Maija Karoliina Koivisto is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Doctoral Programme in Gender, Culture, and Society. She focuses on social policy, disability studies, and historical sociology, particularly examining systemic injustices experienced by deaf communities in Finland and Nordic countries. Key Research Areas: Deaf community history, truth and reconciliation processes, sign language preservation, Nordic welfare models, and institutional discrimination. Projects: Active in Nordic research initiatives on deaf education and sign language inclusion; leads the Äkta Man Forum project. External Roles: Board member of the Abilis Foundation, contributing to disability research advocacy.
HACER BAŞER is a Lecturer at the Health Care Services Department within the Vocational School of Health Services at Gaziantep University. Her academic background includes a Master's in Social Service from Selçuk University (2013), a License in Social Service from Hacettepe University (2002), and dual Doctorates in Social Policy from Yıldırım Beyazıt University (2014). Education: Doctorate: Social Policy (2014), Yıldırım Beyazıt University Doctorate: Social Policies (2014), Yıldırım Beyazıt University Master's: Social Service (2013), Selçuk University License: Social Service (2002), Hacettepe University Her research focuses on mental health , child protection , and ethical frameworks in social work. Recent work includes analyzing pandemic impacts on psychosocial systems and interdisciplinary approaches to healthcare ethics. Publications span topics like COVID-19's societal effects , social work ethics , and child abuse consequences , reflecting her expertise in social policy and clinical social work. At Gaziantep University, she teaches courses such as Social Services, Social Rehabilitation, and Quality in Healthcare, alongside specialized topics like Palliative Care and Sign Language.
Alessia Battisti is a Researcher and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Zurich , Faculty of Arts, affiliated with the Language, Technology and Accessibility Group . Her research focuses on sign language technology, accessibility, and natural language processing, particularly in the context of Swiss German Sign Language. She has contributed to projects like SMILE-II (funded by an SNF Sinergia grant) and the Flagship IICT . Battisti is actively involved in academic communities as the student representative on the board of the Special Interest Group on Speech and Language Processing for Assistive Technologies (SIG-SLPAT). Research Interests include: Swiss German Sign Language assessment and learning Automated readability and text simplification Sign language annotation and feedback systems Human motion modeling for sign language analysis Multilingual dataset curation and quality evaluation Recent Publications highlight her work in sign language fluency scales, automated annotation, and German text simplification frameworks. She collaborates on international initiatives like the First WMT Shared Task on Sign Language Translation . Grants include the SNF Sinergia grant supporting the SMILE-II project. Her work intersects computational linguistics , accessibility research , and machine learning to advance sign language and simplified text technologies. Labs/Teams : Language, Technology and Accessibility Group at the University of Zurich; SIG-SLPAT Special Interest Group.
Clauß Peter Sajak is a Professor at the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Theology within the Catholic Theological Faculty at the University of Münster. He maintains an active teaching schedule with courses planned through Summer Semester 2025, including lectures on theology in primary schools, cooperative religious aesthetics, and interreligious learning. His academic work spans multiple dimensions of religious education with particular emphasis on interreligious and trialogical approaches that incorporate Jewish, Christian, and Islamic perspectives. Professor Sajak's research focuses include the didactics and methodology of interreligious learning, competency-oriented religious education, curriculum research and standards of religious education, the profile and development of Catholic schools, liturgical education, and the sustainability of religious socialization and education. His work demonstrates deep engagement with contemporary challenges in religious education within increasingly pluralistic societies. His scholarly output reveals significant trends in religious education, particularly the movement toward competency-based approaches, the integration of religious pluralism into school curricula, and the development of trialogical frameworks that move beyond traditional interfaith dialogue to include practical educational applications. His recent publications show increasing attention to digital religious education (as evidenced by the KathReliOnline project evaluating religious instruction during the pandemic years) and the practical implementation of religious education standards. Professor Sajak has supervised numerous doctoral students across various aspects of religious education, reflecting his significant influence in the field. His work bridges theoretical religious pedagogy with practical classroom applications, particularly in primary and secondary educational settings. His leadership in research projects like KathReliOnline and various interreligious learning initiatives demonstrates his commitment to addressing contemporary challenges in religious education. His publications span monographs, edited volumes, journal articles, and contributions to academic collections, establishing him as a significant voice in contemporary religious pedagogy.
Lieselott Nordman is a Lecturer at the Department of Finno-Ugric and Nordic Studies, University of Helsinki, teaching legal translation, institutional communication, and Finland-Swedish culture. She holds a PhD in Swedish from 2009 and has supervised doctoral students in Scandinavian languages, including Maria Andersson-Koski (Finland-Swedish Sign Language revitalization) and Olga Mezhevich (fiction translation between Swedish and Russian). Her work spans the Faculty of Law, where she taught part-time for over a decade. Research Interests Nordman's research focuses on legal translation , institutional communication , and Finland-Swedish Sign Language . Key themes include: Translation sociology and LSP (Language for Special Purposes) Language planning and plain language initiatives Machine translation in professional workflows Urban linguistic landscapes during crises (e.g., multilingual signage in Helsinki/Stockholm) Scientific Awards PhD thesis 'Legal translation as process and product' awarded by The Society of Swedish Literature in Finland (2010) Teaching & Supervision She has directed master's theses in Scandinavian languages and translation studies and served as primary supervisor for PhD candidates. Nordman also acted as opponent (external examiner) for dissertations at the University of Oslo (2021), Gothenburg (2018), and Uppsala University (2013).
Dr. Rob Leurs is an Assistant Professor in Media and Performance Studies at the Department of Media and Culture Studies, Utrecht University. Affiliated with the Research Institute for Cultural Inquiry (ICON), he has been researching and lecturing since 2007. His academic profile spans media studies, cultural analysis, and journalism research with a particular focus on discourse and representation. Position: Assistant Professor Department: Media and Performance Studies Institution: Utrecht University Affiliation: Research Institute for Cultural Inquiry (ICON) Leurs' research focuses on genocide trials and discursive media constructions of public opinion, particularly regarding morality. His work employs discourse analytical approaches to examine how journalists, victims, and perpetrators interact to shape media narratives around international legal proceedings. His methodological expertise includes qualitative research methods and discourse analysis within media contexts. His scholarly activities demonstrate consistent engagement with media theory, including research on narrative complexity in TV drama, genre studies, and the social construction of meaning in news production. Leurs has developed a distinctive approach that examines the 'social circulation of meaning' in journalism, contrasting traditional industrial perspectives with cultural approaches to news production. Genocide trials and media representation Discursive constructions of public opinion Media morality frameworks Qualitative discourse analysis Comparative media studies Leurs serves on academic committees including the Examinations Board and has been a former member of the Board of Studies. His teaching encompasses media theory, research methods, and cultural analysis with consistent engagement in educational quality assurance processes. His research output demonstrates a strong focus on the intersection of media, law, and public discourse, particularly through comparative case studies of genocide trials in Cambodia, Iraq/The Netherlands, and Rwanda.
Jeremie Segouat is a Lecturer at the Cognition, Languages, Ergonomics (CLLE) research unit at University of Toulouse - Jean Jaurès. His primary research focuses on French Sign Language (LSF), translation studies, terminology, and accessibility for deaf communities. With a career spanning over 15 years, he has established himself as a key researcher in sign language linguistics and technology. Segouat's research interests center around sign language corpora, terminology development (particularly in STEM fields), audiovisual translation for deaf audiences, and the computational modeling of sign language. His work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications for deaf accessibility. He has published extensively on sign language coarticulation, corpus linguistics, and the development of digital resources for French Sign Language. His recent publications (2022-2024) show a strong focus on STEM terminology in LSF, audiovisual accessibility for deaf children, and terminological resources for interpreters. These works demonstrate both continuity with his earlier research on sign language corpora and coarticulation modeling while expanding into new applications for educational contexts. Segouat has received recognition through numerous conference presentations and collaborative projects, particularly with researchers like Annelies Braffort and Amélie Josselin-Leray. His work with the Sens Dessus Dessous association in Toulouse on LSF versions of short films for young deaf audiences represents a significant practical application of his research. He completed his PhD in 2010 at Université Paris Sud - Paris XI with a thesis on modeling coarticulation in French Sign Language for information dissemination in railway stations using virtual signers, establishing the foundation for his ongoing research in sign language technology and accessibility.
Isabella Chiari is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Literature and Culture at the University of Rome La Sapienza. She teaches General Linguistics and Computational Linguistics for both undergraduate and graduate students, including courses in Linguistics for SLLT (School of Languages, Literatures, and Translation) and EAAS (English and Anglo-American Studies). She is also associated with the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC-CNR). Her research interests span the intersection of linguistics and philosophy of language, with a focus on quantitative linguistics, corpus linguistics, and linguistic redundancy in speech performance. She has made significant contributions to computational and statistical linguistics for textual analysis, particularly in multiword expression analysis, neologism measurement, and sign language representation. Her work also addresses language learning, migration terminology, and the linguistic identity of immigrant communities. Dr. Chiari's publications reflect her expertise across multiple domains of linguistics, with recent work focusing on language and identity of second-generation Arabic speakers in Italy, migration terminology, and computer-mediated communication. Her research shows a consistent trajectory from theoretical linguistic foundations toward practical applications in language teaching, digital communication, and migration studies. She serves as treasurer of the Executive Committee of SLI (Association of Italian Linguistics), is a member of the directive committee of Senso Comune (a knowledge base of Italian language), and sits on the board of the PhD programme in Filologia, linguistica e letteratura della Sapienza. She is also a member of the editorial board of Bollettino di Italianistica and the scientific committee of Arena Romanistica. Dr. Chiari has coordinated the Sapienza project on 'Sense negotiation in computer mediated communication' and participated in the multidisciplinary research project 'A multidisciplinary approach to the representation of migration in Italy' (2013-2020). She has authored numerous publications including the books 'Ridondanza e linguaggio' (2002), 'Informatica e lingue naturali' (2004), and 'Introduzione alla linguistica computazionale' (2007), as well as co-editing several significant works in the field.
Julie Davis serves as Program Director and Associate Professor for the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Southern Illinois University's Health Professions Programs. A Licensed Physical Therapist in Illinois and Certified Clinical Instructor (American Physical Therapy Association since 2000), she maintains active clinical and academic roles with office ASA 114B. Her educational credentials include: Doctor of Rehabilitation (preliminary exam 2009), Southern Illinois University MS in Physical Therapy (1996), Barry University BS in Biology (1995), Barry University BS in Advanced Technical Studies (1993), Southern Illinois University AAS in Physical Therapist Assistant (1990), Southern Illinois University Research focuses on pediatrics, ergonomics, and curriculum development within rehabilitation science. Current projects examine allied health job satisfaction, academic training methods, and distance learning perceptions among physical therapy professionals. Her work bridges clinical practice with educational theory to optimize therapeutic outcomes. Publications reveal consistent interdisciplinary engagement across health professions education, with recurring themes in professional competency assessment, diagnostic differentiation, and movement analysis. Recent work demonstrates particular attention to vulnerable populations including sign language interpreters and geriatric patients. Dr. Davis teaches core courses including Intro to Physical Therapy, Pathology, Physical Agents applications, and Neuro Therapeutic Exercise. She has delivered 13+ invited presentations on balance assessment, ergonomic challenges, and fall prevention at regional conferences including Illinois Physical Therapy Association meetings and geriatrics certificate programs.
Iris M. Oliveira is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences , University of Minho . Her research focuses on career development in childhood , emotional skills in academic processes , and educational psychological assessment . Education : PhD in Psychology (2016) on the Construction and Validation of the Childhood Career Exploration Inventory , University of Minho Key research areas include career adaptability , psychometrics , and developmental psychology . Recent work examines emotional labor and burnout , environmental attitudes in adolescents , and family-friendly workplace practices during the pandemic. She has contributed to systematic reviews and cross-cultural career adaptability scales . Projects involve collaborations with CEFH (Center for Philosophical and Humanistic Studies) and European Commission-funded initiatives. Her publications span career psychology , educational assessment , and well-being in hybrid work environments , with a focus on Portuguese and Lebanese populations. She organizes academic events like "Building My Career in Psychology" and "GESTOS para Incluir" (sign language integration).
Sudhin A. Shah, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College, jointly appointed in the Brain and Mind Research Institute, the Department of Radiology (Neuroscience in Radiology), and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. His federally funded program centers on understanding and treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) through multimodal neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and neuromodulation. Education Ph.D., Cornell University, 2010 M.S., Columbia University, 2005 B.Sc., Drexel University, 2002 Research Interests Dr. Shah’s work addresses the full spectrum of TBI consequences—from acute pathophysiology to chronic cognitive and psychiatric sequelae. Using advanced MRI, PET, and high-density EEG, he investigates neural network disruption, glymphatic clearance, inflammatory biomarkers, and the efficacy of targeted neuromodulation such as thalamic deep brain stimulation. His pediatric collaborations extend these questions to developing brains, seeking biomarkers that predict recovery and guide rehabilitation. Grant Portfolio & Current Projects Brain fluid clearance and misfolded protein dynamics following TBI — Co-Principal Investigator, NIA (2023-2028) Multi-Modal Imaging of Mechanisms Underlying Impaired Executive Attention After TBI — Principal Investigator, NIH (2017-2022) Missing Activity — Co-Principal Investigator, NIH (2017-2024) External Relationships & Translation Dr. Shah serves as a paid consultant to Supernus Pharmaceuticals and maintains equity as well as professional services roles with Cognitive Signals INC, ensuring that bench-to-bedside translation of neurotechnology remains a cornerstone of his research agenda.
Nathalie Koble is a Professor at École Normale Supérieure (ENS), where she teaches medieval language and literature, literary theory, poetry translation, and creative writing practices. She serves as Co-Leader of the Medieval and Renaissance Writing Team: Manuscripts and Translations within the Department of Literature and Languages-ITEM. Paleographic archivist with Master's degree in Modern Literature and PhD in French Literature Responsible for the Master of Medieval Literature (supported by Sorbonne-Université) Responsible for the minor in Medieval Studies Co-responsible for the minor in Creative Writing Her research focuses on the manuscript tradition and formal consciousness of medieval texts (poetry and fiction), the memory of the Middle Ages in contemporary literature and art, and the history of poetic translation. Professor Koble's work bridges medieval scholarship with contemporary creative practices, examining how medieval literary forms continue to influence modern writing and artistic expression. Her recent publications demonstrate a sophisticated interdisciplinary approach, with increasing attention to textile arts, visual poetry, and sound studies. The upcoming international conference 'Soft Matters. Poésies textiles, jadis et aujourd'hui' (September 2025) exemplifies this trajectory, connecting medieval manuscript production with textile traditions. Her scholarship on Arthurian literature, particularly the Merlin prose cycles, represents significant contributions to understanding medieval narrative invention and reader-writer dynamics. Prix coup de cœur de l'Académie Charles Cros 2023 Grand prix de l'Académie Charles Cros 2023 Professor Koble leads multiple academic initiatives including workshops, literature courses, and the literary theory seminar. She co-leads the seminar 'Make it new: translating poetry (theory, history, practice)' with Roland Béhar and the masterclass in literary writing with Déborah Levy-Bertherat at the Maison Victor Hugo. Her academic leadership extends to organizing major conferences, study days, and research collaborations with institutions including Sorbonne-Université, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs-PSL, and the Musée de Cluny. She actively participates in research teams including the Medieval and Renaissance Writing Team: Manuscripts and Translations and the Medieval Research group in medieval language and literature, maintaining a vibrant scholarly presence through 2026 with scheduled courses and conferences.
Vanessa Hammer-Schmitt is a Research Assistant at the Chair of Special Education IV - Pedagogy for People with Intellectual Disabilities within the Faculty of Human Sciences at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. She has been working at the university since 2018, initially as a student assistant and later as a research assistant. Her work focuses on supported communication and transitions in educational settings for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Her educational background includes: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Education and Upbringing with Special Educational Needs (2020) 1st State Examination for Special Education Teaching with focus on physical-motor disabilities and speech therapy qualification (2020) Certificate as "Specialist for Supported Communication" according to standards of the German Society for Supported Communication (2021) Dr. Hammer-Schmitt's research primarily centers on supported communication for individuals with intellectual and physical-motor disabilities. Her work examines how communication develops across institutional transitions, particularly from preschool to school settings. She investigates communication biographies - the longitudinal development of communication methods and supports throughout a person's life. Her research employs qualitative methods to understand how institutional changes impact communication practices and social participation. She is particularly interested in how families, educators, and therapists collaborate to support communication continuity during transitions. Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on institutional transitions in supported communication. Her work shows how communication methods evolve across different educational settings and how these transitions affect social participation. She has developed frameworks for understanding communication biographies that track how individuals' communication methods change and adapt throughout their educational journey. Her research fills an important gap in understanding how to maintain communication continuity during critical transition points in educational settings. Professional recognition includes: Certificate as "Specialist for Supported Communication" (2021) Dr. Hammer-Schmitt is actively involved in the "Institutional Transitions in Supported Communication" research project at the University of Würzburg. She has presented her work at numerous national conferences including the German Society for Mental Health for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the Congress of Teachers of Intellectual Disability Education, and the Society for Supported Communication. Her collaborative work with colleagues like Prof. Dr. Christoph Ratz and Dr. J. M. Stegkemper demonstrates strong interdisciplinary research partnerships focused on improving educational outcomes for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation on "Supported Communication in the Transition from Preschool to School Institution - A Process-Accompanying Perspective on the Path of Child and Family." Her work contributes significantly to the field of special education by providing insights into how communication supports can be maintained during critical educational transitions.
Alain Pagani is a Principal Researcher and Deputy Director of the Augmented Vision department at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) . He leads a team of 10 PhD students and researchers, focusing on Augmented Reality, Computer Vision, and Machine Learning. Research Interests include 3D Computer Vision, Image-based Scene Reconstruction, Object Detection and Tracking, and Extended Reality (AR/VR) applications. His work spans both industrial and academic projects, such as the EU initiatives dAIEDGE , CORTEX² , and FLUENTLY . Scientific Awards include a Google Research Award, Best Paper Award (INI-GraphicsNet 2007 Honorable Mentions), and Best Paper Award (INI-GraphicsNet 2008 Honorable Mentions). Projects like dAIEDGE (AI at the Edge) and CORTEX² (Collaborative XR) highlight his leadership in distributed AI and real-time extended reality systems. He has also coordinated EU projects such as LARA (Outdoor AR using Galileo) and Eyes of Things (Low-power Computer Vision).
Elena Benedicto is a Professor in the Department of English at Purdue University. A faculty member since 1997, she directs the Indigenous and Endangered Languages Lab (IELLab) and contributes to interdisciplinary programs including Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Classics, and Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Ph.D. in linguistics and syntax from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Ph.D. and bachelor’s in Latin syntax from Universitat de Barcelona Her research bridges theoretical syntax and methodological/ethical issues in linguistic fieldwork, with a focus on endangered languages like Mayangna (Nicaragua) and sign languages (ASL, LSCu, LIS). Key themes include: Reference frames and spatial cognition Verbal classifier systems Participatory Action Research (PAR) Language revitalization Sociolinguistic dynamics Cultural transmission of knowledge Her publications span formal syntactic analysis and ethical frameworks for community-driven research, reflecting collaborations across institutions and Indigenous groups. She teaches courses in syntax, field methods, and Native American languages.
