Thomas Alexander has been head of Division 2, Product and Work Systems, at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in Germany since 2019. Prior to this, he worked at the Fraunhofer Society in various positions for 26 years, conducting applied research studies in human factors and ergonomics. Thomas Alexander originally studied safety engineering and obtained his MSc in 1994, and his PhD in 2002. In 2004 and 2005 was a Visiting Scientist at the NASA Ames Research Center in California. Currently, he is also Vice President of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA). His research topics include the impact of innovative technologies such as AI on present and future work systems, and the various effects and implications of climate change on future work systems, especially on occupational safety and health.

Carita Aschan is the Director of TTL Services at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; from 2015 onwards she has been engaged in various leadership positions at the Institute. She has also served in several trusted roles within various organizations and steering committees. She holds a Ph.D. in Physics (1999) and EMBA (2019). 

Pierre Belingard is an electrotechnical engineer with over ten years’ experience in product testing and validation across various industrial sectors, including automotive, defence and security. After this professional background, he joined EUROGIP, where he is now responsible, on behalf of the French authorities, for coordinating French Notified Bodies under the Machinery Regulation and the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation. Working closely with the French Ministry of Labour and the French Ministry of Agriculture, he also deals with European regulatory matters. In addition, he participates in standardisation activities in the machinery sector and represents the positions of prevention stakeholders.

Dr. Michael Bretschneider-Hagemes is an occupational health and safety expert with many years of experience in the fields of research and politics. His research focused on mobile work and digitalization; at the time he founded the occupational safety session at the leading international conference on human-computer interaction and chaired it for many years.
In later political roles he specialized in AI, machine safety, human-machine interaction, and psychological stress. Today he is a representative of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in the EU Commission's Machinery expert group within DG Grow and expert in standardization committees related to occupational health and safety, particulary ergonomics and mental stress and related human-machine interaction. In the EU Commission's Advisory Committee for Safety and Health at Work he is a member of the workers interest group within the Working Party Standardization. At national level he works for the German trade unions at the working level of the Commission for Occupational Health and Safety and Standardisation (KAN).

Rafał L. Górny is a full professor of medical sciences. He is currently head of the Laboratory of Biohazards at the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland. He is also head of the Biological Agents Expert Group at the Interdepartmental Commission for Maximum Admissible Concentrations and Intensities for Agents Harmful to Health in the Working Environment, Warsaw, Poland. In the last 30 years of professional work, he has been engaged in numerous studies devoted to health-related aspects of exposure to particulate (including biological) and fibrous aerosols in occupational and non-occupational environments. Since 2002, he has been working as and adviser for the World Health Organization, European Commission, and International Labour Organization in the field of biological agents.

Heidi Lahti is a researcher at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, currently conducting doctoral research in work and organizational psychology in affiliation with Tampere University. Her research examines algorithmic management and AI use at work from a worker-centered perspective, with a focus on job demands, resources, and employee well-being.

Miriam Martínez Albert is a Spanish researcher and academic specializing in textile engineering. She serves as the Head of the Comfort Department at AITEX, the Textile Industry Research Association, which is a global leader in textile innovation and technology based in Spain. Miriam holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Alicante and a PhD in Textile Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Her research focuses on enhancing thermal performance, particularly in personal cooling systems, and developing standardised testing protocols for these systems. At AITEX, she leads projects aimed at measuring and optimizing thermal comfort in PPE, ensuring the safety and well-being of workers in demanding environments. 

José Alberto Salcedo is a seasoned health and safety professional with over 19 years of international experience in the infrastructure and construction sectors. Spanning operational to corporate levels, his career includes key tenures at major global companies such as Ferrovial and Acciona. Throughout his career, J. Alberto has acted as a functional lead on numerous innovation projects, successfully managing the digitalization of OHS processes. In his current role at Acciona, he drives the technological transformation of the H&S department, specifically leading the strategic application of Artificial Intelligence and new technologies to enhance health and safety standards.

Katja Tähtinen is a Professor of Practice in Sustainable Civil Engineering at Aalto University and Research Director at the Building Information Foundation RTS. Her research focuses on building longevity, reuse, and recyclability, as well as indoor environments. Her work bridges research, policy, and practice, supporting the transition toward circular, healthy, and resource-efficient built environments.