Shigehiro Oishi is the Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023). He holds a B.A. from International Christian University (Tokyo), Ed.M. from Columbia University, and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to UChicago, he taught at the University of Minnesota (2000–2004), Columbia University (2018–2020), and the University of Virginia (2004–2018; 2020–2022). His research explores culture, social ecology, and well-being, focusing on questions like “What is a good life?” and how socio-ecological factors like income inequality and residential mobility impact well-being across cultures. His lab uses diverse data sources, including surveys, GIS, and experimental methods. Key awards include the 2017 Society of Experimental Social Psychology Career Trajectory Award, the 2018 Carol and Ed Diener Award, and the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award for Advancing Cultural Psychology. His work bridges psychology, sociology, and cultural studies, with a global focus on understanding human thriving. The Oishi Lab at UChicago continues this mission, welcoming new Ph.D. students and hosting prominent social psychology talks.
Craig Buckley is an Associate Professor in the Department of the History of Art and affiliated with the Yale School of Architecture. His research bridges modern architecture with visual arts and media, focusing on techniques like montage, collage, and screen-based practices. Education: BA (Trent University), MA (University of Western Ontario), PhD (Princeton University) His work examines how media such as print, film, and digital screens shape architectural culture. Key themes include cinema architecture, media theory, and the intersection of design with socio-political movements like 1968 protests. His recent articles analyze topics such as colonial-era cinema architecture, media façades, and pneumatic structures. He teaches courses on architecture’s relationship with media and print culture, often utilizing Yale’s special collections.
Amir AghaKouchak is a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine (UCI). He directs the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing (CHRS) and focuses on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of hydrology, climatology, statistics, and remote sensing. B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Civil Engineering (Water Resources), K.N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran (2001, 2005) Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Stuttgart, Germany (2010) His research aims to leverage satellite data and ground observations to advance modeling of hydrologic extremes (droughts, floods, landslides) and develop decision-support systems for water resources management. Key areas include climate change impacts , stochastic modeling , and the water-energy nexus . Recent publications highlight his work on multi-hazard analysis, groundwater decline, wildfire resilience, and climate projections. Tools like MhAST and MvCAT demonstrate his methodological contributions to copula-based and multi-hazard modeling.
Witold J. Henisz serves as Vice Dean and Faculty Director of the Impact, Value, and Sustainable Business Initiative at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, holding the Deloitte & Touche Professorship in Management. His research centers on political and social risk identification, ESG impact materiality, and corporate diplomacy frameworks that transform stakeholder relationships into strategic assets. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Business and Public Policy from UC Berkeley's Haas School and an M.A. in International Relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS. Henisz has served as Departmental Editor at Journal of International Business Studies and Associate Editor at Strategic Management Journal , reflecting his scholarly influence. Research interests converge on geopolitical risk quantification, stakeholder engagement optimization, and sustainable business model innovation. His work demonstrates how political hazards materially impact firm valuation and how corporate diplomacy can mitigate conflict through strategic stakeholder alignment. Recent publications leverage massive media datasets (4+ billion articles) to model populism dynamics, indigenous land conflicts, and ESG-credit risk linkages. Award highlights include the Aspen Institute Ideas Worth Teaching Award (2020), Iron Prof recognition (2019), and Academy of International Business Fellowship. His geostrategy framework Geostrategy by Design (2024) provides executives with actionable methods for navigating geopolitical volatility. Aspen Institute Ideas Worth Teaching Award (2020) Iron Prof recognition (2019) Academy of International Business Fellow (2014-present) Multiple Wharton Excellence in Teaching Awards (2006-2021) Industry Studies Association Best Paper Award (2019) Henisz consults through PRIMA LLC for multinational firms (Rio Tinto, Shell), financial institutions (Eaton Vance, World Bank), and NGOs. His executive education programs train leaders in ESG integration and geopolitical risk management, while his KEROVKA crisis simulation develops real-time strategic response capabilities. Media frequently cites his expertise on ESG controversies, with 50+ major publications featuring his analysis since 2022 including Financial Times , Bloomberg , and Wall Street Journal .
Gita Nandan is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment within Pratt Institute's School of Architecture. As a founder and principal of the award-winning design firm thread collective , she integrates social, cultural, and economic dimensions into resilient urban design. She chairs the Resilient Red Hook Committee and has over 15 years of experience overseeing diverse projects like passive houses and NYCHA community farms. M.Sc., Architecture – University of California B.A., Architecture History – University of Michigan Her research focuses on holistic resilience strategies, including micro-grids , shared solar , and community investment funds to transform low-income waterfront neighborhoods. She has contributed to NYC sustainable design policies and co-led initiatives like Let The Water In: Strategies for a Resilient Edgemere and The Courts of Sheepshead Bay: Community Recovery . Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, blending design with socio-economic equity to address climate challenges in urban contexts.
Michael R. Dove is the Margaret K. Musser Professor of Social Ecology and Professor of Anthropology at Yale University, where he also serves as Curator of Anthropology at the Peabody Museum and Co-Coordinator of the Combined YSE/Anthropology Doctoral Program. With over forty years of research experience, his work focuses on environmental anthropology, particularly the environmental relations of local communities in South and Southeast Asia. Dove earned his B.A. from Northwestern University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. His academic journey has spanned decades of field research in Asia, including more than a dozen years conducting long-term studies on human ecology in Borneo and Java, developing government research capacity in Indonesia, and advising the Pakistan Forest Service on social forestry policies. Professor Dove's research interests encompass the anthropology of climate change, cultural and political aspects of natural hazards and disasters, indigenous environmental knowledge and practice, environmental institutions and movements, history of environment-related sciences, and multispecies ethnography. His work often examines how local environmental systems interact with national and global markets, politics, and ideologies, with a focus on problematizing orthodox approaches to conservation and development. He has made significant contributions to understanding human-environment relations through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Dove's recent scholarly output demonstrates a progression toward more integrated approaches to environmental challenges, blending historical perspectives with contemporary issues. His publications increasingly focus on the intersections of climate change, social justice, and indigenous knowledge systems, while maintaining his longstanding interest in Southeast Asian environmental relations. The work shows a growing emphasis on post-humanist approaches and multispecies ethnography, reflecting broader trends in environmental anthropology while maintaining his distinctive focus on political ecology and institutional analysis. As an educator, Professor Dove has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, many of whom have gone on to win research awards and secure prestigious positions. He organizes separate research labs for doctoral students from Yale School of the Environment and other departments, as well as for joint YSE/Anthropology doctoral students. His advisees typically conduct international research and have excellent records of obtaining research support both within and beyond Yale. The Dove Lab at Yale School of the Environment serves as a hub for environmental anthropology research, focusing on topics including natural resource management, property rights, power struggles, household energy transitions, and human-wildlife interactions. The lab fosters a collaborative environment with 30-50 students working on related issues each year, characterized by supportive peer dynamics rather than competition. It also contributes to policy and social change through its research and the work of its alumni.
Dr. Jessica A Eisma is an Assistant Professor of Water Resources in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her research focuses on urban and dryland hydrology, remote sensing, machine learning, citizen science, and climate change adaptation. She holds a PhD from Purdue University (2020) and prior degrees from Purdue and Michigan State University. Her work emphasizes community-centered solutions for flood resilience and green infrastructure planning in vulnerable areas. Education: PhD, Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 2020 MS, Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 2015 BS, Civil Engineering, Michigan State University, 2012 Research Interests: Urban hydrology and climate impacts on rainfall patterns Remote sensing applications for water resource management Machine learning in hydrological modeling Citizen science for environmental data collection Green infrastructure design for flood mitigation Recent Article Trends: Dr. Eisma’s recent work addresses urbanization effects on extreme rainfall, UAV-based thermal mapping of micro-urban heat islands, and equity-focused green infrastructure planning. Her publications often bridge technical innovation and community-driven solutions for climate resilience. Awards: 2024: Faculty/Staff Graduating Student Impact Reception (UTA) 2023: Emerging Leaders Award (Purdue CEG SAC) 2020: Magoon Award for Excellence in Teaching (Purdue College of Engineering) 2015: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Advising & Grants: Advises 3 PhD students and multiple undergrad researchers Principal Investigator on grants totaling over $1M from NOAA, NSF, and others Focus areas: Houston flood resilience, Texas urban stormwater systems Lab & Teams: Leads the SEUSI Lab, dedicated to socio-environmental solutions in urban sustainability and infrastructure. Collaborates with national and international partners on water security and climate adaptation projects.
Sohl Lee serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Art History and Criticism at Stony Brook University, specializing in Contemporary East Asian Art and Visual Culture, Critical Theory and Globalization, and Curatorial Studies. Holding a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester since 2014, she contributes significantly to the academic community through teaching and research. Her educational background features: Ph.D. in Visual and Cultural Studies from the University of Rochester (2014) Professor Lee's research explores modern and contemporary East Asian art through interdisciplinary lenses including aesthetics of politics, activist art, vernacular modernism, postcolonial theory, and historiography. Her scholarship appears in prominent journals such as Yishu: Journal for Contemporary Chinese Art , Art Journal , and InVisible Culture , establishing her as a leading voice in global art discourse. Her publication trajectory reveals consistent engagement with democracy, ecological consciousness, and Cold War legacies across East Asian contexts. Key thematic threads include the intersection of art and political movements, ecological thinking in Korean contemporary art, and visual representations of national division—demonstrating how artistic practices navigate complex socio-political landscapes. Dr. Lee's scholarly contributions have been recognized through competitive fellowships: Social Sciences Research Council Fellowship Korea Foundation Fellowship Susan B. Anthony Institute of Gender and Women Studies Fellowship She actively shapes student learning through undergraduate courses including 'Art and the City,' 'Modern and Contemporary Korean Art,' and 'Social Engagement and Publicness in East Asia.' Her curatorial practice extends academic work into public spheres through exhibitions mounted in both the United States and South Korea, bridging theoretical frameworks with tangible cultural production.
John W. van de Lindt is the Harold H. Short Endowed Chair Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University and Co-director of the NIST Center of Excellence for Risk-Based Community Resilience Planning. His research develops performance-based engineering frameworks for natural hazards including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Research integrates physical testing (full-scale shake tables), computational modeling, and field reconnaissance to quantify community resilience. Key areas include: multi-hazard fragility assessment; coupled physical-socio-economic recovery modeling; climate adaptation strategies; and resilient timber structural systems. Recent projects include longitudinal tornado impact studies, earthquake-tsunami risk assessment for coastal communities, and life-cycle analysis of sustainable buildings. Publications document innovations in resilience-informed design, validation of recovery models using disaster reconnaissance, and development of the IN-CORE computational platform for community resilience planning. Research consistently bridges structural engineering with social science for multidisciplinary disaster impact reduction. Awards include ASCE Fellow (2019), Ernest E. Howard Award (2017), and multiple best paper awards. Van de Lindt has led disaster reconnaissance following major US events including the 2021 Midwest tornado outbreak.
Holly Michael is a Professor and Unidel Fraser Russell Career Development Chair for the Environment at the University of Delaware, serving as Director of the Delaware Environmental Institute. She holds a BS from the University of Notre Dame (BS, 1990s) and a PhD from MIT (2000s). Her research focuses on coastal hydrogeology, saltwater intrusion, groundwater sustainability, and climate change impacts on water resources. Current projects include investigating coastal critical zones, groundwater salinization dynamics, and arsenic-safe groundwater management in Bangladesh. Dr. Michael’s work integrates field studies, modeling, and experimental economics to address water resource challenges. She leads initiatives on subterranean estuaries, tidal wetland biogeochemistry, and the interplay between groundwater and surface water systems. Her research spans disciplines such as contaminant hydrology, geostatistics, and environmental policy, with emphasis on coastal regions. Notable projects include assessing the impacts of storm surges on coastal forests and modeling groundwater responses to sea-level rise. Dr. Michael collaborates internationally on issues like sustainable groundwater use and climate adaptation strategies. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges hydrology, ecology, and socio-economic frameworks to solve complex environmental problems.
Anne-Lise François is an Associate Professor in the Departments of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her PhD in Comparative Literature from Princeton University. Her work bridges 18th- and 19th-century British literature with contemporary environmental humanities, focusing on themes of ecological ethics, literary minimalism, and non-productive temporalities. Current research explores pastoral worldliness and commons-based economies in Romantic and modernist texts. Key scholarly contributions include her prize-winning book *Open Secrets: The Literature of Uncounted Experience* (2007), which examines 'affirmative reticence' in works by Jane Austen, Mme de Lafayette, and Emily Dickinson. Her recent projects address climate crisis narratives, food politics, and the intersection of aesthetic theory with ecological urgency. Teaching emphasizes transhistorical literary studies and environmental criticism Active in interdisciplinary collaborations across literature, philosophy, and environmental science Current book project: *Provident Improvisers: Parables of Subsistence from Wordsworth to Benjamin* Her writing synthesizes close textual analysis with broader socio-ecological frameworks, challenging Enlightenment models of productivity and advocating for 'recessive fulfillment' in both art and life.
Vasilis Kostakis is a Professor of Technology Governance and Sustainability at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia, and a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center. He is also the founder of the P2P Lab, a global initiative exploring peer-to-peer production systems, and a founding member of the 'Tzoumakers' rural makerspace and CommonEn energy cooperative in Greece. Research Interests : Kostakis focuses on technology governance, sustainability, and commons-based systems. His work critiques traditional economic models and advocates for decentralized, community-driven approaches to energy, production, and knowledge-sharing. Key themes include post-growth economics, cosmolocal scalability, and the intersection of digital technology with local initiatives. Key Contributions : He has pioneered frameworks like 'cosmolocalism' (balancing local and global systems) and 'design global, manufacture local' (Dgml), emphasizing localized production using global digital designs. His projects, such as TheOtherSchool.art and the P2P Lab, aim to democratize access to technology and knowledge. Labs & Collaborations : The P2P Lab acts as a hub for global commons research, while his hometown initiatives in Ioannina, Greece, exemplify grassroots sustainability. Collaborations span academia, civil society, and policy-making to reimagine socio-technical systems.
University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States
Grace Wu is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She holds a Ph.D. in Energy and Resources from UC Berkeley, an M.S. from the same program, an M.Phil. in Zoology from the University of Cambridge, and a B.A. in Biology from Pomona College. Prior to UCSB, she was a Smith Conservation Fellow at The Nature Conservancy and a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Davis’ John Muir Institute of the Environment. Her research focuses on sustainable land use, climate change mitigation, and renewable energy planning. She employs spatial science to analyze trade-offs between low-carbon energy development and biodiversity conservation, co-founding the MapRE initiative and developing the RE Zoning GIS tool. Her work emphasizes low-impact pathways for energy systems, particularly in Southern Africa and the U.S., while collaborating with global initiatives like the FABLE consortium to model food, energy, and land-use dynamics. Grace has been recognized as a Smith Conservation Fellow and UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research bridges policy, science, and technology, aiming to harmonize climate goals with conservation and social equity. She teaches courses such as ENV S 25 and ENV S 145 at UCSB and leads the Spatial Climate Solutions Lab.
Dr. Appala Raju Badireddy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Vermont (UVM), and Director of the Water Treatment & Environmental Nanotechnology (WTEN) Laboratory. He is also co-founder and CTO of Secure Surgical Solutions LLC, and a founding member of Vermont Initiative for Biological and Environmental Surveillance (VIBES). His research focuses on sustainable membrane processes, environmental nanotechnology, nanometrology, and water security. Education: Ph.D., Environmental Engineering, University of Houston (2003-2009) M.Tech., Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (2001-2003) B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (1997-2001) Postdoctoral Research, Duke University (2009-2014) under Prof. Mark Wiesner Research Interests: Sustainable Membrane Processes: Water/wastewater treatment, desalination, anti-fouling strategies, and resource recovery. Environmental Nanotechnology: Nano-enabled sensors, remediation, and implications of nanomaterials in ecosystems. Environmental Chemodynamics: PFAS fate/transport, nutrient cycling, and contaminant toxicity. Water Security: Real-time monitoring systems and soil health assessments. His work integrates lab-scale innovations with field applications, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration. Recent Research Trends: Recent publications highlight advancements in PFAS remediation, electric-field enhanced filtration, and living lab approaches to precision agriculture. He explores nanomaterials for water treatment while addressing their environmental implications through novel detection methods like ED-HSI microscopy. Labs & Initiatives: WTEN Lab: Focuses on nanotechnology-driven water solutions. VIBES: Develops environmental surveillance tools for public health. Secure Surgical Solutions: Applies nanotechnology to medical devices.
Mo Mansouri is a Teaching Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the Department of Systems and Enterprises, Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, Stevens Institute of Technology. He also serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of North-Eastern Norway, highlighting his international academic engagement. His leadership extends to directing Systems Engineering and Socio-technical Systems Programs, underscoring his central role in shaping academic and research initiatives in systems engineering. Education: PhD in Engineering Management, The George Washington University (2004) MS in Industrial Engineering, University of Tehran (1999) BS in Industrial Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (1997) Dr. Mansouri's research is centered on computational governance frameworks , resilience design , and behavioral modeling in complex socio-technical systems . His work applies systems thinking to urban systems, smart cities, infrastructure, and healthcare, with a strong emphasis on data-driven policy design and multi-stakeholder coordination. He investigates how real-time data, sensing, and analytics can inform governance in complex environments such as transportation, energy, and public health systems. His recent publications (2023–2024) reveal a strong trend toward AI and digital transformation in healthcare , electric and urban mobility systems , and pandemic and societal resilience . These works frequently employ systems thinking, systemigram modeling, and system of systems engineering methodologies, published in IEEE, INCOSE, and IARIA venues. The interdisciplinary nature of his research spans engineering, policy, and human behavior. Scientific Awards and Recognitions: While specific awards are not listed in the provided text, his leadership roles and extensive funding indicate high professional recognition. Advising and Grants: Dr. Mansouri has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on multiple high-value research grants totaling millions of dollars from DoD, Lockheed Martin, NED, and FAA. These projects focus on capability assessment, smart city dashboards, governance modeling, and social development. He mentors students through doctoral and master’s level courses and research, though specific advisee names are not provided. Labs and Research Teams: While specific lab names are not mentioned, his research is conducted within the Department of Systems and Enterprises at Stevens, involving collaborations with students and professionals in areas such as smart cities, healthcare systems, and infrastructure resilience. His work with international institutions and professional societies indicates active participation in global research networks.
