Ali Karjoo-Ravary is the Richard W. Bulliet Assistant Professor of Islamic History at Columbia University, specializing in the intellectual, social, and visual histories of premodern Islam through Arabic, Persian, and Turkic sources. His research intersects historical writing, cosmology, Sufism, and multilingual poetry in the Islamic East (Mashriq). Education: Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania (2018) M.A., University of Pennsylvania (2016) B.A., SUNY Stony Brook (2011) His current book project, Muhammad’s Song: Politics, Performance, and Cosmology in the Fourteenth Century , examines post-Mongol Islamic monarchy through Kadi Burhaneddin's life and rule. He also explores Sufi visual iconography, science fiction's relationship to religion, and architecture's role in evolving Islamic discourses. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Bard Graduate Center Visiting Fellow (Fall 2020) Wolf Humanities Center Graduate Research Fellow (2016-2017)
Adrienne Raphel is a Lecturer in the Department of English at Baruch College, part of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at The City University of New York (CUNY). She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Harvard University, an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Poetry) from the University of Iowa, and a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing from Princeton University. Her research and creative work intersect contemporary culture, poetry, and the history of wordplay. She explores modernist literature, dark academia, and the evolution of puzzles like crosswords and board games as cultural artifacts. Raphel's recent publications highlight crosswords, poetry, and literary criticism, reflecting her interests in generational trends, linguistic innovation, and urban themes. Her articles analyze cultural phenomena through the lens of games, literature, and media. She has received prestigious awards, including: Visiting Fellowship at the American Library in Paris (2023) James Merrill Writer in Residence (2023) Writer in Residence at The Mastheads (2018) Raphel serves on the Awards and Honors Committee and teaches courses such as Writing II and Great Works of Literature I. She has contributed to media outlets like The New Yorker , The New York Times , and The Paris Review .
Clinton E. Arnold is a Research Professor of New Testament and former Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He specializes in New Testament studies, particularly the letters of Paul and the Acts of the Apostles, with a focus on historical and cultural contexts. Arnold is renowned for editing the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary and authoring works like Powers of Darkness and The Colossian Syncretism . He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen and has published extensively in journals such as New Testament Studies and Journal for the Study of the New Testament . Education: Ph.D., University of Aberdeen; M.Div., Talbot Theological Seminary; B.A., Biola University. His research interests include early Christian practices, spiritual warfare, and biblical exegesis. He served as President of the Evangelical Theological Society (2011) and contributes to translation oversight for the ESV. Arnold’s work bridges academic rigor and pastoral application, emphasizing the relevance of biblical scholarship for contemporary faith communities. He has led Talbot’s extension programs in Kyiv and New York and advocates for the inerrancy of Scripture. His writings often address theological challenges in modern contexts, such as mental health, biblical authority, and missional theology. Awards include leadership roles in major theological societies and recognition for editorial contributions to biblical resources. His legacy includes shaping evangelical scholarship through commentaries, teaching, and mentoring future theologians.
Martin Brückner is a Professor of English and Director of the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture at the University of Delaware. His work bridges American literature, material culture studies, and the history of cartography. He holds academic appointments in the Department of English and the Center for Material Culture Studies. His research focuses on early American literature (pre-1900), cartography, literary materialism, and digital humanities. Brückner’s major publications include *The Social Life of Maps in America, 1750-1860* (2017) and *The Geographic Revolution in Early America* (2006), both award-winning studies of cartography’s cultural impact. He co-edits the *Material Culture Perspectives* book series and directs the digital humanities project *ThingStor*, a database connecting objects to literature and art. His grants include support from the Mellon Foundation, NEH, and the Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies. Research interests span maps, print culture, digital humanities, and object-driven analysis. Recent articles analyze map varnish’s social chemistry and material gaps in cartographic exhibitions. Awards include UD’s Excellence in Scholarship (2018) and the Society of Early Americanists Essay Prize (2007). Brückner also served as Co-Director of the Delaware Public Humanities Institute and curated Winterthur Museum’s *Common Destinations: Maps in the American Experience* (2013–2014). His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to material culture and spatial studies.
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUnited States
Janice N. Harrington is the Clayton and Thelma Kirkpatrick Professor of English at the University of Illinois, affiliated with the University Library. Her expertise spans poetry, children's literature, and creative writing with a focus on African American Studies and multicultural themes. She has authored numerous poetry collections and children’s books, including biographical works on pioneering figures such as Horace Pippin and Charles S. Parker. Her research explores intersections of history, identity, and artistry, with publications featured in prestigious journals like Georgia Review , Callaloo , and Poetry . Harrington’s work has garnered acclaim through awards such as the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. She collaborates with illustrators to produce educational and culturally significant works for young audiences. Her creative outputs reflect a deep engagement with marginalized narratives, blending historical accuracy with poetic innovation. Media highlights include coverage of her biography on Horace Pippin and recognition of her contributions to children’s literature.
Dr. Yuan He is an Assistant Professor at the James I. Perkins College of Education, Stephen F. Austin State University, specializing in Early Childhood Education and Comparative International Education . Her work bridges curriculum design, teacher education, and cross-cultural analysis. Doctorate from University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Education Leadership) Doctorate and Master of Science from Nanjing Normal University (Early Childhood Education) Research focuses on: Curriculum and instruction in early childhood education Teacher education frameworks Body image representation in children's media Comparative analysis of international educational practices Recent publications (2021-2025) emphasize: Body weight representation in picturebooks Positive body image strategies Cross-cultural teacher training curricula Child development in Chinese kindergarten contexts Her work integrates theoretical foundations (e.g., Montessori, hermeneutics) with practical applications, particularly in bilingual and culturally responsive education.
Vance Byrd is an Associate Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Pennsylvania , with a secondary appointment in History of Art. He serves as Special Advisor in the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty (2024–2025) and is completing an Ivy+ Mellon Leadership Fellowship. Education: Ph.D., M.A. University of Pennsylvania B.A., University of Georgia Research Interests: Byrd’s work focuses on late-eighteenth- and nineteenth-century German literature , visual and print culture , media history , and commemoration . He engages with race, gender, and sexuality studies , environmental humanities , and the history of books and periodicals . His scholarship examines how panoramic media, illustrated journals, and printed materials shaped cultural memory and identity. Scientific Awards: New Directions Fellowship, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (2019) Residential Fellow, National Humanities Center (2021–2022) Getty Scholar, Getty Research Institute (2021–2022) Ivy+ Mellon Leadership Fellow (2024–2025) Grants and Affiliations: His research has been supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright Commission, and the Quadrangle Historical Research Foundation. He serves on editorial boards for Monatshefte , The German Quarterly , and the Signale book series, and participates in international academic networks like the Berlin Program for Advanced German and European Studies.
Heping Liu is an Associate Professor of Art History at Wellesley College , specializing in Chinese painting of the Song dynasty . His research explores intersections of art, literature, environment, science, and technology during China's 10th-12th centuries. Ph.D. from Yale University Recipient of NEH and ACLS Fellowships Teaches courses on Japanese/Chinese art, poetic painting, and Song imperial painting academy Focuses on hands-on art education through museum sessions Key research themes include: Political exile in Song landscapes Imperial patronage systems Buddhist iconography adaptation Urban/rural representations Cross-cultural artistic exchange Notable publications analyze: Qingming Shanghe Tu (2011) Juecheng's Buddhist works (2007) Empress Liu's Maitreya portrait (2003) Water-mill technological symbolism (2002) Scientific recognition: National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship Teaching philosophy emphasizes direct engagement with artworks through: Davis Museum resources Boston-New York institutional partnerships Object-based learning sessions Comparative East Asian studies
Christopher Lukasik is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Purdue University, with affiliations in American Studies and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIS). His research focuses on the intersection of American literature, visual culture, and illustration studies in the 18th and 19th centuries, with a particular interest in intermediality and cultural history. Ph.D., English, Johns Hopkins University, 2002 His scholarly work examines how visual practices shaped social and political identities, as seen in his monograph Discerning Characters: The Culture of Appearance in Early America (2011). Current research includes The Image in the Text: Intermediality, Illustration, and Nineteenth-Century American Literature , exploring literary annuals' role in developing mass visual culture. His publications span topics like biometric surveillance in early America, abolitionist visual media, and the pedagogy of drawing books. Articles highlight intermedial relationships between text and image, racial visuality, and the cultural capital of illustration. Scientific honors include: Rockwell Center Society of Fellows (2017-2019) Fulbright Specialist Grant (2018) NEH Summer Stipend (2016) Lillian Gary Taylor Fellowship (2013-14) Fulbright Scholar Grant (2009-10) NEH Long-Term Research Grant (2004-05) Lukasik actively participates in academic conferences, including upcoming presentations at SHARP 2025 and SEA 2025. He has also led Fulbright liaison training sessions and symposiums on illustration research.
Taymiya R. Zaman is a Professor of History at the University of San Francisco, serving as Chair of the Department of History, and Director of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. She joined USF in 2007 and has held visiting professorships at the Institute of Business Administration and Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan. Her research focuses on Mughal India, historical memory, and the intersection of autobiography and history. Education: PhD in History, University of Michigan (2007); B.A. in Philosophy, Smith College (2001) Her work explores historical memory in South Asia, the interconnectedness of life writing and history, and the transition from subjects to citizens in the Islamicate world. She has designed the History Department's 'Islamic World' emphasis and teaches courses on the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires, alongside modern South Asia and the Middle East. Her publications span scholarly articles, narrative non-fiction, and fiction, including a Pushcart Prize-winning short story. She also engages in visual storytelling through art, illustrating Mughal-era texts to highlight marginalized historical figures like Gulbadan Begum. Awards: Distinguished Teaching Award (2022), Arthur I. Karshmer Award for Distinguished Service to Disability Issues (2023) Her research and teaching reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary approaches, blending history with literature, art, and cultural studies.
Diana Strazdes is an Associate Professor in the Program in Art History at the University of California, Davis, where she has been a faculty member since 1997. Her academic work focuses on American art and material culture of the long 19th century, with additional expertise in museum studies and transatlantic artistic developments. She is based in Room 162, Everson Hall, and can be reached at dstrazdes@ucdavis.edu. Education: Ph.D., Yale University M.Phil., Yale University M.A., Yale University B.A., Vassar College Her research interests span American painting, sculpture, architecture, and domestic life, with a particular focus on professional identity, public art reception, and the cultural meanings of space. She has published widely on topics ranging from the Hudson River School to the domestic ideology of Catharine Beecher, from museum evolution to the display of ruins. Her work often bridges art history, cultural studies, and material culture analysis. The recent publications in her list reflect a sustained engagement with 19th-century American art, evolving into broader themes of cultural memory, museum display, and transatlantic influences. Her articles frequently appear in leading journals such as Winterthur Portfolio , Master Drawings , and Change over Time , demonstrating her interdisciplinary reach across art history, conservation, and museum theory. She has no listed scientific awards in the provided text. Diana Strazdes teaches a wide range of courses, from introductory surveys like Baroque to Modern Art to advanced seminars on realism, professional identity, and landscape painting. She also leads a seminar on research and writing methods, indicating her commitment to mentoring emerging scholars. While no specific grants or advisees are listed, her extensive publication record and long tenure suggest a robust research program and likely advising activity. She is actively involved in the academic life of the Art History program, contributing to the intellectual development of students through both teaching and research. Her work with museum collections and public art suggests engagement with curatorial teams and cultural institutions, though no formal lab or research team is specified.
Kathy Ferguson is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, within the College of Social Sciences. She is a leading scholar in political theory, with a focus on feminist and anarchist thought. PhD in Political Science, University of Minnesota (1976) BA in Political Science, Purdue University (1972) Her research explores the intersections of feminism and anarchism, particularly through the lives and ideas of radical women. She is the author of Emma Goldman: Political Thinking in the Streets (2011), and is currently working on a book about anarchist women in the U.S. and Britain from 1870–1940, as well as a study on the role of letterpress printers in anarchist movements. Her work emphasizes recovering marginalized voices and using historical insights for contemporary political engagement. Her recent publications reflect a dual commitment to radical political theory and community-based education. The two most recent works include a scholarly monograph on Emma Goldman and a community resource guide on dyslexia, illustrating her blend of academic rigor and public service. She has been recognized with several awards: Robert W. Clopton Award for Distinguished Community Service (2019) Excellence in Application Award (2010) BOR Excellence in Teaching Award (2003) Ferguson is also deeply involved in community engagement, particularly in supporting dyslexic learners. She is a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor and has tutored dozens of children and adults. She authored A Resource Guide on Dyslexia for People in Hawai'i (2018), published by the Hawaiʻi branch of the International Dyslexia Association (HIDA), which is distributed freely. She has taught courses such as: POLS 200: Reading and Writing Politics POLS 335: History of Political Thought POLS 384: Women and Politics POLS 610: Political Theory and Analysis POLS 615: Topics in Political Thought POLS 710: Seminar in Political Thought She maintains an active research presence through her companion website to the Emma Goldman book, which hosts extensive archival lists of anarchist women, journals, and labor struggles, aiming to recreate what she calls the 'archive effect'—an immersive encounter with radical history.
Deborah E. McDowell serves as the Alice Griffin Professor of English and Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia, where she specializes in African American literary traditions and critical race theory. Her institutional leadership bridges interdisciplinary scholarship with institutional administration in African American studies. Her academic credentials include: B.A. from Tuskegee Institute M.A. from Purdue University Ph.D. from Purdue University Dr. McDowell's research centers on the recovery and analysis of Black women's literary production from the 19th-21st centuries, with particular emphasis on textual reclamation, intersectional identity formation, and the literary representation of slavery. Her methodological approach combines archival research with critical theory to examine how race, gender, and historical trauma shape narrative structures. She has pioneered frameworks for understanding the "double consciousness" in African American women's writing through works like The Changing Same . Her publication trajectory demonstrates sustained engagement with editorial scholarship and critical recovery projects, notably through authoritative editions of foundational texts by Pauline Hopkins, Frederick Douglass, and Zora Neale Hurston. The thematic consistency across her work reveals a commitment to canon expansion, particularly through her influential contributions to the Norton Anthology of African American Literature and co-edited volumes examining slavery's literary legacy. Her memoir Leaving Pipe Shop further illustrates the interplay between personal narrative and collective memory in Southern Black communities.
University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States
Caleb Luna is an Assistant Professor of Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. They hold a Ph.D. in Performance Studies with a Designated Emphasis in Gender and Women’s Studies from UC Berkeley (2022) and a B.A. in Anthropology and Women’s and Gender Studies from the University of Texas at Austin (2015). Previously, they served as a UC President’s and Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Feminist Studies at UCSB. Research focuses on fat studies, queer of color critique, disability studies, and women of color feminisms. Key interests include examining race, size, sexuality, and disability in media and culture, with a commitment to embodiment as a tool for collective liberation. Their work spans academic publishing, performance art, and podcasting (e.g., co-hosting Unsolicited: Fatties Talk Back ). Publications include the award-winning book REVENGE BODY (Nomadic Press, 2022) and articles in Fat Studies , Performance Matters , and Queer Nightlife . Research areas encompass anti/colonialism, body politics, HIV/AIDS, and visual arts. Their cultural work challenges normative frameworks while centering marginalized voices in movements for liberation. Luna’s scholarly contributions emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, blending performance studies, media analysis, and decolonial theory. They actively engage in public-facing scholarship through podcasts, anthologies, and community-driven projects.
Dana Little is an Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia, specializing in the intersection of artificial intelligence, social media, and speculative fiction. Her work explores the evolving relationship between humans and digital systems through creative practice-based research. Degrees: Doctor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (University of Glasgow, 2021), MA in Creative Writing (Johns Hopkins University, 2012), BA in English (University of Georgia, 2009) Her research focuses on design fiction, human-computer collaboration, and the development of 'factions'—a genre blending fact and fiction in digital communication. She created the AI mystic persona Dr. Wu to investigate AI's role in storytelling and cultural memory. Recent publications examine podcast-video essay intersections, social media communication frameworks, and speculative design methodologies. She actively contributes to HBCU community research and has presented internationally on digital twins, worldbuilding, and creative AI applications. 2023 HBCU Fellowship (AWP) University of Glasgow Research Support Award Worldcon attendance funding recipient As a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and NASA eClips Technical Advisory Board, she bridges artistic practice with technological innovation. Her teaching includes digital media writing, public speaking, and special topics in writing pedagogy.
