Sevil Guler | Virtual Reality Systems | Best VR Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevil Guler | Virtual Reality Systems | Best VR Researcher Award

Erciyes University | Turkey

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sevil Guler, a distinguished faculty member in the Nursing Department of Erciyes University’s Health Sciences Faculty, is an accomplished internal medicine nursing specialist with a strong research footprint in hemodialysis care, pain management, complementary therapies, and emerging immersive technologies such as virtual reality in patient care. Holding a PhD in Internal Medicine Nursing from Erciyes University, she has progressed through academic roles since 2007—beginning as a lecturer, later serving as an assistant professor, and ultimately becoming an associate professor in 2018. Her academic contributions include over 171 peer-reviewed publications, three published books with ISBN, six completed or ongoing research projects, and impactful randomized controlled trials addressing pain, anxiety, coping mechanisms, and chronic disease support. Her citation metrics include 12 citations and an H-index of 3 in Web of Science, and 23 citations with an H-index of 2 in Scopus. She has played key roles in academic coordination, including participation in Erasmus initiatives, program committees, and the supervision of multiple undergraduate and graduate theses. Although she does not currently hold editorial board positions or formal professional memberships, her work is strengthened by significant research collaborations, most notably with Seda Şahan, producing several influential studies on hemodialysis pain, complementary therapies such as hand massage, foot reflexology, and coping interventions. Her expanding interest in virtual reality applications in nursing positions her strongly within emerging domains of immersive healthcare innovation. With no patents or consultancy projects, her academic output remains predominantly research-driven, contributing substantially to evidence-based practice and patient-centered nursing care. Her studies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate a commitment to improving the psychosocial well-being of vulnerable patient groups, exploring anxiety, coping, and symptom management in challenging clinical environments. Her academic and professional information is publicly documented through her institutional profile on AVESIS, where her research, publications, and credentials are verifiable.

Profile:  Orcid

Featured Publications

Guler, S. (2025). Periton diyaliz uygulanan bireylerde bakim bagimliligi ve etkileyen faktorler. Turk Nefroloji, Diyaliz ve Transplantasyon Hemsireleri Dernegi.

Guler, S. (2025). The effect of video streaming with virtual reality glasses during arteriovenous fistula needle insertion on pain and anxiety of individuals undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Hemodialysis International.

Guler, S. (2025). The effect of stress ball utilization on dyspnea severity and anxiety level in patients receiving nebulizer therapy: Randomized controlled study. International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Guler, S. (2024). The effect of video streaming with virtual reality glasses on pain, anxiety, and satisfaction applied in peripheral intravenous catheter process. Pain Management Nursing.

Guler, S. (2024). The effect of footbath applied to patients receiving hemodialysis treatment on comfort, fatigue, and dialysis symptoms: A randomized controlled study. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis.

Guler, S. (2023). El efecto de la reflexologia podal sobre la fatiga en pacientes en hemodialisis: Un estudio de metaanalisis. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem.

Guler, S. (2023). O efeito da reflexologia podal sobre a fadiga em pacientes em hemodialise: Um estudo de metanalise. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem.

Guler, S. (2023). The effect of foot reflexology on fatigue in hemodialysis patients: A meta-analysis study. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem.

Julia Barczyk | Simulation & Training | Research Excellence Award

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Ms. Julia Barczyk | Simulation & Training | Research Excellence Award 

University of Wroclaw | Poland

Julia Barczyk is an ornithologist and ecological researcher with extensive experience in field biology, statistical modelling, and biodiversity monitoring across Europe, Asia, and South America. She is completing her PhD at the University of Wrocław, where her dissertation focuses on evaluating methods of forest bird abundance estimation using hierarchical models and long-term field studies in Białowieża National Park. She holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from Jagiellonian University, with research spanning natal dispersal in blue tits and physiological responses to fasting in zebra finches. Her professional and internship experience includes advanced laboratory and molecular work, extensive bird monitoring, and international field research, such as metabarcoding of aquatic insects in Poland, modelling forest bird abundance at the Swiss Ornithological Institute under Marc Kéry, ecological fieldwork in Ecuador for Senckenberg Research Centre, and multiple ornithological and ecological projects in Poland, Sweden, and tropical environments. She has undertaken diverse workshops and specialist courses, including capture-recapture analyses in R, avian parasitology, GPS and geolocator data visualisation, tropical ecology field methods, and licensed bird ringing training. Julia is the author and co-author of several peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Oikos, Ecological Indicators, Journal of Ornithology, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, and Journal of Avian Biology, addressing topics from distance sampling and abundance estimation to gut microbiome diversity and functional evolution of avian traits. She has presented her work at major international conferences, including the European Ornithologists’ Union Congress, Bird Numbers conference, and the International Ornithological Congress. A dedicated member of the scientific community, she serves on the board of Association Carpatica – Birds Ringing Station and has previously chaired student naturalist and ornithology organisations at Jagiellonian University.

Profile: Google Scholar

Davar Khodadadi | VR in Sports Science | Best VR Researcher Award

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Assist. Prof. Dr. Davar Khodadadi | VR in Sports Science | Best VR Researcher Award 

Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch | Iran

Dr. Davar Khodadadi is an exercise physiologist specializing in neuromuscular physiology, with focused expertise in exercise training, aging, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, hemostatic responses, circadian rhythm, and exercise performance. He earned his PhD from Tarbiat Modares University, where he investigated the effects of aerobic training on amyloid-beta clearance and cognitive outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease models, following an MSc on diurnal variations in blood coagulation responses to exercise and a BSc in Physical Education. With over a decade of academic experience, he has served as an instructor and currently works as an Assistant Professor at the Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, teaching subjects such as exercise physiology, applied physiology, sports nutrition, anatomy, and training design. His research contributions include numerous peer-reviewed publications in international and national journals, covering topics such as high-intensity training, hemostasis, neuroplasticity, caffeine ergogenicity, and molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced brain adaptations. He has also contributed to research projects on anaerobic training and diving-related hemostatic responses, and is the author of a book on exercise and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Khodadadi is highly skilled in laboratory techniques including stereotaxic surgery, Morris Water Maze testing, animal exercise protocols, brain and muscle dissections, and advanced physiological assessments. Beyond academia, he brings substantial practical experience as a certified judo, bodybuilding, and fitness coach, serving as a judo trainer since 2008 and as Chairman of the Education Committee of the Judo & Kurash Federation of Iran. He is also active as a personal fitness trainer, researcher, and official expert in sports-related affairs. Fluent in Persian and Azeri, with strong English reading and writing skills, he is proficient in SPSS, GraphPad Prism, and Microsoft Office.

Featured Publications

Khodadadi, D., Azimi, F., Eghbal Moghanlou, A., Gursoy, R., Demirli, A., Jalali, P., Behdari, R., & Seyedheydari, M. (2025). Habitual caffeine consumption and training status affect the ergogenicity of acute caffeine intake on exercise performance. Sports Health. Advance online publication.

Khodadadi, D., Gharakhanlou, R., Naghdi, N., Salimi, M., Azimi, M., Shahed, A., & Heysieattalab, S. (2018). Treadmill exercise ameliorates spatial learning and memory deficits through improving the clearance of peripheral and central amyloid-beta levels. Neurochemical Research, 43(8), 1561–1574.

Khodadadi, D., Gharakhanlou, R., Naghdi, N., Salimi, M., Azimi, M., & Shahed, A. (2018). The effect of 4 weeks of exercise preconditioning on soluble amyloid beta level and memory impairment in rats with Alzheimer’s disease induced by Aβ1-42 injection. Razi Journal of Medical Sciences, 24(165), 74–84.

Fatih Altug | Spatial Computing | Best VR Researcher Award

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Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Altug | Spatial Computing | Best VR Researcher Award

Ondokuz Mayis University | Turkey

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Altug is a distinguished academic and Associate Professor at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey, whose research expertise lies at the intersection of economic geography, spatial computing, and socio-cultural analysis, with a strong focus on understanding how geographic structures and cultural dynamics shape social and economic outcomes across regions. Throughout his academic career, he has consistently explored themes related to regional development, gender disparities, labor market conditions, and the socio-spatial mechanisms that influence human activity, contributing valuable insights to the broader fields of geography and social sciences. His recent research, “Spatial Analysis of Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting Women’s Employment in Türkiye,” represents a significant academic contribution, offering a rigorous and multidimensional examination of how cultural norms, education levels, regional accessibility, and economic opportunities influence the workforce participation of women across diverse geographic contexts. By applying advanced spatial analysis techniques, Dr. Altug provides a comprehensive understanding of the structural and cultural barriers that shape gender inequality, highlighting the importance of spatial patterns, local dynamics, and socio-economic environments in determining employment outcomes. His findings not only enrich academic knowledge but also offer evidence-based insights that can support policymakers, development planners, and social agencies working toward gender equity and regional progress. Published through reputable academic platforms such as Wiley’s International Social Science Journal, his scholarship reflects methodological strength, analytical depth, and a commitment to addressing critical social issues through data-driven spatial research. Alongside his research contributions, Dr. Altug is actively involved in academic mentoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly discussions that connect geography with sociology, economics, and emerging technological fields such as immersive and spatial computing. His professional engagement includes participating in research forums, contributing to scientific communities, and supporting the development of the next generation of researchers.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Altug, F. (2025). Spatial analysis of socio-cultural factors affecting women’s employment in Turkiye. International Social Science Journal. Advance online publication.

Altug, F., & Almamammadli, G. (2025). Turkiye’de kadin istihdamInIn sektorel ve bolgesel duzeyde yogunlasma durumu. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education.

Altug, F., & Akkoyun, K. (2023). Gecici kumelerin inovasyon sureclerinin gelismesine etkisi: TEKNOFEST ornegi. International Journal of Geography and Geography Education.

Altug, F. (2022). Bilissel ve orgutsel yakinligin bilimsel is birliklerine etkisi: Turkiye’deki cografya dergileri uzerine ampirik bir arastirma. Ege Cografya Dergisi.

Tuysuz, S., Baycan, T., & Altug, F. (2022). Economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey: Analysis of vulnerability and resilience of regions and diversely affected economic sectors. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science.

Kristyn Wilson | Simulation & Training | Best VR Researcher Award

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Dr. Kristyn Wilson | Simulation & Training | Best VR Researcher Award 

University of Virginia | United States

Kristyn Wilson is a researcher and practitioner whose work centers on teacher preparation, mixed-reality simulation, feedback systems, and the evolving structures of educator pathways. Her scholarship investigates novice teachers’ learning experiences, the design and implementation of simulations, and institutional responses to shifting licensure and preparation demands. She has authored peer-reviewed publications in leading outlets such as AERA Open, Review of Educational Research, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Teachers College Record, contributing influential work on approximations of practice, coaching effectiveness, simulated caregiver conversations, and the language of teacher feedback. Her research pipeline includes multiple manuscripts under review and in preparation that examine program proliferation, provisional licensure routes, and within-institution variation in educator preparation. Wilson has been recognized with numerous distinctions, including the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, the Brenda Loyd Holliday Award, Best Poster honors, Best Paper finalist designation, and several competitive grants and fellowships supporting her research and conference participation. As a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Virginia, she contributes to large-scale, multi-institution projects evaluating statewide literacy initiatives, ELA curriculum shifts, and the potential of AI-supported tools to enhance teaching feedback, collaborating with principal investigators from UVA, Brown University’s Annenberg Institute, and Stanford University. Her academic experience includes extensive instructional roles across undergraduate and graduate programs, instructional coaching for teaching difficult histories, and leadership in program assessment, rubric development, accreditation preparation, curriculum mapping, and course alignment. She has presented her work widely at national, regional, and institutional conferences, including AERA, AACTE, AEFP, VACTE, SITE, and multiple UVA research convenings, and has delivered invited talks to K–12 school divisions, university faculty, and international delegations. Wilson has also contributed public scholarship through published opinion pieces in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her service includes conference reviewing for major national organizations, manuscript reviewing for multiple journals, committee leadership for the Hunter Student Research Conference, and extensive involvement with the Morehead-Cain Scholarship selection process.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Wilson, K., Cohen, J., & Erickson, S. (2025). Teacher candidates’ experiences with mixed reality simulations: Variations by task, support, and mode of delivery. AERA Open.

Cohen, J., Yonas, A., & Wilson, K. (2025). Approximating teaching: A systematic review of the research. Review of Educational Research.

Cohen, J., Wong, V., Liu, P., Wilson, K., & Yonas, A. (2025). Practice does not make perfect: Experimental evidence on the effectiveness of coaching beginning teachers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 117(7), 1137–1177.

Wilson, K., & Yonas, A. (2024). In search of deliberate practice: Simulating teaching in three teacher education programs. Teachers College Record, 126(9), 47–89.

Rasool Abedanzadeh | Virtual Reality Systems | Best VR Researcher Award

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prof. Rasool Abedanzadeh | Virtual Reality Systems | Best VR Researcher Award

Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz | Iran

Rasool Abedanzadeh is an Associate Professor of Motor Behavior at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, specializing in motor control and learning, sport and exercise psychology, motor development, and cognitive performance. He holds academic degrees in Sport Sciences and Motor Behavior, with graduate research focused on psychological factors influencing perceived exertion and the role of sensory information and age in bimanual coordination. As an experienced educator, he teaches a wide range of subjects, including motor learning, motor control, motor development, motor skills acquisition, sport psychology, advanced statistical methods, and specialty English. His research spans attentional focus, neurocognitive mechanisms of movement, feedback strategies, developmental and neurological conditions, aging, brain stimulation, stereotype threat, and motor-skill acquisition in both typical and special populations. Dr. Abedanzadeh has produced an extensive body of scholarly work, authoring more than 45 peer-reviewed publications in national and international journals. His studies address topics such as normative feedback, mirror neuron involvement, active and interactive video-game-based training, brain-gym exercises, transcranial direct current stimulation, coordination patterns, balance, and learning processes in children with autism, individuals with intellectual disabilities, elderly adults, and novice performers. He has also contributed numerous presentations to national and international conferences, highlighting advancements in feedback mechanisms, attention, brain stimulation, motor development, and applied motor behavior. Beyond publications and teaching, he has led several funded research projects focused on cognitive-motor performance, motivational climate, goal orientation, and sports-talent development for students. His innovative work includes registered inventions such as an eye-tracking system for anxiety and stress assessment, a mirror-tracking device, and a Stroop-based auditory stimulus tool for examining psychological refractory periods. Dr. Abedanzadeh also contributes to the academic community as a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Sport Sciences and Educational Applied Researches without Border and serves as an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE. Collectively, his expertise, research, and inventions reflect a strong commitment to advancing knowledge in motor behavior, enhancing training and learning strategies, and applying scientific insights to sport, health, and cognitive performance.

Guoning Zhao | Human–Computer Interaction | Best VR Researcher Award

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Dr. Guoning Zhao | Human–Computer Interaction | Best VR Researcher Award 

Communication University of China | China 

Zhao Guoning’s research focuses on digital media, algorithmic governance, political communication, and the social impacts of emerging technologies, forming a cohesive body of work that examines how platforms and data systems influence public expression and power dynamics. His publications in leading international journals—Big Data & Society, Mobile Media & Communication, and New Media & Society—advance understanding of algorithmic visibility contests, digital geospatial identities, and classed voice dynamics in online environments. He also contributes to critical discussions on deep synthesis technologies, AI-driven customer service systems, generative search engines, and the psychological mechanisms that shape misinformation and negative emotional spread on social media. Alongside his international scholarship, Zhao has published extensively in major peer-reviewed journals in China, addressing themes such as media convergence, political communication, blockchain journalism, media power relations, and historical shifts in communication practices. Several of these works have been featured as cover articles or selected for reprints by prominent academic digest journals. His historical studies further illuminate transformations in media institutions and journalistic practices, offering a broader contextual understanding of contemporary communication systems. Zhao’s active participation in global and national academic communities—through presentations at IAMCR, ICA Preconferences, international research workshops, and major communication forums—reflects his commitment to exploring the intersections of algorithms, platforms, and public life from both critical and interdisciplinary perspectives.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Zhao, G. (2025). Boosting popularity: Folk theories and algorithmic resistance of visibility contests in the comment sections. Big Data & Society, 12(2), 1–14.

Zhao, G. (2025). Digital geospatial construction on Chinese social media based on IP geolocation. Mobile Media & Communication, 13(3), 386–406.

Zhao, G., Liu, Z., Li, X., & Zhao, Y. (2022). Toward discourse involution within China’s internet: Class, voice, and social media. New Media & Society, 24(5), 1033–1052.

zhitao yu | Augmented Reality (AR) | Best VR Researcher Award

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Mr. zhitao yu | Augmented Reality (AR) | Best VR Researcher Award

University of California,Berkeley | United States

Zhitao Yu is an award-winning Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) designer and user experience researcher specializing in multimodal interactive systems that integrate artificial intelligence, design, and human cognition to create more intuitive and emotionally intelligent digital experiences. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from the China Academy of Art (2021–2025) and is pursuing a Master of Design at the University of California, Berkeley (2025–2026). Zhitao’s research and design work focuses on bridging human-centered methods with data-driven innovation, exploring topics such as emotional cognition in augmented reality, AI interfaces for healthcare, and multimodal sentiment analysis. His publications in CSCW, UBICOMP, and SCI journals highlight his expertise in applying mixed-method approaches—combining IMI, UTAUT, eye-tracking, and usability testing—to evaluate and refine interaction systems. Professionally, he has led user research at Zhejiang University X Lab, Yanming Technology, and Vimix AI, where his work enhanced digital tools for education, healthcare, and multimedia creation. His AI-assisted medical registration system for older adults improved task efficiency by 40.5% and reduced workload by 59%, while his multimodal video editing framework accelerated editing by 60% and informed a published SCI study. Zhitao also redesigned the Anymile drone control dashboard, integrating 12+ real-time data layers and achieving an 80% pilot adoption rate. Recognized with the National First Prize in the Xiaomi Design Award, the DIA Excellence Award, America IDA Silver Award, C IDEA New Star Award, and G Cross Global Silver Award, his work has been showcased internationally at the Moscow Golden Bee Biennale, Milan Design Week, and Dutch Design Week. Through his interdisciplinary research and global recognition, Zhitao Yu continues to push the boundaries of user experience design, reimagining how humans interact with intelligent systems across physical and digital spaces.

Daniel Daneshvar | VR in Healthcare | Global Impact Award in Virtual Reality

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Dr. Daniel Daneshvar | VR in Healthcare | Global Impact Award in Virtual Reality 

 

Harvard Medical School | United States

Daniel Daneshvar, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, where he has dedicated his clinical, research, educational, and community outreach efforts to improving care for individuals following traumatic brain injury (TBI), with a special focus on repetitive TBI (rTBI). He serves as Chief of Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation and co-Chair of Sports Concussion at Mass General Brigham, providing care for patients with acute and long-term sequelae of TBI while supervising medical students, residents, fellows, and research trainees. Dr. Daneshvar’s work has advanced clinical understanding and diagnostic approaches to TBI, including leading the identification of a novel concussion sign—the spontaneous headshake after a kinematic event (SHAAKE)—now implemented on the sidelines by professional sports organizations including the National Football League and the UK’s Professional Footballers’ Association. He has contributed to national policy and standards through consensus work with the NFL Chief Medical Officer and as a panelist for the Brain Trauma Foundation and Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative. To enhance clinical management of rTBI, he developed a retrospective clinical assessment tool for informants of brain donors, now used across multiple North American centers, and created the first positional exposure matrix (PEM) to quantify head impact exposure, which has shaped research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and inspired CTE prevention protocols. His scholarship, including lead or senior author publications in JAMA, Acta Neuropathologica, and Nature Communications, has clarified the clinical and neuropathologic features of CTE, contributed to diagnostic criteria, and influenced the NIH’s 2023 acknowledgment of a causal link between rTBI and CTE. Dr. Daneshvar directs a research portfolio exceeding $2.7 million funded by philanthropy, NINDS, and the NFL Players Association, and serves as Senior Editor for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Associate Editor for Frontiers in Neurology. A committed educator, he received Spaulding’s Distinguished Research Mentor Award and Teacher of the Year Award, established a resident research track, and supported over 35 resident publications in the past year. Committed to public health, he founded Team Up Against Concussions and now directs concussion education initiatives at TeachAids, whose CrashCourse program has reached over 500,000 athletes. His outreach includes more than 200 media interviews to advance public understanding of TBI. Through these integrated efforts, Dr. Daneshvar aims to elevate standards of TBI care, prevention, education, and research.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Daneshvar, D. H., Mez, J., Alosco, M. L., Kiernan, P. T., Sullivan, K., et al. (2023). Association of cumulative head impact force with chronic traumatic encephalopathy neuropathology in American football players. JAMA, 329(12), 1024–1034.

Daneshvar, D. H., Nowinski, C. J., McKee, A. C., & Cantu, R. C. (2023). Repetitive head impacts and chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Applying the Bradford Hill criteria for causation. Acta Neuropathologica, 145(4), 411–432.

McKee, A. C., Cairns, N. J., Dickson, D. W., Folkerth, R. D., Keene, C. D., Daneshvar, D. H., et al. (2021). The revised neuropathologic criteria for the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Nature Communications, 12, 2291.

Kiernan, P. T., Montenigro, P. H., Daneshvar, D. H., et al. (2022). Age of first exposure to repetitive head impacts and risk of neurobehavioral symptoms in former American football players. Neurology, 98(17), e1765–e1773.

Solomon, G. S., Daneshvar, D. H., et al. (2024). Consensus recommendations on concussion prevention and long-term health outcomes in elite sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 58(9), 521–530.

Montenigro, P. H., Baugh, C. M., Daneshvar, D. H., et al. (2017). Clinical subtypes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Literature review and proposed research diagnostic criteria. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, 9(1), 56