Find Academic Supervisors

Devindi GeekiyanageView profile

Lecturer

• Sustainable Urban Development
• Disaster Management
• Community Engagement
• +3 more

Dr. Devindi Geekiyanage is a Lecturer in Quantity Surveying at the School of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford. She holds a PhD in Disaster Management from the same institution, an MPhil in Construction and Project Management, and a BSc (Hons) in Facilities Management from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. She is an Associate Member of the Institute of Facilities Management Sri Lanka. Her research focuses on sustainable and risk-sensitive urban development, community engagement frameworks, climate change adaptation, and construction economics. Key projects include the ENSEMBLE project on community resilience, TRANSCEND on technology-enhanced collaboration for urban development, and the Kalutara Living Lab initiative. Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on sustainable urban planning methodologies, particularly examining community engagement barriers in risk-sensitive development. Her work frequently incorporates case studies from Sri Lanka and employs mixed-methods approaches combining qualitative analysis with statistical modelling. Her research has been recognized through multiple awards including the 2023 People's Choice Award for her 3MT thesis presentation, BEPAM Highly Commended Paper Award (2022), and Best Research Award (2021) for transformative urban development frameworks. She leads postgraduate research development in Climate Change and Sustainability, supervising student projects while coordinating international collaborations. Current grants include SSHRC and GCRF/ESRC funded initiatives examining social cohesion through transformed community spaces. Through ThinkLab collaborations, she coordinates living lab methodologies for community-centered research and maintains active industry partnerships for implementing participatory approaches in urban development.

Jamie O'BrienView profile

Research Fellow

• Design research in the built environment
• Network analysis for decision-making
• Data modelling and knowledge representation
• +3 more

Dr. Jamie O'Brien serves as Research Fellow at THINKlab, University of Salford, specializing in the intersection of spatial design, data modeling, and community dynamics. Previously, they held Senior Research Associate positions at UCL's Bartlett School of Architecture and CeMoRe Fellowships at Lancaster University's Centre for Mobilities Research, developing graph-based visualization methods for urban community spaces. Education: EPSRC Engineering Doctorate in Virtual Environments, The Bartlett, UCL Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education BA (Hons.) Fine Art and Critical Theory O'Brien's research integrates creative arts with critical theory to address complex social-spatial challenges through network analysis and knowledge representation. Their work bridges physical infrastructure and conceptual frameworks in urban environments, particularly examining how movement patterns influence social inclusion and community formation. This approach combines computational modeling with sociological insights to develop adaptive planning systems for resilient cities. Recent publications demonstrate consistent advancement in spatial analysis methodologies, evolving from foundational work on VR neuro-rehabilitation to current applications in community inequality visualization. The research trajectory shows increasing focus on graph-based techniques for modeling social-physical interdependencies, with growing emphasis on climate resilience and post-disaster recovery as evidenced by THINKlab's recent ENSEMBLE project. Professional recognition includes: Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy Funding includes EPSRC support for doctoral research on virtual environments in stroke rehabilitation (2003-2007) and Leverhulme Trust backing for the Visualizing Community Inequalities project (2014-2017). While no formal advisees are documented, O'Brien contributes to THINKlab's collaborative mentoring culture through projects like MOBILISE digital solutions featured in COP29 climate infrastructure reports. As core THINKlab personnel, O'Brien participates in University of Salford's Centre for Resilient and Smart Cities initiatives, currently advancing the ENSEMBLE project to enhance social cohesion through community space design and contributing to special journal issues on post-disaster recovery sustainability.

Javier MirandaView profile

Professor

• Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Economic Productivity
• +5 more

Professor Javier Miranda is a leading economist at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and heads the Centre for Business and Productivity Dynamics (IWH-CBPD) at the Halle Institute for Economic Research. His research focuses on business dynamics, innovation, entrepreneurship, and productivity growth, with emphasis on high-growth firms and synthetic data methodologies. He holds a PhD from American University and previously served as Principal Economist at the U.S. Census Bureau. Affiliations: IWH-CBPD, IWH-CompNet Team, Leibniz Association Education: BSc (Universidad Autónoma Madrid), MSc and PhD (American University) His research interests span entrepreneurship's economic impact, private equity effects, and technological adoption patterns. Miranda has pioneered novel datasets like the Intuit QuickBooks Index for small business monitoring and contributed to frameworks measuring innovation in the digital era. His work frequently addresses policy implications of business dynamics and labor market shifts. Key contributions include analyses of private equity buyout impacts, robot adoption geographies, and immigration-driven entrepreneurship. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored influential books such as *The Promise and Peril of Entrepreneurship* (2023) and *Measuring and Accounting for Innovation* (2021). Miranda's advisory roles include leading multidisciplinary teams and shaping economic policy through evidence-based research. His work bridges macroeconomic theory with real-world business data, addressing critical issues like declining job reallocation in Europe and credit market dynamics for small firms.

Victor PerottiView profile

Professor

• Digital business
• Digital entrepreneurship
• Web 2.0
• +8 more

Victor Perotti is a Professor and Department Chair of MIS, Marketing, and Digital Business at the Saunders College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). He holds a Ph.D., MA, and MS in Cognitive and Experimental Psychology, along with a BS in Computer Science from The Ohio State University. His research focuses on digital business ecosystems, social media dynamics, and entrepreneurship in marginalized communities. Notable projects include studies on brand community engagement, disaster-impacted customer experiences, and career growth for deaf workers. He has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including work on social network analysis in startups and the ethical challenges of social media in branding. Perotti teaches advanced business analytics, digital entrepreneurship, and marketing strategy courses. He leads RIT’s Department of MIS, Marketing, and Digital Business, which has seen rapid national ranking growth in the past five years. His academic innovations include a Digital Journalism Incubator grant (2013) to develop interdisciplinary education models. He also co-invented a patent for visualizing web usage patterns (2002) and has presented at global conferences like AMCIS and PDMA. His work bridges cognitive psychology, technology, and business strategy, emphasizing real-world applications in digital transformation and inclusive entrepreneurship.

Kendal JacksonView profile

Researcher

• Geoarchaeology
• Historical Ecology
• GIS
• +3 more

Kendal Jackson, Ph.D., is a Post Doctoral Researcher at the School of Geosciences, University of South Florida. His research focuses on geoarchaeology, historical ecology, and interdisciplinary methods to study human-environment interactions. Jackson holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, and M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Anthropology from the University of South Florida, Tampa. His educational background integrates archaeology and earth sciences, with expertise in sedimentology, palynology, and GIS. Jackson’s work emphasizes understanding coupled human-natural systems through studies of Holocene and late-Pleistocene environments. Research interests include paleoenvironmental reconstruction, indigenous land use, and coastal dynamics. His recent studies explore Tampa Bay’s historical ecologies, climate-driven regime shifts, and the resilience of indigenous communities. Jackson’s methodologies involve sediment coring, remote sensing, and interdisciplinary data integration. His articles highlight themes such as coastal morphodynamics, oyster assemblage management, and firefly synchronicity in cultural landscapes. Over a decade of awards (2013–2020) reflect recognition of his contributions to archaeological and environmental sciences. Teaching includes undergraduate courses on archaeology, field methods, and sedimentary environments. Jackson collaborates on NSF-funded projects and has advised on digital heritage documentation. His work bridges archaeology, geology, and ecology, contributing to coastal resilience research and historical preservation efforts.

Jude FernandoView profile

Associate Professor

• Political Economy
• Sustainable Development
• NGO Studies
• +5 more

Jude Fernando is an Associate Professor at Clark University's Department of Sustainability and Social Justice, specializing in political economy, South Asian studies, and critical development theory. His research focuses on NGOs, sustainable development, and post-conflict reconstruction in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics, Anthropology, and South Asian History from the University of Pennsylvania (1998) and a B.A. in Applied Economics from the University of Peradeniya (1986). His work critiques neoliberalism's impact on civil society and explores multispecies justice frameworks to address ecological and social crises. Key contributions include analyzing microfinance NGOs' controversial roles in South Asia and advocating for child-centered education initiatives through the Alfa Children and Youth Training Institute (ACUIS), established post-2004 Tsunami. His recent research examines Sri Lanka's economic collapse and the 2023 citizen uprising against racial capitalism. He has received grants such as USAID's Climate Change Adaptation initiative (2021-2022) and contributed to international conferences on South Asia. Notable publications include Political Economy of NGOs: State Formation in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (2011) and articles on virocene theory, war memorials, and hyper-religiosity's role in ethnic conflict. Academic engagements include teaching at the University of Arizona and University of Colombo, alongside consultancy work for the Asia Foundation and World Bank. His research bridges academic inquiry with practical solutions through initiatives like ACUIS, emphasizing long-term educational and vocational training for displaced youth.

• Immigrant Psychology
• Mental Health
• Substance Use Disorders
• +4 more

Tara Bautista is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Northern Arizona University. Her research focuses on immigrant psychology, mental health, and mindfulness-based interventions. She investigates cultural stressors, substance use disorders, and resilience mechanisms among marginalized populations. Key areas of study include climate migration impacts, ingroup discrimination dynamics, and community-based participatory research with Latina populations. Dr. Bautista employs mixed methods and longitudinal designs to analyze psychological well-being, economic mobility, and health disparities. Her work addresses systemic barriers in healthcare access, particularly language access in substance use treatment facilities and vaping policy gaps in growing Spanish-speaking communities. Collaborations span international teams examining pandemic responses, Ukrainian refugee mental health, and cross-cultural social perceptions. Publications emphasize methodological rigor through systematic reviews and structural equation modeling. Recent studies explore relapse prevention in opioid treatment, vaping policy analysis, and qualitative insights into mindfulness intervention satisfaction among women with trauma symptoms.

• Household Finance
• Climate Risk Perception
• Mortgage Lending
• +5 more

Yilan Xu is an Associate Professor in Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with an affiliation to the Center for Social & Behavioral Science. Her research focuses on household finance, environmental policy, and risk perception, particularly in contexts of climate change, natural disasters, and energy markets. She explores how socioeconomic factors influence financial resilience, mortgage lending practices, and consumer decision-making under uncertainty. Key research interests include the interplay between social networks and climate risk perception, the economic impacts of natural disasters on household finances, and the environmental consequences of energy extraction. Her work bridges environmental economics, behavioral science, and public policy, addressing pressing issues like carbon emissions, wastewater management, and pandemic-related financial vulnerability. Recent publications highlight innovative approaches to quantifying global carbon monoxide emission drivers, analyzing non-damaging earthquake effects on mortgage markets, and assessing flood insurance impacts on property values. Xu's research has been widely cited in media outlets, including coverage of how social networks shape climate risk understanding. Her collaborative projects involve interdisciplinary teams examining topics such as autonomous trucking's trade impacts, bikeshare systems' role in urban mobility, and genetic influences on financial distress. Xu's work emphasizes policy-relevant insights to enhance economic resilience and sustainable development.

• Climate Change
• Informal Urbanization
• Sustainable Built Environment
• +3 more

Dr. Ishmael Adams is a Researcher at the School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney (UTS). He holds a PhD in Built Environment from UTS, alongside certifications in project management. His research focuses on climate change resilience in informal urban contexts, sustainable built environments, and disaster management. He has over 18 years of combined academic and industry experience. Education: PhD Built Environment (UTS), Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning. Teaching Roles: Subject coordinator, lecturer, and marker for courses like Urban Renewal, Infrastructure Funding, and Research Projects in UTS's Master of Planning program since 2017. His research investigates climate vulnerability in informal settlements, e-service delivery challenges in African public sectors, and community-based disaster adaptation. He has published in journals such as Local Environment , Construction Economics and Building , and Climate . His work bridges theoretical frameworks (e.g., TOE model) with practical solutions for developing countries. Adams actively reviews for journals like Cities and Journal of Building Engineering , contributing to scholarly discourse. He collaborates with institutions globally, focusing on housing, urban renewal, and digital transformation in public services.

Pablo M. FloresView profile

Adjunct Assistant Professor

• Computational Social Science
• Information Dynamics
• Collective Emotions
• +3 more

Pablo M. Flores is a computational social scientist affiliated with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile's School of Communication as an Adjunct Assistant Professor. As a founding member of Science to People, he develops VeriSci.AI, a tool delivering evidence-based health information to social media creators. His academic background includes a Ph.D. in Communication from UC Davis and a BS in Industrial Engineering (Mathematics emphasis) from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. His research integrates natural language processing, network analysis, and causal inference to examine: Information flow dynamics in social systems Collective emotional patterns in digital spaces Human-AI interaction frameworks Social impacts of algorithmic systems Current investigations focus on emotionally aware AI for optimizing information-sharing processes. Publications predominantly explore computational social science themes, with recent works (2023-2024) analyzing algorithmic recommendation risks, emotion-driven information sharing, and post-disaster communication patterns. Earlier research (2017-2020) investigated media's role in disaster mental health support and audience perceptions of journalistic techniques. Key collaborations include: Leading a CONICYT-Chile funded multidisciplinary team at PUC developing communication software Graduate research at UC Davis' Computational Communication Research Lab (C²Lab) Co-founding Science to People for AI-driven science communication

Angela SherwoodView profile

Lecturer

• State violence
• Migration governance
• Environmental harm
• +10 more

Dr. Angela Sherwood , Lecturer in Law at Queen Mary University of London's School of Law, specializes in state violence, migration governance, and environmental harm. With a PhD from Queen Mary and MSc from Oxford, her work bridges criminology and law, focusing on humanitarian crimes and forced displacement. Education: PhD (Queen Mary), MSc (Oxford), BA (University of Vermont) Her research examines state crime, borders, and climate-related migration . She has published extensively on post-disaster displacement, IOM accountability, and forced evictions. Recent work explores intersections between humanitarianism and criminology. Angela previously led ESRC and ERC funded projects on refugee mobility and humanitarian crime. She has collaborated with Amnesty International and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), conducting fieldwork in Haiti, Philippines, and multiple global locations.

Karl BlanchetView profile

Professor

• Public Health
• Health Systems Research
• Humanitarian Health
• +3 more

Professor Karl Blanchet is Director of the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies and Academic Director of InZone, a joint initiative between Université de Genève and The Graduate Institute (IHEID). His work focuses on humanitarian public health and health systems research in conflict zones and displacement settings. He leads major projects such as the Impact of Attacks on Healthcare (RIAH) consortium and co-chairs the Lancet Migration European Regional Hub , addressing migration health equity in Europe. Research Interests: Blanchet’s research spans health systems resilience, healthcare in armed conflicts, migration health, and evidence-based policy design. He co-developed Afghanistan’s Integrated Package of Essential Health Services , funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and collaborates with WHO, MSF, and UN agencies. His work emphasizes system thinking approaches to strengthen health systems against shocks like epidemics, economic crises, and political instability. Key Projects: Leading Afghanistan case studies in RIAH (funded by UK FCDO) Co-PI for SYSTAC Europe (WHO Health Policy Systems Research) BRANCH Consortium for women’s/children’s health in conflict Advocacy & Grants: Blanchet has secured funding from major donors like Gates Foundation and UK FCDO. His work advocates for healthcare worker protection in Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar, and addresses systemic barriers to migrant health access in Europe. He chairs global initiatives like the Lancet Migration Hub and contributes to WHO policy frameworks on health systems resilience. Academic Leadership: Teaches courses on humanitarian health systems at ISG, including modules on NCDs in crises, sexual violence response, and planetary health. His team includes researchers like Audrey Mahieu and Rosemary Jouhaud.

Brad A. M. JohnsonView profile

Assistant Professor

• Local Government
• Civic Engagement
• Government Technology
• +4 more

Brad A. M. Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno, housed within the Department of Political Science. His research bridges organizational and policy theories through local government, technology, and civic engagement lenses. He develops novel datasets from government records and employs mixed methods (quantitative, computational, qualitative) to study public organizations' internal dynamics. Education: Ph.D., Public Administration (North Carolina State University, 2022) MPA (North Carolina State University, 2020) B.S., Urban Studies (University of Cincinnati, 2008) Research focuses on three core areas: 1) Technology's role in public sector operations, 2) Civic engagement mechanisms in governance, and 3) Organizational theory applied to local government structures. His work emphasizes practical applications, having developed a civic engagement software platform used by over 200 U.S. local governments. Teaching includes courses like Public Policy Analysis and Capstone Leadership in Public Organizations within the MPA program. He coordinates the Nevada Leadership Program and leads the Local Governance Lab, focusing on actionable research for communities.

Anna Livia BrandView profile

Associate Professor

• Urban Planning
• Racial Justice
• Environmental Planning
• +3 more

Anna Livia Brand is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, affiliated with the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning. Her research critically examines racial landscapes, spatial justice, and Black geographies, focusing on how planning and design perpetuate racial exclusion. She holds a PhD in Urban Planning from MIT, an MURP from the University of New Orleans, and a BArch from Tulane University. Brand teaches courses such as LDARCH140 Social and Psychological Factors in Open Space Design and LDARCH254 Racial Landscapes . Her work bridges academia and activism, emphasizing Black place-making and anti-racist methodologies. Notable research includes studies on New Orleans's Claiborne Avenue and Montgomery's memorial landscapes. Her publications explore themes like racial capitalism, emancipatory green justice, and the spatial legacies of systemic racism. She has contributed to ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies , Environment and Planning D , and edited volumes on Black geographies and urban justice. Brand’s community engagement focuses on marginalized urban communities, advocating for equitable planning through frameworks like reparative spatial practices and decolonial methodologies. Her work challenges conventional urban theories to center racialized spatial experiences and liberatory urban futures.

• Disaster Mitigation
• Healthcare Resilience
• Global Healthcare
• +7 more

Nebil Achour is an Associate Professor in Disaster Mitigation and Course Leader for the MSc Healthcare Management program at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. He specializes in healthcare resilience to disasters, hospital safety, and global healthcare leadership. He holds a PhD in Disaster Mitigation Engineering from Kanazawa University (Japan) and has over 20 years of experience in disaster risk reduction, including roles at Loughborough University and WHO collaborations. His research focuses on enhancing healthcare infrastructure resilience through innovation in emergency planning, disaster mitigation strategies, and global health policy. He has authored over 50 publications and received awards for research excellence. Education: PhD in Disaster Mitigation Engineering, Kanazawa University (Japan) MSc in Disaster Mitigation Engineering, Kanazawa University (Japan) BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering, Tunis Advanced School of Science and Technology (Tunisia) Research Interests: Innovations in healthcare emergency planning, global challenges in healthcare resilience, hospital staff resilience, disaster prevention, and sustainability in healthcare infrastructure. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to strengthen healthcare systems against natural hazards and pandemics. Key Achievements: Member of the WHO Hospital Safety Index revision panel Co-chaired international resilience workshops (FIReS Webinars 2021–2022) Recipient of the Best Paper Award (CIB World Congress 2010) and Emerald Literati Awards (2015–2016) Grants & Consultancy: Led the £11M HaCIRIC research center, advised WHO on hospital safety in multiple countries (e.g., Montenegro, Jordan), and contributed to global health resilience frameworks. His research spans national and international collaborations, including post-earthquake investigations and pandemic response strategies. Professional Activities: Editorial roles in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness and International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment . Active in committees such as the CIB World Building Congress and TRC Journal of Medicine. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).