Haagen Klaus is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at George Mason University, specializing in bioarchaeology, paleopathology, and forensic anthropology. Since 2013, he has directed research on the north coast of Peru, focusing on human skeletal biology, mortuary practices, and the impacts of colonialism and environmental stressors on prehistoric and historic societies. Ph.D., Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University (2008) M.A., Department of Anthropology, Southern Illinois University (2003) B.A., Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at Plattsburgh (2000) Klaus's research explores biocultural transformations in complex societies, with emphasis on health, violence, identity, and ethnogenesis. His Lambayeque Valley Biohistory Project (founded 2003) investigates skeletal markers of disease, stress, and violence across 10,000 years of Andean history. Methodologies include isotopic chemistry, ancient DNA analysis, and dental phenetics. Recent work (2025) examines oral microbiomes during Spanish colonization, syndemic processes in colonial dynamics, and stress indicators in pre- and postcontact populations. Projects integrate osteoimmunology, ecoimmunology, and life history trade-offs to understand physiological and cultural resilience. Current graduate students under his supervision include Rae-Ocean Blake, Kimberly Hargrave, Megan Jankowski, Emily Schopmeyer, and Celeste Schultheiss. He leads international collaborations involving Peruvian, Japanese, Canadian, and American researchers through the Lambayeque Valley Biohistory Project.
Dr. Justin Belsky is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, serving as the COVID-19 Safety Officer and Co-Director of Resident Research in Emergency Medicine. He holds an MD from Wayne State University School of Medicine (2011) and an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health (2016). His research focuses on sepsis diagnosis and treatment, including biomarkers, clinical trials, and risk stratification tools. He led the Yale site for the VICTAS trial evaluating vitamin C, thiamine, and hydrocortisone in septic shock. Dr. Belsky directs the Yale Emergency Medicine Specimen Biobank, collecting samples from critically ill patients for future research. His awards include the Partners in Excellence Team Award (2016) and an Outstanding Poster Award (2015). He is actively involved in resident research training and clinical guideline adherence studies. Education: MD: Wayne State University School of Medicine (2011) Emergency Medicine Residency: Henry Ford Hospital (2014) Research Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital (2016) MPH: Harvard School of Public Health (2016) Research Interests: Early sepsis identification and treatment Biomarker development for critical illness Fluid management strategies in septic shock Micronutrient therapies in sepsis Emergency department quality improvement Recent Work Focus: Fluid resuscitation protocols and guideline adherence Long-term outcomes of sepsis therapies Actin cytoskeleton as a sepsis biomarker Antibiotic timing in sepsis Awards: 2016: Sepsis Care Redesign, Partners in Excellence Team Award 2015: Outstanding Poster Award (Shock Symposium) Grants & Mentorship: Principal investigator for CLOVERS trial (fluid management in sepsis) Co-Director of Yale’s Emergency Medicine Research Training Program Leadership in resident research mentorship and biobank initiatives
Dr. Marcel Dettling is a Group Lead in Data Analysis and Statistics at the ZHAW School of Engineering , focusing on predictive analytics, applied statistics, and complex data analysis. He also serves as a Lecturer at ETH Zurich , teaching advanced statistical methods. Education : PhD in Mathematics (2000-2004), ETH Zurich Postdoc in Applied Statistics (2004-2006), Johns Hopkins University His research spans predictive analytics (regression, classification, time series), data mining, and applications in health economics, transportation safety, social sciences , and business analytics . Recent work includes pharmaceutical cost group analysis for Swiss healthcare and predictive maintenance for marine vessels. Selected publications highlight his expertise in flight trajectory modeling , deep learning error mitigation , and statistical frameworks for rehabilitation finance . His projects address diverse fields like crowdworking in nursing, energy optimization for shipping, and customer behavior prediction.
Deborah Balk is a Professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY). She also serves as Director of the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research and holds appointments in the CUNY Graduate Center's Sociology and Economics programs, as well as the CUNY School of Public Health's Epidemiology Program. Her expertise lies in spatial demography, integrating earth and social science data to address policy challenges related to urbanization, climate change, and population dynamics. Dr. Balk has led significant roles in climate assessments, including Co-Chair of the New York City Panel on Climate Change’s 4th Assessment (2019–2024) and membership in the U.S. National Climate Assessment’s 6th Health Chapter (2025). She holds a PhD in Demography from UC Berkeley and degrees from the University of Michigan (MPP and AB in International Relations). Her research focuses on urbanization, migration, poverty, health, and environmental interactions, particularly climate adaptation and equity. Notable projects include analyzing population vulnerability in coastal zones and developing spatial demographic tools for global health and policy. Awards include the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship (2016–2018) and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Fellowship (1991). Dr. Balk has secured grants exceeding $6 million from NSF, NASA, and others, supporting work on urbanization, climate justice, and demographic data integration. She advises multiple institutions, including the U.S. Census Bureau and National Academy of Sciences. Her teaching spans spatial demography, urban policy, and statistical methods, reflecting her commitment to bridging demographic science and real-world applications.
Meng Li is the Noah Harding Associate Professor of Statistics at Rice University's School of Engineering. He specializes in Bayesian analysis, machine learning, and statistical theory. His research bridges methodological development and applications in biomedical sciences, materials informatics, and neuroimaging. Li holds a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University and a B.S. from Sun Yat-sen University. He has been recognized with awards including the 2020 Rice Engineering Excellence Award and the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award. Li's research focuses on probabilistic modeling of complex data such as images, functional data, and networks. His funded projects include AI frameworks for pancreatic cancer biomarkers and Bayesian spatiotemporal modeling of marine ecosystems. He collaborates with institutions like Houston Methodist and Baylor College of Medicine on medical applications. His teaching includes advanced courses like Bayesian Statistics and Advanced Bayesian Inference. He advises over 30 students, many of whom have pursued academic and industry roles. Li serves as an associate editor for Bayesian Analysis and the new ACM Transactions on Probabilistic Machine Learning.
Katherine Ornstein is a Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing with joint appointments in the Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management, and the School of Medicine's Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. She directs the Center for Equity in Aging and is affiliated with multiple JHU aging-related centers. Her work focuses on improving healthcare equity for older adults with serious illness, home-based care delivery, dementia care, and end-of-life care. She holds a PhD in epidemiology from Columbia University. Her research, funded by NIH and CDC, explores caregiving burdens, homebound populations, and the economic impacts of healthcare on families. Notable recent work includes studies on dementia care outcomes, social isolation's health effects, and pandemic impacts on homebound older adults. Education: PhD in Epidemiology (Columbia University), MPH, BA Dr. Ornstein's awards include the 2024 Excellence in Research Mentoring and 2023 Isabel Hampton Robb Distinguished Scholar. She has advised numerous NIH-funded studies and collaborates across disciplines to address healthcare disparities in aging populations. Current projects examine rural-urban disparities in palliative care access, caregiver mental health, and leveraging big data to improve home-based care models. She leads efforts to define criteria for effective home-based primary care and reduce inequities in dementia care delivery.
Claus Thustrup Kreiner is a Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI) at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Economics. He also serves as Area Director of Public Economics in the CESifo network and was co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics from 2014 to 2020. Kreiner has held various leadership positions including Director of the Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU) since 2005 and Director of the Center of Excellence WEST from 2011-2013. Education: Ph.D. in Economics, University of Copenhagen, 1998 Visiting Ph.D. student, University of York, 1996 M.Sc. in Economics, University of Copenhagen, 1994 B.Sc. in Economics, University of Copenhagen, 1991 Claus Thustrup Kreiner's research primarily focuses on Public Economics , with secondary specializations in Labor Economics, Household Finance, Applied Microeconometrics, and Experimental Economics. His work examines inequality in income, wealth and health, optimal redistribution policy, and behavioral responses to public policy. Kreiner has conducted significant research using Danish administrative data to analyze tax compliance, labor supply responses, and inequality dynamics. His research often involves collaborations with institutions like Columbia University, London School of Economics, and UC Berkeley. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on inequality across multiple dimensions (income, wealth, health, life expectancy), tax policy design and compliance, labor market responses to policy changes, and the intersection of behavioral economics with public policy. Kreiner frequently employs high-frequency administrative data from Denmark to provide empirical evidence on how individuals and households respond to economic policies and shocks. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Appointed Knight of The Order of Dannebrog by Queen Margrethe II (2018) The Invisible Hand Award from the Society of Social Economics (2006, 2001) Best Teacher Award from the Study Board of Economics at University of Copenhagen (2002) Research Fellow at Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR), London (2009-) Kreiner has supervised numerous students primarily in Public Economics and has received multiple research grants including from the Danish Social Science Research Council (2003, 2006, 2009), International Growth Center (2009), and Danish National Research Foundation (1998-2003). He has served on important policy bodies including as co-chair of the Danish Economic Council (2010-2014) and member of the Danish Tax Commission (2008-2009). As Director of CEBI (Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality), Kreiner leads a major research center funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. He also directs the Economic Policy Research Unit (EPRU) and has been instrumental in establishing research collaborations through networks like CESifo. His work bridges academic research and policy application, as evidenced by his practical policy experience with government commissions.
Professor Bert Smith is a distinguished academic at the University of Oxford, serving as a Fellow of Lincoln College. He holds the position of Professor in the Faculty of Classics, with a specialization in Greek Archaeology and Roman Art/Archaeology. His academic journey includes MA, MPhil, and DPhil degrees from Oxford University. Prior to his current role, he was a Harkness Fellow at Princeton University (1983-85) and taught Hellenistic and Roman art at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts (1986-1995). His research focuses on the art and visual cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, particularly the relationship between visual representation and social/political contexts. As director of the Aphrodisias excavation project since 1991, he has contributed significantly to understanding the archaeology of Greek cities in the Eastern Roman Empire. Key achievements include a British Academy/Philip Leverhulme Fellowship (2007-2008) and leadership in the AHRC-funded 'Last Statues of Antiquity' project (2009-2012), resulting in a collaborative book (2016). Teaching responsibilities include lectures and seminars on Greek and Roman art and archaeology. His publications span over four decades, with notable works on sarcophagi iconography, Aphrodisias excavations, and Hellenistic art. He actively collaborates with institutions like the Oxford Centre for Greek and Roman Antiquity (OCGRA). Current research continues to explore late antiquity art and archaeology through fieldwork and interdisciplinary projects.
Nashwa Masnoon is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Geriatric Pharmacotherapy at the Kolling Institute, part of the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. She is also a hospital pharmacist at the Royal North Shore Hospital. Her academic background includes a BPharm(Hons) and a PhD from the University of South Australia, where her doctoral work focused on identifying risks of adverse outcomes from polypharmacy in older adults with multimorbidity. Dr Masnoon’s research interests span geriatric pharmacology, deprescribing practices, pharmacoepidemiology, and quality use of medicines. Her current projects include developing stewardship programs for anticholinergic/sedative deprescribing, optimizing medication use in hospitals for older patients, and educating hospital pharmacists using the Drug Burden Index intervention bundle. She has co-supervised Honours students in 2022 and 2023, focusing on deprescribing in hospital settings and patient-reported experiences post-intervention. Research Themes: Healthy Ageing Key Approaches: Systematic reviews, clinical interventions, pharmacoepidemiological analysis Dr Masnoon has received notable awards including the 2023 FMH Showcase Travel Award, Royal North Shore Hospital Travel Fellowship (2023), and a 2017 People’s Choice Award for her 3 Minute Thesis presentation. Her work emphasizes improving medication outcomes through evidence-based deprescribing and precision medicine approaches. She is affiliated with the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and Australian Deprescribing Network (ADeN). Her grants include the 2024 electronic frailty index project and a 2022 travel award-funded initiative.
Emmanuel Stamatakis is a Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health at the University of Sydney's School of Health Sciences (Faculty of Medicine and Health). He holds NHMRC Leadership Fellowships (2021-2025 and 2026-2030) and leads the Charles Perkins Centre's Physical Activity & Exercise Theme. His research focuses on lifestyle behaviors' impacts on cardiometabolic conditions, cancer, and cardiovascular health, using large-scale cohort studies and wearable device data. Key roles include directing the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub and co-chairing WHO's Physical Activity Guidelines Development Group. Education: PhD from University of Bristol (2003), post-doctoral training at University College London. He leads the ProPASS consortium, involving 45 cohorts with wearable data. Over 460 peer-reviewed publications, including Clarivate's Highly Cited list since 2019. Research interests integrate physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep analytics with clinical outcomes. Current projects explore wearables-based measurement innovations, SPAN (sleep-physical activity-nutrition) synergies, and intervention designs for GLP-1 receptor agonist users. Recent articles emphasize VILPA (vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity) benefits, sleep-cardiovascular links, and multimodal lifestyle optimization. Awards include Australia's Top Researcher in Sports Medicine and multiple NHMRC grants. Supervises PhD projects on physical activity measurement and intervention design. Active in 50+ peer-reviewed journals and national/international funding bodies.
Brian Leung is an Associate Professor at McGill University, jointly affiliated with the Department of Biology and the Bieler School of the Environment . He holds the prestigious UNESCO Chair for Dialogues on Sustainability and serves as Director of the McGill Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) , a collaborative program with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. His work bridges ecological theory, computational modeling, and environmental policy. Dr. Leung earned his PhD in Biology from Carleton University and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge and the University of Notre Dame. His academic journey at McGill began in 2004 as an Assistant Professor, advancing to Associate Professor in 2010. His research centers on predictive ecology , particularly modeling biological invasions and sustainability challenges . He develops and applies mathematical, statistical, and computational models to understand invasion dynamics across terrestrial, aquatic, and marine systems. His recent work includes the Panama Research and Integrated Sustainability Model (PRISM) , a spatially explicit framework for sustainability science in the Global South. His research spans scales from local to global and integrates ecological, economic, and social factors. His recent publications show a strong focus on invasion risk assessment , species distribution modeling , economic costs of invasions , and ecological forecasting . He frequently publishes in top journals such as Nature , Ecology Letters , and Global Ecology and Biogeography , emphasizing data-driven decision-making and policy relevance. Dr. Leung has received significant recognition through invitations to contribute to major reports and has co-edited influential works on invasive species economics. While specific named awards are not listed, his leadership roles and publication record reflect high scientific esteem. He actively mentors a dynamic research group, supervising multiple Ph.D. and M.Sc. students on projects related to invasion modeling, mangrove conservation, forest pest dynamics, and urban ecology. His lab emphasizes quantitative skills and interdisciplinary collaboration. He has secured research funding to support these projects, though specific grants are not detailed in the text. He leads the Leung Lab , which focuses on predictive modeling in ecology and sustainability. The lab collaborates with institutions such as the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and environmental firms like Habitat. Current projects include multi-species connectivity modeling, mangrove ecosystem services, and forecasting forest pest outbreaks.
Tom Stargardt is a Professor of Health Care Management at the Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg. His research focuses on health economics, pharmaceutical policy, and healthcare system efficiency. He holds a Dr. rer. oec. from TU Berlin (2008) and has held academic positions including Junior Professor for Pharmacoepidemiology at the University of Hamburg and a postdoctoral fellowship at LMU Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum München. His work spans cost-effectiveness analyses of treatments, health technology assessment, and pandemic-related behavioral economics. He has been recognized with the 2009 Nachwuchspreis for health economics/politics and a 2007 Merck-funded stipend. Research interests include pharmaceutical market dynamics, telemedicine cost-benefit analyses, and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare access. He has authored over 100 publications on topics like drug pricing regulations, vaccine hesitancy, and pandemic policy responses. His current projects analyze healthcare system efficiency during crises and the impact of digital health interventions. He is affiliated with the Hamburg Center for Health Economics and serves on editorial boards for journals like Pharmacoeconomics and Health Economics. Educations: TU Berlin (PhD 2008, Diplom 2005) Key Awards: Progenerika Early Career Prize (2009), Merck Stipend (2007) Professional Memberships: Verein für Socialpolitik, International Health Economics Association His advisory work includes evaluations of disease management programs and health policy reforms. Recent grants focus on pandemic healthcare economics and biosimilar market dynamics. He leads research teams investigating cost-utility of innovative cancer therapies and digital health solutions for chronic disease management.
Ravi Dhar is the George Rogers Clark Professor at the Yale School of Management and holds an affiliated appointment as a Professor of Psychology at Yale University. He serves as Director of the Center for Customer Insights , focusing on consumer behavior, branding, and marketing strategy through psychological and economic frameworks. Ph.D. in Marketing, University of California at Berkeley (1992) MS, University of California at Berkeley (1990) MBA, Indian Institute of Management (1987) BTech, Indian Institute of Technology (1986) His research examines preference formation, self-regulation, and the interplay of conflicting goals in consumer decisions. Recent work explores sustainability, mobile commerce, and how guilt paradoxically enhances consumer pleasure. He has published over 50 articles and advised Fortune 100 companies across industries. Key trends in his publications include behavioral economics , eco-conscious consumption , and technology-mediated decisions . His studies address choice overload, goal systems, and the psychological drivers of indulgence versus self-control. Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award (Society for Consumer Psychology, 2012) Yale SOM Alumni Teaching Award (2012) William O'Dell Award Finalist (2004, 2008, 2012) AMA Doctoral Consortium Fellow (1991) Dhar consults firms on customer insights and has held visiting roles at HEC Paris , Erasmus University , and Stanford/NYU . He edits top journals like Journal of Consumer Research and Marketing Science , shaping academic and industry discourse.
Iona Cheng is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she conducts groundbreaking research in cancer epidemiology. She serves as co-Investigator of the SEER Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry and is Principal Investigator of multiple NIH- and foundation-funded projects examining genetics, lifestyle factors, and neighborhood characteristics in relation to cancer risk. Dr. Cheng has developed an extensive research program focused on racial/ethnic differences in cancer risk and leads population-based cancer surveillance studies that document variations in cancer incidence and mortality patterns across diverse racial and ethnic groups. University of California, Davis, BS, 1990–1994, Physiology Yale University, MPH, 1999–2001, Chronic Disease Epidemiology University of Southern California, PhD, 2001–2005, Epidemiology University of California, San Francisco, Postdoc, 2006–2008, Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Dr. Cheng's research spans multiple disciplines within cancer epidemiology, with particular emphasis on understanding how environmental exposures, genetic factors, and social determinants interact to influence cancer risk and outcomes across different racial and ethnic populations. Her work frequently examines the impact of air pollution, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and neighborhood characteristics on cancer development and survival. She has made significant contributions to understanding cancer disparities among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations, bringing attention to the unique cancer risks and outcomes within these understudied groups. Her research often leverages the Multiethnic Cohort Study, one of the largest prospective studies of cancer incidence and mortality across diverse racial/ethnic populations. Analysis of Dr. Cheng's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on environmental and social determinants of cancer risk across multiple organ sites. Her work demonstrates a sophisticated integration of epidemiological methods with environmental exposure assessment, genetic analysis, and health disparities research. Many of her studies examine the intersection of environmental exposures and racial/ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes, particularly regarding breast cancer, lung cancer, and other malignancies. She has published extensively on the impact of air pollution on cancer risk and survival, as well as the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A, parabens, and phthalates. American Association for Cancer Research Scholar-in-Training Award (2007) National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Award (2007) National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Renewal Award (2009) American Association for Cancer Research Faculty Scholar Award (2011) National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Renewal Award (2011) National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Renewal Award (2013) American Journal of Epidemiology/Society of Epidemiology Research Top 10 manuscripts (2014) Cancer Prevention Institute of California Mentoring Award (2015) American Society of Human Genetics Top poster As Principal Investigator of multiple NIH-funded projects, Dr. Cheng oversees substantial research grants focused on cancer epidemiology and health disparities. Her work often involves large interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers across multiple institutions, including the Multiethnic Cohort Study which follows over 200,000 participants from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. She has demonstrated leadership in mentoring junior researchers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds in science, as evidenced by her Cancer Prevention Institute of California Mentoring Award. Her research program integrates data from cancer registries, electronic health records, and geospatial information to provide comprehensive insights into cancer patterns and risk factors. Dr. Cheng's research is closely connected to the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and leverages collaborations with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which provides advanced technological resources for cancer research. Her work benefits from access to extensive cohort data, sophisticated exposure assessment methods, and interdisciplinary expertise in genetics, environmental science, and computational biology available through these institutional partnerships. She frequently collaborates with researchers studying the genetic and environmental determinants of cancer across multiple organ systems, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of cancer etiology and prevention strategies.
Gustavo Nader, Ph.D., is a Professor of Kinesiology at The Pennsylvania State University's College of Health and Human Development, where he holds the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Loyd Huck Endowed Chair in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology. His research laboratory at 101 Noll Lab focuses on molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle adaptation, employing human, animal, and cellular models to investigate ribosome biogenesis, transcriptional regulation, and muscle growth control in contexts ranging from exercise hypertrophy to cancer cachexia. Dr. Nader's research examines fundamental processes including: Ribosome biogenesis and its role in muscle growth regulation Epigenetic control of RNA Polymerase I activity Molecular pathways in mechanical overload-induced hypertrophy Tumor-induced muscle wasting mechanisms Biomimicry approaches inspired by hibernator physiology His work spans exercise physiology, cancer biology, and environmental stress responses. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2015-2025) reveals predominant themes in muscle hypertrophy mechanisms, cancer cachexia pathophysiology, ribosomal function analysis, and environmental stress impacts on muscle. His work consistently integrates molecular techniques with physiological models across species. Notable scientific recognitions include: Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Loyd Huck Chair appointment (2024) Huck Institutes Leadership Fellowship (2025-2026) Dr. Nader leads an active research team investigating muscle plasticity, with current projects funded through the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. He collaborates extensively through Penn State's Integrative and Biomedical Physiology graduate program and Center for Cellular Dynamics.
