Anand J. Kulkarni holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (AI) based Distributed Optimization from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, MS in AI from University of Regina, Canada, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Shivaji University, India and Diploma from the Board of Technical Education, Mumbai. He worked as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, Canada. Anand worked with Symbiosis International University, Pune, India for over six years. Since 2021, he is currently working as Research Professor and Associate Director of the Institute of Artificial Intelligence at the MITWPU, Pune, India. His research interests include AI based Nature Inspired optimization algorithms, and self-organizing systems. Anand pioneered optimization methodologies such as Cohort Intelligence, Ideology Algorithm, Expectation Algorithm, and Socio Evolution & Learning Optimization Algorithm. Anand is the founder of OAT Research Lab and has published over70 research papers in peer-reviewed reputed journals, chapters and conferences along with 7 authored and 15 edited books. Anand is the lead series editor for Springer and Taylor & Francis as well as editor of Elsevier journals. Anand also writes on AI in several newspapers and magazines. His Marathi book on AI received the prestigious SwatantryaVeer Savarkar Award in 2023. Anand has delivered expert research talks in countries such as the USA, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Australia, Dubai and France.
Naoufel Cheikhrouhou is Professor of Supply chain, Logistics and Operations Management at Geneva School of Business Administration University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland. Previously, he was leading the Operations Management research group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL). He graduated from the School of Engineers of Tunis and received his PhD in Industrial Engineering from Grenoble Institute of Technology in 2001. His main research interests are modelling, simulation and optimisation of enterprise networks, behavioral operations management and Demand planning and forecasting. Dr. Cheikhrouhou received the Burbidge Award in 2003 and the BG Ingénieurs conseils Award in 2013 for his contribution to the research excellence in the fields. Leading different projects with the collaboration of national and international industrial companies, Naoufel Cheikhrouhou published more than 100 papers in scientific journals and conferences and regularly acts as keynote speaker in international academic and industrial conferences.
