BAI Yunxia is a Professor and PhD Advisor at the School of Economics & Management, Tongji University, where she chairs the Department of Accounting. Her research focuses on Corporate Finance, Financial Accounting, and Capital Markets, with a particular emphasis on State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and government policy impacts. Education: PhD, MA, and BS from Xiamen University (2004, 2001, 1995), Postdoctoral Fellow at Peking University (2009). International Experience: Visiting Scholar at the University of Texas at Arlington (2006). Her work explores corporate governance, earnings management, and maturity mismatch in financial systems. Recent publications analyze risk disclosure in IPO pricing, tax policy implications, and SOE performance under government reforms. BAI Yunxia has secured grants from China’s National Natural Science Foundation and the Education Ministry, including projects on financial system transformation and SOE governance. She serves as reviewer for multiple journals and is an Executive Editor of the China Finance Review. Scientific Awards: Best Doctoral Dissertation (Xiamen University), China Accounting Association Prizes (2008, 2005). Her career bridges academia and industry, with prior roles as an Assistant Engineer at Kaiyuan Group and Visiting Scholar at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.
Yasser Arafat Payne is a Professor of Sociology & Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware's College of Arts & Sciences, with a joint appointment as an associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies. His academic work focuses on street ethnographic research examining policing and reentry, economic well-being and educational inequality, and gun violence with street-identified Black Americans through the innovative Street Participatory Action Research (Street PAR) framework. Payne earned his Ph.D. and M.Phil. from the City University of New York Graduate Center, an M.A. from Seton Hall University, and a B.A. from Wagner College. His educational background has informed his distinctive approach to studying marginalized communities through the lens of those who live within them. Payne's research program challenges dominant arguments in the literature by asserting that all of the streets of Black and Brown America are resilient. His work focuses on racial identity, street identity, school violence, physical violence, Gangster Rap music and culture, and the methodology of street participatory action research. He has developed Street PAR as a framework that includes three essential features: research orientation, intervention for Street PAR members, and a vehicle for action and activism in local communities. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on violence exposure, police-community relations, reentry challenges, and resilience among street-identified Black populations. Payne's work spans multiple disciplines including criminology, sociology, public health, and urban studies, with particular attention to the intersection of structural inequality and individual experience. Payne actively engages with media on issues of policing and structural violence, as evidenced by his July 2024 commentary on stop-and-frisk policies for NBC News and his August 2023 presentation to the Wilmington Reparations Task Force. He co-authored the book 'Murder Town, USA: Homicide, Structural Violence and Activism in Wilmington' (Rutgers University Press, 2023), which has become a key resource for understanding gun violence in urban communities. As an educator, Payne teaches specialized courses on street ethnography, Gangster Rap Music and Culture, Racial Stratification, and core courses on Race, Class & Gender and Race, Gender & Poverty. His teaching philosophy centers on bringing the lived experiences of street-identified populations into academic discourse through innovative pedagogical approaches. Payne leads a research lab focused on Street PAR methodology, training community members to document experiences of street-identified Black populations through surveys, interviews, and dual interviews. His approach emphasizes community ownership of research and the transformative potential of participatory methodologies in addressing structural violence.
Dr. Allan Watson is a Reader in Economic Geography at Loughborough University, serving as School Director of Studies (PGT) and Programme Leader for the PGT Human Geography Programme. His academic career spans roles at Loughborough University (2016–present) and Staffordshire University (2008–2016), progressing from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer. He chairs the Royal Geographical Society’s Economic Geography Research Group (2021–2024) and serves as an Associate Director of GaWC (Globalization and World Cities Research Network). His research focuses on the spatial dynamics of creative industries, digital economies, and cultural policy, with particular attention to music, media, and regional development. Key themes include platform capitalism’s impact on creative sectors, regional music industry clusters, and the interplay between intellectual property and digital innovation. Watson’s publications analyze topics such as platformization in music industries, the geographies of transnational media corporations, and the role of ‘CreaTech’ in regional economic strategies. His work bridges economic geography with cultural studies, emphasizing policy relevance and empirical rigor. Professional engagements include editorial roles and contributions to global networks, reflecting his expertise in world city systems and creative industries’ spatial configurations.
Dr. Emily K. Simpson is a Professor of Occupational Therapy at Midwestern University's College of Health Sciences-Downers Grove. She serves as Director of Student Research in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program and Chair of Admissions. With 20 years of clinical experience in community mental health and 16 years as an educator, her work focuses on marginalized populations. She holds a Ph.D. in Education and Service Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University, an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and B.S. degrees in Fine Arts and Developmental Psychology from DePaul University. Her research explores occupational participation among unhoused LGBTQ+ youth, stigma experiences of healthcare providers with addiction, and trauma's impact on occupational engagement. Key areas include identity development interventions, workplace stigma mitigation, and culturally responsive service design. She teaches advanced research courses, psychosocial practice, and occupational justice. Certifications include Lifestyle Redesign programs for chronic pain management. Teaching responsibilities include Research Project Implementation (OTHED 1610), Critical Analysis of Evidence (OTHED 1510), and Occupational Justice (OTHED 1723). Her work bridges clinical practice with advocacy for underserved communities through qualitative research methodologies.
Tammy Cowart is a Professor of Business Law at the Soules College of Business , University of Texas at Tyler. She serves as Chair of the Accounting, Finance & Business Law department and holds the Bart Brooks Professor of Ethics and Leadership title. Her academic career spans over two decades, with teaching and research focusing on legal and ethical frameworks in business contexts. J.D., Texas Tech University B.S., Texas A&M University Dr. Cowart's research interests center on intellectual property , corporate governance , privacy law , and ethical leadership . Her recent publications address pressing issues in patent ethics, algorithmic pricing fairness, and tax compliance. She has pioneered business ethics curricula approved for CPA candidates. Scientific awards and recognitions include: Outstanding Faculty Award (Texas Alpha Xi Chapter of Alpha Chi) Provost’s Excellence in Teaching Award Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Dr. Cowart has held administrative roles as Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs at Soules College of Business. She actively contributes to community organizations and legal associations, maintaining memberships in the State Bar of Texas, Academy of Legal Studies in Business, and Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.
Dr. Saba R. Ali is a Professor of Counseling Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Iowa, affiliated with the Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations and the Rural Psychology Collaborative. Her leadership spans multiple federally funded initiatives including the $2.2 million Culturally Responsive Talent Identification and Career Exploration (TICE) grant from the U.S. Department of Education and two major Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training Program grants totaling $3.2 million from HRSA. Ali's research centers on career development for underserved populations, particularly rural youth and Latinx communities. Her work integrates sociopolitical development theory with career counseling, focusing on healthcare STEM pipelines through projects like FICE and HOPE. She examines how cultural identity, socioeconomic status, and systemic barriers impact career trajectories, with emphasis on Muslim women's experiences and telepsychology applications. Her publication portfolio reveals strong focus on vocational psychology innovations, with recent articles analyzing postgraduate self-efficacy scales, pandemic career impacts, and transnational feminism in therapy. The research consistently bridges theory and practice, targeting practical interventions for rural schools and healthcare systems while advancing measurement tools in career assessment. Scientific Recognition: Distinguished Achievement for Publicly Engaged Research Award (University of Iowa, 2017) Senior Research Fellow, Massachusetts Institute for College and Career Readiness (2015) Public Policy Fellowship (2012) As Principal Investigator on over $7 million in grants, Ali directs major workforce development initiatives including the federally funded Rural Behavioral Health Training Program. Her service includes chairing the Society for Vocational Psychology (2014-2016) and serving as Associate Editor of the Journal of Career Assessment. Current projects focus on culturally responsive talent identification in gifted education and expanding healthcare career pathways for rural students through multi-foundation partnerships. Ali leads the Rural Psychology Collaborative, developing community-engaged interventions that connect K-16 students with healthcare STEM opportunities. Her approach integrates labor market data with culturally responsive programming, creating sustainable pipelines through school partnerships across Iowa's rural communities.
Maarten Goos is a Full Professor of Economics and Institutions at Utrecht University's Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. He previously held positions at Erasmus University Rotterdam, University College London, KU Leuven, and had visiting roles at Princeton University, MIT, Boston University, and Fudan University. His research focuses on labor markets, technological progress, wage inequality, and institutional impacts. He is also an award-winning teacher, specializing in European macroeconomics, economic growth, and labor economics. Education: He earned his PhD from the London School of Economics (LSE). His academic journey includes roles at multiple prestigious institutions, reflecting deep expertise in labor and technological economics. Research interests include the interplay between technology and labor markets, specifically automation's effects on employment, wage polarization, and the role of institutions in shaping labor dynamics. He examines how skill-biased technological changes and globalization influence job structures and income distribution. His work also addresses the declining labor share in economies, exploring explanations rooted in firm behavior and productivity shifts. He collaborates with the European Commission, national policy institutes, and multinational corporations, contributing to policy initiatives and economic analyses. His research bridges theoretical models with empirical evidence, offering frameworks like the canonical CES model and task-based automation theories to dissect labor market trends. Though no specific awards are listed, his work is noted as award-winning in international publications. Advising/Grants: Goos has advised various organizations and contributed to policy projects, though formal advisee names or grant details are not explicitly stated. His teaching and research emphasize practical implications of economic theories for real-world labor market challenges and institutional reforms. Labs/Teams: Collaborates within Utrecht University's School of Economics and with external networks through European Commission projects and corporate partnerships.
Andrew Luchak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Management at the Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta. His research focuses on strategic human resource management, family business dynamics, pension systems, and labor relations. He has held this position since at least 1996, evidenced by his SSHRC grants dating back to that period. Luchak teaches courses in human resource management, performance systems, and organization theory at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His research has been supported by major grants including multiple SSHRC General Research Grants (2007-2011, 2001-2005, 1996-2000) and a Human Resources Development Canada grant (2000-2001). Key areas of investigation include the design and consequences of HR practices, psychological contracts in pension plans, and the interplay between union presence and organizational performance. Luchak's work bridges organizational behavior and strategic management, with notable contributions in family firm governance, employee voice mechanisms, and retirement policy analysis. He has published extensively in journals like Human Resource Management Review , British Journal of Industrial Relations , and Industrial & Labor Relations Review . Teaching responsibilities include courses such as SMO 311 (HRM), SMO 416 (Performance Management), and SEM 488 (Organization Theory). His courses emphasize practical HR strategies and contemporary management challenges.
Rosanna Cole is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Supply Chain Management at the Department of Business Analytics and Operations, Surrey Business School, University of Surrey. She holds roles as Deputy Head of the Department of Business Analytics and Operations, Sustainability Fellow at the Institute for Sustainability, and Deputy Head of Business Transformation (2019-2020). Her research focuses on sustainable supply chain management, socially responsible purchasing, modern slavery eradication, and blockchain applications in supply chains. Previously, Cole worked at Roehampton Business School (2008-2016) and Deloitte LLP. She is a Senior Fellow of the HEA, Sustainability Fellow, and completed the Advanced Management Programme (2024). Her awards include Surrey Business School’s EC Researcher of the Year (2019). Research interests include supply chain intermediary roles, blockchain adoption, labor exploitation mitigation, and sustainable procurement practices. She collaborates with institutions like the University of Manchester, Lancaster University, and Cranfield University. Her work addresses global challenges such as refugee integration into supply chains and supply chain turbulence linked to geopolitical issues. Teaching includes modules on sustainable operations, supply chain governance, and ethics. She has advised PhD students at institutions like Deusto Business School and the University of Gloucestershire. Key projects include ROADS UK (asphalt sustainability), Syrian refugee workforce integration, and blockchain in healthcare device reverse logistics. Her articles span risk matrix improvements, labor exploitation governance, and temporal production dynamics.
Arne L. Kalleberg is a **Kenan Distinguished Professor of Sociology** at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with adjunct roles in Public Policy, Global Studies, and Kenan-Flagler Business School. He previously held a professorship at Indiana University and served as **President of the American Sociological Association (2007-2008)**. His research focuses on labor markets, job quality, precarious work, and economic inequality. Education: B.A. from Brooklyn College, M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Editor of *Social Forces*, an international journal of social research. Key interests include global labor trends, occupational mobility, and policy responses to labor market challenges. Recent work emphasizes precarious employment systems, cross-national comparisons of job quality, and the sociological impacts of globalization. Awards include the Kenan Distinguished Professorship and leadership roles in professional societies.
Prof. Dr. Silke Hertel is a Professor of Personal Competencies in the School Context at Heidelberg University’s Institute of Educational Science, and currently holds the position of Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Teaching until 2026. In her role as Vice-Rector, she oversees strategic advancements in research-oriented teaching, innovative teaching formats, and the integration of accessibility, diversity, and digitalization in university education. Her research focuses on self-regulated learning, teacher competencies, and educational psychology, with a particular emphasis on fostering adaptive learning environments and parental-child interactions in early education. Notable contributions include the development of the SAVE suicide prevention program for schools and studies on parental scaffolding in cognitive development. Education: No explicit details provided in the text, though her academic role implies advanced qualifications in educational science. Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute of Educational Science, collaborating on projects related to educational policy and teacher training. Prof. Hertel’s work bridges theoretical research and practical implementation, addressing challenges in modern educational systems through evidence-based interventions and policy guidance.
Lena Knappert is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management and Organization, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She holds a PhD in International Human Resource Management from ESCP Europe (Berlin, 2014). Her research focuses on workplace diversity and inclusion, with a multiactor and context-sensitive approach. She teaches courses on Diversity and Inclusion, Performance Management, and Psychological Foundations of Managing People. PhD: International Human Resource Management, ESCP Europe (Berlin, 2014) Previous positions: Assistant Professor at Tilburg University and Ozyegin University, and management consultancy roles in Germany and Singapore. Her research explores topics such as refugee integration, inclusive leadership, and organizational inequality. Key publications include work in Political Psychology and Human Resource Management Review . Awards: Top Downloaded Article (Political Psychology, 2021), Best Reviewer Award (Academy of Management Discoveries, 2021). Teaching and supervision: She mentors PhD and Master’s students and offers workshops on diversity and inclusion. Notable datasets include the TakeCareBnB study on refugee integration. Grants include IXAnet funding for D&I masterclasses and research support from the German Research Fund and European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology.
Ngee Choon Chia is an Associate Professor of Economics at the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, with additional roles as Deputy Head (Teaching) and Co-Director of the Next Age Institute. Her research focuses on public finance, health economics, and aging population challenges. Chia specializes in retirement adequacy, long-term care financing, and pension policy analysis, particularly within Singapore's Central Provident Fund system. Her work examines intergenerational fiscal impacts, disability projections, and healthcare cost forecasting for aging societies. Methodologically, she employs actuarial models, stochastic health forecasting, and generational accounting frameworks. Key research contributions include analyses of Singapore's ElderShield and CareShield Life insurance schemes, examinations of housing-pension policy interactions, and projections of healthcare burdens in aging populations. She has developed innovative approaches to model healthcare demand using stochastic health state functions and Lee-Carter mortality models.
Professor Peter Kahn is a Chair in Digital Education at the Manchester Institute of Education within The University of Manchester's School of Environment, Education and Development. His research focuses on critical realist perspectives in higher education, emphasizing digital technologies, generative AI, collaboration, and sustainability. He has held leadership roles, including Director of the Centre for Higher Education Studies at the University of Liverpool and Senior Professional Development Advisor at the University of Manchester, where he established a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. He edits the journal Teaching in Higher Education and has supervised nearly 30 doctoral theses. Research interests include digital education innovations, employability frameworks, and decolonizing higher education. Awards include the National Teaching Fellowship (2014) and Principal Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. His recent projects include analyzing student experiences in work placements for the MA DTCE program. He actively serves as an external examiner for doctoral programs at multiple UK universities. Key Contributions: Over 29 publications, including books and peer-reviewed articles on educational theory and practice. Grants: Project leadership on 'Understanding the student experience of work placements on the MA DTCE' (2023). Teaching: Leads 'Blended learning in a digital age' and contributes to 'Education, Communication and Technology' modules.
Karen Lucas is a Professor of Human Geography at the University of Manchester and Director of the Manchester Urban Institute, where she leads the Transport and Mobilities research group. With over 25 years of experience in transport-related social research, her work bridges mobility, accessibility, and social justice. Current Professor of Human Geography (SEED) since July 2020 Previously Professor of Transport and Social Analysis at the University of Leeds (2013-2020) Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford and University of Westminster Research Focus: Transport poverty, energy poverty, and climate justice in both Global North and South. She developed the Transport Poverty Index for the European Commission and methodologies for social impact assessments of major infrastructure projects (e.g., A465 bypass, Lower Thames Crossing). Notable Contributions: Director of INTALInC (International Network for Transport and Accessibility in Low-Income Communities) Principal Investigator for CREDS' High-End Energy Consumers project Editorial roles at Journal of Transport Geography , Transportation , and Urban Book Series Scientific Recognition: Recipient of Royal Geographical Society's Hay Award (2023) Academic Leadership: Supervises PhD/Masters students and coordinates CPD training courses. Her work aligns with UN SDGs, emphasizing transport and energy justice.
