Prof. Anthony Tzes

New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Biography: Anthony Tzes is a graduate of Electrical & Computer Engineering Department (1985) at University of Patras (UPAT), Greece. He received his doctorate from the Ohio State University in 1990. From 1990 until 1999 he was a tenured associate professor with Polytechnic University, now New York University Tandon School of Engineering. He has been a Visiting Professor (2009-2013) at University of Loughborough, UK and a Professor at UPAT since 1999. He has been the Chairman of IEEE's Control Systems Society Greek Chapter, a member of the national (Greek) committee of the European Control Association (EUCA), member of several committees of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), and the national representative (2006-2009) to EU's FP7's thematic area "Regions of Knowledge, Research Potential and Coherent Development of Policies." He has served in various positions (Program Chairman (MIM'00), Organizing Committee Chairman (ECC'07), General Chairman (MED2011), Program Chairman (MED2015), and as IPC-member at several international conferences.
Research interests include UAVs, Cooperative Control of Networked Systems, Surgical Robots, Mechatronics, and Control engineering applications. Professor Tzes has received research funding from various organizations including NASA, the National (US) Science Foundation, the European Union (Horizon2020), and the European Space Agency (ESA). He has over ten years of experience as the director of the Instrumentation and Control Laboratory at Polytechnic University, focusing on smart sensors and self-tuning systems. Concurrently, he served as the principal investigator of the Urban Intelligent Transportation Systems Center in New York, NY. While in Greece, he is the leader and principal investigator of the Applied Networked Mechatronics Systems group. He has authored more than 80 (240) papers published in international journals (conferences). He has received various awards as co-author of published articles including the best paper published in 2014 in IET Control, Theory & Applications and the ECC 2003 IST Prize Award. He has served on the editorial board of several journals (e.g., IEEE Control Systems Magazine, Circuits Systems, and Computers, Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems, International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks).

Prof. Dan Zhang

Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China

Biography: Professor Dan Zhang is a Chair Professor of Intelligent Robotics and Automation, and Director of PolyU-Nanjing Technology and Innovation Research Institute, Director of Consortium for Intelligent Robotics Research at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Laval University, Canada in 2000.  He joined Ontario Tech University (OTU), Canada, as Assistant Professor in 2004 and was promoted to Associate Professor and Professor in 2006 and 2011 respectively.  During the appointment period in OTU, he also served as Founding Chair in the Department of Automotive, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (2012 – 2014) and was awarded the Canada Research Chair in Advanced Robotics and Automation (2009 – 2015).  Since 2016, he transferred to York University, Canada as a Kaneff Professor and also took up the role of Department Chair in the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 2016 to 2018.  Thereafter, he was awarded the Tier 1 York Research Chair in Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics in 2017. 
Professor Zhang's research interests include synthesis and optimization of parallel and hybrid mechanisms; generalized parallel mechanisms research; reconfigurable robots; innovation design of parallel robots: parallelization of serial robots; micro/nano manipulation and mems devices (e.g., sensors); rescue robots; smart biomedical instruments (e.g., exoskeleton robots and rehabilitation robotics); AI/robotics/autonomous systems; Aerial and Underwater Robotics; Artificial Intelligence for Robotics; intelligent reconfigurable adaptive landing gear and manipulator (manipulander).
Professor Zhang is a well-accomplished educator and an internationally renowned expert in the areas of parallel robotic machines and their applications in manufacturing systems. His influential scientific contributions have led to novel robotic system designs and development of new comprehensive models for better understanding of globe stiffness and robotic calibrations. His research applications have tackled some of the world's most challenging problems in high dynamic performance manufacturing robotic systems. His leadership has resulted in significant contributions to the areas of robotics, mechatronics, reconfigurable/sustainable manufacturing systems and MEMS devices. His accomplishments have been recognized by many honors and awards including Canada Research Chair, Research Excellence Awards, Tier 1 York Research Chair, Lassonde Innovation Awards --- Established Researcher, Early Researcher Award by Ministry of Research and Innovation, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC), Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and Fellow of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME).
Professor Zhang has published 316 journal papers and 202 conference papers, 12 books, 9 book chapters and numerous other technical publications. Professor Zhang has served as a General Chair for 106 International Conferences and delivered 186 keynote speeches. Professor Zhang is listed as the World’s Top Two Percent Researchers by Stanford’s Standardized Citation Indicators in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Prof. Mohd Rizal Arshad

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China

Biography: Professor Mohd Rizal Arshad is the Dean of the School of Robotics at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China. He received his B.Eng. in Medical Electronics and Instrumentation and PhD in Electronic Engineering from the University of Liverpool, UK, and an MSc in Electronic Control Engineering from the University of Salford, UK.
With more than 25 years of experience in robotics research and development, Professor Arshad's work spans intelligent robotics, autonomous marine systems, instrumentation, intelligent control, and AI-enabled robotic perception. His research bridges fundamental robotics with real-world industrial applications, particularly in challenging marine and underwater environments where sensing, navigation, control, and system reliability remain critical technological barriers.
His current interests include autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, marine inspection robotics, underwater sensing and mapping, bio-inspired intelligent systems, and the adaptation of land-based robotic technologies for ocean engineering applications. He has led numerous multidisciplinary research and industrial projects involving intelligent robotic systems for environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, and maritime operations.
Professor Arshad is a Chartered Engineer (UK), Chartered Marine Engineer (IMarEST), Professional Engineer (Malaysia), Professional Technologist (Malaysia), Senior Member of IEEE, Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (F.ASc), Fellow of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (FIMarEST), Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (FAAIA), and recipient of the 2019 IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society Presidential Award.