Winnie Wong is a Professor of Rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on art history, particularly exploring themes of fakes, forgeries, and authorship through interdisciplinary approaches. She examines the global artistic networks of Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, challenging Western narratives of Chinese artistic practices. Wong holds a PhD from MIT's History, Theory + Criticism program and was a Harvard Society of Fellows Junior Fellow. Her major works include Van Gogh on Demand: China and the Readymade (2014, Joseph Levenson Prize winner), Learning from Shenzhen (2017), and a forthcoming book on Canton trade portraitists. She teaches courses like Theory of the Copy and Rhetoric of the Image , mentoring undergraduates through the Undergraduate Research Apprentices program and advising PhD students in art history and visual studies. Wong's research has been supported by grants from Mellon Foundation, ACLS, SSRC, and others. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and appears in journals like Current Anthropology and Law & Literature . She frequently discusses her work on podcasts and collaborates with museums including M+ and the Asian Art Museum.
Robert Kaufman is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a B.A. (1979), J.D. (1982), and Ph.D. (1995) from UC Berkeley. Prior to academia, he practiced labor and employment law. His career includes positions at McGill University, Stanford University (where he was an Assistant Professor of English and affiliated with German Studies and Modern Thought & Literature), and visiting roles at the University of Chicago and UC Berkeley. He has held fellowships including Stanford Humanities Center, Hellman Family, and Institute of International Studies. He co-chairs Berkeley's Program in Critical Theory. His research focuses on 20th-21st century American poetry, Latin American poetry, Romantic-era poetics, Frankfurt School Critical Theory, and aesthetic philosophy. Key projects include Negative Romanticism: Adornian Aesthetics in Keats, Shelley, and Modern Poetry , and studies on César Vallejo, Paul Celan, and Robert Duncan. His work bridges Marxist theory, lyric form, and sociopolitical critique. Kaufman's essays analyze Adorno's influence on modern poetry, the ethics of lyric form, and intersections between poetry and democracy. His recent work engages postmodernism's aftermath and contemporary political crises. He frequently collaborates on translation projects and public humanities initiatives, including events on Paul Celan's centenary.
Beth Piatote is an Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She holds a PhD in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University and is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (Nez Perce). Her work bridges scholarly and creative realms, focusing on Indigenous literature, law, language revitalization, and cultural studies. Education: PhD in Modern Thought and Literature (Stanford University). Research interests include Native American legal systems, Nez Perce language preservation, global Indigenous literatures, and creative writing. She co-founded and chairs Berkeley’s Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization and directs the Arts Research Center, where she leads the Indigenous Poetics Lab. Her publications include Domestic Subjects: Gender, Citizenship, and Law in Native American Literature (2013) and the short story collection The Beadworkers (2019), which received multiple literary recognitions. Her plays Antíkoni and Tricksters, Unite! explore Indigenous narratives through performance. Awards include MLA honorable mentions, PEN/Bingham Prize longlistings, and a 2020 Playwrights Retreat win. Current projects involve a scholarly monograph on sensory representations of Indigenous law and creative works in poetry and essays.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Lily L. Tsai is the Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and founder/director of the MIT Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB). She previously chaired the MIT Faculty and focuses her research on governance, accountability, and political participation in developing contexts, particularly Asia and Africa. Her research explores how decentralization, democratic reforms, informal institutions, and economic development influence public goods provision. She also investigates the dual impacts of social capital and civil society on political outcomes, and analyzes political behavior in authoritarian and transitional systems through surveys, interviews, and field experiments. Recent publications span topics including collective governance, vaccine compliance in Uganda, anticorruption strategies in China, and the role of informal institutions in rural China. Tsai’s work appears in journals like American Political Science Review and World Development . Dogan Award for best book in comparative research (2007-08) She leads interdisciplinary projects such as the Compass Initiative (SHASS Education Innovation Fund) and The Science of Respect with MIT’s Brain and Cognitive Sciences department. MIT GOV/LAB, which she founded in 2014, emphasizes real-time empirical collaboration between researchers and practitioners to address governance challenges.
Kin Tak Raymond Tsang is a Lecturer in Cinema Studies at the University of Southern California (USC) within the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. and M.Phil. in Cinema Studies from New York University, an M.A. in Comparative Literature from Peking University, and a B.A. in Cultural Studies from Lingnan University. Previously, he served as an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University from 2022 to 2023. Education: B.A., Cultural Studies, Lingnan University M.A., Comparative Literature, Peking University M.Phil., Cinema Studies, New York University Ph.D., Cinema Studies, New York University Dr. Tsang’s research interrogates the geopolitical dimensions of cinema, particularly focusing on Hong Kong martial arts films, Third Cinema, and Cold War-era activism. His first book project, The 'law' outside the Law: The Political History of Hong Kong Martial Arts Cinema, 1949 to 1976 , redefines the genre by analyzing its ties to colonial governance, transnational networks, and cultural containment strategies. He also explores the translocal circulation of progressive films and literature, connecting Hong Kong to Cuba, China, and Malaysia during the Cold War. In 2023, Dr. Tsang published a special issue of the Journal of Chinese Cinemas examining Hong Kong’s leftist film movements (1950–1979). His scholarship extends Third Cinema theory to bridge Asia, Africa, and Latin America, emphasizing alternative globalization through cultural exchange. He teaches courses such as EASC 150: East Asian Societies , addressing topics like Cold War geopolitics and Southeast Asian film networks. His work intersects film history, cultural studies, and political activism, offering critical insights into colonial and transnational cinema.
Steven Jackson is a Professor of Information Science and Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University's Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, with additional graduate field appointments in Communication and Public Affairs. Since July 2023, he has served as Vice-Provost for Academic Innovation at Cornell, and previously held leadership positions as Chair of Information Science and Dean of William Keeton House. His work bridges academic research with significant institutional leadership in higher education innovation. Dr. Jackson's research focuses on critical intersections of technology, society, and the environment, with three primary strands: technology ethics, law and policy; maintenance, repair and sustainability; and technology, inequality and global development. His work draws from American pragmatism, political economy, and science and technology studies, integrating methods from sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and media studies. He is particularly interested in how computing practices meet social and material worlds, with implications for infrastructure, collaboration, sustainability, and cultural practice. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on repair as both theoretical concept and practical methodology, exploring 'ordinary hope' as a framework for technological engagement and examining unmaking as a necessary counterpart to design. The research spans diverse geographical contexts from the global North to South, addressing caste dynamics in computing, digital authoritarianism, and infrastructure challenges in developing contexts. Dr. Jackson has received significant recognition including an NSF CAREER award and more than twenty paper awards at leading computing and information science venues. His research has been supported by major organizations including the U.S. National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, World Bank, Intel Research, Atkinson Center for Sustainability, and the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council. As an advisor, Dr. Jackson has mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to prominent positions at institutions worldwide. He currently advises Jen Liu, Amy Cheatle, Daniel Mwesigwa, Johan Michalove, and Ritik Batra, while his former students include Palashi Vaghela (Assistant Professor at Simon Fraser University), Samir Passi (Responsible AI Researcher at Microsoft), Maggie Jack (Assistant Professor at NYU), and Ranjit Singh (Senior Researcher at Data and Society). Dr. Jackson convenes the Computing On Earth Lab, an experimental collaboration bringing together social scientists, humanists, artists, and engineers to rethink the material and planetary foundations of computing. The lab reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that address computing's environmental impacts and sustainability challenges.
Susan Fino is a Professor at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wayne State University. Her research focuses on public law, American constitutional law, administrative law, and the role of state supreme courts. She holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University. She has received the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her courses include American Government (PS1010) and Constitutional Law (PS5110/PS5120), taught across multiple terms from 2023 to 2025. Dr. Fino's research explores judicial federalism, state constitutional frameworks, and legal interpretations of rights. Her work analyzes topics like church-state relations, taxation provisions in state constitutions, and assisted suicide debates. She has written extensively on state supreme court dynamics, including landmark cases and institutional performance metrics. Her scholarship bridges legal theory with practical governance challenges at both state and federal levels. Her publications span over three decades, addressing evolving legal landscapes such as the Rehnquist Court’s federalism approach and technological impacts on criminal sentencing. She consistently engages with issues at the intersection of law, politics, and societal values.
Scott D. Sagan is the Caroline S.G. Munro Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. He serves as Co-Director of the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC) and holds the position of Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education. Sagan also co-chairs the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Committee on International Security Studies, demonstrating his significant influence in the field of international security. Sagan received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University in 1983 and his B.A. in Government from Oberlin College in 1977. Prior to joining Stanford, he taught at Harvard University and served as special assistant to the director of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon, providing him with valuable practical experience in defense policy. Professor Sagan's research primarily focuses on nuclear weapons policy, international security, arms control, and nonproliferation. His work examines the organizational, political, and ethical dimensions of nuclear strategy, with particular attention to the risks of nuclear accidents, the effectiveness of nonproliferation policies, and public attitudes toward nuclear weapons use. He has pioneered important theoretical frameworks regarding the organizational causes of nuclear accidents and the normative constraints on nuclear weapons use. Sagan's publications reveal a consistent focus on nuclear deterrence theory, the organizational aspects of nuclear command and control, and the ethical dimensions of nuclear weapons policy. His work bridges theoretical analysis with practical policy implications, often challenging conventional wisdom about nuclear strategy and proliferation. Recent publications show increasing attention to public opinion on nuclear weapons use, the evolving nature of nuclear deterrence in the contemporary security environment, and the relationship between international law and nuclear strategy. Thérèse Delpech Memorial Award (2022) Susan Strange Award, International Studies Association (2017) William and Katherine Estes Award, National Academy of Sciences (2015) International Security Studies Section Distinguished Scholar Award (2013) Stanford's Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching (1998-99) Stanford's Hoagland Prize for Undergraduate Teaching (1996) International Studies Association's Innovative Teaching Award (2008) Monterey Institute for International Studies' Nonproliferation Education Award (2009) Sagan has been instrumental in shaping the research agenda at CISAC, mentoring numerous students and junior scholars in the field of international security. His work has been supported by various research grants from foundations and government agencies focused on nuclear security issues. At Stanford, he has led numerous research initiatives examining nuclear weapons policy, arms control, and nonproliferation challenges. As Co-Director of CISAC, Sagan oversees one of the world's leading research centers on international security, nuclear policy, and arms control. The center brings together scholars, practitioners, and students to address pressing security challenges through interdisciplinary research, policy-relevant analysis, and educational programs. Under his leadership, CISAC has maintained its position as a premier institution for security studies research and policy engagement.
Laurie Shannon is the Franklyn Bliss Snyder Professor of English at Northwestern University, with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She studies English literature and culture in the long sixteenth century, focusing on the history of ideas in language, stakeholdership, embodiment, and cross-species relations. She serves as convener of The Anne Lister Society and is collaborating with Oxford University Press on a scholarly edition of Anne Lister’s Journal. Education: J.D., Harvard Law School; Ph.D., University of Chicago Shannon’s research explores the political imagination in early modern literature, particularly through friendship (Sovereign Amity: Figures of Friendship in Shakespearean Contexts) and animal studies (The Accommodated Animal: Cosmopolity in Shakespearean Locales). Her current monograph, 'Frailty’s Name: Shakespeare and the Natural History of Human Being,' examines human negative exceptionalism in Renaissance thought and its implications for climate crisis ethics. Her publications span Shakespeare studies, queer theory, environmental humanities, and textual editing. Notable awards include the Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Teaching Award, and Dean’s Award for Graduate Mentoring. She has held NEH, ACLS, and Guggenheim fellowships. Scientific Awards: Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award, Robert B. Cox Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award, Dean's Award for Graduate Mentoring, NEH Fellowship, ACLS Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship Shannon contributes to the Anne Lister Diary Transcription Project and has served as English Department Chair at Northwestern. Her recent articles focus on Shakespeare’s engagement with natural history, queer cosmology, and animal sovereignty, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach.
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUnited States
Zhun Deng is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research bridges machine learning, statistics, and theoretical computer science, focusing on rigorous frameworks for responsible AI systems. He previously held postdoctoral positions at Columbia University and completed his Ph.D. at Harvard's Theory of Computation group under Cynthia Dwork. Ph.D. in Computer Science, Harvard University (2022) B.Sc. in Mathematics, Chu Kochen Honors College, Zhejiang University His research spans theoretical foundations of machine learning, including: Quantile-based risk control and conformal prediction Fairness guarantees in algorithmic decision-making Uncertainty quantification for LLMs Copyright frameworks for generative AI Physics-informed hybrid models Multi-agent reinforcement learning with constraints Recent work analyzes LLM alignment through distribution-free methods (ICML 2025), explores performativity challenges (ICML 2025), and develops calibration techniques (ICLR 2024). Collaborations include research interns from Stanford, MIT, and NYU. Students in his group include: Ruomeng Ding (Ph.D., UNC) Xiaowei Yin (Ph.D., UNC) Kaicheng Zhang (Ph.D., UNC)
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)United States
Jonathan N. Katz is the Kay Sugahara Professor of Social Sciences and Statistics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He holds a S.B. from MIT (1990), M.A. from UC San Diego (1992), and Ph.D. from UC San Diego (1995). His career includes roles as Assistant Professor (1995-98), Associate Professor (1998-2003), and Professor (2003-11) at Caltech, with subsequent appointments as Sugahara Professor (2012–present), Executive Officer for Social Sciences (2007), and Division Chair (2007–14). His research focuses on statistical methods in social sciences, electoral systems, and public policy. Key affiliations include the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project and the Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences. Katz is Deputy Editor for Social Sciences at Science Advances and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011) and the Society for Political Methodology (2008). Research interests span political methodology, formal theory, and American politics. Recent work addresses partisan fairness in electoral systems, statistical rigor in political modeling, and institutional dynamics in legislative and judicial contexts. Notable contributions include critiques of electoral college bias and audits of political behavior research methodologies. Awards: Career Achievement Award in Political Methodology (2024), Inaugural Fellow, Society for Political Methodology (2008). Grants/Labs: Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, Linde Institute Directorship (2013–14).
Andrew Postlewaite is the Harry P. Kamen Professor of Economics and Professor of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts and Sciences. He holds dual roles in the Department of Economics and the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics. As a distinguished academic, he is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and serves as a director at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Additionally, he is the founding editor of the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics and a research associate at Penn's Population Studies Center and Institute for Law and Economics. Postlewaite's research focuses on game theory, behavioral economics, and social norms, with contributions to mechanism design, repeated games, and intergenerational transmission of preferences. His work bridges theoretical foundations with applied economic analysis, particularly in areas like consumer behavior, decision-making, and institutional design. He has held visiting positions at institutions including Caltech, Harvard, and Stanford, reflecting his academic prominence. His scholarly contributions include pioneering studies on future-oriented decision-making, interdependent valuations in markets, and equilibrium concepts in repeated games. Recent publications explore topics such as the impact of local media accessibility in the digital age and the welfare implications of consumption fluctuations. His editorial leadership at journals like Econometrica and International Economic Review underscores his influence in shaping economic discourse. Awarded prestigious fellowships and editorial roles, Postlewaite's career exemplifies a blend of rigorous theoretical research and practical applications in economics. His current research trends emphasize behavioral insights and the methodological underpinnings of economic models, reflecting a commitment to advancing both theory and real-world relevance.
Engseng Ho is a Professor of Cultural Anthropology and former Professor of History at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2008. His work focuses on Arab/Muslim diasporas across the Indian Ocean, global transregional dynamics, and historical interactions between empires and local societies. Education: PhD (2000), MA (1990) in Anthropology from University of Chicago; BA (1986) from Stanford University. Research interests include mobility studies, transregional legal frameworks, and the intersection of Islam with imperial and postcolonial contexts. Notable projects involve Inter-Asia collaborations and studies on China-Africa relations, oil economies, and Malay sovereignty. Recent grants include funding from the National Science Foundation for research on refugees, Azerbaijan's oil-driven geopolitics, and a global religion dissertation fellowship program. Teaching spans courses on imperialism, mobility, global culture, and anthropological theory. His expertise spans Africa, India, Indonesia, and Yemen.
Elisabeth Jean Wood is a Professor of Political Science at Yale University and holds a concurrent professorship at the Santa Fe Institute. Her research focuses on political violence, particularly sexual violence during war, civil war dynamics, and social movements. She is renowned for her work on insurgent transitions in South Africa and El Salvador, as well as her analysis of variation in wartime sexual violence. Wood has authored influential books including Forging Democracy from Below (2000) and Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (2003). Her recent work examines the Myanmar military's sexual violence against the Rohingya, emphasizing ideological motivations and institutional frameworks. Wood teaches courses on comparative politics, political violence, and qualitative research methods at Yale. She serves on editorial boards for Politics and Society , American Political Science Review , and the Contentious Politics series. Her research emphasizes ethical fieldwork practices and transparency in qualitative studies, addressing challenges in conflict zones. Her work bridges theoretical contributions with policy implications for understanding and preventing conflict-related atrocities.
Johanna S. Ransmeier is an Associate Professor at the University of Chicago, affiliated with the Department of History, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. She co-chairs the faculty board of the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights. PhD, Yale University (2008) AB, Amherst College (1997) Her research focuses on the intersection of law and family life in modern China, particularly through crime history. She has pioneered studies on human trafficking in Late Qing and Republican China, examining how traditional family structures enabled illegal transactions involving slaves, servants, and concubines. Her notable work, Sold People: Traffickers and Family Life in North China (2017), analyzes judicial archives to reveal systemic legal and social dynamics. Current research explores 'legal literacy' in early 20th-century China and its implications for modern legal expectations. Scientific Awards: Quantrell Award (2022) Fellow, National Committee on US-China Relations Public Intellectuals Program (Cohort V) Prior to joining the University of Chicago, she taught at McGill University and worked in human rights advocacy, serving as an interpreter for Chinese activists. She actively collaborates with institutions like the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights.
