Find Academic Supervisors

Pablo Sanz BayónView profile

Adjunct Professor

• Corporate Law
• Commercial Law
• Economic Analysis of Law
• +7 more

Professor Pablo Sanz Bayón is an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law of Comillas Pontifical University, where he teaches in the Department of Economic and Social Law. He serves as Co-Director of the Garrigues-ICADE Chair of Corporate Law and has 15 years of teaching experience at the university. His academic background includes a Law degree from Comillas Pontifical University (graduating with honors), a Master's degree in Business Law (receiving the Extraordinary Award), and a PhD in Law with the highest distinction and international recognition. His doctoral dissertation received the honorary award for the best thesis defended at the Faculty of Law during the 2015-2016 academic year. Professor Sanz Bayón's research focuses on corporate law and the regulation of digital technologies applied to the financial sector. His work spans multiple areas including hostile takeovers and minority shareholder protection, cryptocurrency regulation, smart contracts, and the automation of financial services. He approaches these topics from both legal and economic perspectives, providing comprehensive analyses of emerging regulatory challenges that balance innovation with consumer protection. His research has been supported by multiple grants, including projects funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Professor Sanz Bayón has conducted research stays at prestigious institutions including the University of Cambridge, Max Planck Institute in Hamburg, China University of Political and Legal Sciences, and the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. Extraordinary Award for Master's degree in Business Law Honorary award for best doctoral thesis at Faculty of Law (2015-2016) Highest distinction and international recognition for PhD Professor Sanz Bayón has established a robust international presence, having taught at universities worldwide including Kozminski (Poland), UIBE (China), Paris Nanterre (France), Externado (Colombia), Alberto Hurtado (Chile), and Tokyo-Chuo (Japan). He regularly participates in international conferences organized by UNCITRAL, KLRI, and leading universities, contributing to global discussions on financial regulation and digital technologies in law.

• Plant Science
• Plant Developmental Biology
• Genetics
• +2 more

Lisa Brombach is a Postdoctoral Researcher (Research Fellow) at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIPZ), specializing in plant developmental biology, genetics, and cell biology. Her work bridges interdisciplinary approaches to unravel fundamental mechanisms of plant growth and structure formation. Her research focuses on how gene-regulated cellular behaviors collectively shape complex plant architectures like leaves, integrating genetic, cellular, and biomechanical perspectives. She views plant science as a cumulative puzzle where each discovery incrementally advances holistic understanding of plant systems, with implications for crop productivity improvement. Dr. Brombach emphasizes collaborative scientific environments driven by shared curiosity and mutual respect. She aspires to transition into scientific management roles to foster supportive research ecosystems, inspired by resilience demonstrated by female scientists throughout her career trajectory.

Carlos Cerda-DueñasView profile

Researcher

• International Law
• International Relations
• Diplomacy
• +3 more

Carlos Cerda-Dueñas serves as an Adjunct Researcher at Tecnológico de Monterrey's School of Social Sciences and Government (Campus Guadalajara), specializing in international legal frameworks and diplomatic practices with emphasis on Latin American and Caribbean contexts. His interdisciplinary work bridges law, political science, and global governance. Academic Background: Bachelor of Laws, Universidad de Guadalajara Master's Degree in Diplomatic Studies, Instituto Matías Romero de Estudios Diplomáticos PhD in International Law, Universidad de Buenos Aires Dr. Cerda-Dueñas' research interrogates evolving international legal norms through lenses of sovereignty, human rights, and institutional resilience. His scholarship critically examines soft law mechanisms , diplomatic recognition controversies, and the tension between non-intervention principles and humanitarian intervention. Recent publications analyze China's panda diplomacy in Mexico, El Salvador's Taiwan-China diplomatic pivot, and pandemic-era challenges to international development cooperation, revealing consistent focus on power asymmetries in global governance structures. His 15+ publications since 2016 demonstrate methodological rigor across historical analysis (COMECON-Mexico relations during Cold War bipolarity), doctrinal legal studies (diplomatic notes as soft law sources), and contemporary policy evaluation (rule of law progress in Latin America). Key thematic threads include institutional risk assessment at the ICC, migration justice frameworks, and constitutional adaptations of foundational international principles. Recognition: Visitante Distinguido award from Colegio de Abogados y Notarios de Guatemala (2016) Mexican Researcher Certification Level 1 His expertise directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 16 (Peace/Justice), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 1 (No Poverty) through analysis of legal discrimination mechanisms and institutional strengthening. Referenced in Wikipedia and academic platforms, his work informs policy debates on diplomatic recognition protocols and international criminal justice resilience. Dr. Cerda-Dueñas actively contributes to research networks examining Latin American foreign policy evolution, particularly Mexico's engagement with multilateral institutions. His current projects investigate pandemic recovery frameworks and the normalization of diplomatic relations between states with contested sovereignty claims.

Gillian McKirdyView profile

Lecturer

• Developmental Trauma
• Adoption and Foster Care
• Trauma Therapy
• +2 more

Dr. Gillian McKirdy serves as Associate Faculty at City University, teaching graduate courses in counseling psychology since joining the institution in 2023. A Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists and Canadian Certified Counsellor, she maintains a private practice specializing in child, family, and individual therapy with clinical expertise centered on developmental trauma—particularly supporting adoptive, foster, and kinship families alongside individuals affected by trauma in personal and professional contexts. Her research investigates the profound effects of developmental trauma within adoptive and foster family systems, examining lived experiences of adoptive parents including phenomena like blocked care and the transition from perfectionism to seeking support. This work underscores critical needs for accessible trauma-informed counseling services while highlighting family resilience through complex adoption dynamics and therapeutic interventions. Scholarly contributions consistently address adoption-related trauma through qualitative studies conducted in Alberta, advancing counseling psychology and family therapy with evidence-based approaches for vulnerable family systems. Publications reveal thematic emphasis on parental experiences, support service accessibility, and trauma-sensitive therapeutic frameworks across diverse family structures. In teaching, Gillian cultivates collaborative learning environments through adaptive methodologies accommodating diverse student needs. Her philosophy reflects lifelong learning values where knowledge exchange with clients, colleagues, and students mutually enhances professional development and clinical practice evolution.

Wendy de los ReyesView profile

Assistant Professor

• Community Psychology
• Youth Development
• Latine and Immigrant-Origin Adolescents
• +5 more

Wendy de los Reyes serves as Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Claremont McKenna College and Director of the AMPLIFY Lab (Advocacy, Mentorship, and Participatory research with Latin Immigrant Families and Youth). Her work centers on strengths-based approaches to Latine and immigrant-origin adolescent development within cultural-ecological systems theory, examining youth resistance to structural inequities through mentoring relationships and institutional youth voice expansion. She earned her B.S.Ed. and M.S.Ed. from the University of Miami, followed by a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from DePaul University and postdoctoral training in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research integrates her identity as a Cuban immigrant, first-generation college student, and native Spanish/English speaker to investigate macro-contextual influences like racism and xenophobia on youth development. Dr. de los Reyes' publications reveal consistent focus on Latinx youth sociopolitical development, refugee mental health, and community-university partnerships. Her work spans systematic reviews, community-based participatory research, and studies on natural mentoring, with strong emphasis on youth agency within oppressive systems. The AMPLIFY Lab's butterfly symbol (representing transformation and hope) reflects her commitment to youth-led social change through relationship-centered approaches. She received the Society for Research in Child Development - Latinx Caucus Dissertation Award for her contributions to understanding immigrant youth experiences. As lab director, she leads collaborations with MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership on mixed-methods studies of youth sociopolitical development, actively recruiting new members for projects examining how Latinx youth navigate social issues through supportive relationships in educational and community settings.

Takayuki ItoView profile

Professor

• Multi-agent systems
• Automated negotiation
• Argumentation frameworks
• +7 more

Dr. Takayuki Ito is Professor at Nagoya Institute of Technology in the Computer Science & Engineering school. He earned his Doctor of Engineering from Nagoya Institute of Technology in 2000. His academic journey includes positions as a JSPS research fellow, associate professor at JAIST, and visiting scholar at prestigious institutions including USC/ISI, Harvard University, and MIT (visited twice). He has served as a board member of IFAAMAS (International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems). Dr. Ito's research primarily focuses on multi-agent systems, automated negotiation, argumentation frameworks, and AI-mediated discussion platforms. His work spans theoretical foundations of argumentation semantics to practical applications in sustainable development, urban planning, and online citizen engagement. He has developed the D-Agree platform for facilitating large-scale online discussions, with notable implementations in Afghanistan for municipal policy-making and SDG implementation. His publication record demonstrates significant contributions to understanding how AI can mediate human discussions, with experiments involving thousands of participants in countries like Afghanistan. His research shows how argumentative agents can improve responsiveness in discussions while also potentially polarizing debates by reinforcing initial stances. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical social applications, particularly in contexts with challenging participation constraints. Board member of IFAAMAS Developer of D-Agree discussion support system Conducted large-scale experiments in Afghanistan with over 1,000 participants Expert in multi-agent negotiation protocols Dr. Ito's research has substantial implications for democratic processes, particularly in contexts where traditional face-to-face meetings are problematic due to security concerns, cultural restrictions, or pandemic conditions. His work demonstrates how AI mediation can overcome barriers to equal participation, especially for women and religious minorities in restrictive societies.