Mariya Petkova is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education , Sofia University, affiliated with the Department of Didactics . She teaches courses such as Pedagogy , Educational Sociology , and Education and Society . Her research focuses on pedagogical frameworks and sociological dimensions of education. Email: maria.st.petkova@abv.bg Email: m.petkova@fp.uni-sofia.bg Research Interests Pedagogy Research in education Sociology of Education Educational Sociology Selected Publication (2021) applies case study methodology to analyze school aggression as a social phenomenon, contributing to understanding educational sociology and student behavior trends.
Professor Ross G. Menzies is a leading academic and clinician in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and existential psychology , currently serving as Professor of Psychology at the Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) . He previously held the position of Associate Professor in Health Sciences at the University of Sydney for 28 years (1990–2018). Education : B.Sc (Psychology, First Class Honours), M.Psychol (Clinical Psychology, First Class Honours), and PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) . His research spans anxiety disorders , OCD , depression , and stuttering , integrating CBT with existential concerns . He has pioneered treatments like the DIRT package for OCD and syllable-timed speech interventions for stuttering . Recent publications focus on existential threats in psychopathology, cross-cultural anxiety assessments , and process-based therapy frameworks. Professor Menzies has secured over $7 million in national competitive research grants and authored 200+ peer-reviewed manuscripts . He held leadership roles in organizations like the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (AACBT) and the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT) . His clinical practice addresses global patients through in-person and Skype-based therapy , with a focus on relationship problems and mental health .
Sheryl Kubiak, Ph.D., serves as Dean and Professor at Wayne State University School of Social Work and Founding Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice. With prior roles at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, her career spans 30 years of research at the intersection of criminal/legal systems and behavioral health. Current: Wayne State University School of Social Work Dean and Professor Former: Michigan State University Professor, University of Michigan Research Associate Education: Ph.D. in Psychology and Women's Studies, University of Michigan (2002) M.S.W., University of Michigan (1988) B.A. in Social Work with Business minor, Madonna University (1987) Dr. Kubiak's research focuses on criminal/legal system-behavioral health intersections , including substance abuse treatment in prisons, mental health courts, opioid addiction reentry programs, and trauma-informed corrections. Her methodological expertise includes Evaluation methods Survey design Secondary data analysis Recent publications examine: Prison behavioral health service disparities Crisis response model effectiveness Gender-specific violence patterns AI applications in social work education Sequential intercept model implementation Scientific awards include: NIMH Gender and Mental Health Pre-doctoral Fellowship NIJ Women in Criminal Justice Training Scholarship James Marshall Public Policy Fellowship (declined) Grants exceeding $20 million include: $1.7M MDHHS mental health diversion evaluation $16M SAMHSA opioid addiction initiative $6.8M NIMH/NIJ suicide prevention trial As a peer review panel member for NIMH and Fulbright Awards, Dr. Kubiak has also designed experiential learning programs in correctional settings and advocated for policy reforms through gubernatorial appointments.
Susan Snycerski is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at San Jose State University’s College of Social Sciences. Her research spans psychoactive drug studies, sports marketing, and motivation theory. Academic Rank: Professor Institution: San Jose State University College: College of Social Sciences Research Lab: Cultural Pharmacology Laboratory Dr. Snycerski’s research focuses on two primary areas: Psychoactive Drugs: Examines public perceptions of cannabis use by athletes and psilocybin for clinical/spiritual/recreational purposes. Sports Fan Behavior: Develops novel frameworks like BOFing/COOFing and studies alcohol-aggression links in sports fans. Her recent publications include: 2024: Single-case experimental designs in human factors 2024: New measures for fan behavior dynamics 2023: Subjective group dynamics in sports 2021: Alcohol use and aggression in sports fans 2021: Pandemic vaccine trust 2021: Humor perception in sitcoms Dr. Snycerski collaborates with MAPS and draws inspiration from pioneers like Dr. Roland Griffiths. She contributes to understanding behavioral responses through both drug research and fan behavior analysis. Research Affiliation: Cultural Pharmacology Laboratory Methodological Expertise: Survey research, behavioral experiments Key Partners: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), Dr. Rick Doblin
Dr. Chester S. Spell serves as a Professor of Management in the School of Business at Rutgers University–Camden, specializing in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior. His primary affiliations include the Department of Management where he teaches undergraduate and MBA courses including Organizational Behavior Leadership, Human Resource Management, and Compensation. He holds a Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Education: Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology Research Focus: Spell's scholarship centers on behavioral health and well-being in organizations, with deep investigation into psychological health dynamics, organizational justice systems, and workplace substance abuse programs. His work examines how social structures within teams influence health outcomes and explores interventions like employee assistance programs and work-family support systems. He has pioneered research on diversity faultlines, analyzing how demographic alignments within groups trigger conflict or enhance performance. Publication Trends: Recent work (2020-2023) reveals expanding interests in AI's impact on group collaboration and post-pandemic workplace adaptations, while maintaining core focus on diversity training effectiveness and historical leadership lessons from disasters. His publications span interdisciplinary domains including management history, negotiation theory, and self-employment economics, consistently appearing in premier journals like Academy of Management Journal and Journal of Applied Psychology . Awards: No scientific awards documented in source materials Academic Contributions: Spell has developed innovative courses including Employee Health and Well-being for the Business Leader Development Program. His media expertise covers disability issues, mental health advocacy, and substance abuse treatment frameworks. Despite extensive publication output, the source text provides no details about doctoral advisees or major research grants. Research Infrastructure: No dedicated laboratories, research centers, or formal team structures are referenced in the available documentation.
Wilson Ozuem is Professor at the Business School for the Creative Arts, University for the Creative Arts, holding this position since November 2023. His academic role bridges business theory with creative industry applications, contributing to the university's mission in arts-focused business education within the UK higher education landscape. His research centers on digital consumer interactions, with primary interests in social media marketing dynamics, user-generated content ecosystems, and service failure/recovery mechanisms in digital environments. He employs qualitative methodologies including thematic analysis and symbolic interactionism to examine millennial consumer behavior, particularly in fashion and online communities. His work integrates theoretical frameworks like commitment-trust theory and actor-network theory to decode complex brand-customer relationships. Analysis of his 2020-2025 publications reveals consistent focus on digital brand engagement during crises, especially pandemic-induced behaviors like panic buying and misinformation spread. Key trends include influencer-mediated service recovery, negative word-of-mouth dynamics, and brand community loyalty mechanisms. His research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between marketing, psychology, and social media studies, with increasing methodological innovation in AI-driven qualitative analysis.
Dr. Barry Stephenson serves as Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Biology Department within Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, specializing in reptile and amphibian ecology and evolution. His research bridges field studies in Mexico and Georgia with laboratory analysis to address fundamental questions in behavioral ecology. Education: Ph.D. in Biology from University of Miami M.S. in Zoology from Washington State University B.A. in Biology from Clark University Dr. Stephenson's research program investigates three interconnected domains: the functional significance of body coloration in relation to anatomy and behavior; life history variation in Mexican lizards as drivers of speciation; and regional herpetofauna diversity assessment in Crawford County, Georgia. His work employs spectrophotometry, field observation, and morphological analysis to uncover evolutionary mechanisms shaping amphibian and reptile biology, with particular emphasis on conservation implications for species of concern. His 14 publications (2014-2023) reveal consistent focus on salamander and lizard biology across North America, with recurring themes of coloration adaptation, reproductive strategies, and geographic variation. The research demonstrates methodological diversity spanning field surveys, laboratory experiments, and morphometric analysis. Dr. Stephenson actively mentors undergraduates through research-focused courses including Introduction to Academic Research (HON 105) and Special Topics in the Honors Program (HON 198), while conducting field work in Mexico and Georgia that contributes to biodiversity databases and conservation planning. His teaching portfolio spans Human Anatomy/Physiology, Vertebrate Zoology, and Coral Reef Ecology field studies.
Dr. Jennifer E. Vitale serves as Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean of the Faculty at Hampden-Sydney College. She joined the institution in 2006 as the William W. Elliott Assistant Professor of Psychology and has held critical leadership roles including Department Chair, Director of the Honors Program, and Director of the college's Quality Enhancement Plan. Her academic credentials include: B.A. in Psychology from Pomona College (1996, Phi Beta Kappa) M.S. in Clinical Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison (1999) Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison (2002) Dr. Vitale's research specializes in criminal psychopathy with emphasis on gender-based expression patterns and underlying cognitive-emotional mechanisms. Her scholarship appears in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Neuropsychology, Aggressive Behavior, and Criminal Justice and Behavior, alongside co-authored book chapters on psychopathy and criminal behavior. Her distinguished service includes: 2009 Cabell Award for Excellence in Teaching 2014 Thomas Edward Crawley Award for distinguished service to Hampden-Sydney College She teaches Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Sport Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Psychology and Law while serving on Promotion and Tenure, Professional Development, and Admissions committees. As Associate Dean of the Faculty, she spearheads academic strategy and student success initiatives including the Committee on Student Success and Retention.
Adrianne Kunkel is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas, where she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in interpersonal communication, communication and gender, and social support since at least 2002. Her contact information includes the email adkunkel@ku.edu and phone number (785-864-9884). Education: Ph.D. from Purdue University. Dr. Kunkel’s research focuses on emotional support processes in personal relationships, domestic violence intervention, gender communication, and qualitative research methods. She has secured grants to study coping through narrative, support group impacts on breast cancer survivors, and domestic violence survivor challenges. Her scholarship includes co-authoring Researching Interpersonal Relationships: Qualitative Methods, Studies, and Analysis (2014) and co-editing Relationship Science: Integrating Evolutionary, Neuroscience, and Sociocultural Approaches (2012). Her recent work examines behavioral activation interventions, grief communication, and identity negotiation in trans healthcare. Scientific Awards Center for Teaching Excellence Recognition (2002) Outstanding Woman Educator, KU (2003) Silver Anniversary Award for Excellence in Teaching, KU (2004) Central States Communication Outstanding New Teacher Award (2004) Donn W. Parson Graduate Faculty Mentorship Award (2003-2004, 2009-2010, 2010-2011) John C. Wright Mentor Award, KU (2011) IARR Mentoring Award (2014) Dr. Kunkel has mentored graduate students and contributed to domestic violence advocacy, including studies on survivor narratives and support group dynamics. She has published extensively in journals like Human Communication Research , Journal of Social and Personal Relationships , and Death Studies .
Sarah Steeg is a Research Fellow (Self-Harm Prevention) at the University of Manchester's Division of Psychology & Mental Health. She holds a Senior Research Fellowship funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care. Her expertise centers on self-harm epidemiology, suicide prevention, and large-scale healthcare data analysis to assess suicidal behavior risk factors and outcomes. She advises the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health on stigma faced by individuals with personality disorder labels. Her research includes primary care and social care needs of self-harm patients, clinical management strategies, and pandemic impacts on mental healthcare. She has contributed to NIHR grants for suicide prevention and an ERC-funded project analyzing Danish adolescent self-harm data. She supervises postdoctoral, PhD, and Master's students and teaches in the Master of Public Health program. Key projects include studying self-harm rates during the pandemic and clinical management improvements. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being. She has authored over 70 publications, including studies on healthcare gaps post-self-harm and pandemic mental health trends.
John Cochran is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida, within the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Florida (1987), with prior faculty positions at Wichita State University and the University of Oklahoma. His research focuses on micro- and macro-social theories of criminal behavior, capital punishment legitimacy, and quantitative methodologies. Cochran has authored over 150 publications and serves on multiple editorial boards. He received the ACJS Outstanding Paper Award in 2016 and actively contributes to policy debates on crime control and sentencing disparities. Education: B.A. in Sociology, University of Florida (1980) M.A. in Sociology, University of Florida (1982) Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Florida (1987) Research Interests: Micro-social theories of criminal behavior Macro-social theories of crime control Capital punishment legitimacy assessments Quantitative data analysis in criminology Recent work explores topics such as intimate partner violence, cyberbullying, and racial disparities in sentencing. His articles analyze theoretical frameworks like Situational Action Theory and General Strain Theory across contexts like sports, pandemics, and juvenile justice. Cochran’s contributions bridge sociological theory with policy implications, emphasizing empirical rigor and societal impact. Scientific Awards: ACJS Outstanding Paper Award (2016) Advising: While specific advisees are not listed, Cochran’s extensive publication record suggests active mentorship in criminology doctoral programs. Grants and lab affiliations are not detailed in the provided text.
Laura M. Crothers is a Professor of School Psychology at Duquesne University's School of Education and a nationally-certified school psychologist. Recognized as a national expert in childhood bullying by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), she teaches graduate-level courses in consultation, program evaluation, and organizational supervision. D.Ed. in School Psychology (2001), M.S.Ed. in Educational Psychology (1997), B.A. in Psychology (1994) Her research focuses on bullying prevention , social aggression , adolescent mental health , and program evaluation , with over 100 manuscripts and monographs. Recent work explores workplace bullying in school psychology trainers, indirect aggression in LGBTQ youth, and social-cognitive influences on relational aggression. Her 15 most recent publications span journals like Frontiers in Education , Journal of Organizational Psychology , and Journal of School Counseling , emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to bullying and educational interventions. Awards include NASP recognition and an h-index placing her in the 90th percentile nationally for school psychology faculty (Watkins & Chan-Park, 2015). She serves on editorial boards and has delivered lectures internationally. Her full bibliography includes co-authored books such as Introduction to Professional School Counseling (Routledge, 2022) and Theory and Cases in School-Based Consultation (Routledge, 2020).
Han Yu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Statistics and Research Methods at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), within the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. He joined UNC in 2017 and holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Florida State University, alongside advanced degrees in Probability and Pure Mathematics. His teaching portfolio includes graduate courses such as Multivariate Analysis, Machine Learning/Data Mining, and Mathematical Statistics. Dr. Yu's research focuses on modeling complex network data through measure-theoretic probabilistic frameworks, emphasizing causal inference, Bayesian nonparametrics, and spatio-temporal statistics. He actively collaborates on interdisciplinary projects leveraging machine learning for structural causal discovery. His work bridges theoretical statistics with applied domains like public health, epidemiology, and computational biology. Key research interests include modern causal inference, hierarchical latent variable models, and network computational methods. His funded projects include an NSF grant for high-performance computing infrastructure and an epigenome-wide study on prostate cancer. Awards highlight his contributions to data science and statistical methodologies. Ph.D. in Statistics, Florida State University MS in Statistics, Florida State University MS in Probability & Statistics, Xiamen University BS in Pure Mathematics, Xiamen University His publications span journals like Journal of Applied Statistics , Computational Statistics & Data Analysis , and Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness . He advises students on research in kernel-based semiparametrics and machine learning applications.
Richard Wrangham is a Research Professor at Harvard University, affiliated with the Peabody Museum. His work focuses on animal behavioral ecology, particularly chimpanzee behavior in Uganda's Kibale National Park through the Kibale Chimpanzee Project. Key research interests include human evolution, warfare origins, dietary adaptation (cooked food), and the paradox of human tolerance/violence. He has authored influential books like *Demonic Males* (1996), *Catching Fire* (2009), and *The Goodness Paradox* (2019). Leads long-term chimpanzee behavioral studies Explores evolutionary links between primates and human social structures Investigates conservation challenges in Ugandan rainforests Recent research highlights include studies on chimpanzee aggression patterns, hormonal impacts of social status, and the role of positive social interactions in aging. His work bridges primatology, anthropology, and conservation biology.
Professor Steve Williams is the Head of the Department of Neuroimaging and Professor of Imaging Sciences at King’s College London. He leads the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences at the Institute of Psychiatry and Maudsley Hospital. His research focuses on translating neuroimaging techniques from bench to clinic, with specialties in MRI development and clinical application. He has pioneered advancements in silent MRI for pediatric populations and has developed automated imaging tools for autism diagnosis. Key achievements include winning the NHS Innovation of the Year Award (2010) and the GE Healthcare Thought Leader Award (2010). Education: PhD in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (University of Cambridge, 1988), BSc in Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Loughborough University, 1985). Research Interests: Neuroimaging techniques, clinical neurology/psychiatry applications, MRI innovation, and imaging biomarkers for neurological disorders. His lab develops cutting-edge methods like portable ultra-low field MRI and silent fMRI for vulnerable patient groups. Recent Publications Highlight: Focus on neuroimaging applications in autism, pain management, and post-COVID-19 neurological effects. Collaborations emphasize multi-center studies and translational medicine. Awards: Pfizer Young British Scientist of the Year (1994), King’s Business Development Award (2008), and numerous grants from Wellcome Trust and NIHR. Grants/Projects: Active funding includes EPSRC DRIVE-Health (precision cognitive assessment), TBI-REPORTER (traumatic brain injury data portal), and CHIME Study (global health imaging). Labs/Teams: Director of the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences and Principal Investigator of the Wellcome Trust-funded Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences.
