COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Vivek Kaul
University of Rochester
Dr. Vivek Kaul is the Segal-Watson Professor of Medicine and the former Division Chief in the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Division at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He completed his medical education at Delhi University and followed it with an Internal Medicine residency at SUNY-Downstate Medical University in New York City. He furthered his expertise with a Gastroenterology Fellowship at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia and an additional year of specialized training in Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy (EUS & ERCP) at St. Luke's Pancreaticobiliary Center in Milwaukee.
Dr. Kaul is a recognized leader in Therapeutic Endoscopy/Endosurgery, with a particular focus on Interventional Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) and advanced ERCP. He also specializes in esophageal endotherapy for Barrett’s Esophagus and Esophageal Cancer. His work involves complex interventional endoscopy, particularly for patients with GI cancers. As a principal investigator and co-investigator, Dr. Kaul contributes significantly to both national and international clinical trials in the areas of endoscopy, pancreatic diseases, and esophageal conditions.
A respected figure in his field, Dr. Kaul holds leadership positions in various national committees, including the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). He has served as a past Governor of the ACG for Northern New York and currently chairs the ACG Innovation & Technology Committee. Dr. Kaul also chairs the World Gastroenterology Organization’s Endoscopy Committee and serves on the WGO Governing Council. He is actively involved in several international task forces, including the ACG GI-On Demand task force and the WGO Global Climate Change (Green Endoscopy) Working Group.
Dr. Kaul is an esteemed reviewer for numerous journals and is frequently invited as a speaker at national and international conferences. He has an extensive publication record in the field of interventional endoscopy and gastroenterology and regularly shares his expertise at medical centers globally.
Aqeel Sahi
University of Southern Queensland
Dr. Aqeel Sahi is a Lecturer in Computing at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in Cybersecurity and Machine Learning from the University of Southern Queensland, completed in 2018. With over 15 years of experience in tertiary education, Dr. Sahi has built a strong reputation for blending academic rigor with real-world expertise.
Passionate about cybersecurity, machine learning, and software engineering, Dr. Sahi actively contributes to research and collaborative initiatives aimed at advancing innovation in these domains. His dual background in academia and industry—as a senior software engineer—enables him to deliver enriched and practice-oriented instruction to his students.
His current research interests include the development of advanced cybersecurity algorithms, machine learning applications in network security, and innovative software engineering methodologies. Through his work, Dr. Sahi strives to bridge the gap between theory and practice while mentoring the next generation of computing professionals.
Fernando Moreira
UPT - Universidade Portucalense
Fernando Moreira is a Full Professor at Portucalense University, where he has been a faculty member since 1992. He founded and led the Department of Science and Technology (2018–2022) and created the university’s first engineering degrees. He holds a Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Porto, where he also completed his Habilitation in 2018. His research focuses on Mobile Computing, Generative AI in Higher Education, Machine Learning, and Digital Transformation. With over 275 peer-reviewed publications indexed in Scopus, he is a regular contributor to top journals and conferences. He has organized special issues for JCR journals such as Telematics and Informatics, Future Generation Computer Systems, and Expert Systems. He serves on multiple editorial boards and is active as a keynote speaker, conference chair, and scientific committee member. He also supervises doctoral and master’s students and is affiliated with ACM, IEEE, and NSTICC. He received the Atlas Elsevier Award in 2019.
Meryem Schalck
IPAG Business School
Dr. Meryem Schalck is an Assistant Professor of Data Science at IPAG Business School in Nice, France. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Orléans, focusing on machine learning applications in financial fraud detection and survival analysis in the insurance industry. With over 15 years of professional experience as a data scientist in the insurance sector, she has developed expertise in data processing and predictive analytics for managerial decision-making. At IPAG, she teaches courses on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across various programs, including PGE, BBA, and MSc. Her research interests encompass data science, artificial intelligence, and econometric models, particularly within the insurance sector.
