Dr. Lourens van Haaften is an Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, affiliated with the Department of Pedagogy. Specializing in the history of education and transnational knowledge networks, his work focuses on South Asia, particularly India's management education and higher education policies. He holds a Ph.D. from KU Leuven (2021), with research supported by the EU Marie Curie program. His expertise includes the geopolitical dimensions of educational cooperation, colonial-era testing systems, and transnational religious influences on education. Education: Ph.D. in History (KU Leuven, 2021); Junior Lecturer at Utrecht University (2016–2017). Research Interests: Transnational educational networks Indian management education (1960–2000) Geopolitics of higher education policy Colonial and post-colonial educational systems Publications emphasize historical analysis of education's societal impact, including studies on the Ford Foundation's role in Indian development and transnational psychometric practices. Media contributions address contemporary Indian educational policy debates and geopolitical trends.
Jing Tsu is the Jonathan D. Spence Chair Professor of Comparative Literature and East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University. She holds affiliations with the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies (as Senior Research Fellow), the Humanities Program, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS), and Ethnicity, Race, and Migration (ER&M). Her interdisciplinary research focuses on modern Chinese literary and cultural studies, with specialties in diaspora, science history, and comparative frameworks. Her key works include Sound and Script in Chinese Diaspora (2010) and Failure, Nationalism, and Literature (2005), which explore themes of cultural identity, transnational networks, and historical transformations. Tsu has held prestigious fellowships from institutions including Harvard Society of Fellows, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. Her research bridges literary analysis with technological history, examining how language, script, and scientific knowledge shape cultural power dynamics. Her recent publications analyze global literary frameworks (e.g., 2023’s World Literature and National Literature(s) ) and the intersections of science translation with national identity (e.g., 2014’s Science in Translation: Yan Fu’s Role ). Tsu’s work consistently interrogates the boundaries between global and local cultural systems, emphasizing the agency of marginalized voices in shaping intellectual histories. Awards: Harvard Society of Fellows Fellowship, Radcliffe Institute Fellowship, Mellon Foundation Fellowship, and others. Grants/Advising: Extensive institutional support through fellowships; her advisory roles focus on guiding interdisciplinary scholarship in Sinophone studies and transnational literatures. Labs/Teams: Collaborates through the MacMillan Center’s international studies initiatives and interdisciplinary programs like ER&M and WGSS.
Dr. Philip Bockholt is a Junior Professor (Tenure Track) for the History of the Turco-Persian World and Emmy Noether Junior Research Group Leader at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies , University of Münster. His research focuses on the history of the Eastern Islamic World (1400–1800), transregional translation processes, knowledge transfer in the Eastern Mediterranean, manuscript studies, and confessional groups in Islam. He is the principal investigator of the DFG-funded TRANSLAPT Emmy Noether Group (2022–2028) and leads the subproject Arabic-Ottoman Translations of Qurʾānic Exegesis (Tafsīr) within the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2060. 2024: Habilitation in Islamic Studies 2018: PhD, Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies 2005–2013: BA/MA in Islamic Studies, History, and Theology (Bochum, Münster, Berlin, Jerusalem, Cairo, Istanbul, Tehran) His research explores intra-Islamic knowledge transfer via Arabic-Persian-Ottoman translations, with a focus on historiography, mirror-of-princes literature, and manuscript variants. He has extensively analyzed the Ḥabīb al-Siyar by Khvāndamīr and its cross-regional dissemination. His recent articles examine textual modifications in Safavid-to-Ottoman translations, multilingualism in Ottoman-Persian contexts, and manuscript annotations as evidence of readership engagement. He co-edited Elsine-i S̱elās̱e: Cultural Analysis of Ottoman Translation (2025) and Multilingualism, Translation, Transfer: Persian in the Ottoman Empire (2024). 2020 Classical Islamic World Book Prize 2019 Annemarie-Schimmel-Stiftung Forschungspreis 2019 S.I.E. European Award Honorable Mention 2015 I.B. Tauris Prize DFG Emmy Noether Funding Bockholt supervises four doctoral candidates on topics including Ottoman Quranic exegesis, biographical dictionaries, and Sufi networks. He has held visiting positions at institutions in Tokyo, Paris, Jerusalem, Madrid, and St. Petersburg. His teaching includes seminars on Islamic manuscript culture, Ottoman translation processes, and confessional groups in the early modern Islamic world. He is a scientific secretary in the Saxon Academy of Sciences’ Afrika – Asien – Europa commission and organizes international conferences on manuscript transmission and Persian-Ottoman exchange.
Ayşe Zişan FURAT is a Professor of Eurasian Studies at the Research Institute of Turkology, Istanbul University, a position she has held since February 2022. She is affiliated with the Department of Eurasian Studies and previously served in the Faculty of Theology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Her institutional base is the Türkiyat Araştırmaları Enstitüsü, located in Beyazıt, Istanbul. Education: B.A. in History of Science, Istanbul University, 2001 M.A. in Religious Education, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Istanbul University, 2004 Ph.D. in Religious Education, same department, 2009 Her research focuses on religious and cultural transformation across Eurasia, with particular attention to the history of science and education in Islamic and Turkic contexts. She investigates the interplay between religious institutions, educational systems, and cultural evolution in Anatolia, the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Ottoman Empire. Her work bridges humanities, religious studies, and historical sociology, emphasizing cross-cultural exchanges and knowledge transmission. The most recent publications reflect a strong thematic continuity in studying religious education, manuscript cultures, scientific traditions, and interfaith dynamics across Eurasia. Her scholarly output spans from the medieval to modern periods, combining historical analysis with cultural theory. Keywords across her articles include Religious Studies, History of Science, Eurasian Studies, and Cultural History, indicating a multidisciplinary approach grounded in the humanities. Scientific Contributions and Recognition: 115 publications indexed in Web of Science H-index of 12 (WoS), 14 (Google Scholar), 31 (TrDizin) Participation in 48 research projects Supervision of 14 theses Active contributor to UN Sustainable Development Goals through humanities research Ayşe Zişan FURAT has made significant contributions to academic advising and collaborative research. She has supervised numerous graduate theses and participated in extensive research projects, reflecting a strong commitment to academic mentorship and interdisciplinary inquiry. While specific grants are not listed, her high project count suggests active engagement in funded research. She is a key figure in advancing Turkic and Eurasian studies within the Turkish academic landscape. She is affiliated with the Research Institute of Turkology, a leading center for Turkish and Eurasian studies at Istanbul University. The institute supports interdisciplinary research on Turkic peoples, languages, religions, and cultures across Eurasia, and she contributes to its mission through her scholarship and academic leadership.
Prof. Rasmus Gjedssø Bertelsen is Professor of Northern Studies and inaugural Barents Chair in Politics at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. A Danish scholar raised in Iceland, he directs work package 2 on Power with Science Diplomacy in the H2020 InsSciDE consortium, collaborating with Prof. Maria Rentetzi. His research spans transnational knowledge flows between USA-Europe-Middle East-East Asia-Arctic and focuses on elite socialization, epistemic communities, and science diplomacy’s role in adapting Arctic governance to global shifts. Education: PhD (Cambridge, with year at Sciences Po), postdoc (Harvard, UNU), studies in Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Geneva, Lausanne, Amsterdam Key Research Areas: Arctic International Relations, Science Diplomacy, Brain Circulation, Transnational Knowledge Networks, Power Transition, GCC Triple-Helix Relations His 15 most recent articles (2012–2024) examine Arctic governance, Sino-Arctic engagement, energy systems, and science diplomacy. Trends include historical learning for policy adaptation, China’s Arctic strategies, and the Arctic as a laboratory for global governance models. Bertelsen initiated UiT’s UNFCCC observer status and participated in COP15 (2009) and COP21 (2015). He coordinates the Norwegian-Russian PhD course Society and Advanced Technology in the Arctic and the Norway-EU Science Diplomacy Network. Additional roles include advising on EU Arctic policy, analyzing US-China-Russia Arctic dynamics, and exploring space science applications in Arctic development.
Caroline Dayer is a researcher at the University of Geneva's Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, with associate researcher status at the Institute of Gender Studies. Her career spans institutions including École Normale Supérieure and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris. Doctorate from University of Geneva DEUG in Social Sciences (University of Paris VIII) Certificate in Gender Studies (Lémanique Doctoral School) Her research focuses on education, discrimination, and classificatory logic. Key themes include socialization processes, identity tensions, stigmatization, and the intersection of power issues with public policy. Her methodological expertise spans social construction of knowledge and epistemological frameworks. Article trends reveal a focus on gender studies, educational practices, and homophobia analysis. Publications span 2005–2014, with keywords like "Knowledge construction" and "Social science methodology" recurring across works.
Li Chen is Associate Professor of History and Global Asia Studies in the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies (UTSC) at the University of Toronto, with cross-appointments to the Graduate Department of History and the Faculty of Law. He served as Chair of the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies (2016–2019) and as President of the International Society for Chinese Law and History (2014–2017). His scholarship focuses on late-imperial and modern Chinese legal history, Sino-Western relations, and comparative legal cultures. Education J.D., University of Illinois, magna cum laude Ph.D., Chinese History, Columbia University Research Interests Chen’s work interrogates the intersection of law, empire, and culture in China from the 15th to the 20th centuries. He explores how legal knowledge was produced and circulated among private specialists in the Qing juridical field, how international law shaped Sino-Western encounters, and how colonial discourses constructed images of Chinese law and sovereignty. His current SSHRC-funded monograph, Invisible Power and Technocratic Governance , offers the first comprehensive study of Confucian-literati-turned-legal-advisors who quietly administered Qing local justice. Publications & Impact Chen’s 2016 monograph Chinese Law in Imperial Eyes received the Joseph Levenson Book Prize (pre-1900 China) and honorable mention for the Peter Gonville Stein Book Award. His articles in Law & History Review , Journal of the History of International Law , and Late Imperial China have been translated into Chinese and Korean, influencing scholarship across East Asia and North America. Awards & Honors Joseph Levenson Book Prize, Association for Asian Studies (2018) Peter Gonville Stein Book Award – Honorable Mention, American Society for Legal History (2017) Law and Society Association Article Prize – Honorable Mention (2011) Grants & Projects He is principal investigator on a multi-year SSHRC Insight Grant supporting archival research in China, Taiwan, Japan, the United Kingdom, and France for his forthcoming book on Qing legal specialists and their role in shaping imperial governance and legal culture.
Jakob Vogel serves as a Full Professor at the Centre for History (CHSP) of Sciences Po, Paris, where he maintains permanent faculty status. He previously directed the Centre Marc Bloch (a Franco-German research institute in Berlin) from 2018 to 2023, significantly advancing transnational academic collaboration between France and Germany. His research program critically examines Europe's cultural, economic, and social development through multiple lenses: the history of knowledge systems, nation-state formation, military institutions, and colonial legacies. Vogel's work particularly emphasizes transnational intellectual exchanges and the construction of European identities, blending methodological approaches from cultural history, sociology of knowledge, and political history to analyze long-term historical processes. Vogel's recent publications (2019-2023) demonstrate consistent thematic coherence across European intellectual history. Key trajectories include investigations into academic freedom under political pressure, the evolution of European identity from antiquity to modernity, historical quality standards in production/consumption, transnational knowledge circulation among state experts, and minority experiences in Mediterranean societies. His interdisciplinary methodology bridges historical analysis with insights from political science and sociology. Scientific Awards: No major scientific awards listed in the provided information. Advising and Grants: Information regarding student supervision, doctoral advising, or research grant funding is not specified in the source material. Labs and Teams: No dedicated research laboratories or structured research teams are referenced; Vogel's collaborative work appears centered through the Centre for History and Centre Marc Bloch institutional frameworks.
Rowan C Martindale is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences within the Jackson School of Geosciences. His research focuses on marine paleoecology, mass extinctions, and carbon cycle perturbations in deep time, particularly the Triassic-Jurassic and Toarcian Ocean Anoxic Event. He leads the Martindale Lab, which investigates Jurassic reef crises, Lagerstätten preservation, and modern reef decline. His work integrates field studies, geochemical analyses, and educational tools like board games to enhance STEM engagement. Affiliations: UT Austin Non-vertebrate Paleontology Lab GSA Geobiology & Geomicrobiology Division (Executive Committee) Education: Doctoral research centered on Triassic/Jurassic boundary reef collapse linked to ocean acidification. Postdoctoral opportunities at Scripps and Humboldt Foundation were declined. Research Interests: Reconstruction of ancient reef ecosystems, exceptional fossil preservation mechanisms, and applying paleontological insights to modern conservation. Key projects include the Pliensbachian/Toarcian reef crisis and Jamaican coral reef monitoring. Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles since 2015, emphasizing Jurassic paleoecology, fossil preservation, and education innovation. Top-tier journals include Paleontology , Geology , and Papers in Palaeontology . Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2019) UT Austin Teaching Excellence Award (2017) Advising & Grants: Supervised 15+ graduate students and postdocs. Secured NSF grants for reef research and educational initiatives like the GeoPATHS program in Jamaica. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with global institutions on field projects in Morocco, Jamaica, and the Caribbean. Lab focuses on combining fieldwork, microscopy, and geochemical analyses.
Javier Villa-Flores is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University. He holds a PhD in Latin American History from UC San Diego (2001), an MA (1998) from the same institution, and a BA in Sociology from the University of Guadalajara (1990). His research focuses on religion, colonialism, and social history in colonial Mexico, particularly examining the intersections of power, language, and legal systems. His major works include *Dangerous Speech: A Social History of Blasphemy in Colonial Mexico* (2006) and his current project on trust and risk in Bourbon New Spain through analysis of 'crimes of falsity.' He has contributed to journals like *Colonial Latin American Review* and co-edited volumes on archives, emotions, and colonial libraries. Teaching specialties include millenarian movements and religious martyrdom in Latin America. Villa-Flores has held fellowships from institutions including the NEH, Huntington Library, and Max Planck Institute. His work explores how colonial authorities used legal frameworks to enforce social control through concepts like blasphemy, forgery, and perjury, revealing how marginalized groups navigated these systems. Recent publications highlight the role of trust and its betrayal in shaping colonial governance and identity formation. Collaborative projects include special journal issues on archives and edited volumes on emotional history and library destruction. His research bridges historiography with interdisciplinary methods, emphasizing archival material and performative aspects of colonial power.
Wei Li is a Professor at Arizona State University's School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. She also holds affiliations with the School of Social Transformation, SPARC (Spatial Analysis Research Center), Global Futures Scientists and Scholars, Center for Asian Research, and the U.S. Census Bureau's advisory committees on Asian populations. Her research focuses on urban ethnicity, transnational migration, and minority community development, particularly among Chinese and Asian groups in the Pacific Rim. She pioneered the concept of 'ethnoburb' to describe suburban Asian settlements and has conducted extensive studies in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Metropolitan Phoenix. Li's education includes a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Southern California (1997), an M.S. from Peking University (1985), and a B.S. from Beijing Normal College (1982). She has been funded by prestigious institutions like the National Science Foundation, Fulbright Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Her work explores intersections of migration, race, and economics, with notable projects on Hurricane Katrina's impact on minority communities and the role of ethnic financial sectors in community development. Her research interests are structured around migration analytics, ethnic geographies, and globalization's socio-spatial effects. Key focuses include skilled migration pathways, returnee dynamics, and the co-movement of people and capital. Li emphasizes transnationalism and how diaspora communities reshape urban landscapes and economies. Li’s articles collectively analyze migration trends, community resilience, and policy implications, reflecting her expertise in migration studies, urban sociology, and cultural geography. She has been recognized with major awards like the AAG’s Ronald F. Abler Distinguished Service Honors and the Distinguished Ethnic Geography Career Award. In advising, Li has no listed advisees but has mentored through institutional roles and grants. Her grants include studies on Asian American communities, diaspora banking, and post-disaster migration. Li’s contributions extend to policy commentary on attracting skilled migrants to China and comparative analyses of India and Chinese diasporas. She leads SPARC’s spatial analysis initiatives and chairs the International Metropolis Project’s steering committee. Her work bridges academia and public service, including roles in the Woodrow Wilson Center and National Bureau of Asian Research.
Aaron Diefendorf is a Professor of Geosciences at the University of Cincinnati within the College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on the application of organic geochemical techniques to address questions in paleoclimatology, biogeochemistry, and environmental science. He directs the University of Cincinnati Stable Isotope Laboratory, where his team analyzes biomarkers from sedimentary archives to reconstruct past climate and environmental conditions. Dr. Diefendorf's research interests center on isotope geochemistry, biogeochemistry, organic geochemistry, biomarkers, and stable isotope geochemistry. His work particularly emphasizes plant-derived biomarkers such as leaf waxes (n-alkanes) and diatom-derived highly branched isoprenoids (HBIs) as proxies for reconstructing past hydrological conditions. He investigates how these biomarkers form in modern ecosystems, their preservation in sediments, and their application to paleoclimate reconstruction across various timescales from the Holocene to deep time. His research spans diverse environments including midcontinental North America, the Sierra Nevada, Falkland Islands, and Arctic regions. The analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on methodological development for biomarker analysis, seasonal and spatial variability studies of biomarker production, and their application to specific paleoclimate questions. His work increasingly integrates multi-proxy approaches, combining plant wax and diatom biomarkers with other geochemical indicators to provide more robust paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Recent research shows growing interest in applying these techniques to understand hydrological changes during significant climate transitions including the Little Ice Age and Holocene. Extensive research on plant wax n-alkanes as paleohydrological proxies Pioneering work on diatom-derived HBIs for paleoclimate reconstruction Studies on biomarker production in modern ecosystems to improve paleo-interpretations Applications to major climate events including the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum Development of analytical methods for biomarker extraction and analysis Dr. Diefendorf has established productive collaborations across multiple institutions and disciplines, working with researchers in geology, biology, environmental science, and climate science. His research has been supported by multiple NSF grants, including collaborative projects focused on biomarker development and paleoclimate applications. He actively engages in public science communication, including outreach at local farmer's markets in the Cincinnati community. His laboratory work focuses on the Stable Isotope Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati, where his team processes sediment samples, extracts organic compounds, and analyzes isotopic compositions using state-of-the-art instrumentation. The lab serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, training graduate and undergraduate students in geochemical techniques while advancing methodological approaches in biomarker paleoclimatology.
Renaud Crespin serves as a CNRS Junior Professor at Sciences Po's Centre for the Sociology of Organisations (CSO), where his research integrates the sociology of public action, science and technology studies, and labor sociology to examine how health and environmental policies are rationalized through technical instruments and scientific expertise. His work critically analyzes the transnational circulation of policy instruments like screening tests across domains including blood donation, HIV/AIDS response, road safety, and drug policy. His academic credentials include: PhD in Political Science from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (2003), with dissertation on "Appropriation and public regulation of a biological tool: The social career of HIV tests, a comparative study (France, USA, Canada, Netherlands)" DEA (M.Phil) in Organisations and Public Policy from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (1995) Master's degree in Political Science from Pantheon-Sorbonne University (1994) Crespin's research reveals how seemingly neutral technical tools become embedded in complex power relations that shape professional practices and policy outcomes. His comparative studies demonstrate how instruments like workplace drug testing technologies travel across national contexts while being adapted to local organizational practices. Recent work examines pandemic response models, environmental risk assessment, and the ecosystemic approach to workplace addiction prevention, highlighting tensions between scientific evidence and political decision-making. As co-leader of the CSO's Knowledge, Science and Expertise research program since 2017, Crespin has fostered interdisciplinary dialogue on expertise in governance. His leadership extends to the CNRS' Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences scientific board (since 2014) and the CNRS' interdisciplinary commission on Methods, practices, and communications of science and techniques (since 2017). He has significantly contributed to public policy through appointments to the Observatory on Health Care Professionals' Quality of Life at Work (2018-2020) and the ANSES Environment-Health-Work national research programme's scientific committee (2014-2018).
Christopher L. Hill is Professor of Modern Japanese Studies in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Michigan. His scholarly work bridges Japanese studies, comparative literature, and intellectual history with a focus on transnational literary and intellectual currents from the nineteenth century to the present. Research Interests: Hill's research centers on the global circulation of literary forms and intellectual concepts. He investigates how genres like the novel travel across borders and how concepts such as 'civilization' and 'culture' become universalized. His work spans Japanese, French, and American contexts while emphasizing intra-Asian connections among Japan, Korea, mainland China, and Taiwan. Hill is particularly fascinated by the 'flow of ideas and literary forms around the world in the modern age,' examining nationalist thought, Japanese intellectuals' views of Asia in the post-imperial postwar era, and the 'Bandung moment' of the 1950s-1960s when decolonizing countries sought to form political and cultural relations outside European and North American frameworks. Publication Trends: Hill's scholarship consistently explores transnational literary history, particularly the movement and transformation of naturalist fiction across global contexts. His work challenges conventional diffusion models by demonstrating the complex, multi-directional pathways through which literary forms travel and transform. Rather than focusing on origination and reception, Hill emphasizes the 'conditions of travel' that enable unexpected transformations of literary forms as they cross cultural boundaries. His recent work has increasingly focused on Japan's relationship with the Global South and anti-colonial movements. Current Projects: "Facing South: Japanese Writers in the Bandung Moment" - examining Japanese writers' responses to decolonization in Africa and Asia during the 1950s-1970s Research on Japanese writers' participation in the Afro-Asian Writers Association and literary conferences following the 1955 Bandung Conference Studies on the reception of Frantz Fanon in Japan during the 1960s Teaching: Hill teaches undergraduate courses on the modern Japanese novel, cultural history of postwar Japan, modernism, samurai representations, and contemporary Japanese social issues. His graduate seminars cover modern Japanese fiction, literature and social theory, cultural history, and the novel in global context. His courses frequently incorporate film, anime, visual art, and philosophy alongside literary texts.
Aaron Hodgson is an Associate Professor at the Don Wright Faculty of Music , Western University. A renowned trumpeter celebrated for "exquisite musicianship and assured composure" (International Trumpet Guild), he balances performance and pedagogy while serving as a Teaching Fellow at Western’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (2022–2025). His research focuses on identity, career preparation, and innovative teaching practices in music education. Education: Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Yale University Hodgson’s research trends emphasize bridging performance and pedagogy through digital tools, exemplified by his Notes Quarterly article on creating an online trumpet pedagogy database. He advocates for diverse practice routines and expanded trumpet capabilities in contemporary music. Scientific Awards: Ellsworth Smith Competition Prize OSM Standard Life Competition Prize As an educator, Hodgson adjudicates at music festivals and delivers masterclasses internationally. His sabbatical (2025–2026) will focus on advancing teaching methodologies. He is also an S.E. Shires Performing Artist.
