Prof. Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky holds the Chair of Sociology/Gender Studies at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), Faculty of Social Sciences. She is on sabbatical during Summer Semester 2025 but continues research supervision and colloquia. Her research focuses on intersections of racism, sexism, and neoliberalism, with notable works like The Future of Difference and Top Girls . She co-edits the journal Gender Salon and leads projects on gender studies, queer theory, and postfeminism. Her academic contributions span monographs, anthologies, and journal articles addressing global social movements, anti-genderism, and body politics. Key themes include critical analysis of contemporary gender regimes, decolonial theory, and the sociocultural implications of neoliberalism. Her work frequently bridges theory and activism, emphasizing intersectional approaches to systemic oppression. Publications include edited volumes on #MeToo, fat studies, and the sociological analysis of bodies, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary research. She maintains an active academic presence through her website LMU Gender Studies and Academia.edu .
Dr. Andrew Owusu is a Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance (HHP) within the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), serving as graduate program director for public health. His academic appointments include teaching Foundations in Health Education, Community and Public Health, Epidemiology, and Data Management in Public Health since joining MTSU. His educational credentials include: Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance, Middle Tennessee State University (2004) M.S. in Sports Administration and Management, Wayne State College (1998) B.S. in Biology, University of Alabama (1996) Dr. Owusu's research centers on adolescent health risk behaviors including bullying, sexual risk-taking, and substance use, with specialized expertise in school health policy implementation. His 15-year leadership (2007-2020) of Ghana's Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) and Global School Health Policies and Practices Survey (G-SHPPS) established critical surveillance systems for adolescent health behaviors through collaborations with WHO and CDC. His methodological innovations include classroom response systems for health education and childhood lead poisoning research. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on Ghanaian adolescent health through school-based surveillance, examining sexting, skin-lightening practices, violence victimization, and condom use barriers. His work demonstrates interdisciplinary integration of public health surveillance, policy analysis, and behavioral science to address global adolescent health challenges. Scientific recognition includes: MTSU President Recognition (2008) for significant international research/partnership Feature in 2006-2008 MTSU President’s Biennial Report (pg.11) Dr. Owusu has secured major international collaborations as Ghana's country coordinator for WHO/CDC school health initiatives (2007-2020), directing multi-institutional teams across MTSU, Ghana Education Service, WHO, and CDC. His mentorship extends through graduate program leadership and track coaching, developing 16 NCAA All-American athletes at MTSU while serving as Ghana's Olympic track coach for three consecutive games (2012-2020). The Ghana School-based Student Health Surveillance System (GSSHSS), established under his coordination, represents a sustained partnership model integrating academic research with national public health infrastructure, producing actionable data for school health policy development across Ghanaian educational institutions.
Dr. Canan Dagdeviren is an Associate Professor and LG Career Development Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she directs the Conformable Decoders research group at the MIT Media Lab. She joined the MIT faculty in January 2017 and has established herself as a leading innovator in conformable biomedical devices. Education: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign M.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering, Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey B.Sc. in Physics Engineering, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey Dr. Dagdeviren's research focuses on creating mechanically adaptive electromechanical systems that can intimately integrate with biological surfaces for sensing, actuation, and energy harvesting. She believes vital information from nature and the human body is 'coded' in various physical patterns, and her work develops 'conformable decoders' to translate these patterns into beneficial signals and energy. Her research spans wearable and implantable medical devices, with particular emphasis on piezoelectric systems that can be twisted, folded, stretched, wrapped, and implanted onto curvilinear surfaces of the human body without damage or significant alteration in performance. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on medical applications of conformable electronics, particularly in ultrasound technology for breast cancer detection, deep brain stimulation, and bladder monitoring. Her work consistently bridges materials science, electrical engineering, and medical applications, with increasing emphasis on practical healthcare solutions that can be deployed outside clinical settings. Major Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2021) 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2021) MIT Technology Review's Top 35 Innovators Under 35 (2015) Forbes' Top 30 Under 30 in Science (2015) National Academy of Engineering US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium participant (2019) Frank E. Perkins Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising Aziz Sancar Science Award Dr. Dagdeviren actively mentors graduate students and has received recognition for her advising excellence. Her research is supported by significant grants including the NSF CAREER award and has resulted in numerous patents and commercialization opportunities. She has developed innovative cleanroom-based courses at MIT that train students in microfabrication techniques for biomedical devices. The Conformable Decoders research group operates a specialized cleanroom facility at the MIT Media Lab, enabling the development and fabrication of novel conformable electronic systems. The group's work has attracted attention from major media outlets including BBC, CNN, and Nature, and has potential applications across multiple medical specialties including neurology, oncology, and urology.
Professor Catherine Allerton is a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She specializes in the materialities and mobilities of everyday life, with a focus on place, kinship, childhood, migration, and temporalities in island Southeast Asia. Her fieldwork spans a two-placed village in Flores, Indonesia, and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary ethnographic methods, particularly involving child participants to challenge adult-centric approaches. She launched the 'Childhood in the Migrant City' exhibition using child-taken photographs from her ESRC-sponsored research. Current projects include exploring discordant temporalities between migration systems and childhood development, as well as completing a book manuscript on moral economies of belonging. Key research interests include the social and political dimensions of landscapes, the anthropology of children, and the impacts of legal status on marginalized youth. She teaches an LSE course on 'Children and Youth in Contemporary Ethnography' and actively supervises PhD students focusing on childhood, migration, citizenship, and Southeast Asian studies. Her work addresses exclusionary practices tied to race, religion, and legal frameworks in Malaysia and Indonesia. Languages spoken include Bahasa Manggarai, English, Indonesian, and Malay. No part-time status is mentioned, indicating full-time faculty commitment.
Professor Ruth Holliday holds the position of Professor of Gender and Culture at the University of Leeds since 2006, where she has also served as Director of Studies for the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, Director of Research and Innovation, and Director of Recruitment and Admissions for the School of Sociology and Social Policy. Previously, she worked at Staffordshire University and Birmingham City University, and served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Her research expertise spans cultural sociology, body studies, material culture, medical tourism, and gender relations, with a focus on low fertility and East Asian cultural contexts. Her academic qualifications include a PhD in Sociology and a BA in Electronics and Management Science. She has contributed to over 50 articles and 7 books, including the award-winning Beautyscapes (2019), which explored global cosmetic surgery tourism and won the Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness Book Prize in 2020. Her work on kitsch aesthetics and visual methodologies has also been influential, particularly in understanding class, gender, and race through taste politics. Ruth’s current research projects include studying low fertility cultures’ impacts on gender identities and a project on the cultural meaning of the penis in gender construction. She teaches modules such as Theorizing Gender and Contested Bodies at the MA level, emphasizing critical approaches to gender and embodiment. Key Projects: ESRC-funded 'Building Capacity in Visual Research' and collaborative work on medical tourism in East Asia and Europe. Awards: 2020 Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness Book Prize. Supervision: Active in mentoring PhD students researching the body, intimacy, and low fertility in China and Korea. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, cultural studies, and visual methodologies, with a commitment to ethnographic fieldwork and global comparative analysis.
Dr. William V. Giannobile serves as the Dean and A. Lee Loomis, Jr. Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). He leads the institution as its chief academic and administrative officer while maintaining an active research program and clinical practice in periodontics and implant dentistry at the Harvard Dental Center in Cambridge, MA. Dr. Giannobile received his DDS and MS in oral biology from the University of Missouri, followed by a certificate in periodontology and Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) in oral biology from Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He completed postdoctoral training in molecular biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. With over 30 years of continuously NIH-funded research, Dr. Giannobile's work focuses on oral and periodontal regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and precision medicine. He serves as principal investigator of the NIDCR U-Award Harvard Clinical Practice-based Research Program for Dental Students (H-CREDENT), which evaluates the genomics of oral pain in a multi-institutional academic setting. His research has produced over 300 manuscripts, textbook chapters, and patents focused on periodontology, regenerative medicine, and oral health research. He has edited or co-edited over 10 books in clinical and translational research, periodontology, and regenerative medicine. His publications demonstrate consistent focus on periodontal regeneration, biomaterials, tissue engineering, and the molecular mechanisms underlying oral diseases. ADA Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Dental Research (2024) International Association for Dental Research Distinguished Scientist Research in Periodontal Disease Award (2022) Norton M. Ross Clinical Research Award from the American Dental Association (2018) William J. Gies Award (2014) Jan Lindhe International Periodontology Research Award (2011) As an educator and mentor, Dr. Giannobile completed a 10-year term as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Dental Research, the official journal of the International Association for Dental Research. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Dental Devices and as an associate editor for the NIDCR Report on Oral Health of the U.S. in 2021. His laboratory continues to advance research in periodontal regeneration and precision medicine approaches to oral health, with ongoing NIH funding supporting innovative translational research.
Pedro Fardim is a Professor at the KU Leuven , affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Department of Chemical Engineering , and leads the Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Technology and Safety (CREaS) division. He also serves as President of EPNOE (European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence) and is a member of multiple institutes including KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI) , Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO) , and Institute for Micro- and Nano-scale Integration (LIMNI) . PhD in Chemistry, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil Habilitation in Chemical Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Finland Pedro’s research focuses on topochemical engineering —mimicking natural bioassembly processes in trees and microorganisms to create sustainable materials and biofabrication technologies . His work spans drug delivery , regenerative medicine , biopolymer engineering , and green chemistry , with applications in pharmaceuticals , cosmetics , and energy . Recent projects include hydrogels for wearable sensors , biohybrid materials for bone tissue engineering , and lignin valorization using hydrotropic solvents. His scientific awards include Fellowships from the Royal Society of Chemistry and the International Academy of Wood Science , along with membership in the American Chemical Society . He teaches Chemical Engineering for Human Health , Biochemical Process Engineering , and Biopolymer-based Sustainable Technologies .
Professor Sylvia Urban is a distinguished academic at RMIT University, serving as a Professor of Chemistry in the School of Science. She leads the Marine and Terrestrial Natural Product (MATNAP) research group and is the Program Manager for the Bachelor of Science degree, the largest and flagship program in the School of Science. Professor Urban also holds significant leadership roles including Reconciliation and Responsible Practice Facilitator in the School of Science (STEM College) and member of the Nugulu Committee at RMIT University. Her expertise spans natural products chemistry and separation science, with particular focus on chromatography for purification and instrumental analysis for structural characterisation and elucidation. Professor Urban's research interests encompass natural product chemistry isolation and structural elucidation, NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry for characterisation of natural products, High Performance/Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and other chromatographic techniques for natural product purification, hyphenated spectroscopic techniques such as HPLC-NMR and HPLC-MS for natural product profiling, and biological evaluation of natural products for drug discovery applications. Her work primarily focuses on exploring the biodiversity of Australian marine and terrestrial organisms including plants, fungi, sponges, and algae to discover new compounds with therapeutic potential. She has developed various dereplication and chemical profiling strategies to expedite the discovery process. Professor Urban's publication record demonstrates a strong focus on natural products derived from Australian flora and marine organisms, with particular emphasis on their chemical characterisation and biological evaluation. Her research spans ethnobotanical studies of Indigenous Australian medicinal plants, phytochemical profiling of Australian species, anthelmintic and antimicrobial assessments of natural compounds, and development of analytical methodologies for natural product research. The interdisciplinary nature of her work connects chemistry with pharmacology, ethnobotany, and sustainable development goals related to health, education, and gender equality. STEM College Learning & Teaching Award (Award for Values in Action) 2024 STEM College Athena Swan Award 2023 Top STEM College Media Star 2022 School of Science Reconciliation Champion Award for 2021 School of Science Associate Dean's Impact Award (Applied Chemistry) for 2021 STEM Female Educator of the Year Award in the STEM College in 2021 Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) in 2020 2019 Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT) Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning Professor Urban actively supervises Masters and PhD students, with recent projects focusing on nanoparticle synthesis, natural product evaluation from Australian plants and marine organisms, food science applications, and biomedical imaging agents. She has received numerous teaching grants including the SteLR Grant 2017 for Pen-enabled, Real-time Student Engagement for Teaching in STEM Subjects, SteLR Plus Learning and Teaching Grant 2016 for Contextualizing Learning Chemistry, and Global Learning by Design (GLbD) Learning and Teaching Grant 2014. As the leader of the MATNAP research group, Professor Urban oversees a team focused on exploring Australian biodiversity for drug discovery. She has been instrumental in establishing the VICS Molecular Resolution Facility (chromatography node at RMIT University) as part of "The Pipeline – An Integrated Approach to Drug Design and Development." Her research involves collaborations both within and external to RMIT University, including Australian and international university and industry partners.
Professor Ian Cousins is a leading researcher in the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University, specializing in the study of persistent organic pollutants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). With over 200 peer-reviewed publications and recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher in 2018 and 2020, his work has significantly influenced environmental policy and scientific understanding of chemical pollution. BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, University of York (1989) Master's in Environmental Management, University of Surrey (1991) PhD in Environmental Science, Lancaster University (1998) Prof. Cousins' research focuses on the sources, transport, fate, and exposure pathways of contaminants in the environment, with particular emphasis on PFAS. His work combines experimental and modeling approaches to investigate how these persistent chemicals move through ecosystems, with recent studies examining sea spray aerosol transport of PFAS and their global distribution. His research has contributed to understanding PFAS as a planetary boundary issue, demonstrating that environmental contamination by these substances has exceeded safe operating limits. Prof. Cousins' extensive publication record shows a clear trend toward addressing the complex challenges of PFAS pollution, including their environmental behavior, risk assessment methodologies, regulatory frameworks, and the application of the essential-use concept for phasing out non-essential PFAS applications. His work spans fundamental environmental chemistry to policy-relevant research that has directly influenced European environmental decision-making. Highly Cited Researcher (2018, 2020) Listed among 30 EU politicians and professionals with greatest impact on European environmental policy (2023) Associate Editor of Environmental Science and Technology (2020-present) Associate Editor of Environmental Au (2021-present) Prof. Cousins actively supervises master's students focusing on organic pollutants and has coordinated major research projects including PERFORCE3, a Europe-wide doctoral training program on PFAS, and ZeroPM, targeting PFAS and persistent, mobile substances. His research has been supported by multiple European Union Horizon 2020 grants, reflecting the significance and impact of his work on global environmental challenges. He leads a research group that works closely with analytical chemists to better understand the behavior of PFAS and other contaminants, contributing to the development of evidence-based approaches for managing chemical pollution and protecting environmental and human health.
Jennifer Lynes is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Environment and Business, where she co-directs the Sustainability & Financial Management program. She also serves as Chair of REEP Green Solutions and co-founded the North American Sustainable Concerts Working Group. Current roles: Associate Professor, Co-Director (Sustainability & Financial Management), REEP Green Solutions Chair Education background: Marketing and Environmental Studies Her research bridges business and environmental sustainability, focusing on: Social and community-based green marketing Youth environmental engagement programs Residential energy conservation behavior Sustainable tourism and hospitality practices Recent publications analyze: Water efficiency programs and behavioral change Electric vehicle adoption strategies Textile waste management in fashion consumption Sustainable eating behaviors in Canadian universities Scientific recognition includes: Emerald Publishing Group Highly Commended Paper (2014) She teaches courses such as: ENBUS 102: Introduction to Environment and Business ENBUS 309: Applied Social Marketing ENBUS 630: Enterprise Strategies for Social Accountability
Prof. Dr. Claudia Liebelt is a University Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology and Managing Director of WE 04 at Freie Universität Berlin. She leads the Research Unit 'Gender, Body, Sexualities' and serves as PI for the Berlin Graduate School of Muslim Cultures and Societies. Her academic career includes a Heisenberg Fellowship (2020–2021), a Habilitation in 2019, and prior roles at the University of Bayreuth and Keele University. She specializes in body anthropology, gender studies, and critical beauty politics, with regional expertise in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and the Philippines. Her research explores transnational formations of self, olfactory affects, and beauty economies. Current projects include DFG-funded 'Aesthetic Citizenship' and SFB 1171's 'Olfactory Entanglements.' She has supervised numerous PhD students and authored/co-authored influential works like Istanbul Appearances (2023) and Beauty and the Norm (2018). Awards include summa cum laude for her 2008 dissertation and the Heisenberg Fellowship. Liebelt teaches courses on religion, transnational sexualities, and anthropological methodologies. She is a founding member of the 'Gender & Sexualities' group within DGSKA and a journal reviewer. Her work bridges ethnographic theory with contemporary issues like pandemic hygiene, cosmetic surgery politics, and intersectional activism.
Professor David Bell is a Professor of Cultural Geography at the University of Leeds , affiliated with the School of Geography under the Faculty of Environment. His work bridges critical human geography and cultural studies , emphasizing interdisciplinary connections. PhD, University of Birmingham MPhil, CNAA, Staffordshire University BSc, Geography and Geology, Keele University His research spans cultural policy , urban and rural cultures , consumption and lifestyle , science and technology , and sexuality , with a focus on integrating these areas. Current projects include hospitality and the city , cosmetic surgery tourism , and cultural policy . David Bell is a member of the Centre for Cultural Policy and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at the University of Leeds. He supervises PhD students in areas such as Geographies of sexualities , Food & drink , Hospitality & space , and Art & geography . He contributes to the BA (Hons) Geography programme and is part of the Social Justice, Cities, Citizenship and Sustainable Cities research groups.
Dr. Alexandre Marques is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi. His expertise spans Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, with a focus on vaccine development against parasitic infections like Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and Malaria. He holds a PhD from the Universidade de São Paulo (2007) and teaches courses such as Gen Microbiology and Microorg Hth Di at the university. His research integrates immunological, clinical, and molecular approaches to understand parasitic disease mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. Notable areas include α-Gal immunization strategies, transcriptomic analysis of breast cancer, and vaccine design against Leishmania. He has also explored applications in aquaculture nutrition and cosmetic safety assessments. Dr. Marques’ work spans interdisciplinary collaborations, including veterinary medicine, nanotechnology-based drug delivery, and antimicrobial stewardship in pediatrics. His contributions to animal models for Chagas disease and canine visceral leishmaniasis highlight translational research impact. Key themes in his publications include immune response modulation, pathogen-host interactions, and biomarker discovery in chronic infections. He has published over 50 articles across microbiology, immunology, and biomedical engineering since 2007.
Associate Professor Nikolas Fokialakis is affiliated with the Department of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, specifically within the Section of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products. His academic journey includes a PhD in Pharmacognosy, postdoctoral research at the USDA, and advanced degrees in Pharmacognosy and Pharmacy. His research focuses on natural products from plants, microorganisms, and marine organisms, with emphasis on anti-aging compounds, cosmeceuticals, and bioactive molecule discovery. Notable awards include the Arthur Neish Award (2010) and the ASP Award (2006). He holds editorial roles in international societies and has contributed to over 150 publications. His work integrates biotechnology for sustainable production of bioactive agents and explores microbial biodiversity for drug leads. Teaching responsibilities include courses in Pharmacognosy, Biotechnology, and Pharmaceutical Analysis. Education Highlights: PhD in Pharmacognosy (University of Athens, 2004) Postdoc at USDA Natural Products Lab Postgraduate Diploma in Pharmacognosy (2000) Pharmacy Degree (University of Athens, 1998) Research Interests: Isolation of bioactive small molecules from terrestrial and marine sources Anti-aging mechanisms targeting proteostasis Cosmeceutical development using microbial metabolites Phytochemical analysis of Mediterranean plants Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes marine microbiota for anti-aging agents, pyrrolizidine alkaloid profiling, and sustainable bioengineering of microbes for industrial metabolites. Over 150 indexed articles demonstrate cross-disciplinary impact in natural products research. Awards: 2011-2019: Board Member, Society for Medicinal Plant Research ANR Research Committee (2015-2018) OECD Scholarship (2005-2006) Advising & Grants: Active in mentoring graduate students in natural products and biotechnology projects. Leads EU-funded initiatives on microbial diversity exploitation. Collaborates internationally on marine invertebrate chemistry and cosmeceutical development. Labs/Teams: Coordinates the Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry lab at University of Athens, focusing on metabolomics and bioactive compound discovery pipelines.
Jeeyeon Kim is a Lecturer in the Department of Management and Marketing at La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University. Prior to this, she served as an Assistant Professor at National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan. Her research focuses on digital marketing, omnichannel retailing, social media/influencer marketing, and digital healthcare. She holds a PhD and MA from Yonsei University, South Korea, and has held visiting roles at Yonsei University and IE University. Her work emphasizes empirical data analysis and statistical modeling to address marketing challenges. Jeeyeon has secured multiple research grants, including AUD 82,500 from Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) for projects on big data-driven marketing and digital transformation. She also coordinates grants with Yonsei University and AACSB initiatives. Her editorial roles include serving on the Asia Marketing Journal and Korean Scholars of Marketing Science boards. Her research spans topics such as virtual influencers' impact on social media, omnichannel strategies, and healthcare consumer behavior. Teaching awards include the 'Outstanding Course Teaching Award' and 'Excellent Mentor Award.' She actively reviews for journals like the Asian Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics and conferences like the Global Fashion Management Conference.
