Find Academic Supervisors

Kasper WelbersView profile

Associate Professor

• Computational Communication Science
• Political Communication
• Journalism Studies
• +7 more

Kasper Welbers is an Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He holds additional appointments at the Network Institute and the Communication Choices, Content and Consequences (CCCC) research group. He is co-Director of The Societal Analytics Lab, Vice Chair of the Computational Methods Division at the International Communication Association (ICA), and a scientific representative of the OPINION COST Action network. His research focuses on computational communication science, journalism, and political communication, particularly exploring how news spreads and the role of gatekeepers in media systems. He develops open-source tools for research and advocates for reproducible computational methods. Education and Academic Background: While formal education details are not explicitly provided, his academic trajectory is evident through his faculty role and publications. Research Interests: Welbers combines methodological innovations with substantive research on news diffusion, media gatekeeping, and computational text analysis. His work addresses topics like dark platforms' agenda-setting roles, automated content analysis techniques, and the impact of platform policies on data donation studies. He emphasizes ethical research practices and open-source infrastructure development. Grants and Awards: He received the Faculty of Social Sciences Dissertation Award (2017) and Teacher Talent Award (2019), highlighting both research and pedagogical excellence. Labs and Collaborations: His work is anchored in The Societal Analytics Lab, fostering interdisciplinary research on societal challenges through computational methods. Collaborations span global networks like the OPINION COST Action, addressing cross-cultural media dynamics. Teaching: He teaches courses such as Computational Analysis of Digital Communication and contributes to curriculum development in AI ethics and data science for societal issues.

Cindy SchneiderView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Language Documentation
• Sociolinguistics
• Applied Linguistics
• +3 more

Cindy Schneider is a Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at the University of New England (UNE), based in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. She specializes in language documentation, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics, with a focus on Pacific languages. Her research explores language policy, literacy practices, and the intersection of language and law. Education: Cindy holds a BS in Business/Marketing (Delaware), GrDip Linguistics (UNE), MA in Linguistics (Oregon), PhD in Linguistics (UNE), and LLB (UNE). Research Interests span language documentation (Pacific languages), sociolinguistic policy, vernacular literacy, language and legal systems, and mutual intelligibility between related language varieties. She has extensive fieldwork experience in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Kenya. Publications include a monograph on the grammar of Abma (Vanuatu) and numerous articles on linguistic intelligibility, courtroom language dynamics, and language planning. Recent research focuses on language policy in multilingual courtrooms and language vitality in Pacific Island communities. Supervised over 20 graduate students in topics like language ecology, legal linguistics, and literacy practices. Recipient of multiple teaching commendations for courses such as LING244 (Language and the Law). Consultant for linguistic analyses in consumer law and authorship disputes. Community Engagement includes developing literacy resources in Suru Kavian and other Pacific languages, and organizing orthography workshops for Indigenous communities.

• Educational Science
• Multilingualism
• Vocational Training and Education
• +5 more

Ingrid DE SAINT-GEORGES is an Associate Professor in Educational Science at the University of Luxembourg's Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, Department of Humanities. Her research focuses on multilingualism in education, professional communication, vocational training, and the intersection of language policies with cultural diversity. She holds a prominent role in shaping language strategies for academic and professional contexts, particularly in multilingual environments. Her work emphasizes ethnographic and multimodal methodologies, exploring how language and cultural practices influence learning in diverse settings such as culinary arts workshops in French Guiana and international higher education institutions. Key themes include the role of analogical discourse in vocational training, the dynamics of professional skill acquisition, and the challenges of implementing multilingual policies in educational frameworks. Notable contributions include designing language policies for academic conferences, analyzing workplace learning trajectories, and investigating the interplay between transversal competencies and employability. Her research often bridges theory and practice, aiming to enhance educational strategies through interdisciplinary collaboration and situated learning approaches. Dr. DE SAINT-GEORGES has published extensively on mediated discourse analysis, professional training interactions, and the sociocultural dimensions of education. Her work frequently addresses issues of linguistic diversity as both a challenge and a resource in educational and professional contexts, advocating for inclusive pedagogical frameworks.

• Educational Technology
• Applied Linguistics
• TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
• +3 more

Dr. Andy Bown is a Lecturer in Languages and TESOL at the University of Tasmania's Faculty of Education. He holds a PhD from Macquarie University (2015) and has over 30 years of experience in language education across Thailand, France, the UAE, and Australia. His research focuses on educational technology, second language acquisition, and culturally diverse learning contexts. He currently coordinates courses like EPR215 and EMT609, and supervises PhD candidates exploring technology's role in language learning. Education: PhD, 'Using a virtual learning environment for the development of L2 academic reading' (Macquarie University, 2015) MEd, 'The usefulness of guided feedback in a web-based IELTS reading programme for Arab learners' (University of Manchester, 2004) BA (Hons) in French and Linguistics (University of York, 1992) Research Interests: Dr. Bown specializes in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), mobile-assisted language learning, and second language reading strategies. His work emphasizes technology's role in linguistically diverse classrooms, particularly in developing countries. Recent projects include studies on social media for vocabulary development and culturally responsive pedagogy. Grants & Engagements: UTAS representative on the Modern Language Teachers’ Association of Tasmania Led the 'Early Language Learning' case study ($5,000 grant, 2017) Co-lead of the LinguaLab research group Labs/Teams: Co-leads the LinguaLab, a collaborative space exploring language education innovations.

Jenni AlisaariView profile

Professor

• Linguistically Responsible Pedagogy
• Culturally Responsive Education
• Intercultural Communication
• +5 more

Jenni Alisaari is a Professor of Education specializing in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Education at the School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, University of Eastern Finland. Her work focuses on linguistically responsible pedagogy, multilingualism in education, and culturally responsive teaching practices. Teaches Master’s Degree Programme in Early Language Education for Intercultural Communication Former roles include University Lecturer of Finnish at University of Stockholm, Special Researcher in Sociology at INVEST Research Centre, and Teacher Trainer at University of Turku and Åbo Akademi Research interests intersect language, culture, and identity in educational contexts. She studies: Linguistically Responsible Pedagogy Multilingual Learners Support for Newly Arrived Students Using Music in Language Instruction Language as a Cultural Identity Resource Curriculum Reform Implementation Her publications since 2015 reveal a focus on: Intercultural Communication in Classrooms Migrant Student Belonging Language Policy in Nordic Countries Cognitive Benefits of Musical Language Instruction Teacher Training for Linguistic Diversity Educational Equity Frameworks

Beau S. PihlajaView profile

Associate Professor

• Intercultural Technical Communication
• Technologically Mediated Professional Communication
• Cultural Rhetorics
• +1 more

Beau S. Pihlaja is an Associate Professor in the Technical Communication & Rhetoric (TCR) program within the Department of English at Texas Tech University (TTU). He also serves as the Director of Graduate Studies for TCR since December 2022. His work examines the intersection of communication technologies and intercultural interactions in global contexts, particularly through platforms like WhatsApp in multinational environments and digitally connected classrooms. Education: PhD in Rhetoric and Composition Studies (2017), University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Dr. Pihlaja employs activity theory, actor-network theory, and qualitative methods (e.g., on-site observations, interviews) to analyze digital mediation in intercultural collaborations. His recent publications focus on translation/localization, ethical communication at borders, and user-centered pedagogy. His research spans hybrid teaching environments and international contexts, especially South Asia. His methodological approaches emphasize cultural rhetorics and materialist analysis, with a recurring focus on the U.S.-Mexico border as a case study. Dr. Pihlaja's work also explores how digital tools reshape professional ethics and cross-cultural understanding in multinational workplaces. Website: www.beaupihlaja.com Contact: beau.pihlaja@ttu.edu

Joanna RzepaView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Holocaust studies
• Literary modernism
• Translation studies
• +5 more

Dr. Joanna Rzepa is a Senior Lecturer in Literature at the University of Essex's Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies. A transnational comparatist and literary historian, she specializes in Holocaust writing, translation history, and literary modernism. Her current Leverhulme Trust-funded project examines Holocaust testimony dissemination through Polish-English translation networks. PhD in English and Comparative Literary Studies from University of Warwick Former Thomas Brown Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin Alumni of Trinity Long Room Hub and University of Warwick's Institute of Advanced Study Her research bridges Holocaust studies, publishing history, and translation studies, focusing on: Transnational dissemination of survivor narratives Modernist theological intersections Book history under authoritarian regimes Conflict-era translation practices Cultural memory preservation Polish literary modernism Recent publications examine: Polish literature reception in post-global academia (2024) Translation politics in Polish-English wartime networks Modernist responses to theological crises St. Francis reimaginings in Wittlin's work Scientific Recognition: Recipient of Martha Cheung Award for Translation Studies (2020) Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship recipient (2025-26) Grant Funding: Leverhulme Trust grant for "Holocaust in Translation" project Teaching Expertise: Criticism: Practice and Theory Law and Literature Independent Literature Project Dissertation supervision Transnational literature-translation relations Holocaust representation Creative writing supervision

Hong HuView profile

Assistant Professor

• Statistical Signal Processing
• Machine Learning
• High-Dimensional Data Analysis

Hong Hu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics & Data Science and the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, within the McKelvey School of Engineering. He holds a PhD from Harvard University. Hong Hu earned his PhD from Harvard University. His research focuses on statistical signal processing and machine learning, with an emphasis on the theoretical foundations of algorithms for extracting information from high-dimensional data. He investigates fundamental properties of high-dimensional random systems, such as phase transitions and universality, to understand and improve high-dimensional information processing algorithms. His work also aims to apply these principles to real-world applications. His recent publications explore topics including heterogeneous computation resource allocation using data-driven methods and the application of deep learning in multilingual sentiment analysis, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to machine learning and data science challenges. Hong Hu’s advising and grant activities are not detailed in the provided information.

Marc Van De MieroopView profile

Professor

• Ancient Near Eastern History
• Socio-Economic History
• Political History
• +5 more

Marc Van De Mieroop, the Miriam Champion Professor of History at Columbia University, is a leading scholar in ancient Near Eastern history. He directs Columbia’s Center for the Ancient Mediterranean and serves as Founding Editor of the Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History . His research spans socio-economic and political history, historical methodology, and intellectual traditions of the ancient world. Ph.D., Yale University (1983) M.A., Yale University (1980) B.A., Katholieke Universiteit (1978) Van De Mieroop’s work explores the intellectual history of ancient Babylonia, its epistemological systems, and cross-cultural influences on Greece and the biblical world. His publications, including over 100 articles and books, examine topics like cuneiform documentation, ancient economic practices, and historiographical methods. His recent publications (2015-2023) focus on Babylonian epistemology, global historical frameworks, and administrative systems in Mesopotamia. These works highlight connections between ancient Near Eastern thought and later philosophical traditions while emphasizing the role of writing in resisting imperial control. Guggenheim Fellow (2013-14) ACLS Fellow (2016-17) Van De Mieroop’s academic contributions include translating and editing critical texts such as The Invention of Cuneiform and Uruk: The First City . His research has been supported by prestigious fellowships, and his books have been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese, Turkish, and Polish.

Rahat MasoodView profile

Lecturer

• Cybersecurity
• Privacy Technologies
• Authentication & Authorization
• +7 more

Dr. Rahat Masood is a Lecturer at the School of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE), UNSW Sydney. Her research focuses on cybersecurity, including privacy-preserving technologies, authentication mechanisms, critical infrastructure protection, and network security analysis. She holds a PhD in Information Security and Privacy from UNSW (Data61-CSIRO, Australia), an MS in Computer and Communication Security from NUST, Pakistan, and a B.Sc. in Software Engineering from the University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan. Her academic contributions span theoretical and applied cybersecurity domains. Dr. Masood’s educational background includes: PhD: Information Security and Privacy (UNSW, Data61-CSIRO, Australia) MS: Computer and Communication Security (NUST, Pakistan) B.Sc.: Software Engineering (University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan) Her research interests emphasize privacy technologies, authentication systems, and securing distributed energy resources. Recent work includes developing frameworks for quantifying privacy risks and analyzing social media manipulations. She employs data-driven methodologies and machine learning to address challenges such as WiFi device tracking and federated learning security. In her publications, she highlights trends in privacy controls usability, satirical news detection using multilingual models, and threat modeling for critical infrastructure. These studies underscore her commitment to bridging cybersecurity theory with real-world applications. No scientific awards are mentioned in the provided texts. Her teaching and supervision roles at UNSW are active, though specific student advisees or grant details are not listed. She is affiliated with Data61-CSIRO through her PhD and contributes to interdisciplinary cybersecurity efforts within CSE.

Holly BraniganView profile

Professor

• Language Production
• Dialogue
• Language Development
• +6 more

Holly Branigan is a Professor of Psychology of Language and Cognition at the University of Edinburgh, affiliated with the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. Her research focuses on language production, dialogue, child language development, and bilingualism. She holds a Personal Chair and has led numerous grants including projects on conversational alignment in children with autism, language experience effects on development, and syntactic priming in dialogue. Her teaching includes undergraduate courses on Psychology of Language and postgraduate modules on Dialogue. She supervises PhD students in topics like syntactic processing, bilingualism, and interactional linguistics. Branigan has secured over £10M in research funding from bodies like the ESRC and EU, leading projects such as 'How does language experience support language development?' (2018–2023) and 'AThEME: Advancing European Multilingual Experience' (2014–2019). Her work explores how speakers adapt language based on social context, interlocutor traits, and cognitive factors. Key achievements include a 7-year ESRC fellowship (1999–2006), and recognition for contributions to understanding syntactic processing mechanisms. She currently leads research on child language imitation in social contexts and bilingual syntactic representation.

Skyler WangView profile

Assistant Professor

• AI
• Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• +7 more

Skyler Wang is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at McGill University, specializing in AI, technology, and human-computer interaction. He holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley and previously served as a Sociologist at Meta’s FAIR lab. His research critically examines sociotechnical systems' epistemic cultures and social impacts, focusing on AI-driven human-machine interactions in health, relational contexts, and digital platforms. His research interests include AI ethics, platform societies, digital intimacy, and multilingual systems. Notable works include the book project Sharing Bodies in the Sharing Economy , exploring Couchsurfing’s sociosexual dynamics, and applied AI projects like No Language Left Behind (doubling machine translation languages) and SeamlessM4T (awarded TIME’s 2023 Best Inventions). Teaching focuses on Technology & Society, Artificial Intelligence & Society, and Digital Intimacy. Advising roles include Major/Minor and Honours Sociology students. Active in interdisciplinary collaborations through McGill’s Quebec Inter-University Centre for Social Statistics and global AI ethics initiatives. Education: Ph.D. Sociology, UC Berkeley (2023) Key Affiliations: Meta FAIR Lab (prior), McGill Department of Sociology Publications in Nature , CSCW , Big Data & Society , and media features in WIRED, CNN, and NPR

Scott A. HaleView profile

Associate Professor

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Machine Learning
• Natural Language Processing (NLP)
• +7 more

Dr Scott A. Hale is an Associate Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), University of Oxford, and a Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute. His work bridges computer science and social sciences, focusing on equitable information access, multilingual online dynamics, and misinformation mitigation. He holds degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Spanish from Eckerd College, followed by a DPhil (PhD) in Social Data Science from the OII. Hale’s research has been supported by grants from UK Research and Innovation, the US National Science Foundation, and organizations like the Omidyar Network and the Alan Turing Institute. Key Roles: Programme on AI, Government & Policy; Director of Research at Meedan; Co-Director of the Social Data Science MSc Research Focus: Misinformation, multilingual systems, social media impact, and AI ethics Education: Eckerd College (BS), OII (MSc, DPhil). His DPhil explored social media design’s role in cross-language information sharing. Recent projects include the Digital Good Network and AI alignment studies. Articles highlight trends in multilingual misinformation detection, LLM cultural biases, and hate speech dynamics. Hale’s work bridges technical innovation with social science rigor to address global digital challenges. Awards: Alan Turing Institute Fellowship, recognition in Oxford’s Teaching Excellence Awards. Grants: Over 20 funding sources including DSO National Laboratories and Meta.

Seth FreyView profile

Associate Professor

• Computational Social Science
• Governance Institutions
• Online Communities
• +3 more

Seth Frey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on computational social science, exploring governance institutions and complex human decision-making through computational methods, large datasets, and web-based experiments. He examines online communities as models of governance, with expertise in computational approaches to institutional design and strategic behavior analysis. Education: Ph.D. in Cognitive Science and Informatics, Indiana University, 2013 B.A. in Cognitive Science, UC Berkeley, 2004 Research Interests: Frey's work integrates data science, lab experiments, and computational modeling to study human organizations and communication. Key areas include governance technology, cognitive mechanisms of social outcomes, and institutional evolution. His projects span online games, sports, and open-source software communities, emphasizing topics like collective action, self-governance, and cooperative behavior. Publications & Funding: His work appears in journals like PNAS and Nature Scientific Reports, and has been funded by NSF, NASA, and the Ford Foundation. He contributes to the Ostrom Workshop at Indiana University and directs the Computational Communication Lab at UC Davis. Teaching: Frey teaches courses on data visualization, simulation methods, and online data analysis in the social sciences.

Joshua WeidlichView profile

Assistant Professor

• Educational Technology
• Learning Analytics
• Online Learning
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Joshua Weidlich is an Assistant Professor for Digital Higher Education at the University of Zurich (UZH), collaborating with Zurich University of Education as a DIZH Bridge Professor. His academic background includes a PhD in Educational Technology from FernUniversität in Hagen, where he earned the Early Career Award for Outstanding Dissertation. He holds a BA in Educational Science from TU Chemnitz and an MA in E-Learning and Media Education from the University of Education Heidelberg. His research focuses on leveraging digital technologies to enhance higher education, emphasizing personalized feedback, feedback literacy, learning analytics, AI-driven environments, and social presence in online learning. Prior to UZH, he worked at the DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, contributing to both research and teaching. Key achievements include pioneering work on social presence in distance learning, validated through frameworks like the Social Presence Measure, and exploring gender dynamics in STEM education. His recent studies address the impact of AI tools like ChatGPT in education and the role of feedback literacy in student success. Prof. Weidlich’s publications span educational technology, gender studies, and learning analytics, reflecting his commitment to advancing digital pedagogy and equitable educational practices. He actively contributes to the Digital Society Initiative (DSI) at UZH, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on societal impacts of technology.