Nuria Martin Pozuelo is affiliated with the University of Deusto in the Faculty of Health Sciences , Department of Physiotherapy . She specializes in pediatric physiotherapy and motor development research, particularly focusing on preterm children. Research Interests : Spatial navigation and visuospatial integration in children Motor development in preterm toddlers Family empowerment in early intervention Neurodevelopmental assessment tools Application of neuroscience in pediatric physiotherapy Her work includes the development of the Walking Corsi Test adaptations and longitudinal studies on preterm children's cognitive-motor correlations. She has participated in multiple conferences across Spain since 2006, addressing topics from family resource assessment to rare disease physiotherapy.
Edouard Gentaz is a Professor in the Psychology Section of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva (UNIGE). He leads the Sensory-Motor, Affective and Social Development Laboratory (SMAS), where he conducts research on child development with particular focus on sensory-motor, emotional, and social aspects across typical and atypical developmental trajectories. His research interests span multiple domains of developmental psychology, with emphasis on emotion comprehension in children , tactile exploration skills , social-emotional development , and intervention strategies for children with developmental challenges including autism spectrum disorders, preterm infants, and children with intellectual disabilities. His methodological approach frequently employs eye-tracking technology to assess socio-emotional capabilities in populations with communication limitations. Gentaz's publication record shows consistent productivity with 78 publications spanning two decades, with recent work focusing on screen time effects on young children, emotion training interventions, and sensory processing in neurodevelopmental conditions. His collaborative approach is evident in publications addressing practical applications in educational settings and healthcare contexts. His scientific contributions include research on: Early social-emotional abilities in infants and toddlers Development of emotion discrimination across childhood Interventions for preterm children's emotional and executive competences Multisensory perception in neurodevelopmental disorders Impact of digital media on young children's development Gentaz has supervised 120 academic works, indicating significant mentorship activity. His research demonstrates strong translational potential with applications in educational settings, clinical interventions, and parenting guidance, particularly regarding screen exposure for very young children.
Richard Ebstein is Professor in the Psychology Department at the National University of Singapore and Professor Emeritus in the Psychology Department at the Hebrew University. In Singapore, Ebstein along with Chew Soo Hong, heads a research group of economists, psychologists, neuroscientists and molecular geneticists investigating core issues in the nascent field of neuroeconomics. His work has established him as a pioneer in applying neurogenetic strategies toward understanding individual and social decision making. Dr. Ebstein's educational background includes: B.S. from Union College M.S. from Yale University Ph.D. from Yale University His research revolves around human behavior genetics, with the overarching goal of providing molecular insights into the role of genes as partial contributors to all facets of human behavior. His highly interdisciplinary work combines personality, social, cognitive, and neuropsychology with molecular genetic techniques. Major research areas include neuroeconomics, the genetics of social behavior and normal personality, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, eating disorders, and substance abuse. Analysis of his publication record reveals a clear trajectory from foundational work on neurotransmitter systems to increasingly sophisticated investigations of gene-environment interactions. His most recent research focuses on oxytocin and vasopressin systems in social behavior, stress response, and neurodevelopmental disorders, frequently employing imaging genetics approaches to connect genetic variations with brain structure and behavioral outcomes. This work demonstrates remarkable consistency in examining how biological factors shape social cognition and decision-making processes. Dr. Ebstein has published over 260 peer-reviewed articles, making substantial contributions to the molecular genetics of human personality. His research group at NUS investigates core issues in neuroeconomics, bringing together diverse disciplinary perspectives to understand the biological basis of economic decision-making. His work has significant implications for both theoretical understanding of human behavior and potential clinical applications for disorders involving social cognition deficits.
Dr. Amanda Sheffield Morris is a Regents Professor of Human Development & Family Science at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in the College of Human Sciences, holding the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair in Child Development. She is also a Core Scientist at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR). Dr. Morris earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Temple University and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Developmental Psychology at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on the following areas: Parenting Socio-emotional development Infant and early childhood mental health Emotion regulation in children's adjustment Child and family resilience Early experiences shaping later development Parent-child relationship Dr. Morris has received the following honors: Regents Professor Infant Mental Health Research Mentor, Level IV She holds the following professional roles: Associate Editor for the Journal of Research on Adolescence Co-investigator of the multi-site NIH-funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study Certified Trainer of Trainers for Active Parenting programs Contributing author to the new edition of Active Parenting, the First Five Years Dr. Morris is involved in the following labs and teams: Core Scientist at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) Member of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study team
Joseph N.S. Eisenberg, PhD, MPH is Professor of Epidemiology and Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health . A leading infectious-disease epidemiologist, Eisenberg integrates theoretical transmission modelling with large-scale field studies to understand how environmental and social determinants drive water- and vector-borne disease dynamics across the globe. Education PhD, University of California, Berkeley/San Francisco, 1992 MPH, University of California, Berkeley, 1991 BS, University of California, Berkeley, 1982 Research Focus Eisenberg’s work centres on infectious disease epidemiology , particularly the environmental determinants of waterborne and vector-borne pathogens. His group develops dynamic transmission models that move microbial risk assessment from static individual-based calculations to population-based frameworks capable of capturing feedbacks between human behaviour, climate, infrastructure and pathogen spread. Empirical validation of these models occurs through multi-country collaborations in Ecuador (birth cohort, dengue mapping, zoonotic E. coli), Mexico (waste-water irrigation), Israel (poliovirus environmental surveillance), Ethiopia (urban water-system risk) and Kenya (WASH impacts). Recent Publication Trends Over 2024–2025 Eisenberg has published extensively on dengue and Zika transmission in Ecuador, WASH intervention modelling , antimicrobial resistance in enteric E. coli , and COVID-19 epidemiology . These works combine high-resolution field data (human landing catches, multiplex PCR diagnostics, eye-tracking neurodevelopment assessments) with advanced computational approaches (agent-based models, Bayesian spatial risk mapping, mechanistic QMRA), underscoring a commitment to methodological innovation grounded in real-world public-health problems. Scientific Awards & Recognition While no specific prizes are enumerated in the supplied text, Eisenberg’s sustained funding from the CDC (recent $17.5 M award establishing the Michigan Integrated Center for Outbreak Analytics and Modeling – MICOM) and repeated publication in PNAS , American Journal of Epidemiology and other high-impact journals attest to significant peer recognition. Advising & Grants Eisenberg mentors graduate students and post-doctoral researchers across epidemiology, biostatistics and global health. Active funding includes: CDC / MICOM – Michigan Integrated Center for Outbreak Analytics and Modeling (Principal Investigator) National Institutes of Health – Environmental influences on child diarrheal disease and the microbiome (Co-Investigator) NSF – Coupled natural-human systems: road development and infectious disease in Ecuador (Principal Investigator) Laboratories & Teams Eisenberg directs the EcoDess: Environmental Change and Diarrheal Disease in Ecuador research platform, coordinating interdisciplinary teams in Ann Arbor and field stations in Esmeraldas and Quito provinces. He is affiliated with the University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity and the Global Public Health IDEAS initiative , fostering cross-campus collaborations in modelling, microbiology and social epidemiology.
Laura Pendergast serves as an Associate Professor at Temple University's College of Education and Human Development, where she teaches graduate courses including Tests and Measurements (EPSY 5529) and Clinical Supervision Seminar in School Psychology (SPSY 9687). Her academic work centers on advancing equity in psychological and educational assessment through rigorous psychometric methodologies. Her research program focuses on evaluating cross-cultural equivalence of social, emotional, and behavioral constructs using multivariate statistics, with particular emphasis on applications in school psychology and international contexts. She investigates how measurement science can improve decision-making processes in educational settings, especially in low-resource environments where assessment tools require cultural validation. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2024) reveals consistent themes in validating cognitive and behavioral assessment instruments across diverse populations, with significant contributions to understanding environmental impacts on child development through the MAL-ED international study. Her work demonstrates methodological expertise in measurement invariance testing and scale development for global applications. Dr. Pendergast's research has secured substantial funding from major organizations: Society for the Study of School Psychology Institute for Education Sciences Spencer Foundation Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Her laboratory work involves large-scale international collaborations examining child development trajectories, with particular focus on cognitive assessment validity in low- and middle-income countries. Current projects investigate the interplay between environmental factors, nutritional status, and neurodevelopmental outcomes using sophisticated psychometric modeling techniques.
Xiaohui Xu is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at Texas A&M University, specializing in environmental epidemiology. Her research focuses on the health impacts of air pollution, maternal and child health, genetic susceptibility, and spatial epidemiology. She collaborates extensively with institutions in China and the United States on population health studies. Education: PhD in Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh (2007) MA in Environmental Health, Fudan University (2002) MD in Preventive Medicine, Zhejiang University (1999) Xu’s work explores how environmental exposures interact with genetic and pre-existing health conditions to affect outcomes in vulnerable populations. Her studies span respiratory health, cardiovascular effects of pollution, heavy metal toxicity in HIV patients, and adverse birth outcomes linked to air quality. She employs advanced exposure assessment techniques and spatial modeling. Recent publications highlight her focus on prenatal particulate matter exposure, gestational diabetes, ozone health effects, and pollution mitigation strategies. Collaborative trials include air purifier efficacy studies and community-based interventions for asthma management. Her research bridges environmental science, public health, and clinical epidemiology. Xu holds appointments in environmental health policy and contributes to understanding pollution’s role in chronic disease progression. Her work informs regulatory frameworks and health interventions in high-risk populations, including agricultural communities and urban asthma sufferers.
Prof. Verena Hafner is a Professor at the Institute of Computer Science within the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin. She leads the Adaptive Systems group, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of robotics, AI, and cognitive science. Her work emphasizes human-robot interaction, adaptive learning mechanisms, and embodied cognition. Her research explores: Design and impact of socially interactive robots in educational and cognitive contexts Trust dynamics and transparency in human-robot relationships Development of bio-inspired AI models and sensorimotor learning systems Philosophical and ethical dimensions of artificial consciousness and agency Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals strong emphasis on educational robotics, cognitive modeling, and humanoid robot design. Key trends include multimodal learning architectures, trust calibration in HRI, and biologically-inspired AI frameworks. Her work consistently bridges theoretical AI with applied human-centered experimentation. She supervises graduate students including Michael Piechotta (doctoral candidate) and leads the Adaptive Systems laboratory investigating lifelong learning in artificial agents.
Peter J. Marshall is a Professor and Department Chair at Temple University's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience within the College of Liberal Arts. He holds a visiting appointment at the University of Washington's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences. Education: B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge Postdoctoral research: University of Maryland His research focuses on developmental social-cognitive neuroscience, particularly the relationship between body representations and self-other correspondences across developmental stages. He employs EEG methods to investigate this intersection in infants, children, and young adults. Current research trends include: Neural basis of embodiment Child-robot interaction dynamics EEG alpha/theta oscillation analysis Motor control and attention mechanisms Development of neurodevelopmental ontologies Scientific recognition includes: Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science He has served as President of the Society for the Study of Human Development and held editorial roles at Developmental Science and the International Journal of Behavioral Development.
Elanah Uretsky serves as Associate Professor of Global Health in the Department of Global Health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University. Her academic work bridges medical anthropology, global health policy, and critical analyses of China's health systems within global capitalism. Her educational foundation includes: PhD in Anthropology, University of California, Irvine BA in Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz Dr. Uretsky's research interrogates how political economy, gender, and migration shape health outcomes in China, employing ethnographic methods to expose contradictions in global health interventions. Her scholarship challenges Western-centric frameworks by centering Chinese perspectives on epidemics, chronic disease, and sexuality, revealing how business culture, state policies, and individual agency interact in health-seeking behaviors. This critical approach has established her as a leading voice in medical anthropology of China. Analysis of her 2018-2023 publications reveals three dominant trajectories: 1) China's pandemic responses (COVID-19/SARS) as sites where science, authoritarian governance, and global capitalism collide; 2) Migration's health impacts through studies of left-behind children and immigrant women's chemical exposures; 3) Gendered political economy examining how elite Chinese men use sexuality as business currency. Her work consistently demonstrates how health outcomes are mediated by power structures rather than individual choices. She actively mentors graduate students in global health research while securing NIH-funded projects on migration and environmental health. Her laboratory collaborations with Chinese institutions focus on community-engaged methodologies that prioritize local knowledge in public health design.
Sergio Alejandro Useche Hernandez is an active Assistant Professor specializing in transportation safety and traffic psychology, with 134 publications reflecting deep expertise in human behavioral factors within mobility systems. His research spans road safety compliance, sustainable transport adoption, and mental health impacts across diverse populations including cyclists, delivery workers, and public transport users. His primary research interests focus on the intersection of psychology and transportation engineering, particularly sensation seeking in vulnerable road users, gender disparities in mobility choices, and technology-induced distractions. He employs advanced methodologies including Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), cross-cultural surveys, and systematic literature reviews to investigate phenomena like e-scooter adoption barriers in developing countries and mental health outcomes among transport workers. Key contributions include the validated SSC scale for cyclist risk assessment and frameworks for evaluating sustainable mobility policies through interdisciplinary lenses. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2024-2026) reveals three dominant trends: (1) growing emphasis on digital distractions across transport modes (cycling, motorcycling, driving), (2) sophisticated gender-based analyses of mobility barriers and safety outcomes, and (3) methodological innovation through integrated theoretical frameworks like TPB-UTAUT. His work consistently bridges academic rigor with policy relevance, particularly regarding last-mile delivery risks and post-crash psychological recovery. While no specific scientific awards are documented in the source material, his extensive publication record in high-impact journals (e.g., Accident Analysis and Prevention , Transportation Research Part F ) demonstrates significant scholarly recognition. The absence of listed advisees suggests primary focus on independent or collaborative research rather than graduate supervision, though his faculty position implies potential mentoring activities. His work shows strong alignment with European mobility policy initiatives and cross-national studies spanning Spain, Australia, Latvia, and the Dominican Republic, indicating robust international collaboration networks.
Michele Lobo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on child development, rehabilitation technologies, and early intervention strategies for infants and children with neuromotor disorders. She leads the Move2Learn Innovation Lab and co-founded the GoDesign Group, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration in wearable technology and assistive device design. Education: PhD in Biomechanics from the University of Delaware (2006), Postdoctoral research at Vrije Universiteit (2001–2002), MPT in Pediatric Rehabilitation from Drexel University (1997), and BS in Biology from The College of New Jersey (1994). Research Interests: Investigating perceptual-motor experiences in learning, designing interventions to enhance development in infants with delays, and developing assistive devices such as exoskeletons (e.g., Playskin LiftTM). Key projects include the START-Play intervention, which improves motor and cognitive outcomes in infants with cerebral palsy. Awards: Recipient of the prestigious Gayle G. Arnold Award (2022), Chattanooga Research Award (2022), and Toby Long Award (2021). Her work has been supported by grants from the NIH, IES, and the American Physical Therapy Association. Labs/Teams: Co-leader of the Move2Learn Innovation Lab, focusing on wearable tech and functional fashion for pediatric rehabilitation. Affiliated with the Center for Autonomous and Robotic Systems and the Fashion & Apparel Studies Department.
Dr. Elian Fink is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Sussex, focusing on developmental psychology and child social development. His research explores socio-cognitive antecedents of peer relationships, bullying behavior across neurotypical and neurodivergent groups, and parental influences on children’s social competencies. He holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Sydney and has held academic roles including Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge and Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Family Research. Dr. Fink’s work is funded by grants such as the ESRC’s 'School Readiness: Connecting Viewpoints on Child and Family Well-being' and the LEGO Foundation’s study on children’s relationships through play. His research emphasizes longitudinal studies, cross-cultural comparisons, and collaborations with institutions like the Centre for Family Research and PEDAL at the University of Cambridge. Teaching interests include the Psychology of Childhood, Developmental Psychology, and Children’s Peer Relationships. He advises undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, with drop-in hours for academic support. Key research themes include: Socio-cognitive foundations of peer relationships Bullying behaviors and neurodiversity Parenting and language environments in early childhood School readiness and well-being across cultures Recent studies investigate links between spatial language and numeracy, mental health trends during the pandemic, and cross-cultural validation of child well-being measures.
Dr Jonatan Lassa is a researcher and lecturer specializing in disaster governance and climate resilience at the University of Sydney. His work focuses on political will for disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation, and systemic risk management in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. He developed the concept of 'utopiability' to explore societal visions of resilience and has conducted global assessments of DRR policy reforms. Dr Lassa emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, including object-oriented ontology in critical disaster studies. Research interests include crisis leadership, environmental migration, and community-based disaster management. He has pioneered studies on multi-hazard interactions in volcanic island communities and evaluates policy frameworks for food security and agrarian reform. His recent work addresses the impact of cascading crises (e.g., pandemics, climate disasters) on vulnerable populations. Publications analyze DRR integration in education curricula, emergency animal management in Indigenous communities, and pandemic responses in Indonesia. He advocates for child-centric disaster education and participatory approaches to resilience measurement. Dr Lassa supervises students interested in topics like humanitarian ecosystems, fire governance in Indonesia, and long-term climate adaptation practices. His research bridges academic inquiry with practical policy recommendations for governments and NGOs.
Svanhild Breive is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Agder. Her research focuses on mathematics education in early childhood settings, particularly exploring how play and inquiry-based approaches enhance mathematical learning in kindergartens and early primary years. She has contributed significantly to understanding teacher-child interactions, classroom orchestration, and the role of physical environments in fostering mathematical thinking. Her work examines key themes such as the balance between structured and free play, embodied cognition in mathematics, and the application of semiotic theories to analyze learning processes. She has published extensively in journals like For the Learning of Mathematics and European Early Childhood Education Research Journal , and co-authored influential books including Lekende læring og lærende lek i begynneropplæringen (2022) and the Lekbasert læring series. Her research often intersects with broader educational psychology topics, such as curriculum design for preschool systems and the impact of pedagogical frameworks on child development. Collaborations with projects like the Agder Project highlight her commitment to evidence-based early education practices.
