Melissa-Sue John, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), where she joined in 2022. Her research focuses on intergroup behavior, diversity in STEM education, and children’s literature representation. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, with prior roles as a lecturer at multiple institutions and a Research Associate at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Dr. John’s work includes developing the Seeds of STEM curriculum to teach preschoolers engineering concepts and participating in the Many Labs 2 replication initiative. She co-founded Lauren Simone Publishing House to promote diverse voices in children’s literature, highlighted in the Fall 2024 Outlook magazine. Her teaching spans courses like Introduction to Psychology and Social Psychology. She is affiliated with organizations such as the American Psychological Association and Children’s Book Council. Her research emphasizes reducing bias, enhancing STEM accessibility, and fostering inclusive narratives in education and publishing.
Laura Taylor is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at University College Dublin (UCD), where she conducts research at the intersection of developmental psychology, peace studies, and intergroup relations. Her work focuses on children and youth in conflict-affected and post-conflict societies, including Northern Ireland, Colombia, Croatia, and Kosovo. Education: PhD in Psychology and Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame MA, University of Notre Dame MA, University of San Diego BA, Haverford College Certificate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in University Teaching and Learning, UCD Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (PGCHET), Queen's University Belfast Her research centers on risk and resilience processes in youth exposed to political violence, using a developmental psychopathology approach. She investigates how intergroup contact, identity formation, religious cognition, and family dynamics influence prosocial behavior, civic engagement, and peacebuilding. Her projects include longitudinal studies on youth in Belfast, research on European identity in divided societies, and participatory interventions in Colombia. Her recent publications reveal trends in cross-national prosocial behavior during the pandemic, the role of spatial environments in intergroup contact, and the development of religious and national identities in children. These works span developmental, social, and educational psychology, with strong implications for policy and intervention design. Scientific Awards: Student International Research Award – APA Division 52 (International Psychology) Outstanding Early Career Professional Award – APA Division 52 Ed Cairns Early Career Award – APA Division 48 (Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict) Shaheen Award for Top Graduate Student – University of Notre Dame Laura Taylor has secured funding from the Spencer Foundation, British Academy, Horizon Europe, and others. She mentors students and involves them in sensitive, community-engaged research. She also leads the Developing Belief Network and has conducted program evaluations in public and academic sectors. Labs and Teams: Developing Belief Network (international consortium) Helping Kids! research project (cross-cultural prosocial behavior) YouthLEAD (marginalized youth in the U.S.) Peacebuilding interventions in Colombia (Artesanos de Paz)
Anthony F. Lemieux is a Professor of Communication at Georgia State University and Founding co-Director of the Atlanta Global Studies Center. He specializes in the psychology of terrorism, media analysis, and health behavior change. His research focuses on understanding radicalization, strategic communication by terrorist groups, and the role of music in promoting/countering extremism. He leads interdisciplinary projects funded by the U.S. Department of Defense Minerva Initiative and Department of Homeland Security. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut and B.A. from Boston College. Key roles include Principal Investigator of the Mobilizing Media project analyzing terrorist propaganda and co-PI on a National Resource Center grant with Georgia Tech. He has taught courses like Psychology of Terrorism and Social Psychology. His work bridges social psychology with real-world applications in global security and public health.
Dr. Julian Scheffer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario, affiliated with the Motivational Influences and Social Cognition (MISC) Lab. His research focuses on socioemotional processes such as empathy and compassion, examining their role in building interpersonal and intergroup connections. Specific interests include how mental effort perceptions, neural damage, and neurodegeneration affect empathetic capacity, particularly in contexts like caregiving for neurodegenerative disease patients, political rivalries, and allyship in social justice movements. Education: HBSc (University of Toronto Scarborough), MA (University of Iowa), PhD (Pennsylvania State University), Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of California Berkeley). Research Interests: Socioemotional processes in challenging social contexts Neurodegenerative disease caregiving dynamics Cognitive costs of compassion Political and intergroup empathy Lab Activities: Active in training graduate students (SPDP, CDBS, CSP programs) and undergraduates. Recent studies include randomized control trials on assistive technology for dementia caregivers and investigations into empathy's role in addressing social injustices. Affiliations: Member of the University of Western Ontario's Department of Psychology, associated with the Faculty of Social Science.
Dr. Magdalena Rychlowska is a Lecturer in Experimental Social Psychology at Queen's University Belfast. She holds a PhD in Social and Cognitive Psychology from Clermont Auvergne University (2014). Her employment history includes roles as an Honorary Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2011-2021), Postdoctoral Research Associate at Cardiff University (2014-2017), and Queen's University Belfast (2017-2019). Her research focuses on facial expression dynamics, cultural influences on emotion perception, and friendship styles, funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme, British Council, and France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Education: PhD in Social and Cognitive Psychology, Clermont Auvergne University (2014) Research Interests: Role of facial muscle activity in emotion understanding Cultural and group membership effects on facial expression interpretation Individual differences in friendship styles Teaching: Module Coordinator for PSY3133: Introduction to Cultural Psychology Teaches PSY1009: Methods in Psychology, PSY1011: Using Psychology in Everyday Life, and others Awards: School of Psychology ICARE Award (2023) Supervision: Principal supervisor of 1 PhD graduate (Philip Howlett, 2023) Current students: Katie McDade, Jodie McGoldrick, Glenda Preston (DClin) Her research spans over 46 publications, with notable works on facial mimicry, cultural differences in smiling, and friendship habits. She actively collaborates internationally and contributes to policy-relevant discussions on emotion expression and social behavior.
Dr. K.M. Bijlsma-Frankema is a Senior Researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen. Their primary affiliations include the HRM & OB — Management department. Contact information includes +31 50 36 34288 and office location at Nettelbosje 2, Room 5411-0314 in Groningen. Research interests span Organization Studies, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and Quantitative Methods. Core themes include distrust dynamics in organizational contexts, supervisory control mechanisms, team performance, and knowledge sharing barriers. Their work emphasizes process-based analyses of trust erosion and institutional distrust patterns. Publications focus on distrust mechanisms in supervision, legal institutions, and team environments. Recent work (2025) explores how control actions engender distrust, while earlier studies (2014-2015) analyzed peer control effects and knowledge-sharing challenges. The 2012 contribution evaluates methodological standards in trust research. No formal academic awards are listed. Advising history remains unspecified, though research collaborations with scholars like Sitkin, Täuber, and Cardinal are evident. No dedicated labs or teams are explicitly mentioned in the profile.
Liga Klavina is a Lecturer at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, specializing in Psychology. Her work bridges intergroup processes and educational innovation, focusing on inclusion, diversity, and student well-being. She coordinates courses like Academic Skills and oversees bachelor/master thesis supervision. Klavina's research explores topics such as intergroup prejudice, collective action, and intercultural competence. She is affiliated with the Academic Development and Skills team and actively contributes to educational initiatives like learning communities and peer mentoring programs. Education Background: Holds a PhD from the University of Groningen (2012 thesis: 'They steal our women: Outgroup members as romantic rivals'). Research Interests: Her work spans evolutionary psychology (e.g., intergroup jealousy, mating competition) and social psychology (e.g., collective action against injustice, intercultural education). She applies these insights to improve academic environments through initiatives like AI-driven inclusion strategies and teacher professional development. Recent publications highlight her contributions to AI in education equity (2025) and peer mentorship for student transitions (2024). Earlier work includes foundational studies on outgroup threats (2013/2012) and evolutionary drivers of jealousy (2011-2008). Teaching & Advising: Leads modules on academic skills, research practicum, and interpersonal relations. Supervises student theses and designs teaching programs in learning communities. No specific grants or awards are listed. Labs/Teams: Collaborates within the Teaching Academy Groningen's Communities of Practices and contributes to the Academic Development and Skills team.
Caroline Andrews is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics. Previously, she held a postdoctoral position at the University of Zurich's Department of Comparative Language Science. She completed her doctorate in Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a BA in Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research focuses on understudied languages, particularly in South America and Europe, with a specialization in psycholinguistics, syntax, and cognitive processes. She has been supported by grants including the Fulbright Scholar Award (2023–2024) and an Early Career Research grant from the Leading House for the Latin America region. Her work examines ergative case processing in Shipibo-Konibo, syntactic memory in sentence processing (via priming and interference paradigms), and switch reference constructions in Peruvian languages. She has also contributed to cross-linguistic studies of Basque and investigated primate cognition's role in event comprehension. Recent publications explore neural correlates of case processing in children and adults, animacy effects in Basque, and comparative visual tracking of event roles in humans and apes. Key awards include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship and grants enabling fieldwork in Peru. She has advised on postdoctoral hiring initiatives and collaborates with teams at Oxford and international institutions. Current projects include studies on intergroup relations, linguistic diversity in academic conferences, and multilingual eye-tracking research.
Dr. Anita Atwell Seate is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, part of the Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (ARHU) school. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Arizona and specializes in intergroup communication and public relations, focusing on how social identities influence communication processes and behavioral outcomes. Her research explores identity-based factors like emotions and social identity importance, particularly in contexts involving race, ethnicity, age, gender, and sexual orientation. Dr. Seate leads a NOAA-funded VORTEX-SE Program grant, collaborating with the National Weather Service to develop risk communication toolkits validated through public experiments. Her work bridges social science and critical theory, including a monograph on intergroup threat construction through discourse. Key projects include analyzing tornado warning decision-making factors and developing social norms messages to enhance disaster preparedness. Her research employs a mix of experimental design, content analysis, and ethnography. Notable contributions include studies on humorous vs. non-humorous weather messages and citizen scientist roles in government forecasting. She emphasizes practical applications of communication strategies to improve public safety and organizational relationships.
Associate Professor Chan Kai Qin is a social psychologist specializing in emotions and disgust at James Cook University's Singapore campus. He holds a PhD from Radboud University Nijmegen and has held academic roles including founding and leading Ashoka University's Psychology Department. His research explores disgust's impact on health behaviors, decision-making, and novel food perceptions. He teaches courses in research methods, social psychology, and emotions. Education: PhD (Radboud U, 2011-2015), MSc (NUS, 2009-2011), BSc (NUS, 2005-2009). Research collaborations include institutions like UC, Ocean University of China, and Radboud University. Grants include National Council for Problem Gambling and Centre for Social and Behavioral Change Communication funding. Notable awards include the 2019 3MT Winner and 2009 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award. He advises doctoral students on topics like Buddhist Religiosity and news consumption biases. Labs/Teams: Part of interdisciplinary groups studying behavioral science, disgust mechanisms, and social cognition. Consultancies include Singapore's Home Team agencies for behavioral research.
Ankica Kosić is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes at Sapienza University of Rome. Her research focuses on multiculturalism, immigrant and refugee integration, intergroup relations (specifically prejudice and stereotypes), post-conflict reconciliation processes, and moral foundations theory. She has conducted extensive studies on the psychological mechanisms underlying prejudice toward migrants, the role of moral reasoning in conflict resolution, and resilience in marginalized populations. Her work integrates cultural, social, and clinical psychology perspectives, with notable contributions to understanding how socio-institutional contexts influence health-related behaviors during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. She has led projects such as 'The impact of virtual reality on prejudice towards migrants' and 'Morality in everyday life and its implications.' Key research themes include: Multicultural policies and their effectiveness Risk factors for prejudice and strategies for its reduction Rights and resilience of displaced populations Moral psychology's role in intergroup relations Her publications span over 15 years, with recent work emphasizing pandemic-related societal challenges and long-term projects addressing reconciliation in post-conflict regions like Croatia and Northern Ireland.
Luigi Leone is a Full Professor (Professore Ordinario) at the Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes, Sapienza University of Rome. He holds a Laurea in Psychology (1995) and a PhD in Developmental and Social Psychology (2000). His academic roles include serving as Director of the Department (2017-2021) and member of the Ateneo Quality Team (2017-2021). His research focuses on social psychology, personality psychology, and political psychology, with an emphasis on topics like conspiracy beliefs, ideological attitudes, and socio-political behavior. Key research interests include examining how personality traits (e.g., HEXACO model, Moral Foundations Theory) influence political attitudes, populist support, and social exclusion. He has published extensively on topics such as anti-immigration attitudes, tax compliance, and the psychological underpinnings of conspiracy theories. His work integrates quantitative methods with cross-cultural analyses, often employing advanced statistical techniques like structural equation modeling and mediation analysis. Notable contributions include studies on the interplay between mindfulness, materialism, and tax behavior; the role of attachment styles in anxiety disorders; and the relationship between social dominance orientation and punitive behavior. His recent work explores how political interest and ideological motivations shape beliefs about climate change and immigration policies. Leone’s publications span high-impact journals like *Personality and Individual Differences*, *Journal of Research in Personality*, and *Race and Social Problems*. He has also contributed to national and international conferences, addressing topics such as the psychological correlates of populist voting and the cognitive mechanisms behind conspiracy ideation. His research activities are supported by grants focusing on system justification theory, populism, and sociopolitical consequences, reflecting his commitment to understanding the societal implications of psychological phenomena.
Stefano Livi is a Full Professor at the Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome. His research focuses on Social Psychology of Groups, including group processes, organizational socialization, and intergroup relations. He directs the Social Psychology Laboratory and collaborates with institutions like the Fondazione Ugo Bordoni and the Italian Army's State Major. His work bridges theoretical, methodological, and applied research in areas like group dynamics, prejudice reduction, and well-being in educational and workplace contexts. Research Interests: Group Dynamics and Leadership Organizational Socialization and Identity Prejudice and Intergroup Relations Educational Psychology and Bullying Prevention Environmental Psychology and Activism Methodological Innovations (e.g., Social Relations Model, Actor-Partner Interdependence Model) Key Awards: Premio in memoria della Prof. ssa Lucia Mannetti (2020) Best Article Award, AIP Social Psychology Section (2022) Lab & Teams: Director of the Social Psychology Lab, collaborating with national and international partners on projects funded by EU, Italian Ministry of Health, and private entities.
Tasja Müller, MSc is an active researcher specializing in psychological and public health domains with significant contributions to understanding intergroup dynamics and mental health frameworks. Her work intersects with UN Sustainable Development Goals through health and well-being initiatives. Her primary research interests span Intergroup Relations, Mental Health, Disclosure mechanisms, Narrative Psychology, Measurement Invariance, and Public Health. Müller's work demonstrates particular focus on health outcomes and well-being metrics across diverse populations. Publication trends reveal strong emphasis on cross-cultural validation studies (2022 Financial Wellness Scale) and societal conflict analysis (2021 Nature Human Behavior article). Her research bridges clinical psychology with public health policy, particularly evident in the gun violence encyclopedia entry examining clinician-patient dynamics in trauma contexts. Müller's 2021 Nature Human Behavior publication achieved notable impact with 94 Scopus citations, 4 policy references, and coverage by 13 news outlets. The research demonstrated significant societal resonance through 563 X posts, 4 Facebook pages, and 133 Mendeley readers. Her collaborative work shows extensive international engagement across 7 countries in financial wellness research and multi-national team structures in social psychology studies. Müller maintains active research partnerships across European institutions as evidenced by multinational study designs and co-author networks spanning multiple continents.
Naika Foroutan is a prominent German political and social scientist specializing in migration, integration, and Muslim communities in Germany. She serves as Professor of Integration Research and Social Policy at Humboldt University of Berlin's Institute of Social Sciences and directs both the Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research (since 2018) and the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) (since 2017). Her work bridges academic research and public policy, examining identity formation, social equality, and the development of post-migrant society in Germany. Education: Studied political science, Romance studies, and Islamic studies at the University of Cologne Earned doctorate from Georg August University of Göttingen in 2004 under Bassam Tibi with dissertation on 'Inter-civilizational cultural dialogues between the West and the Islamic world' Foroutan's research focuses on migration and integration, particularly examining identity formation processes among Muslims and people with Muslim migration backgrounds in Germany. Her work explores cultural, ethnic, religious and national narratives, culminating in the concept of 'post-migrant society.' She investigates discrimination experiences, social recognition dynamics, and comparative analyses between different marginalized groups, notably studying parallels between Muslim experiences and those of East Germans in post-reunification Germany. Her scholarship emphasizes empirical approaches to understanding social dynamics in increasingly diverse societies. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a clear evolution from early work on inter-civilizational cultural dialogues to contemporary research on post-migrant society. Her recent work increasingly employs sophisticated empirical methodologies to examine East-West German differences in attitudes toward Muslims, spatial aspects of refugee experiences, and theoretical frameworks for understanding integration. The research consistently bridges academic rigor with policy relevance, addressing pressing social issues through interdisciplinary approaches that combine sociology, political science, and cultural studies. Scientific Awards: Rave-Forschungspreis Auswärtige Kulturpolitik (2005) Friedrich-Christoph-Dahlmann-Preis (2006) '100 Frauen von morgen' by Deutschland – Land der Ideen (2011) Berliner Integrationspreis (2011) Wissenschaftspreis der Fritz Behrens-Stiftung (2012) IDIZEM Dialogpreis (2014) Höffmann-Wissenschaftspreis für Interkulturelle Kompetenz (2016) Wissensstadt Berlin 2021 exhibition (2021) Honorary doctorate from Lund University (2025) Foroutan has secured significant research funding throughout her career, including leading the HEYMAT research project (2008-2015) on hybrid European-Muslim identity models, later extended by the Volkswagen Foundation. She directed the JUNITED research project with two million euros in funding from the Mercator Foundation (2012-2016), conducting representative surveys with 8,100 participants on population attitudes toward Muslims in Germany. Since 2012, she has co-directed the CODISP research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. She organized the influential 'Young Islam Conference' series at Humboldt University, fostering academic and public dialogue on Muslim communities in Germany. Foroutan founded and directs the Berlin Institute for Empirical Integration and Migration Research, established in 2018, which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary migration research. She also leads the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), a national research network coordinating migration and integration research across Germany. Her JUNITED research group has produced significant empirical data on Muslim communities in Germany, while her leadership in these institutions has positioned her as a central figure in shaping the academic and policy landscape of migration research in Germany.
