prestigious CORE Program from Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. Thrushna has a proven track record of integrating generative AI and machine learning solutions to solve complex business problems in finance, healthcare, and mobile advertising. At Solera, she leads a 20+ member team of engineers, data analysts, and scientists, driving initiatives that blend advanced analytics with real-time data solutions.
Her previous work at Digital Turbine showcased her expertise in database migrations, AI-driven forecasting, and data lake house architecture, yielding cost reductions and efficiency improvements. She has a keen ability to translate business needs into scalable AI solutions, from automated GDPR compliance models to predictive analytics frameworks. Thrushna’s leadership in cloud ecosystems, streaming technologies, and generative AI highlights her as an innovative force, consistently delivering high-impact, data-driven results and guiding organizations toward data maturity and optimized performance.

Thrushna Matharasi is a distinguished data engineering and analytics leader based in Frisco, Texas, with over 12 years of industry experience. She has completed the prestigious CORE Program from Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s degree in ... Show more

Sahil Shah

Sahil Shah

With a Master's in Energy Systems Engineering from the University of Michigan, my journey has led me to NextEra Energy Resources, where I harness renewable energy solutions. Our team's focus is on modeling Solar and Battery resources trends to drive sustainable practices forward.

Competent in AutoCAD and possessing a certification in SolidWorks, I am equipped to tackle the technical challenges of the energy sector. My role involves leveraging technoeconomic analysis to optimize energy projects, contributing to the goal of a cleaner, greener future.

With a Master's in Energy Systems Engineering from the University of Michigan, my journey has led me to NextEra Energy Resources, where I harness renewable energy solutions. Our team's focus is on modeling Solar and Battery resources trends to drive ... Show more

Craig Dent

Craig Dent

Craig Dent works as a Senior Solutions Engineer for Snyk APJ, helping developers adopt cloud native technologies, while empowering them to stay secure.

He has 20+ years of experience working in senior presales, customer success and solutions architecture roles with global software vendors and start-ups, both proprietary and open source, delivering on-premise and cloud-based solutions. He provides technical and strategic advice with regard to security for public cloud, code, open source, IaC and container.

Craig Dent works as a Senior Solutions Engineer for Snyk APJ, helping developers adopt cloud native technologies, while empowering them to stay secure. He has 20+ years of experience working in senior presales, customer success and solutions archi... Show more

Nazeh Abel

Nazeh Abel

Nazeh Abel is the CTO of Candleweb AI, a startup building AI-driven trading systems, and a software engineer at the Financial Times, where he works on scalable, resilient platform infrastructure. He is also the founder of Open Lab Technologies, a company that delivers custom AI and digital solutions across the UK and Africa.

Nazeh’s work spans AI product development, reinforcement learning, software quality, and infrastructure at scale. He’s passionate about building systems that are ethically grounded, locally informed, and globally scalable — with a special focus on how African tech ecosystems can leapfrog traditional barriers. His goal: make AI not just work, but work for everyone, with trust, integrity, and purpose at its core.

Nazeh Abel is the CTO of Candleweb AI, a startup building AI-driven trading systems, and a software engineer at the Financial Times, where he works on scalable, resilient platform infrastructure. He is also the founder of Open Lab Technologies, a com... Show more

Angela Kelly

Angela Kelly

Angela Kelly is THE life and leadership coach for school leaders. She teaches leaders to create exceptional results and enjoy the school leadership experience to promote sustainability at the site and district levels. A former teacher, principal, and district administrator, Angela has over 25 years of experience in education and is the founder and CEO of Angela Kelly Coaching. She’s the creator and host of The Empowered Principal Podcast and the innovative Empowered Principal Collaborative. She offers 1:1 and group coaching as well customized professional development programming. Angela has presented at NAESP, ASCD, AWPS and has been featured in Twinkl, Study.com, Thrive Global, and Authority Magazine. She's also the author of her first book, The Empowered Principal, and host of The Empowered Principal Podcast. She empowers school leaders through her simple process for creating alignment, clarity, and strategy.

Angela Kelly is THE life and leadership coach for school leaders. She teaches leaders to create exceptional results and enjoy the school leadership experience to promote sustainability at the site and district levels. A former teacher, principal, and... Show more

Sue Richards

Sue Richards

Meet Sue Richards (aka Suecurity), the ultimate tea party host of cybersecurity awareness! She has a knack for infusing fun into security awareness training. Your next security awareness training can be a memorable experience and your teams will leave energized and ready to be your first line of cyberdefense.
If you are ready to sip on some cybersecurity wisdom in the most delightful way, join her in elevating your cybersecurity culture.

Meet Sue Richards (aka Suecurity), the ultimate tea party host of cybersecurity awareness! She has a knack for infusing fun into security awareness training. Your next security awareness training can be a memorable experience and your teams will le... Show more

Brian Calfano

Brian Calfano

Brian Calfano is an accomplished journalist, professor, documentary filmmaker, and author focusing on twentieth-century political and journalism topics. His career has spanned various roles in both media and academia, contributing significantly to journalism and political science. He serves as the first scholar-in-residence at Latakoo, which provides video management solutions to major news organizations like NBC Universal, Nexstar, and Charter Spectrum. Additionally, he holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Texas.

Brian has an extensive background in broadcast journalism, having worked as an anchor, reporter, and political analyst. He was an anchor and political show host at KSNT 27 News, where he helped cover political events across Kansas, including areas such as Topeka, Wichita, and Kansas City. He also served as a reporter and producer for Spectrum News 1 Ohio, creating several series on political and social issues and providing commentary on breaking political news.

His work with KOLR10 in Springfield, Missouri, includes producing and anchoring several special programs, such as a one-hour special for Missouri’s bicentennial and a 16-part series on the U.S. Constitution. He also hosted a public affairs radio show, Morningline, on News Talk 560AM KWTO for seven years, where he conducted political interviews and engaged with listeners. He has also participated as a media panelist in congressional debates on KOLR10.

Brian’s documentary, Al Primo & His Eyewitness Revolution, is one of his most recognized works. It takes an in-depth look at the early history of television news and the revolution that shaped the industry. The documentary has earned several prestigious awards, including Best Documentary at the 2024 Golden Nugget International Film Festival in London, and was selected for distribution on PBS stations across the U.S.

Brian R Calfano has received numerous accolades for his journalistic achievements, including awards from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences. He authored U.S. Political Reporting and is working on another book about a former New York news anchor.

Brian’s academic journey includes serving as the Head/Chair of the Department of Journalism at the University of Cincinnati, where he initiated several new programs, such as a student TV news operation and a collaborative documentary project. He has also taught at several universities and has been involved in numerous research initiatives.

Outside of his professional work, he is dedicated to charitable causes such as the ASPCA and Doctors Without Borders. Originally from New Jersey, he attended the University of North Texas and is an ordained deacon in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Brian Calfano’s contributions to journalism and academia continue to make a lasting impact on students, professionals, and audiences alike.

Brian Calfano is an accomplished journalist, professor, documentary filmmaker, and author focusing on twentieth-century political and journalism topics. His career has spanned various roles in both media and academia, contributing significantly to jo... Show more

Rajani Kant

Rajani Kant

Rajani Kant is a recognized thought leader in data architecture, innovative business strategies, and analytics best practices. As the Senior Director of Data Architecture at Andavi Solutions, he leads the enterprise-wide data analytics strategy, managing cross-functional teams of analysts, scientists, and engineers to deliver scalable, data-driven solutions.

His pioneering work on GreatVines, a Sales Execution Platform tailored to the beverage alcohol industry, exemplifies his expertise in cloud-native technologies and business intelligence frameworks. Rajani’s strategic vision and technical acumen enable organizations to unlock the full potential of their data, guiding them through complex digital transformation journeys with precision and impact. His contributions consistently drive operational efficiency, actionable insights, and competitive advantage in dynamic market environments.

Rajani Kant is a recognized thought leader in data architecture, innovative business strategies, and analytics best practices. As the Senior Director of Data Architecture at Andavi Solutions, he leads the enterprise-wide data analytics strategy, mana... Show more

Reshma Narayanan Kutty

Reshma Narayanan Kutty

Reshma Narayanan Kutty is a Product Manager at Sitecore with a focus on Sitecore Connect. With over 8 years of experience in the Tech industry, she leverages her extensive experience in product management and a strong technical background to drive innovation in the digital experience platforms. Reshma is based in Dublin, Ireland.

Reshma Narayanan Kutty is a Product Manager at Sitecore with a focus on Sitecore Connect. With over 8 years of experience in the Tech industry, she leverages her extensive experience in product management and a strong technical background to drive in... Show more

Joe Falcone

Joe Falcone

Joe brings a unique and diverse skillset, honed across startup and enterprise landscapes. His extensive experience spans operations, digital strategy, change management, communications, commercial and medical pharmaceutical marketing and content operations and IT. Known for his consultative approach, Joe excels at problem solving and relationship building to drive business outcomes.

In his startup experience, Joe has helped transform two companies by establishing robust processes and governance enabling rapid growth. From 2010-2024 at Bristol Myers Squibb, he led global, cross-functional initiatives including outsourcing creative production, digital transformation for Medical Affairs, GDPR remediation for all of Worldwide Commercialization, enterprise software implementations, integration of acquired Turning Point Therapeutics, and enterprise Modular Content Strategy rollout. All of these initiatives were multi-year, global rollouts and his multifaceted role covered business and technology ownership, vendor selection and management, change management and communications as well as business process and training lead.

Joe has spoken at several industry events such as DIA (Drug Information Association), Panagora Pharma CX Summit & Pharma CX Tech Summit, Veeva Summit, Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), phactMI & EndPoint MI-Tech Forum, Customer Contact Week (CCW), and a variety of Omnichannel marketing focused events. In addition to his speaking appearances, Joe has contributed to various online knowledge sharing communities, hosted workshops, contributed to articles and has appeared as a guest on podcasts.

Joe brings a unique and diverse skillset, honed across startup and enterprise landscapes. His extensive experience spans operations, digital strategy, change management, communications, commercial and medical pharmaceutical marketing and content oper... Show more

Nida Sahar

Nida Sahar

Cloud & AI Technologist | Open Source Contributor | Innovator & Mentor

Nida Sahar Rafee is a seasoned technologist with extensive experience in cloud computing, AI, OpenStack, and large-scale distributed systems. She has worked on core backend infrastructure for Oracle Cloud (OCI), contributed to OpenStack, and played a pivotal role in developing a unified interface for multi-datacenter monitoring at EMC2 and HP.

With 30+ awards for innovation and customer success, Nida has a track record of solving complex technical challenges. She is also a patent holder, a published author in Springer, and an advocate for women in technology, mentoring for Google Summer of Code and Google Code-in under AnitaB.org’s Systers community.

Beyond her corporate contributions, she has spoken at HP TechCon (Florida, 2009) and other industry events on topics ranging from GP GPU in servers to effective log management. A passionate open-source contributor and poet, she was the 1st runner-up in Source Code Poetry, blending creativity with technology.

Nida believes in redefining possibilities through innovation, mentorship, and community-driven impact.

Cloud & AI Technologist | Open Source Contributor | Innovator & Mentor Nida Sahar Rafee is a seasoned technologist with extensive experience in cloud computing, AI, OpenStack, and large-scale distributed systems. She has worked on core backend inf... Show more

Aldo D'Aquino

Aldo D'Aquino

Aldo is a passionate T-shaped engineer fueled by curiosity and a zest for challenges. Naturally positive-minded, he loves learning new things and trying out new technologies. He enjoys mentoring and advocates for honest feedback. Living the dream in Tuscany, thanks to remote work.

Aldo is a passionate T-shaped engineer fueled by curiosity and a zest for challenges. Naturally positive-minded, he loves learning new things and trying out new technologies. He enjoys mentoring and advocates for honest feedback. Living the dream in ... Show more

Paul Barrett

Paul Barrett

Paul is an agile, executive, and leadership coach and educator with nearly 20 years of experience working across a wide range of industries. He has a passionate focus on the Agile Values of Individuals and Interactions over the Processes and Tools.

His passion is people and he is a frequent conference speaker, having spoken on topics of transformational leadership, relationship building, and psychological safety.

Paul is an agile, executive, and leadership coach and educator with nearly 20 years of experience working across a wide range of industries. He has a passionate focus on the Agile Values of Individuals and Interactions over the Processes and Tools. ... Show more

Phil Ewels

Phil Ewels

Phil Ewels is Product Manager for Open Source at Seqera. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Before joining Seqera in 2022, Phil worked at the National Genomics Infrastructure (NGI) at SciLifeLab in Stockholm, Sweden. He and his team focussed on developing and scaling up new lab protocols and bioinformatics solutions. This involved developing new analysis pipelines that could scale to very high volumes whilst adhering to high standards of reproducibility and reusability. It was through this work that Phil became involved in the Nextflow project and eventually co-founded the nf-core community.

Phil’s career has spanned many disciplines from lab work and bioinformatics research in epigenetics, through to software development and community engagement. He is passionate about open-source software and has a soft spot for tools with a focus on user-friendliness. He is the author of MultiQC, SRA-Explorer, QCFail.com, and several other pet projects.

Phil Ewels is Product Manager for Open Source at Seqera. He holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Cambridge, UK. Before joining Seqera in 2022, Phil worked at the National Genomics Infrastructure (NGI) at SciLifeLab in Stockholm,... Show more

Bartosz Lysakowski

Bartosz Lysakowski

Studied Forensic Science and Engineering at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Afterwards teaching methods of forensic biological analysis, 3D printing and drones. For several years a co-worker at the Cottbus Zoo in the educational department. Since 2023 drone pilot and the member of the EXPAND+ER project at the BTU Cottbus

Studied Forensic Science and Engineering at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Afterwards teaching methods of forensic biological analysis, 3D printing and drones. For several years a co-worker at the Cottbus Zoo in the educational department. Since 2023 dron... Show more

Akito Kawahara

Akito Kawahara

Akito Kawahara is the Director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, a Curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and a Professor at the University of Florida. In 2023, he became the Director of the McGuire Center, which houses one of the world's most extensive collections of butterflies and moths, with over 10 million specimens. In this role, he is responsible for guiding the center’s research, fostering public education, and securing donor funding to support ongoing scientific studies and conservation efforts.

Kawahara’s research focuses on the Lepidoptera order, which encompasses approximately 160,000 species of butterflies and moths. His primary areas of interest include genetics, evolution, and behavior, focusing on how moths use ultrasound to evade predation from bats. This remarkable defensive mechanism is one of the key areas of study in his lab, as it offers insight into the complex survival strategies that have evolved over millions of years.

In addition to predator-prey interactions, Kawahara’s research team explores how other behavioral traits, such as the time of day at which insects are active, influence evolutionary patterns. By combining phylogenetic analysis, behavioral science, and genomics, he aims to answer critical questions about insect diversity, including why so many species exist and how they have adapted to different ecological environments. His lab also investigates the effects of human activity, such as habitat destruction and artificial light pollution, on the behavior and survival of Lepidoptera.

Kawahara has received numerous accolades for his work in the field of entomology. He was awarded the John Henry Comstock Award by the Entomological Society of America and the Alexander B. Klots Award by the Lepidopterists’ Society. He has secured over $13 million in research funding, leading over 20 significant projects with support from organizations like the National Science Foundation. These grants have enabled his lab to conduct pioneering research in Lepidoptera evolution, predator-prey interactions, and the broader ecological impact of moths and butterflies.

Kawahara is a prolific scholar who has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals, including Science and PNAS. His publications cover a wide range of topics, from the evolution of Lepidoptera to moths' use of acoustic signals to avoid predators. His work has expanded our understanding of how moths and butterflies interact with their environment and predators, offering insights into the complex evolutionary processes that shape their behavior.

Kawahara’s expertise has also led to several media appearances. He has been featured in documentaries such as PBS’s American Spring Live and Nature’s Sex, Lies, and Butterflies and has participated in radio shows like NPR’s Science Friday. His research has been discussed in leading publications such as The Washington Post and Smithsonian Magazine. In his TED Talk, "Why You Can Thank a Moth," he highlights the often-overlooked contributions of moths to pollination, silk production, and even technological advancements.

In addition to his research, Kawahara is dedicated to inspiring future scientists. He regularly speaks to schoolchildren, sharing his passion for butterflies and moths and encouraging young people to explore the natural world.

Kawahara earned his undergraduate degree in Entomology from Cornell University and a Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. His doctoral research focused on the phylogenetics of leaf-mining moths.

Outside of his professional work, Kawahara enjoys playing sports like basketball and tennis and spending time with his two children. He is bilingual in Japanese and English and has additional proficiency in Spanish and Chinese. Having been raised in New York City and Tokyo, his bicultural background has significantly influenced his personal and professional life.

Akito Kawahara is the Director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, a Curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History, and a Professor at the University of Florida. In 2023, he became the Director of the McGuire Center, which hous... Show more

Raphaela Seeger

Raphaela Seeger

Platform Engineer at Puzzle ITC with a passion for CI/CD, automation, and cloud-native technologies.
I am committed to create scalable and secure software delivery pipelines for our customers. I love to implement modern, cutting-edge technologies such as Kubernetes and Dagger are driving the current innovations in software development and deployment processes.

Platform Engineer at Puzzle ITC with a passion for CI/CD, automation, and cloud-native technologies. I am committed to create scalable and secure software delivery pipelines for our customers. I love to implement modern, cutting-edge technologies su... Show more

Bjorn S

Bjorn S

Bjorn is an experienced software developer with lots of experience using Angular, RxJs and TypeScript. He has a passion for anything tech related and is happy to share that passion with people.

Bjorn is an experienced software developer with lots of experience using Angular, RxJs and TypeScript. He has a passion for anything tech related and is happy to share that passion with people. Show more

Raymond Luening

Raymond Luening

As a fractional CFO and founder of LIRA CFO, Ray Luening brings over 30 years of experience in finance and business leadership, including more than a decade as the CFO at 3 different MSPs. At LIRA CFO, Ray specializes in providing strategic financial guidance to help businesses drive sustainable growth, improve profitability, and navigate complex financial challenges. His deep understanding of financial planning and operations, combined with hands-on experience scaling MSPs and tech firms, makes him a trusted advisor in the technology space. Ray’s career reflects a passion for empowering leaders to make confident, informed decisions while positioning their businesses for long-term success.

As a fractional CFO and founder of LIRA CFO, Ray Luening brings over 30 years of experience in finance and business leadership, including more than a decade as the CFO at 3 different MSPs. At LIRA CFO, Ray specializes in providing strategic financial... Show more

Matt Grant

Matt Grant

Matt is a Senior Data and Research Analyst at Cancer Research UK, with a background in physiology and science communication. Specializing in data analysis and visualization, Matt has built numerous maps, dashboards, and tools aimed at influencing policy makers and health professionals in the UK. A recent career highlight includes having one of his dashboards featured in political debates on the UK's long-term cancer plan, underscoring his valuable contribution to public health policy.

Matt is a Senior Data and Research Analyst at Cancer Research UK, with a background in physiology and science communication. Specializing in data analysis and visualization, Matt has built numerous maps, dashboards, and tools aimed at influencing pol... Show more

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