Panel Discussion  

Maria Weber, is a distinguished cybersecurity expert with a solid industrial background, holding an M.S. in Applied Analytics from Saint Louis University and a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from Universidad Fermin Toro, Venezuela. Maria's career spans expertise in Networking, Wireless, Security, Software-Defined Networking, Applied Analytics, and Automation. She is known for revolutionizing wide area network management through Software-Defined Networking. Maria's research interests encompass Information Systems, Cloud Computing, and Virtualization. Actively involved in professional organizations, she is a member of the ACM's Council on Women in Computing and the IEEE Computer Society Women in Engineering. Her commitment to innovation and inclusivity defines her contributions to the cybersecurity landscape. 

Dr. Tatiana Cardona currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Saint Louis University. With prior roles as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Ball State University and a Visiting Professor at Tech. Institute of Monterrey, she's experienced in instructing undergraduates and graduates in Information Systems, Project Management, and Optimization Models. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Systems Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, complemented by a Master's in Engineering Management and Lean Six Sigma certification. 

Dr. Annamaria Szakonyi is a professor, technology leader & consultant, anti-trafficking researcher, published author and speaker, working at the intersection of technology, policy and society. Her passion is in the application of technology, data and policy to combat human trafficking and the exploitation of women and children.   

She's received various distinguished awards and scholarships, such as Saint Louis University's inaugural Geospatial Research and Innovation Award for her research using geospatial methods and machine learning to study human trafficking, the Presidential Scholarship of the Republic of Hungary, Erasmus Scholarship from the European Union, and scholarships from the French Republic and the Hungary-Missouri Educational Partnership.   

She's published multiple peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter with prestigious publishers such as IEEE and Springer related to human trafficking, data science, cybersecurity, online identity theft, and diversity and inclusion in technology. She's an educator and lecturer, technology mentor, and women in tech advocate on a mission to increase the presence of women and underrepresented groups in technology.   

She has over 15 years' experience in the IT and innovation sector, spanning from Fortune 500 corporations to non-profits and higher education institutions in various technical and leadership positions.   

Uma Shanker Tiwary is a professor associated to department of Information Technology at Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, India, since 23 Dec 2006.

In 1991, he completed his PhD. at department of Electronics Engg. in Institute of Technology, B.H.U. Varanasi, India.

He worked as Lecturer in the department of Electronics & Communication , J. K. Institute of Applied Physics & Technology, University of Allahabad from Sept.1988 to March 1992. From march 1992 to June 2002, he was a Reader in Computer Science at J. K. Institute of Applied Physics & Technology, University of Allahabad. He was also a visiting scientist in the department of Computer Science and Engg. at IIT Kanpur from Dec. 1995 to July 1996. He worked as Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, India, from July 2002 to 22 Dec 2006.

He is holding the research and teaching experience for more than 30 years in which he is very much involved in: Image Processing, Computer Vision, Medical Image Processing, Pattern Recognition & Script Analysis, Digital Signal Processing, Speech and Language Processing, Wavelet Transform, Soft Computing & Fuzzy Logic, Neuro–computing and Soft-computers, Speech driven computers, Natural Language Processing, Brain Simulation, Cognitive Science.

At IIIT Allahabad, he is the head of SILP (Speech, Image and Langauge Processing) Lab, chairperson of Center for Cognitive Computing, Dean Human Affairs and Chief Vigilance Officer. He is also a part of the steering committee of International Conference on Intelligent Human Computer Interaction.

Dhananjay Singh is a Professor and Director of the ReSENSE Lab in the Dept. of Information Systems, School of Professional Studies at Saint Louis University, MO, USA. Previously, he served as a Professor in the Department of Electronics Engineering and Chair/Dean in the Global Division of Information Technology at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) in Seoul, South Korea. Prior to that, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and senior member of engineering staff on Future Internet Architecture group at the National Institute for Mathematical Sciences (NIMS) and the Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI) in Daejeon, South Korea. Dr. Singh is a Senior Member of the ACM and IEEE societies and serves as an editor and reviewer for several major conferences and journals.

His research work provides an innovative platforms and solutions based on Advancement in applied data sciences, autonomous vehicles, human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain, Metaverse, IoT technologies, to support smart city technologies.

Dr. Wan-Young Chung is a Professor of Electronic Engineering at Pukyong National University, Busan, Korea. Renowned for his groundbreaking contributions, he received the Korean Presidential Award for Technology Innovation (2012) and the Busan Science and Technology Award (2013). Dr. Chung serves as Vice President of the Korea Sensor Society and leads the BK21 Plus team for next-gen healthcare technologies. His research spans wearable healthcare devices, no-battery IoT wearables, brain-computer interfaces for the handicapped, and visible light communication in mobile and healthcare. He holds degrees from Kyungpook National University, Kyushu University, and the University of Oulu. Dr. Chung's dedication to innovation and academic excellence has solidified his standing as a leading figure in electronic engineering, inspiring future generations and shaping the technological landscape.