Prof. Hongmei Gao

Nanjing Tech University, China

Biography:

Hongmei Gao is Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at Nanjing Tech University, currently serving as Dean of the School of Transportation Science and Engineering. She is a recipient of the National Young Talent Program. She received her Bachelor's degree in Geological Engineering (2005) and Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering (2010) from Hohai University, with joint doctoral training at Ryerson University, Canada. She joined Nanjing Tech University in 2010, was promoted to Associate Professor, and became Full Professor in 2019. She served as Vice Dean from 2019 and was appointed Dean in 2024. Her research focuses on soil dynamics, soil-structure interaction, and soft ground improvement (EPS lightweight mixed soil). She has led multiple research projects including the National Natural Science Foundation of China and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and participated in major engineering projects such as Nanjing Metro Line 5 PPP project and bridge pile foundation underpinning technologies. She has published numerous high-quality academic papers and received the Third Prize of Science and Technology Achievement Award from China Earthquake Administration. She was selected as a Young Academic Leader of Jiangsu "Qinglan Project" and honored as one of the "Top Ten Teachers" for teaching ethics at Nanjing Tech University. She currently serves as Vice President of Jiangsu Seismological Society and is a member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. She teaches undergraduate courses including Soil Mechanics and Geology, Foundation Engineering, and Underground Structures, as well as graduate course Academic English Writing. She supervises graduate students in Geotechnical Engineering, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Engineering, Geological Engineering, Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, and Resources and Environment.

Prof. Petros Ioannou

University of Southern California，USA

IEEE Fellow

Biography:

Petros A. Ioannou received his B.Sc. with First Class Honors from University College London in 1978 and his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1980 and 1982. He joined the University of Southern California (USC) in 1982, where he currently holds the A.V. ‘Bal’ Balakrishnan Chair and directs the Center of Advanced Transportation Technologies and the METRANS research program. He has held visiting positions at universities in Australia, Cyprus, and Greece. Dr. Ioannou is a leading researcher in robust adaptive control, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and vehicle dynamics. His accolades include the IEEE ITSS Outstanding ITS Application and Research Awards, the IEEE Transportation Technologies Field Award, the IET Heaviside Medal, and the 2022 induction to the National Academy of Engineering. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IFAC, AAAS, and the National Academy of Inventors. He has authored over 400 publications and nine books. Dr. Ioannou has held significant leadership roles, including Vice President for Membership of the IEEE ITS Society and Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. He is a co-founder of the Mediterranean Control Association and the METRANS University Transportation Center.