Dr. Yaron Meron is a Lecturer and researcher in design at the University of Sydney's School of Architecture, Design and Planning. He holds a PhD (RMIT, Melbourne) and two Master's degrees (RMIT, Central St Martins). His work bridges academic research and professional practice, focusing on graphic and communication design, socially engaged design, AI integration, and responsible design thinking. Meron’s research explores interdisciplinary challenges, design collaboration, and the societal impact of emerging technologies like AI. He coordinates the Civic & Social Design Research Group. Educations: PhD in Design (RMIT University, Melbourne) MA in Design (RMIT University, Melbourne) MA in Communication Design (Central Saint Martins, London) Research Interests: Graphic design as an interdisciplinary practice Artificial intelligence in design education and practice Media literacy and defamiliarisation techniques Socially engaged design methodologies Design briefs and stakeholder relationships Articles & Trends: Recent publications emphasize AI's role in design education, speculative urban futures, and critical design approaches to media literacy. His work frequently intersects with pedagogy, ethics, and technology’s societal implications. Labs/Teams: Coordinator of the Civic & Social Design Research Group, fostering collaborative projects on responsible design and interdisciplinary innovation.
Zizi Papacharissi is a UIC Distinguished Professor of Communication and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), serving as Department Head of Communication. She is also a University Scholar and affiliate faculty at the Discovery Partners Institute (University of Illinois System). Her research explores the social and political implications of digital media, with a focus on affective publics, networked identities, and democratic processes. She holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin and has authored over 10 books and 80+ journal articles. Education: PhD, University of Texas at Austin (2000) in New Media Technologies and Political Communication MA, Kent State University (1997) in Communication Studies BA, Mount Holyoke College (1995) in Media Studies and Economics Research Interests: Dr. Papacharissi investigates how digital media shape political participation, identity formation, and public discourse. Key areas include affective publics (emotional dimensions of online activism), the role of social media in democracy, and the ethical implications of AI and connective technologies. Her work bridges communication studies, political theory, and sociology. Recent Contributions: Her 2021 book After Democracy explores post-democratic futures in the digital age. She edits Social Media & Society and collaborates with tech firms like Facebook/Meta and Tencent on media ethics and policy. Her research on #Egypt and #OWS movements highlights social media’s role in mobilizing protests. Awards & Recognition: 2018 Wayne Danielson Award (National Communication Association) 2015 Best Book Award (NCA Human Communication and Technology Division) High-Impact Scholar (University of Texas at Austin) Advising & Grants: While no student names are listed, her courses (e.g., Democracy in a Digital Age ) reflect her mentorship in critical media studies. She has secured grants from the National Academies of Science and the Institute of Medicine for projects on youth well-being and digital media. Labs & Teams: Her research lab focuses on digital media’s societal impact, collaborating with global institutions like the Oxford Internet Institute and the Harvard Kennedy School. She chairs UIC’s interdisciplinary Digital Media and Democracy initiative.
Haruka Nagao is an Assistant Professor at the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages within the University of Oregon . Their research focuses on health governance , Africa-China relations , gender dynamics , public opinion , soft power diplomacy , and East Asia . Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary trends: (1) Public Health and Health Governance (e.g., mental health in rural China, prenatal care, vaccine distribution), (2) Political Science and Policy Analysis (e.g., grassroots elections, women's leadership, immigration policy), and (3) International Relations and Diplomacy (e.g., China's global soft power, Africa-China collaborations). Their work integrates China studies with comparative analysis , addressing intersections between social networks , democratic understanding , and global health politics .
Professor Aleksandra Cichocka is a Professor of Political Psychology and Deputy Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Kent. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Warsaw and was a Fulbright Fellow at New York University. Her research focuses on political psychology, particularly collective narcissism, self-worth dynamics, and the psychological underpinnings of political attitudes. She leads the Political Psychology Lab and has been on leave until Summer 2025. Education: PhD in Psychology (University of Warsaw, 2013), Fulbright Fellowship (New York University, 2009-2013). Research interests include links between narcissism and political behavior, collective narcissism's social consequences, and psychological factors driving political engagement. Her work has been published in top journals like Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Political Psychology . Key achievements include major grants from the Leverhulme Trust and Nuffield Foundation, and awards such as the Jos Jaspars Medal (2017) and Andrzej Malewski Award (2016). She supervises current and past PhD students in topics like conspiracy theories and identity politics. Professional roles include editorial positions at PNAS Nexus and European Journal of Social Psychology . Her research spans global collaborations on topics like pandemic responses and nationalism.
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom
Dr Alison Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), serving as Programme Director for the MSc Media and Communications (Data and Society). Her research focuses on technology design, public sector technology, and digital futures. She is known for her book Undoing Optimization: Civic Action in Smart Cities (2021) and her participatory research method, data walking. From 2019–2023, she directed the JUST AI network, supported by the Ada Lovelace Institute and UKRI, advancing AI ethics research. Her work integrates critical theory, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Education: PhD in Communication from Concordia University (Canada), MA in Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University, and postdoctoral research at the Oxford Internet Institute. Prior to academia, she worked in the film and TV industry. Research interests include civic engagement in data-driven governance, ethical AI, and participatory urbanism. She has advised projects like Africa Just AI and Operationalising Ethics for AI, funded by Horizon Europe, AHRC, and the Open Society Foundations. Her articles address topics such as AI governance, urban light ecology, feminist research praxis, and the ethical implications of technology for marginalized communities. She contributes to blogs like Media@LSE and leads initiatives at Polis and the LSE’s Digital Futures for Children project. Grants and collaborations include work with Projects by IF, Open Rights Group, and the Human Data Interactions Network (EPSRC). She explores intersections of technology, justice, and sustainability, emphasizing equitable and inclusive innovation.
Ram Cnaan is a Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with The Weitzman School of Design. He chairs the Doctoral Program in Social Welfare and directs the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research. His work focuses on faith-based social services, congregational welfare provision, and nonprofit management. Cnaan has authored influential books like The Invisible Caring Hand and serves on seven academic journal editorial boards. His research explores volunteerism dynamics, including pandemic impacts on donor retention, cross-national civic participation, and episodic volunteering at religious events. He investigates social entrepreneurship in public sectors and evaluates faith-based organizations' roles in reentry programs for ex-prisoners. Cnaan's recent studies address CSR innovations, donor-advised funds strategies, and prosocial behavior in diverse cultural contexts. Notable contributions include pioneering national studies on congregational social service provision and analyzing Israeli-Palestinian Muslim collaboration in aid work. His work bridges academic research with practical policy solutions for urban quality-of-life challenges.
Professor T. Ryan Byerly is a faculty member in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield's School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. He joined in Spring 2015 after completing his PhD at Baylor University and teaching at Regent University in the USA. His research focuses on Philosophy of Religion, Epistemology, and Virtue Theory, with particular attention to topics like divine foreknowledge, moral character, and religious epistemology. He currently supervises four PhD students in areas such as theistic moral arguments, moral psychology, and intellectual humility's role in social relationships. Byerly's educational background includes a PhD from Baylor University and prior academic roles at Regent University. His interdisciplinary work bridges theology, ethics, and social philosophy, with contributions to journals like Mental Health, Religion and Culture and Philosophical Studies . He serves as Series Editor for the British Society for the Philosophy of Religion book series and is affiliated with the Centre for Engaged Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. His research emphasizes the intersection of virtue ethics and religious practice, such as exploring how intellectual virtues like humility and transparency impact communal life. Byerly also investigates the philosophical implications of religious beliefs on moral behavior and well-being, including studies on how accepting divine love affects psychological health. In addition to his academic contributions, Byerly advocates for pedagogical approaches that cultivate intellectual virtues in critical thinking education. His work often addresses contemporary debates in the philosophy of religion, including free will theodicies and the ontological status of divine attributes. He actively collaborates with scholars across disciplines to advance virtue epistemology and collective moral character research.
Bart Cammaerts is Professor of Politics and Communication at the Department of Media and Communications , London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He previously served as Head of the Department and held academic roles at LSE since 2005, including Lecturer , Senior Lecturer , and Associate Professor . Earlier, he conducted postdoctoral research at LSE (Marie Curie Fellowship, 2003–2005), the University of Amsterdam (2002–2003), and doctoral research at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (1997–2002). Education: MA in Political Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (1996) PhD in Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (2002) Research Focus : Interdisciplinary work at the intersection of media and communication studies and political science , emphasizing the dialectic interplay between media and resistance, alternative media, protest movements, and critical analyses of neo-fascism normalization. His methodological approach combines quantitative (surveys, content analysis) and qualitative (interviews, discourse analysis) methods. Publications include books on anti-austerity protests , youth participation in democracy , and mediation of protest movements , reflecting themes like media strategies of activists , symbolic resistance , and hegemonic struggles . He is currently writing books on Dichotomies in Media Theory and the War on Woke . Scientific Awards Marie Curie Fellowship Postdoctoral Funding from EU’s 5th Framework Program Doctoral Supervision : Supervises Jessica Kong and has mentored Jessica Baines , Brooks DeCillia , and Cornelia Reyes Acosta to completion. He has taught postgraduate courses including Mediated Resistance and Activism , Political Communication in Democracies , and Modern Campaigning Politics .
John Lowe is a Teaching Professor of Sequential Art at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), holding this position since 2012. Previously, he served as Dean of the School of Communication Arts (2008–2012), Chair of the Sequential Art Department (2003–2008), and Professor of Sequential Art (2002). His career spans academic leadership and professional inking for major comic publishers like DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Archie Comics. Education: M.F.A., Sequential Art, Savannah College of Art and Design B.F.A., Drawing/Studio Art, University of Knoxville His research interests focus on advancing sequential art education and visual storytelling techniques. He has curated exhibitions such as Contemporary Cartoonists (2006) and Panel Progressions: 100 Years of Sequential Art (2005). His publications include textbooks like Foundations in Comic Book Art (2014) and articles in Varoom Magazine . Awards: Presidential Fellowship (SCAD, 2006) Outstanding Graduate Student (SCAD, 2002) Board of Trustees Fellowship (SCAD, 2000) He has advised numerous students through his editorial roles in anthologies and has engaged in civic initiatives linking art education to community projects.
Stephen Billings is an Associate Professor of Finance at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder, where he holds the Global Real Estate Capital Markets Chair position. He serves as the faculty director of the MS in Real Estate program and research director for the CU Real Estate Center. His work spans multiple research centers including the Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making and the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate. Billings received his PhD in Economics from the University of Colorado, a MS in urban planning from the University of North Carolina, and a BS in economics from Georgetown University. Prior to joining CU Boulder in 2016, he was faculty at the University of North Carolina Charlotte with appointments in both economics and public policy, where he also served as faculty director for the real estate center. His research focuses on the intersection of housing, schools, neighborhoods and crime, addressing critical policy issues including the impact of public investment in light-rail transit on neighborhoods, school segregation's influence on academic achievement and crime, neighborhood gentrification causes, lead-based paint in low-income housing, and the effects of sea level rise and natural disasters on neighborhood sorting and household finances. Billings employs sophisticated analysis of large micro-datasets with studies based on data and policies in Charlotte, NC and Denver, CO. His work connects urban economics with public policy, demonstrating how neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes across multiple dimensions. Billings' recent publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on neighborhood effects, school choice impacts, crime economics, and housing market dynamics. His work frequently examines the intersection of race, housing, and economic outcomes, with particular attention to policy implications. He has developed innovative methodological approaches to studying residential amenities and neighborhood spillovers, with increasing attention to climate change impacts on housing markets. His research appears in top journals including The Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Economic Review: Insights, and Journal of Urban Economics. As an educator, Billings teaches undergraduate and masters classes in real estate finance and economics, as well as doctoral and masters level courses on cost-benefit analysis and statistical methods. He has extensive consulting experience conducting economic impact studies, including assessments of North Carolina's public higher education system, affordable housing needs in Colorado communities, and the economic effects of marijuana legalization on property markets. His practical policy work complements his academic research, creating a bridge between theoretical insights and real-world applications. Billings leads significant research initiatives through the CU Real Estate Center, where he directs studies examining the impact of business improvement districts and other urban development policies. His work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, making substantial contributions to our understanding of how housing, education, and neighborhood environments shape individual outcomes and community development. His December 2023 memo on the HUD Officer Next Door Program exemplifies his engagement with current housing policy issues.
James Hankins is Professor of History in the Department of History at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, located at Robinson Hall 206, 35 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. A leading scholar in Renaissance intellectual history, his work focuses on the intersection of political thought, philosophy, and classical traditions within 15th-16th century Europe. His research centers on Renaissance political thought, the history of philosophy, and classical tradition reception, with emphasis on Italian humanism and virtue politics. As Founder and General Editor of the I Tatti Renaissance Library (Harvard University Press) and Associate Editor of the Catalogus Translationum et Commentariorum, he has shaped critical editions and scholarly resources. He is currently completing The Virtue Politics of the Italian Humanists and recently launched The Pratrizi Project on Francesco Patrizi's political theory. Publications reveal sustained engagement with Renaissance philosophy through critical editions, monographs, and editorial projects spanning five decades. Key themes include Platonic theology, civic humanism, and classical philosophy recovery, demonstrating methodological rigor in intellectual history and textual scholarship across European Renaissance contexts. He actively participates in the Harvard Colloquium for Intellectual History. Information regarding students, grants, scientific awards, and laboratory affiliations was not provided in source materials.
Sheila Jasanoff is the Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she founded and directs the STS Program. Previously, she was the founding chair of the STS Department at Cornell University. She holds AB, JD, and PhD degrees from Harvard University, along with honorary doctorates from the Universities of Twente and Liège. Current Position: Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies (2002-present) Previous Position: Professor of Science Policy and Law at Cornell University (1991-1998) Education: AB (Mathematics) from Radcliffe College, PhD (Linguistics) and JD from Harvard University Professor Jasanoff's research explores the role of science and technology in the law, politics, and policy of modern democracies, with particular attention to environmental and biotechnology regulation in Europe and the U.S. She is a pioneer in the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), having authored over 130 articles and chapters and written or edited more than 15 books, including The Fifth Branch , Science at the Bar , Designs on Nature , The Ethics of Invention , and Can Science Make Sense of Life? Her recent scholarly work focuses on climate communication, genome editing ethics, and the integration of STS perspectives into engineering and public policy. Jasanoff's publications demonstrate a consistent engagement with how different societies conceptualize scientific knowledge and incorporate it into governance structures, with particular attention to sociotechnical imaginaries and civic epistemologies. Holberg Prize (2022), often dubbed the 'Nobel Prize for social science and humanities' SSRC's Hirschman Prize Humboldt Foundation's Reimar-Lüst Award Guggenheim Fellowship Ehrenkreuz from the Government of Austria Foreign memberships in the British Academy and the Royal Danish Academy Jasanoff has served on the AAAS Board of Directors and as President of the Society for Social Studies of Science. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Her sponsored projects include the Global Observatory on Genome Editing funded by the John Templeton Foundation and Belmont Forum Collaborative Research on Governance of Sociotechnical Transformations funded by the National Science Foundation. She has held distinguished visiting appointments at leading universities worldwide and serves on numerous scientific advisory boards including at the Holberg Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, and University of Cambridge.
Professor Christopher Carman is the Stevenson Professor of Citizenship at the University of Glasgow, holding a PhD from the University of Houston. He has served in leadership roles including Head of Subject (Politics & International Relations), Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences, and Deputy Head of the School. His research focuses on political representation, electoral processes, public opinion, and Scottish politics, with notable contributions to studies on the Scottish Parliament and rural-urban political divides. Carman has led the Scottish Election Study (SES) since 2011 and co-leads the NORFACE-funded RUDE project on European rural-urban dynamics. He also contributes to the Glasgow-Nankai Joint Graduate School and the Stevenson Trust, fostering citizenship education and democratic research. Education: PhD in Political Science, University of Houston (2000). Previous academic roles include professorships at the Universities of Strathclyde and Pittsburgh. Research Interests: Political representation alternatives (e.g., public petitions systems), electoral behavior, Scottish and UK politics, direct democracy, and comparative legislative politics. Recent work addresses rural-urban divides in Europe and political compromise in democratic systems. Key Projects: Scottish Election Study (SES), Rural and Urban Divide in Europe (RUDE), and studies on political scandals and multilevel governance. His publications span electoral studies, comparative politics, and political behavior, with a focus on institutional trust and democratic engagement. Grants and Funding: ESRC and NORFACE grants support his research. The Stevenson Trust supports his work on citizenship education and public lectures.
Professor Tatsuhisa Tamura is affiliated with the Faculty of Law at Waseda University , specializing in Public Law . His academic career spans over two decades, with a focus on local government law, administrative law, and economic regulation. Research Interests include: Public Law : Constitutional frameworks and local governance structures. Disaster Relief Law : Legal systems for JSDF deployment in crises. Economic Regulation : Impacts of deregulation on administrative law. Civic Accountability : Judicial control mechanisms like resident litigation. Policy Reform : Decentralization and carbon-neutral governance. Recent Publications (2015–2020) address municipal financial systems, citizen litigation frameworks, and disaster response protocols. His work emphasizes balancing efficiency with democratic control in shrinking societies. Grants & Projects include: 2025–2029: Sustainable Public Official Law (JSPS Grant). 2019–2022: Civil Defense Systems in Large-Scale Disasters . 2017–2021: Legal Regulation of Local Government Enterprises . 2021–2025: Comparative Studies on Personnel Administration . Teaching involves courses like Local Government Law and Administrative Law at Waseda’s Graduate School of Law. He also contributes to public policy debates on carbon neutrality and judicial transparency.
Nadia E. Brown is a Professor of Government and Director of the Women's and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown University's College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Rutgers University and specializes in intersectional analyses of Black women’s politics, legislative studies, and identity politics. Her work emphasizes holistic approaches to understanding race, gender, and their intersections in political systems. Dr. Brown leads the #MeTooPoliSci Collective, focusing on eradicating sexual harassment in political science, and co-PIs a million-dollar NSF grant addressing systemic issues in the discipline. She is editor of Politics, Groups and Identities and contributes to The Monkey Cage blog. Her research spans Black women’s legislative representation, digital activism, and feminist methodologies, with award-winning books including Sisters in the Statehouse and Sister Style . Education: Ph.D. in Political Science, Rutgers University Key Affiliations: African American Studies Program, #MeTooPoliSci Collective Research Methods: Case studies, ethnography, interviews Her advocacy extends beyond academia, influencing public discourse on racial justice and gender equity through media engagement and policy-focused scholarship.