Crystal S. Rudds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Utah, specializing in African American literature and culture. Her research focuses on twentieth-century American and African American fiction, qualitative narratives about urban life and housing, Black Feminisms, and black geography/ecology. PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016) MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004) BA in Communications with minors in French and Theatre from Wake Forest University (1999) Her scholarly work examines the intersection of literature and urban environments, particularly through public housing fiction. She uses interdisciplinary approaches combining qualitative research with literary analysis, emphasizing community engagement and the phenomenological experiences of residents in urban spaces. Her publications address topics like the historical context of public housing narratives and the concept of 'the black interior' as a framework for understanding spatial identity. Rudds has received prestigious honors, including the David D. Anderson Award for Midwestern Literary Studies and the Mary Blinn Poetry Prize. She is also a Faculty Research Fellow and Intersectionality Pedagogy Fellow at the University of Utah. Her teaching philosophy integrates experiential learning and community-focused methods, with courses such as African Amer Lit 2, Seminar in Lit. Study, and Studies Af Amer Lit. She emphasizes archival research, site visits, and performance-based learning to empower students as co-creators of knowledge.
Crystal S. Rudds is an Assistant Professor of African American literature and culture in the Department of English at the University of Utah, specializing in twentieth-century American and African American fiction, urban life narratives, Black Feminisms, and black geography/ecology. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2016) and MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University-Bloomington (2004). Her research explores intersections between literary analysis and community engagement, focusing on urban spatiality, public housing representation, and black interiority. She has published works analyzing Frank London Brown and Jasmon Drain's housing narratives, digital archiving practices, and pedagogical identity evolution. Key grant activities include: Gathering, Sewing, Giving: Chronopolitics and Black Women's Quilting (TRIC/Mellon Foundation, 2023) Utah Presidential Leadership Fellowship (2023) Recognitions: David D. Anderson Award for Midwestern Literary Studies (2023) Mary Blinn Poetry Prize (2022) University of Utah Fellowships (2022) Teaching activities feature: Experiential learning with archival documents Historic site visits Performance-based literary analysis Community-focused pedagogy
Prof. Dr. Claudine Moulin is a Full Professor of Historical Linguistics at the Department of German Studies, University of Trier. She co-directs the Trier Center for Digital Humanities and serves as Vertrauensdozentin der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft. With academic roots in Brussels and Bamberg, she completed her PhD in 1990 and Habilitation in 1999 at the University of Bamberg. Her research spans medieval and early modern languages, manuscript studies, digital humanities, and Luxembourgish linguistics. As a leading scholar in historical linguistics, Moulin's work explores urban language history, phraseology, and cultural knowledge transmission through manuscripts. She has directed major digital humanities projects like LexicoLux and Cartul@rium, while pioneering digital codicology methods for medieval texts. Her research combines traditional philology with computational approaches. Her academic accolades include the Akademiepreis Rheinland-Pfalz (2010), Landesverdienstorden (2014), and the Verdienstkreuz am Bande (2025). She has held visiting professorships at Sorbonne, EHESS Paris, and EPHE, and received fellowships from the Humboldt Foundation and European Science Foundation. Notable Academic Roles: Co-founder and Chair of DHd (Digital Humanities in German-speaking countries) Founding member of Trier Center for Language and Communication Member of German Historical Institute Paris scientific board Advisory positions at Austrian Center for Digital Humanities and Herzog August Bibliothek Her editorial leadership includes chief editorship of Sprachwissenschaft journal and co-editorship of Germanistische Bibliothek monograph series. She has mentored over 40 graduate students in topics ranging from medieval marginalia to urban language studies.
Prof. Dr. Olena Palko is a historian specializing in Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Ukraine. She holds the SNSF Professorship at the University of Basel's Department of History, focusing on East European History. Her research emphasizes Soviet minority policies, cultural politics, and national identity formation in interwar Ukraine. She is a leading scholar with notable works including Making Ukraine Soviet (2021), awarded the 2023 Alexander Nove Prize. Her current SNF-funded project, Red Tower of Babel , examines Soviet minority experiments in Ukraine. Education: PhD from University of East Anglia (2017); Kandydat nauk from National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2013). Research Interests: Soviet nationality policy, minority history, Ukrainian twentieth-century history, transnational border dynamics. Her work bridges archival analysis with transnational perspectives, addressing contested borderlands between Poland and the USSR. Key publications include co-edited volumes like Making Ukraine (2022) and Ukraine's Many Faces (2023). She actively contributes to academic governance roles, including co-convening the BASEES Study Group for Minority History and serving on the Scientific Advisory Council of the Council of Europe's history observatory.
Katherine V. Gough is Professor of Human Geography at Lund University, Sweden, with a 30-year research focus on housing/home, work/entrepreneurship, youth/elderly geographies, mobility, urbanisation, and climate change across Africa, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. She collaborates with Loughborough University's Clear Climate team on extreme heat mitigation in Ghana and leads the 'Trocha de Paz' project for Colombia's 'Total Peace' agenda. Research Themes Extreme Heat in Ghana Peacebuilding in Colombia Rural-Urban Dynamics Her multidisciplinary approach bridges academia, policy, and communities through projects like VEWEC, REFIT, and Paz Alto Cauca. Current work emphasizes: Climate-resilient housing design Post-conflict governance Informal sector innovation Scientific Engagement: British Academy funded VEWEC and REFIT projects Principal Investigator for Trocha de Paz (Colombia) Her collaborative research strengthens stakeholder networks in: West African urban livelihoods Colombian territorial peacebuilding Tropical climate adaptation
Professor Lizelle Bisschoff is a Professor of Film Studies at the University of Glasgow’s School of Culture & Creative Arts. She specializes in African cinema with particular focus on gender representation, digital technologies, and film festival curation. Her research bridges academic scholarship and practical initiatives, such as co-founding the Africa in Motion Film Festival (AiM). She holds a PhD from the University of Stirling and has held prestigious fellowships including the Leverhulme Trust (2010-2012) and Lord Kelvin Adam Smith (2012-2015). Education: PhD in African Cinema (University of Stirling, 2009) MSc in Cultural Studies (University of Edinburgh, 2005) Research Interests: Gender dynamics in African filmmaking Emerging digital film industries across sub-Saharan Africa Postcolonial cinema and modernist aesthetics Her work emphasizes decolonizing film studies through projects like AiM Festival and edited volumes such as Women in African Cinema . Recent research explores African science fiction and feminist archives. She has secured £115k in grants for film restoration and educational outreach programs. Awards: Leverhulme Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship AHRC Follow-on Funding for Impact (£90k) British Federation of Women Graduates Scholarship Teaching: Convenes MSc Film Curation program Teaches Introduction to African Cinemas and Race on Screen Key Projects: Lead curator for Africa’s Lost Classics restoration initiative Organized international symposia on African art and activism
Dr. Edyta Chlebowska is an Assistant Professor at the Cyprian Norwid Research Center, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin. Specializing in the visual art and literary legacy of Cyprian Norwid, she explores intersections between Polish Romanticism, art history, and cultural studies. Her work extends to album art analysis and interdisciplinary connections with music (e.g., Pink Floyd, Czesław Niemen). Her research focuses on Norwid's self-portraits, eschatological themes in his drawings, and comparative studies with 19th-century Warsaw painting. She reconstructs lost artworks, documents private collections (e.g., Konstancja Górska, Victor Gomulicki), and examines Norwid's reception in Florence and Odessa. Key projects include translating Studia Norwidiana and critical editing of Norwid's complete works. As editor-in-chief of multiple On Cyprian Norwid. Studies and Essays volumes and organizer of conferences like Niemen Non Stop and Colloquia Norwidiana , she bridges academic rigor with public engagement. Her publications span peer-reviewed books, journal articles, and popular science pieces, emphasizing Norwid's unpublished works and symbolic programs.
Professor Isabella Alexander is a distinguished legal historian and intellectual property scholar at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Law. She specializes in copyright law with a particular focus on its historical dimensions and application to cartography and visual works. As a leading researcher in her field, she holds significant research grants including ARC Discovery projects on copyright law in the 21st century and copyright in cartography. Her educational background includes: PhD from the University of Cambridge LLB (Hons) from the Australian National University BA (Hons) from the Australian National University Professor Alexander's research explores how laws inform and regulate the creation, circulation and reception of knowledge and culture from a historical perspective. Her work bridges legal history with contemporary intellectual property challenges, particularly in areas of copyright for visual works, cartography, and digital creativity. She has made significant contributions to understanding the historical development of copyright principles and their application to modern technological contexts. An analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on the intersection of copyright law with visual culture, cartography, and emerging digital challenges including AI-generated content and memes. Her work demonstrates a clear trajectory toward interdisciplinary approaches that connect historical legal frameworks with contemporary technological and cultural phenomena, showing increasing engagement with how historical understanding can inform solutions to modern intellectual property challenges. Her notable scientific achievements include: 2023 LSAANZ Award for published scholarly book/monograph for "Copyright and Cartography: History, Law, and the Circulation of Geographical Knowledge" Professor Alexander has secured significant research funding as Lead Chief Investigator on the ARC Discovery grant "Hacking Copyright Law in the 21st Century: Art, Law, History and Technology" and as sole Chief Investigator on "Copyright and Cartography: Understanding the past, shaping the future." She has actively contributed to policy development through submissions to the Australian Productivity Commission's Inquiry into IP Arrangements and on addressing copyright infringement online through secondary liability and website blocking mechanisms. She currently serves as President of the Australian and New Zealand Law and History Society and is a member of the Governing Board of the International Society for the History and Theory of Intellectual Property, demonstrating her leadership and influence in both national and international academic communities.
Kelly D Palmer is an Assistant Professor in the History, Geography and Legal Studies Department at The University of Tampa, within the College of Social Sciences Mathematics and Education. Her academic focus centers on modern European history, with particular expertise in French history, the Holocaust, and World War II humanitarian efforts. Her educational background includes: B.A. from Michigan State University (1991) M.A. from Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver (2002) Ph.D. from Michigan State University (2010) Professor Palmer's research delves into the history of modern Europe, with a concentration on France, the Holocaust, and European postwar historical memory. She is currently completing an article on the American Friends Service Committee and Jewish rescue in World War II France, and another on Roswell McClelland's work with the American Friends Service Committee and War Refugee Board. Her upcoming project examines women humanitarian workers in the American Friends Service Committee during WWII. Her teaching covers World History from 1500, the Holocaust, Twentieth-Century Europe, and other European history courses. Her notable scientific awards and grants include: Chosen as a university-wide applicant for the 2023 National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Stipends Program Pollock Research Grant (2021) Grant from the Undergraduate Research and Inquiry Committee for an inquiry-based course (2020) College of Social Sciences Mathematics and Education Award for Outstanding Teacher (2018-2019) UCDALI Professional Development Grant (Spring 2016) CU Online Course Development Grant (Fall 2015) Nominee for College of Arts and Letters at the University of Colorado of Denver, Teaching Excellence Award (2013-2014) Dissertation Completion Fellowship, College of Social Science, Michigan State University (2010) Kussy Scholarship for Study of the Holocaust, James Madison College, Michigan State University (2008) International Studies Program Pre-dissertation Research Fellowship, International Studies Program, Michigan State University (2007) Muelder-Lowe Graduate Award, Department of History, Michigan State University (2007) Summer Research Enhancement Fellowship, Department of History, Michigan State University (2007) Summer Research Fellowship, Department of History, Michigan State University (2006) Summer Research Language Fellowship, Department of History, Michigan State University (2005) Somers Award for Excellence and Creativity in Teaching, Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities, Michigan State University (2005) Recruitment Fellowship, Department of History, Michigan State University (2003-2004) Professor Palmer has secured significant grant funding for her research and teaching. Notable grants include: Pollock Research Grant (2021) for her research on WWII humanitarian efforts. Undergraduate Research and Inquiry Committee Grant (2020) for an inquiry-based course. UCDALI Professional Development Grant (2016) CU Online Course Development Grant (2015) She also mentors students through an internship program with the Florida Holocaust Museum, facilitating student placements and collaborative educational events. Professor Palmer collaborates closely with the Florida Holocaust Museum, where she has developed an internship program for students and co-organizes speaker events and educational activities. This partnership serves as a key platform for her students' experiential learning and community engagement.
Allen J. Scott is a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, with a joint appointment in the Department of Public Policy (School of Public Affairs) and Department of Geography. He has held prestigious positions at UCLA since 1994 and previously at the University of Toronto (1969–1994). His career spans over five decades, focusing on urban geography, regional development, and cultural economy. Education : BA (1961) from Oxford University; MA and PhD (1962, 1965) from Northwestern University. Research Interests include: Creative cities and cognitive-cultural capitalism Political economy of urbanization and globalization Industrial clusters and labor-intensive economies Human capital distribution in metropolitan areas Cultural landscapes and peripheral development Publication Trends (2005–2014) emphasize: Globalization's impact on low-technology industries Cognitive-cultural capitalism in urban contexts Human capital dynamics in metropolitan hierarchies Celebrity culture and urban glamour Creative field theories and urban policy implications Scientific Awards : 1986 Guggenheim Fellow 2003 Vautrin Lud Prize 2005 Meridian Book Prize 1999–2013: Chaires d’Excellence, Fellowships, and Doctor Honoris Causa 2008 Carol and Bruce Mallen Lifetime Achievement Award 2003 ISI Highly Cited Author
Elodie Loubaresse is an Associate Professor of Management at Paris-Saclay University since 2009. She holds a PhD in Management from Paris 2 University (supervised by Pr. Isabelle Huault) and is a former student of Ecole Normale Supérieure of Cachan. Her research focuses on innovation-organization relationships in clusters, sectors, and educational contexts, with a strong emphasis on pedagogical innovation and distance learning. She currently leads the L3 Management program and the M1 Strategic Management program in distance learning. Her academic work spans organizational dynamics, cluster networks, and spatial mobility strategies. She has organized international conferences (e.g., AIMS 2022) and served as guest co-editor for special issues on coopetition in ecosystems (FCS 2023) and spatial mobilities (RFG 2012). She is a member of the AIMS scientific committee and contributes to journal peer reviews (Management & Avenir, Revue Française de Gestion). Her teaching portfolio includes courses on strategic management, research methodology, and entrepreneurship across undergraduate and graduate levels. She leads pedagogical innovation initiatives through her role in AUNEGe (French university network for distance education) and has developed resources on management fundamentals for digital education platforms.
Dr. Maud Borie is a Senior Lecturer in Environment, Science & Society at King’s College London’s Department of Geography, within the School of Global Affairs. Her work bridges Human Geography and Science and Technology Studies (STS), focusing on biodiversity governance, environmental policy, and green finance. She holds a PhD from the University of East Anglia and has held visiting fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School. Borie’s research explores the politics of environmental knowledge and its societal implications, including nature-based solutions and green finance mechanisms. She has contributed to global initiatives like the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and co-founded the Mediterranean Alliance for Wetlands. Her recent projects include analyzing green finance’s reliance on scientific legitimacy and mapping resilience strategies in cities. She teaches courses on environmental policy, qualitative methods, and geographies of financialization. Borie has been awarded grants for interdisciplinary projects such as ‘deep listening with machines for equitable environmental futures’ and ‘forestscapes’ immersive soundscapes. Her research outputs span over 18 peer-reviewed articles, with topics ranging from climate change framing to urban resilience in the Global South. Awards: Planetary-scale interpretation (2023), Rethinking environmental policy (2022), Forestscapes collaboration (2023) Grants: Creative Collaboration Seed Fund (2023), EU/PEARL disaster resilience projects Labs/Teams: KingsCAT (Social Media Research), Political Ecology, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (PEBES) group
Dr. phil. Andrej Holm is a Researcher at the Institute of Social Sciences , Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in Urban and Regional Sociology . As a Women's Representative and active academic, he focuses on gentrification, housing policy in international comparison, and European urban policy. His work bridges academia and activism, contributing to housing referendums and social movement analysis. Research Themes : Gentrification dynamics, financialization of housing, socio-ecological housing transformation, and post-socialist urban development. Key Projects : Expert analysis for Berlin housing socialization referendum (2022), comparative studies on Amsterdam/Barcelona/Berlin/Vienna (2022), and social infrastructure reconceptualization (2021). Holm's publications span urban policy critiques and housing justice , with recent 2025 works examining financial investors' impact on Berlin housing and pandemic-era housing conditions. His research integrates political economy with spatial inequality frameworks.
Jonathan D. Gomez is an Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Studies Advisor in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at San José State University (SJSU). He also serves as Faculty Director and Co-Facilitator of the SJSU Culture Counts Reading Series. Dr. Gomez holds a 2021-2022 Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship from UC Santa Cruz’s Department of Latin American and Latino Studies. Education: PhD in Sociology with an Emphasis in Black Studies (UC Santa Barbara, 2018); BA in Sociology with Honors (UC Santa Cruz, 2008); Transfer Student in Sociology (East Los Angeles College, 2005). His research centers Chicanx and Latinx spatial practices in postindustrial Los Angeles, exploring how marginalized communities reclaim urban spaces through cultural resistance. Key themes include critical pedagogy, decolonial theory, and the intersection of race, space, and cultural expression. His work bridges sociology, cultural studies, and urban theory, with notable contributions to understanding punk subcultures and Black radical traditions. His publications reflect a trajectory from early analyses of East LA punk scenes (2012) to contemporary explorations of transformative education and spatial justice. Recent works emphasize collective pedagogical frameworks rooted in decolonial praxis. Awards: Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2021-22) As an educator, Gomez designs courses on race, creative expression, and cultural studies. He actively engages in community-based scholarship through the Culture Counts series, fostering dialogues on race and culture. His advising and mentorship are central to his role, though specific grant details are not disclosed in the provided materials. Current initiatives include directing the Culture Counts Readings Series, which amplifies marginalized voices in cultural discourse.
Tong Lam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies and the Graduate Department of History at the University of Toronto, where he also directs the Dr. David Chu Program in Asia-Pacific Studies at the Asian Institute. His research sits at the intersection of media studies, environmental history, and science and technology studies (STS), focusing on the politics and aesthetics of mobilization in China’s special zones across socialist and postsocialist eras. Employing interdisciplinary methodologies, his work explores themes such as state-precipitated violence, industrial ruination, and the socio-political implications of technology. He is a visual artist whose lens-based projects interrogate military violence, surveillance, and postindustrial landscapes. His recent scholarship analyzes postsocialist urbanism, digital governance, and the temporalities of infrastructure. While the absence of explicit scientific awards or student advisement records in the provided text precludes their inclusion here, his publications and creative practice reflect a sustained engagement with critical historical inquiry and contemporary socio-technological challenges.
