Steve Fotios, PhD, I am professor of lighting and visual perception in the School of Architecture at the University of Sheffield (UK) where I lead research of lighting and its effects on human behaviour – our evaluations of the lit environment and our ability to see – currently with a focus on lighting for pedestrians. I enjoy working with PhD students, and in particular encouraging them to consider methods before results (http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/architecture/people/fotios_s). A long standing desire to help students in this way was realised after a chance meeting with Jens Christoffersen, and this lead to establishing the Academic Forum and LumeNet, annual workshops discussing daylight and lighting (in its broader sense) in alternate years (http://www.lumenet2012.group.shef.ac.uk/index.html).

These workshops enable PhD students to receive critical feedback from international experts on their proposed methods of research at an early stage in the PhD process.

John Mardaljevic (PhD, FSLL) is Professor of Building Daylight Modelling at the School of Civil & Building Engineering, Loughborough University. Mardaljevic pioneered what is now known as Climate-Based Daylight Modelling (CBDM- http://climate-based-daylighting.com). Founded on rigorous validation work, CBDM is now the basis for research and, increasingly, industry practice worldwide. Mardaljevic’s practice-based research and consultancy includes major projects such as the New York Times Building and The Hermitage (St. Petersburg). He currently serves as the ‘UK Principal Expert on Daylight’ for the European Committee for Standardisation CEN / TC 169 WG11, and on a number of International Commission on Illumination (CIE) technical committees. In 2012 Mardaljevic was presented the annual UK lighting award by the Society for Light and Lighting (SLL). He is CIE-UK Representative for Division 3 (Interior Environment).

Koen Steemers (BSc BArch MPhil PhD RIBA ARB ) is Professor at The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge. An architectural and built environment academic with an international profile, Professor Steemers was recently named in BD’s inaugural list of the “50 most influential people in UK sustainability”, including others such as James Lovelock and Jonathan Porrit. He studied Architecture at the University of Bath and subsequently joined Energy Conscious Design (now ECD Partnership, London), a pioneering architectural practice. His PhD work at the University of Cambridge developed new insights in to the links between urban design and environmental performance which generated a series of funded research projects and drew the attention of academics and practitioners. He was invited to act as consultant, notably to the Richard Rogers Partnership on numerous projects, and became a Director of Cambridge Architectural Research Limited in 1991. Koen was appointed Head of Department in 2008 after five years as Director of the Martin Centre and Head of Research for the Department.

Koen is currently leading a team of a dozen researchers undertaking studies into visual perception, occupant behaviour and environmental performance of architectural and urban space. He coordinates a Masters degree, regularly supervises ca. ten PhD students and has produced over 170 publications, including 10 books.

Koen is a registered architect and Director of CH+W Design; environmental design consultant (Director of CAR Ltd); consultant to UN-HABITAT; past President of PLEA (Passive and Low Energy Architecture international association); Guest Professor at Chongqing University, China and Kyung Hee University, Korea.

Fernando Oscar Ruttkay Pereira (PhD), is a Professor at the Department of Architecture and Urbanism, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, since 1994. Graduated as a Civil Engineer at Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in 1979. Obtained his MSc in Civil Engineering at the same university in 1984. Got his PhD at Sheffield University, School of Architectural Studies, UK, 1988 – 1992. Post-doc at the School of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK, 2012. Initiated his academic carrier as a Lecturer in 1982.

Has supervised 33 MSc and 10 PhD students at the Post-graduation Courses in Architecture and Civil Engineering. Published over 200 papers in national and international scientific conferences and 25 papers in scientific journals. Co-author of the book “Energy Efficiency in Architecture” (in Portuguese). Director (2002 – 2008) of PLEA – Passive and Low Energy Architecture Association. Member of IESNA – Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. Regional Editor for South America of International Journal Management of Environmental Quality.

Research interest areas are: Daylighting in the Urban Environment, Daylighting Innovative Systems, Lighting and Energy Efficiency Simulation in the Built Environment and Learning Processes of Environmental Aspects.

Coordinates an integrated research project “Harvesting of Daylight: Potential for Energy Savings, Productivity and Life Quality Improvements”, financed by the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

Werner Osterhaus, Architect, Head of Lighting Design Research Laboratory, Department of Engineering, Aarhus University

Martine Knoop (PhD), is Lecturer at the Chair of Lighting Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. In this role, she is responsible for research and education on daylighting, indoor lighting and colorimetry. Since 2013, Martine is chair of the CIE technical committee dealing with the benefits of daylighting (http://www.cie.co.at/index.php/Technical+Committees). This work is linked to her own research project, looking into the unique characteristics of daylight responsible for the user preference for this light source, in order to promote and improve daylight design, as well as to develop new adaptive electric lighting solutions, to enhance user well-being and performance in indoor spaces.

Luisa Brotas (PhD, ARB, RIBA) is Course Leader MSc Architecture Energy and Sustainability at the Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design of London Metropolitan University. http://www.thecass.com/people/b/luisa-brotas. Her research spans the fields of daylight, sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings and urban areas with a strong emphasis on adaptive thermal and visual comfort. It integrates light, thermal and energy flows in relation to people whilst assessing their environmental impacts in line with climate change. Her work includes assessing daylight in buildings and urban areas in predominantly sunny climates as well as reflected solar dazzle from glazed facades.

She is also actively involved in the NCEUB – Network for Comfort and Energy Use in Buildings (www.nceub.org.uk) and along with Profs Fergus Nicol and Sue Roaf will soon be launching the 9^th International Windsor Conference 2016. (www.windsorconference.com).

Jens Christoffersen (PhD), has for many years been involved in national, international and European research programmes on Light and Daylight while working at the Danish Building Research Institute. In 2010 he joined the VELUX Group where he works in the Daylight, Energy and Indoor Climate group, which role within the VELUX Group is to be a knowledge and competence centre in the area of daylight, energy and indoor climate – related to the effects of VELUX products in buildings.