Dr. Haftu Gebrekiros Alemayehu is a physical chemist and postdoctoral researcher specializing in the development of membrane materials for energy efficient water purification. Haftu designs advanced filtering materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are composed of tiny clusters of metals connected by organic molecules. These materials contain a network of microscopic pores that are capable of removing salts and contaminants from water. His research aims to create mechanically strong and water-stable MOF-based membranes that can clean water more effectively than current polymeric membranes, which are plastic-based filters that dominate modern desalination and purification processes.

Haftu aims to create mechanically strong and water stable MOF-based membranes that can clean water more effectively than current polymeric membranes.

Haftu earned his MSc in physical chemistry from Arba Minch University and his PhD from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). Originally from Tigray, Ethiopia, he served as an assistant professor at Arba Minch University, where he taught, mentored students, and led outreach initiatives. He has also volunteered as an international student representative at UCAS. When not working, Haftu enjoys playing badminton and football, as well as reading.

Ohad Yaacov Meyuhas is a PhD candidate in architecture, focusing on advanced additive manufacturing (commonly known as 3D printing) for buildings. His research develops novel methods to manufacture single building components that perform multiple functions at once, replacing traditional multi-layered construction. This approach aims to reduce waste, make construction processes more efficient, and allow the use of local materials.

Ohad’s approach aims to reduce waste, make construction processes more efficient, and allow the use of local materials.

Before his PhD, Ohad held leading positions at Stratasys, a global 3D printing company, where he served as director of sustainability innovation. He has taught architecture, product design, and digital fabrication at leading universities in Israel and globally. Additionally, he co-founded the Israeli FabLab network to enhance digital fabrication education. Ohad holds an MSc in advanced architecture from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, and a BSc from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. He actively volunteers in community fabrication projects to explore how new technologies can generate positive social impact and shape our daily lives by orchestrating technology, craft, and human creativity into a holistic “symphony” of innovation and community.

Michael Toker is a computer scientist and PhD candidate, focusing on analyzing the internal computations of large multi-modal AI models—systems that can process and combine information from more than one type of input. His research aims to understand how information flows within these complex neural networks, how it is stored, and how outputs are generated, such as in text to-image models, which generate images from written descriptions. By understanding the roles of different components within the model, Michael seeks to enhance model capabilities and mitigate unsafe behaviours in its outputs, such as biased, misleading, or harmful responses.

Michael seeks to enhance multi-modal AI model capabilities and mitigate unsafe behaviours in its outputs, such as biased, misleading, or harmful responses.

Michael holds BSc and MSc degrees from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and recently interned in Nvidia’s AI research team. He founded the Google Developer Student Club at the Technion and was part of the organization team of the “Doing Good” CS Hackathon for three years. Michael lives in Ramat Gan with his fiancée and their cat. He enjoys running, biking, playing chess, and listening to podcasts and audiobooks in his leisure time.

Ekaterina Prozorov is a PhD candidate in architectural history and theory. Her research investigates Alexander Klein’s concept of organic planning—a method for organizing architectural space and urban form—across three political contexts: the Russian Empire, Weimar Germany, and Mandatory Palestine. By exploring how Klein merged architectural precedent, quantifiable data, and lived experience, her work traces the intellectual prehistory of architectural computation. It shows how Klein’s diagrammatic methods and rule-based, stepwise design anticipated algorithmic programming and parametric logics. This research highlights the reciprocal relationship between architectural form and political modernist agendas. By critically reframing urban histories, the study uncovers the enduring relevance of modernist design strategies within the architecture of the digital age.

Ekaterina uncovers the enduring relevance of modernist design strategies within the architecture of the digital age.

Ekaterina holds previous degrees in fine art and cultural studies from Herzen University. She was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and currently lives in Acre. She volunteered with a coastal resilience initiative focused on cleaning and public education. Outside of academia, she enjoys biking, sketching, and travelling with her family.