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David NugentView profile

Professor

• Sociocultural anthropology
• Political economics
• Agrarian society
• +5 more

David Nugent is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Emory University. He holds a PhD from Columbia University (1988) and specializes in sociocultural anthropology, political economics, and Latin American studies. His research focuses on state formation, race/ethnicity, agrarian societies, and the interplay between knowledge systems and power. Nugent’s fieldwork spans diverse regions including the Peruvian Andes, East Africa, the Canadian Arctic, and the U.S. Southwest. Key publications include The Encrypted State (2019), Modernity at the Edge of Empire (1997), and co-edited volumes such as State Theory and Andean Politics (2015). He has received the Choice Magazine ‘Outstanding Academic Title’ award for his collaborative work. Current projects explore vernacular sovereignties in Pacific-facing Latin America and underground democratic forms in Peru. Nugent’s research bridges historical and political anthropology, examining how states negotiate legitimacy through symbolic systems, fear, and displacement. His work critiques colonial and neocolonial knowledge frameworks while analyzing contemporary challenges like urban inequality and smart city governance. Education: PhD in Anthropology, Columbia University (1988) Awards: Choice Magazine ‘Outstanding Academic Title of 2004’ Projects: Co-editing ReOrienting Latin American History and authoring Sacropolitics: Group Sacrifice and the State of Redemption

Chian Siau ChenView profile

Professor

• Earthquake Engineering
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Land Reclamation
• +3 more

Dr. Chian Siau Chen is a Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), specializing in earthquake engineering and geotechnical engineering. His research focuses on soil liquefaction, land reclamation, and ground improvement. He holds leadership roles, including Vice President of the Geotechnical Society of Singapore (2016–2017) and President (2024–2025). He has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Top 10 Innovators Under 35 in Asia (2016) and the Prominent Geotechnical Engineer Award (2022). Education: PhD in Engineering from Cambridge University (2012), B.Eng. (1st Class) from Nanyang Technological University (2006). Research Interests: Earthquake Engineering, Centrifuge Modelling, Ground Improvement, Remote Sensing, and Land Reclamation. His work bridges theoretical analysis and practical applications, including disaster risk reduction and sustainable construction. Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles, focusing on seismic stability, soil mechanics, and innovative techniques for urban infrastructure. Recent trends emphasize digital tools (e.g., LiDAR, UAV) and probabilistic models for ground settlement predictions. Awards: Extensive accolades span technical excellence, teaching (ATEA 2017–2019), and professional service. He is a committee member for international geotechnical councils and editorial boards of journals. Grants & Projects: Funded by EPSRC for post-disaster reconnaissance and by Singaporean agencies for land reclamation. Leads collaborative efforts to recycle construction waste into sustainable fill materials. Labs/Teams: Active in NUS research groups and international collaborations, contributing to urban earthquake engineering and geotechnical innovation.

Mai HassanView profile

Associate Professor

• Comparative politics
• bureaucracy
• public administration
• +8 more

Mai Hassan is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where she serves as faculty co-director of MIT-Africa. Her research focuses on comparative politics, with particular emphasis on bureaucracy, public administration, the state, contentious politics, state repression, and the politics of Africa and the Middle East and North Africa region. Her academic journey includes: PhD in Government from Harvard University Previous position as Associate Professor at the University of Michigan Professor Hassan's research examines topics that span across authoritarian regimes, bureaucracy and public administration, and contentious politics. Her first book, "Regime Threats and State Solutions: Bureaucratic Loyalty and Embeddedness in Kenya," was selected as a Best Book of 2020 by Foreign Affairs, won the American Political Science Association's 2021 Robert A Dahl Award, and received the African Studies Association 2021 Bethwell A. Ogot Award. Her work has been published in prestigious journals including the American Journal of Political Science, American Political Science Review, and the Journal of Politics. Professor Hassan has been particularly active in providing expert commentary on Sudanese politics, drawing on her personal connection to the country (her family immigrated from Sudan to the United States when she was young). She has written op-eds for Foreign Affairs, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, and has been featured in media outlets including The New Yorker, NPR, and Vox. Her scientific awards include: American Political Science Association's 2021 Robert A Dahl Award African Studies Association 2021 Bethwell A. Ogot Award Foreign Affairs' Best Book of 2020 designation for "Regime Threats and State Solutions" Professor Hassan is actively involved in mentoring graduate students and has recently become a mother to her daughter Nadeen. She serves as faculty co-director of MIT-Africa, where she helps facilitate opportunities for MIT students to engage with African institutions through internships and research projects. Her current work includes a new book on mobilization under autocracy, as well as ongoing research on bureaucracy and state-society relations in Africa.

• Statistical Machine Learning
• Bayesian Inference
• Variational Methods
• +5 more

Michael C. Hughes ("Mike") is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Tufts University's School of Engineering, where he develops statistical machine learning methods for healthcare applications. His work focuses on building predictive models that extract actionable insights from complex clinical data, including electronic health records and medical imaging. PhD, Computer Science, Brown University (2016) MS, Computer Science, Brown University (2012) BS, Computer Science, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (2010) Research interests center on: Bayesian hierarchical models for documents, sequences, and medical images Optimization algorithms for approximate inference Model fairness and interpretability in clinical contexts Semi-supervised learning for medical diagnostics Recent publications demonstrate these capabilities through applications in cardiovascular disease diagnosis, opioid overdose forecasting, and ICU risk prediction. His lab emphasizes reproducibility through open datasets like TMED-2 and open-source tools like BNPy. Grants include NIH R01 funding for heart valve disease detection, NSF CAREER support for model interpretability, and NSF GCR funding for educational uncertainty research. Scientific awards include: NIH R01 Award (PI) for heart valve disease detection (2025) NSF CAREER Award (2024) NSF GCR Grant (2024) Best Poster Award at Time Series Workshop (ICML 2021) Top 10% Reviewer Awards at AISTATS (2023, 2022) Teaching activities include courses on Bayesian Deep Learning, Introduction to Machine Learning, and Statistical Pattern Recognition. He previously served as postdoctoral fellow at Harvard SEAS.

Sadaf SalehkalaibarView profile

Assistant Professor

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Generative models
• +5 more

Sadaf Salehkalaibar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. She holds an office in the EITC building (E2-416) and has previously held academic positions at the University of Tehran, University of Toronto as a research associate, and visiting roles at McMaster University, Telecom Paristech, and National University of Singapore. Her research focuses on explainable artificial intelligence, generative models, and information theory with an emphasis on rate-distortion-perception tradeoffs in video and image processing. Her educational background includes teaching courses such as Signals and Systems, Digital Signal Processing, and Network Security at the University of Tehran. She currently teaches COMP4190 (Artificial Intelligence) at the University of Manitoba. Research interests revolve around developing efficient algorithms for AI systems, with key contributions in learned video compression, federated learning, and privacy-preserving techniques. Notable work includes the M22 algorithm for communication-efficient federated learning and the NSERC Discovery Grant-funded project on data-driven learning efficiency. Recent publications highlight advancements in perception loss functions, Gaussian vector source analysis, and secure distributed hypothesis testing. She actively serves on editorial boards (e.g., IEEE Transactions on Communications) and conferences (ISIT, ITW). Awards include the prestigious NSERC Discovery Grant (2025). Supervision highlights 13 MSc students at the University of Tehran, focusing on topics like privacy-preserving systems and distributed learning. Labs/teams: Leads research group at University of Manitoba focusing on AI and information theory applications in multimedia systems.

Mukul S. BansalView profile

Associate Professor

• Computational Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Phylogenetics
• +3 more

Mukul S. Bansal is an Associate Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Connecticut's School of Computing. His research focuses on computational biology and bioinformatics, particularly computational phylogenetics, comparative genomics, and algorithmic optimization. He leads the Computational Biology Lab, developing computational methods and software tools to address fundamental biological questions. His work integrates theoretical computer science with genomic data analysis. He maintains active participation in computational biology communities, including program committee roles at conferences like ISMB/ECCB, RECOMB, and ACM-BCB. His group offers PhD and undergraduate research opportunities in areas such as phylogenetic analysis, horizontal gene transfer, and genomic algorithm development. Contact: mukul.bansal@uconn.edu, ITE Building Room 359. Research interests include phylogenetic tree reconciliation, domain-gene-species evolution models, and algorithmic solutions for large-scale genomic data. He has developed tools like TreeFix-TP, TNet, and virDTL, contributing to viral evolution and cancer genomics studies. His lab emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches bridging computer science and biology.

Collin BrooksView profile

Assistant Professor

• Physical Education Pedagogy
• Teacher Preparation
• Curriculum Design
• +5 more

Collin Brooks, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the University of West Georgia since 2020, affiliated with the Department of Sport Management, Wellness, and Physical Education in the College of Education. He holds a National Board Certification and serves on the Society of Health and Physical Educators America (SHAPE America) Board of Directors, actively contributing to online professional learning through his blog PHYEDagogoy.com. Dr. Brooks earned his BS (2006) and MS (2007) in Exercise and Sport Science/Physical Education from Oregon State University, followed by a PhD in Sport Pedagogy (2021) from the University of Northern Colorado. His research focuses on effective teacher preparation, curriculum design, and innovative uses of technology/social media in physical education. His recent publications explore AI applications in kinesiology, gamification strategies for engagement, cross-cultural physical activity experiences, and virtual professional development challenges. These works highlight trends toward technology integration and global educational practices. Scientific Awards: National Board Certified Teacher In advising and grants, Dr. Brooks has extensive K-12 teaching experience and mentors students through National Board Portfolio courses (EDUC-7001/7002). He teaches courses ranging from elementary physical education foundations (PHED-3671) to legal issues in sports (PHED-7630), emphasizing practical and administrative aspects of the field. His work with SHAPE America and PHYEDagogoy.com demonstrates commitment to professional community-building. Brooks collaborates on initiatives like the Online Professional Development in Physical Education project and contributes to the CMWL-3401 (Technology in Wellness) program. His research lab focuses on digital tools for educator training and student engagement through technology-driven methodologies.

Gëzim KrasniqiView profile

Lecturer

• Political Sociology
• Sociology of Nationalism
• Citizenship Studies
• +6 more

Dr. Gëzim Krasniqi is a Lecturer in Nationalism and Political Sociology and Programme Co-Director of the MSc Nationalism in Global Perspective at the University of Edinburgh's School of Social and Political Science. His work focuses on nationalism, citizenship, and state-building in Southeast Europe, particularly Kosovo and the Balkans. He holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and has taught courses like Theorising Nationalism and Nationalism, Populism and Democracy . Education: PhD in Sociology, University of Edinburgh MA in Sociology, Central European University MA in Sociology, University of Sarajevo and University of Bologna BA in Sociology, University of Prishtina Research Interests: Dr. Krasniqi specializes in political sociology and nationalism, with emphasis on citizenship in contested states, ethnic conflicts, and post-Yugoslav state-building. His work examines how nationalism shapes intra-group power dynamics and citizenship policies in liminal polities like Kosovo and Northern Cyprus. He is an Associate Editor of Identities and Book Review Editor of Nations and Nationalism . Key Themes in Publications: His articles analyze EU-Kosovo relations, citizenship laws, and the geopolitical role of Great Powers in the Balkans. Recent work explores the EU's influence on state-building and the socio-political implications of passports for marginalized groups. Awards & Grants: No explicitly listed awards, but he has secured institutional support for research projects on Kosovo policy-making and EU integration. Labs/Teams: He co-leads the ASEN Edinburgh branch, advancing studies on ethnicity and nationalism. His supervision includes PhD projects on Romani activism, digital ID systems, and micro-level nationalism.

• Urban Planning
• Strategic Planning
• Metropolitan Governance
• +5 more

Glen Searle is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at The University of Sydney, specializing in urban planning and metropolitan governance. His academic career demonstrates a strong focus on strategic planning, infrastructure governance, and urban policy development, particularly within the Australian context. Professor Searle's research interests span urban planning, strategic planning, metropolitan governance, infrastructure governance, land use planning, urban sustainability, and city development. His work critically examines planning systems, governance structures, and policy implementation challenges in metropolitan areas, with particular attention to Sydney's urban development strategies and infrastructure projects. He has made significant contributions to understanding the complexities of metropolitan governance, the public interest in mega infrastructure planning, and the challenges of population growth management. Analysis of Professor Searle's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on governance frameworks for urban infrastructure, metropolitan strategic planning, and the intersection of planning policy with population dynamics. His work demonstrates a methodological diversity, employing systematic literature reviews, case studies, and network analysis to examine urban phenomena. A notable trend is his increasing focus on infrastructure governance, particularly how governance structures respond to crises and changing urban conditions. His research bridges theoretical planning concepts with practical policy applications, often drawing on Australian case studies while connecting to international planning discourse. Professor Searle has secured significant research funding, including the 2020 Infrastructure Governance Incubator grant from The Henry Halloran Trust and the 2019 Population Growth and Regional Connectivity research grant from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. His collaborative approach is evident in his extensive co-authorship patterns across multiple institutions and disciplines. His scholarly contributions include numerous journal articles in leading planning and urban studies publications, book chapters, and edited volumes such as Global Planning Innovations for Urban Sustainability (2019). Professor Searle's work has appeared in high-impact journals including Urban Studies , Journal of Planning Literature , Urban Policy and Research , and Planning Theory and Practice .

• Decarbonization of Built Environments
• Bio-Based Materials Engineering
• Structural Systems Optimization
• +3 more

Dr. Bhavna Sharma is an Associate Professor and Director of the Chase L. Leavitt Master of Building Science Program at the USC School of Architecture. Her work focuses on decarbonization, bio-based materials innovation, and sustainable healthcare infrastructure. She leads the Keck USC Sustainable Healthcare Initiative (KUSHI) to advance environmentally conscious healthcare systems. Dr. Sharma holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, with additional degrees in Art History and Architecture. Her research spans structural systems optimization from material harvesting to building-scale applications, emphasizing bio-composites like bamboo and timber. She co-chairs USC's Presidential Working Group on Sustainability, contributing to Assignment: Earth climate goals. Courses taught include seismic design, structural systems, and building science integration. Key research areas include lifecycle assessment in healthcare, seismic-resistant designs, and interdisciplinary standards for non-conventional materials. Her work bridges material science, architectural practice, and policy to address global sustainability challenges.

Daniele LoiaconoView profile

Associate Professor

• Artificial Intelligence
• Machine Learning
• Medical Imaging
• +6 more

Daniele Loiacono is an Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano's Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering (DEIB), affiliated with the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Lab (AIRLab). His research focuses on interdisciplinary applications of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning in medical imaging, radiation therapy, and procedural content generation for games. He leads projects in synthetic image generation for radiotherapy quality assurance, automated treatment planning, and bias analysis in medical AI systems. Key research areas include medical image synthesis using GANs, radiation therapy optimization, and algorithmic game design. His contributions span clinical applications such as total marrow irradiation (TMI) planning and lymph-node segmentation, alongside innovations in shader generation and interactive evolutionary tools for game development. Loiacono collaborates on multi-center studies to validate AI-driven workflows in healthcare and has pioneered methods combining lean Six Sigma with machine learning for treatment process improvement. His work bridges clinical medicine and computer science, addressing challenges in radiation oncology, anatomical imaging, and procedural content automation. The AIRLab serves as a hub for his research, integrating AI advancements into real-world medical and engineering solutions.

Elisa MorgeraView profile

Professor

• International Environmental Law
• Biodiversity
• Human Rights
• +7 more

Elisa Morgera is a Professor of Global Environmental Law at the University of Strathclyde and the UN Special Rapporteur on Climate Change and Human Rights (2024–present). She previously directed the UKRI GCRF One Ocean Hub (2019–2024), a transformative ocean governance initiative spanning 22 institutions globally. Her research focuses on international environmental law, human rights, equity, and oceans governance, with particular attention to Indigenous peoples, small-scale fishers, and climate justice. Education includes a PhD in International Law from the European University Institute and an LLM in Environmental Law from University College London. She also holds an adjunct professorship at the University of Eastern Finland. Research interests integrate environmental law with human rights, equity, and sustainability, addressing topics like benefit-sharing in natural resources, marine biodiversity, and corporate accountability. She has advised UN agencies, governments, and NGOs, and contributed to Scottish human rights frameworks, including recommendations for a legal right to a healthy environment. Key awards include election to the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2022). Her work spans over 180 publications, including articles on climate governance, ocean defenders' rights, and BBNJ Agreements. She leads interdisciplinary projects funded by UKRI, the EU, and global partnerships. Elisa has advised on over 30 international initiatives, including contributions to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment. Her advisory roles include the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Leadership Task Force (2018–2020), shaping national human rights legislation. Her One Ocean Hub and other collaborations emphasize equity and inclusion in ocean policy, involving communities in decision-making processes.

Mohsen Taheri AndaniView profile

Assistant Professor

• Advanced Materials
• Additive Manufacturing
• Materials Science
• +5 more

Mohsen Taheri Andani is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan (2022), an M.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan (2018), an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo (2015), and a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Isfahan University of Technology (2012). His research focuses on the processing-structure-properties relationships of advanced materials, additive manufacturing, physical/ mechanical metallurgy, and mechanical behavior of materials, with a particular emphasis on grain boundary engineering and crystallographic texture control in metals processed via additive manufacturing methods. Dr. Andani has received prestigious awards including the 2022 Robert M. Caddell Memorial Award for Research, the 2021 Richard and Eleanor Towner Prize for Outstanding Ph.D. Research, and the 2020 Ivor K. McIvor Award, all from the University of Michigan. His work bridges fundamental materials science with advanced manufacturing technologies, aiming to optimize material performance through multiscale control of microstructures. His research group, the Multiscale Manufacturing and Mechanics of Materials (M4) Lab, explores the interface between additive manufacturing and materials mechanics. Current projects include the Center for Scientific Machine Learning for Material Sciences (AFSOR), reducing qualification time in additive manufacturing (America Makes), and structural evaluation via non-contact sensors (DARPA). He actively seeks motivated Ph.D. students for Fall 2025 and welcomes undergraduate/master’s students to join his team. Dr. Andani’s publications emphasize experimental and computational studies of microstructural evolution in additively manufactured metals, including grain boundary effects on dislocation dynamics, crystallographic texture control in NiTi alloys, and thermomechanical property optimization of materials like 316L stainless steel and Cu-Cr-Zr alloys. His work integrates in situ characterization techniques with advanced modeling to predict and enhance material performance.

• Management in the Anthropocene
• Posthumanism
• Ecological Humanities
• +5 more

Michał Pałasz, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Jagiellonian University's Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Institute of Culture. His research focuses on management in the Anthropocene, posthumanism, ecological humanities, and climate policy. He serves as a European Climate Pact Ambassador, advocating for socio-environmental change through academic and community engagement. His research interests include exploring non-human agency, degrowth, and critical management studies. He has published extensively on climate action, cultural management, and digital culture, with notable works like Culture Management Must Fuel Socioenvironmental Change (2024) and Language Affects Climate (2024). His work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing inclusive and planetary-bound solutions. Pałasz has collaborated on projects such as Tick-tock, the End of the World (2022), examining multidisciplinary responses to the climate crisis. His academic contributions span journal articles, edited books, and conference presentations, often addressing the intersection of management, culture, and environmental sustainability. He teaches courses on posthumanistic management and climate policy, integrating critical perspectives into education. His work highlights the urgency of rethinking management practices to address polycrisis challenges, advocating for more-than-human-centered approaches.

György HetényiView profile

Associate Professor

• Geophysics
• Tectonics
• Seismology
• +5 more

György Hetényi is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Lausanne, specializing in large-scale geophysics. His research focuses on mountain-building processes, earthquake dynamics, and tectonic deformation of the Himalayas and Alps. He leads the AlpArray project, deploying the largest academic seismic network in Europe. Since 2015, he has held an SNSF Assistant Professorship, advancing to his current role in 2020. Education: Bachelor's in Geophysics at Eötvös University (Budapest) Master's and PhD at École Normale Supérieure (Paris), studying Himalayan deformation Research Interests: Combining seismic and gravity data to model crustal structures, numerical modeling of orogenic processes, and educational seismology initiatives in Nepal. Active in field campaigns across Bhutan, Nepal, and the Ivrea-Verbano Zone. Publications: Over 48 peer-reviewed articles since 2007, emphasizing crustal imaging, seismic tomography, and Himalayan tectonics. Recent work includes participatory gravity modeling challenges and pan-Alpine gravity database development. Awards: Prize of the Chancellery of the Universities of Paris (2007) for doctoral research on Himalayan deformation. Teaching & Outreach: Developed the 'Geophysics Across Scales for Geologists' module in the UNIL-UNIGE program. Co-leads the Nepal School Seismology Network, integrating low-cost seismic education tools. Grants & Projects: AlpArray, DIVE (scientific drilling in Ivrea Zone), and seismic hazard assessments in Bhutan. Collaborates with international networks like ICDP and European seismic consortia. Labs/Teams: Part of the Institute of Earth Sciences (UNIL) and leads the OROG3NY project on mountain-building dynamics.