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Pål Axelsson

Elected (2y term)

I’ve worked with Identity and Access Management since the 90s, first at one of the big universities in Sweden and then later with establishment, development, and use of the Swedish academic federation SWAMID. I’m responsible for daily operations and development of the federation's policy framework and technical solutions. In order for a federation to be interoperable with other academic federations around the world, I also actively participate in the joint standardization work within the eduGAIN and REFEDS. When I meet others, I always learns and share. There is no absolute truth but there is a common ground on where we can help each other.

Muhammad Farhan Sjaugi

Elected (1y term)

Hi, I am the co-founder of SIFULAN Malaysian Access Federation and have been participating in many Identity Federation activities/projects particularly in the Asia-Pacific region for the past 10 years. The recent one was the iFIRExMAN project which I was one of the co-PI. I am passionate about helping economies/states/countries to develop their identity federation infrastructure, building their technical capacity, and eventually joining the eduGAIN. Should I be selected as the eduGAIN Steering Committee, within my capacity, I will help to bring the aspiration from the developing federation to be at par with the developed federation.

Hi there! My name is Jonathan, and I'm thrilled to have recently been appointed as the Program Manager for CANARIE's Identity and Access Management program. I've had the pleasure of working in product management and consulting roles in finance and insurance, and my most recent role was with the Federal Government of Canada.

I'm a strategic thinker, and I've always believed in aligning initiatives with organizational goals for success. My leadership style is all about teamwork, communication, and collaboration amongst stakeholders. I'm proud to say that I consistently achieve and surpass project milestones with a results-oriented mindset and driving measurable efficiency improvements. I'm also adaptable to dynamic environments, so I can navigate changes seamlessly while keeping the focus on the project goals.

I'm passionate about stakeholder engagement and building strong relationships. This focus makes me a strong candidate for the eduGAIN Steering Committee. I'm excited to contribute my expertise to shaping the evolution of eduGAIN's services and promoting their adoption by the global R&E community.

About CANARIE 

CANARIE connects Canada to the world. Our programs equip researchers, students, and startups in Canada to excel on the global stage.  Together with our 13 provincial and territorial partners, we form Canada’s National Research and Education Network (NREN). This ultra-high-speed network connects Canada’s researchers, educators, and innovators to each other and to global data, technology, and colleagues.  
 
To strengthen the security of Canada’s research and education sector, we collaborate with our partners in the NREN, government, academia, and the private sector to fund, implement, and support cybersecurity initiatives. We also provide identity management services to the academic community and boost Canada’s startups with cloud resources and expertise in emerging technologies.  
 
Established in 1993, CANARIE is a non-profit corporation, with most of our funding provided by the Government of Canada. 

I've been around eduGAIN since the early days (I still remember the discussion/planning of the eduGAIN logo in a meeting room in Zurich many moons ago) and have participated in federated access in many capacities since then.  

I am currently in employment at a service provider which works globally - natively in federations, through eduGAIN connectivity but also using InAcademia and VerifID - so I see it all in regards to all the usual IdP/SP integrations, attributes, incompatibles etc -  which I believe will bring a different set of knowledge to the Steering Committee. I have been previously involved in several InCommon and REFEDS working groups (most recently REFEDS assurance framework and MFAv2) and co-chaired a couple and have participated in other work streams in the global federation space such as FIM4R, project moonshot, RA21  (as well as extensive eduroam knowledge from when I managed wireless and the eduroam service at an HE institution and also as a national operator of the eduroam service for the UK). I am also currently serving on the eduPersonSchema board and have worked on other international standards docs eg SAML2Int and have contributed to various open software projects. In non-SAML world I have OpenID experience and production experience with digital wallets and Self-Sovereign ID (SSI)

I would like to provide an impartial voice for Service Providers

I have over ten years of experience in the trust and identity area, focusing predominantly on authentication and authorization infrastructures for research communities. With this focus, my experience with federations, especially eduGAIN, was mainly from the view of this utilization and integration possibilities rather than its internal structure and governance.

I have been participating in various EU projects on activities related to the AAI area, namely AARC, EOSC-Hub, EOSC-Future, EOSC-LIFE, GN4, GN5 and projects associated with the EGI community. Thanks to that, I have a good understanding of research infrastructures and their need for identity and access management. Specifically, I know the life sciences research infrastructures very well thanks to long-term collaboration on the ELIXIR AAI and its evolution the LifeScience AAI.

I have detailed knowledge of the AARC Blueprint Architecture, which extends eduGAIN and can be a source of inspiration for features that will be useful on the eduGAIN level. A similar pattern can be observed in ESOC AAI, where an extension of eduGAIN might benefit it and make various integrations easier.

I would like to mainly represent research infrastructures in the eduGAIN Steering Committee and ensure their use cases are understood and considered as input for future decisions. I believe my experiences will bring a different perspective and be a valuable addition to the traditional viewpoint of federation operators.

For ten years now I've been technically responsible for operating the Dutch identity federation SURFconext, also specifically for our eduGAIN integration and have been eduGAIN SG Deputy in the last four years.

I seek to represent the voice of federation operators and by extension, our users - faculty, students and staff for which eduGAIN is merely one instrument to achieve their goal. We are working for them and their interests should be central for what we are building.

While eduGAIN was revolutionary 10 years ago, the world has caught up and there are quite some competing technlogies, that may have lower implementation costs or deliver better on the expectation that users will actually be able to log in successfully, or just have better marketing. My vision for eduGAIN is to not try to be everything to everyone, but more sharply define over the coming years what our strongest added value is (compared to such 'alternatives' like "use a Microsoft account", "use ORCID", "create an eduID" and maybe even wallets) and focus on making that added value be simple to use, easy to implement and robust in experience.

Francisca Martin-Vergara

Elected (2y term)

Victoriano Giralt / José Manuel Macías 

As a dedicated professional currently working in the systems area at the University of Malaga, I bring a strong background in technology, including a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Efficiency, and a deep commitment to advancing global collaboration in education.

Throughout my career, I have been deeply involved in the development and management of systems within the academic realm. My roles at the University of Malaga, coupled with diverse experiences from Erasmus visits and international stays, has equipped me with valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing educational institutions today. My academic journey has instilled in me a deep appreciation for collaboration and innovation in education. eduGAIN's commitment to secure access aligns seamlessly with my passion for advancing global academic partnerships. I am committed to leveraging this knowledge to contribute effectively to eduGAIN's endeavors.

I believe in the transformative power of collaborative networks and international cooperation in the field of education. My professional values are shared with eduGAIN’s focus on fostering collaboration and enabling secure access to educational resources. If elected to the Steering Committee, I will work tirelessly to ensure that eduGAIN continues to be a driving force in promoting a fluid and secure global collaboration within the academic community.

My key strengths lie in strategic planning, technology integration, and promoting partnerships. I am confident that these skills, combined with my dedication to the advancement of educational technology, will make a positive impact on eduGAIN's mission to enhance the global exchange of knowledge and resources.

Furthermore, my experiences in diverse international environments underscore my commitment to encouraging an inclusive atmosphere within eduGAIN. I understand the importance of creating spaces that embrace diversity, ensuring a collaborative environment that enriches our collective efforts. I am excited about the prospect of contributing to eduGAIN's growth and success. With your support, I look forward to collaborating with fellow committee members to shape the future of eduGAIN and strengthen its position as a leader in facilitating international collaboration in education.

Thank you for considering my candidacy. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to eduGAIN's continued success.