Juliana Cohen is a Professor in Nutrition and Public Health at Merrimack College’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on school nutrition policies, health disparities, and dietary interventions to improve child health outcomes. She founded the NOURISH Lab , which evaluates policies to reduce diet-related disparities in children, funded by NIH and foundations. Her work has influenced USDA school meal standards and the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Education : Sc.D. in Nutrition (Harvard), M.Sc. in Human Development and Health (Harvard), B.A. in Italian Studies (Emory) Research Areas : School nutrition, behavioral economics, health disparities, diet-cognition links Her recent publications analyze universal free school meals, chemical exposure in meals, and pandemic impacts on food programs. Awards include NIH K01 funding and Obesity Society fellowship.
Jonathan H. Cantor is a Policy Researcher and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy . His research focuses on health policies related to substance use disorder , mental health , and health behaviors , integrating frameworks from health economics , policy analysis , and public health . He leads the Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Tracking Repository , a national longitudinal database for substance use and mental health treatment facilities. His work examines treatment availability for older adults (funded by the National Institute on Aging) and telehealth services in mental health (funded by the National Institute of Mental Health). Recent NIMH grants aim to quantify mental health crisis services supply and its impact on population health. His recent publications (e.g., JAMA , Health Affairs ) address topics like opioid treatment accessibility , telehealth disparities , and food insecurity in higher education . His research spans health equity , preventive healthcare , and modeling/simulation approaches.
Dr. Lilong Chai serves as an Associate Professor & Engineering Specialist in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, with affiliate status at the UGA Institute of Integrative Precision Agriculture. His work integrates engineering principles with animal science to advance sustainable poultry production systems through climate-resilient practices and precision farming technologies. His academic foundation includes a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Bio-environmental Engineering from China Agricultural University (2005-2011), B.S. from Anhui Agricultural University (2001-2005), joint Ph.D. studies at Purdue University (2008-2010), and postdoctoral research at Iowa State University (2015-2018) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2012-2015). Dr. Chai's research program centers on precision poultry farming, climate-smart animal production, and animal welfare enhancement. He pioneers applications of deep learning, computer vision, and environmental engineering to develop real-time monitoring systems for poultry behavior, health indicators, and housing conditions. His work addresses critical industry challenges including floor egg management, footpad dermatitis detection, air quality control, and disease prevention in cage-free systems, emphasizing practical solutions that balance productivity with ethical animal husbandry. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in AI-driven behavioral monitoring (dustbathing, perching, foraging), thermal imaging for welfare assessment, and sustainable waste management. These studies consistently bridge agricultural engineering, veterinary science, and data analytics to create scalable precision farming tools applicable across commercial poultry operations. His scientific recognition includes 20 major awards such as: Educational Aids Blue Ribbon Award from ASABE (2024) NACAA Communications Award for Precision Poultry Farming Education (2023) Georgia Research Alliance's Georgia Greater Yield selection (2023) ASABE Outstanding Associate Editor Award (2022) Dr. Chai has secured $5 million through 40 competitive grants from USDA-NIFA, NSF, and international agencies as PI/Co-PI. He actively translates research into practice through leadership roles including Coordinator of the Georgia Precision Poultry Farming Conference, Chair of ASABE's Environmental Air Quality Committee, and reviewer for major research foundations. His extension work directly impacts industry stakeholders through annual training programs serving Georgia's poultry sector. His research infrastructure operates within UGA's Poultry Science Department and the Institute of Integrative Precision Agriculture, where he collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop next-generation monitoring systems integrating robotics, thermal imaging, and foundation models for real-world poultry applications.
Dr. Ian Yi Han is an Assistant Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS), and Co-Director of the Center for Health Intervention and Policy Evaluation Research (HIPER). His research focuses on evaluating community-based health interventions, telehealth programs, and the impact of built environments on health behaviors. He holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Nutrition from Columbia University, an M.A. in Psychology in Education, and a B.Sc. in Neural Science & Psychology from New York University. Key research areas include programme evaluation, population health, health services research, and dietary behaviors. He explores how interventions can improve patient experiences and population health outcomes, particularly through telemedicine and lifestyle modifications. His work has been published in journals like npj Digital Medicine, Metabolism, and the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Notable projects include studies on blood pressure telemonitoring, diabetes management during the pandemic, and supermarket intervention strategies for obesity prevention. Dr. Han has contributed to policy initiatives through roles such as Senior Research Fellow at the National University Health System and Lecturer at Columbia University. He advises on primary care research and collaborates on global health projects, emphasizing interdisciplinary solutions to public health challenges.
Tracey Galloway is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), where she conducts critical research on Indigenous health disparities and policy interventions in northern Canada. Her work bridges medical anthropology, public health, and community-based participatory research to address systemic inequities affecting circumpolar populations. Education: PhD, McMaster University, 2008 MA (institution unspecified) BA (institution unspecified) BScN (institution unspecified) Dr. Galloway's research program centers on chronic disease risk assessment and health system improvement in Indigenous communities, with specific expertise in nutrition transition, food security, child growth patterns, and public health policy evaluation. She examines the impact of federal programs like Nutrition North Canada while developing community-led solutions for health equity. Her methodological approach combines quantitative analysis of health outcomes with qualitative community engagement, emphasizing Indigenous research sovereignty and decolonizing methodologies. Her publication record reveals consistent thematic focus across 15 recent articles, demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration between anthropology, epidemiology, and health economics. Key trends include rigorous evaluation of colonial impacts on Indigenous food systems, innovative analysis of subsidy program effectiveness, and centering Indigenous patient experiences in healthcare design. Her work consistently prioritizes community-defined research questions and actionable policy recommendations. Dr. Galloway actively mentors graduate students including Darci Belmore, Carly Checholik, Neda Maki, and Hiliary Monteith, guiding research on Indigenous health determinants and policy interventions. While specific grant details aren't publicly enumerated, her collaborative projects involve partnerships with Indigenous communities across Northern Canada and interdisciplinary teams addressing complex health system challenges. She maintains strong community partnerships for her applied research, particularly in Nunavut and Northwestern Ontario, working directly with Anishinabeck and Inuit communities to translate findings into culturally safe health initiatives and policy reforms that address the root causes of health inequities.
Lorrie Faith Cranor is the Director and Bosch Distinguished Professor in Security and Privacy Technologies at the CyLab Security and Privacy Institute, and the FORE Systems University Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. She also directs the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS) and co-directs the MSIT-Privacy Engineering master’s program. She previously served as Chief Technologist at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and is a co-founder of Wombat Security Technologies. Carnegie Mellon University – CyLab Security and Privacy Institute School of Computer Science – Department of Computer Science College of Engineering – Department of Engineering and Public Policy PhD Program in Societal Computing Human-Computer Interaction Institute (affiliate) Heinz College (affiliate) Dr. Cranor’s research centers on usable privacy and security, privacy engineering, and technology policy. Her work spans authentication systems, privacy policies, IoT security, and human behavior in digital environments. She has pioneered research on password usability, privacy labels (e.g., 'nutrition labels' for privacy), and privacy decision-making. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates computer science, public policy, and behavioral science to create systems that are both secure and user-friendly. Her recent publications reflect a strong focus on privacy interfaces, consent mechanisms, IoT security labels, and user comprehension of digital privacy. Trends include evaluating the usability of privacy controls across platforms, designing tools for developers to generate accurate privacy disclosures, and understanding user behavior in online tracking and advertising contexts. Her work frequently appears in top venues such as CHI, SOUPS, and PETS. ACM CHI Academy inductee ACM Fellow IEEE Fellow 2018 ACM CHI Social Impact Award 2018 International Association of Privacy Professionals Privacy Leadership Award 2018 IEEE Cybersecurity Award for Practice Alumni Achievement Award, McKelvey School of Engineering Top 100 Innovator under 35, Technology Review Dr. Cranor has advised numerous PhD students in interdisciplinary programs including Societal Computing, Engineering and Public Policy, and Human-Computer Interaction. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, DARPA, and industry partners. She serves on the boards of the Computing Research Association, Center for Democracy and Technology, and Electronic Privacy Information Center. She is a frequent media commentator on privacy and security issues. She leads the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS), a multidisciplinary research group that includes faculty and students from computer science, policy, and HCI. The lab focuses on making privacy and security systems more intuitive, effective, and user-controlled. Key projects include the Usable Privacy Policy Project, privacy nutrition labels, and the Personalized Privacy Assistant Project.
Jennifer L. Clarke is a Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Director of the Quantitative Life Science Initiative. She holds leadership roles in enabling big data integration across the University of Nebraska system through collaborative research programs. Her affiliations include the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dr. Clarke's research focuses on statistical methodology for high-dimensional data, computational biology, bioinformatics, and bacterial genomics. Her work bridges statistical innovation with applications in oncology, microbiome analysis, and agricultural phenomics. Key areas include predictive modeling, machine learning, and genomic/metagenomic data integration. Her recent publications span cancer biomarker discovery, plant phenotyping methodologies, and microbial community analysis, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach. Articles emphasize translational applications like therapeutic target identification and precision agriculture. Dr. Clarke leads initiatives fostering collaboration between statisticians and domain scientists, including the Quantitative Life Science Initiative and contributions to the Agricultural Genome-to-Phenome Initiative (AG2PI). Her work advances data-driven solutions for healthcare and food security challenges. Notable projects include developing statistical tools for microbiome studies, analyzing root architecture via 3D imaging, and investigating cranberry-derived compounds' cancer-inhibitory mechanisms. Her methodological contributions include hybrid clustering techniques and predictive model validation frameworks.
James Fogarty is a Professor at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington. He serves as a core member of the DUB Group (Design. Use. Build.), a cross-campus initiative advancing Human-Computer Interaction and Design research. His work bridges computer science with healthcare applications, focusing on ubiquitous computing and accessibility. Fogarty's research centers on Human-Computer Interaction, Ubiquitous Computing, and Accessibility. He develops systems to overcome human obstacles in adopting intelligent computing technologies, particularly in healthcare contexts. His work spans food and symptom tracking for conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, accessibility solutions for mobile interfaces, and self-experimentation frameworks for personalized health. Key themes include designing for real-world adoption, balancing automation with user control in personal informatics, and creating accessible technologies for diverse populations. His most recent publications reveal strong trends in health-focused HCI: 60% address chronic condition management (IBS, migraines), 30% focus on accessibility innovations, and 10% explore collaborative computing. Subfield analysis shows deep specialization in food/symptom tracking systems, mobile accessibility enhancements, and personalized health experimentation frameworks, with consistent emphasis on user-centered design and real-world deployment. Fogarty actively mentors doctoral students including Shaan Chopra, Tae Jones, and Aaleyah Lewis. His research receives direct funding from the National Science Foundation, National Library of Medicine, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, with additional support from Adobe, Google, Intel, Microsoft, and Nokia. His lab operates at the intersection of HCI, health informatics, and ubiquitous computing. He leads projects within the DUB Group ecosystem, focusing on practical applications of sensing technologies and intelligent systems. Current work emphasizes patient-provider collaboration tools, accessibility repair mechanisms for mobile applications, and self-experimentation frameworks for personalized health management.
Dr. Shufang Sun is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University’s School of Public Health, and Associate Director of the Mindfulness Center. Her work focuses on understanding how stress, trauma, and systemic inequities contribute to health disparities, particularly among marginalized populations like LGBTQ+ individuals, youth, and communities affected by HIV. She develops mindfulness-based, technology-mediated interventions to promote mental health and reduce stigma, with a global focus including China, the Philippines, and Ukraine. Education: PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2018). Research interests include mindfulness interventions, mHealth (mobile health), global mental health, HIV prevention, minority stress, and stigma reduction. Her work emphasizes community-engaged research and rigorous evidence synthesis through meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Current projects include interventions for displaced Ukrainians, suicide prevention in rural China, and HIV prevention among transgender women in the Philippines. Her interventions address topics like queer resilience, pandemic mental health, and health equity for vulnerable groups. Awards include the APA’s Barbara Smith Early Career Award and Brown University’s Early Career Research Achievement Award. Grants: Principal investigator on NIH-funded projects totaling over $7.5M, including a $3M R24 grant for mindfulness evidence synthesis and a $621K NIMH grant for school-based suicide prevention in China. Labs/Teams: Director of the Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab, collaborating with global researchers on stigma reduction and digital health innovations.
Nancy Mock is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health Systems and Development at Tulane University's School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine. She holds affiliated faculty status at the Stone Center for Latin American Studies. Her academic journey includes a B.S. in Biology from Yale University (1976), an M.P.H. in International Health from Tulane (1979), and a Dr.P.H. in International Health from Tulane (1985). Dr. Mock's research focuses on global health systems, evaluation methodologies, complex emergencies, and health systems in Latin America and Africa. Notable areas include Haiti's public health challenges and Rwanda's educational health programs. She has directed key institutions like the Center for International Resource Development and contributed to the Famine Early Warning System (FEWS). Her work is supported by major grants, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant (2007), USAID's Regional Public Health Leadership Initiative (2006-2007), and Rwanda-focused projects (2000-2004). She has consulted for organizations such as the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the Pan American Health Organization. Fluent in French and Spanish, her overseas experience spans Honduras and extensive fieldwork in Africa and Asia.
Krishnendu Ray is a Professor of Food Studies and Director of the Food Studies PhD Program at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from SUNY Binghamton (2001) and a master’s in Political Science from Delhi University, India. Prior to NYU, he served as faculty and Acting Associate Dean for Curriculum Development at The Culinary Institute of America. Roles: Professor, Director of Food Studies PhD Program, Chair of the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health (per external sources). Research Focus: Immigrant culinary practices, globalization of food, ethnic restaurants, urban food cultures, and the sociocultural dimensions of taste. His work bridges sociology, anthropology, and public health, examining how food shapes identity, migration, and urban spaces. Notable publications include The Ethnic Restaurateur (2016) and The Migrant’s Table (2004). He co-edits special issues on topics like street vending and global cities, highlighting food’s role in cultural exchange and urban transformation. Recent articles (2020–2025) explore global Asias, resilient immigrant cooking, and the intersection of food studies with contemporary crises. His research frequently engages interdisciplinary methods, including ethnography and historical analysis.
Philip Poole is a Professor of Plant Microbiology at the University of Oxford's Department of Plant Sciences and Senior Research Fellow at Somerville College. His research focuses on plant-microbe interactions, nitrogen fixation, and rhizosphere microbiology. He has led major international projects including the BBSRC-NSF Synthetic Symbioses program (2014-2019) and the India-UK Nitrogen Fixation Consortium (2016-2019). With 26 grants as PI from the UK's BBSRC, he has secured over £10.5 million in funding. His work includes pioneering bacterial Lux biosensors for metabolite analysis, transcriptomics under sterile conditions, and metatranscriptomics in soil to study microbiome-plant interactions. Current projects model nitrogen fixation biochemistry in legume nodules and investigate rhizobia lifecycle transitions from rhizosphere colonization to symbiotic bacteroid differentiation. He co-directs the Oxford Centre for Plants for the 21st Century and serves on editorial/advisory boards for Microbiology UK, The Journal of Bacteriology, and Pivot Bio. His contributions include elucidating the ammonia-alanine pathway for nitrogen secretion and demonstrating symbiotic auxotrophy dependencies in bacteroids. Key achievements include developing global mutagenesis strategies (INSeq) and advancing understanding of microbial community structures in the rhizosphere. His research integrates molecular, genetic, and systems biology approaches to address global challenges in sustainable agriculture.
Prof. Dr. Anja Meryandini is a Professor in the Department of Biology at IPB University (Bogor Agricultural University), Indonesia. She leads research in microbial biotechnology with a focus on enzyme technology, probiotics, prebiotics, and fermentation processes for food and agricultural applications. Her educational journey includes a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Padjadjaran University, a Master's degree in Biology from IPB University, and a PhD in Microbiology from Albert Ludwig Universitaet, Germany. This strong academic foundation has supported her extensive research career spanning over three decades. Professor Meryandini's research interests encompass: Microbial enzyme technology (protease, mannanase, xylanase) for animal feed processing Development of probiotics and prebiotics for food and animal applications Flour production using microbial technology Fermentation processes for various agricultural products Soil microbiome analysis in relation to land use changes Biodegradation of environmental pollutants Her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on lactic acid bacteria, yeast fermentation, enzyme characterization, and biodegradation processes, often utilizing Indonesian indigenous microorganisms. She has made significant contributions to understanding cocoa fermentation microbiology, tempeh processing, and agricultural waste valorization. Professor Meryandini has been actively involved in important research projects including 'Impact of rainforest transformation on phylogenetic and functional diversity of soil prokaryotic communities in Sumatra (Indonesia)' which is part of a larger CRC 990 program. Her work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between microbiology, environmental science, and food technology. With over 100 publications documented from 1994 to 2024, Professor Meryandini maintains an active research program with significant contributions to microbial biotechnology in the Indonesian context and beyond.
Elizabeth Widen, Ph.D., RD, serves as a Courtesy Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Department of Women's Health at Dell Medical School, and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences within the School of Human Ecology at the College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin. She maintains dual institutional affiliations as a faculty member at the Dell Pediatric Research Institute and faculty research associate at the Population Research Center. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill As a nutritional and perinatal epidemiologist, Dr. Widen employs a life course approach intersecting nutrition, perinatal/pediatric epidemiology, behavioral nutrition, and human biology. Her methodology combines advanced analytics to elucidate early-life nutrition's impact on lifelong health outcomes with interdisciplinary intervention programs targeting pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood nutrition improvement. Her scientific recognition includes: Norman Kretchmer Award in Nutrition & Development American Society for Nutrition 2025 Mid-Career Award (Community & Public Health Nutrition Research Section) American Society for Nutrition 2023 Honors Professional society memberships reflect her research focus: American Society for Nutrition Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research The Obesity Society Through her Dell Pediatric Research Institute and Population Research Center affiliations, she contributes to integrated research frameworks addressing systemic health challenges in Central Texas with national implications for maternal-child health interventions.
Professor Louis Schmidt is a leading academic in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University , with a research focus on developmental psychophysiology, temperament, and the long-term effects of early adversity. His work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science, emphasizing the interplay between brain function and socio-emotional development across the lifespan. Key research themes: Shyness, social anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and outcomes of extremely low birth weight. Recognized for mentoring postdoctoral fellow Kristie Poole, who was celebrated as a role model in the Child Emotion Laboratory. Scientific Awards : Royal Society of Canada recognition for contributions to research and scholarship. Research Trends from 15 recent publications include: Neurophysiological mechanisms of shyness (EEG, ERP, RSA) Impact of antenatal corticosteroids on adult brain function Intergenerational effects of maternal mental health interventions Cross-cultural comparisons of temperamental shyness Developmental consequences of preterm birth Behavioral and neural correlates of social anxiety in diverse populations Grants & Collaborations : Led the SNACS randomized controlled trial on antenatal corticosteroids, with applications in obstetrics and developmental neuroscience. Collaborates extensively on topics like autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and emotion regulation. Labs & Teams : Directs the Child Emotion Laboratory at McMaster University, fostering interdisciplinary research on developmental psychopathology and neural mechanisms of temperament.
