Geert Deconinck is a full professor at KU Leuven , leading the Electrical Energy Systems and Applications (ELECTA) research group within the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT). He also serves as scientific leader of the EnergyVille research center's algorithms domain, focusing on smart electrical networks and thermal systems. M.Sc. and Ph.D. from KU Leuven Head of ELECTA since 2012 (10 professors, 8 postdocs, 70+ PhDs) Over 8 million EUR research budget in last 5 years 44 completed PhDs and 10 current advisees IEEE Transactions editorial board member His research spans smart grid architectures , distributed control , and cyber-physical security , with recent focus on EV-grid integration , renewable energy democratization , and multi-carrier energy systems . Current projects include: Smart Charging - E-Mobility meets Renewable Energy Early Detection and Defense Systems for Smart Grids Open-source P2P energy sharing platforms Microgrid control strategies for PV-battery systems Awarded IET Fellow and IEEE Senior Member status, his work combines machine learning with power systems engineering through both theoretical modeling and experimental validation . He has contributed over 575 publications with 9800+ Google Scholar citations.
Mark E. Warren is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), holding the Merilees Chair for the Study of Democracy. He joined UBC in 2004 and directs the SSHRC-funded Participedia project, which documents global democratic innovations. His research focuses on democratic theory, citizen participation, representation, and corruption. Warren previously taught at Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Rice University. Education: B.A. from Lewis and Clark College, M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Key roles include founding the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at UBC and co-founding the Center for Democracy and the Third Sector at Georgetown University. Research interests emphasize new forms of citizen engagement, democratic representation, and the interplay between civil society and governance. He has authored influential books like Democracy and Association (2001) and edited volumes such as Democracy and Trust (1999), recognized with prestigious awards. His work addresses corruption in democracies and systemic approaches to deliberative democracy. Awards include the Elaine and David Spitz Book Prize (2003) and ARNOVA’s Outstanding Book Award (2003). Participedia, his flagship project, serves as a global resource for participatory governance. Warren’s contributions bridge academic research and practical democratic innovation, influencing policies and institutions worldwide.
David L. Schwartz serves as the William G. and Virginia K. Karnes Research Professor of Law at Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 2015 and served as Associate Dean of Research & Intellectual Life from 2019-2022. His interdisciplinary work bridges legal scholarship, data science, and technology policy with emphasis on patent systems and judicial transparency. His educational foundation includes a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a JD cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. Professor Schwartz specializes in empirical analysis of intellectual property systems , particularly patent litigation dynamics and court record accessibility. His research leverages computational methods to transform legal scholarship through projects like SCALES OKN, where he examines how technological interventions can democratize access to justice. This work situates him at the nexus of legal informatics , patent policy , and court system innovation , challenging traditional methodologies in legal academia. His publication trajectory reveals a decisive shift toward technology-driven legal transparency since 2018, with recent work focusing on large-scale court record analysis and open justice infrastructure. The 2024 Northwestern University Law Review article represents the culmination of his NSF-funded SCALES initiative, demonstrating how machine-readable litigation data can reshape legal scholarship and practice. As Co-Principal Investigator of the NSF-funded Systematic Content Analysis of Litigation EventS Open Knowledge Network (SCALES OKN), he leads a multidisciplinary consortium developing tools to convert opaque court records into structured, analyzable datasets. This $1.2M grant supports collaboration between legal scholars, computer scientists, and data engineers to build public infrastructure for judicial transparency. The SCALES OKN project operates as a cross-institutional research collective involving Northwestern faculty, data scientists from multiple universities, and partnerships with legal technology organizations. It maintains active development teams for natural language processing pipelines, litigation event databases, and public-facing analytical interfaces serving legal practitioners and researchers.
Ha-Joon Chang serves as Professor in the Department of Economics at SOAS University of London. His academic work spans development economics, industrial policy, and political economy, with significant contributions to understanding economic development processes in both developing and mature economies. Chang's research interests focus on development economics , industrial policy , and political economy , with particular emphasis on how institutions shape industrialization processes and economic development trajectories. His work critically examines mainstream economic theories while advancing alternative frameworks that emphasize productive transformation and social capabilities. Recent research has expanded into areas including digital industrialization in developing countries, commercial determinants of health, and the relationship between economic pluralism and democratic processes. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent focus on production-centered development approaches, with growing attention to the challenges of digital transformation in developing economies. His work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between economics, political science, and development studies, often challenging conventional wisdom about economic policy and development pathways. The 2021-2024 publications show increased engagement with contemporary issues like the commercial determinants of health and ideological biases in economic thinking. While specific scientific awards are not mentioned in the available information, Chang's extensive publication record in high-impact journals demonstrates significant scholarly recognition. His work appears in leading economics and development journals including Cambridge Journal of Economics, Development and Change, and The Lancet. Professor Chang maintains active research collaborations with scholars across multiple institutions, as evidenced by his co-authored publications spanning economics, public health, and development policy domains. His research outputs indicate engagement with both theoretical economic debates and practical policy applications, particularly regarding industrial policy design and implementation in diverse economic contexts.
Dr. hab. Piotr Łukomski is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Theory, Institute of Political Science, University of Wrocław. His academic career focuses on the intersection of political theory, philosophy, and cultural analysis, with notable contributions to Hannah Arendt's philosophy, game theory applications in politics, and the role of imagination in political thought. Department: Political Theory Email: piotr.lukomski@uwr.edu.pl ORCID: 0000-0002-5307-616X Research Interests: His work spans conceptual metaphors in political theory, decision-making under hazardous conditions, cultural evolution of tyranny, and the aestheticization of politics. He examines how digital technologies (like VR) reshape political identity and how Arendtian frameworks apply to modern governance. Teaching: Coordinates social consulting labs and teaches decision-making processes in political contexts, with a focus on practical applications in hazardous conditions. Publications: Recent articles analyze VR-era political identity, Hannah Arendt's relevance to modern democracy, and the integration of problem-solving strategies in political thought.
Maisha T. Winn serves as the Excellence in Learning Graduate School of Education Professor at Stanford University and is Faculty Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning's Equity in Learning Initiative. She leads the Futuring for Equity Lab as Principal Investigator and holds significant leadership positions including President-Elect of the American Educational Research Association and membership in the National Academy of Education. Dr. Winn's research examines how non-dominant youth and communities develop literate trajectories across historical and contemporary settings. As an ethnographer by training, she investigates how communities depicted as under-resourced create their own educational practices, processes, and institutions. Her scholarship bridges historical analysis with contemporary educational practice to build more just, collaborative, and equitable futures in education. Her work spans restorative justice in education, Black literacy studies, and transformative justice approaches, with particular attention to the school-to-prison pipeline, independent Black institutions, and futures-oriented educational frameworks. Dr. Winn analyzes how historical educational models can inform contemporary practices that center community knowledge and cultural identity. Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at CASBS (2022-23) American Educational Research Association Fellow Member of the National Academy of Education Dr. Winn advises doctoral students including Christina Hewko and Misbah Naseer, and leads research initiatives focused on educational equity. Her Futuring for Equity Lab develops frameworks for understanding how marginalized communities have historically created educational spaces that affirm their identities and knowledge systems, with direct implications for contemporary educational practice and policy. Her research team collaborates with community organizations and schools to translate scholarly insights into practical applications that promote educational justice, particularly in areas of school discipline reform and literacy education for marginalized youth.
Kornel Chang is Professor of History and Chair of the History Department at Rutgers University-Newark, specializing in U.S. immigration and foreign relations with a focus on U.S.-East Asian dynamics. His scholarship examines transnational borderlands, decolonization processes, and the intersections of race, labor, and empire, particularly in Korean and Pacific contexts. Recent work centers on U.S. occupation in Korea and enduring Cold War legacies on the peninsula. His educational background includes: Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Chang's research bridges U.S. immigration history, Asian American studies, and diplomatic history through a transnational lens. He investigates how U.S. interventions shaped decolonization in Korea, racial formations in border regions, and labor activism across the Pacific world. Current projects analyze the persistent Cold War framework in U.S.-North Korean relations and why peace remains elusive on the Korean Peninsula. Publication trends reveal consistent engagement with marginalized perspectives in borderland histories, evolving from early work on U.S.-Canada boundary formation to recent scholarship on Korea. His work consistently links race, gender, and labor to imperial power structures across the Americas and Asia, demonstrating methodological innovation in transnational historical analysis. His accolades include: Longlisted for the 2025 Cundill History Prize Named one of The New Yorker's Best Books of 2025 Association of Asian American Studies Book Prize winner (2014) Binkley-Stephenson Award winner (2021) ACLS Charles Ryscamp Fellowship recipient (2014-2015) Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant co-investigator ($225,000, 2020-2021) Chang has secured significant research funding including the Mellon Foundation grant for the Sawyer Seminar on urban migration dynamics, alongside prestigious fellowships from Harvard, Yale, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. While specific advisees aren't documented here, his departmental leadership and active research agenda indicate substantial graduate mentorship across history and American studies programs.
Jampel Dell'Angelo is an Associate Professor with ius promovendi in Water Governance and Politics at the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He holds concurrent roles as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley's Ecohydrology Lab, and an Environmental Governance Affiliate Scholar at SESYNC, Maryland. His research focuses on multilevel dimensions of water governance, climate adaptation in African irrigation systems, and transnational land investments' impacts. He leads the EU-funded NEWAVE project, coordinating 15 Early Stage Researchers across 10 institutions. Educated with a dual PhD in Environmental Science (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and International Cooperation (Sapienza University), he also holds advanced degrees from the LSE, Sapienza, Curtin, and the University of Siena. As Editor-in-Chief of World Development , he promotes interdisciplinary research on socio-environmental systems. His work contributes to UN SDGs related to clean water, sustainable cities, and responsible production. Research interests span water grabbing dynamics, socio-ecological resilience, and policy frameworks for equitable resource management. Recent projects address Mediterranean water scarcity solutions and the socio-political implications of global land rushes. He supervises PhD candidates exploring themes like water democracy, agrifood transitions, and environmental justice. Key contributions include pioneering analysis of 'water commons grabbing' and documenting the Global Water Grab Syndrome. His documentary work complements field research, such as Working Together: Research and Water Governance on Mount Kenya . Current projects emphasize innovative governance models and climate-resilient water management in transboundary contexts.
Devin Stauffer is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin . Holding a Ph.D. from Boston College, he specializes in classical and early modern political philosophy, with a focus on Plato, Thomas Hobbes, and Leo Strauss. His career spans teaching roles at Kenyon College and St. John's College prior to joining UT Austin in 2004. Education: Ph.D., Boston College Professor Stauffer's research explores intersections of ancient and modern political thought, examining themes like justice, rhetoric, democracy, and the theological-political problem. His recent scholarly work continues to engage deeply with Strauss's interpretations of Hobbes, Locke, and classical texts. Key trends in his publications include: Interpretations of Strauss's correspondence and lectures Critical analyses of Hobbes's ethical and theological foundations Comparative studies of Socratic thinkers in classical texts Reconsideration of Locke's political conscience Debates on classical vs. modern approaches to natural right Scientific Awards : Two Teaching Excellence Awards at Kenyon College Three Teaching Awards at University of Texas Carl Friedrich von Siemens Foundation Fellowship (2013-14, Munich) He has taught courses including Machiavelli's Discourses , Socratic Political Philosophy , and Classical Quest for Justice . His visiting appointment at Harvard (2018) underscores his scholarly impact in political philosophy circles.
Tarik Abou-Chadi is a Professor in European Union and Comparative European Politics at the University of Oxford's Department of Politics and International Relations, and a Professorial Fellow at Nuffield College. He holds a PhD from Humboldt University Berlin (2015). His research focuses on elections, political parties, and the transformation of democratic representation in post-industrial societies. Key affiliations include the Government and Politics Network, Comparative Politics and Government, and leadership of the Swiss National Science Foundation-funded project on 'Social Status and the Transformation of Electoral Behavior in Western Europe'. He previously served as Assistant Professor at the University of Zurich before joining Oxford. His work appears in top journals like the American Political Science Review and World Politics. Awards include the Henrik Enderlein Prize (2022) and inclusion in Capital magazine's 'Top 40 under 40' (2022). He advises four doctoral students and actively contributes to media commentary on European political trends through outlets like The Economist. Research interests emphasize far-right dynamics, voter behavior, and party strategy in Western Europe. His recent analyses address gendered political preferences among youth, climate policy acceptance, and the electoral consequences of mainstream parties adopting radical-right policies.
Professor Phil Clark is a Professor of International Politics at SOAS University of London, specializing in conflict and post-conflict issues with a focus on transitional justice, peacebuilding, and reconciliation after mass atrocity in Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burundi. He holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Bachelor of International Studies from Flinders University. His research focuses on international, national, and community-based responses to mass violence in Central Africa, particularly examining the gacaca community courts in post-genocide Rwanda and the International Criminal Court (ICC). Professor Clark has advised multiple governments (Danish, Sudanese, Swedish, Ugandan, and UK), international organizations (ICC, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), and NGOs (Human Rights Watch, Crisis Group) on conflict issues in Africa. Professor Clark's work spans several key areas including the History, Politics and Law of the African Great Lakes; Transitional Justice Theory and Practice; the Politics of Violence; Community-Based and Customary Law; Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation; the Politics of International Criminal Justice; Peacebuilding, Security and Post-Conflict Reconstruction; and Moral and Political Philosophy. His approach often combines theoretical analysis with practical fieldwork in post-conflict societies. His publications reveal a consistent focus on the tension between international legal frameworks and local justice mechanisms, particularly examining how post-genocide societies navigate complex reconciliation processes. Over time, his work has evolved from documenting specific cases (like the gacaca courts) to analyzing broader patterns of transitional justice and international criminal law across the African continent. Shortlisted for the Raphael Lemkin Award for best book on genocide and mass violence (for "Distant Justice: The Impact of the International Criminal Court on African Politics") Regular contributor to major media outlets including The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Washington Post, The Guardian, and BBC Frequent media commentator on international news networks including BBC, France 24, Al Jazeera, CNN, and Deutsche Welle Professor Clark has supervised multiple PhD students working on topics related to conflict analysis, women's access to transitional justice, China-Africa relations, and conflict transformation. His current research includes "Intergenerational Justice in Eastern Africa" and "Reframing Justice after Atrocity," which examines justice interactions beyond the linear international-to-national transmission of norms and practices. He has led significant research projects, including serving as technical advisor and co-author of a 2007 UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights project surveying popular perceptions of transitional justice and peacebuilding in northern Uganda. His ongoing work continues to shape academic and policy discussions about justice mechanisms in post-conflict societies.
Sebastian Pfotenhauer is a Carl von Linde Professor for Innovation Research at Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Deputy Head of the STS Department. He specializes in the societal dimensions of innovation, including governance of emerging technologies, regional innovation cultures, and responsible innovation practices. His work bridges academic research and policy, with leadership roles in major initiatives like the €50M Munich Cluster for the Future of Mobility (MCube) and the EU-funded SCALINGS project on co-creation in innovation. He holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Jena and postdoctoral training at MIT and Harvard. Research interests include innovation policy, science governance, and the interplay between technology and societal change. Notable projects include comparative studies of innovation cultures, governance frameworks for AI and neurotechnology, and global partnerships in science and innovation. He advises governments and international bodies like the OECD and the German Engineers’ Association (VDI). Publications span journals like Research Policy , Social Studies of Science , and Nature Biotechnology , addressing topics from regulatory sandboxes to neurotechnology ethics. Awards include the Leading Technology Policy Fellowship (MIT) and NSF grants for studying complex international partnerships.
Francisco Panizza is a Professor at the Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Essex and has expertise in Democracy, Human Rights, Latin American Politics, Populism, and MERCOSUR. Previously worked at Amnesty International (1991-1995), joined LSE in 1995. On sabbatical 2022/2023. Languages spoken: English, Spanish. Education: Law degree from Universidad de la República (Uruguay), MA and PhD in Politics from University of Essex. Research focuses on political patronage in Latin America, democratic governance, populist discourses, and left-wing politics in Latin America. Key works include 'Handbook of Politicization and Political Patronage' (2025), 'Populism and the Mirror of Democracy' (2005), and studies on Argentina's and Uruguay's public administration reforms. Teaches courses such as GV245: Democracy and Democratisation, GV443: The State and Political Institutions in Latin America, and GV320: Populism. Active in comparative politics research, editing the Routledge Series 'Conceptualizing Comparative Politics.' Research emphasizes political appointments, public sector reform, and the interplay between populism and democracy. No specific scientific awards listed, but holds prominent academic standing in political science.
Professor Keita Takayama is a prominent academic in education studies at the University of South Australia’s UniSA Education Futures. His work focuses on global education policy, comparative education, and teacher education methodology. He actively engages with transnational policy processes, decolonial research frameworks, and critical analyses of international assessments like PISA. As editor of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education (APJTE), he emphasizes rethinking teacher subjectivity and pedagogical practices. His research critiques the politics of knowledge production and advocates for methodological innovations like 'Asia as Method.' Recent work addresses contradictions in education export policies, linguistic imperialism in scholarship, and the role of education in resisting authoritarianism. Education Background: Doctorate in Education (focus on comparative policy studies) Advanced training in decolonial methodologies and policy analysis Research Interests: Professor Takayama’s work bridges global and local educational contexts. Key themes include: Policy mobilities & transnational education governance Reimagining comparative education through 'negative' comparative frameworks Ethics of academic publishing and knowledge dissemination Teacher education’s role in shaping democratic societies Labs/Teams: Leads the APJTE editorial collective and co-founded the iTKNe transnational knowledge exchange platform for teacher educators. Active in global academic networks addressing East Asian education stereotypes and postcolonial educational research.
Lauren Leve is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her academic career centers on the intersection of religion, culture, and changing forms of life in contemporary Nepal and South Asia. Trained as an anthropologist, she examines how religious practices and subjectivities interact with broader political, economic, and social trends, particularly those associated with neoliberal globalization. Ph.D., Princeton University B.A., University of Chicago A.A., Simon's Rock of Bard College Professor Leve's research interests span ethnographic methods, the ethnography of religion, personhood, subjectivity, the anthropology of ethics, democracy, law, violence, international development, globalism, postcoloniality, and the religious landscapes of Nepal, South Asia, and Buddhist Southeast Asia. Her work explores how religious practices mediate and are mediated by political and economic transformations, with particular attention to how human agents use religion to reflect on their world and aspirations. Her scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on Theravada Buddhism's revival in Nepal, particularly among Newar communities, and how this religious movement intersects with democratic reforms, economic liberalization, and changing forms of personhood. Her publications demonstrate expertise in both ethnographic methodology and theoretical contributions to understanding modern religious subjectivity, with a special emphasis on how global processes are reflected and reflected upon by Nepali Buddhists. James Fisher Prize for First Books on the Himalayan Region (2018) UNC FIRE grant (2016) Carolina Women's Center, Faculty Fellow (2013-14) Institute for Arts and Humanities, Faculty Fellow (2007) Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, Research Award (2004) Program in Agrarian Studies, Yale University, Program Fellow (2004-2005) As Director of Graduate Studies in Religious Studies, Professor Leve mentors graduate students and teaches courses on ethnographic methodologies, Theravada Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and topical theories reflecting her research interests. She has consulted on research studies in international development, focusing on women's literacy and empowerment, and provides expert witness services in US courts. Her current research projects explore the globalization of Buddhist meditation through the Goenka tradition and follow rural women's experiences through development projects, Maoist insurrection, and conversion to Christianity.
