Find Academic Supervisors

Linda M. BurtonView profile

Professor

• Child welfare
• Poverty
• Family processes
• +4 more

Professor Linda M. Burton is a leading sociologist and ethnographer specializing in child welfare, poverty, and family dynamics. Currently serving as Dean of Berkeley Social Welfare (2019-2024) and holding the Eugene and Rose Kleiner Chair, she previously held the James B. Duke Professorship at Duke University and directed its Center for Child and Family Policy. Education: PhD in Sociology from the University of Southern California Leadership: Dean at Berkeley Social Welfare, Director of Duke's Center for Child and Family Policy, Co-director of Duke's undergraduate International Comparative Studies program Her research integrates life course theory, developmental frameworks, and ecological perspectives to examine: Intergenerational family structures and role transitions Context/place influences on family dynamics Childhood adultification and accelerated life courses Recent publications focus on health disparities, welfare reform impacts, and multi-method ethnographic approaches. Key subfields include poverty, African-American families, rural/urban contexts, racial inequality, and kinship networks. Scientific honors include: 2022 Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare 2017 Dean’s Excellence in Mentoring Award (Duke University) 1996 American Family Therapy Academy Award for Innovative Contributions Burton's ethnographic work spans decades, with landmark studies like the Three-City Study (2002-2006) and the Family Life Project (2003-2008). She has mentored extensively in child development and multi-generational research.

• Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture
• Land Use Modeling
• Biodiversity Conservation
• +3 more

Thomas Berger is a Professor at the University of Hohenheim , affiliated with the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and leading the Department of Economics of Land Use . He also contributes to the Computational Science Hub and Hohenheim Tropics initiatives. Focus Areas: Climate change adaptation, land-use modeling, biodiversity-productivity trade-offs, agent-based simulation, and machine learning in agricultural systems. Key Projects: Simulation frameworks for smallholder resilience in Ethiopia, bioeconomic modeling in the Amazon, and hybrid intelligence applications in European agricultural policy. Recent Publications: 2025 study on climate change effects on insecticide reduction in Germany, 2024 work on reconciling biodiversity with productivity via hybrid models, and 2023 methodological contributions to surrogate modeling and seasonal forecast integration. Research Trends: Interdisciplinary integration of climate science, agricultural economics, and computational modeling, with increasing emphasis on AI-assisted decision support systems and sustainability policy validation. Teaching & Outreach: Offers Agricultural Economics seminars and Hohenheim Tropics discussions, requiring advance email registration for office hours.

Geoffrey CohenView profile

Professor

• Social Psychology
• Education
• Belonging and Identity
• +4 more

Geoffrey Cohen is the James G. March Professor of Organizational Studies in Education and Business, and Professor of Psychology at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education. He holds a courtesy appointment in Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business. His research focuses on identity, belonging, and interventions to address social inequities in education, healthcare, and workplace settings. Cohen earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University (1998) and a B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University. Education: Ph.D., Stanford University, Psychology (1998) Bachelor of Arts, Cornell University, Psychology Research Interests: Cohen investigates how identity threats and belonging shape behavior, particularly for marginalized groups. His work emphasizes scalable interventions to improve academic outcomes, reduce disciplinary disparities, and foster inclusive environments. He is author of Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides (2022), which explores belonging's role in education, healthcare, and societal contexts. Key Contributions: Cohen's interventions, such as social-belonging exercises and self-affirmation techniques, have demonstrated long-term impacts on academic success, mental health, and social cohesion. His studies span disciplines including education, medicine, and public health, with findings published in top journals like Science Advances and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . Grants & Teaching: Cohen teaches courses on social psychology, intervention design, and belonging. He mentors doctoral students and postdocs investigating identity processes and scalable solutions to social problems. His lab collaborates with schools and healthcare systems to implement evidence-based strategies. Labs/Teams: Cohen leads a research group at Stanford's Graduate School of Education, affiliated with the Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) and the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. His work bridges theory and practice, aiming to create real-world impact through psychologically informed interventions.

Elaine Jing ZhaoView profile

Associate Professor

• Communication and Media Studies
• Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies
• Film, Television and Digital Media
• +6 more

Associate Professor Elaine Jing Zhao is based at the School of the Arts and Media , University of New South Wales , with expertise in digital media economies, cultural production, and platform governance in transitional China and the Asia-Pacific region. She authored the monograph Digital China's Informal Circuits: Platforms, Labour and Governance and publishes in journals like New Media and Society and Global Media and Communication . Research Focus: Cultural implications of digital platforms, media globalization, and creative labor dynamics Editorial Roles: Board member, Communication Research and Practice ; reviewer for ARC grants and international journals Her research portfolio emphasizes platform governance , digital media policy , and cultural innovation in China's digital economy. Recent projects examine China's platform internationalization and informal media economies. She supervises PhD candidates in these areas and has secured funding from both Australian Research Council and National Social Science Foundation of China . Scientific Awards: 2020 Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences Dean's Research Award for Best Monograph 2018 ARC Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellowship Mentoring Scheme Award 2012 Australia-China Youth Dialogue Delegate 2010 Oxford Internet Institute Summer Doctoral Programme Participant She contributes to digital China scholarship through the Anthem book series and previously worked in the telecom and mobile internet industry before her academic career. Her work bridges sociocultural analysis and platform economy research.

Sonya HannaView profile

Lecturer

• Place Branding
• Sustainable Tourism
• Climate Change Impacts
• +2 more

Dr. Sonya Hanna is a Lecturer in Marketing at Bangor Business School, Bangor University. She holds a PhD in Strategic Place Brand Management (2011), an MBA in General Management, and an LLB (Hons) in Law. Her academic roles include Director of Postgraduate Marketing Programmes, Exam Board Chair, and membership in university committees like Athena SWAN. She developed the MA Management for Climate Change programme launching in 2025/2026. Her research explores place branding through interdisciplinary lenses, focusing on: Sustainable tourism and climate change impacts on geographical entities UNESCO World Heritage Sites management Destination image perception and brand personality Digital-era place branding strategies She serves on the management board of Bangor's 'Places of Climate Change' Research Centre and contributes to journal editorial boards. Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on place branding evolution, with recent work emphasizing sustainability and climate communication. Research trends show progression from theoretical brand models (2011-2013) to applied sustainability contexts (2020-2025). Awards & Recognition: Emerald Literati Outstanding Reviewer (2017) Best Paper in Track Award, Academy of Marketing (2012) Top downloaded article in European Management Review (2019-2022) CELT Associate Award (2016) Nominated for Teacher of the Year (2020) Supervision & Projects: Supervised PhD candidate Surbhi Jain to completion. Leads £19,446 BU-IIA project on sustainable tourism development at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Secured multiple grants including £10,000 for plastic pollution research and £3,000 for destination image studies. Active in professional networks: Fellow of Higher Education Academy, Fellow of Academy of Marketing Science, and Scientific Committee member for International Place Branding Association.

Randolph CooperView profile

Professor

• Diffusion of Information Technology Innovations
• Management of Systems Design Creativity
• Impact of Information Systems on Effective Decision Making
• +1 more

Randolph Cooper is a Professor in the Department of Decision and Information Sciences at the Bauer College of Business, University of Houston. He joined the faculty in 1990 after teaching at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His research focuses on information systems' impact on decision-making, media richness theory, and technology diffusion. Education: Ph.D., MBA, and BA in Economics from UCLA Prior Experience: Programmer and Systems Analyst at Motel 6 and Computer Sciences Corporation Research Interests: Diffusion of Information Technology Innovations Management of Systems Design Creativity Impact of Information Systems on Effective Decision Making Effect of Information Systems on Bargaining Behavior His publications over the past two decades highlight a sustained focus on computer-mediated negotiations, media richness theory, and organizational technology adoption. Key themes include emotional dynamics in digital communication, power structures in bargaining, and creativity in systems design.

Chris SpeedView profile

Professor

• Design Informatics
• Regenerative Design
• Sustainable Design
• +7 more

Chris Speed is a Professor of Design for Regenerative Futures at RMIT University, Australia, and Director of Regenerative Futures. Previously, he held academic roles at the University of Edinburgh, including leading the Institute for Design Informatics and co-designing the Edinburgh Futures Institute. His research focuses on design-driven solutions for social, environmental, and economic challenges, leveraging data and emerging technologies. Key areas include blockchain applications, sustainable design, and regenerative systems. Affiliations: RMIT University (Current), University of Edinburgh (2012–2024) Grants: £7.4m Creative Informatics (UK), £5m DECaDE (Digital Economy) Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles on design informatics, regenerative futures, and blockchain ethics. Research interests span Design Informatics, Human-Computer Interaction, and Sustainable Design. He has supervised 23 PhD/MPhil students and pioneered projects like OxChain (blockchain for charitable giving) and Creative Informatics (data-driven creative industries). Awards: Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2020), Chancellor’s Award for Research (University of Edinburgh, 2020). Collaborations include BBC, Oxfam, and the Digital Catapult. His work emphasizes co-creation with communities to address systemic challenges, such as climate action and cultural value measurement.

Douglas SheilView profile

Professor

• Forest Ecology
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Climate Change
• +5 more

Prof. Douglas Sheil is a Chairholder in Forest Ecology and Forest Management at Wageningen University & Research. He holds a MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge and an MSc in Forestry from Oxford. His career includes roles at the University of Oxford, CIFOR (Indonesia), the Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation in Uganda, and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). His research focuses on tropical forest ecology, biodiversity conservation, and human-forest interactions, with over 200 publications. He co-authored the influential textbook Tropical Rain Forests: Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation (2010). Awards include the Biotropica Prize (2004) and the Queen’s Award for Forestry (2015). Education: MA (Natural Sciences, Cambridge), MSc (Forestry, Oxford) Key Roles: Director of Institute for Tropical Forest Conservation (2008–2012), Professor at NMBU (2013–2020) Research Interests: Tropical forest dynamics, climate change impacts, conservation strategies, and the socio-ecological dimensions of forest management. His work spans field studies in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to address deforestation, biodiversity loss, and sustainable land use. Recent Trends in Articles: Focus on mycorrhizal networks, oil palm impacts, lightning disturbance, and mammal population responses to human activity. He explores mechanisms linking forest structure to ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and water regulation, often integrating remote sensing and global datasets. Awards: Biotropica Prize, Queen’s Award for Forestry Grants/Projects: Studies on lightning effects in African forests, camera trap mammal surveys, and policy analyses for vegetable oil sustainability. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary groups at Wageningen, collaborating with CIFOR and international networks. Active in IUCN committees to translate science into conservation policy.

Andreas Georg SchererView profile

Professor

• Business Ethics
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Critical Theory
• +8 more

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Andreas Georg Scherer is a Full Professor and Chair of Foundations of Business Administration and Theories of the Firm at the University of Zurich. His academic career began with studies at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, culminating in a Diplom-Kaufmann (1989), Dr. rer. pol. (1994), and habilitation (2000). Since 2002, he has held his current chair, focusing on business ethics, globalization, and organization theory. Affiliations: Member of University of Zurich’s Ethics and Sustainability Committees, Academic Advisory Board at Zeppelin University, and editorial roles in journals like Business Ethics Quarterly and Journal of Management Studies. Education: 1984–1989: Studies in Business Administration, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg 1989: Diplom-Kaufmann (Master equivalent) 1994: Dr. rer. pol. (PhD) 2000: Habilitation in Business Administration Research Interests: Scherer’s work bridges business ethics, globalization, and organization theory. Key themes include corporate political responsibility ( Political CSR ), digitalization’s societal impacts, and the role of multinational firms in global governance. His research emphasizes critical theory and discourse ethics frameworks. Publications: Over 60 journal articles and books, including Handbook of Research on Global Corporate Citizenship (2008) and Multinationale Unternehmen und Globalisierung (2003). Recent work explores dark sides of digitalization and responsible innovation governance. Awards: 2020: Dr.rer.pol.h.c. honorary degree (University of Hamburg) 2020: Best Paper Award (WK INT Committee) 2018: VHB Best Practice Paper Award 2012: OMT Best Published Paper Finalist Advising & Grants: Supervised over 10 doctoral students, including Dorothee Baumann-Pauly and Christian Voegtlin. Led Swiss National Science Foundation projects on corporate legitimacy, responsible leadership, and anti-corruption strategies. Labs/Teams: Heads the Foundations of Business Administration research group at the University of Zurich, focusing on ethical and political dimensions of corporate activity. Collaborates with global institutions like the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

• Accounting in Debt Contracting
• Banking and Financial Risk Management
• Financial Reporting Quality
• +4 more

Christopher Williams is the Arthur Andersen Professor of Accounting and Area Chair of Accounting at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. His research focuses on debt contracting, banking risk, and financial reporting quality. He holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina and degrees from Brigham Young University. Academic Roles: Professor (2021–present), Associate Professor (2016–2021), Assistant Professor (2009–2016) Awards: Michael and Joan Sakkinen Faculty Fellow, Arnold M. Jacob Faculty Development Award Research emphasizes regulatory impacts on capital structures, loan syndication dynamics, and systemic risk. Key areas include banking transparency, covenant design, and media influence in private lending. Over 20 peer-reviewed articles appear in top journals like Journal of Financial Economics and Review of Accounting Studies . Articles (2023–2012) analyze topics such as Basel III anticipatory effects, CDS trading dynamics, and media's role in private lending. Recent work explores optimal capital structure under reporting quality constraints and strategic syndication behavior. Awards: Arthur Andersen Chair, Sakkinen Fellowship, Jacob Award Grants/Advising: Extensive grant history in accounting research; no listed advisees. Labs/Teams: Active in Ross School's accounting research initiatives focusing on financial reporting and banking analytics.

E. Keith SmithView profile

Lecturer

• Climate Change Attitudes and Behaviors
• Social Tipping Processes
• Quantitative Methodologies
• +3 more

Dr. E. Keith Smith is a Lecturer at ETH Zürich's Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences, affiliated with the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS). His research focuses on sociopolitical dimensions of climate change, particularly climate change attitudes, behaviors, and social tipping processes. He holds PhD from Colorado State University and master’s degrees from KU Leuven and University of British Columbia. His work explores why individuals engage—or disengage—in climate action, emphasizing factors like political polarization, religious beliefs (especially evangelical Protestantism), and trust in institutions. Smith's research employs quantitative methodologies and addresses challenges in environmental policy implementation, such as equitable air quality monitoring and global supply chain regulations. He contributed to the DominoES project on social tipping dynamics and has published in journals like Global Environmental Change and Nature Scientific Reports . His recent studies analyze public support for climate policies across Europe and the U.S., emphasizing how procedural inclusiveness and transparency can build trust in environmental governance. He also explores mobility policies in Switzerland, including road pricing and public transport expansion, using experimental methods to gauge citizen preferences. Smith’s work bridges environmental science and social science, aiming to identify pathways for transformative societal shifts toward climate action. His current projects focus on social tipping mechanisms and the interplay between climate risk anticipation and policy demand.

• Statistics
• Data Science
• Business Analytics
• +7 more

Dr. Shirley Coleman is a distinguished Professor at Newcastle University Business School, specializing in the application of statistical methods to business and industrial problems. With over two decades of academic contributions, she has established herself as a leading expert in statistics, data science, and quality management within industrial contexts. Her research interests span several interconnected domains: Statistics, Data Science, Business Analytics, Quality Management, Six Sigma methodologies, Kansei Engineering (which integrates emotional design with product development), Industrial Statistics, Design of Experiments, Predictive Maintenance, and Customer Lifetime Value analysis. Coleman's work consistently bridges theoretical statistical concepts with practical business applications across diverse sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, facilities management, and digital marketing. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on the evolving role of statistics in the digital age, particularly examining how statistical expertise contributes to AI development, Industry 4.0 initiatives, and data-driven business transformation. Her work demonstrates increasing emphasis on customer analytics, predictive maintenance modeling, and the strategic implementation of data science in small and medium enterprises. Coleman's publications frequently address methodological challenges while maintaining strong practical relevance for industry practitioners. Throughout her career, Coleman has been actively involved with the European Network for Business and Industrial Statistics (ENBIS), contributing to the development and dissemination of statistical methods in business contexts. Her collaborative approach is evident in numerous co-authored publications across disciplines, demonstrating her ability to work effectively with researchers from diverse fields including engineering, healthcare, and business management. Her advisory work appears focused on helping organizations implement statistical thinking in business processes, with particular attention to small and medium enterprises seeking to leverage data analytics for competitive advantage. Though specific grant information isn't detailed in the available publications, her extensive industry-focused research suggests significant engagement with practical business problems and industry partnerships. Dr. Coleman has made substantial contributions to the field through her leadership in professional organizations, particularly ENBIS, where she has helped shape the discourse around industrial statistics and their business applications. Her work on Kansei Engineering demonstrates innovative approaches to integrating human factors with statistical methods for product development.

Harald C. GallView profile

Professor

• Software Engineering
• Software Evolution
• Software Architecture
• +3 more

Harald C. Gall is a Professor of Software Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Informatics at the University of Zurich (UZH). He leads the Software Evolution and Architecture Lab, focusing on software evolution analysis, mining software repositories, and cloud-based software engineering. His research emphasizes improving software development productivity through data-driven insights. He has held visiting positions at Microsoft Research and the University of Washington. Education: PhD (Dr. techn.) and Master's (Dipl.-Ing.) in Informatics from TU Vienna Research Interests: Software evolution, mining software archives, cloud-based tools, developer productivity, and empirical software engineering. Notable contributions include the Evolizer , ChangeDistiller , and SOFAS systems. Key Contributions: Established the Mining Software Repositories (MSR) research area, program chair for ICSE 2011 and ESEC/FSE 2005, associate editor of leading journals like Empirical Software Engineering and IEEE Software. Awards: Most Influential Paper Award, Test of Time Award, and multiple Best Paper Awards. Recognized for contributions to SE research methodologies and tool development. Professional Activities: ACM SIGSOFT awards chair, board member of Informatics Europe, and executive committee member of CHOOSE (Swiss SIG for OO Systems). Labs/Teams: Director of the Software Evolution and Architecture Lab at UZH, leading projects like SURF-MobileAppsData (SNSF-funded) and DevCloud (Hasler Foundation).

Lea R. WinterView profile

Assistant Professor

• Electrified Processes
• Sustainable Chemical Engineering
• CO2 Conversion
• +12 more

Lea R. Winter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale University's School of Engineering & Applied Science. Her research focuses on electrified processes at the nexus of food, energy, water, and climate, with emphasis on sustainable CO 2 conversion, green nitrogen fixation, wastewater valorization, and plasma-electrochemical systems. She leads an active research group and mentors multiple PhD students, postdocs, and undergraduates. Ph.D., Columbia University B.S., Yale University Dr. Winter's research interests lie at the intersection of sustainability and chemical engineering. She pioneers electrified membrane technologies, plasma-activated reactions, and catalytic processes for converting waste streams (CO 2 , nitrates, wastewater) into valuable fuels, chemicals, and fertilizers. Her work integrates electrochemistry, plasma chemistry, and heterogeneous catalysis to develop distributed, circular solutions for environmental challenges. Key themes include green ammonia production , on-demand fertilizer synthesis , and electrified water treatment with resource recovery. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on electrified membranes for nitrate and CO 2 conversion, plasma-activated co-processing of N 2 and C 1 gases, and single-atom catalysis for environmental applications. Her research spans fundamental reaction mechanisms to scalable engineering solutions, often published in high-impact journals such as Nature Water , PNAS , and Joule . The work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward enabling a distributed hydrogen and nitrogen economy through sustainable electrochemical and plasma-driven technologies. Scientific Awards: Beckman Young Investigator Award (2024) Department of Energy Early Career Award (2024) Caltech Young Investigators Lecture Series Award (2022) NEWT Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020) NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2015) North American Catalysis Society Kokes Award (2019) Dr. Winter actively mentors students and has advised several who have gone on to PhD programs and faculty positions. Her lab receives significant research funding, as evidenced by her early-career awards from DOE and NSF. She leads projects on mining nontraditional water sources for hydrogen, plasma-based fertilizer synthesis, and electrified membrane systems. The Winter Lab fosters a collaborative, creative, and safe research environment centered on the principles of CRISP: Creativity, Respect, Investment, Safety, and Partnership. She also contributes to scientific discourse through invited viewpoints on climate education and critiques of emerging technologies like seawater electrolysis. Her lab collaborates widely, including with researchers at Columbia, Caltech, and international institutions.

Jes SammutView profile

Professor

• Aquaculture
• Marine Science
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• +7 more

Professor Jes Sammut is a faculty member at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences . He serves as Deputy Dean for External Engagement and leads the UNSW Aquaculture Research Group , while also holding the position of Deputy Director (International) at the Centre for Marine Science & Innovation. Additionally, he is an Honorary Research Fellow at ANSTO , where he uses nuclear tools to study seafood provenance. His research spans biological, physical, and social sciences, focusing on aquaculture solutions across Australia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, India, Thailand, and the Philippines.