Dr. Amelia Curran is a Lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Winnipeg, holding a PhD from Carleton University. Her research examines social justice, youth gangs, carceral geographies, and policy impacts on marginalized communities. She currently leads two SSHRC-funded projects analyzing bail systems and gang designations in Manitoba. Research Focus: Dr. Curran's interdisciplinary work spans: Critical analysis of justice policies and policing Socio-spatial dynamics of gang territories Neoliberal restructuring of social services New materialist methodologies Community-based solutions for urban inequality Affiliations: Co-lead, Justice Stream at Manitoba Research Alliance Research Associate, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives–Manitoba Publications include a 2023 Palgrave Macmillan book on gang geographies and articles in socio-legal studies. Her recent works explore forensic musicology in copyright law, nonprofit management under neoliberalism, and financial exclusion in Winnipeg's North End.
Nikolaos Kapitsinis is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor in Economic Geography at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on political economy approaches to uneven geographical development, labour geography, and the spatial organization of socio-economic change. Previously, he worked as a Research Associate at Cardiff Business School, examining structural issues of the Welsh economy. Education: PhD in Economic Geography, University of Bristol (2017) MRes in Regional Studies, University of Groningen (2012) MSc in European Regional Development Studies, University of Thessaly (2010) BSc in Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly (2009) Dr. Kapitsinis is a member of the research group 'Transformation of cities and landscapes – Geoinformatics' and his work has been published in top-ranked journals including Geoforum and European Planning Studies. He is a Regional Studies Association Fellow with research interests spanning economic geography, regional development, geographical inequalities, labour geography, political economy, spatial organisation, socio-economic change, firm relocation, and industrial location. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on commons theory, socio-ecological crisis responses, trade fair development in urban contexts, and the political economy of regional development. His work often employs case studies from Greece, particularly Thessaloniki, while maintaining a comparative international perspective. The research shows interdisciplinary connections between geography, political ecology, urban studies, and economic sociology. Scientific Awards: ISABEL- Horizon Project (2025) Commendation for Best Young Scientist Paper (2015) Institute of Human Geography Research Grant (2024) Dr. Kapitsinis has been actively involved in peer review activities for numerous journals including British Accounting Review, Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, and Eastern Journal of European Studies. He has also served as a reviewer for research proposals for the Dutch organisation for health research and care innovation and the Hellenic Foundation for Research & Innovation. His media engagements focus on labor precarity, trade fairs' economic impacts, and regional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. His research is characterized by strong community engagement, particularly in Greek contexts, with an emphasis on participatory approaches to urban planning, common resource management, and addressing socio-economic inequalities. Current projects examine the intersection of environmental challenges, economic restructuring, and community resilience.
Professor Niels Fold is a distinguished academic at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management within the Faculty of Science. He has served as a Professor since 2015, following previous roles as Professor (MSO) from 2006-2015 and Associate Professor from 1997-2006. His extensive career includes significant research management experience, coordination of multi-country programs, and cross-disciplinary project leadership across numerous international collaborations. Dr. Fold earned his PhD in Economic Geography from the University of Copenhagen in 1993, following a Master of Science in Geography (1984), Bachelor of Arts in Economics (1982), and Bachelor of Science in Geography (1979), all from the same institution. His academic journey reflects a consistent focus on the intersection of geography, economics, and development studies. His research addresses the relationship between economic-geographic globalization processes and local responses, primarily examined through the analytical lens of global value chains (GVCs). He specializes in agro-industrial value chains connecting producers in the Global South with consumers in the Global North. His approach combines structural GVC analysis with livelihood studies to understand rural development and agrarian transformation. His work extends to mineral-based GVCs, focusing on small-scale mining in Africa and increasingly on large-scale mining and value chain segments in Europe. His regional expertise spans Africa (Ghana, Tanzania), Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Vietnam), and more recently Greenland. His recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on GVCs, rural development, and socio-ecological systems across multiple continents. The research spans Africa (particularly Tanzania, South Africa, and Colombia), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Malaysia), and Greenland, with increasing attention to sustainability issues, ecological infrastructure, and the intersection of tourism with natural resource exploitation. His work shows methodological sophistication in linking macro-level global processes with micro-level local impacts. Member of Editorial Board, Journal of Agrarian Change (2012-present) Member of Editorial Board, Danish Journal of Geography (2004-present) Director, Centre for Sustainable Artisanal Small-Scale Mining, Geocenter Denmark (2009-present) Coordinator, Danish University Consortium for capacity development at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania (2014-present) Task leader in European-African partnership for Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (2018-2022) Professor Fold has supervised approximately 40 Bachelor's theses and 70 Master's theses, in addition to numerous PhD students whose research spans multiple continents and addresses critical development issues. His research has been supported by major funding bodies including the European Commission, Council for Development Research, Geocenter Denmark, and the Carlsberg Foundation, with total funding exceeding millions of Danish kroner and Euros across numerous projects. His field work spans multiple continents with extensive experience in Africa (Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia), Asia (Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal), and Latin America (Colombia). He currently leads research projects in South Africa (Socio-economic benefits of ecological infrastructure), Colombia (Aquaponics and livelihoods), Tanzania (Contract farming), and Greenland (the nexus between tourism and exploitation of natural resources), demonstrating his continued active engagement in cutting-edge research across diverse geographical contexts.
Michael Christian Leitner serves as Head of Research & Transfer Services and External Lecturer in Information Technologies and Digitalisation at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. With dual PhDs in Psychology and Communication Science from the University of Salzburg, he bridges academic research with practical applications in neuropsychology and sports psychology. PhD in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2021) Master in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2016) Bachelor in Psychology (University of Salzburg, 2014) PhD in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2012) Master in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2009) Bachelor in Communication Science (University of Salzburg, 2007) Master in Telecommunication & Media (St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, 2005) Leitner's research spans three primary domains: neuropsychological rehabilitation for visual field defects after stroke, sport psychological effects of crowd absence during the COVID-19 pandemic (ghost games), and social engineering/cybersecurity. His innovative work combines eye-tracking technology, virtual reality interventions, and psychological assessment to address complex rehabilitation challenges and understand human behavior in high-pressure sports environments. The Salzburg Visual Field Trainer (SVFT), his VR-based rehabilitation system, represents a significant advancement over traditional stationary and unreliable visual restitution therapies. His publication record reveals a clear thematic progression from neuropsychological rehabilitation methods toward analyzing the psychological impacts of pandemic conditions on sports. The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique natural experiment for studying home advantage phenomena, resulting in multiple publications examining referee decisions, player behavior, and emotional responses in empty stadiums. His most recent work integrates eye-tracking with social science methodology to assess memory-related response variability. Science award (2022) Young Investigators Award (2022) Leitner has secured funding for significant research projects including 'The Psychological Impact of Ghost Games in Football during the COVID-19 Pandemic' (2020-2030) and 'Advanced Perimetry for the Evaluation of Neuroplasticity in the Visual Cortex' (2018-2023). His collaborative network spans multiple institutions with strong connections to the University of Salzburg's Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience. He actively engages with the public through media appearances discussing topics from emotional behavior in sports to the psychological aspects of neurovisual rehabilitation. As Head of Research & Transfer Services, Leitner leads the strategic reorientation of research at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences through a comprehensive organizational development process. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals through applications in health, wellbeing, and quality education.
