Oumaima Lahmar is a researcher in the Department of Business Administration at the University of Bergamo, specializing in corporate finance, sustainability, and financial communication. Her work explores ESG factors, cultural finance, reputational risk in European banking, and AI applications in financial information systems. Ph.D. in Economics and Business Administration, University of Cagliari Master's in International Management, University of Cagliari Bachelor's in Business Administration, Tunis Business School Her research focuses on financial market dynamics, cultural finance, and AI-driven financial transparency. Recent publications analyze ESG reputational risk, gender differences in informal enterprises, and AI-enhanced financial information accessibility across journals like Research in International Business and Finance and International Review of Financial Analysis . Dr. Lahmar serves as Associate Editor for Research in International Business and Finance and the International Journal of Financial Services Management , and participates in the Communication Committee at the University of Bergamo's Department of Management.
Dr. Ben Williamson is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh's Moray House School of Education and Sport, affiliated with the Institute for Education, Community & Society (IECS) and the Centre for Research in Digital Education. His work critically examines how digital technologies, data infrastructures, and biometric/neurotechnological practices shape educational futures. Key areas of focus include the role of venture capital in education, algorithmic governance, and the privatization of educational systems. His research has been funded by the Leverhulme Trust and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Notable publications include Big Data in Education: The Digital Future of Learning, Policy, and Practice (2017). He maintains the Code Acts in Education blog and is active on Twitter as @BenPatrickWill. Williamson’s research explores intersections between biology and education (e.g., educational genomics), financial markets in schooling, and the governance of educational data by tech corporations. He critiques how platforms like Google Classroom and investors such as Amazon reshape educational practices and policies. His work emphasizes sociotechnical and infrastructural analyses of educational change. He supervises PhD students focusing on data-centric education policies, digital technology in education governance, and emerging biometric sciences in learning contexts. His articles analyze global EdTech dynamics, pandemic-driven privatization, and the ethical implications of biosocial education. Williamson’s affiliations include the Edinburgh Futures Institute, where he collaborates on future-oriented educational research. He has contributed to policy innovation labs and studies the impact of corporate actors like Pearson and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative on educational systems.
Gary F. Peters is the Senior Associate Dean and S. Robson Walton Endowed Professor of Accounting at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas. He has been a key academic and administrative leader since joining the university in 2003, previously serving as Department Chair (2016–2023) and Director of the Master of Accounting Program (2006–2016). His leadership includes overseeing faculty resources, strategic planning, AACSB accreditation, and major fundraising initiatives, including a $10 million gift to name the William Dillard Department of Accounting. PhD, University of Oregon MS, University of Missouri - Columbia BS in Accounting, Arkansas Tech University His research centers on audit risk, corporate governance, accounting disclosure, and professionalism, with a focus on the roles of audit committees, internal and external auditors. His work bridges accounting with information systems and ethics, appearing in top journals like The Accounting Review , Journal of Accounting Research , MIS Quarterly , and Journal of Business Ethics . His recent publications explore sustainability reporting, SOX compliance, executive compensation, and the impact of IT on auditing. Analysis of his recent articles reveals a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research, particularly at the intersection of accounting, governance, and sustainability. His work increasingly examines non-financial disclosures, ESG assurance, and the role of technology in audit quality and compliance. Many studies involve large-scale empirical analyses using public firm data, often co-authored with leading scholars in governance and internal audit. Joseph A. Silvoso Faculty Merit Award University of Arkansas Honors College Distinguished Faculty Award S. Robson Walton Endowed Chair Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Fellow Walton College Outstanding All-Around Faculty Member Glezen and D. Cook Endowed Chairs KPMG Research Grant Bank of America Research Fund Nolan E. Williams Lectureship Gary Peters has led major curriculum and program development initiatives, including the creation of the Integrated Master’s path, the online undergraduate accounting degree, and the Master of Professional Accounting. He has been instrumental in securing endowed chairs, scholarships, and strategic funds. He advises on faculty policy, accreditation, and budgeting, and has expanded student experiences through programs like the Rome Accounting Program and enhanced analytics curriculum. His leadership extends to national service, including presidency of the Federation of Schools of Accounting and roles in AACSB accreditation committees. He has played a central role in building the Department of Accounting’s research culture and strategic direction, leading multiple AACSB reviews and developing the department’s Strategic Focus Area document. His philanthropic efforts have established numerous scholarships and strategic use funds, and he has expanded advisory boards at both departmental and college levels.
Dr. Yan Song is a Professor and Director of the Program on Chinese Cities (PCC) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Department of City and Regional Planning. She specializes in land use and environmental planning, focusing on low-carbon urban development, spatial analysis of urban form, and China’s urbanization policies. Her work integrates GIS and computer-aided tools to assess urban growth and sustainability challenges. Her research examines domestic and international issues including urbanization drivers, green city development tools, land and housing market dynamics, and urban-transportation integration. Dr. Song leads the PCC, which investigates China’s urbanization impacts on environments and seeks equitable, sustainable growth strategies. Her projects are funded by NSF, EPA, HUD, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Research highlights include studies on rural-urban spatial restructuring, policy spillover effects, and energy transition mechanisms. She has consulted for Shenzhen’s city government and Beijing’s urban planning institutions. Dr. Song’s interdisciplinary approach bridges planning, environmental science, and policy, addressing global challenges like climate resilience and digital finance’s role in green development. Her advising focuses on PhD students interested in Chinese urban issues, and she holds affiliate roles at the National Center for Smart Growth and Lincoln Institute. Recent work emphasizes the 5R urban retrofitting framework, equity in heat mitigation, and the interplay between technology adoption and environmental governance.
Caterina Cruciani is an Associate Professor at the Department of Management , Venice School of Management , Ca' Foscari University of Venice. She serves as a member of the University Scientific Instrumentation Service Center (CSA) Management Committee and is affiliated with the Research Institute for Social Innovation . Research Interests Trust dynamics in financial advisory Behavioral finance and investor decision-making Sustainability disclosure and ESG integration Digital transformation in financial services Regional economic development and SME financing Agent-based modeling of cooperative behavior Key Article Trends (2009-2024): Span 15 years of research on financial trust (12 publications), behavioral economics (10), sustainability (6), and digital finance (5). Methodologically combines experimental economics , structural equation modeling , and Supervised Topic Modeling for ESG discourse analysis.
Claudia Ceci is a Full Professor at the Department of Methods and Models for Economy, Territory, and Finance (MEMOTEF) at Sapienza University of Rome. Her academic work focuses on stochastic models in economics, finance, and insurance, with a particular emphasis on optimal stochastic control, filtering, asset pricing, credit risk, and self-protection strategies. Coordinates internationalization initiatives within MEMOTEF Leads the Rome Sapienza unit in the 2022 PRIN project "Stochastic control and games and the role of information" Manages the 2023 Grande Sapienza project "Stochastic Optimization Problems in Insurance, Finance and Economics" Member of the UMI-PRISMA group (Probability in Statistics, Mathematics, and Applications) Featured in the "100 Esperte STEM" initiative (Mathematics category) Her research explores risk management, counterparty credit risk, and reinsurance optimization under partial observation. She has contributed extensively to journals in quantitative finance, insurance mathematics, and stochastic control. Recent projects analyze climate-related financial risks and reinsurance strategies under contagion models. Claudia teaches foundational mathematics and risk management courses across multiple campuses. Exam procedures for her mathematics course involve computerized written tests with mandatory oral components under specific conditions, reflecting her analytical approach to assessment.
Heinz Pampel is Professor of Information Management at the Institute of Library and Information Science at Humboldt University of Berlin since December 2022, holding a joint appointment with the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF). He also serves as a Scientific Consultant at the Helmholtz Open Science Office of the Helmholtz Association. Professor Pampel's research focuses on Open Science, digital transformation, and information infrastructures in science. His work examines how digital research and information infrastructures can support the cultural shift toward Open Science, with particular attention to academic libraries, computer centers, and other research-supporting service facilities. Key research areas include information infrastructures for Open Science, research data management, Open Access developments, research software, management of research information, and science policy. His recent publications demonstrate strong engagement with institutional repositories, Open Access implementation challenges, research information systems, publication cost monitoring, and scholarly communication infrastructure. Pampel has been instrumental in developing the Registry of Research Data Repositories (re3data.org), an important Open Science tool providing an overview of existing repositories for research data. Prior to his professorship, Pampel worked from 2007-2022 at the Helmholtz Open Science Office, where he served as Open Science Officer and later as Deputy Head. He received his PhD in 2021 from Humboldt University of Berlin on Open Access topics. His educational background includes studies in Library and Media Management at Stuttgart Media University (2003-2007).
Professor Vallipuram Muthukkumarasamy is an Associate Professor at the School of Information and Communication Technology at Griffith University, where he has pioneered Network Security teaching and research since joining in 2001. He leads the Networking & Security and Blockchain Research Group at the Institute for Integrated and Intelligent Systems. Muthu holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and a B.Sc. Eng. with 1st Class Honors from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. His extensive academic appointments include Group Leader of Network Security and Blockchain Research (2008-present), Program Director for the Graduate Certificate in Blockchain Technology (2022-present), HDR Convenor (2022-present), Member of the University Council (2020-2021), and Deputy Head of School for Learning and Teaching (2013-2016). Muthu's research expertise spans Cyber Security, Blockchain Technology (DLT), and Wireless Sensor Networking. He has secured national and international funding for interdisciplinary research, published over 150 articles in international journals and conferences, and supervised more than 30 research Masters and PhD students to completion. He pioneered the Network Security teaching at Griffith and successfully proposed and led the development of Queensland's first Master of Cyber Security Program, creating a truly interdisciplinary curriculum with Law, Business, and Criminology Schools. His recent publications reveal a strong research trajectory in blockchain applications, security visualization techniques, and wireless sensor networks. His work explores DeFi user behavior analysis, NFT privacy risks in the metaverse, blockchain transaction visualization, and the integration of blockchain with AI for credit scoring systems. His wireless sensor network research focuses on energy-efficient routing protocols and network lifetime modeling. Muthu has received multiple best teacher awards from students and peers, and during his tenure as Deputy Head of School, the Griffith IT program was ranked #1 in Australia for overall student satisfaction. He successfully proposed and developed Cisco-related courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and instrumental in creating industry-sought-after networking and security courses across all academic levels. His funded research includes significant projects such as Increasing the South East Queensland Cyber Security Workforce, Linking Digital Payments to Crime Using Big Data Machine Learning Tools, Improving Water Markets through Digital Technologies, and developing Indo-Australian partnerships for digital transformation through blockchain. He is actively involved in community and charity activities and has been instrumental in internationalization efforts for Griffith University.
Edward C. Norton is the UnitedHealthcare Professor of Health Care Management at the University of Michigan, holding appointments in both the Department of Health Management and Policy at the School of Public Health and the Department of Economics. He is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research in the Health Economics Program and the Economics of Aging Program. Dr. Norton earned his Ph.D. in Economics from MIT in 1990 and his A.B. from Princeton University in 1986. Prior to joining Michigan, he taught at UNC Chapel Hill and Harvard Medical School. His academic journey includes serving as Director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholars in Health Policy Research program. His research spans critical areas of health economics including: Advanced econometric methods for health services research Long-term care economics and aging populations Pay-for-performance systems in healthcare Obesity economics and body mass index impacts Dr. Norton's publication record shows a methodological sophistication with recent work focusing on reproductive health economics, surgical outcomes analysis, and dementia care economics. His research frequently employs instrumental variable approaches and advanced econometric techniques to analyze large healthcare datasets from Medicare and commercial insurance claims. Among his notable recognitions is the 2018 School of Public Health Excellence in Research Award from the University of Michigan. As an educator, Dr. Norton teaches HMP674: The Economics of Health Management and Policy II and HMP826: Applied Econometrics in Health Services Research, training the next generation of health services researchers in rigorous quantitative methods. He maintains active affiliations with the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and serves as Director of Quantitative Analytics in the Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy, bridging academic research with practical healthcare applications.
Dr. Jan E. Christopher is an Associate Professor of Economics in the Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance at the College of Business , Delaware State University. With over 25 years of experience as a staff analyst, economic analyst, and market specialist in finance, urban economics, statistics, and public policy, she has held leadership roles including Department Chair and Acting Chair. She has secured multiple federal grants and served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Ph.D. in Economics (Urban Economics), Howard University (1993) MBA in Business Administration, University of Oklahoma (1984) MA in Political Science (Public Policy), University of Rochester (1982) BA in Economics, Hampton University (1980) Dr. Christopher’s research spans Data Analytics, Financial Economics, Political Economy, Public Sector Economics, Transportation and Defense, and Urban Economics . Her work explores regional economic disparities, poverty dynamics, public health economics, and financial market mechanisms. Publications highlight trends in Medicaid healthcare access, income inequality metrics, and fiscal policy impacts, with a focus on Texas and Washington, D.C. datasets. Her scientific contributions have been recognized with the American Economic Association/Federal Reserve Dissertation Fellowship and Delaware State University Professional Development Awards . She received a U.S. Department of Homeland Security pin for service at the Coast Guard Academy and multiple Merit Compensation Pay Increases during her early academic career. Dr. Christopher has managed federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration and Ford Foundation. She directed the Delaware State University Summer Transportation Institute and served as Fixed-Income Market Specialist for the U.S. Department of Treasury. As a FINRA Arbitrator , she has mediated financial disputes, and held leadership roles in academic governance, including DSU Faculty Senate Finance Committee and AACSB Strategic Planning Committee.
Professor A. Rashad Abdel-Khalik holds the V.K. Zimmerman Professorship in International Accounting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business. Specializing in accountancy, his work focuses on financial derivatives, auditing practices, and corporate governance. His research frequently examines cases of financial mismanagement, particularly involving interest rate swaps and institutional debt crises. Notable studies include analyses of Enron's accounting fraud, municipal financial collapses, and banking practices affecting public institutions. Abdel-Khalik's research interests revolve around faithful financial reporting, fair value accounting, and the ethical implications of complex financial instruments. He has critiqued regulatory frameworks enabling risky financial practices, advocating for stronger oversight in derivative usage and transparency in financial disclosures. His work bridges academic inquiry and real-world policy, addressing systemic vulnerabilities in public and corporate finance. His publications span decades, with a recent emphasis on contemporary crises like Asian stock exchange shutdowns and sustainability-linked financial instruments. Though no awards are explicitly listed, his extensive scholarly output underscores contributions to accounting education and policy. He currently teaches at Gies College, contributing to both graduate and doctoral programs in accountancy.
Yong Liu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on applied econometrics, Bayesian methodologies, machine learning, and agricultural policy with emphasis on crop insurance and risk management. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Guelph (2016), preceded by dual M.S. degrees in Economics and Agricultural Economics from Yunnan University and the University of Guelph, respectively, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Yunnan University. His research explores econometric techniques for agricultural policy evaluation, including causal inference methods and behavioral economics applications. Recent work analyzes climate change impacts on crop yields, the efficacy of insurance subsidies, and the integration of weather data into risk assessment models. Liu’s publications demonstrate a strong focus on improving crop insurance mechanisms through statistical innovations like Bayesian model averaging and spatial-temporal forecasting. His academic contributions span theoretical advancements in density estimation and practical applications in agricultural finance. While no specific awards or grants are listed, his active publication record indicates sustained research engagement in agricultural economics and quantitative methods.
Marc Badia serves as Associate General Director at IESE Business School and is a full Professor in the Department of Accounting and Control. He holds a PhD in Business Administration (Accounting) from Columbia University, an MBA from Columbia University, an MBA from IESE Business School, and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from ESADE. Education Background: PhD in Business Administration (Accounting), Columbia University MBA, Columbia University MBA, IESE Business School, University of Navarra Bachelor's in Business Administration, ESADE Professor Badia's research focuses on fair value accounting and accounting-based analysis for company valuation. His scholarly work has been published in leading academic journals including the Journal of Accounting and Economics , Journal of Accounting Research , The Accounting Review , and Contemporary Accounting Research . His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on practical applications of accounting principles in business valuation and financial decision-making across various industries. His most recent research examines disclosure regulation in competitive industries, measurement of conditional conservatism, and the effects of tightening oil and gas disclosure rules, showing a strong analytical approach to understanding how accounting information affects market behavior and business decisions. At IESE, Professor Badia plays a significant leadership role as he is responsible for MBA and MiM programs on the IESE Management Committee. He has also developed numerous educational materials through IESE Publishing, including technical notes on financial assets, accounting for inventories, and noncurrent assets. Outside academia, he serves on the board of directors of a family business and has participated in consulting projects related to business valuation and quantitative business strategies based on fundamentals.
Dr. Gloria Crisp is a Professor of Adult and Higher Education at Oregon State University and currently serves as Associate Dean in the College of Education. With 25 years of experience in community colleges and bachelor’s granting institutions, her work focuses on equity in higher education , particularly for Latinx students and other minoritized populations. Research Focus : Transfer pathways, mentoring frameworks, and policies reducing educational inequities Key Contributions : Created the College Student Mentoring Scale (CSMS), used globally to assess mentoring effectiveness Awards : ASHE 2020 Mentoring Award Leadership : Former Editor-in-Chief of New Directions for Institutional Research , President of Council for the Study of Community Colleges (2022-23) Publications include over 60 articles in journals like American Educational Research Journal and Research in Higher Education , with citations exceeding 10,000. Her co-edited book Unlocking Opportunity through Broadly Accessible Institutions (2022) challenges deficit narratives about broad-access universities.
Ricardo Cabral is an Associate Professor with tenure at ISEG (Institute for Economics and Management), University of Lisbon, where he teaches and conducts research in public finance, macroeconomics, currency and banking, and economic policy. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of South Carolina and is a prolific author with over 40 scholarly publications, including journal articles, books, and policy papers. PhD in Economics – University of South Carolina (1998) His research interests span public finance , macroeconomic policy , banking union mechanisms , renewable energy economics , and fiscal sustainability in the Eurozone . He frequently contributes to public discourse through analytical writing, having published around 700 opinion pieces, notably in Público . His scholarly work critically examines the economic and monetary union, public debt management, and structural changes in the Eurozone. The most recent articles highlight a strong focus on Euro Area fiscal and monetary integration , banking regulation , and Portugal’s economic trajectory . His work combines empirical analysis with policy relevance, often using synthetic control methods and historical reviews to assess economic policies. Topics include the Dutch Disease in peripheral Euro countries, bail-in vs. bailout strategies, and the macroeconomic effects of renewable energy investments. Ricardo Cabral has co-authored significant policy proposals on restructuring Portugal’s external debt and has participated in public hearings at the Assembly of the Republic, the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, and the European Parliament, underscoring his role as a public intellectual and policy advisor. Co-authored two proposals for restructuring Portugal's external debt Regular contributor to national and international policy debates Testified before multiple legislative committees He actively supervises graduate students, including Master’s theses on public debt management and public sector wage expenditure, and a PhD on macroeconomics and structural change in the Eurozone. His teaching includes courses such as Macroeconomics II , Public Economics and Finance , and Economic Policy at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He is also involved in educational material development, including course reports and Euro Banking Union analyses.
