Sharese King is the Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Linguistics at the University of Chicago, where she has taught since 2018. She earned her Ph.D. and Master's in Linguistics from Stanford University, focusing on language variation across African American communities. Her research bridges sociolinguistics, critical race theory, and phonetics to examine how African American speech is constructed, racialized, and socially evaluated. Education: Ph.D., Linguistics, Stanford University (2018) M.A., Linguistics, Stanford University Research Interests: Sociolinguistics Language Variation & Change African American Language Critical Race Theory Phonetic and experimental analysis Dialect and judicial systems Notable Contributions: Interdisciplinary studies on raciolinguistics and courtroom bias Analysis of /s/ articulation in intersectional contexts Reconceptualization of AAVE as AAL to emphasize linguistic diversity Fieldwork in Bakersfield, Rochester, and Chicago Publications in American Speech , Journal of Sociolinguistics , Language , and Nature Scientific Awards: Provost's Postdoctoral Fellowship Neubauer Family Assistant Professorship Labs & Projects: Co-founder of the Chicagoland Language Project
Professor Jo Barraket is a leading academic and researcher in social equity, social innovation, and public policy. As Director of the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and member of the Dilun Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership, she focuses on improving social equity through organizational innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and policy design. Her research addresses social procurement, health equity, digital inclusion, and employment pathways for marginalized groups. Her work includes landmark projects such as the Australian Digital Inclusion Index and evaluations of Commonwealth Social Enterprise Development Funds. She has secured over $11M in research grants, including multiple ARC grants, and produced over 75 scholarly publications. Her current projects compare social procurement policies in Australia and Scotland, and study youth unemployment in construction via employment-focused procurement. Key research themes include: social enterprise scaling strategies, cross-sector partnerships for policy implementation, and the role of philanthropy in equitable housing. She advises governments and OECD on inclusive employment policies and chairs major research initiatives like the Social Enterprise Impact Lab. Prof Barraket’s transdisciplinary approach combines rigorous academic research with practical outputs like policy guides and digital tools to maximize societal impact. She previously founded the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne, now a global leader in social economy research.
Nicholas Evans is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (CoEDL) at the Australian National University’s School of Culture, History & Language. His work bridges fieldwork-based language documentation with theoretical questions in typology, cultural evolution, and social cognition. Focus on endangered Australian and Papuan languages Director of ARC Laureate Project on 'The Wellsprings of Linguistic Diversity' Co-leader of SCOPIC (Social Cognition Parallax Corpus) study Collaborator in global linguistic diversity initiatives His research explores how micro-level community multilingualism shapes macro-level linguistic diversity, with fieldwork spanning seven years in remote Indigenous communities. Recent projects include PARABANK (paradigm syncretism analysis) and Southern New Guinea language studies, particularly Nen and Yam family languages. Scientific recognition includes the Ken Hale Award (Linguistic Society of America), Anneliese Maier Forschungspreis, and fellowships in the Australian Academy of Humanities, Australian Social Sciences Academy, and the British Academy.
Claire Bowern is Professor of Linguistics at Yale University specializing in historical linguistics, language documentation, and Australian Indigenous languages. Her research employs computational phylogenetics to study language evolution and supports language revitalization through digital archives and fieldwork methodologies. Recent publications address: Phylogenetic signal in lexical evolution across language families Digital infrastructure for endangered language documentation (FLEx software analysis) Decolonizing linguistics pedagogy and research practices Her work consistently integrates linguistic, anthropological, and computational approaches to analyze language diversity and change. She contributes to global databases including Grambank and D-PLACE, examining links between linguistic, cultural, and environmental patterns.
Professor Catherine Greenhill is a faculty member at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney , where she serves as Professor and head of the Combinatorics group. Her academic career spans institutions including the University of Queensland, University of Oxford, University of Leeds, University of Melbourne, and Australian National University. D.Phil., University of Oxford (1996) M.Sc. (Research) in Combinatorics (1992) B.Sc. (Hons) in Pure Mathematics (1991) Her research focuses on the intersection of discrete mathematics , theoretical computer science , and probability , particularly in asymptotic combinatorics , probabilistic methods , and analysis of algorithms . Her work includes asymptotic enumeration of combinatorial structures and design of randomized algorithms for graph sampling and counting. Her recent publications (2025–2021) center on random graphs and hypergraphs , with key contributions to switch Markov chains , degree sequence analysis , and chromatic number bounds . These works reflect her expertise in probabilistic combinatorics and algorithmic complexity . Scientific Awards: Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2022) Christopher Heyde Medal in Pure Mathematics (2015) June Griffith Fellowship (2013) Hall Medal (2010) Advising and Grants: She has supervised numerous PhD/Masters students and secured multiple ARC Discovery Grants (2019–2021, 2014–2016, 2012–2014). Her grants address topics like hypergraph modeling, random discrete structures, and network analysis in illicit drug trafficking.
Boris Hanin is an Associate Professor at Princeton University's Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering (ORFE) and Associated Faculty at the Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics (PACM). Prior to Princeton, he held academic positions at Texas A&M University (Assistant Professor of Mathematics), MIT (NSF Postdoctoral Fellow), and Northwestern University (PhD in Mathematics under Steve Zelditch). He works part-time at Foundry, an AI/computing startup, leading the Foundry Institute. PhD in Mathematics, Northwestern University NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship, MIT Mathematics Associate Professor, Princeton ORFE Part-Time Leader, Foundry Institute His research spans machine learning, probability theory, and mathematical physics, focusing on neural network theory (approximation power, optimization guarantees), random matrix theory, and spectral asymptotics. He has made foundational contributions to understanding gradient behavior, initialization, and infinite-width limits in deep learning. Boris has supervised numerous PhD students and postdocs, with former members securing prestigious positions at Harvard, MIT, and Huawei. He serves as Associate Editor for journals like Pure and Applied Analysis and Mathematics of Operations Research , and has taught short courses at Oxford, Luxembourg, and Tor Vergata on statistical physics of neural networks and deep learning theory. 2024 Sloan Fellowship in Mathematics NSF CAREER grant DMS-2143754 NSF grant DMS-2133806 His research group collaborates on topics including hyperparameter transfer, architecture-aware scaling, and spectral analysis of random waves and neural networks. He actively contributes to theoretical machine learning through foundational publications in venues like Probability Theory and Related Fields , Journal of Machine Learning Research , and Communications in Mathematical Physics .
Jan Alber is a Professor of Modern English and American Literature at the Department of English and American Literature and Culture, Justus Liebig University Giessen . He previously held positions at RWTH Aachen, Aarhus University, TU Darmstadt, and the University of Freiburg. His work bridges narrative theory, cognitive studies, and postcolonial literature, with a focus on unnatural narratives and empirical approaches to literary analysis. Fields of Interest: Unnatural Narratology, Cognitive Literary Studies, Climate Fiction, Postcolonial Literature Key Themes: Storyworlds, Ideology, Empirical Methods, Narrative Beginnings Alber's recent publications explore narrative theory's intersections with cognition and ideology, including analyses of digital post-postmodernist novels and climate change narratives. His empirical studies examine how readers process experimental narratives, particularly unnatural narrators and metaleptic structures. He has received prestigious awards such as the Habilitation Prize from the German Association of Anglists (2013) and the FRIAS junior group competition (2008). His research is funded by the AHRC, DFG, and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, notably supporting interdisciplinary work on post-truth political narratives and Ukrainian scholars. Alber co-founded the Aachen Center for Cognitive and Empirical Literary Studies and serves as President of the International Society for the Study of Narrative. He organizes international workshops on cognitive narratology and teaches courses spanning literary history, theory, and postmodern fiction.
Minh Q. Phan is an Associate Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering. His expertise spans system identification, iterative learning control, model predictive control, robotic swarm control, and intelligent control systems. He holds a BS from the University of California, Berkeley, and MS/M.Phil/PhD degrees from Columbia University in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Phan has contributed to over 50 peer-reviewed publications and serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics. His research focuses on advancing control theory applications in robotics, structural health monitoring, and sustainable construction materials. Key contributions include the development of OKID (Observer/Kalman Filter Identification) methods and bilinear system identification frameworks. Education History: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley, 1985 Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1986 Master of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1988 Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, 1989 Research Interests: Advanced control methodologies for dynamic systems Model-based predictive control strategies Applications in robotics and aerospace engineering Structural health monitoring via system identification Machine learning for materials science Teaching Responsibilities include courses like ENGG 149 (Systems Identification), ENGS 145 (Modern Control Theory), and ENGG 148 (Structural Mechanics). His work bridges theoretical control systems with practical industrial applications, including automation in food processing and sustainable construction practices. Dr. Phan has collaborated on projects addressing viral epidemiology in Vietnam and coastal erosion mitigation strategies.
Mark Post is a Senior Lecturer and Honours Coordinator in the Discipline of Linguistics at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney. He also serves as Deputy Head of School (Humanities) and is affiliated with the China Studies Centre, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, and The Vere Gordon Childe Centre. His educational background includes a BA Hons from Wesleyan University, an MA from the University of Oregon, and a PhD from La Trobe University. Dr. Post's research focuses on describing and explaining the typologies and relationships among Greater Mainland Southeast Asian and Himalayan languages. His descriptive work relies exclusively on primary field data, with interests in improving fieldwork methodologies. He approaches linguistic explanation from a functional-diachronic perspective, viewing language as a dynamic process whose structures emerge from patterns of discourse and interaction. His extensive publication record reveals a strong focus on Eastern Himalayan languages, particularly Tani languages, with research spanning linguistic typology, historical linguistics, and language documentation. Key themes include classifiers, deixis, applicatives, and the ethnolinguistic prehistory of the Eastern Himalaya across more than 50 publications since 2004. His notable recognition includes: 2011 Recipient of the Association for Linguistic Typology's Pāṇini Award Dr. Post has supervised research students including Chintan SHETH on ethno-linguistic prehistory in the Eastern Himalaya. His grant history includes significant projects such as 'Pseudo grains and adaptiveness in the Eastern Himalayas' (ARC, 2023), 'Center for Cultural Linguistic Diversity - Eastern Himalayas' (Firebird Foundation, 2022), and 'A Documentation of the Upper Belt variety of Minyong (Adi)' (Endangered Languages Documentation Programme). He is a life member of the Galo Language Development Committee (Arunachal Pradesh, India) and actively participates in the Association for Linguistic Typology, Australian Linguistic Society, and North East Indian Linguistics Society.
Sara Ng is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Western Washington University. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Washington (2024) and an MS in Computational Linguistics (2023), alongside a B.A. in Linguistics and B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Utah (2017). Her research focuses on computational models of prosody, speech perception, and their integration with speech technologies like automatic speech recognition (ASR). She investigates how prosody conveys pragmatic meaning, influences conversational dynamics, and impacts listeners with hearing impairments. Her work bridges computational methods and linguistic theory, addressing challenges in clinical and technological applications. Education PhD in Linguistics, University of Washington, 2024 MS in Computational Linguistics, University of Washington, 2023 B.A. in Linguistics (Honors), B.S. in Applied Mathematics, University of Utah, 2017 Research Interests Ng’s research explores computational linguistics, prosody modeling, speech technology, and hearing impairment studies. She develops methods to leverage prosodic cues for tasks like punctuation prediction and investigates the impact of hearing loss on speech perception. Grants & Awards 2024: Nominated for UW Excellence in Teaching Award 2023: Excellence in Linguistic Research Graduate Fellowship 2017: University of Utah Top Scholar Award Teaching Ng teaches courses in phonetics, computational linguistics, and linguistics for honors students. She emphasizes pedagogical innovation and inclusivity, with experience as an instructor of record and teaching assistant at both Western Washington University and the University of Washington. Labs & Collaborations She collaborates with the TIAL Lab (University of Washington), Phonetics Lab, Hearing Aid Laboratory (Northwestern University), and CLILLAC-ARP (Université Paris Cité). Her work intersects with clinical and engineering domains, addressing real-world applications of speech technology.
Dr. Guillermo Amador is an Assistant Professor in the Experimental Zoology department at Wageningen University & Research. His research focuses on understanding how animals interact with complex environments through locomotion, adhesion, and fluid dynamics. He investigates biological systems like insects, plants, and marine organisms to inspire bio-engineered solutions for robotics, microfluidics, and material science. Amador received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (USA), followed by postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany) and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship at TU Delft (Netherlands). His expertise spans biophysics, biomaterials, and biomechanics, with a focus on self-cleaning mechanisms and bioadhesion. He collaborates with the 4TU consortium on Dutch Soft Robotics to develop bio-inspired designs. His work bridges fundamental biology with engineering applications, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to solve challenges in robotics and environmental science. Amador teaches courses including Biomimetics and Functional Zoology , integrating his research into education. His research highlights include studies on cuttlefish suction cups, stick insect adhesion, and pollen transport mechanisms in pollinators.
Shoudong Huang is a Professor at the School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering , University of Technology Sydney, and Deputy Director of the UTS Robotics Institute. His research focuses on mobile robot navigation , SLAM , nonlinear state estimation , and surgical robotics . He has published over 200 papers and is recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Scholars in Robotics (Aminer, 2018). PhD in Automatic Control, Northeastern University (China) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Hong Kong (1998-2000) Research Fellow, Australian National University (2001-2003) Full-time academic roles at UTS since 2004 His work addresses challenges in robot localization across extreme environments (underwater, underground mining, surgical settings) and develops globally optimal SLAM algorithms with guaranteed performance. He has secured over $4 million AUD in external funding, including ARC Discovery grants and industry partnerships. Recent publications emphasize cross-modal calibration (camera-LiDAR), interval analysis for bounded noise , and template-based deformable surface reconstruction . These span applications in autonomous driving, surgical navigation, and UAV guidance. Chancellor’s Medal for Research Excellence (2020) Supervisor of the Year (2023) Best Paper Award (2016 ICARCV) Huang serves as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Robotics and International Journal of Robotics Research , and has held leadership roles in top robotics conferences like IROS and RSS. His collaborations span MIT, USC, Zhejiang University, and industry partners including PMSW Research Pty Ltd and Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd.
Elaine Francis is a Professor of English and Linguistics at Purdue University's College of Liberal Arts, where she serves as Associate Head of the Department of English and directs the Experimental Linguistics Lab. She holds additional affiliations as an Affiliate Faculty Member in the Department of Linguistics and a Courtesy Faculty Member in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Chicago (1999) B.A. in Linguistics, College of William and Mary (1993) MA in Linguistics, University of Chicago (1995) Former Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong (1999-2002) Professor Francis's research focuses on syntax and its interfaces with semantics, discourse information structure, and language processing in production and comprehension. She employs experimental methods to investigate syntactic, semantic, discourse-pragmatic, and cognitive factors underlying complex sentence structures. Her primary research areas include word order alternations, filler-gap dependencies, resumptive pronouns, and grammatical acceptability. She examines how various factors contribute to grammatical alternations in language use and explores how processing pressures in production and comprehension contribute to grammatical conventions. Her recent publication record shows consistent output across multiple linguistic subfields, with a strong emphasis on experimental syntax and psycholinguistics. Her 2022 book, Gradient Acceptability and Linguistic Theory , represents a significant contribution to understanding acceptability judgment tasks in relation to syntactic theory. Her work spans theoretical syntax, experimental linguistics, second language acquisition, and cross-linguistic comparison, often bridging the gap between theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence. Regularly teaches short courses at Linguistic Society of America Linguistic Institutes Member of Linguistic Society of America Ethics Committee Editorial board member of Glossa Psycholinguistics Co-editor of Polymorphous Linguistics: Jim McCawley's Legacy (2005) Co-editor of Mismatch: Form-Function Incongruity and the Architecture of Grammar (2003) Professor Francis actively supervises graduate students in linguistics, though she has indicated she will be unable to take on new graduate students for the 2025-2026 academic year. She has received research support for her experimental work, particularly for investigating syntactic phenomena through controlled experiments and corpus analysis. Her collaborative work extends across multiple institutions and disciplines, including collaborations with researchers in computational linguistics, cognitive science, and clinical linguistics. She directs the Experimental Linguistics Lab at Purdue University, which conducts research on syntactic processing using various experimental methodologies. The lab investigates how speakers produce and comprehend complex sentence structures, with particular attention to how grammatical knowledge interacts with processing constraints. Current projects include research on relative clauses, syntactic islands, and acceptability gradient phenomena across multiple languages.
Paulina Łęska-Bayraktar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English-Polish Comparative Linguistics at the Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where she conducts research and teaches in formal syntax and comparative linguistics. Her academic foundation is deeply rooted in the same institution, reflecting a sustained commitment to linguistic scholarship in Poland. Her educational background includes: B.A. in English Linguistics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (2012) M.A. in English Linguistics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (2014) Ph.D. in English Linguistics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (2019) Her research interests lie at the intersection of syntax, semantics, and cognitive grammar, with a strong focus on generative approaches to Slavic languages—particularly Polish. She investigates complex syntactic phenomena such as binding theory, pronoun distribution, quantifier scope, agreement, and the structure of relative and nominal clauses. Her work combines formal theoretical analysis with empirical data, often drawing on acceptability judgments and psycholinguistic methodologies. The trends in her recent publications reveal a sustained engagement with the syntax of Polish, especially in non-canonical constructions involving dative arguments, experiencers, and pronominal clusters. Her work contributes significantly to the understanding of how universal syntactic principles manifest in Slavic morphosyntax, and she frequently collaborates with leading scholars like Prof. Jacek Witkoś. She has received research funding from the Polish National Science Center through multiple grants, including OPUS, Beethoven, and Miniatura projects, which have supported her investigations into nominal expressions, pronouns, and anaphora in Polish. These grants underscore the national recognition of her research contributions. Paulina Łęska-Bayraktar actively participates in the international linguistics community, presenting her work at major conferences such as Formal Approaches to Slavic Linguistics (FASL), Formal Description of Slavic Languages (FDSL), and the Poznań Linguistic Meeting. She is also involved in collaborative research teams and has co-authored works with scholars from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and other institutions. Her academic presence is further strengthened by her profiles on ORCID and ResearchGate.
Brandon M. Lucia is the Kavčić-Moura Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and CEO/co-founder of Efficient Computer Company. He leads the Abstract research group and focuses his work on the intersection of computer architecture, systems, and programming languages. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington (2013) — advised by Luis Ceze Research Focus: Brandon's research is broadly centered on intermittent computing , edge computing , and energy-efficient architectures . Two major thrusts define his current work: Intermittent Computing: Making battery-free, energy-harvesting devices programmable and reliable despite frequent power failures. Applications include medical implants, space systems, and large-scale sensing. Orbital Edge Computing: Designing nanosatellite constellations that perform on-orbit data processing, enabling low-latency, high-resolution sensing in space-constrained environments. Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2017) IEEE TCCA Young Computer Architect Award (2019) Sloan Foundation Fellowship (2021) ASPLOS 2020 Best Paper Award OOPSLA 2015 Distinguished Paper & Artifact Awards IEEE Micro Top Picks (2016, 2018 Honorable Mention) Advising & Grants: Brandon actively advises a strong cohort of Ph.D. students including Zhuo Cheng, Bradley Denby, Souradip Ghosh, Harsh Desai, Kiwan Maeng, Emily Ruppel, and others. His group is funded by the NSF (CAREER and SHF grants), the Sloan Foundation, and industry partnerships. Labs & Teams: He directs the Abstract research group at CMU ECE, which hosts interdisciplinary projects spanning hardware design, compiler construction, and system software for ultra-low-power and space-borne computing platforms.
