Dr. Mary Ann Hunter is Associate Professor in Education at University of Tasmania, specializing in arts-based enquiry and transformative educational practice. Her work explores creative ecologies and reflective supervision frameworks for educators, examining how curiosity and nomad creativity shape learning across formal and informal contexts. Research examines: Arts-based peacebuilding methodologies Reflective supervision for educational leaders Creative ecologies in learning environments Arts-sustainability education connections Community cultural development She leads international networks including IMPACT (initiative for conflict transformation) and coordinates interdisciplinary research projects evaluating arts-based programs like Terrapin Puppet Theatre's dementia care initiative and APRA AMCOS's Songmakers residency program. Honors include the Australian Philip Parsons Prize for Research and Excellence in Leadership Award from the Australian Council for Educational Leadership.
Keunhyun (Keun) Park is an Assistant Professor of Urban Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Department of Forest Resources Management . He also holds an Adjunct Professor position at Utah State University in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. Education: BSc and MSc in Landscape Architecture from Seoul National University; PhD in Urban Planning and Design from the University of Utah Research Lab: Faculty lead of the Urban Nature Design Research Lab ( under_lab ) His research focuses on designing healthy, just, and resilient cities through urban nature , with particular emphasis on: Environmental justice and equitable access to urban green spaces Human behavior in public spaces using drone/sensor/VR technology Smart growth urban design impacts on public health and ecological systems Recent publications demonstrate expertise in GIS applications , pedestrian behavior analysis , and urban planning across 20+ studies from 2013-2025. Collaborations include the Vancouver Park Board , Metro Vancouver , and Wasatch Front Regional Council .
Jan Buts is an Associate Professor at the Sustainable Health Unit within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo, specializing in the intersection of translation theory, medical humanities, and corpus linguistics with a focus on sustainable health and development discourses. His academic background includes: Linguistics and Literature studies at KU Leuven (Belgium) PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies from the University of Manchester (UK) Postdoctoral research at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) Assistant Professor position at Boğaziçi University (Turkey) Buts' research centers on corpus-assisted discourse analysis applied to translation theory, medical humanities, and sustainable development. He actively develops the Sustainability and Health Corpus to analyze how language shapes public health narratives, gender discourses in development aid, and conceptual frameworks around sustainability. His work bridges linguistic analysis with critical perspectives on social justice and health equity. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward integrating corpus linguistics with medical humanities and sustainable development goals. Key trends include examining gendered vulnerabilities in policy discourse, translation's role in knowledge dissemination for sustainability, and digital media's impact on health communication – all characterized by methodological innovation in corpus construction and conceptual analysis. His scientific recognition includes: Runner-up for the Martha Cheung Award (2023) Buts serves on the executive council of IATIS (International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies) and leads multiple research initiatives including the SHE Corpus project. His grant activities focus on interdisciplinary collaborations between translation studies and medical humanities, particularly through projects like KNOWIT (Knowledge in Translation) and MEDRA (Medicalisation of Democratic Rights in Abortion debates). He directs the Sustainable Health Unit, fostering cross-disciplinary teams that combine linguists, medical researchers, and public health experts to advance data-driven critical analysis of health and sustainability discourses through innovative corpus methodologies.
Kayla Martensen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at The University of New Mexico. Holding a PhD in Criminology, Law and Justice from the University of Illinois-Chicago (2024), her work critically examines intersections of state violence, structural inequities, and carceral systems through an abolition feminist lens. Education: Ph.D. in Criminology, Law and Justice, University of Illinois-Chicago (2024) Her research focuses on: Carceral Reform Abolition Feminism Youth Justice Punishment and Law and Society Recent publications analyze how community-based juvenile justice reforms perpetuate carceral logic through therapeutic-legal interventions, while awards include the Beth E. Richie Justice Advocacy Award (2024) and Feminist Criminology Graduate Research Scholarship (2020). She employs qualitative methods grounded in abolition feminist thought to develop transformative justice practices. Scientific Awards Beth E. Richie Justice Advocacy Award (2024), University of Illinois Chicago Feminist Criminology Graduate Research Scholarship (2020), Division of Feminist Criminology, American Society of Criminology Institute of Race and Public Policy Emerging Scholars Program (2019), University of Illinois Chicago
J. Christopher Brown is a Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Kansas. He specializes in human-environment interactions, focusing on sustainable development in the Amazon Basin. His research integrates ecological, political, and socio-economic dimensions to address deforestation, agricultural expansion, and NGO-mediated rural development. Affiliations: Department of Geography, University of Kansas; Collaborator with Brazil's Embrapa Agricultural Research Agency Key Projects: Amazonian NGO dynamics and political impacts Soybean and sugarcane expansion impacts Spatial analysis of deforestation and land use Research interests include political ecology, biogeography, and the interplay between global and local scales. He employs remote sensing and interdisciplinary methods to study environmental governance and policy outcomes. His work on NGOs reveals how funding shapes political behavior in Brazil, with findings published in Comparative Political Studies and Political Geography . Recent studies highlight the edge effects of land-use changes and biodiversity impacts on pollinators like orchid bees. Awards: 2016 George and Eleanor Woodyard International Educator Award (University of Kansas) Brown's research bridges academic inquiry and policy, examining how development policies interact with ecological systems in Latin America. Current projects address soy moratorium efficacy, sugarcane expansion in the Cerrado, and the MST landless movement's political influence.
Sohail Kamran is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the School of Business and Law, University of Brighton, UK. He holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, and an MSc in Management from Brunel University, London. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and has been actively contributing to academic leadership, curriculum development, and student supervision since 2006. Education: PhD in Marketing, University of Jyväskylä (2018) MSc Management, Brunel University London (2006) Professional Teacher Education Certificate, Häme University of Applied Sciences (2022) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK (2023) His research centers on consumer vulnerability , financial inclusion , and transformative service research , particularly among low-income and unbanked populations in developing countries. He explores how marginalized consumers navigate marketplace challenges, face discrimination in basic services, and develop coping strategies under resource constraints. His work emphasizes ethical marketing and consumer wellbeing. The recent publications reflect a strong thematic focus on financial exclusion, informal financial systems, and digital financial inclusion via fintech and mobile wallets. His research combines qualitative methods with transformative service frameworks, often highlighting sociocultural and structural barriers faced by vulnerable consumers. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK Professional Teacher Education Certificate in Pedagogical Studies Sohail Kamran actively supervises doctoral research in areas such as consumer vulnerability, marketplace inclusion, and marketing ethics. He serves as an external examiner for PhD theses at institutions including the University of Sussex and Air University Islamabad. He also engages in research collaboration with scholars from Finland and Pakistan. His upcoming visiting researcher position at the University of Jyväskylä in 2025 underscores his international academic engagement. Research Groups and Networks: Research Excellence Group: Business and Economic Change Active collaborator in transformative service and consumer vulnerability research networks
Dr. Sarah Crook is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at Swansea University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. She specializes in modern British history with a focus on women's history, student mental health, and the history of medicine. PhD in History from Queen Mary University of London MSt in Women's Studies from Keble College, Oxford Bachelor's degree in History from University of Sussex Her research explores histories of feminism , LGBTQ+ activism , motherhood , university communities , and mental health from postwar Britain to the 1980s. She is the director of GENCAS (Centre for Research into Gender and Culture in Society), an interdisciplinary research center. Recent publications analyze: Gendered undercover policing in the 1970s Humor as feminist resistance Neoliberalism and academic compassion Student loneliness across decades She has secured grants from Wellcome Trust , Arts and Humanities Research Council , and Medical Research Council (U-Belong project). Her teaching includes modules on Radical Histories , History of Sex and Gender , and Making History .
Maricela De la Torre Castro is a Professor of Natural Resource Management at Stockholm University , affiliated with the Department of Physical Geography . Her research focuses on coastal and ocean governance through a social-ecological systems lens, emphasizing gender dynamics , seagrass conservation , and climate change adaptation in tropical coastal communities. BSc in Oceanology (Universidad Autonoma de Baja California) MSc, PhD, and Docent in Natural Resource Management (Stockholm University) Her work examines seagrass ecosystem services , small-scale fisheries governance , and gendered impacts of marine protected areas . Recent studies analyze: 2025: Habitat loss risks from seaweed cultivation 2024: Gender-poverty dynamics in Zanzibar MPAs 2022: Adaptive capacity differences between genders 2021: Blue Justice frameworks for fisheries governance Active projects include SEAgender (Swedish Research Council) analyzing gendered effects of MPAs . She supervises PhD candidates in tropical marine systems and has extensive experience with EU Erasmus programs and UNDP collaborations . Research emphasizes hybrid methods , cultural value mapping , and interdisciplinary monitoring of coastal initiatives.
Helen Haugh is Associate Professor in Community Enterprise at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and serves as Research Director for the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation. Her work bridges organizational theory, social entrepreneurship, and community asset development, with significant impact on policy and practice. Her academic credentials include a BSc from UMIST, MA from Brunel University, and PhD from Aberdeen University. These foundations underpin her empirical approach to studying community-driven enterprise models. Professor Haugh's research centers on organizational theory , institutional dynamics , and community asset ownership , with pioneering work on necessity entrepreneurship in Africa and the reimagining of religious buildings as community hubs. She employs ethnographic methods to explore how place-based contexts shape social innovation, emphasizing ethics of care and resilience in marginalized communities. Her scholarship consistently challenges conventional entrepreneurship frameworks by centering community agency and hybrid organizational forms. Analysis of her recent publications reveals three dominant trajectories: (1) transformational hybridity for societal challenges (2025), (2) decolonizing entrepreneurship research through Global South perspectives (2023), and (3) place-based community asset strategies (2022-2023). Her work increasingly examines institutional voids in refugee contexts and the moral economies of fair trade. Helen has directed the MSt in Community Enterprise (2001-2008), Tata Social Internship Scheme (2008-2011), and Arianne de Rothschild Fellowship (2010-2016). Current projects include the REACH Ely initiative reimagining churches as community assets (featured in Sky News 2022-2023) and historical analyses of community enterprise evolution. Her research is funded through partnerships with the Diocese of Ely and international development agencies. As Research Director of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation, she leads a multidisciplinary team investigating social enterprise ecosystems, with recent focus on the generative potential of community embeddedness and strategies for sustaining community assets amid financial constraints.
Bryce Westlake is an Associate Professor in the Department of Justice Studies within the College of Social Sciences at San Jose State University. He is a leading researcher in digital forensics and child sexual abuse material detection, with significant contributions to both forensic science education and alternative sexuality studies. Education: Ph.D. in Criminology from Simon Fraser University (2015) Master's degree in Criminology from Simon Fraser University Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology (double major) from University of British Columbia Dr. Westlake's research spans two primary areas with significant societal impact. In digital forensics, he focuses on developing automated tools to detect, collect, analyze, and match child sexual abuse material disseminated online. His work involves international collaboration with researchers, law enforcement agencies, and government partnerships to create more effective detection systems. In his secondary research area, he explores alternative sexuality, particularly BDSM communities, conducting multi-phasic, kink-positive studies examining health and safety within these communities. His research aims to destigmatize participation through a deeper understanding of the social and emotional enrichment practitioners receive from activities. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward increasingly sophisticated technical approaches to combating child sexual exploitation while simultaneously advancing understanding of alternative sexual practices. The technical publications focus on biometric identification, file structure analysis, and ethical web scraping methods, while his BDSM-related work emphasizes community safety, education pathways, and mental health benefits. This dual focus positions him uniquely at the intersection of technology, law enforcement, and human sexuality research. Scientific Awards: The Storytellers Award (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) - April 2014 Canadian Graduate Scholarship (Social Science and Humanities Research Council) - May 2012 Dr. Westlake has been heavily involved in developing the forensic science program at SJSU, creating six undergraduate courses, revising two graduate courses, and introducing one graduate course. In Fall 2020, he created and implemented a new concentration in digital evidence (computer forensics) for forensic science majors - one of the first in-person digital forensic bachelor of science degrees in the United States meeting FEPAC standards. He has developed and directs the Silicon Valley Digital Forensics Laboratory, which began accepting students for internships in Fall 2024. He was awarded a three-year $497,948 grant from the National Science Foundation in 2023 to study 'Training digital forensics examiners through hands-on education investigating live criminal investigations.' Through the Silicon Valley Digital Forensics Laboratory and partnerships with criminal justice agencies (district attorneys offices, law enforcement agencies, etc.), Dr. Westlake provides students with training and practical experience conducting digital forensic investigations from start (evidence collection) to finish (report writing and testimony). He also co-hosted the first annual Child Sexual Abuse Reduction Research Network workshop in Adelaide Australia in December 2023.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Praetorius is a leading scholar in sustainability economics at HTW Berlin since 2017. She co-chaired Germany's Coal Commission ("Kommission Wachstum, Strukturwandel und Beschäftigung") and serves on advisory boards for Berliner Wasserbetriebe and VERBUND AG. Her work bridges climate policy, energy economics, and social equity, with a focus on Germany and the Global South. Research Themes: Climate economics, decarbonization pathways, renewable energy integration, and sustainable development in emerging economies. Policy Influence: Regular contributor to national climate policy debates, particularly on carbon pricing and coal phase-out strategies. Academic Roles: Professor at HTW Berlin's Department 3: Economics and Law since 2017, previously Deputy Director of Agora Energiewende (2014-2017). Recent Publications emphasize plug-in solar systems' socio-economic impacts, just coal transitions in Hesse, and ecological industrial policy frameworks. Her 2024 work on energy market transformation highlights the need for policy innovation and market redesign. Scientific Recognition : Ranked among Germany's most influential female economists by FAZ Active in EU energy policy advisory roles Recipient of BMBF research funding for international projects
Dr. Ina Säumel is a scientific collaborator at the Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin. Her work bridges urban ecology, biodiversity conservation, and socio-cultural dimensions of sustainability through participatory approaches. Research Focus : Urban sustainability transitions, nature-based solutions, medicinal plants, and climate change adaptation. Key Projects : Edible City Solutions, biochar conversion from agro-residues, and biodiversity assessments in urban cemeteries. Geographic Scope : Uruguay, Andes, South Tyrol, and Berlin. Emphasis on post-industrial and water-sensitive cities. Her recent publications highlight interdisciplinary methods in co-creation, land-use impacts on metacommunity structures, and health-promoting urban green spaces. Contact: ina.saeumel@hu-berlin.de
Karmenlara Ely Seidman is a Professor and Artistic Director in Acting and Performance at the Norwegian Theatre Academy (NTA), Østfold University College, and a part-time Professor II at the School of Music, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. She holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy (2008) and an M.A. in Performance Studies (2001) from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her research explores interdisciplinary intersections of performance, ethics, and cultural memory, with foci including: Relational aesthetics and embodiment in performance Intergenerational art practices and indigenous/diaspora knowledge systems Transatlantic archives and decolonial methodologies Experimental pedagogy and institutional reimagining Street performance and ritual/game structures Her publications emphasize performative archives, actor training, and ethical frameworks, frequently engaging with themes of cultural memory, embodiment, and institutional critique. Recent works demonstrate a strong focus on decolonial praxis and interdisciplinary collaboration. She leads major funded projects including: Sea Matters (2023–2026): Performance research pedagogy laboratory Spectral Collaborations (2019–2022): Performative entanglement in Nordic Transatlantic Slavery archives Infinite Record (2013–2017): Archive memory and performance She mentors PhD students internationally, serves on evaluation committees across Nordic institutions, and has developed innovative study programs bridging artistic practice and scholarly research.
Alex Nading is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on medical and environmental anthropology in Nicaragua, examining transnational health campaigns, grassroots environmental movements, and the intersections of labor, ecology, and global health through ethnographic methods. Education: PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison MA, University of Sussex BA, University of Virginia Research Focus: Nading bridges medical anthropology with critical environmental studies and science and technology studies. His work centers on epidemics (dengue, chronic kidney disease), chemical infrastructures of global health, and environmental justice activism. Key themes include disposability in labor, plantation ecologies, and collaborative ethnographic experiments exploring 'buen vivir' (quality of life) in urban Nicaragua. Publication Trends: Recent work (2020-2024) reveals escalating focus on chronic kidney disease in sugarcane zones, analyzing how capital, science, and environmental toxicity converge in labor exploitation. His scholarship increasingly incorporates collaborative methodologies, using visual and dramatic arts to co-produce knowledge with Nicaraguan communities about urban survival and social justice. Professional Leadership: Served as editor of Medical Anthropology Quarterly (2021-2024). Active as Faculty Fellow at Cornell's Atkinson Center for Sustainability and on the Steering Committee for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Collaborative Projects: Co-leads 'A Political Ecology of Value' with Josh Fisher, conducting cohort-based ethnography in Nicaraguan cooperatives and urban workshops that merge artistic practice with social theory to reimagine environmental movements.
Dr. Mijin Choi is an Associate Professor at the Texas State University School of Social Work, where she joined in 2018. She holds a Ph.D. from the University at Albany, SUNY, an MSW and BA from Ewha Womans University (South Korea), and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of South Florida. She received the Fellowship for University-Based Doctoral Candidates and Faculty for Research in Child Maltreatment from the Children’s Bureau. Her research investigates childhood adversity, child maltreatment, family poverty, out-of-home placement (foster/kinship care), child welfare workforce development, and quantitative methodologies. Current projects examine interrelationships between child abuse, poverty, Alternative Response implementation, and placement services. Recent publications analyze organizational justice in child welfare (2024), racial/ethnic disparities in reunification (2023), and trauma-informed self-care for professionals.
