Jens Edlund is a Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology's Division of Speech, Music and Hearing. His research focuses on speech technology, dialogue systems, prosody, and evolutionary phonetics. He has contributed to foundational work on speech synthesis, conversational interaction, and multimodal corpora like the D64 corpus. Key projects include the MonAMI Reminder system and analysis of primate vocalizations to understand speech evolution. Edlund has collaborated extensively with global researchers, producing over 150 peer-reviewed works. His work integrates computational methods with linguistic and biological insights, emphasizing human-like dialogue systems and cross-species vocal analysis. Education: Ph.D. in Speech Technology (2011, KTH) Grants: Multiple EU and Swedish Research Council grants for speech technology and interdisciplinary studies Research labs include the KTH Speech, Music and Hearing Lab and collaborations with institutions like Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Current work explores evolutionary origins of speech biomechanics and AI-driven speech synthesis evaluation.
Yaojun Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Department of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University. She earned her PhD in Physics from the University of California, San Diego (2015), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science (2015-2018) and the Princeton Center for the Physics of Biological Function (2018-2021). Her research focuses on biological physics, particularly the complex behaviors of biomolecules and their assemblies across scales—from single-molecule folding to intracellular transport and biomolecular phase separation. She employs theoretical, mathematical, and computational tools to bridge biological questions with physical principles. Education PhD in Physics, University of California, San Diego (2015) Postdoctoral Fellowships: Princeton University (2015-2021) Research Interests Her group studies biomolecular condensates and liquid-liquid phase separation, exploring how microscopic interactions determine macroscopic properties of cellular compartments. Key areas include: Biomolecular condensate formation and dynamics Phase separation in cellular environments Interactions between biomolecules and cellular components Biophysics of intracellular transport Collaborations & Tools Zhang collaborates with experimentalists to validate theoretical models and develops frameworks for understanding condensate functions, such as surface tension, stoichiometry, and phase diagrams. Her work addresses challenges like condensate stability, molecular exclusion, and biological function regulation. Labs & Resources She leads the Zhang Lab , which integrates experimental and computational approaches. Her team’s research is supported by resources at the Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy.
Mark R. Pittelkow is a Professor of Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic, holding a primary appointment as a Consultant in the Department of Dermatology. He completed his MD at Mayo Medical School and advanced training through Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and Northwestern University. His research focuses on cutaneous lymphomas, photoprotection, and skin cancer, with leadership roles in international guidelines (ISCL/EORTC). He contributes to clinical trials, medical education, and interdisciplinary research through affiliations like the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and Regenerative Biotherapeutics. Education: MD (Mayo Medical School), MS (Biological Sciences, Northwestern), BA (Northwestern University). Research spans cutaneous lymphoma classification, immunology, and translational dermatology. Notable publications address staging systems for mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome and photoprotection strategies. His work integrates clinical practice with molecular mechanisms, such as JAK inhibitor responses in lichen planus. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and interdisciplinary groups in immunotherapy and regenerative medicine. Supervises clinical trials and postdoctoral training programs.
Dr. Colleen F. Visconti serves as Professor and Program Director of the Speech-Language Pathology program within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baldwin Wallace University. She holds a Ph.D. in Child Language Disorders from Case Western Reserve University, an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Pennsylvania State University, and a B.A. in Communication Sciences from Case Western Reserve University. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Child Language Disorders, Case Western Reserve University M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, Pennsylvania State University B.A. in Communication Sciences, Case Western Reserve University Visconti's research centers on the scholarship of teaching and learning and evidence-based education, with specific expertise in peer mentoring systems, interprofessional education frameworks, Zambia-based community engagement initiatives, clinical decision-making protocols, and problem-based learning methodologies. Her scholarly contributions have been disseminated through presentations at state, regional, and national conferences alongside publications in journals such as Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, Perspectives on Issues in Higher Education, and The ASHA Leader. She has co-authored three significant publications: the forthcoming open-access text 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in CSD: Past, Present, and Future', 'Case Studies in Evidence-Based Education: A Resource for Teaching in Clinical Professions' (2021), and 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: Evidence-Based Education'. Additionally, she co-founded and edits the open-access journal Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her distinguished accolades include: Distinguished Contribution Award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (2023) Honors of the Association from the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2021) Fellow of the Association Award from the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2016) Editor's Award from the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association for co-authored article 'Diagnostic Reasoning by Experienced Speech Language Pathologists and Student Clinicians' As an active professional leader, Visconti served as President of the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OSLHA) and currently functions as a site visitor for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Council of Academic Accreditation. Her extensive service history includes OSLHA roles as Vice President, Director of Marketing, and University Affairs Representative, alongside ASHA contributions as Convention Committee Member, Special Interest Division Coordinator, and State Legislative Councilor for Ohio. In her academic capacity, she teaches graduate/undergraduate courses including Foundations in Evidence-Based Practice, Articulation and Phonology Disorders, and international Capstone courses in Zambia.
Kristin Bernard, Ph.D. (University of Delaware, 2013), is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Stony Brook University’s Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on the neurobiological consequences of early adversity, parent-child relationships, and the efficacy of early parenting interventions such as Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC). She collaborates with Power of Two, a NYC-based nonprofit, and leads the Developmental Stress and Prevention Lab. Current grants include studies on epigenomics, maternal attachment representation, and community-based ABC interventions. Dr. Bernard’s work bridges clinical and developmental psychology, emphasizing prevention science and translational research. Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, University of Delaware, 2013. Research Interests: Child maltreatment, neurobiological impacts of early adversity, parenting interventions, psychobiology of attachment, and intervention efficacy. Her lab investigates mechanisms linking caregiving quality to child outcomes, including cortisol regulation, brain development, and behavioral compliance. Lab & Partnerships: Directs the Developmental Stress and Prevention Lab, focusing on high-risk populations. Collaborations include Power of Two for ABC implementation and NYC agencies like the Administration for Children’s Services. Current projects explore neighborhood influences on parenting (Geography of Parenting Study) and neural correlates of parenting behavior (SNAP study). Grants & Funding: Principal Investigator on NIH-funded projects (R03 HD099372, R01 MH119310) and co-PI on Stony Brook’s seed grants. Projects examine accelerated aging biomarkers and intervention effectiveness in community settings. Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and a co-authored book on ABC interventions. High-impact journals include Psychoneuroendocrinology , Development and Psychopathology , and Child Development .
Dr. Rebecca Pratt is a tenured Professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB), where she has been a faculty member since January 2018. She previously held professorial roles at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), where she taught anatomy, embryology, neuroanatomy, physiology, and histology, and served as Associate Professor and Director of Histology at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She also held appointments at Grand Valley State University and completed postdoctoral training at Purdue University. Ph.D., Cell Biology and Oncology, Purdue University B.S., Zoology and Botany/Plant Pathology, Michigan State University Dr. Pratt's research focuses on the fascial system and its role in whole-body health, including fascial continuity, muscle attachment, somatic pain transmission, and biochemical communication. She integrates radiology into anatomy education and advocates for evidence-based medical curricula. Her work bridges clinical anatomy, histology, embryology, and physiology with modern educational practices. Her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on fascial anatomy, medical education innovation, and the integration of imaging in teaching. Themes include plastination, generational learning trends, and fascia’s role in women's health and athletic performance, published in journals like Clinical Anatomy and Anatomical Sciences Education , as well as in Women and Men’s Health and NIKE magazines. Scientific awards and honors include: Basmajian Award (American Association of Anatomy) Keith and Marion Moore Award (AAA) Five consecutive Golden Apple Teaching Awards at MSUCOM Golden Apple Award at OUWB Dr. Pratt has served in major leadership roles, including President of the International Fascia Research Society, Board Member of the American Association of Anatomy (AAA) and the American Association of Clinical Anatomy (AACA), and Chair of multiple AAA committees. She is a Visiting Anatomy Professor at Weill Cornell and St. George’s University School of Medicine, and faculty advisor for the Docapellas at OUWB. She has been an invited speaker internationally and contributed to high-impact projects like the BodyWorlds Fascial Net Plastination Project. She actively serves on OUWB’s Admissions and Student Promotion and Retention Committees. Dr. Pratt leads and organizes major international initiatives, including the Women's Clinical Health Summit in Rio de Janeiro (2024) and the Fascia Research Congress in New Orleans (2025), fostering global collaboration in fascial science. Her lab and research team focus on fascial anatomy and medical education, working closely with institutions in Italy (University of Padova) and Germany (BodyWorlds project).
Andre Levchenko is the John C. Malone Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Yale University, with secondary appointments in the Department of Neurosurgery and affiliations with the Cancer Signaling Networks, Immunology, and the Yale Program in Neurodevelopment and Regeneration. His research focuses on systems biology, signal transduction, and cell-cell communication, utilizing microfluidics and computational modeling to study cancer progression, stem cell behavior, and neurological disorders. PhD, Columbia University MEng, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Levchenko's work explores how cells process dynamic signals to make critical decisions, particularly in glioblastoma migration, organoid development, and cardiovascular tissue engineering. His lab develops innovative microfluidic platforms and mathematical models to dissect multicellular communication and signaling networks. Recent publications highlight his contributions to understanding YAP-driven cancer invasion , NOTCH signaling in angiogenesis , and metabolic regulation of hypoxia responses . He has pioneered methods for organoid modeling and single-cell analysis , advancing precision in biological signaling studies. Scientific Awards : Computational Molecular Biology Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Burroughs Wellcome Fund) National Academies Keck Futures Conference Invitee Distinguished Guest Lecturer, University of Virginia American Asthma Foundation Early Excellence Award Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering Levchenko leads the Levchenko Lab at the Yale Systems Biology Institute, collaborating with institutions like Mayo Clinic and Yale Cancer Center. His research has received recognition in Faculty of 1000 and multiple journal highlights.
Jae Eun Chung is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Howard University's School of Communications. Her research focuses on new media technologies, their psychosocial impacts, and health communication, with a particular emphasis on community engagement and digital discourse. Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California M.A. in Telecommunications from Indiana University at Bloomington Dr. Chung's work explores the intersection of social media and health, analyzing how digital platforms influence public health perceptions, patient-doctor interactions, and health equity. She has published extensively in journals like Journal of Communication , Computers in Human Behavior , and Health Communication , often employing community-based participatory research (CBPR) to address disparities in asthma care, maternal health, and HPV-associated cancer awareness. Recent publications highlight trends in leveraging social media for health interventions, examining misinformation dynamics during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzing digital ecosystems. Her methodological approaches include network analysis, narrative studies, and assessments of digital engagement metrics. Howard University RCMI Grant: Enhancing recruitment of African-Americans and Hispanics in health research NSF HDR Grant: Collaborative research on data analytics for community enrichment PACRI Grant: Improving health outcomes for asthmatic children in public housing Bezos Earth Fund: Indoor environmental quality disparities in underserved communities Dr. Chung collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, including public health experts and data scientists, to advance health communication strategies. She has mentored students and researchers in projects analyzing social media's role in health promotion, digital privacy, and community-academic partnerships.
Elisha David Klonsky is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Arts. His primary research classification is Clinical Psychology with a secondary focus in Social/Personality Psychology. He directs the Personality, Emotion, and Behaviour Lab (PEBLab) and maintains an active research program while accepting graduate students for the 2023/24 application cycle. Dr. Klonsky earned his PhD from the University of Virginia in 2005. His educational background has positioned him as a leading researcher in clinical psychology, particularly in suicide research. Dr. Klonsky's research interests center on suicide theory, motivations, and the transition from suicidal thoughts to attempts. His work also spans metascience, emotion research, and psychological/clinical assessment. He has developed the influential Three-Step Theory (3ST) of suicide, which operates within an ideation-to-action framework. His research examines how emotional pain, impulsivity, and nonsuicidal self-injury relate to suicidal behavior, with particular interest in developing better assessment tools for clinical practice. Recent work has expanded into metascience, addressing the replication crisis in psychology. His publication record shows consistent high-impact work primarily in suicide research, with recent emphasis on suicide motivations, emotion measurement, and theoretical frameworks. The research demonstrates strong clinical applicability while maintaining rigorous scientific methodology. Dr. Klonsky has received numerous prestigious awards including: UBC Killam Research Prize (2020) Killam Faculty Research Fellowship (2017) American Association of Suicidology: Edwin S. Shneidman Award (2015) Association for Psychological Science Rising Star (2011) David Shakow Early Career Award (2011) American Psychological Association Fellow (2010) Dr. Klonsky has successfully mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to academic positions at institutions including Old Dominion University, McGill University, Wesleyan University, and Texas Tech University. His research has been supported by significant funding from organizations including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and National Institute of Mental Health. Current projects include studies on suicidality in youth with autism spectrum disorder and advancing the measurement of emotional experience. The Personality, Emotion, and Behaviour Lab maintains active research programs in suicide, emotion, metascience, and related areas, with particular emphasis on developing parsimonious models of suicide and better understanding suicide motivations and warning signs.
Mascha C. van der Voort is a Full Professor at the University of Twente's Faculty of Engineering Technology, Department of Human Centered Design. Her work focuses on transdisciplinary design methodologies, inclusive technology, and sustainability. She has contributed over 180 research outputs since 1996, with notable contributions to empathy-driven design for neurodiverse populations and climate-resilient infrastructure solutions. Expertise includes: Design Theory, User-Centered Design, Automation in Design, and Sustainability. Recipient of the Best Paper Award at the 10th International Conference on Design, User Experience and Usability (2021). Active in academic governance, serving as Chair of the Faculty of Engineering Technology Board since 2021. Her research integrates transdisciplinary collaboration, with recent work exploring futures studies and co-speculation methodologies. She has supervised 18 graduate students and contributed to datasets addressing river research communication and autistic lifeworld-informed technology design.
Dr. Louise Alexander is an Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing at Deakin University's School of Nursing & Midwifery (Faculty of Health). She holds prior academic roles including Senior Lecturer (ACU, 2018–2023) and Lecturer positions (ACU and Holmesglen Institute). Her research focuses on mental health nursing workforce sustainability, stigma reduction, simulation-based education, and curriculum development. Key interests include nurse resilience, pandemic impacts on healthcare workers, and improving student attitudes towards mental illness. Education: PhD from Deakin University; GCHE qualification Certifications: University of Melbourne's Emerging Leaders & Management Program (2021–2022) Teaching: Leads courses in forensic mental health, therapeutic communication, and health promotion Research Highlights: Recent work examines pandemic trauma among nurses, alcohol consumption trends post-COVID, and leadership's role in workforce retention. Her studies emphasize qualitative methods and integrative reviews to address systemic challenges in mental health nursing education and practice. Awards/Grants: No explicit awards listed; research supported by institutional collaborations. Active in developing transition-to-practice programs and evaluating simulation-based training efficacy. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on mental health workforce resilience and stigma reduction initiatives. Engages in national and international nursing education networks.
Peter Nilsson is a Professor of Economics at the Institute for International Economic Studies (IIES) , Stockholm University. He also holds a guest professorship at Linnaeus University and serves as a research fellow at IFAU , Uppsala Center for Labor Studies , CESifo , and CEPR . Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University and obtained his PhD from Uppsala University (2010). Research Focus: His work bridges Labor Economics , Health Economics , and Environmental Economics , analyzing how early-life exposures (alcohol, lead), workplace dynamics, and policy interventions (unemployment insurance, congestion pricing) shape long-term socioeconomic outcomes. Key themes include Environmental Health Impacts on Cognition and Crime Labor Market Responses to Insurance Policies Peer Effects in Workplace Behavior Policy Design for Social Equity Scientific Awards: Nilsson has been recognized through research fellowships at leading institutions and editorial roles, including Associate Editor at The Economic Journal since 2021. His work has been featured in American Economic Review , Journal of Political Economy , and NBER platforms. Key Contributions: He provided testimony for Connecticut’s HB-5045 to reduce childhood lead exposure and contributed to Sweden’s Corona Commission report on pandemic responses. His empirical methods combine natural experiments with administrative datasets to identify causal relationships in health, labor, and environmental economics.
Lucien Castaing-Taylor is the John Cowles Professor of Art and Anthropology at Harvard University and Director of the Sensory Ethnography Lab (SEL), currently on leave for Fall 2025. His work bridges anthropology and artistic practice through sensory ethnography, engaging critically with ecological crises and political challenges while maintaining an ethnographic commitment to lived experience. His research spans sensory ethnography, phenomenology, media anthropology, and post-human/multi-species relations, with deep engagement in cultural and political ecology across the Franco-Creole Caribbean, Europe, and American West. Castaing-Taylor interrogates intellectual history and reason while developing methodologies that merge artistic negative capability with ethnographic rigor to capture life's flux without imposing conventional narrative structures. Castaing-Taylor's creative output demonstrates a consistent trajectory from early works like In and Out of Africa (1992) to recent projects such as De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), evolving from representational ethnography toward immersive sensory experiences. His filmography and installations increasingly address the Anthropocene, human-animal relations, and embodied knowledge through experimental audiovisual techniques that challenge documentary conventions and expand ethnographic possibilities. His major awards include: Alpert Award in the Arts (2013) True Vision Award (2013) Los Angeles Film Critics' Circle Douglas Edwards Independent and Experimental Film Award (2012) FIPRESCI Award (2012) As Director of the SEL, Castaing-Taylor cultivates a collaborative environment where anthropology converges with experimental filmmaking and installation art. The lab functions as an incubator for boundary-pushing audiovisual research that engages with urgent planetary issues through sensory immersion, fostering new modes of ethnographic inquiry that transcend traditional academic publishing.
David H. Sherman is the Hans W. Vahlteich Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Michigan, holding joint appointments in the College of Pharmacy (Department of Medicinal Chemistry), Medical School (Microbiology & Immunology), and College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (Chemistry). He leads the Sherman Lab at the Life Sciences Institute and co-founded the Natural Products Discovery Core. His research focuses on natural product discovery, biosynthetic pathways, and drug development for infectious diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders. Education: PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Columbia University (1981), BA in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz (1978). Postdoctoral research at MIT (1984). Research interests include microbial secondary metabolites, enzymatic catalysis (e.g., C-H functionalization, polyketide assembly), and high-throughput drug screening. He pioneered a microbial natural product library with over 50,000 samples. Current projects emphasize developing macrolide antibiotics and advancing compounds toward clinical trials through the Natural Products Biosciences Initiative. Collaborations span global institutions, with a focus on biodiversity conservation and capacity-building in low-income nations. He has mentored 67 PhD students, 60 postdocs, and 85+ undergraduates, fostering interdisciplinary training in chemical biology and microbial biochemistry. Labs/Teams: Sherman Lab (Life Sciences Institute), Center Member at Samuel and Jean Frankel Cardiovascular Center, Center for Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Rogel Cancer Center.
Charles Athanasopoulos is an Assistant Professor of African American and African Studies & English at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on intersections of Black rhetorics, media, and culture, with expertise in The Black Radical Tradition, Rhetorical Theory, and Cultural Critique. He earned his Ph.D. in Rhetoric & Communication from the University of Pittsburgh. His work analyzes racial progress, public symbols, and post/Ferguson America through lenses of iconoclasm and critical race theory. Education: Ph.D., Rhetoric & Communication, University of Pittsburgh. Research interests span Black American and Diasporic Cinema, Afro-Caribbean and Greek-Roma identity critiques. He has published in venues like Lateral: The Journal of the Cultural Studies Association and Western Journal of Communication. His 2024 book Black Iconoclasm explores dismantling racial symbols in public discourse. Recent articles address Fanonian thought, anti-racist campus rhetoric, and transnational Blackness studies. His publications critically engage with visual activism, film analysis, and decolonial theories. Current projects include studies on sonic rhetorics in Black women’s music and global race discourses in Mediterranean contexts.
