Graham Ward serves as Regius Professor of Divinity at Christ Church College, University of Oxford, and holds a Visiting Senior Research Fellow position in Theology at Campion Hall. His academic profile bridges institutional theology with cross-disciplinary cultural analysis within Oxford's theological framework. His research spans systematic theology, philosophy, and cultural studies, with concentrated focus on religion's interplay with anthropology, sociology, political theory, gender studies, and contemporary science. Current work involves a three-volume project developing culturally engaged systematic theology that confronts modern secular frameworks while re-examining Christian doctrine's societal relevance. Publication trends reveal sustained engagement with political theology (particularly through Carl Schmitt interpretations), deconstructive philosophy (Barth/Derrida dialogues), and cultural dynamics of religious practice. His scholarship consistently examines how theological concepts navigate modernity's collapse, addressing secularization through aesthetics, urban studies, and critical theory while maintaining doctrinal rigor.
Tonya Sanders Thach, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning within Morgan State University's School of Architecture and Planning. A certified planner (AICP) with 17+ years of experience, she specializes in community engagement to address environmental, housing, transportation, and health disparities in marginalized communities through partnerships with faith-based organizations. Her academic credentials include: B.A. in Psychology from Truman State University (minor in Spanish) M.A. in Community Psychology and Social Change from The Pennsylvania State University Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago Dr. Sanders Thach's research explores Faith-based Community Development, Curriculum Development, Health and Community Development, Community Engagement, and Climate Adaptation. She designs community engagement strategies and evaluates interventions for sustainability and equity, particularly in lower-income minority communities facing historic environmental injustice and housing disparities. Her work emphasizes dismantling structural barriers through faith-based partnerships while advancing public health and affordable housing solutions. Analysis of her 2014-2018 publications reveals consistent focus on power dynamics in faith-based cross-sector collaborations, climate adaptation in vulnerable urban settings, and community-driven historic preservation. Her work demonstrates how religious institutions can catalyze equitable development while navigating complex partnership challenges in marginalized communities. Her notable recognition includes: Civic Leadership Award, Proviso Action Committee (2011) Dr. Sanders Thach has secured significant grant funding including a $25 million Department of Energy grant for the Baltimore Social-Environmental Collaborative (2022-2027) as Co-PI, NIH-funded CBPR research on sanitation ($20,000), EPA green infrastructure projects ($60,000), and multiple community planning grants from local governments. Current initiatives involve partnerships with Enterprise Community Partners, Community Development Network of Maryland, and Southwest Partners to address housing, health, and climate resilience in Baltimore. She co-leads the Baltimore Social Environmental Collaboration (40+ researchers from 12 institutions), serves as Board Chair of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, and contributes to national planning education through the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning and American Planning Association.
Geraldine Heng is the Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair in English at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is cross-appointed to Middle Eastern Studies, Women's Studies, Jewish Studies, and the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Social Justice. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023 and a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, she founded and directs the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), a major interdisciplinary initiative promoting global perspectives on premodernity. With a Ph.D. from Cornell University, Heng has pioneered the field of premodern critical race studies, fundamentally challenging the assumption that race is a modern construct. Her research focuses on literary, cultural, and social encounters between worlds, particularly through the lenses of race, gender, sexuality, class, and religion, with special attention to medieval Europe's interactions with Asia and Africa. Heng's scholarly work reveals how medieval global connections shaped cultural production and identity formation long before the so-called 'Age of Exploration.' Her approach synthesizes literary analysis, historical research, and critical theory to uncover the deep roots of globalization and its implications for understanding contemporary identity politics and cultural exchange. Her publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory toward increasingly global frameworks, moving from studies of medieval romance to comprehensive examinations of early global interconnectedness. This evolution reflects her commitment to dismantling Eurocentric narratives of the medieval world and revealing the complex networks of exchange that characterized premodern societies across Afro-Eurasia. 2019 PROSE prize in Global History 2019 Academy of American Literature prize in Historical Studies 2019 Robert W. Hamilton Grand Prize 2020 Otto Gründler prize Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America Heng has secured approximately $750,000 in grants for digital projects and held eight major fellowships at research centers. She co-edits the Cambridge University Press Elements series in the Global Middle Ages and the University of Pennsylvania Press series RaceB4Race: Critical Studies of the Premodern. Her teaching encompasses courses on early global literatures, premodern race, Crusades literature, Arthurian traditions, and feminist theory. As founder and director of the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), Heng has built an international scholarly network that challenges traditional disciplinary boundaries and promotes collaborative approaches to studying premodern global connections. The project has fostered numerous digital initiatives, publications, and conferences that have significantly reshaped how scholars understand medieval intercultural exchange.
Carl F. Young is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Western University. He holds a PhD from the University of London (2004). His research focuses on religious social movements, nationalism, and imperialism in modern Asia, particularly in Korea and Japan. He has supervised Master's and Doctoral students and teaches courses such as HIST 2641G (Korea Since 1800), HIST 3609G (Japan since 1945), and HIST 4603F (Silk Roads and Spice Routes). His work explores topics like the Tonghak and Ch'ondogyo movements in Korea, comparative world history, and cross-cultural interactions. Notable publications include Eastern Learning and the Heavenly Way (2014) and articles in Extrême-Orient, Extrême-Occident and Journal of Korean Religions . He served as guest editor for a special issue on North Korea and Religion (2013). Teaching and Office Hours: Fall/Winter 2024-2025 office hours are Wednesdays 10:00-11:00 AM and Thursdays 11:00 AM-12:00 PM in Lawson Hall 2225.
Rumee Ahmed is a Professor of Islamic Law in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Arts, where he also holds the Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics. He earned his PhD from the Institute for the Study of Institutional Studies at Bovine University and specializes in Islamic law, theology, ethics, and philosophy. His research explores: Islamic legal theory and theology through emic approaches Ethical frameworks in Quranic exegesis and interfaith dialogue Intersections of law, gender, and human rights in Muslim societies Ahmed's publications predominantly focus on Islamic jurisprudence, theological ethics, and scriptural hermeneutics, with recurring themes of justice, interreligious engagement, and the evolution of Islamic legal thought. His work frequently employs comparative analysis across historical and contemporary contexts. He has received the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Theology and Ethics and mentors graduate students in Asian Studies programs. Ahmed actively collaborates on interdisciplinary projects and seeks research partnerships.
Lauren Leve is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her academic career centers on the intersection of religion, culture, and changing forms of life in contemporary Nepal and South Asia. Trained as an anthropologist, she examines how religious practices and subjectivities interact with broader political, economic, and social trends, particularly those associated with neoliberal globalization. Ph.D., Princeton University B.A., University of Chicago A.A., Simon's Rock of Bard College Professor Leve's research interests span ethnographic methods, the ethnography of religion, personhood, subjectivity, the anthropology of ethics, democracy, law, violence, international development, globalism, postcoloniality, and the religious landscapes of Nepal, South Asia, and Buddhist Southeast Asia. Her work explores how religious practices mediate and are mediated by political and economic transformations, with particular attention to how human agents use religion to reflect on their world and aspirations. Her scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on Theravada Buddhism's revival in Nepal, particularly among Newar communities, and how this religious movement intersects with democratic reforms, economic liberalization, and changing forms of personhood. Her publications demonstrate expertise in both ethnographic methodology and theoretical contributions to understanding modern religious subjectivity, with a special emphasis on how global processes are reflected and reflected upon by Nepali Buddhists. James Fisher Prize for First Books on the Himalayan Region (2018) UNC FIRE grant (2016) Carolina Women's Center, Faculty Fellow (2013-14) Institute for Arts and Humanities, Faculty Fellow (2007) Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, Research Award (2004) Program in Agrarian Studies, Yale University, Program Fellow (2004-2005) As Director of Graduate Studies in Religious Studies, Professor Leve mentors graduate students and teaches courses on ethnographic methodologies, Theravada Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and topical theories reflecting her research interests. She has consulted on research studies in international development, focusing on women's literacy and empowerment, and provides expert witness services in US courts. Her current research projects explore the globalization of Buddhist meditation through the Goenka tradition and follow rural women's experiences through development projects, Maoist insurrection, and conversion to Christianity.
Dr. Siobhán Dowling is a Senior Lecturer in Education at the School of Education, University College Cork (UCC), with expertise in Religious Education, Music Education, and the intersection of The Arts in Education. She earned her PhD from the University of Wales, Trinity St David, Lampeter, UK, in 2011 and has served in both teaching and administrative roles at UCC since 1998, including Director of the Structured PhD in Education. Education: PhD (2011) in Biblical and Musical Reception History, University of Wales, Trinity St David. Current Roles: Senior Lecturer, Tutor, Placement Supervisor, Director of Structured PhD in Education. Her research focuses on the reception history of biblical narratives in music , particularly themes like the Sacrifice of Isaac, Eve, and the Book of Samuel. She explores collaborative learning in teacher education and integrates creative pedagogy in Religious Education. Her work spans interdisciplinary analysis of the Bible’s influence on music, art, and cultural identity. The 15 most recent publications highlight her pioneering work on biblical stories in musical compositions (2025), visual and musical reception of Dives (2024), and peer-reviewed studies on collaborative learning (2023). Her contributions to the Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception (2025–2016) cover topics like patriarchs, psalms, and gendered biblical figures. Scientific Awards: Recipient of two book awards in the USA for co-authored work 'The Bible in Music: A Dictionary of Songs, Works and More' (2015). Research Grants and Supervision: Awarded multiple Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Grants (2023, 2014) for international training and a Kurt Weill Foundation Travel Award (2014). Supervised PhD, MEd, and PME students while serving as Internal/External Examiner. Leadership: Coordinated UCC’s Cohort PhD in Education (2001–2014) and led the MAAP in Guidance and Counseling program. Delivered invited seminars at KU Leuven, University of Tuebingen, and Trinity College Dublin.
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rebstock is a former full professor of Islamic Studies at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, holding the position from 1993 to 2017. He specializes in Islamic history, Arabic studies, and African Islamic contexts, with a focus on Mauritania and North African intellectual traditions. His work bridges historical documentation, manuscript studies, and the analysis of administrative and legal practices in Islamic societies. Rebstock earned his doctorate in 1983 on Ibadi movements in the Maghrib and completed his habilitation in 1990 on computational practices in the Islamic Orient. Research interests include Islam in Africa, usul al-fiqh (Islamic legal theory), and Arabic mathematical history. He has led major projects such as the publication of the Mauritanian historical encyclopedia Kitāb Ḥayāt mūrītāniyā and the Moorish Literary History series. Current projects involve developing a collaborative web-based system for annotating Arabic texts to create complex indices. Key contributions include critical editions of historical manuscripts, studies on Moorish legal opinions, and analyses of reformist movements in Sudan. His work often emphasizes the intersection of textual analysis with socio-political contexts in Muslim-majority regions.
Nicholas Guyatt serves as Professor of North American History in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of Jesus College. He joined Cambridge in 2014 after teaching positions at Princeton University, Simon Fraser University, and the University of York. His academic foundation includes a BA and M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge and a Ph.D. from Princeton University under Daniel T. Rodgers. Guyatt's research centers on race, national identity, and state formation in 18th-19th century America, with core expertise in colonial history, the Atlantic World, and intellectual history of American imperialism. His work critically examines racial segregation, maritime history, and evolving concepts of citizenship and world order. Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent thematic focus on racial ideologies, colonization projects, and imperial thought across the early republic and Civil War eras. His scholarship demonstrates methodological breadth spanning political, intellectual, and social history with particular attention to African American experiences and transnational connections. His distinguished recognition includes: Stanford Humanities Center Faculty Fellow (2009-2010) British Academy Mid-Career Fellow (2013-2014) Senior Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford's Rothermere American Institute (2013-2014) He actively supervises M.Phil. and Ph.D. candidates in 18th-19th century American/Atlantic history, especially welcoming research on Native Americans, African Americans, slavery/abolition, and empire. His editorial leadership with Zed Books' 'Global History of the Present' series reflects commitment to diversifying historical scholarship beyond Eurocentric frameworks. Current major projects include co-authoring 'Jefferson's Wolf: The Struggle to End Slavery in the Founding Era' (Harvard University Press, 2026) and editing 'The Oxford Illustrated History of the United States' (OUP, 2026), demonstrating sustained scholarly productivity through collaborative academic networks.
Vladimir Golstein is Professor of Slavic Studies and Interim Chair of Slavic Studies at Brown University. He has previously held teaching positions at Oberlin College (1990–1993) and Yale University (1993–2003), where he taught a wide range of courses on Russian and Western literary traditions. Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures, Yale University, 1992 B.A. in Philosophy, Columbia University, 1982 M.S. in Computers, Moscow Institute of Management His research centers on Russian culture, religion, philosophy, and poetry from the 19th and 20th centuries. He has published extensively on major Russian authors including Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Tsvetaeva, and Bulgakov. His book Lermontov's Narratives of Heroism (1998) explores heroism in 19th-century Russian literature. He is currently completing a monograph on generational conflict in Russian society. The recent publications reflect a consistent engagement with Russian intellectual and cultural history, blending literary analysis with philosophical and religious inquiry. His work often examines the moral and spiritual dimensions of literature, particularly in relation to the role of the intelligentsia and artistic expression under political pressure. There are no scientific awards listed in the provided text. Professor Golstein has supervised graduate and undergraduate students and teaches courses such as Russian Culture: From Peter the Great to Putin , Dostoevsky , Russian Poetry: Silver Age , and Roaring Twenties: Literature, Arts, and Politics in Post-Revolutionary Russia . While specific grant information is not mentioned, his ongoing research and publication record suggest active scholarly engagement. He is deeply involved in the academic life of the Department of Slavic Studies at Brown, contributing to curriculum development and leadership as Interim Chair. His interdisciplinary approach connects literature with philosophy, religion, and visual arts, fostering a holistic understanding of Russian cultural evolution.
Bruce Rusk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia (Faculty of Arts) and serves as the Graduate Advisor. He previously taught at Cornell University for six years before joining UBC in 2012. During the 2012–13 academic year, he was on leave at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and the National Humanities Center in North Carolina. Additionally, he is the webmaster and past president of the Society for Ming Studies, a scholarly organization focused on Ming history and culture. Bruce holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where his dissertation, The Rogue Classicist: Feng Fang (1493–1566) and his Forgeries , examined sixteenth-century classical text forgeries. Following his Ph.D., he was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University from 2004 to 2006. He also earned his B.A. (History Honours) from UBC, which inspired his return to Vancouver to join the scholarly community here. His research focuses on the cultural history of pre-modern and early modern China, particularly the Ming and Qing dynasties. Key interests include authenticity and forgery in textual and material culture, transmission of knowledge, history of philology, writing systems in East Asia, and digital humanities. He collaborates globally on the SSHRC-funded FROGBEAR project, developing an open access repository for East Asian religious studies. Current work explores authentication practices surrounding artifacts like Xuande incense burners and silver ingots, reflecting his broader study of how authenticity and deception were negotiated in late imperial China. Recent publications address intersections between forgery, material culture, and digital methodologies, including co-editing Literary Information in China: A History (2021) and analyzing Ming-Qing literary practices. His work highlights the cultural significance of textual preservation and the sociocultural dynamics of early modern Chinese scholarship. As a leader in academic organizations, Bruce has contributed to the Society for Ming Studies, advancing research in Ming culture through his roles as webmaster and past president. His advising and grants include mentoring UBC graduate students and contributing to the FROGBEAR initiative. His career bridges historical research with digital innovation, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to Asian studies.
Professor Jeanne Moskal holds a faculty position in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She specializes in 18th- and 19th-century British literature, critical theory, and the intersection of literature with religion, medicine, and science fiction. Her research includes seminal works on Mary Shelley, including editing Shelley’s travel writings for the definitive edition of her works, and co-editing Teaching British Women Writers, 1750-1900 . Education: 1984 PhD English, University of Washington, Seattle 1982 MA English, University of Washington, Seattle 1978 BA English, Santa Clara University Her current research project, Secularization & Jane Eyre, 1930-2000 , explores how adaptations of Charlotte Brontë’s novel reflect 20th-century secularization debates. She has curated notable exhibitions, including the 2018 Reconstructing Frankenstein’s Monster at UNC’s Wilson Library. Teaching and Mentoring: A屡获殊荣的导师，她指导了13名博士生，其中9人获得终身教职或终身教职轨道职位。 Her teaching portfolio includes courses on Jane Austen, science fiction, Romanticism, and post-secularism theory. Research Grants: 2005/06 NEH Fellowship for University Teachers 2007 ACLS Course Development Grant 2014 Mellon Foundation Book Manuscript Workshop Awards: 2016 UNC最高教学奖终身成就奖 2013 Carolina Women’s Leadership Council研究生指导奖
Professor Kendrick Oliver is a faculty member in the Department of History at the University of Southampton, holding the rank of Professor of American History. His research focuses on 20th-century American political, social, and cultural responses to existential questions, with emphasis on scientific cosmology, space history, communication technology, evangelical religious history, and the Vietnam War. He has served as Head of the Department of History from 2018 to 2022 and contributed to founding the Historians of the Twentieth Century United States organization (2000s). Current research examines the social and cultural history of the Big Bang theory, supported by grants from the American Philosophical Society and others. Teaching responsibilities include undergraduate modules on McCarthyism, the Space Age, and America's global role since 1945, alongside a master's-level course on conspiracies and paranoia in American history. He is developing the MA Global Challenges program launching in 2024. Supervision includes four PhD students across history disciplines. Oliver has authored three books, including *The My Lai Massacre in American History and Memory* and *To Touch the Face of God: the Sacred, the Profane and the American Space Program, 1957-75*. His scholarship bridges science and religion, analyzing topics like prison ministry origins, cosmic microwave background discovery narratives, and evangelical globalization. Oliver’s work frequently intersects with broader themes of memory, technology, and Cold War context.
Professor Kecia Ali is a scholar of Religion and Islamic Studies at Boston University, with a PhD from Duke University. Her research focuses on Islamic law, gender studies, ethics, and biography, emphasizing feminist critiques of religious texts and institutions. She has authored influential books like Sexual Ethics and Islam and The Lives of Muhammad , exploring intersections of gender, law, and culture in Islamic traditions. Ali has held fellowships at Brandeis University and Harvard Divinity School before joining BU in 2006. She actively contributes to organizations like the American Academy of Religion and served as President of the Society for the Study of Muslim Ethics (2014–2016). Her work bridges religious studies with popular culture, analyzing themes in J.D. Robb's fiction and critiquing academic sexism. Courses taught include Islamic law, Quranic studies, and representations of Muhammad.
Dr. Tracy Hecht is an Associate Professor of Management and Graduate Program Director of the PhD Program in Business Administration at the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University . She earned her PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on the interplay between work, family, and other life roles, particularly how these interactions influence job search behaviors, career trajectories, and well-being. Key themes include work-family boundary management, career procrastination, and the impact of multi-role dynamics on professional outcomes. As an Associate Editor at the Journal of Organizational Behavior , Dr. Hecht contributes to advancing scholarly discourse in her field. Her work has been published in top-tier journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology and Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology . Recent research highlights include studies on gender differences in job search intensity and the psychological mechanisms behind career decision delays. Her teaching and supervision span the Management (MSc) and Business Administration (PhD) programs. While no specific grants or labs are explicitly noted, her research consistently addresses contemporary challenges at the intersection of work and personal life, offering actionable insights for organizations and policymakers.
