Lisa Mills is a Professor of Film and Documentary at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and currently serves as Associate Director of the Film and Mass Media Programs. She holds a PhD in Political Communication from the University of Florida (2005), an MA in Mass Communication from UCF (1999), and a BA in English from Jacksonville University (1983). Prior to academia, she spent 25 years as a broadcast journalist across southeastern television stations. Education : PhD in Political Communication, University of Florida (2005) MA in Mass Communication, UCF (1999) BA in English, Jacksonville University (1983) Her research focuses on documentary production, media effects, political communication, and creative self-efficacy. She has directed/co-directed four feature-length documentaries and 14 short films, many of which won national awards and screened globally. Recent works include Connections (2022, Lions Clubs International) and Jewel of Parramore (2022, WellsBuilt Museum), both produced with students and honored by the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences. Awards : 2023 Excellence in Faculty Advising Nominee 2021 UCF Luminary Award 2012 Teaching Incentive Program Award She advises student filmmakers, coordinates "Education Day" for the Sanford Love Your Shorts Film Festival, and serves on the Global Peace Film Festival board. Her creative work emphasizes social justice and community engagement.
Dr. Joon-Ho Choi serves as the Associate Dean of Research and Creative Work and Associate Professor of Building Science in the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California. He directs both the Human-Building Integration Research Lab and the Center for Wellness in the Built Environment, focusing on occupant-centered building performance and environmental management. His research pioneers Human-Building Integration , where physiological occupant data (via wearable/remote sensors) merges with environmental building metrics to create intelligent control systems. Core expertise spans Indoor Environmental Quality , Cyber-Physical Systems , and Urban-Scale Building Energy Modeling , targeting sustainability, energy efficiency, and occupant wellbeing through bio-sensing adaptive controls and human performance quantification. Under his leadership, research initiatives develop human-centered frameworks for building environmental management, leveraging informatics to optimize performance while enhancing occupant quality of life through tailored environmental systems.
G. Jason Jolley, Ph.D., is a Professor of Rural Economic Development and Director of the MPA program at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service. He also serves as Interim Associate Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, coordinating economic development initiatives across the university. His work focuses on regional economic resilience, energy transition impacts, and workforce policy. Current roles: Professor, MPA Director, Interim Associate Vice President Leadership: Center for Economic Development and Community Resilience Partnerships: Ohio Economic Development Association, JobsOhio Dr. Jolley’s research spans rural economic development, clean energy transition, and public finance. He employs input-output modeling, skillshed analysis, and machine learning to study labor market shifts and policy effectiveness. His recent work examines coal industry decline, broadband workforce needs, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Appalachia. His publications highlight trends in energy sector transitions, middle-wage job displacement, and technology-driven workforce adaptation. Articles from 2023-2025 analyze carbon tax impacts, skill demand forecasting, and geographic economic disparities, reflecting his focus on data-driven policy solutions for rural regions. Dr. Jolley directs Ohio University’s participation in the Ohio Economic Development Institute and has secured over $13 million in research funding from federal and state agencies. He has served as a Federal Reserve Bank advisor and led Ohio’s redistricting database development, integrating economic and demographic data for policy-making. As an advocate for developmental disability rights, he holds leadership roles in Ohio’s disability services organizations, including the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and The Arc of Ohio. This work stems from his personal experience as a father to daughters with developmental disabilities.
Henry Sutton is Professor of Creative Writing and Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia's School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing. He directs the MA program in Crime Fiction and formerly led the department. His research examines crime fiction evolution, narrative techniques, and the intersection of genre and literary fiction. Published works include novels like 'Good Dark Night' and critical studies such as 'Crafting Crime Fiction'. Awards include the J.B. Priestley Award for literary achievement. He co-founded the Noirwich Crime Writing Festival and has judged major literary prizes including the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year.
Luca Bandirali is an Associate Professor of Cinema, Photography, Radio, Television, and Digital Media (PEMM-01/B) at the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salento, where he teaches courses in Film Philosophy, History of Cinema, and Theories and Techniques of Audiovisual Language. His research focuses on Film Theory, Film Philosophy, Media Geography, and Television Aesthetics, with particular attention to the spatial and environmental dimensions of audiovisual narratives. Bandirali's scholarly work explores the philosophical underpinnings of cinema, the geographical aspects of media representation, and the evolving aesthetics of television storytelling. Bandirali has authored numerous publications including monographs on science fiction cinema, TV series aesthetics, and the relationship between music and visual media. His recent works examine the concept of space and environment in audiovisual narration, reflecting his innovative approach to media geography. Member of the steering committee of 'Fata Morgana' and 'Fata Morgana Web' Editor of the 'H-ermes Journal of Communication' Scientific director of the project 'TOCC - Capacity Building for cultural operators to manage the digital transition' Responsible for the local unit of the PRIN PNRR 'Telling the Territory' Former member of the Board of Directors of the Apulia Film Commission Foundation Bandirali actively contributes to academic discourse through publications in journals such as Projections, Social Communications, Cinergie, and H-ermes, and collaborates with the digital magazine Fata Morgana Web and the Treccani Institute's Lingua Italiana magazine.
Prof David Herd is the Berry Chair of Literature & Human Rights and Director of Impact at the University of St Andrews' School of English. His work bridges literature and human rights, focusing on displacement, detention, and solidarity. He co-founded the Refugee Tales project, publishing detainees' stories through Comma Press. Recent publications include Writing Against Expulsion in the Post-War World (Oxford UP, 2023) and poetry collection Walk Song (2022). He leads AHRC-funded research on solidarity across borders and previously directed a British Academy project on 'Hostile Environments.' Education : Not explicitly stated in provided texts, but academic career includes visiting fellowships at George Mason University, Simon Fraser University, and Writing Center Gloucester. Research : Explores human movement politics, modern poetry, and human rights advocacy through academic writing and creative projects. Refugee Tales emphasizes ending detention via narrative sharing. His scholarship critiques policies creating 'hostile environments' for migrants. Grants & Projects : Co-Investigator on AHRC 'Archive of Solidarity' (2023–present); PI on British Academy 'Hostile Environments' (2019–2022). Collaborates with Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group and other NGOs. Active in international academic networks. Labs/Teams : Refugee Tales collective; AHRC and British Academy research teams; Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group partnerships.
Jordi Torrents Cruz is a Part-Time Lecturer and Academic Director of Business & Management Strategy at the UPF Barcelona School of Management . He co-directs the Master's Degree in Strategy and Creative Brand Management and has taught on the Advertising and Public Relations Degree at UPF. His professional roles include managing Collaborabrands , a strategy services firm focusing on brand value through innovation and social/environmental impact, serving clients like Vodafone, Coca-Cola, and BBVA. Education: Degree in Philosophy and Education Sciences (Psychology Section) Academic Experience includes directing the Master in Brand Strategy and Creative Brand Management, and teaching in related postgraduate programs. Professional roles span Country Manager at Ogilvy, CEO of Added Value Spain, and leadership positions in strategic brand planning firms. His work emphasizes integrating brand strategy with creative and socially responsible practices, leveraging over 25 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and corporate strategy.
Henry S. Turner is the Henry Rutgers Professor of English and Vice President for Academic Initiatives at Rutgers University, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is a leading scholar in Renaissance literature with a focus on Shakespeare, Jonson, and their contemporaries, as well as intellectual history, literary theory, and the intersections of literature with science, law, and political thought. As Vice President for Academic Initiatives, he oversees universitywide faculty hiring, interdisciplinary strategic investment initiatives, the Office of Postdoctoral Advancement, and the Rutgers University Press. Professor Turner specializes in Early Modern Literature, particularly Shakespeare, Jonson, Dekker, and Middleton, with additional expertise in Nashe, Hakluyt, Bacon, and Hobbes. His research spans theatricality and performance, literary theory (including deconstruction, psychoanalysis, and semiotics), literature and science, literature and intellectual history, and literature and law. He has developed interdisciplinary approaches connecting literature with book and media history, critical race studies, drama studies, and corporation studies. His work demonstrates how early modern literature engages with political economy, scientific thought, spatial theories, and legal frameworks. Turner's research reveals consistent patterns connecting early modern literature with contemporary theoretical concerns. His publications show how Shakespeare's plays explore cosmological thinking as a way to imagine alternatives to globalization. His work on corporations traces their evolution from pluralistic political institutions to commercial entities, revealing how literature engages with institutional forms. His scholarship consistently bridges historical analysis with philosophical inquiry, showing how early modern texts address questions of personhood, representation, and collective action that remain relevant today. Elizabeth Dietz Memorial Award for The Corporate Commonwealth (2017) Honorable Mention for Barnard Hewitt Award (2017) ACLS Frederick Burkhardt Fellowship (2012-13) M. H. Abrams Fellowship, National Humanities Center (2010-11) National Endowment of the Humanities Fellowship (2004-5) Professor Turner has supervised numerous graduate students who have gone on to teach at institutions including the U.S. Air Force Academy, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, and Yale. His leadership extends to directing the Center for Cultural Analysis and coordinating EMRG @ RU: The Early Modern Research Group at Rutgers. He has received significant research support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Humanities Center, and American Council of Learned Societies. As Vice President for Academic Initiatives, he oversees strategic investment initiatives and interdisciplinary research programs, demonstrating his commitment to advancing humanities scholarship within contemporary academic structures.
Kerrie Bryant serves as a Sessional Academic at Federation University's Institute of Education, Arts and Community, delivering tutorials in Criminology and Criminal Justice degrees. She concurrently acts as the student representative to the University Council and participates in the Inclusion Committee, actively engaging with institutional strategic directions and challenges. Her PhD research focuses on interventions to reduce criminalisation and victimisation among justice-involved youth in Australia, complemented by prior master's research on wrongful convictions within the Australian justice system. Education: PhD Candidate, Master of Justice and Criminology (Distinction), Bachelor of Criminal Justice Research interests emphasize youth justice reform, innovative approaches to justice systems, and systemic issues related to wrongful convictions. She previously managed a mental health hub during the pandemic, developing policies in creative capacities. Her work bridges academic contributions with practical policy development.
James Haywood Rolling Jr. is an Interim Chair of the Department of African American Studies and Professor of Arts Education at Syracuse University, with a dual appointment in the School of Education and former affiliation with the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He holds an Ed.D. in Art Education from Columbia University and an MFA in Experimental Studios from Syracuse University. His research focuses on African American Studies, arts-based research methodologies, and creative leadership, with an emphasis on antiracist praxis and community-engaged scholarship. Dr. Rolling has authored over 35 peer-reviewed articles, numerous books including *Growing Up Ugly: Memoirs of a Black Boy Daydreaming* (2020), and served as President of the National Art Education Association (2021–2023). His work bridges art education with social justice, exploring themes like narrative inquiry, identity, and systemic inequities. He co-directs the Lender Center for Social Justice and has led initiatives to advance equity in education and creative leadership. Notable awards include election to the Cooper Union Board of Trustees (2024–present) and leadership roles in national arts education organizations. His teaching spans courses on art philosophy, creative processes, and narrative research, alongside grants strengthening K-12 arts pipelines into higher education programs.
Larissa Szporluk is a Professor in the Department of English at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), part of the College of Arts and Sciences. She holds an MFA from the University of Virginia and an MA in English from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on creative writing (poetry and fiction) and literary criticism, with a specialization in contemporary poetry and women’s studies. Dr. Szporluk teaches courses such as Graduate/Undergraduate Poetry Workshops, Contemporary American Poetry, Techniques of Poetry, and Women’s Studies. She has published six poetry collections including Startle Pattern (2015) and Traffic with Macbeth (2011), along with essays in journals like Daedalus and Meridian . Her work has been honored with major awards, including the 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship and National Endowment for the Arts grants. Her current project, Rogue’s March , explores new directions in contemporary poetic form and narrative voice. Szporluk’s writing often intersects with themes of identity, cultural critique, and existential inquiry, blending lyrical innovation with rigorous literary analysis.
Hao Peng is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong. His research focuses on computational social science, social networks, and innovation dynamics, aiming to understand how social factors influence creative idea generation and dissemination. He holds a Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of Michigan (2022) and a B.S. in Information Management from Sun Yat-sen University (2015). Prior to his current role, he was a Postdoc at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Research Interests Dr. Peng investigates topics such as gender disparities in academic self-promotion via social media, ethnic biases in science news reporting, and mechanisms driving idea adoption in scientific communities. His work bridges computational methods with organizational behavior to address challenges in innovation and human capital utilization. Awards & Recognition 2024 Emerging Award from Complex Systems Society 2021 Best Paper at ASIS&T Annual Meeting 2019 2nd Prize in John Hunter Excellence in Plotting Contest Labs & Teams He directs the Human Intelligence and Innovation Science (HIIS) Lab, mentoring students like Wenwen LI (PhD) and Lijian PENG (MS). Current research involves exploring promotional language in grant applications and authorship visibility in news media.
Nori Jacoby is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Cornell University and a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt. Her research bridges cognitive science, neuroscience, and machine learning to explore how internal representations shape sensory and cognitive abilities, with a focus on universality/diversity in perception and collective behavior. Education: PhD from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (ELSC), postdocs at MIT, UC Berkeley, and Columbia University Lab: Directs the CoCoCo Lab (Cornell Computational Cognition Lab) Funding: NSF-funded postdoctoral program collaborating with UC Davis, CUNY, and Princeton Research interests include: High-dimensional perceptual spaces using adaptive sampling (e.g., Gibbs sampling with people) Cross-cultural studies of music and perception via global experiments Human-AI hybrid systems for collective creativity and decision-making Recent work explores mechanisms of cultural diversity in urban populations, neural correlates of rhythm in stroke patients, and LLM alignment with human sensory judgments. Current projects include large-scale music evolution experiments and NSF-funded studies on collective intelligence. Recruitment: Actively hiring postdocs and PhD students for interdisciplinary work.
Valentina Tartari is the Jacob and Marcus Wallenberg Professor of Innovative and Sustainable Business Development at Copenhagen Business School's Department of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology (DEIT), where she also directs the Jacob and Marcus Wallenberg Center for Innovative and Sustainable Business Development. She holds a PhD in Management of Innovation from Imperial College London (2013), and MSc and BSc in Economics from Bocconi University (cum laude, 2007 and 2005 respectively). Her research focuses on science policy, knowledge transfer mechanisms, and university-industry collaboration, exploring how academic knowledge translates into societal and industrial impact. She investigates the roles of mobility, institutional frameworks, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Prof. Tartari serves as Program Chair for the TIM division of the Academy of Management and is part of the SEI Consortium's executive committee. She contributes to leading journals like Research Policy and Strategic Management Journal , and sits on editorial boards for Research Policy and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal . Research Themes: Science of Science: Examining knowledge production dynamics Economics of Science: Analyzing funding and policy impacts Technology Transfer: Bridging academia and industry Innovation Management: Strategies for breakthroughs and scalability Boundary Spanning: Network mobilization for knowledge exchange
Professor Anna Reading directs the Arts and Humanities Research Institute at King's College London, pioneering Media Memory Studies through interdisciplinary approaches. Her work examines digital memory, migration narratives, and gender in cultural remembrance, with significant contributions to Holocaust studies and neurodiverse memory practices. Key projects include: Virtual Reality, Rehumanisation and Memories of Migration (King's Together Project) Moving Hearts: migration and belonging (with Museum of Migration) Digital Memories of the Shoah (Dutch Network Grant) Her creative engagement includes plays exploring migration and gender, performed internationally. Research addresses how digital technologies transform memory practices across cultures.
