Heather O'Brien is a Professor at the School of Information , University of British Columbia, specializing in user engagement with digital technologies , information retrieval , and knowledge exchange . Her work bridges human-computer interaction and health informatics through projects like the User Engagement Scale (UES) and the PolarUs app for bipolar disorder management. Education: MLIS and PhD from Dalhousie University Research: Focuses on engagement theory, digital health, and university-community knowledge exchange Her STOREE project (SSHRC-funded) develops frameworks for open scholarship and community-centered metadata practices. She co-developed the internationally adopted UES tool for measuring technology engagement, translated into French, German, Italian, and Portuguese . Scientific Awards: 2022 ASIS&T Research in Information Science Award 2018 ASIS&T SIG USE Best Paper Award Professor O'Brien mentors graduate students in information behavior and digital health while leading interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like CREST.BD and BC Centre on Substance Use .
Professor Jonathan Erichsen serves as Professor of Visual Neuroscience and Deputy Head of School within the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences at Cardiff University. With a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has established himself as a leading researcher in visual neuroscience and eye movement disorders. Professor Erichsen's research has evolved from early work on central near response pathways in the brain, including vergence and the pupillary light reflex, to a broader focus on eye movement disorders. His primary research interests include the control of visuomotor behavior, eye movement abnormalities in neurodegenerative conditions, and visual function assessment in individuals with nystagmus. He has pioneered innovative methodologies including stereotaxic surgery, immunohistochemistry, neural pathway tracing, and microstimulation in his investigations. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward clinical applications of eye movement research, particularly in developing better assessment tools for visual function in nystagmus patients. The research spans from fundamental neuroanatomy to practical clinical tools, with significant contributions to understanding infantile nystagmus, Huntington's disease-related eye movement abnormalities, and visual function in children. His work increasingly integrates advanced eye tracking technologies with clinical applications. Professor Erichsen founded the Cardiff Research Unit for Nystagmus (RUN) approximately twenty years ago, establishing a large cohort of volunteers with infantile nystagmus to study how environmental factors like stress affect visual performance. More recently, he established the Eye Movement Experimental Research Group (EMERG) to expand research into eye movement abnormalities associated with neurodegenerative conditions including Huntington's disease, schizophrenia risk, and dystonia. His research has demonstrated that traditional measures of visual performance, such as visual acuity, are not significantly affected by changes in eye movements of individuals with nystagmus, suggesting the need for developing better outcome measures in clinical practice. Professor Erichsen remains actively involved in postgraduate supervision and continues to produce high-impact research in visual neuroscience.
Jack Peltz, PhD, serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology, Philosophy, and Neuroscience Programs at the State University of New York at Brockport. His academic career focuses on the intersection of developmental psychopathology, sleep science, and family systems dynamics, with particular emphasis on adolescent and college-age populations. His educational background includes: PhD in Clinical Psychology (Concentration: Developmental Psychopathology; Certificate: Quantitative Methods), University of Rochester, 2013 MA in Clinical Psychology, University of Rochester, 2010 MA in Child Development (Concentration: Clinical and Developmental Psychology), Tufts University, 2007 BA in Japanese, Middlebury College, 1996 Dr. Peltz's research program centers on developmental psychopathology and sleep regulation , investigating bidirectional relationships between sleep disturbances and family functioning. As a clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep health for children and families, he develops community-based interventions to promote sleep hygiene. His work uniquely bridges quantitative methodology with clinical applications, examining how economic stressors, social media influences, and developmental transitions impact sleep-wake patterns. Analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) sleep as a mediator between adverse childhood experiences and psychological outcomes, (2) technology-mediated sleep disruptions (including wearable devices and social media), and (3) developmental transitions (puberty, college entry) affecting sleep-family dynamics. His methodological approach combines longitudinal designs, ambulatory EEG, and mixed-methods analysis to capture real-time sleep-family interactions across diverse populations including youth with visual impairments.
Will Beischel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, specializing in Social Psychology. His interdisciplinary research bridges psychological science with queer and trans studies to develop inclusive frameworks for understanding gender and sexuality across diverse populations. Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship: Université de Sherbrooke Doctorate: University of Michigan Bachelors: Loyola University Chicago Dr. Beischel's research program focuses on three interconnected domains: (1) Positive experiences of gender and sexuality including gender euphoria and pleasure across identity spectra; (2) Methodological innovations like the Gender/Sex 3x3 framework for measuring beyond binaries; and (3) Developmental processes in gender identity formation, particularly during adolescence. His work employs mixed methods including surveys, interviews, and community-based approaches while centering intersectional perspectives on race, ethnicity, and social identity. He teaches PSYC 238: Sex and Gender: Similarities and Differences and actively seeks collaborators for social justice-oriented psychological research. Analysis of his 2022-2025 publications reveals a strong trajectory toward expanding psychological theory through non-binary gender frameworks, examining positive affect in gender experiences, and addressing health disparities among gender/sexual minorities. His work increasingly integrates biological markers with social identity constructs while developing practical tools for clinical and community settings. Scientific Awards: No awards were documented in the provided materials. Dr. Beischel is not recruiting Ph.D. students for Fall 2025. While specific grant details weren't provided, his research program demonstrates substantial external funding through national collaborations and community partnerships focused on LGBTQ+ health and methodology development. His work involves community-engaged research teams and interdisciplinary collaborations across psychology, gender studies, and public health. Current projects emphasize translating theoretical frameworks into practical tools for educators, clinicians, and policymakers while fostering spaces for gender and sexual diversity in academic settings.
Dr Jack Cunliffe is a Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Methods and Criminology at the University of Kent's School of Social Sciences, serving as Director of Studies for Criminology since joining in 2015. His academic journey began with a mathematics undergraduate degree, followed by a PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics, and prior government experience in the Home Office and Ministry of Justice. His educational background includes: PhD in Social Policy, London School of Economics (thesis on structural equation modelling of area characteristics as offending risk factors) Undergraduate degree in Mathematics Dr Cunliffe's primary research focuses are cybercrime (particularly online drug trade and fraud) and policy evaluation (assessing prison interventions and drug diversion schemes). He actively contributes as the School of Social Sciences champion for the Institute of Cyber Security for Society and collaborates across disciplines on identity fusion, charitable giving during the pandemic, and primary school civic education. His methodological expertise lies in advanced quantitative analysis of administrative and survey data. His publication record (2017-2025) demonstrates a cohesive research trajectory: early work centered on cryptomarkets and darknet drug trade (2017-2019), evolving into prison rehabilitation interventions (2024-2025) and pandemic-related social behavior (2023). These publications, appearing in high-impact journals like Nature Human Behaviour and BMJ, reflect interdisciplinary collaboration and a commitment to addressing pressing societal issues through rigorous quantitative methods. No scientific awards, fellowships, or medals are documented in the provided information. Dr Cunliffe has led quantitative components of major projects including the Ministry of Justice-funded Prison Leavers Project and evaluations of police drug diversion schemes. He mentors PhD students in cybercrime and policy evaluation and has designed significant curriculum reforms for Kent's criminology program. His grant portfolio reflects strong partnerships with government agencies and interdisciplinary academic teams. As the School of Social Sciences representative for the Institute of Cyber Security for Society, Dr Cunliffe fosters cross-school collaboration on cybercrime research. He also plays a central role in the criminology program's academic leadership, having overseen a comprehensive curriculum redesign and teaching advanced quantitative methods and cybercrime courses.
Professor Chu (Ivy) Dang is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Business School of The University of Hong Kong, where she has been teaching since 2020. Her research focuses on the economics of information in quantitative marketing, examining how consumers search for information, how this information influences their choices, and the information provision strategies of firms in digital environments. Business School, The University of Hong Kong Assistant Professor of Marketing Specializes in consumer behavior in digital contexts Professor Dang received her Ph.D. in Marketing from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she also earned an M.S. in Economics. Her undergraduate degree is a B.S. in Applied Physics from Beijing Jiaotong University. Prior to her business studies, she spent two years conducting research in quantum information at RB Liu Lab as a Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) candidate in physics. Her research spans multiple dimensions of consumer behavior in digital environments, with particular emphasis on consumer search behavior and information economics. She investigates how consumers acquire and process information in online contexts, with applications to social media marketing where she examines the effects of Marketer-Generated Content (MGC), User-Generated Content (UGC), and increasingly, AI-Generated Content (AIGC). Her work on emerging trends in live-commerce and influencer marketing has provided new insights into how these formats reshape consumer decision processes. Analysis of her publications reveals a consistent focus on empirical methods to study information economics, with increasing attention to social media dynamics and emerging e-commerce formats. Professor Dang has secured significant research funding as Principal Investigator, including a General Research Fund grant (#17506824) and an Early Career Scheme grant (#27504221) from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. She also leads projects funded by the HKU Business School Shenzhen Research Institutes and the HKU Seed Fund for Research. She recently co-organized the 14th Consumer Search and Switching Costs Workshop in Hong Kong in June 2025, demonstrating her leadership in this specialized research area. Her research has been published in top-tier journals including Journal of Marketing Research, Information Systems Research, and Marketing Science. Her teaching portfolio includes Social Media Marketing at both undergraduate and Master's levels, where she brings her cutting-edge research insights into the classroom to prepare students for the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape. In her personal time, Professor Dang enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Laura Vandenbosch is a Senior Lecturer at KU Leuven's Faculty of Social Sciences , actively leading the Lab for Media Psychology (OG) . She contributes to interdisciplinary research networks like DigiSoc , LC&Y , and Leuven One Health , with formal university affiliations confirmed through ORCID (0000-0001-6834-8386). Key research themes: digital media effects on adolescent mental health, body image, political identity, and social media literacy Current projects focus on topics like positive body image in preadolescence , influencer morality , and digital intimacy literacy Her 2025 publications include multi-method studies on appearance-focused social media activity, AI chatbot interactions, and political socialization through non-political figures Advises PhD candidates through promotor roles in diverse media psychology research areas
Patrick J. Curran is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina, affiliated with the L.L. Thurstone Psychometric Laboratory and the Quantitude initiative. His research focuses on quantitative methodologies, particularly longitudinal data analysis and structural equation modeling, applied to developmental psychopathology and adolescent substance use. He collaborates on statistical education through YouTube tutorials, a blog (Help Desk), and workshops, alongside a podcast with Greg Hancock. His work bridges methodological innovation with substantive research in psychology and public health. Key contributions include advancing latent curve models with structured residuals, integrative data analysis techniques, and the dissemination of statistical tools. His research spans disciplines such as developmental psychology, clinical psychology, and epidemiology, addressing topics like alcohol use trajectories, chronic depression mechanisms, and pandemic-related disparities in healthcare workers’ mental health. Lab Affiliations: L.L. Thurstone Psychometric Lab, Quantitude Collaborations: Dan Bauer (statistical education), Greg Hancock (podcast), and interdisciplinary teams in public health and clinical research His publications emphasize methodological rigor and practical application, often addressing gaps in longitudinal data analysis and measurement equivalence. Notable work includes the latent curve model with structured residuals (LCM-SR) and integrative data harmonization strategies for prevention science.
Xiaoli Nan is a Professor of Communication Science and Director of the Center for Health and Risk Communication at the University of Maryland-College Park. She is affiliated with the Department of Behavioral and Community Health, the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center's Population Science Program. Education: Ph.D. from University of Minnesota Teaching: Health communication, persuasion, media effects, quantitative methods Research Focus: Persuasion science, health communication, misinformation, advertising Her research examines how persuasive communication influences beliefs and behaviors, particularly in public health contexts such as vaccination, pandemics, food safety, and cancer prevention. She has secured over $8.5 million in grants from NIH, NSF, FDA, and other agencies. Her work integrates communication theory with behavioral interventions to address health disparities and improve risk messaging. Recent publications analyze trends in COVID-19 communication , vaccine hesitancy , narrative persuasion , and temporal framing effects . Her experimental studies explore strategies like self-affirmation and norm-based messaging to reduce defensive responses and enhance health campaign efficacy. Awards : Mayhew Derryberry Award (2018), Lewis Donohew Outstanding Health Communication Scholar (2020), NCA Outstanding Health Communication Scholar (2022) Editorial Roles : Senior Editor for Health Communication (2018–present), Editorial Board member of Human Communication Research and Communication Research Professional Leadership : Former Vice-Chair/Chair of NCA Health Communication Division, AEJMC committee roles
Dr Mark J. Hill is a Lecturer in Cultural Computation at King's College London's Department of Digital Humanities within the Faculty of Arts & Humanities. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford, an M.Sc. in Political Theory from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. in Political Science from Concordia University. His interdisciplinary work bridges digital humanities, computational social science, and intellectual history. Research Focus: Social network analysis, public discourse analysis via large datasets, quantitative text analysis, and critical evaluation of digital methods. Current Projects: Investigating discourse patterns across historical and contemporary contexts, including Early Modern Nonconformist networks and digital discourse around football fandom. He collaborates with institutions like the University of Helsinki and engages with public sectors on digital research projects. Teaching includes digital research methods and critical thinking in the digital age. His affiliations include the Computational Humanities Research Group and the Centre for Digital Culture at King's College London.
Francisco Benita is an Adjunct Lecturer at the Engineering Systems and Design (ESD) Pillar of Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). He holds a PhD in Engineering Sciences from Monterrey Tech (2016) and an MSc in Industrial Economics from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (2012). Prior to SUTD, he was a postdoctoral fellow at SUTD’s Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar and a Senior Advisor at the ITESM-BMGI Lean Six Sigma Program. His research focuses on urban systems, optimization, data science, and their intersections with economics and public policy. Key areas include transportation networks, spatial livability indices, and pandemic impacts on urban environments. Benita’s interdisciplinary work spans fields like sustainable urban design, carbon emissions modeling, and global trade dynamics. Recent publications highlight trends in transportation innovation (e.g., ride-sharing impacts, aircraft routing frameworks), climate-resilient urban planning (e.g., walkway thermal comfort), and pandemic analysis. His projects often integrate quantitative methods with real-world data, emphasizing actionable insights for policymakers and urban planners. Though no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, his extensive international collaborations—including research visits to TU Berlin, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and Supélec—reflect his global academic engagement. Students and grants are not listed in the provided texts. Benita’s work is anchored in labs/teams within SUTD’s ESD Pillar, though specific lab affiliations are not detailed. His research bridges theoretical optimization with practical urban challenges, contributing to both academic discourse and applied solutions in smart cities.
Ranjit Lall is an Associate Professor of International Political Economy at the University of Oxford's Department of Politics and International Relations, and a Fellow of St John's College. His research focuses on international cooperation, development, technological change, and methodological innovations in machine learning and missing data analysis. He holds a PhD from Harvard University and a BA from Oxford, and has been recognized with the Merze Tate Award and Leamer-Rosenthal Prize for his work. Education : PhD in Government (Harvard University), BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (University of Oxford) Affiliations : St John's College Fellow, Oxford's International Relations Network His research explores how international institutions function, leveraging computational tools like MIDASpy for missing data imputation. Key interests include civil society influence on global governance, accountability mechanisms, and the political economy of technological change. He previously worked at the Bank of England and Financial Times before academia. Recent Research Trends : Articles emphasize institutional performance metrics, pandemic-era voting behavior, and AI governance frameworks. His work bridges theoretical political science with practical computational methods. Awards : 2020 Leamer-Rosenthal Prize, 2018 Merze Tate Award Advising : Supervises six graduate students in international relations and political economy Lall collaborates on open-source projects such as the MIDAS software for data imputation and actively contributes to debates on transparent social science research practices.
Lincoln Quillian is Chair and Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University, holding the Gordon S. Fulcher Professorship of Decision-Making. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1997 and previously taught at the University of Wisconsin. His research focuses on racial discrimination, residential segregation, urban sociology, and quantitative methods. Key projects include a meta-analysis of global hiring discrimination and analyses of residential mobility patterns. Education: Ph.D. in Sociology, Harvard University (1997) Research Interests: Racial discrimination, urban inequality, quantitative methods, and policy impacts on housing and labor markets. His work combines experimental and observational approaches to address systemic inequities. Recent publications examine persistent racial discrimination in hiring and housing across countries and time. He teaches advanced statistical methods and urban sociology courses. At Northwestern, Quillian chairs the IPR’s Neighborhoods and Community Safety program, emphasizing policy-relevant research. His findings inform debates on segregation, economic inequality, and anti-discrimination policies.
Patrick Gaudreau is a Full Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, where he specializes in social and personality psychology. His research focuses on the determinants and consequences of achievement in educational, sport, and artistic domains, particularly through the lens of his Model of Excellencism and Perfectionism (MEP). The MEP distinguishes between healthy pursuit of excellence and harmful perfectionism, emphasizing how these motivations affect performance, psychological adjustment, and social behaviors. Gaudreau's work highlights the benefits of excellencism, such as reduced distress and ethical attitudes compared to perfectionism. He also investigates motivational dynamics, coping strategies, and the impact of digital devices on learning. Education: Ph.D. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (2004) M.Sc. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (2000) B.Sc. in Psychology, Université de Montréal (1999) Research Interests: Perfectionism vs. excellencism, achievement goals, self-determination theory, performance anxiety, sport psychology, health psychology, and quantitative methods. His laboratory, LAMRA (Laboratory for Research on Achievement, Motivation, and the Regulation of Action), explores interactionist perspectives on how social environments and individual traits shape achievement outcomes. Recent Articles: Recent work examines psychological needs in the context of excellencism, perfectionism's impact on social disconnection, and the motivational roles of fear of failure. His findings advocate for interventions to transform perfectionism into excellencism to enhance both performance and well-being. Awards: None explicitly listed, but recognized as editor of Anxiety, Stress, and Coping and for over 100 scientific publications. Active in applied settings, including coaching youth baseball and advising on athlete well-being. Advising & Grants: Supervises numerous graduate students and collaborates on grants focusing on perfectionism, excellencism, and motivational interventions. His research has been supported by studies on procrastination, academic transitions, and the psychological effects of sport participation. Labs/Teams: Leads the LAMRA, a multidisciplinary team investigating achievement-related processes. Engaged with the Student-athlete Well-being and Achievement Project (SWAP), examining sport and academic outcomes for student-athletes.
Associate Professor Wing Wah Tham holds a position at the School of Banking and Finance within the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Business School . He also maintains affiliations as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow and a Tinbergen Institute Fellow . Previously, he served as an Associate Professor of Financial Econometrics at the Econometric Institute, Erasmus School of Economics (2014–2016) and as an Assistant Professor there (2009–2014). Education : PhD, University of Warwick MSc, Imperial College, UK BEng, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore Research Interests : Professor Tham specializes in econometrics , market microstructure , asset pricing , and financial innovation . His work bridges quantitative finance with applications in artificial intelligence and sustainable development goals (SDG) , focusing on reproducibility, liquidity dynamics, and policy impacts. Recent Publications span high-impact journals like Journal of Finance , Management Science , and Review of Financial Studies , addressing topics such as nonstandard errors , AI for SDG mapping , and toxic arbitrage . These works are frequently presented at American Finance Association and Econometric Society meetings. Scientific Honors : PanAngora Crowell Second Prize Midwest Finance Association Best Paper Award Literati Network Awards for Excellence ARC Discovery Projects Grant Additional Activities : He has served as a visiting scholar at the Haas Business School, UC Berkeley and National University of Singapore , with interests in triathlons and ocean swimming.
