Alison Copeland is a Research Postgraduate (PhD) in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University. Her research focuses on Bermuda’s vegetation communities, particularly invasive plant species and their interactions with indigenous flora. Previously, she served as Biodiversity Officer for Bermuda’s Government, leading projects like the IUCN Red Listing of endemic plants and the Governor Laffan’s Fern recovery initiative. She holds an MSc in Geography from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), where her thesis involved seabed habitat mapping in Newman Sound fjord using multibeam sonar and field sampling. Her expertise spans marine and terrestrial conservation, with a focus on endangered species recovery, habitat management, and translating science into policy. Key affiliations include MUN’s Marine Habitat Mapping Group and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Awards include the Durham Doctoral Studentship (Faculty of Science) and a Bermuda Public Service Education Award. Her recent work highlights invasive species dynamics in island ecosystems, biodiversity assessments, and policy frameworks for conservation. She has contributed to over 15 peer-reviewed articles, emphasizing habitat mapping methodologies, invasive species management, and endangered species recovery strategies. Awards: $3000 Garden Club of Bermuda Grant (PhD support) Fellow of MUN’s School of Graduate Studies Grants: Durham Doctoral Studentship (2022–present) Her PhD project investigates the ecological origins and interactions of invasive plants in Bermuda, bridging field research with policy recommendations to enhance biodiversity protection.
Dr. Young Sub Kwon is a Full Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Cal Poly Humboldt, affiliated with the School of Applied Health. His research focuses on temperature regulation in high-intensity exercise physiology, virtual exercise laboratories, and fitness assessments for first responders. He holds a Ph.D. in Sports & Exercise Science from the University of New Mexico and has pioneered studies on cooling technologies for military and athletic applications, widely covered by major media outlets like NBC and the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Kwon teaches graduate courses including Exercise Testing and Physiology of Exercise. He has developed innovative virtual labs to enhance accessibility in exercise science education and co-authored a textbook on Exercise Physiology. His work includes collaborations with local fire departments and law enforcement to create fitness programs, involving over 20 students in research projects. Over 30 peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences highlight his contributions to firefighter fitness, HIIT optimization, and thermal physiology. He has secured grants including the CSU Faculty-Student Collaborative Research Grant and led projects funded by the College of Professional Studies. His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking, hands-on lab experiences, and student support through certification exam preparation. Dr. Kwon actively mentors students, fostering their academic and professional growth in kinesiology.
Michelle LaFrance is an Associate Professor in the English Department at George Mason University, specializing in Writing and Rhetoric. Her research focuses on feminist methodologies, institutional ethnography, community writing, and writing program administration. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Washington (2009) and has published extensively on topics like academic labor, e-portfolios, and writing center pedagogy. Her recent work examines discourses of volunteerism and belonging in urban communities. Dr. LaFrance teaches courses on critical pedagogy, feminist research, and public writing. Her major awards include the 2021 College Composition and Communication Research Impact Award for her book Institutional Ethnography: A Theory of Practice for Writing Studies Researchers , which also received an Honorable Mention from the International Writing Across the Curriculum Association. She has supervised numerous graduate students in areas such as queer worldmaking, linguistic justice, and composition pedagogy. Education: Ph.D., University of Washington, 2009 Key Affiliations: Director of Graduate Studies, Writing Program Administrator LaFrance's research emphasizes materialist frameworks and participatory methods. She explores the intersections of writing studies with issues of labor, space, and community engagement. Recent projects include analyzing writing instructors' negotiations of language standards and reimagining equity practices in two-year colleges.
Dr. Raquel Farmer-Hinton is a Professor and Director of the Alternative Education Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in the Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies. Her work focuses on urban education equity, racialized policies, and systemic barriers faced by Black and Brown students. She employs both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine college access, social capital, and policy impacts. Education: She holds a BS in Psychology and MS/PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior roles include postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Chicago and Educational Testing Service (ETS). Research Interests: Dr. Farmer-Hinton’s scholarship challenges entrenched educational inequities through frameworks like Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth. Key areas include college-going cultures in urban schools, promise scholarship efficacy, and counter-narratives of success in marginalized communities. Her work often critiques historical and contemporary policies that perpetuate stratification. Grants & Awards: She has secured funding from AERA, ETS, UWM, and the UW Institute on Race and Ethnicity. Her grants focus on policy evaluation and community-engaged research. Service: She coordinated UWM’s Alternative Education Program, served on the UChicago Consortium Steering Committee (including Co-Chair), and joined the UW OPID Advisory Council (2025-2027). Teaching spans graduate/undergraduate courses in education sociology, research methods, and cultural foundations. Labs/Teams: Her work is collaborative, often involving interdisciplinary teams like the East St. Louis Scholars collective (Patton, Rivers, Lewis) producing critical re-examinations of educational inequity literature.
Dr. Jody Clarke-Midura is a Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University. She holds an Ed.D. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, an M.Ed. in Technology in Education, and a B.A. in English and Women’s Studies from the University of Massachusetts. Her research focuses on designing playful, technology-enhanced learning environments to foster STEM engagement and computational thinking in K-12 and early childhood education. Key areas include game-based learning, computational thinking integration, and technology-enhanced assessments. She collaborates on interdisciplinary teams and leads externally funded projects. Clarke-Midura co-directs the Playful Explorations Lab (PEL), which designs STEM learning experiences for elementary classrooms. Her work emphasizes hands-on, student-driven exploration and connects theory to classroom practice. She mentors graduate and undergraduate students, supporting their research development. Her publications address topics like formative assessments, computational thinking assessment frameworks, and the role of coding toys in early math learning. She has contributed to curriculum models integrating computer science and mathematics, and explored cultural relevance in co-design processes. Professional activities include leading graduate studies administration, advising on educational technology initiatives, and advancing inclusive pedagogical practices.
Heather L. Urry is a Professor of Psychology at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences. She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona (2001) and completed postdoctoral training in affective neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since 2005, she has directed the Emotion, Brain, & Behavior Laboratory (EBBL), focusing on how people experience, express, and regulate emotions using behavioral and psychophysiological methods. Her research examines emotion regulation dynamics, stress impacts on cognitive-motor performance, and individual differences in affective processing. Recent work explores time pressure effects on behavior, cognitive reappraisal efficacy, and large-scale replications in psychological science. She champions open science practices, including data sharing and study preregistration. Recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on stress, emotion regulation techniques, and methodological rigor. Major themes include: cognitive reappraisal applications in exercise/stress contexts; anxiety reduction interventions; sociopolitical perceptions of discrimination; and pandemic-related mental health messaging. Cross-cultural collaborations feature prominently in her global health studies. Awards include the Outstanding Faculty Contribution to Graduate Education (2019). Grant support includes NIH funding for therapy dog intervention mechanisms and U.S. Army contracts for applied cognitive science (2017-2029). At Tufts, she teaches 30+ psychology courses including Doctoral Dissertation supervision and research methodology. As EBBL director, she oversees investigations into stress responses and emotion regulation, mentoring students in experimental protocols involving physiological measures.
Lorenzo DiTommaso serves as Professor in the Department of Religions and Cultures at Concordia University, Montreal, where he has progressed from Assistant Professor (2004) to full Professor (2013), including service as Department Chair. His academic home encompasses Jewish Studies and Christianity programs, with biennial teaching of the graduate religion and popular culture seminar. Ph.D. in Religious Studies, McMaster University (2002) Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University Divinity School (2001-03) NEH Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Saint Louis University (2003-04) DiTommaso's research constitutes a comprehensive exploration of apocalyptic speculation across temporal and cultural boundaries, from ancient Near Eastern traditions to contemporary digital media. His work uniquely bridges textual scholarship on biblical apocrypha and medieval manuscripts with cutting-edge analysis of apocalyptic expression in video games, anime, and popular music. The intellectual scope spans apocalyptic historiography , manuscript studies , apocalyptic and millenarian movements , and religion in contemporary media , with distinctive expertise in Japanese cultural intersections. His methodological approach combines rigorous textual analysis with interdisciplinary cultural theory, particularly examining how apocalyptic frameworks shape human responses to crisis across historical periods. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a pronounced shift toward contemporary apocalyptic manifestations, with nearly half of his 2021-2024 output focusing on digital media, video games, and modern cultural phenomena. Simultaneously, he maintains deep engagement with medieval manuscript traditions and early Jewish-Christian apocalyptic literature, demonstrating remarkable versatility across historical periods. The thematic through-line remains apocalyptic determinism versus human agency , examined through diverse lenses from ancient prophecy to interactive gaming environments. Bibliographical Society of America - Pine Tree Foundation Fellowship in Hispanic Bibliography (2019) Nicky Carpenter Fellow in Manuscript Studies Marilyn Hollinshead Visiting Scholar (2023) Research Fellow at Herzog August Bibliothek (2024) DiTommaso has supervised over 20 graduate students since 2019 across diverse apocalyptic topics including disability studies in biblical interpretation, Satanism in virtual communities, and environmental apocalypse in radical movements. His research has been continuously supported by four major SSHRC grants (2004-07, 2007-11, 2011-16, 2018-24), supplemented by specialized fellowships at premier manuscript repositories including the Vatican Film Library, Herzog August Bibliothek, and special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities. He co-organizes the biennial 'Through a Glass Darkly' Symposium on Apocalyptic with Colin McAllister, now in its eighth year, rotating between Colorado Springs and Montreal. The 'Through a Glass Darkly' symposium serves as his primary collaborative platform, fostering international scholarly exchange on apocalyptic themes. He maintains active research partnerships with institutions including the Enoch Seminar and Azrieli Institute for Israel Studies, while leveraging special collections access at major libraries for manuscript-based projects. Current work on apocalyptic comic art involves collaboration with special collections at Michigan State and Minnesota universities, demonstrating his commitment to bridging traditional textual scholarship with contemporary cultural analysis.
Benjamin R. Warner is a Professor at the University of Missouri in the Department of Communication, where he also serves as Director of Graduate Studies. His research focuses on political polarization , partisan media effects , presidential debates , and social media influence . His publications span journals like Political Communication , Communication Monographs , and Journal of Applied Communication Research . Recent work examines polarization mechanisms in debates, intergroup dynamics, and media-driven political behavior. He teaches graduate courses on Political Advertising , Quantitative Methods , and Political Polarization , alongside undergraduate classes in Political Communication and Persuasion .
Asta Zelenkauskaite is a Professor of Communication and Graduate Faculty Member in the Department of Communication at Drexel University. She is affiliated with the Center for Science, Technology, and Society. Her research focuses on social media dynamics, misinformation, and digital communication practices, employing mixed-methods approaches to analyze emergent online behaviors. She holds a PhD in Mass Communication from Indiana University (2012). Education: PhD in Mass Communication, Indiana University, 2012 Research Interests: Social media research and user-generated content analysis Emergent online practices and ideological influence Disinformation, inauthentic behaviors, and post-truth challenges Macro- and micro-level studies of digital media landscapes Recent Work Trends: Dr. Zelenkauskaite’s recent publications emphasize AI’s role in content analysis, disinformation mitigation strategies, and cross-cultural climate change narratives. Her work bridges social science, information science, and linguistics to address societal challenges like vaccine hesitancy and digital misinformation. Awards/Grants: No specific awards listed, but her research has been supported by interdisciplinary grants focusing on AI ethics and digital media governance. Labs/Teams: Active in Drexel’s Center for Science, Technology, and Society, collaborating on projects addressing technology’s societal impacts. Her work often involves international partnerships, particularly in Eastern European contexts like Lithuania.
Frances O'Donnell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auburn University, where she leads the Auburn Ecohydrology Lab. Her research focuses on ecohydrology, emphasizing vegetation-water cycle interactions, stormwater management, and ecosystem restoration with applications in geographically isolated wetlands and transportation infrastructure resilience. Education: Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Princeton University B.A. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Research Interests: Dr. O'Donnell investigates soil moisture dynamics and evapotranspiration processes to develop green infrastructure solutions for stormwater management. Her work integrates field measurements, hydrological modeling, and remote sensing to quantify ecosystem services of wetlands and improve climate resilience in water systems. Key projects examine forest restoration impacts on groundwater and sustainable practices for agricultural pollution mitigation. Publication Trends: Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal three dominant themes: landslide prediction along Alabama highways using soil moisture thresholds, sediment/nutrient dynamics in agricultural wetlands under climate change, and cost-optimization tools for green infrastructure. International collaborations in Haiti address drinking water accessibility, while Arizona watershed studies analyze forest management effects on water balance. Scientific Awards and Grants: NASA Research Grant for Geographically Isolated Wetlands USDA-NIFA Foundational and Applied Science Program Grant ($500,000) Advising and Collaborations: Dr. O'Donnell mentors graduate students through thesis research with real-world applications, including permeable pavement design tools and UAV-based water quality monitoring. She collaborates with NASA, USDA, and NOAA on federal projects, and her students publish in journals like Water Environment Research while securing positions at Virginia Tech and Geosyntec Consultants. Laboratory: The Auburn Ecohydrology Lab conducts field experiments in Alabama watersheds and Haiti, utilizing sensor networks, hydrological models, and drone technology to advance understanding of water-ecosystem interactions for sustainable infrastructure planning.
Dr. Michael Talbot is an Associate Professor in the History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Middle East at the University of Greenwich, affiliated with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences within the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds advanced degrees including a PhD and multiple prestigious fellowships (FRAS, FRHistS). His research focuses on global Ottoman interactions, with specialties in Ottoman-British relations, maritime history, and consular networks. Recent work examines Ottoman communities in Britain/Ireland and Ottoman-Algerian/Palestinian dynamics. Education: BA Hons, MA, PhD in History, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE). He is an SFHEA (Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy) and Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA). Research interests emphasize transnational connections, including Ottoman maritime territoriality, diplomatic practices, and colonial perceptions. He bridges academic and public history through BBC radio contributions and consulting for Netflix’s Rise of Empires: Ottoman . Scientific Recognition: 2018 BBC/AHRC 'New Generation Thinker' award for public scholarship. Media engagements include BBC Radio 3 broadcasts and expert commentary on Ottoman history for major platforms. Advising: Actively supervises graduate students in Ottoman diplomatic history, global interactions, and Middle Eastern studies. No current grants listed but maintains international archival collaborations. Engages in digital humanities through exhibition curation projects. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Ottoman Studies networks and the University’s Humanities Research Centre. Active in transnational historical research partnerships.
Cati Coe is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Migration and Care in the Department of Political Science at Carleton University. Previously at Rutgers University for twenty years as Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Coe specializes in transnational migration, aging, and care work, with extensive fieldwork in Ghana and among African immigrants in North America. Her research examines: Transnational family dynamics and care arrangements Aging and social protection policies in migration contexts Labor experiences of African immigrant care workers Community-based organizations supporting elderly populations Dr. Coe's publications consistently explore how migration transforms care practices across generations, with recent work focusing on the commodification of elder care, racialization of care labor, and innovative methodologies combining ethnographic writing with documentary filmmaking. Her articles published between 2022-2024 demonstrate a sustained focus on aging experiences in Ghanaian communities and diaspora contexts. She has produced documentary films including 'Stories from Home Care' (2021) and 'Making Happiness: Older People Organize Themselves' (2020) to disseminate research findings to broader audiences. Dr. Coe advises graduate students in migration studies and contributes to policy discussions on pension portability for transnational migrants.
Andrew Seltzer is a Professor of Economics and Economic History at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he has been employed since 1998. He also holds the position of Visiting Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics. Seltzer is affiliated with several prestigious research organizations as a fellow, including IZA, the Centre for Economic History at the Australian National University, and the Institute for Compensation Studies at Cornell University. His educational background includes a BA in Economics from Colby College and a PhD in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. Prior to joining Royal Holloway, he was a Lecturer at the University of Melbourne from 1994-1997. Professor Seltzer specializes in economic history with a particular focus on labor markets. His research spans historical minimum wage legislation, internal labor markets, and long-term labor market contracts. He has conducted extensive research using historical data from British and Australian banks to examine worker-firm relationships and the role of contractual incentives. More recently, he has expanded into experimental projects on multi-period labor contracts, demonstrating his ability to bridge historical analysis with contemporary economic experimentation. Seltzer's scholarly contributions have been published in top-tier journals including the American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Journal of Labor Economics, and Journal of Economic History. His research output demonstrates a consistent focus on labor market institutions throughout history, with particular attention to wage regulation and employment relationships. Fellow of IZA (joined as Research Fellow in April 2012) Fellow of the Centre for Economic History (Australian National University) Fellow of the Institute for Compensation Studies (Cornell University) Professor Seltzer has supervised multiple graduate students, with five supervised works documented in his academic record. His research has been supported by various academic institutions and has contributed to understanding of labor market dynamics across different historical periods and geographical contexts. Seltzer is also active in academic community service, having served as guest editor for special issues in economic history journals. His current research continues to explore the political economy of minimum wage setting, as evidenced by his 2024 publication on the Factories and Shops Act of Victoria, Australia. This work continues his long-standing interest in historical labor market regulation while bringing new insights to contemporary debates about wage policy.
Supartha Podder is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Stony Brook University, located in Stony Brook, NY. He holds a PhD from the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore and master's degrees from École Normale Supérieure de Cachan (now ENS Paris Saclay) and the Chennai Mathematical Institute. Before joining Stony Brook, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Ottawa under Anne Broadbent and at the University of Texas at Austin under Scott Aaronson. His research focuses on quantum and classical complexity theory, particularly exploring scenarios where quantum computation surpasses classical methods. Key interests include quantum cryptography, quantum algorithms, and the intersection of complexity theory with cryptographic systems. He also investigates foundational topics like analysis of Boolean functions and communication complexity. Podder teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in theoretical computer science, including the Theory of Computation (CSE 540, CSE 350) and advanced topics in Quantum Computing and Applications (CSE 550). He actively mentors a research group with PhD candidates and undergraduates, focusing on quantum computing and related areas. His service roles include program committee memberships for TQC 2024 and QCNC 2025, NSF panel participation, and session chair roles at ITCS 2025. He leads the AALO charity initiative with undergraduates to support underprivileged students in India. His research has led to notable contributions in quantum algorithms, communication complexity, and cryptographic protocols, with recent work appearing in venues like STOC, FOCS, and SICOMP.
Adrienne Cohen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Geography at Colorado State University, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts. Her research focuses on the intersections of aesthetics, politics, and urban life in Africa, particularly through ethnographic studies of dance and performance in Guinea. She currently explores rock climbing as a lens for understanding environmental knowledges and kinesthetic practices, supported by the Wenner-Gren Foundation. Education: Ph.D. (2016), M.Phil (2013) in Sociocultural Anthropology from Yale University; M.S.Ed. (2005) in TESOL from Long Island University; B.A. (2001) in International Studies from Pitzer College. Research Interests: Aesthetics and politics, African studies, urban theory, embodiment, environmental knowledges, qualitative methods. Notable works include Infinite Repertoire (2021), analyzing dance in postsocialist Guinea, and recent articles on rock climbing ethnography and feminist testimony. Teaching: Courses span cultural anthropology foundations, African urban studies, ethnographic writing, and contemporary theory. She advises graduate students in cultural anthropology focusing on embodiment, performance, environmental studies, and the Anthropocene. Advising & Grants: Actively mentoring MA/PhD students; her current project on rock climbers has received Wenner-Gren Foundation support. She emphasizes collaborative, fieldwork-driven research. Labs/Teams: Engages in transnational ethnographic collaborations, particularly in Guinea and climbing communities. Her work bridges urban African studies with emerging environmental anthropology frameworks.
