Prof. Dr. Eva Spies is a Professor for the Study of Religion with Focus on Africa at the University of Bayreuth within the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences . She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Mainz and leads the Research Section Moralities in the Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence (EXC 2052). Key Roles : Principal Investigator, Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) Vice Dean of Research Co-founder, German Association for the Study of Religion's Africa working group Research Interests span religious plurality, development cooperation, and transformative practices. She coined the concept of religious engineering to analyze how religious resources shape social/political worlds. Regional expertise in Niger/West Africa and Madagascar/Indian Ocean , with focus on: South-South mission Religion and pandemic response Intercultural hermeneutics Epistemological conflicts Material culture in development Projects : Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence (2025): "Religious engineering. The making of moralities, development and religion in Niger" Humboldt Research Hub (2021): "Fighting pandemics with religion?" (with Moi University and University of Zimbabwe) Education : PhD in Cultural Anthropology, University of Mainz
Amy Bruckman is a Regents’ Professor and Senior Associate Chair in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology. As a Fellow of The ACM and member of the SIGCHI Academy , she contributes to social computing research focusing on online collaboration, cross-cultural understanding, and content moderation. Her 2022 book "Should You Believe Wikipedia? Online Communities and the Construction of Knowledge" explores digital knowledge creation. Education: Ph.D. from MIT Media Lab (1997), B.A. in Physics from Harvard (1987) Research Affiliations: GVU Center, IRI People and Technology Her work addresses social computing challenges including: AI ethics in human-AI interaction Algorithmic bias in content moderation Epistemic justice in online communities Comparative platform analysis (Reddit, Discord, TikTok) Grassroots technology movements Recent publications examine: AI support tools for online counseling Community-driven research frameworks Racial bias mitigation in toxic language detection Designing teachable social media experiences Human trafficking intervention ethics Scientific recognition includes: ACM Fellowship SIGCHI Academy membership She has contributed to: Georgia Tech's Computing Education initiatives Research ethics frameworks for Human-Computer Interaction
David B. MacDonald is a full Professor of Political Science at the University of Guelph's Department of Political Science, housed within the College of Social & Applied Human Sciences. He holds an honorary academic position at the University of Auckland and previously taught at the University of Otago and ESCP Business School in Paris. His research focuses on Indigenous-settler relations, genocide studies, decolonization, and comparative politics in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.S. He has held significant grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), including principal investigator roles on projects like 'Complex Sovereignties' and 'Bi-Nationalism as Reconciliation.' Education: PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics (2001). Key publications include The Sleeping Giant Awakens (2019) and co-authored textbooks like Comparative Politics (2020). He is North American series editor for Palgrave Macmillan's Global Political Sociology. Research interests emphasize settler colonialism, Indigenous sovereignty, and truth and reconciliation processes. He has contributed to policy discussions, including advising the Canadian Senate on the National Council for Reconciliation. His work bridges academic scholarship with activism, aiming to address systemic inequalities and promote Indigenous rights. SSHRC Grants: Over $200k in grants since 2008, focusing on Indigenous self-determination and colonialism. Publications: 4 sole-authored books; 31 refereed articles; numerous edited volumes. Awards: Shortlisted for the John McMenemy Prize (2013, 2017).
Fabian Fagerholm is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Aalto University. His work bridges software engineering, human-computer interaction, and empirical research methodologies. He actively participates in research groups such as Software and Service Engineering (SSE) and Human-Computer Interaction and Design (HCID). Fagerholm's research explores: Continuous experimentation in software development Developer cognition and mental models Agile methodologies and team dynamics Low-code platforms and end-user programming Software engineering education and pedagogy His publications reflect a strong empirical focus, with recurring themes of human factors in technical systems and educational innovation. He has received notable awards including: Journal of Systems and Software Best Paper Award (2018) EUROMICRO SEAA Distinguished Paper Award (2017) Teacher of the Year (2013) Nokia Foundation Scholarship (2013) Fagerholm contributes to software engineering infrastructure through tools for experimentation and boundary artifacts, enhancing collaboration in distributed teams.
Dr. Anna Dubiel is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at King's Business School, King's College London. Her research focuses on the intersection of innovation and R&D management with international markets, particularly in emerging economies. She teaches a broad range of Marketing topics in postgraduate and executive programmes covering International Marketing and Digital Marketing. Dr. Dubiel obtained her PhD from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar, Germany, where she previously served as Assistant Professor of International Innovation Management. Her academic journey includes visiting researcher positions at Boston College, Judge Business School, and London Business School, as well as a Visiting College Research Associate position at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge in 2017. Her research expertise centers on Innovation Management , New Product Development , R&D Management , International Marketing , and Emerging Economies . Dr. Dubiel's work particularly examines how businesses can develop better products and services for consumers and businesses at the subsistence market ends. Her current research project focuses on 'Risk Management in Emerging Economies: A Marketing Perspective. The Context of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Insurance,' which studies how to reach buyers of complex new services in subsistence marketplaces and raise insurance literacy. Dr. Dubiel's publications reveal a consistent focus on innovation in emerging markets, with significant contributions to journals such as the Journal of Product Innovation Management, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, and International Marketing Review. Her work often explores frugal innovation, new product development strategies, and international market adaptation, demonstrating how businesses can succeed in resource-constrained environments while creating social impact. Her notable scientific achievements include: Highly Commended Paper Winner of the Journal of Indian Business Research (2014) Finalist for the Thomas P. Hustad Best Paper Award for the Journal of Product Innovation Management (2016) Academy of Marketing Teaching Excellence Award (2020) British Academy of Management Early Career Education Practice Award (2021) Finalist for the Academy of International Business Teaching Innovation Award (2021) HEA Fellowship (2019) Multiple Case Writing Competition awards from AESE Business School (2010, 2011) Dr. Dubiel has received research funding from several intramural grants as well as the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust. Her teaching methodology emphasizes practical application through managerial guest lectures and consulting projects conducted by students for real organizations. While she is not currently accepting new PhD students, her research group focuses on marketing financial services to first-time buyers in emerging markets, with evidence from Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) Micro-Insurance in Kenya.
Daria Davitti is a Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor in Public International Law at Lund University's Department of Law. Her research focuses on intersections of international economic law and human rights, particularly in contexts of migration, climate breakdown, and privatized public goods. She leads major projects like the ERC-funded 'Refugee Finance: Histories, Frameworks, Practices' and the Formas-funded 'Screening for Sustainability'. Awards include the 2021 Juridiska Föreningens pedagogiska pris and the title of Docent in Public International Law. She advises on EU migration policies and environmental law compliance, and collaborates with institutions like GLAN and the International Code of Conduct Association for private security service providers. Her work examines refugee finance mechanisms, sustainable investment frameworks, and legal accountability in transnational corporate activities. Key areas include refugee entrepreneurship, EU Taxonomy sustainability criteria, and human rights due diligence in international investment. She has published extensively on topics ranging from refugee bonds to litigation finance in investment arbitration.
Joel Goh is Associate Professor at the Department of Analytics and Operations, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. He serves as Director of the J.Y. Pillay Comparative Asia Research Centre (under NUS Global Asia Institute) and PhD Program Director at the Institute of Operations Research and Analytics (IORA). Previously, he was Assistant Professor at Harvard Business School (2014-2017) and Visiting Scholar (2017-2022). BSc, MSc, PhD in Operations, Information, and Technology from Stanford University His research focuses on healthcare analytics (preventing health conditions, hospital operations, frailty assessment), supply chain analytics (digital business models, platform leakage), and service platform operations (hospital-at-home programs, incentive design). He co-created the Robust Optimization Made Easy (ROME) software. Recent publications analyze workplace psychological safety (2024), hospital-at-home models (2024), and platform leakage dynamics (2023). His work spans 18+ journals with 740+ citations for burnout cost studies (2022) and 606+ citations for physician well-being research (2017). Teaching Honors : 2023: Best MBA Teaching & Skinner Innovation Award 2021: NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award 2020: Early Career Research Excellence Award & 40 Under 40 Best MBA Professors Advising & Grants : Served as PhD Program Director. Received NUS Start-Up Grant R-314-000-110-133 (2021) and Humanities & Social Sciences Fellowship (2021). Editorial roles include Associate Editor at Management Science , Manufacturing & Service Operations Management , and Senior Editor at Production and Operations Management .
Christopher Turbill is an Associate Professor in Animal Science at Western Sydney University's School of Science, where he maintains an active research program focused on animal physiological ecology. He is affiliated with the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment and serves as a Principal Investigator on multiple research projects while accepting HDR candidates for supervision. PhD from University of New England (2006) Thesis: Thermoregulatory Ecology of Tree-roosting Bats Supervised by Prof. Fritz Geiser Postdoctoral fellowships from Austrian Science Fund and Australian Research Council (DECRA) Former ecologist with NSW Government Professor Turbill's research integrates thermal and metabolic physiology with behavioral ecology to understand animal-environment interactions. His work has revealed significant ecological consequences of controlled body temperature variation in mammals and birds, linking these processes with metabolic energy expenditure, activity patterns, and life-history strategies. He specializes in bat biology and investigates conflicts between human environmental change and animal conservation requirements. His research keywords include ecophysiology, thermoregulation, energy expenditure, life-history ecology, body temperature, torpor, hibernation, and wildlife conservation. Analysis of Turbill's recent publications reveals a strong focus on thermal biology and conservation physiology, particularly regarding bats and birds. His work examines how animals manage energy through torpor, respond to climate change through thermal regulation, and adapt to anthropogenic disturbances. The research spans field studies of flying-foxes, microbats, and passerine birds across Australian ecosystems, with increasing emphasis on conservation applications related to white-nose syndrome, fire impacts, and wind energy development. Turbill leads significant research projects including the Ecology of the eastern horseshoe bat and its sensitivity to fire impacts (2024-2027), Vulnerability of Australian bats to white-nose syndrome (2021-2026), and Torpor use and burrowing behaviour in an arid zone passerine (2024). His work attracts funding from diverse sources including the Australian Research Council, Department of Planning and Environment, and various conservation organizations. Professor Turbill directs the BatsLab research group, which maintains a virtual hub for bat research at Western Sydney University. His team employs advanced methodologies including thermal imaging, GPS tracking, and physiological monitoring to study animal responses to environmental challenges. Current work focuses on developing conservation interventions for heat-stressed flying-foxes and assessing vulnerabilities of Australian bat species to emerging diseases.
Melvyn R.W. Hamstra is a Full Professor at IÉSEG School of Management in France since 2023. His academic career includes roles as Associate Professor (2021–2023) and Assistant Professor (2020–2021) at IÉSEG, as well as Assistant Professor positions at the University of Maastricht (2015–2020) and the University of Amsterdam (2013–2015). He holds a Ph.D. in Behavioural and Social Sciences from the University of Groningen (2013), preceded by a Master’s (2009) and Bachelor’s (2007) in Psychology from the same institution. Research Interests : His work centers on organizational behavior, leadership, and employee motivation, with a strong emphasis on regulatory focus theory, employee voice dynamics, and knowledge management. Key themes include how leadership styles (e.g., promotion vs. prevention focus) influence team innovation, conflict resolution, and workplace morale. Publication Trends : Recent publications (2025–2024) explore topics such as gender bias in leadership evaluation, financial stress and counterproductive behavior, ethical conflict in teams, and the dual-edged role of humor in workplace negotiations. His longitudinal studies on religious engagement and life satisfaction, as well as theoretical models on knowledge withholding, highlight interdisciplinary breadth. Teaching : He contributes to bachelor and master’s programs at IÉSEG, focusing on leadership development, positive leadership, and organizational learning.
Professor Agnieszka Zabłocka-Kos is a faculty member at the Institute of Art History, University of Wrocław, specializing in Central European architectural history and urbanism. Her work focuses on 19th-20th century architecture, with particular emphasis on Wrocław/Breslau, including post-war reconstruction, national identity construction, and sacred space design. Professor, University of Wrocław Specialist in 19th-20th century Central European architecture Director of postdoctoral internships (NCN FUGA III) Recipient of multiple Rector's awards for research and teaching Research Themes: Urban development in Central Europe, political architecture in Poland/Germany, sacred architecture of the 19th century, post-war modernism, industrial architecture revitalization. Her students have produced award-winning theses on topics like Wrocław urban blocks, Silesian architects, and post-industrial adaptations. Scientific Contributions: Notable works include the edited volume Architecture in the 'long' 19th century (2019), multiple articles on Breslau's architectural conflicts, and international projects on Central European sacred architecture. She has supervised 33 master's and 5 doctoral theses, with several student works published as books. Dettloff Prize for dissertation (1992) Rector's awards for research and didactic achievements International projects with universities in Berlin, Freiburg, and Leipzig Advisor for Wrocław's Monument Office and City Development Bureau Her teaching integrates interdisciplinary approaches, linking art history with political, economic, and social contexts. She promotes student research popularization through conferences, exhibitions, and publications.
Ceren Budak is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information and holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the College of Engineering. Her work bridges computer science, statistics, and social sciences through computational social science approaches. Her educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2012) and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Bilkent University in Turkey (2007). Prior to joining the University of Michigan faculty, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at Microsoft Research New York. Professor Budak's research centers on computational social science, with particular emphasis on analyzing large-scale datasets to address questions with social, political, and policy implications. Her work spans several interconnected domains: News Media Production & Consumption (examining bias in news outlets and reader preferences), Social Movements & Media (using social media data to study collective action), Social Networks (understanding information diffusion processes), and Measuring and Promoting the Quality of Online Discussions (developing tools to improve online conversations). She teaches SI 608 (Networks) and SI 618 (Data Manipulation and Analysis) at the School of Information. Her publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to understanding how online information ecosystems operate, with recent work focusing on AI-human collaboration, misinformation dynamics, social movement framing, and the application of computational methods to political communication. Her research shows a clear trajectory from foundational work on social network diffusion to increasingly sophisticated analyses of contemporary information challenges. Among her service activities, she has served as Registration chair for COSN (ACM Conference on Online Social Networks) 2015 and as Program Committee Member for numerous prestigious conferences including WWW, ICWSM, WebSci, AAAI, and others. She has also been involved in organizing the MSR NYC Data Science Seminar Series and instructing the Microsoft Research Data Science Summer School.
Dr. Thomas Brodie is an Assistant Professor in 20th Century European History at the Department of History, University of Birmingham. His academic career spans prestigious institutions including Oxford University, University of Leeds, and Jesus College, Oxford before joining Birmingham in 2018. Education: DPhil in History (The University of Oxford, 2014) MSt in Modern British and European History (The University of Oxford, 2010) BA in History (The University of Oxford, 2009) Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (2020) Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (University of Birmingham, 2020) Dr. Brodie specializes in Modern European history with particular focus on Germany during the Nazi era and post-war periods. His research examines the intersection of religion, society, and war, with special attention to Catholic communities in Germany during WWII and the subsequent evolution of mourning practices and memory culture. His work combines theological analysis with social and cultural history using previously unused archival materials from church, state, and private collections. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory from examining wartime religious communities to post-war memory practices, showing his evolving scholarly interests in how societies process mass bereavement and construct collective memory. The articles primarily focus on German religious history during and after WWII, with increasing attention to spatial dimensions of mourning and commemoration. Scientific Awards: Runner-up award for the Wiener Library's Fraenkel Prize (2014) AHRC award for doctoral research Hanseatic Scholarship for archival research in Berlin and German cities Dr. Brodie teaches a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses including 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich' and 'Life After Death: Culture, Memory and Power in Postwar Europe.' He supervises BA dissertations and welcomes PhD students working on Modern German history or thematic interests in religion, war, and memory in European contexts since 1800. His current research project examines German society's responses to bereavement during WWII and its aftermaths through personal diaries, letters, artistic representations, and war memorials.
Janina Dill holds the Dame Louise Richardson Chair in Global Security at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She is also a Professorial Fellow at Trinity College and Co-Director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict (ELAC). Her academic work focuses on the intersection of law, morality, and international relations in the context of war. Her research spans three interconnected strands: the legal requirements for military operations under international law; theoretical frameworks for understanding how international law serves as an instrument of morality in war; and empirical investigations into how moral and legal norms affect real-world military decision-making and public opinion in conflict zones. Professor Dill's work has particular relevance to contemporary conflicts, with extensive analysis of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. She has examined how international humanitarian law applies to these conflicts, the moral arguments employed by different parties, and the practical challenges of implementing legal constraints in complex warfare environments. Her research has been recognized with the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize in 2021, which she has used to advance her work on the moral psychology of decision-making in war. She is currently leading multiple significant research projects, including a three-year ESRC/NSF-funded study on "Cumulative Civilian Harm" and an expert process with the ICRC on military objectives under international humanitarian law. Professor Dill is frequently consulted by international media outlets including The Guardian, The Economist, BBC, CNN, and major European publications. Her expertise is regularly sought on matters related to the laws and ethics of war, particularly regarding the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. She has received recognition for her contributions to the field through numerous speaking engagements, media appearances, and her influential research that bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical applications in contemporary conflicts.
Kevin Manaugh is an Associate Professor at McGill University, specializing in Urban Planning with a focus on sustainable transportation and spatial justice. His research examines how decision-making processes in urban development balance environmental, economic, and social equity goals, particularly through transport systems. He holds a PhD in Urban Planning from McGill University (2013). His key research interests include integrating social equity into land use policies, analyzing accessibility impacts on socioeconomically diverse populations, and studying behavior change related to sustainable transportation. Current projects explore equitable transit accessibility, responses to local mobility policies, and health/well-being effects of sustainable transport choices. Manaugh has published extensively on transportation equity, urban form analysis, and GIS applications. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical policy implementation, emphasizing participatory approaches to urban planning. Notable contributions include studies on pandemic street reallocation equity and cycling infrastructure prioritization strategies. His research has been supported by interdisciplinary collaborations and applied to Canadian urban contexts. Despite prolific output, Manaugh maintains an active engagement with public discourse on urban mobility challenges and equitable urban futures.
Lisa Gilman is a Professor of Folklore and English at George Mason University, and the outgoing Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American Folklore . Her research focuses on refugee arts initiatives, intangible cultural heritage, and the intersections of performance, gender, and politics in global contexts. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Malawi, Turkey, France, and the U.S., emphasizing marginalized communities. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Folklore from Indiana University, followed by roles at the University of Oregon and Mzuzu University (Malawi). Key awards include the Fulbright Teaching/Research Award and Rippey Innovative Teaching Award. She produced the documentary Grounds for Resistance , exploring anti-war activism among U.S. veterans. Her current project, the Dzaleka Art Project , collaborates with refugees in Malawi to document cultural creativity and advocate for visibility. This work has been featured in the Wilson Center and Smithsonian publications. Gilman teaches courses on public humanities, ethnographic fieldwork, and digital storytelling, integrating community engagement with academic rigor. Her publications span topics from African expressive culture to UNESCO policy impacts, with notable books including My Music, My War and co-edited volumes like Africa Every Day . Grants include funding from the Woodrow Wilson Center and the National Endowment for the Arts.
