Piers Gelly is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Virginia, where he teaches Writing and Rhetoric courses. His work bridges creative writing, pedagogy, and social justice, with a focus on labor organizing and digital technologies. MFA in Fiction, University of Virginia (2019) BA in College of Letters, Wesleyan University (2013) His research explores intersections of generative AI in education, podcast production, labor studies, and collaborative authorship. He co-organizes the Writing With Sound speaker series, collaborating with experts like Avery Trufelman and Sarah Larson. Recent projects include curating a student-union collaboration exhibition at UVA’s Small Special Collections Library (2024) and investigating AI ethics in pedagogy. His publications span Literary Hub , The Point , and The Stinging Fly . Key grants include the Thrive Grant (2025), Learning Technology Incubator Grant (2024), and Active Archive Fellowship (2021). Thrive Grant (2025) Learning Technology Incubator Grant (2024) Active Archive Fellowship (2021) Henfield Prize for Fiction (2019) He collaborates extensively with labor unions in Charlottesville and mentors students through podcast projects and collective curatorial efforts.
Kate Hennessy is an Assistant Professor specializing in Media at Simon Fraser University's School of Interactive Arts and Technology . She is an anthropologist with a PhD in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia and an MA in the Anthropology of Media from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies. As the director of the Making Culture Lab , her research explores the role of digital technology in the documentation and safeguarding of cultural heritage, and the mediation of culture, history, objects, and subjects in new forms. Education: PhD in Anthropology, University of British Columbia MA in the Anthropology of Media, University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies Research Interests: Her work investigates documentary methodologies to address indigenous and settler histories of place and space. She explores digital technology's role in cultural heritage documentation and the mediation of culture through new media forms. Her video and multimedia works delve into the intersections of ethnography and contemporary art. Key Contributions: Kate is a co-founder of the Ethnographic Terminalia Curatorial Collective , curating exhibitions at the intersection of ethnography and contemporary art. She serves on the boards of the Museum of Vancouver and the American Anthropological Association's Society for Visual Anthropology . Awards and Recognition: Trudeau Foundation Scholar (2006-2010) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Graduate Scholar (2005-2009) Canadian Polar Commission Scholar (2006-2007) Commonwealth Scholar (2001-2002) Advising and Grants: She advises PhD and Master's students, including Brett Gaylor (Vanier Scholar), Tylar Campbell (Vanier Scholar), Meta Vaughan , and Shumeng Dai . Her lab, the Making Culture Lab , focuses on research-creation projects that bridge anthropology, media, and technology. Labs and Teams: Kate directs the Making Culture Lab at Simon Fraser University, fostering interdisciplinary research in cultural heritage, media, and technology. She collaborates extensively with artists, researchers, and institutions to explore new forms of ethnographic practice and digital storytelling.
Prakash Loungani is the Program Director and Senior Lecturer for the MS in Applied Economics program at Johns Hopkins University’s Advanced Academic Programs. He previously served as Assistant Director at the International Monetary Fund and held roles at the Federal Reserve System and the University of Florida. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Rochester and is an active researcher and commentator in macroeconomics and inequality. Research Interests: Loungani’s work spans a wide range of topics including macroeconomic policy, labor markets, inequality, energy economics, and climate change. His research often explores the distributional effects of economic shocks and policies, with a focus on emerging markets and developing economies. He has contributed significantly to understanding how fiscal and monetary policies impact inequality and how pandemics and energy crises affect economic outcomes. Scientific Contributions: He is the co-author of the book Confronting Inequality: How Societies Can Choose Inclusive Growth and has published extensively in top-tier journals such as Energy Economics , Journal of Economic Inequality , and The Economic Journal . His work has been featured in major media outlets like The New York Times , The Economist , and Financial Times . Teaching and Outreach: In addition to his role at Johns Hopkins, Loungani has taught at SAIS and Carey Business School. He also blogs as the "Unassuming Economist," engaging with public discourse on economic issues.
Susan C. Levine is the Rebecca Anne Boylan Distinguished Service Professor of Education and Society in the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago. Her research explores the interplay between early spatial and numerical thinking, focusing on how adult-child interactions shape mathematical development in home and school settings. Her work examines children's understanding of natural numbers and fractions, evaluates interventions to improve math skills, and investigates how parental and teacher math attitudes influence child outcomes. Key areas include math anxiety, gesture-based learning, and socioeconomic impacts on numeracy. Recent publications highlight gesture interventions for spatial misconceptions, math anxiety in college calculus, and the role of parental interactions in shaping children's mathematical beliefs. The Distinguished Service Professor award recognizes her contributions to educational psychology.
Dr. Anders Karlsson is a distinguished scholar of Korean history at SOAS University of London, where he has been a faculty member since 2000. He is affiliated with the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics and the Centre of Korean Studies. His academic career has established him as a leading Western expert on Choson Korea (1392-1910), with particular expertise in legal history, statecraft, and social institutions of the period. Dr. Karlsson received his PhD in Korean history from Stockholm University in 2000 with a dissertation on the Hong Kyongnae Rebellion, which erupted in the North-western part of the Korean peninsula in 1812. His doctoral research established the foundation for his subsequent scholarship on rural society, famine relief, and local administration in late Choson Korea. Dr. Karlsson's research focuses on the social, institutional and intellectual history of Choson Korea. His work explores Confucian statecraft, famine and disaster relief mechanisms, penal law, rural unrest and rebellion, and writing systems. His scholarship is characterized by meticulous archival research and innovative theoretical approaches that bridge historical, legal, and cultural studies perspectives. He has made significant contributions to understanding how law functioned as an instrument of statecraft in premodern Korea, particularly examining the relationship between legal theory and practice, and how social status influenced legal outcomes. His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from early work on peasant rebellions to increasingly sophisticated analyses of legal and administrative systems. The most recent fifteen years of his scholarship show a pronounced focus on legal history, with particular attention to how Confucian ideology shaped legal development and implementation. His articles reveal expertise in analyzing primary sources in Korean, Chinese, and Swedish, reflecting his unique position as a European scholar deeply immersed in East Asian historical materials. Dr. Karlsson has supervised numerous doctoral students working on Korean history topics, including: Lee H. - "The effect of the genre-based approach on KFL advanced learners' writing and reading" Jang H.J. - "Exploring the Development of Intercultural Competence of University Students Majoring in Korean" Kilkelly P. - "Mainstream culture and the inculturation of Catholicism in late Chosŏn Korea" Choi Y.-C. - "A History of Protestant theory of liberty in Korea, 1886-1917" Jin S.P. - "Korean neutralisation attempts (1882-1907): retracing the struggle for survival and imperial intrigues" Verdier-Shin M.-L. - "Contextualised mission: the South Korean evangelical response to the humanitarian crisis in North Korea (1995-2012)" Song S.K. - "Intellectuals and the state: the resilience and decline of Neo-Confucianism as state ideology in Joseon Korea" At SOAS, Dr. Karlsson teaches courses on Korean history, contemporary Korean culture and society, and Chinese characters (Hanja) as they are used in Korean. His teaching reflects his deep engagement with both historical and contemporary aspects of Korean studies, providing students with comprehensive perspectives on Korean civilization. He also maintains a significant profile as a literary translator, having translated Korean novels into Swedish for 25 years, including recent works by Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate.
Dr. Carola Leicht is a Reader in HRM/Organisational Behaviour at Kent Business School, University of Kent. Her research focuses on social psychological processes influencing workplace decisions, particularly around diversity, stereotypes, and leadership evaluations. She applies these insights to areas such as women and minorities in leadership and the cultural context of science-religion interactions. Current affiliation: University of Kent, Kent Business School Prior role: Post-Doctoral Researcher at Coventry University Her research combines social cognition, stereotype analysis, and intergroup dynamics to examine how diversity experiences and implicit biases shape organisational behavior. She has secured significant funding, including a £2 million Templeton Religion Trust grant as Co-Investigator for a public perceptions study on science and religion. Recent publications highlight her interdisciplinary approach, blending organisational behavior with sociology and psychology to analyze leadership prototypicality, science-religion narratives, and stereotype mitigation. Her awards include a Professional Fellowship from the Advanced HE Academy . Carola is active in academic societies, including the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the European Association of Social Psychology. She serves on the advisory board of the International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society.
Arturo R. Jiménez is a Lecturer at the Department of Radio-Television-Film at The University of Texas at Austin. As a Mexican filmmaker and educator, he brings over 15 years of international film experience in documentary and narrative projects across Mexico, the United States, Cuba, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the Czech Republic. MFA in Film Production from UT Austin His expertise spans documentary and narrative filmmaking , international cinema , and digital media production , with a focus on stories highlighting political empowerment (e.g., 'VOTO 2020'), STEM education (e.g., 'VERIZON Innovative Learning Lab'), and social justice themes . His work has premiered at prestigious festivals such as SXSW and Camerimage. Recent projects demonstrate a trend toward interdisciplinary collaborations , particularly in digital economy initiatives (Verizon's Small Business Digital Ready) and biographical storytelling (e.g., 'Steiner's Workshop'). Scientific Awards Latino Emerging Filmmakers Fellowship (2022) Best Texas Short Award ('El Fantasma')
Kelly McDonough is a Tomás Rivera Regents Professor and Graduate Adviser at the University of Texas at Austin, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and specializes in interdisciplinary research bridging Colonial Literary and Cultural Studies, Critical Indigenous Studies, Ethnohistory (Nahuatl Studies), Science and Technology Studies, and Digital Humanities. Ph.D., University of Minnesota Her research focuses on Nahua intellectual production in Mexico over the past 500 years, challenging racialized discourses that exclude Nahuas from intellectual history. Her books The Learned Ones: Nahua Intellectuals in Postconquest Mexico and Indigenous Science and Technology: Nahuas and the World Around Them (2024) explore Nahua theoretical and practical inquiries into their environments across pre-invasion, colonial, and contemporary periods. McDonough leads collaborative digital humanities projects, including the digitization of the Fondo Real de Cholula judicial archive and the Co-PI role in the Unlocking the Colonial Archive initiative, which harnesses AI for Indigenous and Spanish American historical collections. She teaches courses covering global Indigenous media, critical Indigenous studies, and Nahuatl language. Key Research Themes: Indigenous knowledge systems, colonial archives, environmental inquiry, digital humanities methodologies, ethnohistory.
Mike Perkins is an Associate Professor and Head of the Centre for Research & Innovation at the British University Vietnam (BUV). He holds a PhD in Management from the University of York, UK, with research on performance management in local police service delivery. His current research focuses on generative AI (GenAI) in education, academic integrity, and performance management. Education: PhD in Management (University of York, UK, 2013), Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (2019) Research Interests: GenAI in education, AI ethics, academic integrity, and public sector management. His work bridges technology, education, and academic ethics, with a focus on AI assessment tools and synthetic media challenges. Scientific Awards: St Andrew’s Global Research Fellow (2025–2026) Visiting Scholar at Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary (2026) 2024 Paper of the Year – Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice Prof. Tracey Bretag Academic Integrity Award (2024 Honored, 2025 Shortlisted) BUV President's Research Award (2023) BUV President's Teaching Award (2019) Grants: Led the International Science Partnership Fund (£80,000, 2024–2026) for GenAI integration in Vietnamese higher education. Co-led Going Global Partnerships (£80,000, 2023–2025) for digital transformation in Vietnamese universities.
Behnam Taebi is Full Professor of Energy & Climate Ethics and Scientific Director of the Safety & Security Institute at Delft University of Technology. He leads TU Delft | The Hague, a university-wide initiative connecting engineering knowledge with public policy. His work bridges technology, ethics, and policy through roles at Harvard University’s Belfer Center (2014–2020) and The Young Academy of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (2016–2021). As co-Editor-in-Chief of Science and Engineering Ethics , he contributes to shaping ethical discourse in engineering. BSc in Material Science and Engineering (2006) PhD in Philosophy of Technology (2010) Taebi's research focuses on the ethical dimensions of energy systems, nuclear technology, and climate engineering. He explores intergenerational justice, distributive equity, and responsible innovation frameworks. His work integrates value-sensitive design and moral emotions to address uncertainties in technological risk governance, particularly for nuclear energy and carbon capture. Recent publications highlight ethics in nuclear waste repositories, climate policy metaphors, and synthesizing justice frameworks. His VENI-grant from NWO supports innovative research on technological risks. Collaborations span the OECD Expert Panel on transdisciplinary research and co-editorship of influential volumes like The Ethics of Nuclear Energy (Cambridge, 2015) and Ethics and Engineering: An Introduction (Cambridge, 2021). As Scientific Director of the Safety & Security Institute , he leads interdisciplinary efforts to address societal challenges through engineering ethics. His initiatives emphasize inclusive energy transitions, equitable climate strategies, and bridging technical and social sciences in policy-making.
Nicola Sum is a Senior Lecturer within the School of Education, Culture & Society at Monash University's Faculty of Education. With twenty years of experience in school systems across Victoria, the UK, and international sectors, she brings extensive practical knowledge to her academic role. Her work focuses on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and postgraduate studies of globalisation in education, drawing from her background as a former school principal who returned to complete doctoral studies on the inter-connected nature of globalisation and educational leadership. Dr. Sum's research interests span multiple critical areas in contemporary education: Educational Leadership in global and local contexts International Education frameworks and implementation Gendered experiences of leadership and social injustice Hope theory as resistance in educational settings Sustainability practices in educational leadership School leadership beyond crises and the 'new normal' Her recent scholarly work demonstrates a clear trajectory examining leadership through the lens of crisis, globalization, and hope. The publications reveal a consistent focus on how educational leaders navigate complex challenges, with particular attention to women's experiences and the role of hope as both psychological resource and political resistance. Her research increasingly incorporates transnational perspectives, examining leadership across different cultural contexts and educational systems. Dr. Sum has received recognition for her contributions to the field: Faculty of Education Emeritus Mentoring Scheme (2020) Finalist for the Politics of Education Association (PEA) Outstanding Dissertation Award (2020) Her advisory and grant activities reflect substantial engagement with educational leadership challenges. She has served as Primary Chief Investigator on seven significant research projects since 2016, including 'Transformative leadership through geopolitical crisis: Stories of women and teams working in marginalised communities' (2023) and 'Reimagining leadership in times of crisis and the new normal' (2020-2021). Her work with Social Ventures Australia demonstrates practical applications of her research to improve education through social networks. Dr. Sum maintains active professional engagement through editorial roles with Review of Education and the International Journal of Educational Management, and as a peer reviewer for Scientific Reports. She regularly presents at international conferences and contributes to academic discourse through blogs on topics like glocalization of school leadership and educational leadership during the pandemic.
Reinhard Prügl is a Professor and Head of the Institute for Family Business at WU Wien (Vienna University of Economics and Business). He holds a doctorate from WU Wien and conducted postdoctoral research at MIT Sloan School of Management. Previously, he held a chaired professorship at Zeppelin University where he established the Friedrichshafen Institute for Family Entrepreneurship. His research focuses on the intersection of management, entrepreneurship, and strategy with emphasis on: Leadership and generational succession in family firms Family governance structures Innovation and marketing in family business contexts Identity and reputation management His publications demonstrate strong thematic consistency in family business dynamics while methodologically evolving from qualitative case studies (2000s) to experimental designs and cross-cultural comparisons (2020s). Research frequently addresses paradox resolution and crisis management in family enterprises. Awards & Honors: Best Paper Awards from IFERA, EURAM, AMA, and WU Wien Rudolf-Sallinger-Preis for doctoral dissertation Ehrenpreis for leadership in family business research Teaches courses on Family Business Management, Leadership, and Marketing at WU Wien. Leads research projects including comparative studies on family firm reputation across Germany, India, and the United States.
Sean Lawson is a Professor in the Communication department at the University of Utah, where he has been employed since July 2023. Previously, he served as an Associate Professor at the same institution from July 2015 to June 2023. He was also an Adjunct Scholar at the Modern War Institute (United States Military Academy at West Point) from 2019 to 2020. PhD in Science & Technology Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2008) MA in Arab Studies from Georgetown University (2003) BA in History from California State University, Stanislaus (2000) Dr. Lawson's research centers on the intersections of science, technology, and security, with a focus on national security, military thought, and information/communication technologies (ICTs). His work explores how cyber-doom rhetoric, nonlinear science (chaos and complexity theories), and social media dynamics shape cybersecurity policies and conflict narratives. His publications include analyses of cyberwarfare metaphors, the influence industry, and drone journalism. He has co-authored works on UAVs, cybersecurity discourse, and the role of social media in social movements like Occupy Wall Street. Nonlinear Science and Warfare (2013) Cybersecurity Discourse in the United States (2019) Masspersonal Social Engineering (2024) Dr. Lawson has received awards such as the Simmons Fellow in History and Communication (2009), Faculty Fellow Award (2011), and Non-Resident Fellow status (2020). He teaches courses like "IT & Global Conflict" and "Great Science Books" and has been involved in projects examining drones, cybersecurity, and military imaginaries.
Prof. Dr. Sebastian von Mammen is a tenured professor at the University of Würzburg's Institute for Computer Science, where he heads the Games Engineering research group and contributes to the Chair for Human-Computer Interaction. His group leads the Games Engineering academic program. Previously, he completed his habilitation (2012-2016) at the University of Augsburg's Chair of Organic Computing and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary. His research spans: Real-Time Interactive Systems : Visual programming, immersion techniques, software engineering Interactive Simulations : Serious games for healthcare/logistics/construction Artificial Life : Self-organisation, adaptive systems, evolutionary computation Artificial Intelligence : Agent-based modeling, procedural content generation Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong focus on: Virtual reality applications in education (femtoPro optics simulator, BrainBuilder neuroanatomy) Healthcare technology platforms (VIA-VR for medical serious games) Game mechanics analysis (Match-3, Jump'n'Run flow) AI-driven emotion recognition and interactive systems Computational modeling of biological systems He leads the Games Engineering research group and previously participated in the Evolutionary and Swarm Design group (Calgary) and LINDSAY project. His lab develops VR simulations for scientific training and serious games applications.
Dr. Heather K. Olson Beal is a Professor at Stephen F. Austin State University's Dr. James I. Perkins College of Education, specializing in educational foundations, family/community engagement, and policy advocacy. She co-chairs the Organization for Women's Leadership and Excellence (OWLE) and leads the US Department of Education-funded Project R.A.I.C.E.S. Her work uniquely intersects school choice, bilingual education, and gender studies. PhD in Curriculum & Instruction (Louisiana State University) MA in Modern Languages (Texas A&M University) BA in Spanish & Sociology Her research spans three major domains: Educational Policy: School choice models, market metaphors in education, and institutional inequities Language Acquisition: Foreign language immersion programs, bilingual education frameworks, and second language pedagogy Gender in Academia: Women's experiences in academia, maternal identity negotiation, and caregiver productivity challenges She has published extensively on pandemic-era academic experiences, particularly through the MotherScholar lens, and developed the RAICES framework connecting linguistic/cultural wealth to emergent bilingual education. Her work appears in journals like Peabody Journal of Education , Action in Teacher Education , and TESOL Journal . Scientific Awards National Professional Development Grant (PI) for Project R.A.I.C.E.S. As both researcher and practitioner, she has led projects on educator preparation, language programs, and school choice while serving as journal editor and co-investigator on multiple grants. Her scholarship consistently bridges theoretical rigor with practical application in community-engaged education contexts.
