Sinisa Malesevic is a Full Professor of Comparative Historical Sociology at University College Dublin (UCD), serving since 2011. He holds prestigious memberships in the Royal Irish Academy (since 2010), Academia Europaea (2014), and the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2012). His academic journey includes roles at institutions like CEU Prague, LSE London, and the Institute for Human Sciences Vienna. Education: BA in Sociology, University of Zagreb MA in Sociology and Politics, Lancaster University PhD in Sociology, University College Cork Research Interests: War and violence, nationalism, empires, sociological theory, and historical comparative studies Explores themes like organized violence, nationalist ideologies, and the intersection of modernity and conflict Awards: 2023 Robin M. Williams Award for Distinguished Scholarship 2023 ASA Outstanding Book Award for Why Humans Fight 2018 ASA Book Award for The Rise of Organized Brutality Grants & Advising: PI of major grants including €52k for 'Spatialising Antagonism' (2023–24) and €176k for Holocaust museum studies (2022–24) Supervised PhD students J. Guiterrez and D. Stjepanovic Labs/Teams: Senior Fellow at CNAM Paris and affiliated with UCD's School of Sociology research groups Leads projects on nationalism, conflict, and historical sociology
Derek H. Alderman is a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Geography & Sustainability, affiliated with the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences. His work bridges cultural and historical geography, focusing on public memory, race, heritage tourism, critical place naming, and the African American Freedom Struggle. Alderman’s research interrogates how marginalized communities assert spatial belonging through commemorative practices, particularly in the U.S. South. Education & Career: Ph.D., University of Georgia (1998). Former Department Head at UT Knoxville (2012–2017). Previous roles at East Carolina University (2000–2012), Georgia College (1998–2000), and others. Served as AAG President (2017–2018) and on multiple academic committees. Research Interests: Geographies of memory, racial justice, counter-mapping, and the politics of place naming. Key projects include the Tourism RESET Initiative (analyzing racial inequities in tourism), the I-NAME project (place naming reforms), and NSF-funded work on SNCC’s geospatial intelligence during the Civil Rights Movement. Publications & Impact: Over 175 peer-reviewed articles, books, and essays. Recent work includes critical analyses of plantation museums, Black geographies of mobility, and federal place-naming policies. His scholarship frequently engages public audiences through media, policy consultations, and educational initiatives. Awards & Service: Honors include AAG Fellow (2021), Zumkehr Prize (2020), and distinction for anti-racist pedagogy. Active in academic governance as Faculty Senate President at UT and on the AAG Healthy Department Committee. Collaborates with organizations like the Beck Cultural Exchange Center to advance community-driven memory work. Grants & Initiatives: Secured NSF and NEH funding for projects on civil rights cartography, K-12 teacher training, and the role of mobility in African American history. Leads interdisciplinary teams in mapping urban renewal impacts and reconciling contested landscapes.
Scott Wilson is a Professor of Composition and Electronic Music at the University of Birmingham's Department of Music. He directs the Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre (BEAST) and the Electroacoustic Studios, leading research in real-time interactive systems, audio spatialisation, and SuperCollider programming. His roles include coordinating the COMPASS Centre for Composition and teaching across undergraduate/postgraduate programs in composition and live electroacoustic music. Education: BFA (Simon Fraser), MA (Wesleyan), Mus.Doc (Toronto). His research focuses on acoustic/electroacoustic hybrids, spatial audio systems, and the development of SuperCollider. Key projects include the BEASTmulch spatialisation initiative and collaborations with ensembles like the Ligeti Quartet and BEER (Birmingham Ensemble for Electroacoustic Research). Recent performances include international showcases in Mexico, Colombia, and Thailand, highlighting works like Kelp Road and What if there's nothing you can do? . His compositional style emphasizes improvisation, network music, and live coding, with notable contributions to the SuperCollider Book (2nd ed., MIT Press, 2025). Active in Thai and Javanese music traditions, Wilson bridges experimental composition with cultural sound studies.
Victoria Christine Årang Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Oslo's Department of Musicology (IMV). Her work bridges classical violin performance with cutting-edge music technology and interdisciplinary art. She holds a doctoral-level artistic research fellowship from the Norwegian Academy of Music (2007–2011), focusing on 'Electric Violin in Digital Space.' Johnson’s research explores motion capture, live electronics, and the integration of digital tools with traditional instruments. She is a sought-after performer in festivals like Borealis and Ultima, known for her innovative collaborations with composers and technologists. Awards include a National 1-year working grant (2022). She teaches violin at the Barratt Due Institute of Music and leads projects such as 'Transformation,' which uses motion-tracking systems to control sound synthesis. Education: Master’s from Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London; advanced studies at Vienna Academy of Music. Her research interests span music technology, performativity, and cultural understanding through digital arts. She actively engages in experimental chamber music with ensembles like Kyberia and Ametri String Quartet. Recent projects emphasize the interplay between traditional violin techniques and electronic innovation, reflecting her commitment to expanding musical expression.
Dr Drew Crawford is an Associate Professor in Music at the University of Southampton, where he serves as the Department's Director of Programmes and Undergraduate Programme Lead. His academic career spans both teaching and creative practice in music composition and production. His research interests include: Intermedial and collaborative music creation practice Choreographic implications of sound spatialisation in live performance Electronic music production and composition Geographically and temporally distributed creativity Artificial intelligence and machine learning in digital music making Crawford's current research focuses on spatial music - music that uses human perception of sound localization as a compositional parameter. With a background spanning two decades of studio-based practice and over three decades of collaborative work in theatrical contexts, his research draws from acoustics, affective aesthetics, aural architecture, and various creative practices. He explores how to develop a sophisticated language of music-in-space/space-in-music, examining what new forms could emerge when sound-in-space is foregrounded as a key compositional element. His work addresses the gap between historical spatial music practices and contemporary live performance where space is often ignored as a compositional parameter. His creative works demonstrate extensive exploration of spatial audio concepts and intermedial composition, ranging from immersive sound installations to reinterpretations of classical works and experimental performance pieces. These outputs reflect his investigation into how sound localization can be systematically integrated into musical composition with the same sophistication as harmonic or rhythmic elements. Dr Crawford is accepting PhD students and currently supervises Timothy Cape who is pursuing a PhD in Music. He is passionate about teaching creative contemporary music-making, having taught techniques from digital sound design to 18th century counterpoint. In the 2024-25 academic year, he teaches 'The Producer as Composer,' 'Commercial Composition,' and the first-year undergraduate module 'The Learning Curve.' His educational philosophy emphasizes finding connections between seemingly disparate musical concepts to help students discover underlying principles that link different musical approaches. His professional background includes composition studies at the University of Sydney with Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, and Anne Boyd. Prior to joining the University of Southampton, he taught at the Australian Institute of Music and served as a Visiting Lecturer at City, University of London. His career bridges commercial and artistic contexts, with work spanning studio recordings across multiple genres, film and television soundtracks, and live performances in diverse settings from opera to corporate events.
Antoine Picon is the G. Ware Travelstead Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design (GSD), where he also chairs the PhD program in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning. His research bridges historical analysis with contemporary digital culture, focusing on the interplay between architecture, technology, and society. Picon holds degrees in engineering, architecture, and history from prestigious institutions, including the École Polytechnique and École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. His work explores themes such as urban natures, smart cities, materiality in architecture, and the legacy of utopian movements. Key publications include Natures Urbaines: Une Histoire Technique et Sociale (2024), The Materiality of Architecture (2021), and Smart Cities: A Spatialised Intelligence (2015). He has curated exhibitions like Urban Natures: A Technological and Political History 1600-2030 (2025) and served as Chairman of the Fondation Le Corbusier (2013–2024). Education: Science and Engineering Degrees: École Polytechnique, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées Architecture: École d’Architecture de Paris-Villemin PhD and Habilitation: École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales Picon’s awards include the French Académie des Technologies membership (2010), Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (2014), and multiple architectural prizes. His recent research investigates AI’s impact on architectural intentionality and the Anthropocene’s challenges to material practices. He teaches courses on digital-age architecture, urban infrastructure, and the post-anthropocene. His work consistently emphasizes ethical and political dimensions of technological change in urban environments.
Amani Hassani is a Sociological Review Fellow (2020-21) at Keele University's School of Social Sciences. Her research focuses on racialisation, spatialisation, and social mobility through urban ethnography, particularly studying Muslims in the Global North. She employs walking-based methodologies to explore how individuals engage with urban spaces to assert identity and belonging. Education: MA in Anthropology (University of Copenhagen, Denmark); PhD in Social and Cultural Analysis (Concordia University, Canada). Research Interests: Intersectional analysis of race, class, and urban space; Islamophobia in Denmark and Quebec; public intellectual engagement on ethnic minority discrimination. Her work bridges sociology, anthropology, and geography. Awards: Appointed Sociological Review Fellow in 2020, a prestigious honor recognizing early-career scholars. Advising/Grants: No specific advisees or grants listed in available texts. Active in public discourse via media engagements and academic writing. Labs/Teams: No dedicated lab mentioned, but collaborates across disciplines within the School of Social Sciences.
Rob Shields is a Professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and Sociology at the University of Alberta, holding the Henry Marshall Tory Endowed Research Chair in Sociology. His work bridges urban geography, cultural studies, and social theory, with a focus on geopolitics, climate change, and Indigenous spatial practices. He has authored/co-edited books such as Spatial Questions and The Virtual , and founded Space and Culture journal. His research explores urban social spaces, settler colonialism, and infrastructure impacts on Indigenous lands. Education: DPhil (Doctor of Philosophy) from the University of Sussex, with early work in passive solar design at Carleton University. Previously served as Director of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies at Carleton University. Research Interests: Urban/suburban spatialization, cultural topology, climate change communication, decolonial theory, and the socio-spatial dimensions of infrastructure. Current projects include studies on nanotechnology governance and Arctic cryosphere dynamics. Awards: Tory Research Chair, Commonwealth Scholar, and recognized for award-winning scholarly contributions. Teaching: Courses on urban sociology, climate change, and Indigenous geographies. Supervises studies on technology and infrastructure in settler colonial contexts.
Dr. Amani Hassani is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Department of Politics and History within the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences at Brunel University London. She joined Brunel in 2022 to lead the research project "The Other's Right to the City: a comparative ethnography of Denmark's ghetto policy," which examines how racialisation, Islamophobia, and immigration policies shape urban politics. Hassani holds a PhD in Social and Cultural Analysis (a combined doctorate in Sociology and Anthropology) from Concordia University, an MSc in Anthropology, and a BA in Anthropology, both from the University of Copenhagen. As an urban ethnographer working at the intersection of sociology, anthropology, and human geography, Hassani's research explores the connection between racialisation and spatialisation, with a focus on Muslim populations in the Global North. Her work particularly examines: Racialisation processes in color-blind societies Muslim experiences with Islamophobia in urban contexts Spatial dimensions of Muslim life in Western cities Comparative analysis of Muslim experiences in Denmark and Canada Gendered dimensions of religious expression and discrimination Hassani's recently published monograph "Navigating Colour-Blind Societies: A Comparative Ethnography of Muslim Urban Life in Copenhagen and Montreal" (2024) represents the culmination of her doctoral work and subsequent research. The book offers insights into the urban lives of young middle-class Muslims in Copenhagen and Montreal, examining racialisation as both a social process that is classed and gendered and a spatial process that is social and temporal. Her research demonstrates how Muslim communities navigate and contest racialised spaces in Western urban environments. Hassani has received notable recognition for her work, including: Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship Sociological Review Fellowship (2020) Prior to joining Brunel, Hassani taught at Goldsmiths, Concordia University, and Aarhus University, covering modules in urban studies, youth studies, sociological theory, racialisation, and ethnographic methods. Her research continues to inform understanding of how Muslims are racialised and how they navigate this process in social and urban life across different national contexts.
Professor Uli Beisel is a distinguished academic at the Free University of Berlin, where she holds the position of Professor of Human Geography within the Institute of Geographical Sciences. Her work focuses on the Chair of Human Geography Geographies of Global Inequalities, examining how spatial dynamics intersect with global health, environmental justice, and social transformation processes. With an interdisciplinary approach spanning feminist and postcolonial science and technology studies, she investigates complex human-nonhuman relationships in contexts of health and environmental change, particularly through her research on mosquito-parasite-human entanglements in malaria control and broader questions of coexistence with organisms harmful to human health. Beisel's research centers on the spatialization of global inequalities and social transformation processes, particularly in the areas of naturecultures, planetary health, and environmental justice. Her work explores practices of boundary drawing between human and non-human organisms and critically examines how we can coexist well with organisms and substances harmful to human health. She investigates mutating mosquitoes and resistant parasites; zoonotic diseases; insecticides, pesticides and toxins; and technologies and infrastructures in global health. Her feminist and postcolonial perspective provides critical insights into power dynamics in global health interventions, environmental management, and the politics of scientific knowledge production across different geopolitical contexts. Analysis of Professor Beisel's publication record from 2014-2022 reveals consistent research trajectories focusing on multispecies relations in global health contexts, particularly around mosquito control and malaria interventions. Her scholarship demonstrates deep engagement with postcolonial and feminist STS frameworks, examining how health technologies travel across contexts and the political implications of these translations. A significant thread throughout her work is the examination of trust in medical systems, particularly in African contexts during health crises like Ebola. Her recent publications increasingly address multispecies cohabitation in urban environments and vaccine equity in the Global South, reflecting evolving concerns with planetary health and global justice in the Anthropocene. Professor Beisel leads multiple significant research projects including a DFG-funded project on 'Uneven geographies of vaccine manufacturing in the Global South' (2021-22), a Volkswagen Foundation project on 'Mobile Mosquitoes' examining human-mosquito mobilities across four countries (2022-26), and a Berlin University Alliance project on 'Re-Scaling Global Health' (2022-25). She also contributes to the Cluster of Excellence Africa Multiple with research on electronic waste and circular economies. These projects involve extensive international collaboration across Africa, Europe, and the Americas, demonstrating her commitment to transdisciplinary scholarship that bridges theoretical innovation with practical health and environmental challenges while addressing questions of global justice and equity. Professor Beisel is actively involved in multiple research networks and collaborative frameworks. She is part of the editorial collective of Mattering Press, an open access book publisher committed to accessible scholarly communication. Her 'Mobile Mosquitoes' project establishes an interdisciplinary consortium studying human-mosquito mobilities across India, Mexico, Tanzania, and Germany. The 'Re-Scaling Global Health' project brings together scholars from social sciences, humanities, urban design, ecology, and virology to examine urban health through a multispecies lens. She also contributes to the LOST Research Network (Law, Organization, Science and Technology), which examines intersections of anthropology of law, organization studies, and science and technology studies with a focus on Africa. These collaborations reflect her commitment to transdisciplinary approaches that bridge theoretical innovation with practical interventions in global health and environmental justice.
Nicholas Moroz is a composer, researcher, and artistic director of Explore Ensemble , affiliated with the Royal College of Music as a Composition Professor . His work integrates acoustic and electronic music, with a focus on live electronics and spatialisation. Current DPhil candidate in Music (Composition) at the University of Oxford (AHRC-funded). Co-founded the EXPO experimental music series in Oxford. His research explores intersections of aesthetics, technology, and collaboration in live electronic music, particularly informed by the work of Luigi Nono and the Experimentalstudio Freiburg. Nicholas is active as a recording engineer and producer, contributing to critically acclaimed releases such as Explore Ensemble’s Perfect Offering (2023) and Lisa Illean’s arcing, stilling, bending, gathering (2024). At RCM, he teaches composition, electronic music, classical sound recording, and environmental music topics. 2022: Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung Ensemble Prize awarded to Explore Ensemble. Collaborations span ensembles like GBSR Duo, Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, and institutions including the Royal Academy of Arts and Dartington Festival.
Sam Jacoby is Professor of Architectural and Urban Design Research at the Royal College of Art, where he serves as Research Lead of the School of Architecture and Director of the Laboratory for Design and Machine Learning. With extensive research leadership experience, he is responsible for School-wide research strategy and management, while also innovating in research-led teaching through unique programs that equip graduates with knowledge and design research skills to address emerging challenges in both practice and academia. Dr. Jacoby earned a Dr.-Ing. from the Technische Universität Berlin and an AA Diploma from the Architectural Association School of Architecture. He has taught in 12 academic programs across 6 architectural schools in the UK and Germany, directing PhD, MPhil, and MRes research-degree programs, and leading postgraduate design studios and history and theory seminars. He was founding Director of the MPhil in Architecture and Urban Design: Projective Cities program at the Architectural Association School of Architecture (2009–19) and Professor of Architecture, Design, and Building Typology at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart (2016). As a design researcher, Jacoby advances socio-spatial impact through mixed methods informed by architecture, architectural history, urban design, and interdisciplinary approaches. His work examines spatialized governmentality, socio-spatial histories, housing design standardization, typological analysis, data-driven methods, and community-led development. Current research focuses on data-driven and evidence-based design, innovations in design research, and intergenerational problems like wellbeing, climate crisis, and social justice in relation to social values created by the built environment. His publication portfolio demonstrates strong trends toward machine learning applications in architecture, comparative housing studies (particularly England-Chile-China), pandemic housing impacts, and the integration of computational methods with traditional architectural research. Professor Jacoby has secured significant research funding including projects on managed coastal retreat, housing standardization, architectural typologies through machine learning, collective forms in China, and spatial design and wellbeing. His research collaborations span multiple international institutions including Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Shanghai University, and Stavros Niarchos Foundation. He supervises research students including Raül Avilla Royo (completed) and Yakim Milev (current), and leads the Laboratory for Design and Machine Learning, which conducts experimental research into new methodologies at the intersection of machine learning, data processing, and visualisation for emerging design processes. The Laboratory's projects include the London Housing Data Visualisation Platform, The Home, the Household, and Covid-19, Hong Kong Housing, and London Housing policy research.
Dr Gavin Wayte is a Research Fellow in Creative and Professional Practice and Contemporary Music Lead at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). He holds a PhD in Composition from the University of Manchester (2007) and has extensive experience as a composer, conductor, and pianist. His work spans opera, multimedia performance, and collaborations with artists across disciplines. Research focuses include music's engagement with nature, historical instrument performance (e.g., the 1839 Nicholson’s Flute), and interdisciplinary creative practices. Notable projects include 'How May Music Projects Enable Positive Environmental Action', supported by RNCM grants, which involved student and community workshops addressing ecological themes. Teaching roles include module leadership in Artist Development , Professional Placement , and composition mentoring at RNCM’s Junior Department. He has also taught at the University of Nottingham and Salford University, and served on juries for competitions like the BASCA British Composer Awards. Awards include shortlisting for the Henri Dutilleux Composition Competition and recognition from Sound and Music (SPNM). His compositions are performed globally, with recordings released on Prima Facie and streaming platforms.
Dr Tahera Aziz is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Design at London South Bank University. She is an artist-researcher-educator with a focus on identity, migration, and racism, exploring how historical and contemporary migration-related events shape individual experiences. Research Interests: Intersection of creative technologies and socio-political critique Storytelling through spatialised audio Anti-racism education via participatory arts Projects: Developing an arts-based learning programme for secondary schools tied to the [re]locate sound installation Collaborating with artist-curator Gary Stewart of Dubmorphology Examining the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence
