Contributors
Khurram Afridi is an assistant professor of electrical, computer, and energy engineering and the Goh Faculty Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on power electronics and energy systems that incorporate power electronic controls. His work includes ultra-high-efficiency compact grid-interfaced power converters, long-life high-energy-density electrolytic-free energy buffers, radio frequency power electronics for ultra-high power density energy conversion, and wireless power transfer.
Mariana Bertoni is an assistant professor of electrical, computer, and energy engineering at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on defect engineering of materials for energy conversion and the underlying physical mechanisms that govern degradation, charge transport, and collection. She specializes in advanced correlative characterization using X-ray probes and multidimensional image analysis.
Rajan Bhattacharyya is a senior research engineer at HRL Laboratories, where his work focuses on how humans process information and interact with the environment with the goal of developing smarter autonomous systems, enhancing human performance, and creating novel processing systems. His research involves the development of large-scale, neuro-biologically and behaviorally validated neural and cognitive models, experimental work measuring neural activity (EEG, fMRI), and neuro-inspired algorithms for resilient autonomous systems, dexterous robots, and threat warning applications.
Bouchra Bouqata is a senior analytics product manager and senior scientist at GE Renewable Energy and GE Global Research. She leads programs in large-scale,
automated-intelligent Big Data advanced analytics; the industrial Internet; prognostics and health management; remote and online monitoring; and diagnostics.
Jordan Boyd-Graber is an associate professor of computer science at the University of Maryland, where he studies human-in-the-loop machine learning applied to natural language. His research focuses on making machine learning more useful, more interpretable, and able to learn and interact from humans. Applications include having machines that can sift through decades of documents; discover when individuals lie, reframe, or change the topic in a conversation; and compete against humans in games that are based in natural language.
Robert Braun is dean of engineering and applied science at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on planetary entry systems, hypersonics, landing systems design, and multidisciplinary optimization.
Emma Brunskill is an assistant professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. Her work focuses on reinforcement learning, machine learning, sequential decisionmaking, and human-in-the-loop systems to create automated artificial intelligence agents that help people reach their goals.
Jose Carmena is a professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. His research program in neural engineering and systems neuroscience aims to understand the neural basis of sensorimotor learning and control and to build the science and engineering base that will allow the creation of reliable neuroprosthetic systems for the severely disabled.
Katherine Dykes is a senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she leads a group that seeks to integrate wind turbine, plant engineering, and cost models to enable full-system analysis and to apply a variety of advanced analysis methods to the study of wind plant system performance and cost.
Azita Emami is the Andrew and Peggy Cherng Professor of Electrical Engineering and Medical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Her research is in integrated circuits and systems, high-speed communication systems, silicon photonics, and wearable and implantable devices for neural recording, stimulation, sensing, and drug delivery.
Maria-Paz Gutierrez is an associate professor of architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, where she focuses on exploring the biophysical and cultural implications of functional natural materials and agricultural waste through multi-scale additive manufacturing. She founded BIOMS, an interdisciplinary research initiative that brings together architecture and science to integrate principles of design and biophysics from the nanoscale to the building scale.
Xue Han is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, where she leads a neuroengineering lab that focuses on developing radical new genetic, molecular, and optical neurotechnologies and application protocols for understanding disease mechanisms with the goal of designing next-generation neurotechnologies to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Tim Heidel is the deputy chief scientist at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. His research focus is on the analysis, control, and optimization of electric power systems, especially in the context of high penetrations of distributed energy resources and renewable generation. He is also involved in grid cybersecurity.
Konrad Kording is a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania. His group uses data science to understand brain function, improve personalized medicine, collaborate with clinicians to diagnose diseases based on mobile phone data, and understand the careers of professors through the analysis of large datasets to test new models and better understand complex problems in bioengineering, neuroscience, and beyond.
Ellis Meng is a professor and department chair of biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California. Her research interests include microelectro-mechanical systems (MEMS), microsensors and actuators, micromachining and microfabrication, microfluidics, polymer MEMS, flexible devices, implantable devices, medical MEMS, wireless power and data telemetry for implants, and neural engineering.
Jeremy Munday is an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Maryland, where his focus is on demonstrating new technologies based on novel physics and engineering. His research interests range from solar energy, optics, and plasmonics to quantum electrodynamic phenomena (such as the Casimir effect), solar sails, and novel energy conversion processes.
Stephen Nichols is associate director of the passenger experience segment at the Otis Elevator Company. His team works at the intersection of human experience and people-centered-design with vertical transportation technology and the building ecosystem. Products and concepts focus on digital interaction, human interface, and intuitive behavior with work spanning the disciplines of engineering, marketing, and information technology.
David Parekh is the corporate vice president of research and the director of the United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), providing global leadership for United Technologies Corporation’s (UTC) central research organization. In this role, he develops technology strategies in anticipation of future trends and
aligns the Research Center’s breakthrough innovations for transition to UTC’s business units to enable their growth. He also leads UTC’s Innovation Business Development group whose mission is to monetize UTC technology and intellectual property in non-core markets and to develop business innovations for core markets.
Michael Ramage is an architectural engineer and senior lecturer of architecture at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on developing low-energy structural materials and systems in masonry, better housing in the developing world, and large-scale, high-rise buildings in engineered timber and bamboo through natural material innovation.
Jenny Sabin is the Arthur L. and Isabel B. Wiesenberger Associate Professor of Architecture at Cornell University, where she investigates the intersections of architecture and science and applies insights and theories from biology, emerging technologies, and mathematics to the design of material structures for application at the building scale. She is principal of Jenny Sabin Studio, an experimental architectural design studio based in Ithaca and director of the Sabin Lab at Cornell AAP (Architecture, Art, and Planning), a trans-disciplinary design research lab with specialization in computational design, data visualization, and digital fabrication.
Suchi Saria is an assistant professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University. Her research spans machine learning, computational statistics, and their applications to domains where one has to draw inferences from observing a complex, real-world system evolve over time. Her focus is on Bayesian and probabilistic graphical modeling approaches to address challenges associated with modeling and prediction in real-world temporal systems.
Maryam Shanechi is an assistant professor and the Viterbi Early Career Chair of Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California. She works at the interface of control, machine-learning, and neuroscience to develop neurotechnologies that improve the quality of care for millions of patients, including the development of brain-machine interfaces to restore movement in paralyzed patients, to automatically control unconsciousness under anesthesia, and to treat neuropsychiatric disorders through brain stimulation.
Marija Trcka is a technology sourcing specialist at United Technologies, where she disseminates cutting-edge research into industrial practice that facilitates fast and impactful energy retrofits in existing buildings, making a significant impact on worldwide carbon emissions. Her software tool seamlessly analyzes advanced building technologies and provides building managers with decision support metrics based on complex techno-economic analysis.
