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Alexandra Valsan

Written by rostanetek on .

Alexandra Valsan is Law student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and serves as Human Resources Officer on the Aurora Student Council (ASC) Board. She brings a people-centered approach to her role through her strong interest in inclusion, team dynamics, and internal cohesion. In the past, Alexandra was involved in student engagement activities at her home university. She now looks forward to contributing to the ASC’s internal development and support structures. Her priorities include: ensuring a smooth onboarding process for new members, promoting transparent and effective communication within the Council, and creating a safe and welcoming environment where every student feels empowered to contribute. Alexandra also aims to strengthen the sense of belonging among ASC members through well-being initiatives and team-building efforts.

Júlia Bonet Maria

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

Júlia Bonet is a fourth-year Law student at Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). Since her first year, she has been deeply involved in student representation, serving as a member of the URV Student Council, the Faculty of Legal Sciences Council, and as a student representative in both the University Senate and the Governing Council.

She has also been part of the Aurora community for two years as a Student Ambassador, contributing to Task Teams 2.1 and 6.2. Now, she is ready to take a step forward and take on a bigger role within the alliance as a representative in the Aurora Student Council. Júlia is passionate about collaboration, sustainability, and innovation in higher education, and believes that every student voice can make a difference.

Gabriel Vernacchia

Written by rostanetek on .

Gabriel Vernacchia is a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at the Università Federico II of Naples, specialising in History of Political Thought. Visiting Research Student at The London School of Economics and Political Science (Department of Government) and, previously, at Université Grenoble Alpes (Department of Philosophy). He has been part of the Aurora Student Council since June 2024.

Anna Sóley Jónsdóttir

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

Anna Sóley Jónsdóttir is a 24-year-old Bachelor’s student in Art Theory with a minor in Political Science at the University of Iceland. At her home university, she serves as the International Officer of the Student Council (SHÍ), where she focuses mainly on advocacy and support for international students.

Rögnvaldur Jóhann Sæmundsson

Written by rostanetek on .

Rögnvaldur Jóhann Sæmundsson is a Professor of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science. He completed his CS degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Iceland in 1991, an MS in Engineering from the same university in 1994, and his doctorate in Technology Management from Chalmers Technical University in 2003. Rögnvaldur’s research has focused on technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

View his research profile.

Dugan O’Neil

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

Dugan O’Neil is an accomplished particle physicist whose research has focused on the search for new particles and interactions at high energy particle colliders at Fermilab and CERN. In addition to his work as a physicist, O’Neil has played a leadership role in building Canada’s digital research infrastructure within its diverse scientific community.

As Vice-President, Research and Innovation at Simon Fraser University, he works to secure partnerships with academia, industry, community and government. A key element of O’Neil’s role focuses on knowledge mobilization by facilitating opportunities to transfer researchdiscoveries to society and create a positive social, economic and environmental impact on the world stage.

Janette Walde

Written by rostanetek on .

Janette Walde is an accomplished Austrian statistician and dedicated academic leader, currently serving as Vice Rector for Teaching and Students at Universität Innsbruck. In this role, she is responsible for the entire student life cycle, higher education didactics, digitalisation in teaching and learning, and the promotion of interdisciplinary and additional competencies. Her office also supports student services, student associations, and the development of teaching-related skills for academic staff. 

Walde began her academic journey at the Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck and went on to study physics at Universität Innsbruck from 1987 to 1993. She then pursued doctoral studies at the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, earning her PhD in 2000 with a focus on machine learning. Her postdoctoral research was supported by an Erwin Schrödinger Fellowship from the Austrian Science Fund, which took her to the Department of Economics at the University of California, San Diego (2001–2002). In 2006, she completed her habilitation in statistics and econometrics. 

Walde has been a professor at the Department of Statistics at Universität Innsbruck since 2019 and has served as Dean of Studies at the Faculty of Economics and Statistics since 2021. On September 24, 2024, she was elected Vice Rector for Teaching and Students, officially taking office on October 1, 2024. 

With a strong background in research and teaching, Janette Walde is known for her commitment to academic excellence, her advocacy for quality education, and her interdisciplinary work in statistical modeling across economics, biology, and medicine.  

Matthias Grafenauer

Written by Aniza Pourtauborde on .

Matthias Grafenauer is studying International Business and Economics, as well as Law, at the Universität Innsbruck. During his Erasmus exchange in Bologna, he realised how important it is for students to gain new perspectives from other academic institutions and how enjoyable it is to meet other young people from all over Europe. Therefore, he wants to contribute to our academic network. He has been active in student representation as part of the student council at the University of Innsbruck for several years.

Ramon Puras

Written by rostanetek on .

Professor Ramon Puras recently assumed the role of Secretary General at Aurora. With a PhD in biomedical sciences focusing on HIV research, he’s known for establishing the Amsterdam University College and in his previous role as Dean of the Faculty of Education at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.

Drawing from his extensive experience in higher education, Professor Puras is dedicated to enhancing programs by integrating cutting-edge research and emerging technologies. His passion for teaching the interdisciplinary course Gastronomy, the Art and Science of Cooking reflects his blend of interests in science, cooking, and education.