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Nikhil Anand is the Daniel Braun Silvers and Robert Peter Silvers Family Presidential Professor of Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania , where he serves as Interim Director of the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI) and Director of Envirolab . His research explores the political ecology of cities through the lens of water infrastructure, focusing on urbanism, state power, and climate change in South Asia and the United States. Education: Ph.D. in Anthropology, Stanford University (2011) MESc in Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University (2004) B.A., Reed College (1998) His research examines how water infrastructure shapes citizenship and state formation , particularly in coastal cities facing climate change. Key projects include Hydraulic City (award-winning book on Mumbai's water systems), Urban Seas (coastal planning), and collaborative initiatives Rising Waters and Inhabited Sea , which analyze climate-induced urban transformations. Themes in his recent 15 articles span infrastructure breakdowns, climate adaptations, and water-related citizenship struggles. These works often intersect urban anthropology , political ecology , and postcolonial studies , emphasizing coastal vulnerability , hydraulic governance , and slow violence against marginalized communities. Scientific Awards: Junior Scholar Prize, Anthropology and Environment Society (2014) Fellowships at Princeton's IAS, University of Minnesota, and Stanford Grants: National Science Foundation Wenner-Gren Foundation SSRC Penn Global Inquiries Fellowship Anand leads collaborative research initiatives involving architects, scientists, and policymakers to reimagine coastal cities. His work bridges anthropology, environmental humanities, and urban planning , with a focus on Mumbai and Philadelphia as sites of climate vulnerability and innovation.

• Environmental Anthropology
• Urban Anthropology
• Political Ecology
• +8 more

Stacy Alaimo is the Barbara and Carlisle Moore Professor of English and Core Faculty in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon. She directs the English Department's Graduate Studies program. Her research bridges environmental humanities, science studies, and critical theory, focusing on transcorporeality, blue humanities, and material ecocriticism. She has authored seminal works like Bodily Natures (2010) and Exposed (2016), and co-edited foundational texts like Material Feminisms (2008). Her current projects include The Abyss Stares Back (2025) and Acid Seas . PhD from University of Texas at Austin Previous roles: Distinguished Teaching Professor at University of Texas at Arlington Research interests include oceanic studies, interspecies relations, and environmental justice. She co-edits Duke University Press's 'Elements' series and serves on academic committees for the College of Arts and Sciences. Her work has inspired art exhibitions, podcasts, and interdisciplinary collaborations globally. Awards include the MLA Ecocriticism Forum leadership and ASLE awards. Grants include leadership roles in sustainability initiatives and interdisciplinary programs. Labs/teams include collaborations with marine scientists and artists through blue humanities projects. Future works explore ocean acidification and deep-sea ecologies.

• Environmental Humanities
• Multispecies Studies
• Blue Humanities
• +8 more

Affiliations & Roles Lionel P. Robert Jr. is a Professor of Information and Robotics at the University of Michigan, holding joint appointments in the School of Information and the College of Engineering's Robotics Department. He directs the Michigan Autonomous Vehicle Research Intergroup Collaboration (MAVRIC) and is an affiliate faculty member at the National Center for Institutional Diversity and Indiana University's Center for Computer-Mediated Communication. His roles include editorial board positions at journals like the Journal of Computer Information Systems and leadership in professional organizations such as ACM and IEEE. Education Ph.D. in Information Systems, Indiana University (BAT Fellow, KPMG Scholar) M.B. from Indiana University, Bloomington M.S. degrees from Clemson University and University of Louisiana, Lafayette B.S. from University of Louisiana, Lafayette Research Focus Robert's research bridges collaboration through technology, with a focus on human-robot interaction, autonomous vehicles, and virtual teams. His work addresses trust in automated systems, human-AV communication, and the sociotechnical implications of robotics in workplaces and public spaces. Recent projects explore explanations for automated vehicles, security robots' societal acceptance, and AI ethics in healthcare and labor. Key Contributions He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in journals like MIS Quarterly and conferences such as CHI and HRI. His research has been funded by NSF, Toyota Research Institute, and the Army Research Laboratory. Notable outcomes include frameworks for AV trust repair, models of human-robot team performance, and critiques of AI-driven labor practices. Awards & Recognition ACM Distinguished Member IEEE Senior Member Carnegie Junior Faculty Development Fellowship 3× Teaching Commendation (2006–2008) Grants & Labs Current grants include studies on explainable AI, human-AV trust dynamics, and security robot design. The MAVRIC lab focuses on AV-pedestrian interactions while the CCMC explores digital communication's societal impact.

• Autonomous Vehicles
• Human-Robot Interaction
• Collaborative Robotics
• +5 more

Lucy McRae is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, inventor, and "body architect" based in Los Angeles. She serves as a visiting professor at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) where she co-directs a futures incubator. Recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a TED Fellow, McRae leads an art-research studio investigating how emerging technologies impact human evolution. Her work has been exhibited at prestigious venues including the Venice Biennale, Centre Pompidou, Science Museum London, and National Gallery of Victoria. McRae's research explores the intersection of science, technology, and the human body, with particular focus on: Future technologies and their impact on human evolution Speculative reproductive technologies and artificial wombs Genetic engineering ethics and implications Human intimacy in technological futures Emotional technologies and comfort devices Body architecture and science fiction prototyping Her artistic practice creates "prophetic aesthetics" that generate "nostalgia for a future about to happen," diversifying the predictive voices in science and technology through designed hypothetical worlds. McRae uses speculation as a tool to provoke exploration of ideologies and ethics about human evolution. Her notable works include Heavy Duty Love (Venice Biennale), Future Survival Kit , Compression Carpet , and Solitary Survival Raft , which explore themes of human touch in increasingly digital worlds and potential future reproductive technologies. Her major recognitions include: Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum TED Fellow McRae collaborates extensively with institutions and brands, serving as a futurist consultant to Hollywood productions (including Blade Runner 2099), and working with organizations including MIT, NASA, Aesop, Adidas, Nike, Adobe, Intel, and BMW Mini. Her studio functions as a research incubator exploring speculative futures through art, film, and conceptual fashion. Based in Los Angeles, McRae's studio operates at the intersection of art, science, and technology, creating immersive installations and prototypes that engage the public in critical dialogue about emerging technologies and their implications for human evolution and society.

• Future technologies and human evolution
• Human intimacy in technological future
• Genetic engineering ethics
• +7 more

Shaka McGlotten is a Professor of Media Studies and Anthropology at Purchase College, SUNY, and Chair of the Gender Studies program. Their work bridges queer theory, Black studies, and digital media through ethnographic and artistic practices. They have published extensively on topics such as networked intimacies , critical data studies , and the intersection of drag with political resistance . Education : BA, Grinnell College; PhD, University of Texas at Austin Research Interests : Queer and trans theory, digital surveillance, affect studies, and Black data sovereignty Advising : Mentors students in experimental ethnography and Afrofuturist methodologies McGlotten’s recent articles focus on themes like algorithmic racism , queer digital cultures , and DIY pornography , reflecting their commitment to critical race and queer studies in computational contexts. Their scientific awards include fellowships from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation , Akademie Schloss Solitude , and grants from the Andy Warhol Foundation and Data & Society . They co-edit the Future Media and Critical Race & Digital Studies book series, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration.

• Queer and Trans* Studies
• Black Study
• Digital Media
• +10 more

Lauren Hayes serves as Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Wyoming, where she conducts ethnographic research on labor systems, workplace discourse, and rural identity formation. Her work bridges cultural, linguistic, and economic anthropology through fieldwork in Appalachia, Wyoming, and Honduras. Dr. Hayes investigates how flexible labor systems reproduce workplace inequalities while examining human adaptation to economic transformations. Her current research explores manufacturing, tech-based workforce development, ranching, agricultural labor, and care work across American rural communities, with special attention to gender dynamics and language practices. Previous work analyzed microloan borrowers' livelihood strategies in Honduras, establishing her focus on economic anthropology and women's labor experiences. Her publication record (2012-2023) reveals consistent engagement with workplace ethnography across diverse settings including auto factories, Appalachian tech initiatives, and Honduran microfinance. Key thematic trajectories include labor precarity, contamination discourses, rural technological adoption, and intersectional feminist perspectives on work. Recent scholarship increasingly emphasizes applied anthropological methods for workforce development and workplace communication analysis. Dr. Hayes actively mentors graduate students in rural work studies, women's labor, workplace communication, and economic anthropology while teaching core courses including Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Ethnographic Methods, and seminars in Economic and Applied Anthropology. Her research program demonstrates sustained commitment to understanding labor transformations in marginalized communities through rigorous ethnographic practice.

• Work and Labor
• Workplace Discourse
• Rural Identity
• +11 more

Dr. Joy Brooke Fairfield is an Associate Professor and Chair of Media Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She also holds affiliations with Gender and Sexuality Studies and Latin American and Latinx Studies programs. A media-maker and scholar, her work bridges live performance, film/video, and community organizing with academic research. Her primary focus is on queer intimacy, consent practices, and repair mechanisms in contexts of indigenous dispossession and racial capitalism. Education includes a PhD in Performance Studies from Stanford University (2016), an MA from NYU (Performance Studies), and a BA from Harvard University. She won the Charles R. Lyons Memorial Prize for her doctoral dissertation and edited a special issue on Intimacy Choreography for the Journal for Dramatic Theory and Criticism (2019). As an assistant faculty member with Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE), she trains professionals in consent-based intimacy practices. Recent creative projects include directing Earth as Lover: An Ecosex Walking Tour in Germany and Ecosex in the City in NYC, both with performance artists Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens. In Memphis, she co-directed the opera As One (2019) and provides intimacy choreography for theatre/film projects. Collaborations include Knight & Brinegar (musical theatre) and Dragonfly/Robin Laverne Wilson (ABSCONDED). Her publications critically examine performance ethics, decolonial methodologies, and queer world-building. Key themes include consent-based staging, fugitivity in performance, and intersectional activism. She actively engages in Memphis-based queer resistance efforts, as seen in her 2024 analysis of Tennessee's drag ban. Awards include the Charles R. Lyons Memorial Prize and recognition through her editorial leadership. Her work often intersects with community-based projects, emphasizing praxis between academic research and grassroots activism. Current research trends explore queer futurisms, decolonial performance frameworks, and the ethics of collaborative creation in marginalized communities.

• Queer Performance Studies
• Consent-Based Staging
• Indigenous Dispossession
• +3 more

Benjamin Hooker serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor and core faculty member in the Media Design Practices graduate program. He is also a partner at the design studio Hooker&Kitchen. His prior appointments include visiting faculty and 'designer in residence' at Intel Research (Berkeley), research fellow at the Royal College of Art's School of Architecture and Design, and final-year tutor in Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins College (London). His academic credentials include a Master of Arts (MA) from the Royal College of Art (RCA). Hooker's research critically investigates Digital Media , Interaction Design , and Urban/Domestic Computing through Critical Design methodologies. His work interrogates labor in digital economies, materiality of computational systems, and sociotechnical entanglements in everyday life, often employing speculative frameworks to challenge normative technological trajectories. Key themes include political economy of technology, feminist technoscience, and grotesque aesthetics in interface design. Analysis of his 15 most recent creative works (2025-2012) reveals consistent engagement with critical examinations of digital infrastructure, labor, and materiality. Projects like WORK UNDER OUR LABOUR GROWS (2025) and THE LOGISTICAL BAROQUE (2017) explore labor and logistics, while GROTESQUE INTERFACES (2017) and DWELLING MACHINE (2012) dissect domestic technology through critical and speculative lenses. His portfolio bridges art, design theory, and critical technical practice to address societal implications of emerging technologies. No scientific awards were documented in the source material. Information regarding student advising and research grants was not provided in the available text. His teaching responsibilities encompass graduate courses including Thesis Continuation (GMDP-699-01), Post-Grad MDP Research (GMDP-799-01), and Development Studio 3 (GMDP-548A-01). Hooker co-founded the collaborative design studio Hooker&Kitchen, which functions as a primary research and production platform for his internationally exhibited works. The studio's output critically examines technology's societal impacts through experimental installations, speculative objects, and critical interventions in urban/domestic contexts.

• Digital Media
• Interaction Design
• Critical Design
• +2 more

Gabriel N. Rosenberg serves as Associate Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies and History within Duke University's Arts & Sciences division. His interdisciplinary work bridges historical analysis with critical theory to examine the intersections of agriculture, gender, and sexuality. His educational background includes a Ph.D. (2011) and A.M. (2004) from Brown University in History, and a B.A. (2003) from Grinnell College. Rosenberg's research investigates historical and contemporary linkages among gender, sexuality, and the global food system, with particular focus on agricultural spaces as sites for the constitution and governance of intimacy involving humans, animals, and plants. Rosenberg's publications reveal consistent engagement with how agricultural practices shape governance of human gender and sexuality. His work demonstrates how archives of America's agricultural past expose tangled relationships that condition contemporary relationships with global agricultural peripheries. Key thematic threads include biopolitics of reproduction, human-animal intimacy, and the political economy of food systems. His scientific recognition includes: Gilbert C. Fite Award from the Agricultural History Society K. Austin Kerr Prize from the Business History Conference François André Michaux Fund Fellowship from the American Philosophical Society Professional development has been supported through prestigious fellowships including Yale University's Program in Agrarian Studies (Postdoctoral Fellow), University of Pittsburgh's Humanities Center (Early Career Fellow), and Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin (Visiting Scholar). His research continues to challenge conventional boundaries between agricultural history, sexuality studies, and animal studies.

• Gender Studies
• Sexuality Studies
• Feminist Studies
• +11 more

Ashleigh Greene Wade serves as Assistant Professor of Digital Studies at the University of Virginia, holding a joint appointment between the Department of Media Studies and Department of African American Studies within the College of Arts & Sciences. Her scholarly work centers on the critical intersections of Black girlhood, digital media practices, and Black Feminist epistemologies, examining how technology shapes identity formation and cultural preservation. Her academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Women’s and Gender Studies from Rutgers University Fellowship at the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies Wade's research program traverses Black girlhood studies, digital and visual media studies, Black Feminist theory, and digital humanities. She investigates how Black girls leverage digital platforms for self-documentation, community building, and resistance against systemic erasure. Her methodology emphasizes everyday digital practices as sites of agency, cultural innovation, and intergenerational knowledge transmission, revealing how social media becomes a tool for reimagining Black futures. Analysis of her publication trajectory shows consistent engagement with Black digital cultural production across diverse platforms. From viral blackness phenomena to radical curation in art collectives, her work establishes digital spaces as critical arenas for Black girlhood development. The recurring themes of autopoetics, kinship formation, and archival practices demonstrate how Black girls actively construct counter-narratives through media production. Her professional recognition includes: Carter G. Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies Fellowship As a faculty member, Wade mentors students in digital humanities projects focused on Black feminist media analysis. While specific grant details aren't publicly enumerated, her research is institutionally supported through UVA's academic infrastructure and her Woodson Institute fellowship background. Her forthcoming monograph represents a significant scholarly contribution to the field. No dedicated laboratory or research team structure is documented in available materials, though her collaborative work with the Art Hoe Collective indicates community-engaged research approaches.

• Black girlhood studies
• digital media studies
• visual media studies
• +2 more

Sue Huang is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media Design at the University of Connecticut, specializing in new media art that explores ecological intimacies, human/nonhuman relations, and speculative futures. She holds an MFA in Media Arts from UCLA and a BS in Science, Technology, and International Affairs from Georgetown University. Her work merges technology, ecology, and social critique, often employing AI, sound, and interactive installations. Affiliations: University of Connecticut; NEW INC (supported by Science Sandbox and the Simons Foundation); board member of the New Media Caucus and College Art Association. Her research interests span AI-generated narratives, ecological art, and collaborative projects like Honey Fungus: Undersoil (VR), Post-Natural Pastorale (sound installation), and Erotic Ecologies (AI-driven text and video). Her work has been exhibited globally, including at MOCA (Los Angeles), Ars Electronica (Austria), and Freshkills Park Alliance (NY). Her awards include the SCHARP Development Award, Creative Capital On Our Radar, and grants from Rhizome and the James Irvine Foundation. She also co-founded the media arts collaborative Knifeandfork and participates in the Creative Science track at NEW INC. Key projects like Intimacy Beckons Us Back (2024) and Total Archive (2025) reflect her exploration of ecological and technological intersections, often blending live performance with algorithmic processes.

• New Media Art
• Ecological Art
• Digital Media
• +3 more

Tony Liao, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science Technology at the University of Houston, where he directs the CougAR Lab and teaches courses including DIGM 2325 (Information Technology Applications for Digital Media) and DIGM 4397 (Augmented and Virtual Reality). His academic appointments reflect deep integration within the university's digital media initiatives at the Sugar Land campus. His educational foundation includes: Ph.D. in Communication, Cornell University (2014) M.S. in Communication, Cornell University (2012) B.A. in International Relations and Political Science, University of Southern California (2007) Dr. Liao's research pioneers theoretical frameworks for augmented reality while examining practical applications across education, social interaction, and privacy. His work critically analyzes how users negotiate embodiment in VR environments, develop folk theories about personality recognition algorithms, and navigate ethical dilemmas in AI-mediated relationships. He investigates the tension between technological capability and user comfort—particularly regarding privacy in body tracking systems and the psychological impacts of immersive experiences. His educational research focuses on VR's capacity to transform complex STEM concepts like crystalline structures into tangible learning experiences. Analysis of his 2021-2025 publications reveals three dominant trajectories: theoretical development for AR (addressing fragmentation in the field), educational VR applications (with physics education as a key test case), and socio-technical implications of algorithmic systems (especially regarding intimacy and personality recognition). His work consistently bridges communication theory with human-computer interaction, emphasizing user-centered perspectives on emerging technologies. Notably, he documents how marketing narratives shape AR development cycles and how users reconcile the 'creepiness' of predictive algorithms with their practical utility. No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials. While specific student advising details and grant information remain undisclosed in available sources, his CougAR Lab leadership suggests active mentorship in AR/VR development. His Google Scholar profile indicates substantial scholarly influence through publications that shape discourse in immersive technology ethics and application design. As Director of the CougAR Lab, Dr. Liao cultivates a research ecosystem focused on practical AR implementation challenges, theoretical advancement, and ethical considerations. The lab serves as an incubator for projects examining spatial computing in public spaces, educational technology innovation, and the social dynamics of emerging media—positioning it at the intersection of technical development and human-centered design.

• Augmented Reality
• Virtual Reality
• Human-Computer Interaction
• +4 more

Laura L. Carstensen is Professor of Psychology at Stanford University where she holds the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professorship in Public Policy and is a Professor by courtesy of Health Policy. She serves as founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity and is a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Her distinguished academic career spans over three decades, with continuous funding from the National Institute on Aging for more than 30 years, and includes leadership roles as Chair of the Department of Psychology (2004-2006) and Director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (1997-2001). Her educational background includes: B.S. from the University of Rochester (1978) M.A. from West Virginia University (1980) Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University (1983) Honorary Doctorates from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2012) and the University of Rochester (2024) Carstensen's pioneering research focuses on the motivational, cognitive, and emotional aspects of aging, most notably through her development of Socioemotional Selectivity Theory. This theory explains age-related differences in social preferences and emotional experience as a function of perceived time horizons, demonstrating that as people perceive time as more limited, they prioritize emotionally meaningful goals and relationships. Her work has transformed understanding of emotional well-being across the lifespan, revealing that emotional regulation often improves with age despite cognitive declines. Her recent publications (2024-2025) show an expansion of her research into technology's role in aging, socioeconomic factors affecting later life, and intergenerational relationships. She has increasingly integrated neuroscientific methods to examine the biological underpinnings of emotional processing in older adults while addressing pressing societal issues related to longevity. Her work now spans multiple disciplines including psychology, neuroscience, public policy, and technology design. Carstensen's scientific contributions have been widely recognized through numerous prestigious awards: Elected member of the National Academy of Medicine (2016) Elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Guggenheim Fellowship (2003) Kleemeier Award from the Gerontological Society of America (2014) Distinguished Mentor Awards from both the Gerontological Society of America and American Psychological Association MERIT Awards from the National Institute on Aging (2005, 2016) Honorary Doctorate from University of Rochester (2024) As an advisor and mentor, Carstensen has guided numerous doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows including Enna Chen, Anna Pot, Ryan Moore, and Kendall Parks. Her research has received continuous funding from the National Institute on Aging for over 30 years, reflecting the significance and impact of her work. She has served on influential committees including the MacArthur Foundation's Research Network on an Aging Society and as a commissioner on the Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity. Her book "A Long Bright Future" has shaped public understanding of longevity's opportunities. Through the Stanford Center on Longevity, which she founded and directs, Carstensen leads a multidisciplinary initiative focused on ensuring that the added years of the 21st century are high-quality years. The center brings together experts from diverse fields to address challenges and opportunities of increased human longevity, developing innovative solutions for lifelong health, financial security, and social engagement across the lifespan.

• Aging
• Emotional aspects of aging
• Cognitive aspects of aging
• +5 more

Jason Borenstein, Ph.D., is the Director of the Graduate Research Ethics Programs and Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Technology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds appointments in the School of Public Policy within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the Office of Graduate Studies. Dr. Borenstein also serves as Affiliated Faculty at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM). His research interests span bioethics, engineering ethics, robot ethics, and research ethics, with a focus on the intersection of technology and moral responsibility. Recent publications highlight ethical challenges in AI, autonomous vehicles, and human-robot interaction, emphasizing fairness, bias mitigation, and the societal impact of emerging technologies. Dr. Borenstein contributes to multiple journals as an editor and co-editor, including Science and Engineering Ethics , AI and Ethics , and the National Academy of Engineering's Online Ethics Center . His work is supported by NSF grants addressing ethical development in STEM students and bias in AI systems. He has led interdisciplinary projects such as the Fairness, Ethics, Accountability, and Transparency (FEAT) Workshop , exploring ethical frameworks for computing, and the Do the Right Thing study on moral emotions in human-robot interaction. His lab, the Center for Ethics and Technology, fosters collaboration across engineering and ethics disciplines.

• Bioethics
• Engineering Ethics
• Robot Ethics
• +3 more

Sophia Brueckner is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan's School of Information and Digital Studies Institute, combining speculative design with technical expertise. As co-director of the Center for Ethics, Society, and Computing (ESC), she explores algorithmic bias and human-machine relationships through interdisciplinary collaborations. Sc.B. in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Brown University MFA in Digital + Media, Rhode Island School of Design MS in Media Arts and Sciences, MIT Media Lab Her research spans: Wearable technology for embodied knowledge Algorithmic accountability frameworks Critique of tech industry practices Speculative design futures Breathing-performance interdependencies Digitized emotional expression Her 2017-2023 publications reveal patterns in: Human-body interface ethics Museum algorithmic bias detection Emotional data sublimation Engineering empathy integration Sonic tactile communication Computational creativity critique Awardee of $470k Biosciences Initiative grant for 2INSPIRE research. Key projects include: Bowerbot: AI curatorial behavior critique Warming Wall: Incarceration isolation mitigation ESC Swag: Tech industry ethics intervention Empathy Amulet: Networked emotional connections White Cube/Black Box: Museum algorithmic bias visualization

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Wearable Technology
• Haptic Interfaces
• +7 more