Karen E. Smith is Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), specializing in EU foreign policy, genocide prevention, and UN multilateralism. She currently leads the Women in Diplomacy project at LSE IDEAS and served as Head of the IR Department (2019-2022). Recent research examines feminist foreign policy analysis, emotional dimensions of EU decision-making, and group politics in UN diplomacy. Her award-winning book Group Politics in UN Multilateralism (2020) won the ACUNS best book prize. She has supervised 21 PhD students to completion, with alumni in academia, international organizations, and government. Current teaching includes the graduate course 'The EU in the World'. Education: PhD (LSE), MA (Johns Hopkins SAIS). Key Awards: ACUNS Book Award (2020), Anna Lindh Award (2007), Royal Society of Arts Fellowship (2016) Grants: EU-funded network on EU-UN relations (2016-2019)
Prof. Emmanuel Kabengele Mpinga is a Professor at the Institute of Global Health (ISG) within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Geneva. He leads the Division of Health and Human Rights, focusing on four core research areas: identifying rights violations impacting public health, clarifying the epistemology of health-human rights links, developing global surveillance indicators for health rights implementation, and designing intervention strategies. His work is part of an international network led by Harvard University and collaborates with institutions like Geneva University Hospitals (HUG). Education & Roles: Holds a Doctorate in Health Systems Policies, Masters in Public Health, and certifications in Health Administration and Human Rights. He has held an Swiss School of Public Health+ assistant professorship (2008-2012) and advises UN agencies, governments, and NGOs on human rights and public health. His research spans over two decades, addressing topics like Noma disease, economic costs of torture, and female genital mutilation. Research Interests: Interdisciplinary projects include the SNIS-funded Noma research initiative (2019-2021) to globalize Noma as a neglected disease, costing models for health rights violations, and human rights frameworks in AI-driven healthcare. His work emphasizes socio-economic impacts of health inequities and policy advocacy. Grants & Collaborations: Active in projects funded by Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), Northumbria University, and Danish Institute against Torture (Dignity). Collaborates with WHO, UN agencies, and global health networks. Leads training programs in health and human rights across Francophone Africa through e-learning platforms. Labs/Teams: Heads the Health and Human Rights Division at ISG, coordinating international research networks. Supervises PhD students (e.g., Krystel Ouaijan on malnutrition, Joshua Galjour on HIV/AIDS and political instability).
Luisa Sievers is a Researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, where she has worked since 2010. She holds a PhD in Economics from the Universität der Bundeswehr München (2020) and a Diploma in Physics and Environmental Economics from Humboldt University Berlin and Heidelberg University. Her research focuses on economic impact assessments of long-term strategies in transport, climate, and technology, with expertise in Input-Output Modelling and System Dynamic Modelling. Key areas include structural change in the mobility sector, regional and social distribution effects of energy transitions, and employment impacts of sustainable mobility. Her work spans projects such as the Ariadne project on energy system transformation, climate protection scenarios for 2050, and the National Cycling Plan 2030. She has received the IKU Innovation Award for Climate and Environment, recognizing her contributions to environmental and climate policy research. Publications highlight her analysis of Germany’s energy transition, employment effects of sustainable transport, and the macroeconomic implications of renewable energy expansion. She collaborates extensively with institutions like the German Federal Environment Agency and the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, contributing to policy-relevant studies on socio-economic impacts of climate policies and energy systems.
Kelly W. Sundberg is a Professor of Criminology at the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies within Mount Royal University . His expertise spans migration and border security , public safety standards , and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) . He holds adjunct and visiting scholar appointments at the University of Calgary, University of Adelaide, and University of East London, and supervises PhD students at St. John’s University. Education : PhD in Political and Social Inquiry (Monash University), MA in Justice and Public Safety Leadership (Royal Roads University), BA in Political Science (University of Victoria) Kelly’s research focuses on border security , migration enforcement , and security standards development . He has contributed to international policy frameworks through his work with the ISO/TC 292 Security and Resilience committee and founded the SAFE Design Council , which administers the world’s first CPTED certification standard. His applied teaching methodology integrates over 15 years of experience in federal law enforcement, emphasizing critical thinking , ethical decision-making , and practical application of criminological theory . His scholarly work includes publications on pandemic impacts on vulnerable populations , Canada-US border security , and religion-security intersections . He has secured grants for emergency management technologies and public perceptions of policing . Scientific Awards : Alberta Community Justice Award Innovation (2020) Kelly serves as an expert witness in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario on border security and crime prevention. He volunteers as an advisor to organizations like the Calgary Police Service and Standards Council of Canada , and his media appearances include CBS News, CBC, and major print outlets.
Artur Konrad EKERT is a Research Professor at the National University of Singapore , a Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professor , and a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) . His work bridges theoretical and experimental quantum physics, computer science, and information theory, with a focus on quantum cryptography and quantum computing. Education: DPhil from the University of Oxford (1991). His research explores the foundational principles of quantum information processing, emphasizing secure communication protocols and algorithmic efficiency. Key contributions include advancing entanglement-based cryptography and analyzing quantum privacy limits. His publications span quantum key distribution, relativistic quantum effects, and computational complexity, reflecting interdisciplinary collaborations. Scientific awards include: Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) Lee Kong Chian Centennial Professorship He has mentored researchers in quantum cryptography and contributed to experimental implementations of quantum communication technologies.
Paul J. Quirk is the Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation at the University of British Columbia's Department of Political Science (Faculty of Arts). He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University (1978) and has taught at multiple U.S. institutions before joining UBC in 2004. His research focuses on democratic theory, legislative and judicial politics, experimental methods, public opinion dynamics, and U.S. public policy. Quirk's academic career includes roles as a Brookings Institution research associate and editorial board membership in major political science journals. His award-winning works include Industry Influence in Federal Regulatory Agencies (1981) and The Politics of Deregulation (1985). Recent publications address deliberative democracy, presidential competence, and comparative democratic systems between the U.S. and Canada. Education: Ph.D. in Political Science, Harvard University (1978) Affiliations: U.S. Studies Program at UBC, Chair of U.S. Politics Area Committee Research Themes: Congress-executive relations, regulatory policy, polarization effects, deliberative institutional frameworks His awards include the Louis Brownlow Book Award (2005) and the Aaron Wildavsky Enduring Achievement Award (2010). Quirk's work bridges empirical analysis with institutional theory, emphasizing how information and advice shape policymaking processes.
Leisy J. Abrego is a Professor in Chicana/o Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). A first-wave Salvadoran immigrant to Los Angeles in the 1980s, her research examines Central American immigration, Latina/o families, gender inequalities, and the production of 'illegality' through U.S. immigration laws. PhD in Sociology, UCLA (2008) MA in Sociology, UCLA (2002) BA in Spanish, Pomona College (1997) Her award-winning scholarship explores legal consciousness, immigration policy impacts, and mixed-status family dynamics. She co-authored Immigrant Families (Polity, 2016) and authored Sacrificing Families (Stanford, 2014). Recent work analyzes DACA-era family experiences and legal violence. Scientific awards include national recognition for her work on immigration policy and legal consciousness. She actively supports refugees through editorials and pro-bono asylum declarations. Courses taught include Central American Migration, Latina/o Families, and Qualitative Methods.
Rachid Guerraoui is a Full Professor at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) where he leads the Distributed Computing Laboratory (DCL) within the School of Computer and Communication Sciences. He holds appointments in multiple departments including IC-SSC and IC-SIN for teaching, and serves on the IC Academic Evaluation Committee. A Moroccan/Swiss/French researcher, Guerraoui has previously been affiliated with Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique in Saclay, Hewlett-Packard Labs in Palo Alto, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, and Collège de France in Paris. Guerraoui's research focuses on distributed and concurrent computing across various scales, from multiprocessors to wide-area networks. His work spans Byzantine fault tolerance, distributed machine learning, blockchain technologies, transactional memory, and consensus algorithms. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on Byzantine-resistant machine learning, decentralized learning systems, and the theoretical foundations of distributed consensus. The research demonstrates significant contributions to making distributed systems more robust, efficient, and secure against adversarial conditions. Guerraoui has received numerous prestigious awards including ACM Fellow (2012), Professor at College de France (2018), Nygaard-Dahl Award (2024), and Barroso Award (2025). His work has earned multiple best paper awards at top conferences including DISC, ICDCS, IPDPS, and ACM Middleware. He serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of the ACM (2010-2025) and has chaired program committees for major conferences such as PODC, DISC, and Middleware. As an educator, Guerraoui supervises numerous doctoral students and has mentored many successful researchers who now work at leading institutions and companies including Meta, Oracle Labs, Chainlink Labs, and Protocol Labs. He teaches courses on Distributed Algorithms and Concurrent Algorithms at EPFL, emphasizing both theoretical foundations and practical implementations. His educational initiatives include Wandida, a library of scientific e-synopses, and Zettabytes, projects aimed at making computer science accessible to broader audiences.
Richard K. Norton is a Professor at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, with a joint appointment in the Program in the Environment (PitE) under the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He holds a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, along with master’s degrees in Public Policy and Environmental Management from Duke University. His research focuses on sustainable development, land use planning, planning law, and coastal management, particularly along the Laurentian Great Lakes. He actively contributes to the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP), leading legislative reforms for planning and zoning laws, including successful amendments in 2006 and 2008. He has authored amicus curiae briefs for the Michigan Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals on planning disputes. Teaching areas include Climate Adaptation Planning , Planning Law , and Environmental Planning . Recent publications emphasize coastal resilience, legal frameworks for shoreline management, and citizen perceptions of environmental policies. He leads projects like the Resilient Great Lakes Coast initiative and has secured grants, including a $5M NSF award for transboundary water research. Notable awards include the 2024 ACSP Top Reviewer Award. His work bridges academia, policy, and community engagement, addressing challenges in climate adaptation, coastal governance, and sustainable urban development.
Professor Christian J Tams is a Professor of International Law and Director of the Glasgow Centre for International Law and Security (GCILS) at the University of Glasgow's School of Law. His research focuses on public international law, state responsibility, international criminal law, and security law. He has authored major commentaries on the ICJ Statute and the Genocide Convention, and contributed to debates on the ILC Articles on State Responsibility. His recent publications include a 2023 commentary on the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention and a 2021 analysis of the ILC Articles' 20-year impact. He has held editorial roles for leading international law texts and frequently engages with contemporary legal issues through academic symposia. Professor Tams supervises research students and leads GCILS, a hub for interdisciplinary research on international law and security. While no specific grants are detailed here, his work reflects sustained engagement with critical issues in international legal theory and practice.
Yongyi Mao is a Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Ottawa. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto and has a multidisciplinary background in medical biophysics and engineering. His research focuses on communications and machine learning, with notable contributions to federated learning, information theory, and adversarial robustness. Professor Mao has held academic roles since 2003, advancing from Assistant to Full Professor by 2012. Education: B.Eng., Southeast University, 1992 M.D., Nanjing Medical University, 1995 M.S., University of Toronto (Medical Biophysics), 1998 Ph.D., University of Toronto (Electrical Engineering), 2003 Research interests span machine learning frameworks, federated learning, adversarial attacks, and domain adaptation. His work often bridges theoretical foundations (e.g., generalization bounds) with practical applications in text classification and watermarking. Publications reflect a strong emphasis on machine learning theory and NLP applications, with recent trends toward improving model robustness and generalization. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, though his prolific output suggests significant recognition in the field. Advising and grants: While specific student names or grant details are not provided, his position as a Full Professor indicates active research supervision and likely grant involvement. His lab focuses on advancing AI and communication technologies through interdisciplinary approaches.
Jonathan Cylus is an Honorary Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University's School of Public Health. He leads the London Hub of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, based at LSE and LSHTM, and serves as a Senior Health Economist at the WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing. His research focuses on health financing policy, health system performance, and the role of social determinants in health. Education: BA in Economics from Johns Hopkins University, MSc and PhD from LSE. Key expertise includes Universal Health Coverage, Health System Efficiency, and Social Determinants of Health. His research outputs emphasize resilience of health systems during crises, cross-country analysis of healthcare price trends, and the socio-economic impacts of population ageing. Recent work addresses inflation's threat to NHS sustainability and evaluates pandemic preparedness metrics in Europe. He has advised institutions like the European Commission, OECD, and WHO on health financing reforms. Professional networks include affiliations with ISGlobal and leadership roles in global health initiatives. No specific grants or awards are listed in the provided texts.
Professor Karen E. Smith is a leading scholar in European Union foreign policy studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She serves as a Professor in the Department of International Relations and directs the European Foreign Policy Unit. Her research focuses on EU foreign policy formulation, ethical foreign policy goals (human rights advocacy), genocide policy-making, and EU-UN relations. Notable contributions include work on feminist foreign policy frameworks, emotions in EU diplomacy, and mass atrocity prevention. She has held leadership roles including Head of the International Relations Department (2019–2022). Awards include the 2020 ACUNS Award for best UN-related book and Royal Society of Arts Fellowship (2016). Education: PhD in International Relations (LSE, 1996), MA from Johns Hopkins SAIS (1998), BA from Wellesley College (1987). Academic leadership includes co-editing the Palgrave Macmillan Global Foreign Policy Studies series and directing the LSE IDEAS Women in Diplomacy project. Recent projects analyze gender representation in diplomacy and EU responses to humanitarian crises. Teaching includes courses on EU global engagement and supervision of doctoral students in EU foreign policy areas. Key publications address EU-UN coalition politics, feminist policy impacts, and genocide designation strategies. Grants include EU-funded research networks on EU-UN relations (2012–2019) and contributions to the UN Prevention of Mass Atrocities Task Force (2012–2013). Her work bridges theoretical insights with policy-relevant analysis for global governance challenges.
Dr. Ira Weiss is a Professor of Strategic Management at North Carolina State University, affiliated with the Department of Management Innovation & Entrepreneurship. His expertise spans Global/International Management, Corporate Strategy, Higher Education Management, and Business Accreditation. He holds a Ph.D. in Management from UCLA (1976). His research focuses on strategic frameworks, organizational systems, and accreditation processes, as evidenced by his thought leadership in AACSB articles advising institutions on accreditation strategies. His academic contributions include over four decades of publications on IT management, risk mitigation, and professional certification. Notable works address end-user computing strategies, cost control in software development, and auditability of systems. Though no specific grants or advising roles are detailed, his influence extends through academic discourse and institutional best practices. He remains active in North Carolina State’s initiatives related to management innovation and entrepreneurship.
Samuel Sotillo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at North Carolina State University. He specializes in Spanish literature, second language teaching, and the integration of technology in education. He co-founded A Contracorriente Press in 2011 and leads the Spain: Language and Culture in Valencia summer program. His research spans Venezuelan literature, medieval Spanish texts, and the intersection of literature with digital technologies and politics. Education: B.S. in Information Security (East Carolina University), M.A. in Spanish Literature and Culture (NC State University). Research Interests: Sotillo’s work explores contemporary Venezuelan literature, the legacy of Jorge Luis Borges, and the application of IT tools in language education. He has published analyses of historical figures like Eric Hobsbawm and technical papers on network security protocols such as EAP and IPv6. Professional Roles: Former NCSU Faculty Senator, Director of the Valencia study abroad program, and contributor to academic presses and journals. His technical expertise includes cybersecurity, VoIP encryption, and open-source software frameworks like Zope. Recognition: While no specific awards are noted, his contributions to academic publishing (e.g., A Contracorriente Press) and pedagogical innovation highlight his impact in both humanities and technical fields.
