Ranaivo A. Rasolofoson is an Assistant Professor at the School of the Environment, University of Toronto , with PhDs in Environmental and Resource Economics (Copenhagen) and Forestry (Bangor University). His work spans interdisciplinary research on environmental change, human health, and sustainable development, integrating methods from social sciences, economics, ecology, and public health. Key collaborations include the World Bank, WWF, USAID , and Save the Children. Research interests include: Environmental economics and causal inference in forest conservation Nutrition-sensitive conservation in low-income countries Community-based natural resource management in Madagascar and Kenya Climate change resilience and health impacts Scientific awards: 2021: IDRC Research Ideas Competition 2017: Luc Hoffmann Institute Fellowship 2012–2016: Erasmus Mundus PhD Scholarship 2009–2011: Fulbright Scholar
Dr. Yuta Hirose is an Associate Professor at Aoyama Business School in Tokyo, Japan, and serves as an Advisor to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). As an Industrial Associate of the University of Cambridge's Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), he specializes in strategy, technology, and innovation management, working with organizations across the Asia-Pacific region. Education: PhD in Engineering (University of Cambridge), MSc in Sustainability Science (University of Tokyo), BEng in Chemical Engineering and BCom in Finance (University of Melbourne) Key Activities: Member of IfM's Centre for Technology Management and Strategic Innovation and Technology Management (STIM) Consortium Research Focus: Hirose's work centers on roadmapping implementation, organizational capability development, and strategic innovation management. His case studies examine how corporations like IHI, QinetiQ, and Subsea 7 apply roadmapping techniques to sustain innovation and address strategic uncertainties. Publication Trends: His research spans strategic roadmapping methodologies, technology venture characterization, and innovation system integration across industries, with particular emphasis on practical implementation challenges and cross-sectoral applications. Professional Background: Prior to his academic roles, Hirose worked as a chemical engineer, technology consultant, strategy advisor, and company director, bringing extensive practical experience to his teaching and advisory work.
Dr. Sara Dodd is Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Texas Tech University’s College of Human Sciences and has served since 2011 as Director of the Center for Adolescent Resiliency (CAR) . In these roles she leads trans-disciplinary research, outreach, and educational initiatives focused on adolescent development, health behavior, and community engagement. Education: While specific degrees are not detailed in the provided text, her appointment as Associate Professor and extensive record of funded research indicate advanced doctoral training in human development, family studies, or a closely related field. Research Interests span conceptual and theoretical frameworks for health interventions with adolescents—such as Positive Youth Development and Self-Determination Theory—technology applications for dietary behavior assessment, interventions promoting nutrition, physical activity, and socio-emotional well-being, and best practices for community engagement. Across more than two decades of scholarship, her peer-reviewed publications reveal an evolving focus from foundational studies on cooperative extension ethics and leadership models to recent neuroimaging investigations of dietary decision-making and large-scale cross-cultural validations of youth-development instruments in Colombia. A consistent thread is the integration of rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods with community-engaged program design. Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator, Community Advocacy Project for Students (partially sponsored by Covenant Health) Principal Investigator, United Future Leaders —an after-school leadership and health-promotion program for 5th–6th grade students Ongoing collaborations with land-grant extension systems and inter-institutional research teams She mentors both undergraduate and graduate students in courses designed for future Extension educators and community-health specialists, and she actively partners with multidisciplinary faculty across Texas Tech and external institutions to amplify the reach and impact of her work.
Julie St. John serves as Associate Professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's School of Health Professions, holding credentials including DrPH, MPH, MA, and CHWI. She is a key faculty member of the Center of Excellence in Obesity and Cardiometabolic Research, focusing on community-driven health solutions for underserved populations through institutional frameworks like the Office of Research and Innovation. Her research centers on community health worker (CHW) models, with specialization in community-based participatory research, health disparities reduction, and community assessment methodologies. Current work emphasizes obesity prevention in rural communities, school-based interventions, and acculturation impacts on health outcomes. Her approach integrates partnership development with community engagement to address systemic inequities through culturally responsive frameworks. Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in CHW workforce development during crises (particularly COVID-19), maternal health interventions in underserved regions, and health disparity mechanisms by race and gender. Her scholarship consistently bridges academic research with practical implementation through the Community Health Worker Core Consensus (C3) Project and obesity-focused translational work. Dr. St. John has received significant recognition including: President’s Excellence in Community Engagement Award (TTUHSC) Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence & Innovation (2017) Multiple Dean’s Teaching Awards and Faculty Development honors Delta Omega Honorary Society membership Leadership Women Texas Program graduation As an active Center of Excellence faculty member, she leads interdisciplinary teams advancing obesity and cardiometabolic research through community partnerships. Her current initiatives focus on CHW-led rural obesity interventions and school engagement strategies, while her C3 Project contributions continue shaping national CHW policy and training standards. No student advising or grant details are publicly documented in available sources.
Jess Bone is a Senior Research Fellow in the Behavioural Science and Health department at University College London , focusing on epidemiological and social determinants of mental health. She leads the EpiArts project , investigating the association between arts/cultural engagement and population health globally. Education PhD in Division of Psychiatry, UCL MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences, UCL BA in Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford Her research interests span social determinants of mental health , adolescent mental health , health inequalities , and community engagement . Recent work explores the bidirectional relationships between arts participation and mental health, leisure activity impacts on aging, and interventions for long COVID. Her scientific awards include recognition from the ESRC British Association for Psychopharmacology PsyPAG Flux Congress UCL Division of Psychiatry New College, University of Oxford Jess supervises MSc and PhD students at UCL, emphasizing quantitative methods in mental health and well-being research. She contributes to teaching modules on Health Psychology MSc , Clinical Mental Health Sciences MSc , and Depression and Anxiety research .
Karen Mak is a Senior Research Fellow in Epidemiology and Statistics at University College London's Behavioural Science and Health department. She is affiliated with the Social Biobehavioural Research Group designated at the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Arts & Health and co-leads the UCL Health of the Public Creative Health Community. Education: PhD in Sociology from Cambridge University MSc from University of Oxford BA (Hons) from University of Warwick Karen's research focuses on understanding how social, cultural and community engagement is associated with improvements in mental health and wellbeing. She identifies enablers and barriers to engagement across the UK and worldwide, with particular interest in cross-country comparison studies and exploring the underlying mechanisms connecting engagement to health outcomes. Her work spans epidemiology, public health, and behavioral science, with a strong emphasis on cultural activities and their health impacts. Karen's publications demonstrate a consistent focus on the relationship between cultural engagement and mental health across diverse populations and settings. Her research often employs longitudinal and cross-country comparative methods to examine how arts, leisure, and community activities impact wellbeing, particularly among aging populations and during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work has increasingly incorporated global perspectives, analyzing data from multiple countries to identify universal and context-specific patterns. Scientific Awards: Elsevier and US-UK Fulbright Commission Researchers' Choice Communication Award WeAreTheCity's 2022 Rising Star Award in Education and Academia World Economic Forum Global Shaper Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation Scholarship from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health Higher Education Academy Fellowship Environment and Wellbeing Grand Challenges UCL Karen has secured research funding as Principal and Co-Investigator from prestigious organizations including ESRC, MRC, and Jameel Arts & Health Lab. She actively supervises students at various levels, co-leading the BSc Population Health Dissertation module and mentoring BSc, MSc, and PhD students in her areas of expertise. Her supervision approach emphasizes interdisciplinary perspectives and methodological rigor in studying the complex relationship between cultural engagement and health outcomes. As co-leader of the UCL Health of the Public Creative Health Community, Karen regularly organizes interdisciplinary workshops on arts and health for UCL staff and students, fostering collaboration across different fields to advance understanding of creative approaches to health improvement. Her work contributes significantly to Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and 4 (Quality Education), demonstrating how engagement in cultural and community activities can promote health equity and wellbeing across diverse populations.
Professor Karen Brown is a faculty member at the University of St Andrews, affiliated with the School of Art History, Centre for Contemporary Art, and Institute for Museums, Heritage and Society. Her work intersects museums, sustainability, and transnational cultural memory, particularly focusing on Europe-Latin America relations and climate adaptation. Research interests include: Climate change and museum roles in ecological diplomacy Decolonizing heritage practices Transnational island museologies Community co-production and well-being UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) integration Recent publications explore islandness, climate emergency responses, and digital curatorial methods. Awards include the 2021 European Heritage Awards ILUCIDARE Prize and the 2008 ‘Silver Sounds’ Exhibition. She leads projects funded by the Leverhulme Trust, UKRI, and Scottish Funding Council, focusing on Caribbean-Scotland collaborations and Latin American climate resilience.
Elisa Arroyo Mora is a researcher in the Department of Integrated Didactics at the Universidad de Huelva. Her work focuses on heritage education, ecofeminism, and teacher training, with a particular emphasis on controversial heritage and its role in citizenship education. She has published extensively on interdisciplinary approaches to cultural heritage in early childhood and primary education, integrating socio-environmental and gender perspectives. Key Research Areas: Controversial Heritage Education Ecofeminist Pedagogy Teacher Training for Democratic Citizenship Interdisciplinary Didactic Strategies Urban and Environmental Heritage Time and Temporal Concepts in Education Her recent publications highlight the use of gamification, fieldwork, and collaborative projects in social sciences didactics. While her formal academic rank is not explicitly stated, her affiliation and research output align with faculty-level contributions.
Dr. Rubén Martín Clemente is a Professor in the Department of Signal Theory and Communications at the University of Seville, Spain. His research focuses on biomedical engineering, signal processing, and artificial intelligence, with significant contributions to blind source separation (BSS), fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) extraction, and EEG analysis for cognitive neuroscience. He leads the Biomedical Engineering research group and has participated in numerous national and European projects, including IAREPRO II (AI in assisted reproduction), MARCO-BOLO (coastal biodiversity monitoring), and PID2022-138590OB-C22 (wind turbine structural monitoring). Research Themes : Machine learning for biomedical signal processing, ICA algorithms, cognitive neuroscience applications, and IoT systems for infrastructure monitoring Technical Leadership : Developed RFID-based traffic sign inventory systems and adaptive algorithms for nonlinear source separation His work spans neuroimaging data analysis (e.g., Scientific Reports 2022), energy prediction models (IEEE Access 2023), and smart city applications . Key publications include foundational work on ICA in Springer (2014) and CRC Press (2013). He holds patents for wireless highway inventory systems and has mentored doctoral theses on ICA and image processing. Selected Scientific Contributions 2011: Fetal ECG extraction techniques (IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering) 2022: Reliability analysis of visual processing EEG (Behavioral Brain Research) 2017: L1-PCA/ICA connections (IEEE TPAMI)
Kiaras Gharabaghi serves as Dean of the Faculty of Community Services and Professor at the School of Child and Youth Care, Toronto Metropolitan University. With over 30 years of combined social sector practice and academic leadership, he focuses on preserving youth dignity and centering marginalized voices within institutional systems across residential care, child welfare, and youth justice contexts. His educational background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University. Born into a multi-ethnic, multi-faith heritage, he experienced escape from a violent revolution before immigrating to Canada, shaping his commitment to social justice. Dr. Gharabaghi's research examines how young people reclaim dignity, rights, and voice within institutional interactions, emphasizing democratization of the social sector through social innovation frameworks. His work addresses residential care transformations, international child and youth care practices, and organizational change while confronting systemic barriers related to racism, ableism, and heteronormativity. His publication portfolio demonstrates evolving focus from residential care foundations (2012-2014) toward critical social justice frameworks (2016-2018), with increasing emphasis on decolonizing practices, global North critiques, and strength-based approaches within child and youth care. Recent works integrate complexity theory with practical applications for marginalized communities. As an educator, he has developed and taught specialized courses in social innovation, child and youth care theory, and international practice. He co-leads the Social Innovation 4 Social Justice project, providing global experiential learning that connects classroom theory with real-world community transformation initiatives across multiple disciplines. He co-founded Toronto Metropolitan University's Social Innovation team, establishing Canada's first Ashoka Changemaker campus designation and developing interdisciplinary 'super-courses' that unite business and community services students. His Community Transformation Café series and FCS in Action conference during the Syrian refugee crisis demonstrate commitment to practical knowledge exchange.
Professor Paul Langley serves as Professor of Economic Geography within the Department of Geography at Durham University, where he joined in 2011 after previously holding a Professorship in International Relations at the University of York. His departmental leadership roles include Deputy Director for Research Postgraduates, former Deputy Director of Education, and Programme Director for BA(Hons) Geography. He also convenes the Economy & Culture research cluster and serves as Managing Editor of the interdisciplinary journal Economy and Society . Langley's research centers on the geographies of money and finance, with dual emphases on digital finance/FinTech and carbon finance . His work examines platformization processes in FinTech (particularly in Africa), neo-colonial credit dynamics, and the emergence of carbon markets. He investigates how financial logics transform urban infrastructure, retirement systems, and climate governance, with theoretical contributions to understanding financialization, assetization, and economic subjectivity formation. His research integrates perspectives from economic geography, economic sociology, and international political economy. His publication portfolio reveals consistent focus on financial transformations, with recent work analyzing central banks' climate governance roles, gamification in FinTech, and carbon asset qualification. The research demonstrates methodological diversity spanning ethnographic studies of digital interfaces, comparative regulatory analysis, and theoretical development of financial concepts. UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding for payday loan platform research European Commission Horizon 2020 project REINVENT on carbon finance British Academy research support Langley has supervised doctoral research on diverse topics including occupational pensions, subprime mortgages, central banking, and carbon markets. His 2021 University-wide Teaching Award recognized excellence in research supervision. Current doctoral projects examine central bank digital currencies, Chinese stock market listings, and Chinese carbon markets. His collaborative work includes significant partnerships with Andrew Leyshon (Nottingham) on FinTech platformization and with Harriet Bulkeley/Gavin Bridge on carbon finance.
Jeff Ginger is an Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , where he teaches courses on digital literacy, user experience design, and makerspace education. He also serves as Program Coordinator for the Illinois Informatics Institute and was previously the Director of the Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab until 2020. University: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign PhD: Library and Information Science (Illinois) Teaching: 13 undergraduate/graduate courses and 10 STEAM summer camps over the past decade Research Interests center on community informatics , digital literacy , and game-based STEM learning , particularly through the WHIMC project. This NSF-funded initiative uses Minecraft to explore “what-if” planetary scenarios, fostering scientific curiosity and assessment through AI-driven tools. Teaching Philosophy emphasizes iterative learning, choice, and relevance. His methods incorporate reverse engineering, remixing digital tools, and Universal Design for Learning principles. Students engage in hands-on projects with real-world applications, peer feedback, and reflective assessments rather than traditional exams. Scientific Awards: 7-time recipient of University of Illinois' List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent Dissertation listed in American Libraries Magazine's Ten Notable Dissertations of 2015 Public Engagement includes directing the Fab Lab, professional development workshops in the Philippines, and collaborations with planetariums and museums. He has authored over 20 publications on digital literacy, AI in education, and makerspace pedagogy.
Dimitrije D. Čvokić serves as Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Mathematics at the University of Banja Luka. His academic leadership spans curriculum development across computer science and mathematics disciplines, with teaching responsibilities including Data Structures, Algorithms, Software Engineering, and Mobile Application Development. His research focuses on competitive hub location problems, bioinformatics tool development, and blockchain applications. Čvokić pioneered the integration of Linux-based bioinformatics tools like BioLinux and UGene into biology curricula, while developing novel optimization algorithms for Stackelberg games in logistics networks. His recent work explores large language model terminology standardization and blockchain-based property investment platforms. Analysis of his publication trends reveals a strong trajectory from theoretical optimization (2015-2020) toward applied computational solutions (2021-2024), with increasing interdisciplinary collaboration spanning public health, real estate, and linguistic computing. His work demonstrates consistent methodological rigor in operations research while adapting to emerging technological domains. As an academic advisor, Čvokić has mentored multiple thesis students including Aleksandar Vrhovac (Interval Arithmetic, 2023), Danijela Kovačević (Automatic Control Systems, 2023), and Nemanja Marjanović (CAPTCHA systems, 2022). His teaching innovations include introducing Python programming, RDKit cheminformatics tools, and BASH scripting into diverse science curricula across chemistry, biology, and geodesy programs. Čvokić established computational laboratories featuring specialized software environments including Chemistry Add-in for Word, ChemSketch, UGene, and NET Bio Extension for Excel. His cross-departmental collaborations have modernized computer science instruction across the university's technical and natural science programs through systematic integration of open-source tools and modern development frameworks.
Dr. Hannah Fairbrother is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield . Her research focuses on socioeconomically patterned health inequalities, particularly affecting children, young people, and families, with expertise in qualitative methods, participatory research, and critical policy analysis. Education : PhD, MA Cantab, PgDipHE, BMedSci Professional Roles : Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Trustee at The Equality Trust, Co-lead of the Child of the North N8 Research Partnership Her work examines systemic disadvantage, policy impacts on public health, public perspectives on inequality, and activism for social justice. Recent projects include studies on housing insecurity, benefit changes affecting child health, and physical activity policies for marginalized youth. She actively supervises students and collaborates with cross-faculty research groups, including the Health Equity Group and Children and Young People’s Research Theme. Her grants include NIHR-funded initiatives and Grantham Centre support for planetary health activism.
Iryna Yakivna Maksymenko is an Associate Professor at the Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management, Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University. With over 145 scientific publications including articles in Scopus and Web of Science, she specializes in accounting theory and practice, compliance risk management, and forensic services development. She has been actively contributing to academic and professional communities since 2006 and holds a Candidate of Economic Sciences degree. Dr. Maksymenko earned her higher education at Zaporizhia State Technical University, Faculty of Economics and Management, graduating in 2001 with honors as a specialist in international economic relations. She defended her Candidate's thesis in 2015 at Zaporizhzhia National University on 'Organizational mechanism for the formation of cooperative relations at mechanical engineering enterprises'. Her academic development includes an international internship at the Warsaw-based International Institute of Innovations 'Science-Education-Development' focusing on European integration aspects of accounting and finance. Her research focuses on critical areas of modern accounting systems, particularly examining how traditional accounting practices adapt to Ukraine's European integration process. She investigates complex issues related to foreign economic activity accounting, state financial control mechanisms, and enterprise management systems. Her work bridges theoretical accounting frameworks with practical applications in business management, addressing both domestic regulatory requirements and international standards. Dr. Maksymenko has made significant contributions to understanding fiscal audit development, budget process management, and the implementation of modern international cooperation frameworks. Dr. Maksymenko's extensive publication record demonstrates consistent focus on accounting for international transactions, state financial control, and enterprise management systems. Her research shows a clear progression from foundational accounting principles to specialized areas like international trade, tax compliance, and strategic business alliances. She frequently examines the intersection of accounting practices with Ukraine's integration into European economic frameworks, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for local businesses and government institutions. Certificate of Honor of ZNTU for successful defense of candidate's thesis (2016) Certificate of Honor from Zaporizhia City Council district administration (2018) Certificate of Honor of Zaporizhia City Council Executive Committee (2019) Certificate of Honor of Zaporizhia Regional State Administration Department of Education and Science (2019) Dr. Maksymenko teaches specialized courses including Accounting and Analysis of Foreign Economic Activity, Customs Taxation, State Financial Control, Accounting in Business Management, Internal Control, and Accounting in Budgetary Institutions. She provides scientific consulting to enterprises and is an active member of the accountants club at Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University. Her international engagement includes presenting at numerous conferences worldwide, and she maintains English proficiency at C1 level as certified by the British Council.
