Salikoko S. Mufwene is the Edward Carson Waller Distinguished Service Professor of Linguistics at the University of Chicago. He holds additional appointments on the Committees on Evolutionary Biology, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, and African Studies. His research integrates ecological perspectives into evolutionary linguistics, focusing on language contact, creole genesis, language endangerment, and the impact of colonization and globalization on linguistic diversity. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Chicago (1979) Key Themes: Language evolution, creole languages, population structure, decolonial linguistics, language policy Mufwene’s work emphasizes the role of population dynamics in language change, drawing parallels with biological evolution. His recent articles examine topics such as the cultural-artifact nature of language, the ecological drivers of creole hybridization, and the decolonization of linguistic paradigms. He has also contributed extensively to debates on language endangerment and multilingualism in super-diverse societies. Scientific Awards: Fellow, Linguistic Society of America (2018) Fellow, American Philosophical Society (2022) Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Collège de France lectures (2003, 2023-24) Summer Institute of the Linguistic Society of America (1999, 2005, 2015, 2017)
Krista Milich is an Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis, specializing in primate behavioral ecology and socioendocrinology. She holds a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago and the University of Texas at Austin. Her work integrates field studies with laboratory analyses to understand primate social systems, reproductive strategies, and conservation challenges. Her research focuses on reproductive physiology, sexual selection, and zoonotic diseases in nonhuman primates. Key projects include long-term studies of red colobus monkeys in Uganda’s Kibale National Park, collaborative community conservation efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict, and investigations into Zika virus in Amazonian primates. She also examines hormonal correlates in spider monkeys and woolly monkeys, linking social behavior to ecological and physiological factors. Her academic trajectory includes postdoctoral fellowships at the Institute for Mind and Biology (University of Chicago) and the Department of Anthropology (UT Austin), where she expanded into genetics and microbiome research. Her lab emphasizes comparative approaches to primate behavioral ecology, with fieldwork in Africa, South America, and Puerto Rico.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Stefan Helmreich is the Elting E. Morison Professor of Anthropology at MIT, where his research examines how scientists conceptualize fundamental phenomena—especially waves—across oceanography, biology, acoustics, and computing. His interdisciplinary work bridges anthropology, science studies, and media theory. Core research themes include: Cultural and scientific constructions of ocean waves Marine microbial ecologies and alien oceans Sound studies and transduction theories Multispecies ethnography Scientific visualization practices Helmreich's publications demonstrate consistent engagement with wave phenomena as both physical forces and cultural symbols, exploring how scientific representations of waves shape environmental understanding. His award-winning books trace connections between marine science, cosmology, and media technologies. He has received numerous prestigious awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship and multiple book prizes from anthropological associations. Helmreich maintains creative collaborations through projects like 'Wave Count'—a musical exploration of wave representations across genres.
Valerie Thomas is the Anderson Interface Chair of Natural Systems at Georgia Tech, holding joint appointments in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering and the School of Public Policy. Her research focuses on energy systems, sustainability, industrial ecology, and science and technology policy. She earned a B.A. in Physics from Swarthmore College and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from Cornell University, followed by postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon and Princeton Universities. Her work addresses low-carbon transportation, environmental impacts of food systems, and energy development in Africa. Key research areas include life cycle assessment, climate policy, and technology assessment. Thomas has contributed to over 80 technical publications and serves on advisory boards for the U.S. EPA and USDA/DOE. Education: Ph.D. in Physics, Cornell University; B.A. in Physics, Swarthmore College Awards: AAAS and APS Fellowships, Georgia Tech’s 1934 Outstanding Interdisciplinary Award Her teaching spans energy policy, lifecycle analysis, and engineering economics. She leads interdisciplinary teams at the Climate and Energy Policy Laboratory and the Technology Policy and Assessment Center, advancing sustainable systems engineering and policy solutions.
Alexander R. Pruss is a tenured Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Baylor University , within the College of Arts and Sciences . He holds a dual PhD in Philosophy (University of Pittsburgh, 2001) and Mathematics (University of British Columbia, 1996), and has held previous academic positions at Georgetown University. His work is deeply interdisciplinary, bridging metaphysics, philosophy of religion, formal epistemology, and ethics. Education: Ph.D. in Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh (2001) Ph.D. in Mathematics, University of British Columbia (1996) B.Sc. (Hon.) in Mathematics and Physics, University of Western Ontario (1991) Pruss’s research interests include metaphysics—particularly the Principle of Sufficient Reason , modality , and infinity —philosophy of religion, divine attributes , cosmological arguments , and sexual ethics . He is known for integrating rigorous formal methods with classical theistic metaphysics. His recent publications explore the intersection of probability theory, paradox, and theology, particularly in infinite domains. He has authored influential books such as The Principle of Sufficient Reason: A Reassessment (2006), Infinity, Causation and Paradox (2018), and One Body: An Essay in Christian Sexual Ethics (2012). The trends in his recent articles show a sustained focus on the philosophical implications of infinity, symmetry, and probability. He frequently investigates paradoxes in probability (e.g., infinite lotteries), challenges to modal realism, and the metaphysical coherence of divine attributes. His work combines analytic rigor with theological depth, often aiming to defend classical theism through logical and mathematical reasoning. Scientific awards and honors: Aquinas Medal, American Catholic Philosophical Association (2025) Wilde Lecturer, Oriel College, University of Oxford (2019) Outstanding Tenured Faculty Research Award, College of Arts and Sciences (2013) National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend (2002) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Fellowship (1997–2000) Pruss has been actively involved in academic service, including serving on the Executive Council of the American Catholic Philosophical Association (2021–2024) and the Society of Christian Philosophers (2011–2013) . He has held editorial roles for journals such as American Philosophical Quarterly and Analysis and Existence . He has delivered numerous invited lectures globally, including at Oxford, Notre Dame, and MIT. There is no mention of formal PhD or Master’s students in the provided text, but he advises through graduate seminars and research supervision. He has not received specific grant mentions beyond fellowships and stipends. He is affiliated with research groups such as the Baylor Institute for Faith and Learning and the Thomistic Institute , and contributes to philosophy of science and theology dialogues. His work continues to shape contemporary debates in analytic philosophy of religion and metaphysics.
Haagen Klaus is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at George Mason University, specializing in bioarchaeology, paleopathology, and forensic anthropology. Since 2013, he has directed research on the north coast of Peru, focusing on human skeletal biology, mortuary practices, and the impacts of colonialism and environmental stressors on prehistoric and historic societies. Ph.D., Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University (2008) M.A., Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University (2003) B.A., Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at Plattsburgh (2000) Klaus's research explores biocultural transformations in complex societies, with emphasis on health, violence, identity, and ethnogenesis. His Lambayeque Valley Biohistory Project (founded 2003) investigates skeletal markers of disease, stress, and violence across 10,000 years of Andean history. Methodologies include isotopic chemistry, ancient DNA analysis, and dental phenetics. Recent work (2025) examines oral microbiomes during Spanish colonization, syndemic processes in colonial dynamics, and stress indicators in pre- and postcontact populations. Projects integrate osteoimmunology, ecoimmunology, and life history trade-offs to understand physiological and cultural resilience. Current graduate students under his supervision include Rae-Ocean Blake, Kimberly Hargrave, Megan Jankowski, Emily Schopmeyer, and Celeste Schultheiss. He leads international collaborations involving Peruvian, Japanese, Canadian, and American researchers through the Lambayeque Valley Biohistory Project.
Ian Duncan is the Florence Green Bixby Professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley, where he specializes in Scottish literature, British Romanticism, and the evolution of the novel. He holds a BA from King's College, Cambridge (1977) and a PhD from Yale University (1989), with prior faculty positions at Yale and the University of Oregon before joining Berkeley in 2001. His research bridges literature, natural sciences, and media studies, focusing on the novel's development alongside evolutionary theory, Scottish cultural identity, and Romantic-era transformations. Key interests include the interplay of biological concepts with narrative form, the historical novel's political dimensions, and literature's relationship to opera and film. Duncan has authored seminal works such as Scott’s Shadow (2007) and Human Forms (2019), exploring how the novel shaped understandings of human nature during scientific revolutions. He edits major projects including The Cambridge History of Scottish Literature and is writing Scotland and Romanticism . Honors include: Corresponding Fellow, Royal Society of Edinburgh Honorary Fellow, Association for Scottish Literature Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award (2017) Saltire Society Research Book of the Year (2008) He directs critical editions of James Hogg and Walter Scott, co-edits the Edinburgh Critical Studies in Romanticism series, and has held visiting positions at Princeton, LMU Munich, and Aix-Marseille University.
Russell Mittermeier is an Adjunct Professor at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and Chief Conservation Officer at Re:wild. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Biological Anthropology from Harvard University and a B.A. from Dartmouth College (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa). His career spans over 45 years in biodiversity conservation, with fieldwork in 30+ countries, focusing on Amazonia, Atlantic Forest, and Madagascar. Education : Ph.D. and M.A. in Biological Anthropology (Harvard), B.A. (Dartmouth) Mittermeier's research centers on primate and herpetofauna conservation, species discovery (18 new species described), and linking biodiversity to climate change mitigation. He has authored 35 books and over 650 publications, advocating for conservation corridors and partnerships with indigenous communities. His 2015–2019 publications demonstrate interdisciplinary work across primatology, herpetology, and conservation policy, with a focus on tropical ecosystems. Recent studies include taxonomic revisions of titi monkeys, cactus extinction risks, and Amazon turtle hotspots. Scientific Awards : TIME Magazine Hero for the Planet Honorary Doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook Lifetime Honorary IUCN Member Mittermeier collaborates with global institutions like IUCN, Conservation International, and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, emphasizing fieldwork, scientific rigor, and community engagement to protect Earth's most vulnerable ecosystems.
Paige West is The Claire Tow Professor of Anthropology at Barnard College and a faculty member at Columbia University. She directs Columbia's Climate School Transdisciplinary Research Lab. Her work focuses on environmental conservation, Indigenous sovereignty in Melanesia, and climate change adaptation. She earned her Ph.D. in cultural and environmental anthropology from Rutgers University, with earlier degrees from Wofford College and the University of Georgia. Dr. West has conducted over 100 months of fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, collaborating with Indigenous communities to revitalize socio-ecological systems. Her research bridges anthropology with political ecology, examining linkages between environmental policy and international development. Key interests include Indigenous knowledge systems, conservation inequities, and commodity cultures. Director: Columbia University Climate School Transdisciplinary Research Lab Co-founder: PNG Institute of Biological Research and Roviana Solwara Skul Anthropological Director: Ailan Awareness NGO Award-winning author of three books, she founded the journal *Environment and Society: Advances in Research*. Her 2016 book *Dispossession and the Environment* won the Columbia University Distinguished Book Award. Current projects include a Guggenheim-funded book on climate change and kinship. Notable recognitions include Guggenheim Fellowship, Phi Beta Kappa Lecturer (2017-2018), and designation as one of 2021's 50 people changing the world by The Explorers Club. Her work integrates academic research with applied conservation initiatives, emphasizing Indigenous-led methodologies.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)United States
Ketika Garg is a Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), with an office in the Broad Center for Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on the interplay between individual and social decisions, using experimental and computational methods to explore how social environments influence decision-making and collective behavior. She investigates contexts ranging from traditional foraging paradigms to modern social media landscapes, developing innovative experimental frameworks to study these dynamics. Her research interests span computational neuroscience, social media analysis, and collective behavior, with a particular emphasis on understanding exploration-exploitation trade-offs in both natural and digital environments. She has contributed to studies on hunter-gatherer foraging networks, online toxicity dynamics, and the evolution of search strategies in collective foraging systems. Her work bridges disciplines such as psychology, ecology, and computer science to address fundamental questions in decision-making and social interaction. Dr. Garg’s publications reflect her interdisciplinary approach, covering topics like synergy in collective problem-solving, the roots of online toxicity, and the application of Lévy walks in virtual foraging experiments. While no formal awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided materials, her research trajectory demonstrates a commitment to advancing methodologies in computational social science. Contact: kgarg@caltech.edu Office: Broad Center for Biological Sciences (96) Phone: 626-395-1755
Jessica Mayhew is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Central Washington University. She specializes in primate behavior, biological anthropology, and cognitive ethology, with a focus on social play, dominance hierarchies, and communication patterns in primates such as chimpanzees, macaques, lemurs, and gorillas. Her research integrates field studies, captive observations, and interdisciplinary approaches to understand primate social dynamics and conservation challenges. Her work extends to historical analysis, such as interpreting Bronze Age wall paintings depicting primates, and modern contexts like examining the impact of human caregivers on captive primates and the portrayal of nonhuman primates in digital media. She has conducted studies in diverse locations including China, Madagascar, and sanctuaries in the United States. Mayhew’s publications span topics like lateralization in lemurs, dominance behavior in Tibetan macaques, and paternal care in orangutans. She teaches courses on biological anthropology, primate origins, nonverbal communication, and primatology, reflecting her expertise in both academic instruction and applied research. Her advising and grants focus on primate behavior studies, with notable projects including camera trap deployments in China and collaborative work at sanctuaries. No specific labs or teams are listed, though her collaborative nature is evident through joint publications with institutions like Duke Lemur Center and international field collaborations.
Jerry Zee is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and the High Meadows Environmental Institute at Princeton University. His research examines environmental emergence through political, meteorological, and geopolitical lenses, with focus on China's ecological transformations and transpacific entanglements. Publications analyze dust governance, aerosol politics, and racialized ecologies, employing interdisciplinary approaches from feminist STS and environmental humanities. Current work investigates planetary-scale infrastructural projects and necrotic politics.
W. Gerrod Parrott is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University's College. His research focuses on the nature of human emotion, including social foundations of emotions like guilt, shame, envy, and jealousy, emotional self-regulation, and historical/philosophical perspectives on emotion. He has authored four influential books and served as Editor of Cognition and Emotion (1995–1999) and President of the International Society for Research on Emotion (2008–2013). Currently, he is Editor-in-Chief of Emotion Review . Education : Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia Research Interests : Parrott explores how emotions function socially, culturally, and biologically. His work bridges psychology, sociology, and philosophy, emphasizing the role of emotion in moral judgment, interpersonal dynamics, and cultural expression. Recent studies include cross-cultural comparisons of shame, the impact of digital media on infant development, and the role of emotions in risk perception. Publications Trends : His recent articles highlight themes like moral emotions (guilt/shame), the evolution of emotion concepts across history, and the interplay between technology and emotional engagement. He critically examines cultural differences in emotional expression and their implications for psychology and policy. Editorial & Leadership Roles : Editor-in-Chief, Emotion Review Former Editor, Cognition and Emotion President, International Society for Research on Emotion Contributions to Field : Parrott’s work integrates empirical research with theoretical innovation, shaping debates on emotion’s role in cognition, morality, and culture. He advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to understanding emotion’s societal and individual impacts.
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States
Taylor Perron is the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also serves as the EAPS Undergraduate Officer. His research program at MIT spans multiple interdisciplinary areas within Earth and planetary sciences, with strong connections to the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering. Dr. Perron's academic background includes an AB in Earth and Planetary Sciences and Archaeology from Harvard University (1999) and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley (2006), followed by postdoctoral work at Harvard. His leadership roles at MIT have included serving as chair of the Program in Geology, Geochemistry, and Geobiology, and as Associate Department Head for Education. His research focuses on three interconnected areas: Landscape Evolution, Planetary Surfaces, and the Human Landscape. Within Landscape Evolution, he investigates dynamic river networks, climate-landscape interactions, grain-scale sediment transport mechanics, and the connections between landscape evolution and biological diversification. His Planetary Surfaces research examines river systems on Mars and Titan, using spacecraft data to understand extraterrestrial hydrological processes. The Human Landscape component explores archaeological applications of geomorphology, particularly in the Amazon basin. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on comparative planetary hydrology, with significant work on Earth, Mars, and Titan. His research increasingly integrates field observations, mathematical modeling, and remote sensing to address questions about landscape evolution across different planetary environments and timescales, with growing attention to anthropogenic impacts on Earth's surface processes. Scientific Awards & Honors: MacArthur Fellowship (2021) James B. Macelwane Medal, American Geophysical Union (2014) Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2014) Editorial Committee Member, Annual Review of Earth & Planetary Sciences (2017-present) Dr. Perron has established a productive research group that collaborates across disciplines and institutions, including significant partnerships with WHOI, NASA missions, and archaeological teams. His work bridges fundamental questions about planetary evolution with practical implications for understanding climate change impacts on Earth's surface systems.
Dr. Andrew Best is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), specializing in biological anthropology with a focus on human physiological evolution. His primary research examines the role of sweating in human evolution, contemporary human sweat characteristics, and the metabolic limits of endurance performance. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts (2021), an M.A. from the University of Massachusetts (2016), an M.A. from Quinnipiac University (2006), and a B.A. from Saint Michael’s College (2004). Dr. Best teaches courses including BIOL 101: Biology Seminar for Majors , BIOL 342/343: Anatomy and Physiology , BIOL 440: Exercise Physiology , and BIOL 484: Biomechanics . His research integrates evolutionary biology, thermal physiology, and exercise science to explore how human metabolic and thermoregulatory systems have evolved to support extreme endurance activities. Key projects include studying sweat gland density variation across populations and the physiological constraints of ultra-endurance events. His publications span topics such as ultramarathon energy expenditure, strength training’s impact on endurance, and primate sweat gland evolution. He actively participates in academic conferences and collaborates with researchers globally. No scientific awards are explicitly noted in the provided materials. Dr. Best’s work reflects interdisciplinary approaches to understanding human biological adaptation, with ongoing projects likely extending into nutritional strategies for endurance athletes and comparative analyses of primate thermoregulation systems.
