Christian Grönroos is Professor of Marketing at Hanken School of Economics, recognized among the top marketing researchers globally. His pioneering work established service marketing theory and the service logic paradigm. Research focuses on value co-creation frameworks, relationship marketing evolution, and service-driven business model innovation. Publications have transformed understanding of customer management and service productivity. Awards include the Don Schultz Award (2025) and AMS-Parasuraman Best Paper Award. Recent work examines service-informed marketing reform and employee alignment in brand promise co-creation.
Raakel Plamper is a Doctoral Researcher at the Department of Education, University of Turku, with additional roles as Project Specialist in Geography and Development Specialist in Research Services. Her research focuses on higher education sociology, academic work dynamics, student roles in marketized systems, and university history. She teaches courses on social class and education, research methods, and multivariable analysis. Her work critically examines the marketization of universities, student-as-customer discourses, and managerialism in academic leadership. Key themes include tuition fee policies, institutional identity shifts, and equality in education systems. Recent publications analyze leadership rhetoric, writing retreats for researchers, and cross-country education strategies. Plamper actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects, such as the EU-funded Young Adulllt study on skill governance, and maintains a blog (Kas! blogi) discussing academic work and education policy. She holds an MA and is pursuing a PhD examining student roles in neoliberalized higher education.
Wolfgang Forster is a Professor of Civil Law, Comparative Legal History and Legal Philosophy at the University of Tübingen, where he has been teaching since 2011. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law from October 2020 to September 2022. Prior to his appointment at Tübingen, he was Professor of Civil Law and Legal Philosophy at the University of Giessen from 2007 to 2011. He completed his habilitation at LMU Munich in 2005 with a thesis on insolvency law history and earned his doctorate in 2000 with research on Karl Christian Friedrich Krause's legal philosophy. Forster studied law and philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich from 1987 to 1992, supported by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and the Bavarian Scholarship for Gifted Students. He passed his first state examination in law in 1992 and his second in 1995. Between 1995 and 2000, he served as a research assistant at KU Eichstätt/Ingolstadt before becoming a research assistant at FAU Erlangen from 2000 to 2003 and at LMU Munich from 2003 to 2007. His research focuses on Civil Law, particularly the general part of the law of obligations, contract law, and family law; German and Spanish legal history, especially regarding insolvency law; History of Canon Law; and Legal philosophy and history of legal philosophy, with special emphasis on Karl Christian Friedrich Krause's legal philosophy. His work bridges historical legal scholarship with contemporary legal theory, examining how historical legal concepts inform modern jurisprudence. Forster's approach combines meticulous historical research with philosophical analysis, revealing continuities and transformations in legal thought across centuries. His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the intersection of legal history, philosophy, and practical application. Forster has published extensively on Krausist legal philosophy, Spanish legal history, insolvency law development, and historical aspects of family law. His work shows particular strength in analyzing how legal concepts migrate across national boundaries and historical periods, with recurrent attention to German-Spanish legal connections. Hermann Conring Prize 2010 (for his habilitation thesis) Max Weber Prize of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences (for his dissertation) Faculty Prize of the Faculty of Law of the LMU Munich (for his dissertation) Forster has received significant research funding, including publishing support from the German Research Foundation for his habilitation thesis. He co-organized the 40th German Legal Historians' Day in 2014 and was a co-applicant for the interdisciplinary research training group 'Ambiguity: Production and Reception' approved by the DFG in 2013. He has also served as a visiting professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison, USA. His work demonstrates strong institutional support and recognition within the German and international legal academic community.
Dr. Nemanja Stanišić is a Full Professor at Singidunum University's Faculty of Business, with a distinguished academic career spanning over 15 years. He holds a Ph.D. in Corporate Finance from Singidunum University (2010), an MBA in Finance from Lincoln University (2007), and a Bachelor's in Accounting from the University of Belgrade (2005). His expertise focuses on Corporate Finance, Banking, Audit, and Applied Statistical Analysis. His research integrates quantitative methods with economic theory, addressing topics such as audit opinion prediction using AI, tourism destination competitiveness, financial distress dynamics, and air pollution health impacts. He co-authored textbooks including Contemporary Exchange and E-business (2010) and Financial Statement Analysis (2024), and served as Editor-in-Chief of The European Journal of Applied Economics . He teaches courses from Financial Accounting to Advanced Financial Engineering at undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. levels. The 15 most recent publications highlight his interdisciplinary approach: 7 in Finance/Audit, 5 in Tourism/Hospitality, and 3 in Environmental Health. Key trends include applying machine learning to audit quality (2023), multilevel modeling for hospitality satisfaction (2015-2019), and air pollution mortality analysis (2016). His work appears in high-impact journals like Tourism Management (IF 10.125) and Environmental Health (IF 4.986). He held administrative roles including Rector (2020-2021) and Vice President of Singidunum University. He served as Vice Dean for Student Affairs (2010-2011) and participated in TEMPUS projects for educational reform. He mentors graduate students extensively, advising 100+ bachelor's, 57 master's, and 4 doctoral theses, including international candidates. His visiting professorship at Bangkok's ICO NIDA and teaching in Austria-Singidunum joint programs reflect global engagement. Professional development includes advanced training at Utrecht University (Bayesian Modeling, 2019), Stanford (Mentoring, 2010), and NYU (Valuation, 2012). He reviews for top journals like Annals of Tourism Research and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly , with 1017 Google Scholar citations and 349 Scopus citations. Current research involves the Science Fund of Serbia's TOURCOMSERBIA project evaluating tourism competitiveness models.
Suradip Das is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, where he serves as a Senior Research Investigator. His work bridges neural engineering and regenerative medicine to address critical challenges in nerve and muscle repair. His academic training includes: B.Tech in Biotechnology from Heritage Institute of Technology (2010) PhD in Biosciences and Bioengineering from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (2016) Dr. Das specializes in biomaterials development , peripheral nerve injury models , neuromuscular interface engineering , and stem cell-based regeneration . His research pioneers innervated tissue-engineered muscle constructs, demonstrating how motor neurons and endothelial cells synergistically enhance skeletal myocyte maturation. He innovates custom mechanobioreactors that apply tensile forces to guide nanofiber alignment for optimal myofiber formation, significantly advancing volumetric muscle loss treatments. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a dominant focus on neuromuscular regeneration (75% of articles), with emerging exploration of psychedelic compounds in neural repair. His work consistently integrates human iPSC-derived models , multi-cellular co-cultures , and large-animal validation to address translational gaps. Key trends include optogenetic control of motor units (2023), porcine nerve injury models (2020), and the critical role of pre-innervation in creating pro-regenerative microenvironments (2020-2022). As a core member of the Cullen Lab, Dr. Das collaborates on developing biofabricated neural microtissues for delayed nerve fusion and rapid functional recovery. His research directly informs clinical strategies for peripheral nerve repair and muscle regeneration through rigorous mechanistic studies and innovative engineering solutions.
Dr. Marcel Dettling is a Group Lead in Data Analysis and Statistics at the ZHAW School of Engineering , focusing on predictive analytics, applied statistics, and complex data analysis. He also serves as a Lecturer at ETH Zurich , teaching advanced statistical methods. Education : PhD in Mathematics (2000-2004), ETH Zurich Postdoc in Applied Statistics (2004-2006), Johns Hopkins University His research spans predictive analytics (regression, classification, time series), data mining, and applications in health economics, transportation safety, social sciences , and business analytics . Recent work includes pharmaceutical cost group analysis for Swiss healthcare and predictive maintenance for marine vessels. Selected publications highlight his expertise in flight trajectory modeling , deep learning error mitigation , and statistical frameworks for rehabilitation finance . His projects address diverse fields like crowdworking in nursing, energy optimization for shipping, and customer behavior prediction.
Jisoo M. Kim is the Korea Foundation Associate Professor of History, International Affairs, and East Asian Languages and Literatures at George Washington University. She holds leadership roles as Founding Director of the GW Institute for Korean Studies (2017–present) and Founding Co-Director of the East Asia National Resource Center (2018–present). She also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Korean Studies . Her work focuses on gender, sexuality, law, emotions, and affect in Korean history, with expertise in legal culture, forensic medicine, and rights-claiming in East Asia. Dr. Kim earned her M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University. She teaches courses such as Gender, Power, and Sexuality in East Asia and History of Korea , emphasizing intersectional approaches to Asian studies. Her research explores legal performance, emotional dimensions of justice, and the role of women’s voices in historical legal contexts. Notable works include The Emotions of Justice: Gender, Status, and Legal Performance in Chosŏn Korea (2016), awarded the 2017 James B. Palais Prize, and co-edited volumes like The Great East Asian War and the Birth of the Korean Nation (2016). Her publications span legal history, comparative frameworks between Korea and Europe, and the evolution of legal systems under colonialism. Current projects include Criminalizing Intimacy: Marriage, Concubinage, and Adultery Law in Korea, 1469–2015 . Kim’s academic contributions bridge historical analysis with contemporary debates on law, gender, and identity, supported by leadership in interdisciplinary research centers and scholarly journals.
Nicholas Mortimer is a Senior Lecturer in Design at Goldsmiths, University of London. He holds an MA in Design Interactions (Royal College of Art, 2013) and a BA in Fine Art Sculpture (University of Brighton, 2005). His work focuses on socially engaged design practices, reimagining historical performance traditions to address contemporary labor and societal issues. As co-founder of Post Workers Theatre (PWT), he explores workers’ theatre and creative resistance through collective writing, performance, and design. His research spans topics like gig economy critiques, housing privatization, and community activism, often blending performance, sound, and participatory methods. Education: MA Design Interactions, Royal College of Art, 2013 BA Fine Art Sculpture, University of Brighton, 2005 Research Interests: Performance as social critique Historical folk traditions and modern labor struggles Community-driven design practices Radical pedagogy and participatory methods Key Projects: Post Workers Theatre : Investigates politically engaged performance, addressing labor inequality through updated workers’ theatre forms. Autohoodening : Critiques Amazon labor practices via a reimagined midwinter ritual. Rave of the Ritualesque : Examines rave culture’s potential for collective resistance. Affiliations: Department of Design, Goldsmiths, University of London IASPIS (Swedish Arts Grants Committee) residency collaborations Labs/Teams: Post Workers Theatre collective Collaborations with institutions like Tate Liverpool, Luleå Arts and Crafts Biennale, and the Maidstone Museum
Adriana Chira is an Associate Professor of Atlantic World History at Emory University. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from Cornell University, and a B.A. from Cambridge University (UK). Her research focuses on race, law, and property in Cuba and Puerto Rico during and after slavery. Her award-winning book Patchwork Freedoms examines how enslaved and free Afro-descendants navigated legal systems to claim land and freedom in 19th-century Cuba. Dr. Chira’s work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and fellowships at Yale and Harvard. She teaches courses on global history, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean. She also leads a study abroad program in Cuba focused on food sovereignty and environmental history. Her current research includes projects on labor markets in 18th-century Cuba/Colombia, land ownership theories in Cuba, and 20th-century Puerto Rican land policies. She has published widely in journals like the American Historical Review and Law and History Review , and her work has earned multiple prizes, including the James A. Rawley Prize and Elsa Goveia Prize. Education: B.A. Cambridge University (2005), M.A. Cornell (2008), Ph.D. University of Michigan (2016) Key Awards: Outstanding First Book Prize (ASWAD), James A. Rawley Prize (AHA), Peter Gonville Stein Award (ASLH) Teaching: Courses include Human Trafficking in World History , Globalization: The Atlantic World , and Cuba in World History
Colin King is a Professor at Sydney Law School, University of Sydney. He holds a LLB and PhD from the University of Limerick, Ireland, and a PGCert in Higher Education from the University of Sussex. His research focuses on financial crime, including money laundering, proceeds of crime, deferred prosecution agreements, criminal evidence, and miscarriages of justice. He has authored numerous books and articles on these topics, such as Civil Recovery of Criminal Property (OUP, 2023) and Negotiated Justice: The Legitimacy of Civil Recovery and Deferred Prosecution Agreements (Palgrave, 2018). King also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Current Issues in Criminal Justice . His teaching includes courses on Advanced Evidence, Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime, and Foundations of Law. Recent research highlights include examining cryptocurrency-related financial crimes, EU asset recovery developments, and challenges in implementing anti-money laundering regulations. King’s work bridges legal theory and practice, addressing transnational crime, regulatory compliance, and the ethical dimensions of legal frameworks. His contributions span criminal law reform, evidence-based policy analysis, and the intersection of technology with financial crime prevention.
Baris Ata is the Sigmund E. Edelstone Distinguished Service Professor of Operations Management at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His work bridges theoretical operations management with practical applications, focusing on dynamic decision-making under uncertainty. Research Interests Ata’s research spans stochastic networks, manufacturing/service operations, healthcare delivery, and social sector innovation. Recent projects address high-dimensional stochastic control, xenotransplantation candidate selection, criminal justice logistics, and last-mile delivery challenges in Africa. Scientific Awards Best Paper in Service Science Award, INFORMS (2009) William Pierskalla Best Paper Award, INFORMS (2015) Wickham Skinner Best Paper Award, POMS (2019) Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Young Scholar Prize, INFORMS (2015) Emory Williams MBA Teaching Award (2021) Recent Publications Ata’s recent work includes topics in dynamic pricing, stochastic control, and healthcare logistics. His papers examine congestion-based pricing strategies, equilibrium analysis in queues, and policy design for organ transplantation. Broad disciplines include operations management, stochastic modeling, and healthcare analytics.
Henrikki Tikkanen is a Full Professor of Business Administration (Marketing) at Aalto University School of Business since 2004, holding the A. I. Virtanen Professorship in Consumer Research since 2017. Previously, he served as a tenured Full Professor at Stockholm University (2013–2016) and held roles at multiple Finnish universities. His research focuses on strategy, leadership, strategic marketing, and business history, with notable work on Nokia, Valmet, and Stora Enso. He has supervised over 20 doctoral students and led large-scale research projects totaling over €6 million in funding. Tikkanen also serves as Director of the DBA Program at Aalto University Executive Education and has extensive executive education and consulting experience. Education: Doctoral degree in Humanities (Business History), University of Jyväskylä (2020) Doctoral degree in Business and Economics, Turku School of Economics (1997) Licentiate and Master's degrees in Business and Economics, Turku School of Economics (1996–1995) Research Interests: Strategy, leadership, strategic marketing, business history, organizational history, and industrial networks. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary business challenges, particularly in Nordic industries. Key Awards: Best Paper Award, BAI 2007 Emerald Best Practical Implications Award (2012) Doctoral Thesis Supervisor of the Year 2014 Grants & Projects: Led major projects funded by the Academy of Finland, Tekes, and others, focusing on topics like leadership history, B2B marketing, and organizational transformation. Labs/Teams: Involved in Aalto's DBA Program and executive education initiatives, contributing to interdisciplinary research groups across business and humanities.
Zoran Kalinic serves as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac, where he teaches Electronic Business since October 2012. Previously, he worked at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac from 1996 to 2005, and joined the Faculty of Economics in February 2005 as an assistant in Information Systems, later teaching Information Technology and Electronic Business from 2009 onward. Doctorate (2012): Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, specializing in information systems development and mobile communications Postgraduate studies: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac (completed with average grade of 10) Bachelor's degree: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac (1996, average grade 9.43) Professor Kalinic's research focuses on digital transformation and its economic implications, with particular expertise in mobile commerce, electronic business systems, digital payment technologies, and consumer behavior in online environments. His work frequently employs advanced analytical methods including artificial neural networks, structural equation modeling, and hybrid analytical approaches to investigate technology adoption patterns and digital marketplace dynamics. He has conducted extensive research on Serbian digital markets, including studies on mobile payment systems, e-commerce development barriers, and real estate price prediction using AI techniques. His publication record demonstrates a clear progression from foundational technology acceptance research toward more complex analyses of digital ecosystems, with recent work examining influencer marketing effects on TikTok, biometric payment systems, and gig economy measurement in Serbia. The integration of artificial intelligence methodologies with traditional consumer behavior theories represents a distinctive feature of his scholarly approach. Professor Kalinic maintains active international academic engagement through short study visits to institutions including the University of Udine, Vienna University of Economics, University of Maribor, Krakow University of Economics, Coventry University, Polytechnic of Turin, and Comenius University in Bratislava. He spent six weeks at the University of Maribor in 2007 through a Tempus IMG grant and served as a visiting lecturer at the Krakow University of Economics in 2012. Author/co-author of over 60 papers in international and domestic journals and conferences Participant in multiple scientific research and professional projects Recipient of academic awards during studies from University, Faculty, Ministry of Science and Technology of Serbia, Embassy of Norway, WUS-Austria, Zastava-Yugo Automobiles, and Kragujevac City Assembly His professional development includes a month-long visit to the Faculty of Informatics at the University of the Basque Country in San Sebastian (2004) and ongoing collaboration with regional and European academic institutions. Professor Kalinic's research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in the Serbian and Western Balkan digital economy context.
Henrique O'Neill is an Associate Professor (with Habilitation) in the Department of Marketing, Operations and General Management at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon, Portugal. He is an Integrated Researcher at ISTAR-Iscte - Research Center in Information Sciences, Technologies and Architecture. His research focuses on information systems adoption, organizational strategy, and process optimization in healthcare, finance, and public administration. Education: PhD in Business Organization and Management - University of Cranfield (1995) Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering - Higher Technical Institute (1987) Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering - Higher Technical Institute (1983) Research Interests: His work spans business/IT strategy, systems modeling, process analysis, and technology implementation. Key domains include healthcare informatics, banking systems, and Industry 4.0 applications. He emphasizes practical solutions for organizational performance through technology integration. Publication Trends: Recent articles explore intelligent business systems, telemedicine, design science methodologies, and supply chain innovation. His work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with sector-specific applications in healthcare, education, and logistics. Professional Engagement: Member: Portuguese Telemedicine Association, Order of Engineers Commissioner: INEM (National Institute of Medical Emergency) reform study Director: Center for IT Development (2010-2014) Advising & Projects: Supervises 7 graduate students (1 PhD, 6 Master's). Leads EU-funded projects including: Atlantic Crossing (2024-2025): US-Portugal academic collaboration in AI/cybersecurity AAL4ALL (2011-2015): Ambient Assisted Living ecosystem UNITE (2000-2002): Ubiquitous teamwork platforms
Bruce A. Markell is a Professor of Bankruptcy Law and Practice and Edward Avery Harriman Lecturer in Law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Formerly a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge and academic at Florida State, Indiana, and Harvard, he specializes in bankruptcy, commercial law, and cross-border insolvency. He consults for the IMF on insolvency issues and drafted Kosovo’s bankruptcy law. Education: BA, Pitzer College JD, University of California, Davis Markell’s research focuses on bankruptcy equity, fraudulent transfers, and comparative bankruptcy systems. His work bridges judicial practice, legislative reform, and international cooperation, emphasizing practical applications in corporate reorganization and small business insolvency. Recent publications analyze fraudulent transfer laws, cross-border Chapter 15 recognition, and equitable mootness. He contributes to Collier on Bankruptcy and co-authors casebooks on contracts and secured transactions. Scientific Awards: 2022 Lawrence P. King Award (Commercial Law League of America) Markell co-founded the NITA-trained faculty for the Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Practice Institute and serves on the editorial advisory board of Collier on Bankruptcy . His IMF consultancy spans missions to Ireland, Kosovo, and Greece, influencing global insolvency frameworks.
