Dr. Moran Lazar is a Senior Lecturer at the Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University, specializing in the early foundations of entrepreneurship and innovation with emphasis on new venture team formation, ideation processes, and organizational innovation leadership. Her educational background includes: PhD in behavioral science and management from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology Research fellow at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland Research fellow at INSEAD Dr. Lazar integrates organizational behavior and strategy perspectives to investigate entrepreneurship micro-foundations, utilizing diverse methodologies including entrepreneurship competitions, hackathons, accelerators, educational programs, and crowdfunding platforms. Her work examines how individuals and teams generate, evaluate, and develop entrepreneurial ideas through behavioral lenses. Her publication trends reveal consistent contributions to top management journals focusing on team dynamics in nascent ventures, with recent works analyzing attachment theory in idea evaluation, relationship-business balance in team composition, and comprehensive frameworks for entrepreneurial team formation across multiple contexts including accelerators and international delegations. Dr. Lazar actively consults for global companies and facilitates innovation processes for international delegations from Europe, the United States, East Asia, and the United Arab Emirates, while sharing insights through her TEDx talk on entrepreneurial team formation.
Wendy Ju is an Associate Professor of Information Science at Cornell Tech, with appointments in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Previously, she served as executive director of interaction design research at Stanford University's Center for Design Research and as an associate professor of interaction design at the California College of the Arts. Her work bridges human-computer interaction, design, and robotics with a focus on how interactive devices can communicate with people without interrupting them. PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University Master's degree in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT Professor Ju's research centers on implicit interactions, human-robot collaboration, and automotive interfaces. She investigates how people interact with automated systems in natural contexts, develops methods for early-stage prototyping of autonomous technologies, and examines the social implications of robotics in urban environments. Her work spans from theoretical frameworks to practical applications, with particular emphasis on designing systems that integrate seamlessly into human activities without demanding constant attention. Her recent publications reveal a strong trajectory toward understanding human-robot interaction in public urban spaces, with increasing focus on robot navigation in city streets, the social implications of autonomous vehicles, and the integration of generative AI in design processes. Her work consistently bridges theoretical HCI frameworks with practical applications in transportation, urban design, and everyday robotics. Inducted into the ACM SIGCHI Academy (2025) Multiple Honorable Mention Awards at ACM CHI and DIS conferences Best Paper Award at Multimodal Technologies and Interaction (2023) Best Student Paper Award at IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (2017) Best Demonstration Award at HRI (2017) Professor Ju actively mentors numerous PhD and master's students, many of whom have become leading researchers in HCI and robotics. Her research has been supported by significant grants from NSF and industry partners, enabling extensive field studies of human-robot interaction in real-world settings. She has pioneered methodologies for studying autonomous vehicle interactions through both simulated and naturalistic driving environments. Her work with the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute supports interdisciplinary research at the intersection of computing, design, and urban technology. She has established research partnerships with transportation authorities, automotive companies, and urban planning organizations to study how emerging technologies can enhance urban mobility while respecting human needs and social contexts.
Dr. Anna Dubiel is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at King's Business School, King's College London. Her research focuses on the intersection of innovation and R&D management with international markets, particularly in emerging economies. She teaches a broad range of Marketing topics in postgraduate and executive programmes covering International Marketing and Digital Marketing. Dr. Dubiel obtained her PhD from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, Germany, where she previously served as Assistant Professor of International Innovation Management. Her academic journey includes visiting researcher positions at Boston College, Judge Business School, and London Business School, as well as a Visiting College Research Associate position at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge in 2017. Her research expertise centers on Innovation Management , New Product Development , R&D Management , International Marketing , and Emerging Economies . Dr. Dubiel's work particularly examines how businesses can develop better products and services for consumers and businesses at the subsistence market ends. Her current research project focuses on 'Risk Management in Emerging Economies: A Marketing Perspective. The Context of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Insurance,' which studies how to reach buyers of complex new services in subsistence marketplaces and raise insurance literacy. Dr. Dubiel's publications reveal a consistent focus on innovation in emerging markets, with significant contributions to journals such as the Journal of Product Innovation Management, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, and International Marketing Review. Her work often explores frugal innovation, new product development strategies, and international market adaptation, demonstrating how businesses can succeed in resource-constrained environments while creating social impact. Her notable scientific achievements include: Highly Commended Paper Winner of the Journal of Indian Business Research (2014) Finalist for the Thomas P. Hustad Best Paper Award for the Journal of Product Innovation Management (2016) Academy of Marketing Teaching Excellence Award (2020) British Academy of Management Early Career Education Practice Award (2021) Finalist for the Academy of International Business Teaching Innovation Award (2021) HEA Fellowship (2019) Multiple Case Writing Competition awards from AESE Business School (2010, 2011) Dr. Dubiel has received research funding from several intramural grants as well as the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust. Her teaching methodology emphasizes practical application through managerial guest lectures and consulting projects conducted by students for real organizations. While she is not currently accepting new PhD students, her research group focuses on marketing financial services to first-time buyers in emerging markets, with evidence from Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Micro-Insurance in Kenya.
Kevin E. Davis is the Beller Family Professor of Business Law at New York University School of Law and Faculty Director of the Hauser Global Law School Program. He joined NYU in 2004, serving as Vice Dean for Global Affairs from 2012 to 2017. His research focuses on law's role in economic development, anti-corruption regulation, and legal system performance measurement. Davis holds a BA in Economics from McGill University (1990), an LLB from the University of Toronto (1993), and an LL.M. from Columbia University (1996). His academic contributions include over 50 articles, four edited volumes, and the monograph Between Impunity and Imperialism (2019). He has held visiting appointments at institutions worldwide, including Cambridge University and the University of the West Indies. Key awards include the 2018 Distinguished Article Prize from the American Law and Economics Review. Teaching focuses on contracts, law and development, and secured transactions. His work bridges legal theory with practical challenges in global governance, finance, and anti-corruption policy.
Stephen Billings is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, where he holds the Global Real Estate Capital Markets Chair position. He serves as the faculty director of the MS in Real Estate program and research director for the CU Real Estate Center. His work spans multiple research centers including the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate. Billings received his PhD in Economics from the University of Colorado, a MS in urban planning from the University of North Carolina, and a BS in economics from Georgetown University. Prior to joining CU Boulder in 2016, he was faculty at the University of North Carolina Charlotte with appointments in both economics and public policy, where he also served as faculty director for the real estate center. His research focuses on the intersection of housing, schools, neighborhoods and crime, addressing critical policy issues including the impact of public investment in light-rail transit on neighborhoods, school segregation's influence on academic achievement and crime, neighborhood gentrification causes, lead-based paint in low-income housing, and the effects of sea level rise and natural disasters on neighborhood sorting and household finances. Billings employs sophisticated analysis of large micro-datasets with studies based on data and policies in Charlotte, NC and Denver, CO. His work connects urban economics with public policy, demonstrating how neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes across multiple dimensions. Billings' recent publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on neighborhood effects, school choice impacts, crime economics, and housing market dynamics. His work frequently examines the intersection of race, housing, and economic outcomes, with particular attention to policy implications. He has developed innovative methodological approaches to studying residential amenities and neighborhood spillovers, with increasing attention to climate change impacts on housing markets. His research appears in top journals including The Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Economic Review: Insights, and Journal of Urban Economics. As an educator, Billings teaches undergraduate and masters classes in real estate finance and economics, as well as doctoral and masters level courses on cost-benefit analysis and statistical methods. He has extensive consulting experience conducting economic impact studies, including assessments of North Carolina's public higher education system, affordable housing needs in Colorado communities, and the economic effects of marijuana legalization on property markets. His practical policy work complements his academic research, creating a bridge between theoretical insights and real-world applications. Billings leads significant research initiatives through the CU Real Estate Center, where he directs studies examining the impact of business improvement districts and other urban development policies. His work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, making substantial contributions to our understanding of how housing, education, and neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes and community development. His December 2023 memo on the HUD Officer Next Door Program exemplifies his engagement with current housing policy issues.
Dr. Mathew Todres is a Senior Lecturer in Management at the School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Wollongong. His research focuses on Management, Change Management, International Business Management, and Strategic Management, with a particular emphasis on Social Entrepreneurship and Workplace Value Congruence. He has conducted action research in Social Enterprise Development and published in journals such as the Social Enterprise Journal and Journal of Business Ethics . Dr. Todres currently supervises PhD candidates Douglas Opoku Agyeman (Micro Entrepreneurship in West Africa) and Grant Hughes (Sports Management). He has received a University of Wollongong Faculty of Business Start-Up Grant (2018). His peer-reviewed work spans organizational behavior, narrative analysis, and social enterprise innovation. His research interests include autoethnographic analysis, narratological analysis, and the application of social theory to entrepreneurial practices. Dr. Todres has contributed to journals such as Medical Education and serves as a reviewer for Journal of Spirituality, Leadership, and Management , among others. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in organizational dynamics and social impact initiatives.
Paschal Anosike is a Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of the West of England's Faculty of Business and Law. He serves as Director of the Centre for African Social and Economic Transformation (CASET) and Chair in African Research and Partnerships. Previously, he founded and directed the Centre for African Entrepreneurship and Leadership (CAEL) at Wolverhampton Business School. Education BA (Hons) MA PGCHE PhD Paschal's research focuses on advancing entrepreneurship ecosystems in Africa, with emphasis on innovation management, education, and sustainable development. His work bridges academic theory with practical solutions for African socioeconomic challenges. His publications highlight trends in entrepreneurial ecosystems, gender equality, religiosity, and institutional impacts on entrepreneurship. He has contributed to global policy discussions via the Africa Prosperity Index and co-created the Micro-Venture Accelerator Programme (m-VAP) for African universities. Scientific Awards Award-winning book: Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Africa Paschal has received advisory and consultancy grants from the African Union Commission, European Commission, UNDP, GIZ, and the Legatum Institute. He founded the Forum for Innovation in African Universities (FIAU), a non-profit promoting university-industry collaboration.
Dr. Edward Wei is a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney Business School's Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS), where he has been since 2018. His work focuses on transport modeling, urban mobility, and policy analysis, with an emphasis on post-pandemic commuting patterns and sustainable transport initiatives. He holds a PhD from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), an MBus from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and a BEc from UIBE in China. Dr. Wei's research explores the intersection of work arrangements (e.g., hybrid work, flexi-time) and their impacts on transportation demand, urban planning, and environmental sustainability. His recent projects include developing state-wide transport models, analyzing micro-mobility adoption, and assessing the role of non-traditional mobility service providers in MaaS frameworks. Key areas of expertise include discrete choice modeling, transport demand forecasting, and policy evaluation. His publications span over 30 peer-reviewed articles, with recent contributions emphasizing post-pandemic commuting behavior, zero-emission truck transitions, and sustainable university travel strategies. His academic contributions bridge theoretical transport economics with practical policy applications, addressing challenges such as car tolling regimes, public transport patronage optimization, and the integration of remote work patterns into urban planning frameworks.
Dr. Lixin Cheng is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the Department of Engineering and Mathematics, Sheffield Hallam University, where he contributes to teaching core modules such as Transport Phenomena and oversees the chemical engineering program. His research focuses on multiphase flow and heat transfer, including enhanced heat transfer technologies, nanofluids, and carbon capture systems. He has held academic roles globally, including at Aarhus University, EPFL, and Xi'an Jiaotong University, and has extensive industry experience as a design engineer. Dr. Cheng is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow and serves as editor-in-chief for multiple journals, including the International Journal of Microscale and Nanoscale Thermal & Fluid Transport Phenomena . Education: PhD in Thermal Energy Engineering (Xi'an Jiaotong University, 1998), followed by postdoctoral and research roles at leading institutions. His interdisciplinary research spans oil-gas-water systems, sustainable energy, and thermal energy management. He has authored over 80 papers and 8 books, with a focus on advancing thermal-fluid science and engineering applications. Research interests include gas-liquid two-phase flow dynamics, flow boiling/condensation, microchannel heat transfer, and CO₂-based thermal systems. His work bridges experimental studies, computational modeling, and industrial collaborations, addressing challenges in energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Key contributions include editorial leadership in thermal-fluid journals, organizing international conferences (e.g., ISTFD), and developing predictive models for flow boiling in microchannels. His recent publications (2021–2025) emphasize green hydrogen systems, supercritical CO₂ applications, and heat transfer enhancement in microscale systems. Awards: Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2000–present). Grants and collaborations include partnerships with international universities and industry players, focusing on thermal-fluid innovation. Labs/Teams: Active in Sheffield Hallam's Engineering and Mathematics Department, leading interdisciplinary research in multiphase systems and sustainable energy solutions.
Dr. Alyas Widita is an Assistant Professor in the Urban Design program at Monash University, Indonesia. He is actively involved in research and teaching, focusing on urban planning, transportation, and smart city technologies. He serves as the Program Coordinator for Urban Design and teaches courses such as Urban Design Studio: Smart City and Smart City Technologies. Education: Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States Dr. Widita's research centers on the built environment, transportation systems, and urban analytics, with a strong emphasis on developing Asian cities. His work explores congestion impacts of mass transit, ride-hailing effects on vehicle ownership, rural-urban migration, walking behavior, and spatial patterns of MSMEs. He employs advanced data analytics and causal evaluation methods to inform urban policy. His recent publications span high-impact journals such as Transport Reviews , Journal of Planning Education and Research , and Travel Behaviour and Society . The research trend shows a consistent focus on data-driven urban policy, sustainable mobility, and equity in urban development across Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Scientific Awards and Recognition: No specific awards listed, but research widely cited and featured in media outlets. Dr. Widita has secured and contributed to multiple research projects funded by international and national agencies, including the World Bank, Korea Transport Institute (KOTI), Central Bank of Indonesia, and Georgia Department of Transportation. He is currently leading or co-leading projects on Jakarta’s subsidence, flood risk management using remote sensing, and the Citarum River revitalization. He collaborates extensively with researchers across disciplines and institutions. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to sustainable cities and communities. He is accepting PhD students interested in the built environment, transportation, and urban analytics in developing Asia. He is involved in key labs and research teams including the Citarum Action Research Program (CARP), Intelligent and Dynamic Remote Sensing for Flood Risk, and interdisciplinary urban analytics initiatives at Monash Indonesia.
Dr. Kai Liu is a University Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow at Selwyn College. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2011. His research focuses on labor economics, public economics, applied microeconometrics, and China's economic development, with specific investigations into wage dynamics, human capital formation, and household decision-making under uncertainty. His research interests span: Labor market dynamics including wage risk, job mobility, and gender wage gaps Public policy analysis in education, healthcare, and family support systems Household behavior under economic uncertainty and policy reforms Human capital investments across the life cycle Economic development challenges in China Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on education policy impacts, health insurance effects on agricultural investments, and family environment dynamics. His work consistently applies advanced microeconometric methods to evaluate policy interventions and economic behaviors. Dr. Liu currently supervises three PhD students: Shengjuan He, Qianya Xu (researching empirical microeconomics and labor economics), and Shania Mustika (researching labor economics, education economics, and racial relations). He has secured significant research funding including: British Academy grant for 'Capital Market Imperfections, Skill Accumulation, and Inequality' (2024-2026) ESRC grant for 'Demand and Welfare Analysis using Micro-data' (2022-2026) British Academy grant for family policy research (2019-2021)
Professor Dinusha Mendis is a leading academic in Intellectual Property and Innovation Law at Bournemouth University, where she serves as Director of the Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Management (CIPPM). Her expertise bridges copyright law with emerging technologies like 3D printing, AI, blockchain, and the Metaverse, informed by extensive research and consultation with entities such as the European Parliament, UKIPO, and corporations like HP and Chanel. She holds a PhD from Edinburgh University and has authored seminal works on the intersection of technology and IP. BSc in Law from Aberdeen University LLM and PhD from Edinburgh University Called to the Bar of England and Wales Her research focuses on copyright challenges in immersive environments , AI-generated content regulation , and blockchain/NFTs . She led major studies for the European Commission and UKIPO , including the first peer-reviewed work on 3D printing and IP. Her 2019 co-edited book with Stanford and QUT scholars established foundational frameworks for additive manufacturing legal analysis. Recent publications highlight AI copyright disputes (2024 The Conversation ), NFT legal ambiguities (2022), and pandemic-era 3D printing (2020). Trends show increasing emphasis on decentralized IP systems and machine learning's impact on creative industries . Scientific Awards & Grants JSPS Visiting Professorship (2023) Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Grant (2024) EU Commission Research Funding (2020) AHRC Grant for 3D Jewellery Study (2017) As a PhD supervisor, she mentors researchers on AI copyright (Benjamin White), crypto-art (Bahar Dagli), and music creation law (Elizabeth Bailey). She contributes to global IP policy through the World Economic Forum's Metaverse Governance Team and EU IPR Enforcement Projects .
Dr. Zhifu Mi is a Professor of Climate Change Economics at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction , University College London. His research focuses on carbon footprint analysis, climate change economics, air pollution and health, sharing economy sustainability, and input-output modeling. He has published extensively in top journals like Nature Sustainability , Lancet , and Science Advances . Co-Editor-in-Chief, Structural Change and Economic Dynamics (2020–present) Executive Editor, Journal of Cleaner Production (2019–present) President, Chinese Economic Association (UK/Europe) Council Member, International Input-Output Association Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society His research explores: Carbon Footprints: Economic development and emission convergence in Chinese households Climate-Health Linkages: Air pollution impacts, ultra-low emission policies Sharing Economy: Sustainable societies through shared micro-mobility Policy Analysis: Synergies between environmental regulations Recent publications analyze decarbonization employment gaps, polycentric urban structures, and health-environment policy intersections. Awards include the World Sustainability Award (2018), multiple Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher honors, and UCL's Outstanding Research Supervision Award (2022). He teaches modules on construction economics and input-output analysis.
Andrei A. Levchenko is the John W. Sweetland Professor of International Economics at the University of Michigan's Department of Economics. He holds affiliations with prominent institutions including NBER, CEPR, and CEBRA, where he directs the International Trade and Macroeconomics Program. His research focuses on international trade, global production networks, business cycle transmission, and the macroeconomic implications of institutional changes. Levchenko's work bridges micro and macroeconomics, analyzing firm-level data to understand aggregate phenomena. Key contributions include studies on global supply chains' role in economic fluctuations, the impact of industrial policy on long-term growth, and the distributional consequences of large devaluations. He has been recognized with the Bhagwati Award and featured in the Economic Report of the President multiple times. His research spans topics such as trade elasticities, inflation dynamics, and the intergenerational trade-offs of pandemic lockdowns. Levchenko collaborates with leading economists globally, producing influential papers in top journals like the American Economic Review and Review of Economic Studies. His Google Scholar profile highlights over 10,000 citations, underscoring his significant impact on modern international economics. Education: Not explicitly listed in the provided materials. Affiliations: NBER Research Associate, CEPR Research Fellow, CEBRA Director of ITM Program. Grants & Awards: Bhagwati Award (2021/2022), multiple NBER/CEPR working papers, and contributions to policy dialogues via IMF and World Bank collaborations.
Profile Roles and Affiliations: Michael Smets is a Professor of Management at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He is also a Research Fellow at Green Templeton College and a member of the Centre for Professional Service Firms. His academic contributions span institutional theory, practice theory, and strategic management. Education: Bachelor’s equivalent in Business and Economics, Cologne University, Germany MSc in Management Research, Saïd Business School DPhil in Management, Saïd Business School Postdoctoral Researcher at Saïd Business School and University of Alberta’s School of Management Research Interests: Michael’s work examines professional service firms (PSFs) through three core lenses: Global Operations: Internationalisation challenges in law, consulting, and reinsurance firms, with a focus on institutional complexity and regulatory systems. Innovation & Career Systems: How evolving career structures in PSFs can simultaneously drive innovation and address work-life balance demands. Recent studies highlight ambidextrous career paths and their strategic leverage. Methodological Innovation: Pioneering video- and team-ethnography to capture micro-level organisational practices. His ‘fly on the wall’ study at Lloyd’s of London is a landmark in this domain. Academic & Industry Impact: His research has been translated into industry-relevant outputs, including reports for the reinsurance sector and handbooks for legal firms. The 2013 ESRC Award for Outstanding Impact in Business recognises this translational work. Academically, he has received the 2012 Academy of Management Journal Best Article Award and multiple best paper awards. Teaching & Executive Education: Michael teaches strategic management, innovation, and business development in executive programmes for Commerzbank, Deloitte, and other global firms. He is Programme Director for the Oxford Leading Professional Service Firms Programme, emphasizing interactive, case-study driven pedagogy. His teaching philosophy prioritises critical thinking over rigid models, as he states: ‘It is critical to understand under which circumstances which models work, and which ones don’t.’ Labs & Collaborations: Affiliated with the Centre for Professional Service Firms and the Oxford Initiative on Rethinking Performance. He collaborates with institutions like Cass Business School and Aston Business School on ethnographic studies. His work also intersects with the Insurance Institute of London and the International Bar Association for practitioner-focused outputs.
