About The University of California, San Diego

Dr. Liz Gerber is an Associate Professor of Design at Northwestern University, where she also serves as the Director of the Design Research Cluster and the Faculty Founder of Design for America (DFA). A globally recognized expert in innovation, technology, and collaboration, Dr. Gerber has worked with numerous premier organizations, including Fortune Global 500 companies and philanthropic institutions. She co-developed DFA’s Leadership Studio, an annual summit for leaders in social innovation, and co-founded the design and business initiative at Stanford University's renowned "d.school." Dr. Gerber is committed to social impact through design, serving as an advisor to the Family Action Network and on the steering committee for Northwestern’s Center for Civic Engagement. Her contributions to scholarship and leadership have earned her several accolades, including recognition by Crain’s Businessweek as one of Chicago’s 40 Next Generation of Leaders. Dr. Gerber holds a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering and a M.S. in Product Design from Stanford University, along with a B.A. in Art and Engineering from Dartmouth College.

Ravi Ramamoorthi serves as the Ronald L. Graham Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, and founding Director of the UCSD Center for Visual Computing, while also holding a position as Distinguished Research Scientist at NVIDIA Research since 2021. His academic journey includes BS and MS degrees from Caltech (1998) and a Ph.D. from Stanford University (2002), followed by influential faculty positions at Columbia and Berkeley. His groundbreaking research in computer graphics and computer vision, documented in over 200 publications with more than 36,000 citations, has earned him numerous prestigious accolades, including the ACM SIGGRAPH Significant New Researcher Award (2007), the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2008), and fellowships in IEEE, ACM, and the SIGGRAPH Academy. His contributions to education include pioneering one of the first nine MOOCs on the edX platform, earning him recognition as a two-time recipient of the edX Prize Certificate for exceptional online teaching. His industry impact extends through consultancy roles with Pixar and various computational imaging startups, while his research continues to advance the fields of computer graphics rendering and physics-based computer vision

Niema Moshiri has transitioned from a Ph.D. student to an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego. His academic journey began with a B.S. in Bioengineering: Bioinformatics, followed by a Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology from UCSD, where he was co-advised by Siavash Mirarab and Pavel Pevzner. His research focuses on computational biology, particularly in phylogenetics and phylogenomics, as well as computational viral epidemiology. As an educator, Moshiri has made significant contributions to computer science education, including co-authoring the interactive online textbook "Data Structures: An Active Learning Approach" and developing Massive Adaptive Interactive Texts (MAITs) for use in flipped classrooms and MOOCs. He is affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Halicioglu Data Science Institute. Moshiri's work extends to reviewing for numerous scientific journals and conferences in bioinformatics and computer science education.

Liz Izhikevich serves as a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, where she has made significant contributions to computer science education and research. As co-founder of the Data Science Student Society (DS3) at UCSD, she has helped create a vibrant community for data science students. Her academic work spans teaching and curriculum development, particularly in Advanced Data Structures courses, where she co-authored the interactive textbook "Data Structures" with Niema Moshiri. Her research focuses on serverless distributed systems and security, exploring challenges in resource isolation, security monitoring, and data protection within serverless computing environments. Beyond her academic pursuits, she has contributed to the development of innovative teaching methodologies and educational resources that have enhanced the computer science curriculum at UCSD, while maintaining active involvement in the university's research community through her work on serverless security architectures.

Daniel Mertz Kane serves as a full professor with a joint appointment in Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, where he has established himself as a leading researcher in theoretical computer science, combinatorics, and number theory. Born in 1986 to academic parents in Madison, Wisconsin, his extraordinary mathematical talent emerged early, mastering K-9 mathematics by third grade and conducting university-level research under Ken Ono while still in high school. His academic achievements include two gold medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad (2002, 2003), being one of only eight people in history to become a four-time Putnam Fellow, and winning the 2007 Morgan Prize. After earning dual bachelor's degrees from MIT in mathematics with computer science and physics (2007), he completed his Ph.D. at Harvard under Barry Mazur in 2011. His research contributions span multiple areas, including groundbreaking work in computational statistics, Boolean functions, and machine learning, earning him numerous awards including the IBM Pat Goldberg Memorial and PODS best paper awards. He recently co-authored a book on robust statistics with Ilias Diakonikolas, to be published by Cambridge University Press

Alexander S. Kulikov serves as a visiting professor at the University of California, San Diego, and a leading research fellow at the Steklov Institute of Mathematics in St. Petersburg. His academic journey includes earning his Ph.D. in 2009 and Dr.Sci. in 2017 from the St. Petersburg Department of Steklov Institute of Mathematics. His research focuses on algorithms for NP-hard problems and circuit complexity, with significant contributions to computational complexity theory and algorithm design. He has authored several influential educational resources, including "Learning Algorithms Through Programming and Puzzle Solving" and co-created major online courses on platforms like Coursera and edX. His teaching experience spans more than eight years, during which he has developed innovative approaches to algorithms education. Currently at JetBrains as a researcher, he continues to advance the field through his work on algorithmic problem-solving and computational complexity, while maintaining his academic connections through his visiting professorship at UCSD and research position at Steklov Institute.

Michael Levin serves as Chief Data Scientist at Yandex.Market, Russia's leading price comparison and online shopping service, while also maintaining a position as Lecturer in Computer Science at the National Research University Higher School of Economics since 2015. His academic excellence began at Moscow State University, where he earned his degree in mathematics and achieved both silver and bronze medals at the ACM ICPC World Finals as part of the university's team. His expertise in algorithms, machine learning, and data science has made him a prominent figure in both industry and education, leading to his role as an instructor for the University of California San Diego's online courses in algorithms and data structures, which have reached over 345,000 students worldwide. His teaching portfolio includes comprehensive courses in algorithmic design, graph algorithms, string processing, and advanced complexity theory, making him a influential figure in computer science education while maintaining his leadership role in one of Russia's largest tech companies.

Dr. David Barner serves as Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at the University of California, San Diego, where he leads groundbreaking research on language acquisition, conceptual development, and the intersection of language structure and meaning. His innovative work explores how children acquire abstract concepts like number, time, and color through language, challenging traditional theories by demonstrating that children often learn linguistic structures before fully grasping their perceptual correlates. As director of the Language and Development Lab, he conducts cross-cultural studies spanning India, Japan, Latin America, China, and Eastern Europe, investigating how diverse linguistic and cultural contexts shape cognitive development. His research portfolio includes studies on numerical cognition, temporal reasoning, pragmatic inference, and moral development, with a unique focus on how symbolic systems impact logical and social reasoning. Dr. Barner's influential publications, including work in Developmental Science and Cognitive Psychology, have significantly advanced our understanding of how language shapes thought from infancy through adulthood. His cross-disciplinary approach, incorporating insights from philosophy of mind, anthropology, and linguistics, has established him as a leading figure in developmental psychology and cognitive science.

Pavel Arkadevich Pevzner serves as the Ronald R. Taylor Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, San Diego, and director of the NIH Center for Computational Mass Spectrometry, where he has revolutionized the field of computational biology since 2000. After receiving his Ph.D. in mathematics and physics from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, he completed postdoctoral work with Michael Waterman at USC, before establishing himself through positions at Penn State and USC. His groundbreaking research spans bioinformatics algorithms, genome rearrangements, DNA sequencing, and computational proteomics, leading to significant advances in genome assembly and antibiotics discovery. His academic excellence has been recognized through numerous prestigious honors, including the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professorship (2006), ACM Fellowship (2010), ISCB Fellowship (2012), and the ACM Paris Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award (2018). As an educator, he has transformed bioinformatics education through innovative approaches, including the development of massive open online courses that have reached over half a million students, and authored influential textbooks including "Computational Molecular Biology: An Algorithmic Approach" and "Bioinformatics Algorithms: An Active Learning Approach"

Dr. Jurgen P. Schulze serves as an Adjunct Professor in Computer Science at UC San Diego and Senior Staff Engineer at Qualcomm, bringing over two decades of expertise in virtual and augmented reality research. After earning his M.S. from the University of Massachusetts and Ph.D. from the University of Stuttgart, he completed postdoctoral research at Brown University before joining UC San Diego in 2005. As director of the Immersive Visualization Laboratory at UC San Diego's Qualcomm Institute, he focuses on making interactive 3D visualization systems more accessible, developing innovative applications for virtual and augmented reality, and advancing 3D user interface

Phillip Compeau is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Carnegie Mellon University Computational Biology Department, where he serves as Assistant Director of the Master's in Computational Biology program. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from UC San Diego and completed his Master's degree at Cambridge University. Phillip co-founded Rosalind, an online platform for learning bioinformatics. A retired tennis player, he dreams of one day going pro in golf.

Dr. Leo Porter serves as a Professor of Computer Science at UC San Diego, where he co-founded the Computing Education Research Laboratory focused on understanding how students learn computing and creating inclusive learning environments. His journey includes service as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy's Pacific fleet and Operation Iraqi Freedom before earning his M.S. and Ph.D. in computer science from UC San Diego in 2007. His groundbreaking research in computer science education, particularly on Peer Instruction and active learning pedagogies, has earned numerous accolades, including Best Paper Awards at SIGCSE and the International Computing Education Research Conference. Recently, he co-authored "Learn AI-Assisted Python Programming" with Daniel Zingaro, addressing the integration of AI tools in programming education. His research spans computer architecture, educational technology, and student learning assessment, with particular emphasis on using data-driven approaches to predict student outcomes and identify critical course concepts. As a Distinguished Member of the ACM, he has influenced over 500,000 learners through popular Coursera and edX courses while maintaining active research in both computer science education and computer architecture.

Dr. Ilkay Altintas serves as Chief Data Science Officer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego, where she has established herself as a leading innovator in scientific workflows and data science since 2001. After earning her Ph.D. from the University of Amsterdam focusing on workflow-driven collaborative science, she founded the Workflows for Data Science Center of Excellence and has led numerous cross-disciplinary projects funded by NSF, DOE, NIH, and the Moore Foundation. Her contributions include co-initiating the open-source Kepler Scientific Workflow System and developing the Biomedical Big Data Training Collaborative platform. Her research impact spans scientific workflows, provenance, distributed computing, and software modeling, earning her the SDSC Pi Person of the Year award in 2014 and the IEEE TCSC Award for Excellence in Scalable Computing for Early Career Researchers in 2015. As Division Director for Cyberinfrastructure Research, Education, and Development, she oversees numerous computational data science initiatives while serving as a founding faculty fellow at the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute and maintaining active research collaborations across multiple scientific domains

Dr. Alon Orlitsky serves as the Qualcomm Professor for Information Theory and its Applications at the University of California, San Diego, where he holds joint appointments in the Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science departments. After earning his B.Sc. in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering from Ben Gurion University in 1981 and Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1986, he spent a decade at Bell Labs before joining UCSD in 1997. His groundbreaking research spans information theory, machine learning, probability estimation, and speech recognition, earning him numerous prestigious honors including the IEEE W.R.G. Baker Award (1992), IEEE Information Theory Society Paper Award (2006), NeurIPS Best Paper Award (2015), and the Claude E. Shannon Award (2021). He is particularly recognized for founding the Information Theory and Applications Workshop in 2006, which has become a crucial bridge between information theory and emerging fields like machine learning. His leadership roles include serving as IEEE Information Theory Society President in 2016 and contributing to significant outreach projects including the "Bit Player" movie.

Dr. Yoav Freund, born in 1961, serves as Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California San Diego, where he has revolutionized machine learning through his groundbreaking work on boosting algorithms. An alumnus of Israel's elite Talpiot program, he is internationally renowned for co-inventing the AdaBoost algorithm with Robert Schapire, a breakthrough that earned them both the 2003 Gödel Prize in Theoretical Computer Science and the 2004 ACM Paris Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award. His research spans computational learning theory, probability theory, information theory, and pattern recognition, with particular focus on developing machine learning applications in bioinformatics, computer vision, finance, and high-performance computing. His innovative "black-box" approach to evaluating decision algorithms has transformed how machine learning systems are developed and compared. Elected as an AAAI Fellow in 2008, his work continues to influence various scientific communities and industry applications, from spam filtering to optical character recognition, making him one of the most influential figures in modern machine learning theory and practice.

Dr. Sanjoy Dasgupta serves as Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California San Diego, where he has revolutionized the field of algorithmic statistics and unsupervised learning since joining in 2002. Born in Rome and educated in New York City, he earned his A.B. from Harvard in 1993 and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 2000, followed by two years at AT&T Labs-Research. His groundbreaking research combines algorithmic theory with geometry and mathematical statistics, focusing on developing efficient algorithms for high-dimensional data analysis and clustering. He is particularly renowned for his work on unsupervised learning, where he explores how machines can learn from their environment with minimal supervision, mimicking human learning processes. His influential textbook "Algorithms," co-authored with Papadimitriou and Vazirani, is widely used in undergraduate courses worldwide. His contributions have earned him significant recognition in the field, particularly for developing the first provably correct, efficient algorithms for various statistical tasks, especially in data clustering and pattern recognition

Bruce is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego. He is also Past President (2013/2014) of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS). Before joining UC San Diego, Wheeler was a professor and Acting Department Chair at the University of Florida, co-authoring Florida’s new BME BS degree program proposal. Previously he had been on faculty at the University of Illinois where he was the Founding Head of the Bioengineering Department, authored the proposals and shepherded to completion the programs for the BS, MS and PhD. He also served as ECE Associate Head for Undergraduate Education and Chair of the Neuroscience Program. He earned his Ph.D. and master’s from Cornell and his bachelor’s from MIT.

Dr. Sarah Guthals serves as Director of Developer Relations at Sentry, combining her technical expertise with a passionate commitment to making computer science education accessible to learners of all ages. After completing her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Computer Science from UC San Diego by 2014, she co-founded ThoughtSTEM, where as CTO she led the development of innovative educational software including LearnToMod and CodeSpells. Her impact on computer science education earned her recognition in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science, while her prolific writing career includes eight "For Dummies" books and numerous technical publications. As a lecturer at UCSD's Computer Science and Education Studies departments, she has developed curriculum for the AP Computer Science Principles course and created professional development resources for teachers. Her entrepreneurial journey includes developing GitHub's Under 13 solutions and leading engineering teams at major tech companies, while maintaining her commitment to education through creating engaging learning experiences for young coders. Beyond her professional achievements, she continues to influence the field through her work in developer relations, technical content creation, and advocacy for accessible computer science education.

Dr. Beth Simon serves as a Teaching Professor in the Department of Education Studies at UC San Diego, where she has revolutionized computer science education through evidence-based teaching practices and curriculum development. After earning her Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCSD in 2002, she has dedicated her career to advancing computing education at both K-12 and university levels. Her pioneering work includes developing high school computing curricula, implementing Peer Instruction methodologies, and creating the Graduate Certificate program for K-12 Computer Science Education. Her diverse roles have included serving as Director of UCSD's Center for Teaching Development, Principal Teaching and Learning Specialist at Coursera (2014-2015), and Faculty Advisor for Digital Learning in the UCSD Teaching + Learning Commons. Her research, supported by numerous National Science Foundation grants, has significantly improved student outcomes in computing education, particularly through active learning practices and technology-enhanced teaching. Her impact extends beyond UCSD through her work with the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at UBC and her leadership in developing MOOCs and professional development programs for educators nationwide.

Andrea Zonca leads the Scientific Computing Applications group at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, combining his cosmology expertise with advanced computing skills. His academic foundation includes extensive work analyzing Cosmic Microwave Background data from the Planck Satellite during his Ph.D. and postdoctoral research. At SDSC, he has developed significant expertise in supercomputing, particularly in parallel computing with Python and C++, and maintains widely used community software packages like healpy and PySM. His current role involves leading efforts to help research groups optimize their data analysis pipelines for national supercomputers. He has also built specialized knowledge in cloud computing, particularly in deploying services on platforms like Jetstream using Kubernetes and JupyterHub. As a certified Software Carpentry instructor, he teaches essential computational skills to scientists, including automation with bash, version control with git, and Python programming. His research contributions have been significant, with his work on the healpy package becoming a crucial tool for data analysis on spherical surfaces in Python, garnering widespread use in the scientific community.

Andrea Zonca serves as an HPC Applications Specialist at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, bringing unique expertise in cosmology and high-performance computing. His academic background includes a Ph.D. focused on analyzing Cosmic Microwave Background data from the Planck Satellite, which led to his specialization in managing and analyzing large-scale scientific datasets. At SDSC, he plays a crucial role in helping research groups across various scientific disciplines optimize their data analysis pipelines for XSEDE supercomputers. His technical expertise spans parallel computing in Python and C++, with particular focus on scientific computing applications. As a certified Software Carpentry instructor, he teaches essential computational skills including bash automation, git version control, and Python programming to scientists. His Coursera courses focus on high-performance computing and scientific programming, helping researchers develop the skills needed to leverage supercomputing resources effectively. His work bridges the gap between complex computational resources and scientific research needs, making advanced computing tools accessible to researchers across disciplines.

Chase Crossno combines her unique background in theater arts and public health to revolutionize medical education and healthcare communication. Currently serving as Assistant Artistic Director and Assistant Professor of Medical Education at TCU School of Medicine, she integrates theatrical techniques with public health pedagogies to cultivate empathy in future medical professionals. Her academic foundation includes an MPH from Boston University, where she specialized in global health, social justice, and sexuality studies. With 15 years of experience in direct patient care, she has worked extensively with domestic and international organizations focusing on HIV prevention and sexual health education. As a DEI Consultant at the Center for Compassionate Communication within UC San Diego's T. Denny Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, she continues to advance healthcare communication. Her innovative approach extends to her role as co-founder of an Austin-based theatre company, which uses curated experiences to stimulate critical thinking and cultural enrichment. Through her Coursera course "A New Communication Framework for Healthcare," she shares her expertise in combining arts and healthcare education to develop more empathetic and effective healthcare professionals.

Christine Alvarado serves as Associate Teaching Professor in Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego and Associate Dean for the Division of Undergraduate Education. Her distinguished career combines technical expertise with a passionate commitment to diversifying computer science education. After earning her Ph.D. from MIT in 2004, she began her academic career at Harvey Mudd College before joining UCSD in 2012. Her innovative work includes founding the CSE Early Research Scholars Program, which has engaged over 339 early undergraduates in computing research, with significant participation from women, non-binary students, and underrepresented racial groups

Daniel Kane holds a unique position as an associate professor with a joint appointment in both the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Department of Mathematics at UC San Diego. His academic background includes degrees from MIT, where he demonstrated exceptional mathematical ability from an early age. His research spans multiple disciplines, focusing on the intersection of number theory, complexity theory, and combinatorics. He has made significant contributions to theoretical computer science and mathematics, particularly in areas such as computational complexity, algorithmic analysis, and discrete mathematics. On Coursera, he teaches advanced mathematics and theoretical computer science courses, bringing his expertise in both fields to a global audience. His work has earned him recognition in both academic communities, and he has published numerous influential papers in top-tier journals and conferences. Kane's ability to bridge the gap between pure mathematics and theoretical computer science has made him a valuable asset to both departments at UCSD, where he continues to advance research in algorithmic theory and mathematical foundations of computing

Stephen Mayfield stands as a distinguished leader in molecular biology and biotechnology at UC San Diego, where he serves as Director of the California Center for Algae Biotechnology and Co-director of Food & Fuel for the 21st Century. His groundbreaking research revolutionized algae genetics through the first successful transformation of the C. reinhardtii nuclear genome, establishing it as a key organism for photosynthesis research. His laboratory's work on chloroplast gene expression mechanisms has led to significant advances in recombinant protein production in algae. As principal investigator for major DOE and CEC-funded initiatives, he leads crucial research in sustainable biofuel development. His entrepreneurial spirit has led to the founding of several successful biotechnology companies, including Rincon Pharmaceutical, Sapphire Energy, and Triton Algae Innovations, where he serves as Chief Science Officer. On Coursera, his popular course "Our Energy Future" has attracted over 68,778 students, maintaining an impressive 4.7-star rating from 1,164 reviews

Dr. Evonne Kaplan-Liss serves as Director of the Center for Compassionate Communication at UCSD's Sanford Institute for Empathy & Compassion, bringing a unique blend of journalism and medicine to healthcare communication training. Her remarkable career began at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, leading to work as a researcher for ABC News Nightline, before pursuing medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She holds board certifications in both pediatrics and preventive medicine, complemented by an MPH from Columbia University. As the Founding Medical Program Director at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, she trained thousands of healthcare professionals in empathetic communication. Before joining UCSD, she made history as the first dean-level position focused on communication training at TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine, where she developed The Compassionate Practice® curriculum. Her Coursera course "A New Communication Framework for Healthcare" integrates practices from theater, narrative medicine, journalism, and public health to teach compassionate communication skills. Her innovative approach combines her expertise in journalism, medicine, and public health to transform how healthcare providers communicate with patients, colleagues, and the public.

Dr. Ganz Chockalingam serves as Principal Engineer at the Qualcomm Institute, UC San Diego, bringing over 25 years of expertise in mobile technology and software development. After earning his Ph.D. in Electrical & Computer Engineering from the University of Iowa in 1995, his career path included significant roles at Ford Motor Company's Scientific Research Laboratory and co-founding Coolsync Inc., a web-based single sign-on service. His entrepreneurial journey continued at Wingcast, a Qualcomm-Ford joint venture, where he developed wireless telematics applications. Since joining Calit2-UCSD in 2002, he has led groundbreaking research in mobile applications across health monitoring, telematics, and medical domains. On Coursera, he teaches a comprehensive series of Internet of Things courses, including specialized modules on DragonBoard development, cloud services, and mobile surveillance systems. His academic contributions include numerous IEEE journal publications and service as a reviewer for IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. His unique blend of industrial and academic experience makes him a leading authority in IoT and mobile technology education, with his courses reaching thousands of students globally through the Coursera platform.

Harinath Garudadri serves as Research Scientist at the Qualcomm Institute of Calit2, UCSD, transitioning from a distinguished industry career to focus on advancing healthcare technology accessibility. His extensive background spans over four decades, beginning with his education from IIT Bombay and Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. His career includes 16 years at Qualcomm, where he made significant contributions to speech recognition and audio coding technologies. His impressive portfolio includes 40 granted patents across diverse fields including body area networks, audio processing, video technology, speech recognition, and biomedical signal processing, with an additional 14 pending patents. His current research focuses on healthcare innovation, particularly supporting clinical research for emerging hearing aids and developing technologies to reduce healthcare delivery costs. His work has been instrumental in creating solutions that extend medical care beyond hospital walls through low-power sensing, telemetry of physiological data, and reliable body area networks. His contributions have been widely implemented in commercial cell phones and networks, earning over 3,491 citations for his research publications. At UCSD, he continues to bridge the gap between academic research and practical healthcare solutions, focusing on biomedical signal processing and healthcare technology accessibility.

Ira "Ike" Levine serves as CEO of the Algae Foundation and Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern Maine, bringing over four decades of expertise in algal sciences and biotechnology. His academic journey includes a B.S. in Biology from Binghamton University, an M.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Florida, and a Ph.D. in Botanical Sciences from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His entrepreneurial ventures include founding PhycoGen, Inc., an algal biotechnology corporation, and serving as CEO of Algal Aquaculture Professionals. As Executive Director of Professors Beyond Borders, he has worked to expand global access to scientific education. On Coursera, he teaches a comprehensive series of courses including Algae Biotechnology, Algal Blooms and Proliferations, Introduction to Algae, and Introduction to Seaweeds, sharing his extensive knowledge of marine science and algal applications. His work bridges the gap between academic research and commercial applications in algae biotechnology, contributing significantly to the field's advancement through both education and industry innovation

Jacob O. Wobbrock serves as Professor at the Information School and Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, where he has established himself as a leading figure in human-computer interaction and accessible computing. His research focuses on understanding and improving people's experiences with interactive technologies, particularly for individuals with disabilities. As director of the ACE Lab and founding co-director of CREATE, he leads groundbreaking research in mobile and accessible computing. His academic achievements include being named an ACM Fellow in 2021 for his contributions to human-computer interaction and accessible computing, receiving the SIGCHI Social Impact Award in 2017, and induction into the CHI Academy in 2019. Beyond academia, he co-founded AnswerDash, a venture-backed SaaS company providing AI-powered context-sensitive help, where he served as CEO for three years before its acquisition by CloudEngage in 2020. His work spans text entry, pointing, touch and gesture interfaces, human performance measurement, and virtual reality, earning him three lasting impact awards from ASSETS, ICMI, and UIST. Through his Coursera courses, he shares his expertise in accessible computing and human-computer interaction, making these complex subjects accessible to a global audience.

Joseph D. Ma serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at UC San Diego's Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, bringing extensive expertise in clinical pharmacology and drug-drug interactions. His educational background includes a Pharmacy Doctorate from UC San Francisco and a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical pharmacology at Bassett Healthcare. His professional experience includes three years at Amgen's Early Development Department, where he contributed to pharmaceutical research and development. At UCSD, his research focuses on validating methods for evaluating drug-drug interactions, particularly in oncology settings. He practices clinically at the Doris A. Howell Service within UCSD Moores Cancer Center, specializing in symptom management, pain control, and comprehensive patient care addressing psychological, spiritual, and social aspects of treatment. His Coursera courses cover clinical pharmacy practices and drug interaction analysis, drawing from his extensive experience in both academic and industrial pharmaceutical settings. His work bridges the gap between pharmaceutical research and clinical practice, contributing to improved patient care and drug safety protocols.

Julian McAuley serves as Professor in the Computer Science Department at UC San Diego, where he leads groundbreaking research in personalized machine learning and recommender systems. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. from the Australian National University (2011) and postdoctoral work at Stanford University before joining UCSD in 2014. His research focuses on developing predictive models of human behavior using large-scale online activity data, leading to significant advances in recommendation systems and machine learning applications

Dr. Kathryn (Kadee) Winters serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine, specializing in palliative care medicine. Her medical education includes an MD from UC San Diego School of Medicine, followed by an internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at UCSD. As part of the Doris A. Howell Palliative Care service, she provides comprehensive supportive care for patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, focusing on improving quality of life through symptom management and emotional support. Her innovative approach includes leading an expressive writing group at Moores Cancer Center for cancer patients and survivors, combining medical care with therapeutic creative expression. Her research has been published in prestigious journals including the Archives of Internal Medicine and the Journal of Palliative Medicine. Beyond clinical practice, she plays a vital role in educating medical students, residents, and fellows at UCSD School of Medicine. As a board-certified internal medicine physician and member of both the American Medical Association and American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, she brings a holistic approach to patient care that integrates medical expertise with arts and humanities.

Mai H. Nguyen serves as the Lead for Data Analytics at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) and Associate Director for AI of the WIFIRE Lab at UC San Diego. Her expertise spans multiple domains, combining advanced machine learning techniques with distributed computing to tackle large-scale data challenges. After earning both her M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCSD with a focus on machine learning, she has built an impressive career bridging academic research with practical applications. Her research portfolio includes diverse applications such as remote sensing, medical image analysis, biomedical text analytics, wildfire mitigation, spacecraft autonomy, and speech recognition