Professor Lingjia Tang is a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Michigan. She is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in artificial intelligence (AI), computer systems, and conversational AI. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Virginia and a B.S. in Computer Science from Zhejiang University. Prof. Tang’s research interests span computer architecture, compiler technologies, runtime systems, and distributed systems. Her work focuses on building the next generation of computer systems that are faster, smarter, and more efficient, particularly for AI applications and conversational AI platforms. She has authored over 40 research papers in top-tier computer science conferences and has made substantial contributions to the field. Her research excellence has been acknowledged through several prestigious awards, including the Google Research Award, Facebook Research Award, NSF CAREER Award, and JPMC Faculty Research Award. Her impact on the academic community is further evidenced by over 8,600 citations, an h-index of 38, and an i10-index of 63. Since 2020 alone, her work has received over 5,200 citations. She is also listed in the Hall of Fame of leading computer architecture conferences such as ISCA and MICRO, highlighting her strong influence in the field. Beyond academia, Prof. Tang is a successful entrepreneur. She co-founded Clinc, a conversational AI company, where she led teams in designing and deploying large-scale AI systems, such as the mobile virtual assistant for U.S. Bank, which benefited over six million users. This effort earned several industry recognitions, including Frost & Sullivan’s Technology Leadership Award (2019), Gartner's Cool Vendor (2021), and Crain’s 40 Under 40. She later co-founded Myca.ai, a platform that uses AI to help individuals enhance their productivity and personal growth. In addition, she has contributed to real-world AI projects, such as a financial wellness application developed in collaboration with Pocketnest, further showcasing the practical impact of her research.

Prof. Sarath Perera is currently an Honorary Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, and a member of the Australian Power Quality Research Centre (APQRC). He was formerly the Technical Director of the APQRC and has played a key role in shaping industry relevant power quality research activities. He received his BSc (Eng) specialising in Power Systems from the University of Moratuwa, followed by an MEngSc from the University of New South Wales and a PhD from the University of Wollongong. Since 1988, he has been an academic at the University of Wollongong and has actively contributed to CIGRE, the International Council on Large Electric Systems, furthering advancements in power system security and in particular power quality. His research interests include voltage fluctuations and flicker, voltage unbalance, harmonics, power system modeling and simulation, and power quality standards development.