Melanie Baljko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at York University's Lassonde School of Engineering. She directs the Practices in Enabling Technologies (PiET) Lab and participates in graduate programs in Science & Technology Studies, Critical Disability Studies, Digital Media, and Interdisciplinary Studies. Research Focus: Human-centered computing, participatory design, maker methods, assistive technology, augmentative communication, and computer-supported speech therapy Teaching: Graduate courses in critical technical practice and human-computer interaction; undergraduate courses in user interfaces, human-computer interaction, and computer science projects Publications highlight her work in accessible technology for Parkinson's patients, DIY assistive technologies in Kenya, and participatory design frameworks. She collaborates with the University Health Network – Toronto Rehabilitation Institute as an Affiliate Scientist. Key Themes: Accessibility, equity in technical design, and empowering marginalized communities through technology. Recent work examines transit app accessibility, disability inclusion in clinical education, and mixed reality teaching tools.
Joshua McVeigh-Schultz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Visual Communication Design at San Francisco State University. His research bridges design, anthropology, and media studies, focusing on speculative design, ritual, and emerging technologies. He holds a PhD in Media Arts and Practice from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, an MFA from UC Santa Cruz, and degrees from UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago. His work explores the intersection of ritual and technology, with projects like the Sloan-funded LoveLog short film and investigations into social VR design through collaborations with Steelcase and Intel Labs. He has published widely on topics including immersive design, affordance theory, and civic media. Key contributions include developing 'immersive design fiction' methodologies and studying interaction rituals in virtual environments. Awards include an Intel PhD Fellowship (2013) and recognition for his design research in social VR interfaces. McVeigh-Schultz has also contributed to academic platforms like Culture Digitally and worked in industry with Microsoft Research and the Institute for the Future. His teaching and research emphasize bridging speculative design with practical applications, often using VR to prototype future social systems and mediate human relationships through technology.
Judith Maxwell is Professor of Anthropology at Tulane University, specializing in linguistic anthropology with primary focus on Mayan languages (Kaqchikel, Chuj, Nahuatl) and discourse analysis. Her work bridges theoretical linguistics and applied language revitalization, particularly through the Tunica-Biloxi language project since 2010. Education PhD in Anthropology, University of Chicago (1982) Research Focus : Maxwell investigates discourse structures in Mayan languages regarding artistry canon, cultural constructs, coherence mechanisms, and societal relationships. Her colonial manuscript analysis explores language change in Kaqchikel/Nahuatl, while contemporary work examines bilingual education, language shift, and gender performance across English and Indigenous varieties. She pioneered the revival of Tunica language through community-academic collaboration. Publication Trends : Recent works (2014-2024) demonstrate consistent focus on Mayan language documentation ( Kaqchikel chronicles , Chuj Narratives ), revitalization pedagogy ( Maja'il Kaqchikel ), and sociopolitical dimensions of language ( Mayan Languages and Guatemala Law ). Key themes include decolonizing methodologies, Indigenous knowledge systems, and practical applications for endangered language communities. Advising & Grants : Maxwell leads the Tunica-Biloxi Language Revitalization Project training Tulane students in documentation techniques. Her collaborative model integrates tribal knowledge with academic research, securing sustained community engagement despite specific grant details being unreported. Research Teams : Directs the Tunica-Biloxi collaborative team comprising Tulane students, tribal scholars, and native speakers, developing e-learning tools like the Q'anil Kaqchikel lessons filmed in Guatemala with native instructors.
Victoria J. Gallagher is a Distinguished University Professor of Communication at North Carolina State University (NC State), affiliated with the Department of Communication within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She has been a faculty member since 1990 and previously served as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Academic Affairs (2008–2015). Her research focuses on rhetorical theory and criticism, communication ethics, civil rights discourse, and digital humanities. Notably, she leads the Virtual Martin Luther King Project, a major digital humanities initiative supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She has also contributed to projects on gender and communication in engineering teams and authored/co-edited works such as Communicative Cities in the 21st Century . Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Communication Studies from Northwestern University (1990 and 1989), B.A. in Communication from Michigan State University (1983). Her research interests emphasize the intersection of rhetoric, materiality, and public spaces, particularly museums, memorials, and urban parks. She explores how these sites mediate public memory and civic engagement, blending rhetorical analysis with technology and community collaboration. Her work on public art and urban communication aims to enhance public life through communicative spaces and ethical discourse. Dr. Gallagher’s funded research exceeds $450,000, including grants from the NEH and Engineering Information Foundation. Her recent articles highlight themes like virtual reality in education, sonic rhetoric in digital projects, and the role of visual imagery in social movements. She is a sought-after speaker, delivering lectures at institutions like DePaul University and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and has been featured in media outlets such as the Washington Post and WUNC/NPR’s The State of Things . Awards: Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal of Excellence (NC State’s highest honor), Robert M. Entman award, Graduate Mentorship Award, and others. As a mentor, she has advised over 70 graduate students and received multiple teaching accolades. Her leadership roles include serving as president of the Southern States Communication Association (2017–2018) and on the Rhetoric Society of America’s Career Development Taskforce. She actively engages with community organizations, including the North Carolina Freedom Park Advisory Board and the former Exploris Children’s Museum. Her projects integrate digital technologies to recover historical narratives and foster civic engagement, such as the Virtual MLK Project and analyses of urban parks as communicative spaces. She also advocates for ethical communication practices in academia and urban development.
Alex Munt is an Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), affiliated with the Faculty of Design and Society. He serves as a key member of the Creative Practice Research Group and previously held the position of Acting Dean for Strategic Higher Degree Research Development at the UTS Graduate Research School from January to December 2021. With a background spanning both creative industries and academia, Munt brings extensive practical experience to his academic role, having worked for a decade in design, architecture, and 3D digital media before transitioning to film and academic work. Munt's educational background includes a PhD in Communications from Macquarie University (2010), a Graduate Certificate in Media Arts and Production (Film & Video) from the University of Technology Sydney (2004), and a Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) from the University of Adelaide (1996). His academic journey reflects a deliberate movement from architecture to film and media studies, creating a unique interdisciplinary perspective that informs his research and teaching. Munt's research expertise focuses on microbudget screen development and production in Australian and international contexts, with particular interest in expanded screenwriting practices, innovative screen aesthetics, and alternative models of film production. He examines granular aspects of film style, particularly diverse approaches to mise-en-scène, and explores how non-industrial filmmaking environments produce distinctive cinematic results. His work extends to expanded modes of moving image production, including video art, artist's moving image installations, and Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR). Munt's research has been incorporated into Screen Australia's Story Development documents to support Australian low-budget screenwriters and directors. An analysis of Munt's recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward immersive media and virtual reality storytelling. His work increasingly focuses on the theoretical and practical challenges of screenwriting for virtual reality environments, exploring spatial narrative structures, user embodiment, and the relationship between traditional filmmaking techniques and emerging immersive technologies. The research demonstrates how cinematic virtual reality requires rethinking fundamental elements of screen storytelling, particularly in relation to spatiality, narrative emphasis, and structural elements that differ significantly from conventional film. Four feature films as writer/director: LBF (2010), Poor Little Rich Girls (2013), Collectors (2021), and Isaac's Dream (2023) International recognition with award-nominated films screened and distributed worldwide Contributions to Screen Australia's Story Development documents Editor of the significant anthology 'Screenwriting for Virtual Reality: Story, Space and Experience' (2024) Munt supervises Higher Degree Research students with a particular emphasis on working with industry-based creatives who seek to rethink, reshape, and sustain their creative screen practices. His teaching philosophy draws on the lineage and evolution of indie, alternative, DIY, and microbudget approaches to film conception, development, and production. He views these approaches as creatively sustainable methods that both stand apart from and inform industrial modes of screen production. His research, teaching, and engagement all focus on creativity, creative practice research, and professional practice in film and creative screen media. As a practicing filmmaker and academic, Munt bridges theory and practice through the Creative Practice Research Group at UTS. His work demonstrates how academic research can directly inform and enhance creative practice while simultaneously advancing scholarly understanding of emerging media forms. His current focus on cinematic virtual reality represents a natural evolution of his longstanding interest in innovative screen aesthetics and alternative production models.
Kyoko Iwaki is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Literature of the University of Antwerp, with a focus on Japanese theatre, performance studies, and post-catastrophe narratives. She actively engages in collaborative research and holds internal governance roles, including membership in the Departmental Council for Literature and the Education Committee for the Educational Master in Languages. Her research explores Japanese contemporary theatre's intersections with ethics, digital performance, and nuclear trauma. Key themes include collaborative methodologies, liminality, and the philosophical implications of post-Fukushima art. Her work spans classical adaptations, avant-garde practices, and interdisciplinary approaches to performance. Recent publications analyze experimental Japanese theatre (Okada Toshiki, Sankai Juku), post-disaster memory, and the politics of digital pandemic spaces. She contributes to global discourse through interviews with practitioners and critiques of institutional frameworks in theatre and academia.
Grant Bollmer is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research focuses on digital cultures, critical theory, cultural studies, and the history of science. He holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His work examines topics such as influencer culture, emotion measurement, media materialism, and the philosophical implications of technology. Key publications include The Influencer Factory (2024), The Affect Lab (2023), and Materialist Media Theory (2019). His research has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and a residency at the Media Archaeology Lab. Bollmer’s recent scholarship explores AI ethics, absurd temporalities, and neo-feudal economic structures. He has received awards including the NC State CHASS Outstanding Junior Faculty Award and contributed to a magazine issue honored by the Canadian National Magazine Awards. His current projects include studies on 'bad' video games, generative AI in brain decoding, and the intersection of capitalism and billionaire behavior. Bollmer’s interdisciplinary approach synthesizes Marxist theory, media archaeology, and critical cultural analysis.
Alexander Refsum Jensenius is a Professor of Music Technology and Director of the RITMO Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Rhythm, Time and Motion at the University of Oslo. He also leads the fourMs Lab and co-founded the MishMash Centre for AI and Creativity. His work bridges musicology, psychology, and technology, focusing on embodied music cognition, human motion analysis, and creative applications of AI. Notably, he pioneered research on air guitar motion and human micromotion through projects like the Oslo Standstill Database . Educated at the University of Oslo (BA in Music and Mathematics, MA in Musicology) and Chalmers University of Technology (MSc in Applied IT), Jensenius holds a PhD in Music Technology from UiO. He has held visiting researcher roles at UC Berkeley, McGill University, and KTH. Leadership roles include Department of Musicology Head (2013–2016) and Steering Committee Chair for the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME, 2011–2022). Research interests span music-related body motion, AI in creative contexts, and open research practices. Key contributions include the Music Moves and Motion Capture MOOCs, the Musical Gestures Toolbox software, and monographs like Sound Actions and Sonic Design . His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, with projects addressing ventilation systems' acoustic properties and cell culture vibrational effects. Awards include the European Open Data Champion recognition. He advocates for open science and maintains extensive digital archives of research materials, emphasizing institutional web pages as critical research infrastructure.
Tony Tang is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at Singapore Management University (SMU), where he leads the RICELab (Rethinking Interaction, Collaboration, and Engagement). Previously, he held roles at the University of Toronto and University of Calgary. His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), including Human-AI interaction, mixed reality interfaces, and ubiquitous computing. Education : PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of British Columbia (2010) MSc in Computer Science, University of Calgary (2005) BSc in Computer Science and Psychology, Simon Fraser University (2002) Research Interests : Tang’s work bridges theoretical and applied HCI, emphasizing systems that enhance human collaboration and interaction with technology. His lab explores topics like AI feedback mechanisms, mixed reality environments, and interfaces for distributed teams. Awards & Grants : ACM CHI Academy Member (2014) Funded by NAVER ($1.25M over 5 years), Meta ($30K), and SMU-SUTD Tier 1 Grant (S$100K) Advising & Grants : Supervised 26 graduate students and multiple postdoctoral fellows. His grants include work on immersive analytics and teleconferencing tools for physiotherapy. Labs & Teams : Directs the RICELab, which designs novel interaction systems for collaboration and learning. Active in the HCI community, serving as General Co-chair for CSCW 2022.
Shana Ye is an Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough and the Women and Gender Studies Institute at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on transnational feminism, queer studies, post/socialist studies, feminist science and technology studies, and critical ethnography. She holds affiliations across multiple academic units within the University of Toronto system. Her current research projects include SILICON YELLOW: SOJOURNER COLONIALISM AND THE AESTHETICS OF TECHNO-CHIMERICA , exploring racialized Chineseness in technology and geopolitics; ARTIFICIAL NATIONS: IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND THE ECONOMY OF MEANING , examining virtual reality and material memory; and DEATH, DATA, DIASPORA: PATHOETHNOGRAPHY OF THE UNSPEAKABLE , investigating queer experiences through embodied and digital lenses. Shana’s publications span peer-reviewed journals such as TSQ , Feminist Studies , Gender, Place & Culture , and Feminist Media Studies . Her work bridges academic inquiry with creative practices, including digital art and playwriting. Her research trends emphasize transnational frameworks, blending ethnography with speculative fiction to critique power structures. Key themes include queer labor dynamics, postsocialist geographies, and the intersection of technology with colonialist aesthetics. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided materials. Shana’s advising and grant activities remain unreported in the current data. She is affiliated with interdisciplinary initiatives at U of T Scarborough and maintains creative artistic projects alongside her academic work.
Dr. Kata Szita serves as an Assistant Professor of Multimedia at the School of Communications. Her expertise spans extended reality technologies, human-computer interaction, and the psychological impacts of virtual environments on human behavior and cognition. Her research delves deep into understanding how virtual and augmented reality experiences affect human-to-computer and human-to-human interactions. She investigates the cognitive and neural processes involved when users engage with virtual environments, particularly focusing on the use of avatars and XR-manipulated bodies. Her work also examines social behaviors in virtual spaces and the ethical dilemmas surrounding artificial digital agents and personal data collection in XR environments. Dr. Szita currently leads interdisciplinary and cross-sector research projects aimed at developing accessible and adaptive immersive technologies. Her collaborative efforts extend to studying cognitive processing of realism in mixed reality, virtual identities, and youth behavior in virtual environments. Her research approach combines theoretical frameworks with practical applications, contributing significantly to the understanding of immersive media experiences. Her extensive publication record from 2017-2025 demonstrates a consistent focus on emerging themes in XR research. The articles reveal an evolution from early smartphone-based viewing studies to sophisticated analyses of metaverse environments, presence measurement methodologies, and the psychological impacts of virtual identities. Her work bridges cognitive psychology, media studies, and technology development, establishing her as a leading voice in understanding human experience within digital and virtual contexts.
Vitor Lima serves as Assistant Professor of Marketing at ESCP Business School's Madrid campus. His academic journey includes a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Schulich School of Business/York University, establishing his international research profile. PhD in Business Administration (Marketing) from IAG/PUC-Rio and Schulich School of Business/York University MSc in Business Administration from FGV/EBAPE MBA in Marketing from FGV BA in Advertising with Branding extension from ESPM Digital Marketing Strategy Executive Certificate from Harvard University Professor Lima's research explores the intersection of emerging technologies and consumer behavior through critical theoretical lenses. His work examines how biohacking, transhumanism, and AI reshape human identity and consumption practices. He investigates consumer experiences with cyborg technologies, self-tracking devices, and human enhancement, often employing enactive and posthumanist frameworks to analyze these phenomena. His research methodology frequently incorporates arts-based and speculative approaches to examine technological futures. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on posthuman consumer identities, with significant contributions to understanding biohacking cultures, NFT implications, and human-robot interactions. The interdisciplinary nature of his work bridges marketing, philosophy of technology, and medical humanities, creating novel theoretical syntheses for analyzing technologically mediated consumption. AMS Mary Kay Doctoral Dissertation Award AMS Review - Sheth Foundation Doctoral Competition for Conceptual Articles (ADCCA) ACR Best Working Paper Award Professor Lima actively engages with media outlets including the BBC, translating complex academic concepts for broader public discourse. His collaborations extend beyond academia into practical applications of marketing theory, particularly regarding digital transformation and emerging technology adoption. His research on biohacking and human enhancement technologies has generated significant cross-disciplinary interest, influencing both academic and industry discussions about the future of consumer experiences.
Carlos Velasco is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at BI Norwegian Business School, where he co-founded the Center for Multisensory Marketing. He holds a D.Phil. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford and has established himself as a leading researcher at the intersection of psychology, marketing, and human-computer interaction. His research focuses on multisensory experiences and their underlying principles, with particular attention to crossmodal correspondences between sensory modalities. His work spans diverse areas including digital dining, food technology, customer experience management, and the application of emerging technologies like AI, VR, and the Metaverse in sensory marketing. Velasco has published extensively in top journals across multiple disciplines including Food Quality and Preference, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Business Research, Psychology and Marketing, and International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. His research reveals consistent patterns in how sensory inputs influence consumer behavior and product perception, particularly examining how visual elements, sounds, and shapes correspond with taste experiences. Velasco's work also explores the ethical dimensions of customer experience design in digital environments and investigates how cultural contexts shape multisensory food experiences globally. Velasco has authored several influential books including Multisensory experiences: Where the senses meet technology (2020 and 2025, Oxford University Press), Digital dining: New innovations in food and technology (2025, Springer Nature), and the edited collection Multisensory packaging: Designing new product experiences (2019, Palgrave Macmillan). Serves on editorial boards of Food Quality and Preference Journal of Business Research Psychology and Marketing International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science International Journal of Food Design Currently, Velasco co-hosts the customer experience management podcast and collaborates with companies worldwide on topics including multisensory experiences, immersive technologies, Web3, food and drink, branding, and consumer research. His work bridges academic research with practical applications in marketing and product design.
Daragh Byrne is an Associate Teaching Professor at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture , with courtesy appointments in the School of Design and Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) . Previously an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University’s School of Arts, Media and Engineering, he manages the NSF-funded XSEAD project and leads MakeSchools , a catalog of making practices in higher education. PhD in Digital Media from Dublin City University (2011) M.Res. in Design and Evaluation of Advanced Interactive Systems from Lancaster University B.Sc. in Computer Applications from Dublin City University His research explores experiential media systems through Internet of Things and tangible interaction design , focusing on how computational tools can capture human experience and enable multidisciplinary collaboration. Key projects include Sentient Concrete (thermochromic architectural surfaces) and Spooky Technology (speculative design around invisible technologies). He has developed CMU’s Designing for the Internet of Things course since 2016, creating hands-on curricula for connected product design. Recent publications examine creative physical computing education , AI-driven documentation systems , and XR-enabled skill training . Awards include multiple CMU research grants and the CHI 2018 Best Paper Award . He actively advises PhD and Masters students in Computational Design, emphasizing human-centered design and speculative technology research .
William Seaman is a Professor of Art, Art History & Visual Studies and a Professor of Music at Duke University since 2008. He is a Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences and co-director of the Emergence Lab , focusing on the intersection of art, science, and computational creativity. His career spans institutions like MIT, the University of Wales, and the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned his Ph.D. in Interactive Art. Education Ph.D., University of Wales (1999) M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1985) B.A., San Francisco Art Institute (1979) Seaman’s research centers on Recombinant Poetics , a framework for combining and recombining media (image, music, text) in interactive art. His Neosentience work proposes new AI paradigms inspired by human cognition, while his Computational Creativity explores how machines can augment creative processes. He employs game engines, cybernetics, and biomimetic computation to develop systems like the Insight Engine , which fosters cross-disciplinary thinking. His publications and artistic collaborations, including the book Neosentience | The Benevolence Engine and the album s_traits (praised by The New York Times ), reflect his commitment to blending poetic inquiry with scientific rigor. Current projects, such as the Seaman-Rössler Dialogues , examine chaos theory, information science, and physics. Scientific Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, ACM SIGGRAPH (2021) Honorable Mention, Ars Electronica Interactive Art (multiple) Intel Research Gift (3 years) Rockefeller Foundation Visual Arts Award Fulbright Distinguished American Scholar International German Video Art Prize NEA Fellowship Leonardo Award for Excellence Seaman teaches courses like Neosentience: A Potential Future Form of AI and Generative Media Authorship . He has advised research teams through Bass Connections and Computational Media, Arts & Cultures programs. His lab, the Emergence Lab , collaborates with composers, scientists, and technologists to push the boundaries of AI-driven art and education.
