Prof Dan Hough is a Professor at the University of Sussex affiliated with the Sussex Asia Centre, specializing in corruption, anti-corruption strategies, and governance with particular focus on China and Asia. His research examines both the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures and the political dynamics of anti-corruption campaigns globally. Hough's work centers on identifying successful anti-corruption frameworks while analyzing the political constraints that influence their implementation. His recent book Corruption, Anti-Corruption and Governance examines case studies including South Korea, and his British Academy-funded research investigated anti-corruption agencies across Asia. Current projects extend into sports integrity (FIFA, football governance) and religious institutions, demonstrating the evolving scope of corruption studies. Analysis of his publication trajectory reveals increasing diversification from traditional political corruption into specialized domains like sports ethics and religious governance, while maintaining core focus on institutional effectiveness. His work consistently bridges theoretical political science with practical policy applications, particularly regarding measurement challenges in corruption perception indices. Hough secured a British Academy Small Research Grant as Principal Investigator to evaluate anti-corruption agencies in Asia, demonstrating active research funding. His advisory role extends through academic supervision and policy engagement, though specific student names aren't publicly listed.
David Weisstanner is an Assistant Professor of Health and Social Policy at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bern and has held academic positions at the University of Oxford and Aarhus University. Education: PhD in Political Science, University of Bern Research Interests: His interdisciplinary research focuses on the intersection of electoral politics, social policy, and public opinion. Key themes include how democracies respond to inequality and technological change, the politicization of health care, welfare state dynamics, and income redistribution. He employs comparative methods to analyze policy challenges in advanced economies. Publications: Recent work (2022–2025) demonstrates strong emphasis on income inequality, technological disruption (AI/automation), health systems reform, and welfare state adaptation. Articles frequently use cross-national data and explore voter behavior, policy preferences, and the political economy of social protection. Grants & Advising: Leads SNSF project: "Party politics and the politicization of health care" (2025–2029) Teaching: Courses include health and social policy, health inequality, and Swiss health policy.
Khaldoun AbouAssi is the Provost Associate Professor at the Department of Public Administration & Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University from 2012 to 2015. His work bridges academic research and practical engagement, particularly in the Middle East, where he has over 12 years of experience working with public and nonprofit organizations. Education: PhD in Public Administration, The Maxwell School of Syracuse University MA in Public Administration, American University of Beirut BA in Public Administration, American University of Beirut Research Interests: Dr. AbouAssi’s research centers on global governance, with a particular emphasis on the governance of refugee camps. His work explores the dynamics of public and nonprofit management, organizational capacity, resource dependency, and inter-organizational collaboration. He is especially interested in how nonprofits and governments interact in developing countries, and how these relationships affect service delivery, policy implementation, and democratic development. Awards and Recognition: Inaugural Provost Associate Professor, American University Faculty Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Center, American University Research Fellow, Center for Organizational Research and Design, Arizona State University Recipient of ARNOVA’s Gabriel G. Rudney Memorial Award for Outstanding Dissertation (2013) Winner of Maxwell School’s e-PARCC Best Teaching Simulation Award (2017) Grants and Funding: Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council Academic Research Grant ($700,969, 2024) ASAE Foundation Sal Martino Grant for DEI Research ($15,000, 2022) American University Helfat Faculty Development Grant ($5,000, 2022) Professional Service: Dr. AbouAssi holds leadership roles in several academic associations, including serving on the Board of Directors of the Public Management Research Association and the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA). He is also an Associate Editor of Public Administration Review and serves on editorial boards of multiple top-tier journals.
Matthew Sparkes is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at the University of Cambridge and a Director of Studies and Fellow in Human, Social, and Political Sciences (HSPS) at Lucy Cavendish College. His work focuses on social inequalities, neoliberal political economy, and financialisation, with a strong emphasis on class, gender, and cultural dynamics. Joined Cambridge in 2014 Course organiser for Global Social Problems (SOC3) and Sociology Dissertations Organiser of the Social Class Reading Group Matthew's research explores the intersections of debt markets, social stratification, and policy responses during crises. His recent work examines mortgage prisoners, credit payment holidays during the pandemic, and the cultural narratives shaping economic policies. Key trends in his publications include: analyzing debt as a social stratification mechanism (2018–2024), critiquing neoliberal financialisation (2019–2024), and interdisciplinary approaches combining sociology, economics, and cultural studies. His articles frequently address UK-specific debt policies and their mental health impacts. Tier 2 Cambridge Humanities Research Grant (2024) Dame Anne Warburton Award (2024) Matthew's advocacy for equality, diversity, and inclusion is rooted in his working-class upbringing in Wakefield, England. He integrates his lived experiences into research on classism and initiatives promoting inclusivity at Lucy Cavendish College.
Matt Lamb is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University. His research focuses on Latinx politics, elections administration, political communication, and civic engagement in the American context. Ph.D. from Rice University B.A. from University of Texas at Austin His work examines: Latinx voter interactions with political environments Poll worker/voter experiences at polling places Minority civic engagement & education Comparative studies of election administration practices Recent publications analyze election staffing, polling place dynamics, and digital civic education interventions. His research appears in Social Science Quarterly , Election Law Journal , and Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences . Contact: matt.lamb@ttu.edu
Mo Chen, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the Chair of Cyber Trust within the School of Computation, Information and Technology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Her research examines automated decision-making systems, data protection regulations, and AI ethics, with a focus on corporate and societal impacts in China and beyond. Her research integrates qualitative, quantitative, and computational methodologies. She earned her Ph.D. in 2018 from the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies at the University of Bristol. Her work has been supported by a research stipend from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation (2019-2021). Key Research Areas: AI Ethics and Governance Data Protection and Privacy Digital Policy and Regulation Behavioral Economics in Digital Systems Mo Chen's publications explore the societal implications of China's Social Credit System, algorithmic regulation, and cross-cultural comparisons of data governance. Her work has received recognition, including a Best Paper Award nomination at ICIS 2023. Scientific Awards: Research stipend from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation (2019-2021) Best Paper Award nominee at the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) 2023
Professor Toman Barsbai of the School of Economics at the University of Bristol specializes in development economics with a focus on international migration and cultural behavior. His research combines experimental and observational micro-level data from fieldwork and archives. Lead researcher at Malengo initiative Affiliated with J-PAL and French Collaborative Institute on Migration Member of Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers expert council His work examines migration's economic implications through two core themes: (1) international migration dynamics and (2) cultural behavior economics. Recent studies include labor migration's impact on democratic diffusion, financial literacy training for migrants, and cross-species behavioral convergence. Publications in Science , American Economic Journal: Applied Economics , and Journal of Development Economics demonstrate methodological rigor through randomized controlled trials. Media coverage in BBC, Science, and World Bank Development Impact Blog highlights real-world policy relevance.
Scott Douglas is an Associate Professor at the Utrecht School of Governance, Utrecht University, specializing in Public Administration , Collaborative Governance , and Crisis Management . He focuses on the dynamics of collaborations between governments, companies, and community organizations to address complex societal challenges such as radicalization, child abuse, and crisis response. Education: University of Oxford, DPhil (2011) University of Oxford, MPhil Comparative Government (2008) London School of Economics, BSc Industrial Relations (2005) His research emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration , innovative tools like the Performance Management Game, and public value creation . He co-founded the Security in Open Societies platform and leads international consortia such as Horizon and Adapt! on crisis governance. Key publications analyze collaborative performance regimes, cognitive biases in public procurement, and frameworks for evaluating governance measures. His work spans journals like Public Administration Review , Public Management Review , and PLoS One . Scientific Awards Member of De Jonge Akademie (2023) He bridges research , education , and societal impact through projects with NWO, municipalities, and the Dutch Safety Investigation Board. Current initiatives include studying how University Medical Centers can lead in primary prevention networks.
Katie E. Corcoran is an Associate Professor of Sociology at West Virginia University, affiliated with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Washington, along with an M.A. in International Studies (Comparative Religion), and certification in Social Statistics from the Center for Statistics and Social Sciences (CSSS) at the University of Washington. Her research bridges macro-structures and micro-attitudes through social groups and networks, focusing on organizations, culture, crime/deviance, religion, emotion, inequality, and social movements. Recent work examines vaccine hesitancy, trust in science, maternal health, healthcare coordination for rare disease patients, and the role of supernatural beliefs in society. She co-directs the Survey Research Center at WVU and the online graduate certificate in Quantitative & Qualitative Social Science Research Methods. Her publications span journals like Social Science Research and Sociology of Religion , as well as the book Religious Hostility: A Global Assessment of Hatred and Terror (co-authored with Rodney Stark). A forthcoming book, High on God: How the Megachurch Conquered America (with James K. Wellman and Kate Stockly-Meyerdirk), explores megachurch dynamics. Her 2025 articles in The Conversation analyze supernatural beliefs across demographics and graduate students' geographic preferences, while earlier work addresses topics like charismatic religious leadership and emotion-driven altruism. Grants from the National Science Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) support her research. She has no explicitly listed scientific awards, advising roles, or lab affiliations in the provided texts.
Thomas Poguntke is Professor of Comparative Politics at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, holding the Chair since 2010. He serves as co-director of the Düsseldorf Party Research Institute (PRuF) and coordinates an international longitudinal study of political parties across more than 50 countries with Susan Scarrow (Houston) and Paul Webb (Sussex). His primary research focuses on comparative party politics, with particular emphasis on intra-party democracy, party organization, digital campaigning, and the presidentialization of politics. Poguntke's work bridges theoretical analysis with empirical research on party systems across Europe and globally. His recent scholarship examines the impact of digital technologies on party organization and campaigning, as well as structural changes in party systems including the decline of traditional catch-all parties. Poguntke's extensive publication record reveals consistent engagement with party organization theory, European party systems, and German politics. His research demonstrates how digital transformation is reshaping traditional party structures while examining persistent questions about party membership decline and organizational adaptation. The longitudinal nature of his work with the Political Party Database Project provides valuable comparative data on party evolution across democratic systems. Poguntke has held significant editorial roles including membership on the board of Acta Politica and previous co-editorship of German Politics. His academic leadership extends to co-directing ECPR Summer Schools on Political Parties and European Politics at the European University Institute. His research trajectory shows a progression from early work on Green parties to broader comparative analyses of party systems, with recent emphasis on digital politics and intra-party democracy. Current projects include DFG-funded research on opposition party behavior and continued development of the Political Party Database Project.
Charles M. North is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University, where he has been a faculty member since earning his PhD from the University of Texas. Prior to academia, he practiced law in Dallas after graduating from Duke University School of Law. His research uniquely bridges Economics of Religion , Law & Economics , and Applied Microeconomics , with a focus on experimental economics applied to criminal justice, religious markets, and legal systems. He has published extensively in journals like the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization and Journal of Money, Credit & Banking , exploring topics such as religion’s impact on the rule of law and experimental studies of jury behavior. Education: PhD in Economics (University of Texas, 1999) JD in Law (Duke University, 1990) MBA in Business (Baylor University, 1987) BA in Business Administration (Baylor University, 1986) Teaching: Courses include Introductory Economics, Game Theory, and Law & Economics Director of the Baylor Business Fellows program Research Trends: Recent work focuses on experimental economics in criminal justice Longstanding interest in religion-economic-legal intersections Studies on jury bias, plea bargaining, and religious freedom Personal Interests: Founder of Baylor’s Aloha Fridays tradition Fan of Everton Football Club (UK) Created Ted Lasso filming location tours in London Contact: charles_north@baylor.edu
Ian Lee is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, specializing in constitutional law, corporate law, and European Union law. He joined the Faculty in 2003 after clerking with Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé of the Supreme Court of Canada and Justice Mark MacGuigan of the Federal Court of Appeal, and practicing at a global law firm in Paris and New York. He served as Associate Dean (JD Program) from 2012 to 2015 and is admitted to practice in Ontario and New York. His educational background includes a B.Com. (1991), LL.B. (1994) from the University of Toronto, and an LL.M. (1998) from Harvard Law School. Lee has taught at the University of Sydney Law School and the University of Graz, reflecting his international expertise. Lee's research critically examines constitutional interpretation, corporate governance, and EU legal frameworks. His work on 'pith and substance' analysis, corporate criminal liability as team-member responsibility, and the intersection of economics with constitutional rights demonstrates interdisciplinary depth. Recent publications focus on sustainable finance, corporate social responsibility, and comparative business regulation, revealing evolving interests toward ethical business practices and regulatory innovation. His scholarly output shows consistent engagement with Canadian constitutional jurisprudence while expanding into European and global business law contexts. The trend indicates growing emphasis on sustainable business models, corporate purpose debates, and the economic dimensions of constitutional rights. Lee has contributed significantly to legal education through casebooks including Canadian Constitutional Law (6th ed., 2022) and Cases, Materials and Notes on Partnerships and Canadian Business Corporations (6th ed., 2011), shaping curricula in constitutional and corporate law. His SSRN page hosts numerous preprints, facilitating broad scholarly access to his work. Professional engagements include teaching constitutional law courses (Constitutional Law B/C, Advanced Constitutional Law), contributing to edited collections on assisted human reproduction, and publishing op-eds in The Globe and Mail , The Financial Post , and The Lawyers' Weekly on corporate governance and constitutional issues.
Mariela A. Rodríguez, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she also serves as a Leadership Fellow for Student Success in the College of Education and Human Development. Her work emphasizes leadership practices that foster equitable learning environments for culturally and linguistically diverse students, with a focus on social justice and mentorship frameworks. Dr. Rodríguez has held prominent roles in national educational organizations, including Vice President of Division A at the American Educational Research Association (2021–2024) and President of the University Council for Educational Administration (2017–2018). She was appointed Co-Editor of the American Educational Research Journal in 2024 and received the Jay D. Scribner Mentoring Award (2021) for her work with graduate students and emerging scholars. Her research explores the intersection of social justice, guerrilla pedagogy, and leadership development, particularly for Latinas and immigrant faculty in academia. Recent publications (2024) include studies on horizontal mentoring and decolonial approaches to transforming schools through guerrilla pedagogy. Earlier work (2019–2017) addresses dual language immersion, English learner support, and organizational renewal in educational institutions. Awards: Jay D. Scribner Mentoring Award (2021) Leadership Roles: Co-Editor, American Educational Research Journal (2024–present) Vice President, AERA Division A (2021–2024) President, UCEA (2017–2018) Key Research Themes: Equity-Oriented Leadership Culturally Responsive Practices Mentorship for Underrepresented Groups Decolonial Educational Reform
Daniel Jordan Smith is the Charles C. Tillinghast, Jr. Professor of International Studies in the Department of Anthropology at Brown University, where he joined the faculty in 2001 after completing a Mellon postdoctoral fellowship at the Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC). He currently serves as Director of the Watson Institute's Africa Initiative and previously held leadership positions including Chair of the Department of Anthropology (2012-2019) and Associate Director of PSTC (2006-2011). His formal education includes an AB in Sociology from Harvard University (1983), an MPH from Johns Hopkins University (1989), and a PhD in Anthropology from Emory University (1999). Smith has received numerous teaching honors including the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence (2015-2018) and the William C. McGloughlin Award for Teaching Excellence in the Social Sciences (2007-2009). Smith's research spans anthropological demography, medical anthropology, and political anthropology with a specific focus on Nigeria. His work examines the intersections of social change and social reproduction, particularly as they unfold in population processes and health-related behavior. Key research areas include HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, political culture, corruption, Pentecostal Christianity, and infrastructure. His most recent project, supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship, investigated how Nigerians cope with infrastructure failures and how these coping mechanisms paradoxically reinforce state power. His scholarly output reveals consistent focus on Nigerian society, with particular attention to masculinity, corruption, and health systems. The publications demonstrate methodological sophistication combining ethnographic fieldwork with demographic approaches, often examining how macro-level political and economic forces shape intimate personal decisions around marriage, sexuality, and health. 2022 Karen T. Romer Prize for Undergraduate Advising and Mentoring 2020-21 Guggenheim Fellowship 2015 Elliott P. Skinner Award for AIDS Doesn't Show Its Face 2008 Margaret Mead Award for A Culture of Corruption 2017 Special Commendation for the Amaury Talbot Prize Smith has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on numerous significant research grants from organizations including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. His collaborative work includes the five-country comparative ethnographic study 'Love, Marriage, and HIV' and research on Pentecostalism and AIDS in Nigeria funded by the Templeton Foundation. He has mentored numerous doctoral students through dissertation improvement grants and training programs. Smith directs the Watson Institute's Africa Initiative and has been deeply involved with Brown's Population Studies and Training Center throughout his career, first as a postdoctoral fellow, then as Associate Director, and through ongoing research collaboration. His work bridges disciplinary boundaries between anthropology, demography, public health, and political science, creating a distinctive approach to understanding contemporary African societies.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet GENÇTÜRK is a Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences , Mehmet Akif Ersoy University , with a dual departmental affiliation in Business Administration and Accounting and Finance . His career spans over two decades, with extensive publications and thesis supervision. Education: License: Selçuk University, Business Administration (1993) Master’s: Süleyman Demirel University (1996) Doctorate: Süleyman Demirel University, Business Administration (2002) His research focuses on share structures, financing, accounting practices, and corporate value , with recent studies on pandemic impacts on financial decisions , machine learning in hospital finance , and digitalization in accounting . The 15 most recent articles reflect interdisciplinary work in health economics, organizational behavior, and Islamic finance . Supervised theses include: Demirtaş İbrahim (PhD, 2024) on working capital and firm performance Işık Zeynep (Master’s, 2024) on digitalization in accounting Acar Duygu (Master’s, 2024) on e-applications in accounting
