Karl Gustafsson is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Economic History and International Relations. His work bridges security studies , collective memory , and digital research methods in international relations. Current Role: Professor of International Relations, Stockholm University Previous Positions: Post-Doc at Lund University, Researcher at Swedish Institute of International Affairs Visiting Appointments: University of Tokyo, Osaka University, Keio University, Academia Sinica, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Research Focus: Karl specializes in memory politics , ontological security , and anxiety-driven international dynamics , particularly in Sino-Japanese relations and digital platforms . His studies explore how historical narratives and online memory construction influence state identity and policy. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the Wang Gungwu Prize (2014) and Stockholm University Association’s award (2011). Holds Swedish Research Council and Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg Foundation grants for projects on apologies in international politics and digital memory in East Asia . Publications: His work appears in journals such as International Studies Quarterly , European Journal of International Relations , and Memory Studies , addressing topics like narrative power in East Asia, anxiety’s role in policy change , and digital humanities applications in IR.
Haruka Nagao is an Assistant Professor at the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages within the University of Oregon . Their research focuses on health governance , Africa-China relations , gender dynamics , public opinion , soft power diplomacy , and East Asia . Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary trends: (1) Public Health and Health Governance (e.g., mental health in rural China, prenatal care, vaccine distribution), (2) Political Science and Policy Analysis (e.g., grassroots elections, women's leadership, immigration policy), and (3) International Relations and Diplomacy (e.g., China's global soft power, Africa-China collaborations). Their work integrates China studies with comparative analysis , addressing intersections between social networks , democratic understanding , and global health politics .
Nick Kapur is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Rutgers University–Camden, within the School of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in modern Japan and East Asia, with a focus on transnational perspectives, US-Japan relations, environmental history, gender, and cultural studies including literature and film. His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Harvard University (2011), an M.A. from Stanford University (2003), and a B.A. from Stanford University (2002). Kapur's research examines the intersections of political economy, culture, and international relations in modern Japan, particularly in the postwar era. His acclaimed book, Japan at the Crossroads: Conflict and Compromise after Anpo (2018), analyzes the 1960 protests and their lasting impact on Japanese society and US-Japan relations. He has also published extensively on the Japanese student movement, environmental policy, and Meiji centennial celebrations. His recent and forthcoming articles reflect a sustained engagement with Cold War Japan, dissent, nationalism, and transnational history. Kapur is known for innovative teaching methods, including historical simulations on Pearl Harbor and samurai-era Japan. He is the founder of the Modern Japan History Association and has contributed significantly to digital humanities through projects like the Digital Archive of Japan’s 2011 Disasters and the development of educational apps. His publications from the past decade show a consistent focus on political protest, cultural memory, and international relations in 20th-century Japan. His scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, translations, and book reviews in leading journals such as Diplomatic History , The Journal of Asian Studies , and The Asia-Pacific Journal . Kapur advises graduate students and teaches courses on Japanese, Chinese, and Korean history, World War II, and environmental history. He has played a leadership role in promoting Japanese studies globally and continues to be an active researcher with works forthcoming in 2025. His current projects include digital applications for historical education.
Catherine Anne Brown is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Calgary with extensive international experience, having held visiting professorships at Stanford University (as a Fulbright Fellow), University of Toronto, UCLA, McGeorge School of Law, and Whittier Law School. Her expertise spans taxation, international trade law, and estate planning across multiple jurisdictions. Her research focuses on the critical intersection of tax and trade agreements, particularly how non-discrimination principles operate within services trade frameworks. Current work examines tax treaty mechanisms for addressing discriminatory practices in cross-border commerce, building on her 2017 monograph "Tax Discrimination and Trade in Services". She actively explores evolving regulatory challenges in digital services taxation and international compliance. Professor Brown's scholarship demonstrates consistent engagement with practical legal applications, bridging academic theory and professional practice through textbooks, treatises, and policy-oriented analyses. Her publications reveal progressive specialization in tax-trade interfaces while maintaining foundational contributions to estate planning education. Her distinguished career has been recognized through: Lifetime Achievement Award (Canadian Tax Foundation, 2017) Doug Sherbaniuk Award for Distinguished Writing (Canadian Tax Foundation, 2014) Award for Distinguished Service in Legal Scholarship (Law Society of Alberta/Canadian Bar Association, 2011) Widdifield Award for estate planning scholarship (2006, 2012) Induction into the International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (2012) As an educator, she directed the Business Clinical program until 2014, providing practical training in business law applications. She maintains active professional engagement through appointments to the NAFTA Chapter 19 roster (2018), STEP Canada's Public Policy Committee (2016), and the Canada Revenue Agency's Offshore Compliance Advisory Committee (2016), while serving on the Legal Education Society of Alberta's Board of Directors.
Dr Nima Izadyar serves as a Senior Lecturer and Course Chair of the Bachelor of Building Surveying (NBBS) at Victoria University's School of Built Environment and Engineering within the College of Sport, Health and Engineering. He leads curriculum innovation, applied research, and student-industry engagement in building regulation and performance. His educational background includes a PhD from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia (2020), with academic and research experience spanning Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Dr Izadyar's research focuses on developing practical, data-driven solutions for sustainable built environments. His work connects engineering principles with building science to improve indoor environmental quality, enhance ventilation performance, and integrate renewable energy systems. He has secured competitive funding for projects targeting sustainable housing design, digital transformation in construction, and energy efficiency through nature-based and AI-enabled solutions. His research output appears in high-impact journals in building, energy, and sustainability fields. His scholarly contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards including the Signato Medal and the AIRAH Higher Education and Research Award. Signato Medal AIRAH Higher Education and Research Award As an academic supervisor, Dr Izadyar mentors HDR students on critical topics including greening private outdoor spaces for improved indoor environmental quality, regulatory frameworks in Class 2 buildings, ventilation system optimization, occupant-centric window design, and BIM integration in construction education. His supervision approach emphasizes applied systems thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and alignment with national sustainability goals. He has secured competitive funding for projects targeting sustainable housing design, digital transformation in construction, and energy efficiency solutions. Dr Izadyar actively contributes to industry engagement through international collaborations that generate tangible outcomes in the built environment, serving as a reviewer, editor, and guest editor for scholarly publications while maintaining strong connections with industry partners to bridge research and practice.
Annie BLANDIN is an Enseignant Chercheur (Professor) at IMT Atlantique, a leading French technological university, where she is affiliated with the Department of Network Systems, Cyber Security and Digital Law at the Rennes campus. Her academic work bridges legal studies and digital technology, focusing on the evolving relationship between law, governance, and the digital world. Professor BLANDIN's research interests center on digital law and governance, with particular emphasis on European digital sovereignty, data protection frameworks, internet regulation, telecommunications law, and the intersection of market forces with digital rights. Her work critically examines how legal frameworks can address the power dynamics between large digital platforms and nation-states, exploring whether law can serve as a tool for digital sovereignty rather than merely accommodating existing technological and economic power structures. Her recent publications (2020-2024) reveal a consistent focus on European regulatory approaches to digital challenges, with particular attention to data sovereignty, digital market regulation, and the geopolitical dimensions of internet governance. Her work demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how digital sovereignty operates both as a factual reality shaped by platform dominance and as a legal construct that can be shaped through regulation and ethical frameworks. The research shows increasing attention to practical implementation challenges of digital rights, such as data portability, and the international dimensions of digital governance, particularly regarding EU-Asia and EU-Canada relations. Professor BLANDIN has maintained a productive academic career spanning nearly three decades, with publications dating back to 1996. Her early work focused on telecommunications regulation within the European context, evolving to address broader digital governance issues as technology advanced. She has authored significant books including Droits et souveraineté numérique en Europe (2016) and L'Union européenne et internet : entre logique de marché et préoccupations citoyennes (2001), demonstrating her longstanding engagement with the legal and policy challenges posed by digital technologies. Her scholarly contributions appear across various formats including peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, book chapters, and research reports. She frequently collaborates with other scholars from diverse disciplines, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of digital governance issues. Her work has been cited in academic and policy contexts, particularly regarding European approaches to digital sovereignty and data protection.
Joanna Grela is a Professor at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy at Jagiellonian University (UJ) in Kraków, Poland. She holds habilitation in cultural studies (2016, SWPS University, Warsaw), a doctorate in religious studies (2004, Jagiellonian University), and is a certified Tibetologist (2000, INALCO, Paris). Her academic credentials also include an MA in philosophy (1996, Jagiellonian University) and postgraduate studies in gender (2009, Jagiellonian University). Her educational background includes: 2004: PhD in Humanities in religious studies, Jagiellonian University 2000: Diplôme Unilingue de Langue et Civilization Orientales de Tibétain, Institut National des Langues et Civilizations Orientales (INALCO), Paris 1996: Master of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University 2009: Postgraduate studies in gender, Jagiellonian University Professor Grela's research focuses on Tibetan, Himalayan, and Mongolian cultures, with particular emphasis on pre-Buddhist cults and their contemporary representations in popular culture, societal transformations, Tibetan ethnic and cultural identity, cultural stereotypes, and the comparative anthropology of Buddhism. Her work bridges religious studies, cultural anthropology, and Tibetan studies, examining both historical traditions and their modern adaptations. She has made significant contributions to understanding how traditional Buddhist practices interact with contemporary social contexts, digital technologies, and global cultural flows. Her scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with Tibetan religious culture, Buddhist textual traditions, and the adaptation of Buddhist practices in modern contexts. She has extensively explored the relationship between pre-Buddhist traditions and contemporary religious practices, the role of deities in Tibetan Buddhism, and the transformation of Buddhist thought in different cultural settings including Thailand and Poland. Her more recent work addresses how Buddhism is adapting to digital environments and contemporary social challenges. Her notable achievements include: 2017: Pro Arte Docendi Award from the Rector of Jagiellonian University Multiple teaching awards (2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15) Membership in the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU) Collaboration with the Centre d'Etudes Himalayennes CNRS Professor Grela has led significant research projects including 'The impact of secularization and schooling on socio-religious relations between ritual specialists and the lay community in the Rebkong region' (2018-2020) and 'The Common Buddhist Text Project' (2009-2016). Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to both scholarly research and teaching excellence, with numerous publications spanning academic journals, edited volumes, and encyclopedia entries. She maintains active international collaboration and has presented her research at conferences across Europe and Asia.
Prof. Dr. Manja Stephan is a Professor for Transregional Central Asian Studies with a focus on Islam and Migration at the Institute of Asian and African Studies (IAAW) at Humboldt University of Berlin since May 2020. She also serves as Project Director of the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) since 2011. Previously, she was a Junior Professor for Cross-Sectional Issues of Islam in Asian and African Societies at the same institution from 2010 to 2020. Her educational background includes a Doctorate from Martin Luther University Halle/Wittenberg (2009), preceded by doctoral studies at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology (2007-2003) and Ruhr University Bochum (2005-2002). She earned her MA in Ethnology and Central Asian Studies from Humboldt University, Free University of Berlin, and University of Leipzig in 2002. Prof. Stephan's research focuses on the anthropology of transregional Islam, Muslim mobilities and religious geographies, and transregional Central Asia and Gulf Studies (particularly Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the United Arab Emirates). Her work also examines Muslim professionalism, religious economies, material religion, and cultural heritage policies. Her current research projects include 'Women's Pathways to Professionalization in Muslim Asia' (funded by DFG) and 'De:Link // Re:Link' (funded by BMBF), which explore gender, religious knowledge, and transregional connections in Muslim Asia. Her scholarly work demonstrates a consistent focus on translocal Muslim networks connecting Central Asia and the Gulf region, particularly examining how Tajik migrants navigate religious, economic, and social landscapes across these regions. A significant strand of her research investigates women's professionalization within Muslim contexts, highlighting how religious knowledge intersects with gender and economic mobility. Principal Investigator at the Berlin Graduate School for Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS) Member of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) Member of the American Association of Anthropologists (AAA) Member of the Central and West Asia and Diasporas Research Network (CWADRN) Member of the German University Association (DHV) Prof. Stephan has supervised numerous theses and dissertations, with a particular focus on transregional Central Asian studies and Muslim cultures. Her current research projects, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), support graduate students and early-career researchers working on Muslim Asia and transregional connections. She has organized multiple academic events including workshops, lecture series, and summer schools focused on Muslim women's professionalization, cultural heritage in Central Asia, and transregional studies. She leads the ANOR Central Asian Studies Book Series published by DeGruyter and has organized numerous academic events including the Berlin Transregional Talks lecture series and workshops on museums as cultural infrastructures in Central Eurasia.
Kwantae Kim is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering within Aalto University's School of Electrical Engineering . He leads the Tiny Systems and Circuits (TSirc) Group , focusing on power-efficient analog/mixed-signal ICs for biomedical and neuromorphic sensor systems. IEEE Senior Member (2025) Collaborates with institutions across Europe, Asia, and America Specializes in ultra-low-power AI-embedded IoT platforms His research emphasizes Tiny, Sensory, Intelligent, and Wireless IoT systems through: Development of energy-efficient IC architectures Democratizing access to advanced chip design Hardware-software co-design for edge computing Recent publications highlight innovations in: Spoken-language-understanding SoCs Temporal-sparsity-aware keyword spotting Open-source silicon frameworks Awards include: 2025 IEEE Senior Member 2023 Best Poster Award (AICAS) 2019 Samsung HumanTech Silver Award Research partnerships span: Prof. Tobi Delbruck (UZH/ETH Zurich) Prof. Hoi-Jun Yoo (KAIST) Prof. Shih-Chii Liu (UZH) Prof. Sohmyung Ha (NYU Abu Dhabi)
Rachel Heath is the Alberta C. Corkery Professor of Economics at the University of Washington, where she has been a faculty member since 2011. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018 and to her current named professorship in 2024. Her research focuses on development and labor economics, with particular emphasis on women's economic empowerment in developing countries. Dr. Heath received her PhD in Economics from Yale University in 2011, following an M.Phil (2008) and M.A. (2007) from the same institution. She earned her B.S. in Economics, magna cum laude, from Duke University in 2005, where she was also awarded the Robertson Scholarship and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Her research interests span several interconnected areas within development economics. Much of her work examines labor market opportunities for women in developing countries, particularly in the garment industry in Bangladesh. She investigates how these new job opportunities affect women's lives, the factors influencing women's decisions to join the labor force, and how to improve working conditions in export manufacturing. Her research also explores intra-household resource allocation, social networks, and the relationship between female labor force participation and domestic violence. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Africa (particularly Ghana) and South Asia (particularly Bangladesh). Her recent publications show a consistent focus on women's economic empowerment across multiple dimensions. She has examined the effects of graduation programs targeting women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the impact of international scrutiny on manufacturing workers following the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, and labor supply responses to health shocks in urban Ghana. Her work often employs rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental methods to establish causal relationships. Dr. Heath has received numerous honors and awards for her scholarly contributions: Milliman Distinguished Scholar (2018-2024) World Bank Economic Review Excellence in Refereeing Award (2018, 2022, 2023) Corkery Distinguished Scholar (2017-2018) American Institute of Bangladesh Studies Program Support Award (2016) As an advisor, Dr. Heath has chaired or served on committees for numerous PhD students, many of whom have gone on to academic positions at institutions including UCLA, Rhodes University, Central Bank of Colombia, and Bryant University. Her research has been supported by substantial grants from organizations including the International Growth Centre, Weiss Foundation, Women's Economic Empowerment and Digital Connectivity initiative, and the Social Science Research Council. Dr. Heath is actively engaged with several research centers and initiatives, including the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Henry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD), Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), and Center for Statistics in the Social Sciences (CSSS) at the University of Washington.
Thomas Pepinsky holds the prestigious Walter F. LaFeber Professorship of Government and Public Policy at Cornell University, where he is a faculty member in the Department of Government within the College of Arts and Sciences. He additionally serves as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, bridging academic research with policy engagement. His academic career, which began at Cornell in 2008 after earning his Ph.D. from Yale University, has established him as a leading scholar in comparative politics with deep regional expertise in Southeast Asia. Professor Pepinsky's research examines the complex interactions between political and economic systems globally, with particular attention to democratic backsliding in Southeast Asia and Europe, the evolution of social categories like ethnicity in the Malay world, and methodological approaches to social science explanation. His work consistently connects theoretical political science with empirical analysis of real-world political phenomena, often employing innovative methodological frameworks to understand complex political dynamics across different contexts. His scholarly output demonstrates a clear trajectory from foundational work on Southeast Asian politics to increasingly comparative analyses examining democratic erosion, electoral behavior during political transitions, historical persistence of political attitudes, and the intersection of social categories with political economy. Recent publications reveal growing attention to contemporary crises including refugee flows, pandemic politics, and the challenges to democratic institutions worldwide. Among his significant professional activities, Dr. Pepinsky serves as editor of the Journal of East Asian Studies and is a co-founder and Executive Board member of the Southeast Asia Research Group (SEAREG). He also contributes to the Association for Analytical Learning about Islam and Muslim Societies (AALIMS) and the International Political Economy Society (IPES), reflecting his interdisciplinary approach. At Cornell, he actively participates in the Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) and teaches courses including Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics, Southeast Asian Politics at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and independent study opportunities. His international scholarly engagement is evident through visiting appointments at institutions including Amsterdam, the Australian National University, Freiburg, Griffith University, the Hertie School, and the National University of Singapore.
LIM Yi Hao is an Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS), Singapore Management University (SMU), where he contributes expertise in cyber threat intelligence. He is also Google’s Intelligence Strategy Lead for Asia Pacific, based in Singapore, leading strategic engagements, partnerships, and thought leadership initiatives across the region. His research and professional interests focus on Cyber Threat Intelligence , Information Security , and Digital Risk Management . He actively shapes regional narratives through speaking engagements, conferences, and webinars, bridging industry strategy with academic insight. While no recent publications are listed, his work centers on strategic cybersecurity intelligence and its application in enterprise and policy contexts, reflecting a strong interdisciplinary approach combining technology, strategy, and regional dynamics. No scientific awards listed. LIM Yi Hao advises and collaborates within both academic and corporate frameworks, leveraging his dual role to align real-world cybersecurity challenges with educational development. Though no formal advisees are mentioned, his leadership at Google involves mentoring and strategic guidance across teams. There is no public information on grants or funded research projects. He is affiliated with the School of Computing and Information Systems at SMU and operates at the intersection of academia and industry, contributing to curriculum relevance through practical intelligence frameworks.
Chinasa T. Okolo is a Research Fellow in the Governance Studies program and Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at the Brookings Institution. A recent computer science PhD graduate from Cornell University, she focuses on AI governance, data policy, and equity issues in artificial intelligence, particularly as they relate to the Global Majority and Africa. B.A. in Computer Science from Pomona College M.S. in Computer Science from Cornell University Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University Dr. Okolo's research critically examines global equity in AI, with a focus on how African governments can develop robust AI and data governance frameworks. She investigates the geopolitical impacts of AI in the Majority World and analyzes datafication and algorithmic marginalization in Africa. Her work incorporates ethnographic methods to understand how frontline health care workers in rural settings perceive and value AI, with particular emphasis on explainability in AI-enabled technologies deployed throughout the Majority World. She has conducted significant research on the effective adoption of AI in Africa, COVID-19 misinformation spread on social networks within African communities, and the impact of generative AI within Africa. Her recent publications explore cultural encoding of gender bias in language models for African languages, AI safety governance approaches in Southeast Asia, and the impacts of generative AI within Africa. Her work spans the intersection of artificial intelligence, international development, and social justice, with publications at top-tier venues including ACM's CHI, CSCW, COMPASS, EAAMO, and FAccT conferences. Scientific Awards Named one of TIME's top 100 most influential people in AI of 2024 Honored in the inaugural Forbes '30 Under 30' AI list Recognized as one of 100 Brilliant Women in AI Ethics™ Dr. Okolo has received research funding from the Social Science Research Council, MacArthur Foundation, McGovern Foundation, Kapor Center, National GEM Consortium, Oracle Corporation, North American Network Operators' Group (NANOG), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Google. She serves as editor-in-chief of ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, is a Scientific Advisory Committee member of the Global Index on Responsible AI, and an inaugural member of the Partnership on AI's SAIGE Council. She has contributed to global AI governance efforts including serving as a consulting expert on the African Union AU-AI Continental Strategy, an expert contributing writer to the International AI Safety Report, and a drafting member of the Nigerian Federal Government's National AI Strategy. She also participates in the IEEE Standards Association working group on algorithmic bias and is a member of the ACM US Technology Policy Committee. As founder of Technēculturǎ, Dr. Okolo leads initiatives focused on critically examining global equity in AI. She recently launched the 'AI Safety and the Global Majority' series at Brookings, convening experts from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Oceania, and Southeast Asia to counter Western-centric assumptions in AI safety. She is actively engaged in current policy discussions, with her most recent work including 'AI Safety Governance, The Southeast Asian Way' report and upcoming participation in the AI Safety Asia launch event on August 28, 2025.
Daromir Rudnyckyj is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Victoria within the Faculty of Social Sciences. He directs the Counter Currency Laboratory and leads the Futures of Money project, focusing on the evolution of monetary systems and their societal implications. Rudnyckyj is a graduate advisor and actively accepts new students, engaging in interdisciplinary research that spans finance, religion, and globalization. University: University of Victoria School: Faculty of Social Sciences Department: Anthropology Rank: Professor Email: daromir@uvic.ca His research examines the intersections of capitalism, religion, and financial systems, particularly through ethnographic studies of Islamic finance, cryptocurrency, and alternative exchange mechanisms. He investigates how monetary innovations—such as state-issued digital currencies and local trading systems—challenge traditional notions of state governance and social relations. Current projects, like the Futures of Money and the Counter Currency Laboratory, analyze the historical and contemporary dynamics of monetary systems. His teaching includes courses on economic anthropology, Southeast Asian studies, and anthropological theory, reflecting his expertise in global financial trends and cultural economy.
Anne Viguier is a Lecturer at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations within the Indian, South Asian and Tibetan Studies department. She serves as Head of the Department from 2022 to 2025, while also leading Civilization Courses and the Civilization Diploma in her field. Research Affiliation: CESSMA research team Her research focuses on the cultural and political history of South India , urban history of contemporary India , federalism and regional identities in India (1920-1967) , and historiography of South Asia and non-European worlds . Publications address themes like Madurai's transformation, Tamil literary corpus appropriation, and colonial-era territorial practices. Key academic contributions include the 2024 book History of India and several edited volumes on South Indian historiography. Current projects examine connected histories and international relations through interdisciplinary approaches.
