Univ.-Prof. Robert Rollinger is a full professor at the University of Innsbruck’s Department of Ancient History and Oriental Studies. He holds academic degrees from the Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, including a M.A. (1989), PhD (1993), and Habilitation (1999). His research focuses on the interconnections between the Aegean and Ancient Near East, Achaemenid history, and global historiography. Rollinger has held prestigious positions such as editor of journals like Nikephoros and Ancient History Bulletin , and is a member of institutions including the Academia Europaea and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Research Interests Contacts between Aegean and Near Eastern worlds Ancient Near Eastern historiography Empire studies (especially Achaemenid Persia) Global and entangled history approaches Awards Dr. Seibert-Preis (1995) Preis des Fürstentums Liechtenstein (1998) Wissenschaftspreis des Österreichischen Olympischen Comités (1999) Ausonius-Preis (2023) He leads major projects like the NAWA Chair on Achaemenid-Roman empire comparisons and chairs the Austrian Academy’s “Transformation Processes and Empire” commission. His work emphasizes cross-cultural connections and imperial legacies in antiquity.
Professor Jovan Scott Lewis is a critical human geographer and anthropologist at the University of California, Berkeley , holding the Haas Distinguished Chair in Economic Disparities . His work bridges Black Geographies , Racial Capitalism , and Reparative Justice , with a focus on African-descended communities in the Caribbean and the U.S. Education : Ph.D. from the London School of Economics Leadership : Chair, UC Berkeley Department of Geography; Founder, Berkeley Black Geographies Project (2016) Public Impact : Appointed to California’s first Reparations Task Force (2021–2023); Leads post-Task Force research on racial wealth gaps His scholarship critiques reparations frameworks, advocating for relational repair beyond injury-centric models. Key works include Scammer’s Yard (2020) on Jamaican informal economies and Violent Utopia (2022) on Tulsa’s racial violence legacies. The 2023 co-edited volume The Black Geographic institutionalizes Black Geographies as a discipline. Scientific Awards : Eduardo Bonilla-Silva Book Award for Scammer’s Yard C. Wright Mills Award Finalist for Violent Utopia John Hope Franklin Prize Honorable Mention Current projects include the book State of Repair and leadership in the Alliance for Reparations, Reconciliation and Truth (AART) , alongside advisory roles for U.S. and Caribbean reparations initiatives.
Rebecca Wittmann is an Associate Professor of History in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Her research focuses on the Holocaust and postwar Germany, trials of Nazi perpetrators and terrorists, and German legal history. Her educational background includes: PhD in History, University of Toronto (specializing in Modern Europe, Germany, and the Holocaust) Professor Wittmann's research centers on the Holocaust and its aftermath in postwar Germany, with particular emphasis on the trials of Nazi perpetrators and terrorists. She examines how the German legal system confronted the crimes of the Nazi regime and the challenges of prosecuting individuals within a bureaucratic machinery of destruction. Her work also explores the role of survivor testimony and the construction of historical narratives in legal settings. Professor Wittmann's scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of law and history in the context of Nazi crimes and their aftermath. Her articles, published in leading journals such as German History and Central European History , analyze the complexities of the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trial and other postwar trials, exploring themes of legal accountability, historical memory, and the challenges of narrating the Holocaust within judicial frameworks. Her research also extends to comparative studies of terrorism trials and the process of Vergangenheitsbewältigung (coming to terms with the past) in divided Germany. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including: Fraenkel Prize in Contemporary History for her book Beyond Justice: The Auschwitz Trial Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Fellowship from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Fellowship from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Professor Wittmann has received significant research support through fellowships from major institutions, as listed above. While the text does not enumerate her current graduate students, as an Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies, she is actively involved in supervising graduate research in her areas of expertise.
Dr. Mimi Haddon is a Senior Lecturer in Music and Co-Head of the Music Department at the University of Sussex. She holds a PhD in Music History from McGill University (2015), an MSt in Musicology from the University of Oxford (2007), and a BMus from King's College London (2006). Her research focuses on popular music, particularly post-punk, disco, and their intersections with identity, genre, and cultural legitimization. Her current projects include editing DISCO! Music, Image, Dance (OUP, 2025) and the AHRC-funded Music for Girls exploring women’s knowledge cultures in popular music. She teaches modules such as Music and Society , Global Music Cultures , and Histories of Women in Music , and supervises PhD students in music studies and cultural studies. Research interests span postcolonial studies, queer theory, and feminist theory applied to music studies. She has published widely on topics like post-punk, disco, and gender in music, including her monograph What is Post-Punk? (2020). Awards include the AHRC Networking Grant for Music for Girls (2022–2023). Her work combines archival research, discourse analysis, and critical theory to explore how music reflects and shapes social identities and cultural narratives.
Ezra W. Zuckerman Sivan is the Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he also co-founded the PhD Program in Economic Sociology. He holds a BA in Political Science from Columbia University and an MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago. His research bridges economic sociology and management, focusing on how social processes shape business dynamics and vice versa. Key themes include categorical structures in markets, legitimacy work, and the interplay between strategy and social identity. Notable contributions address elite cultural consumption, market entry authenticity, and partisan moral flexibility in politics. Zuckerman Sivan teaches competitive/technology strategy at the master’s and executive levels, alongside doctoral courses in 'Sociology of Strategy' and 'Identity and Action.' His work has been recognized with the ASA Award, reflecting his impact on sociological and business scholarship. Education: BA in Political Science, Columbia University MA and PhD in Sociology, University of Chicago Executive Education: Developing and Managing a Successful Technology Strategy (multiple dates) Recent research trends highlight his exploration of political misinformation, market legitimacy, and reciprocal behavior in groups. His publications span sociology, management, and interdisciplinary journals, emphasizing both theoretical rigor and practical managerial insights.
Dr. Tim Lindgren is a Senior Lecturer in the Fashion program at the School of Design, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology (QUT). With over thirty years of experience as a commercial fashion designer in Australia and China, he brings extensive industry expertise into his academic role. He is the study area coordinator for the fashion program and actively contributes to curriculum development, including the implementation of mid-year entry. He also serves as the Academic Integrity Officer and Equity Representative for the School of Design. PhD, Queensland University of Technology Master of Global Competition and Consumer Law, University of Melbourne Master of International Business (Hons), Griffith University Graduate Certificate of Research Commercialisation, QUT Tim’s research focuses on fashion in China, fashion consumption, wearable technology, policy and legal frameworks in fashion, and principles of the circular economy. His methodologies are primarily qualitative, involving field-based primary data collection. His teaching spans both practical and theoretical domains, including fashion studios, product development, and wearable technology. His recent publications (2010–2021) explore the evolving role of Chinese fashion designers, the Shanghai fashion system, branding in China, and the integration of industry experience into academia. These works reflect a consistent engagement with global fashion systems, cultural legitimacy, and sustainable innovation. Award-winning fashion label (specific awards not named) Tim supervises postgraduate research and is an expert witness in legal fashion matters. He contributes to Standards Australia and the International Standards Organization. He is also recognized for integrating equity, integrity, and sustainability into his pedagogical practice, preparing students to be ethical leaders in the global fashion industry. He leads research on the future of fashion and market failures, and his work emphasizes sustainable practices and systemic change within the fashion industry.
Raghu Garud is the Alvin H. Clemens Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies in the Department of Management and Organization at the Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University. He is an active researcher in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and organizational theory. His research focuses on the emergence of novelty , exploring how new ideas are generated, valued, and commercialized. Key areas include entrepreneurial framing , digital innovation , organizational innovation , and technological design . He employs process-based and narrative approaches to understand innovation dynamics in contexts such as platform-based ventures, regional regeneration, and identity-challenging technologies. Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward understanding legitimacy , institutional categorization , and performative processes in innovation. His work spans comparative studies (e.g., e-cigarettes in US vs UK), in-depth case analyses (e.g., Uber, Gmail), and conceptual advancements in entrepreneurial framing and performativity. Collaborators include Y. Snihur, L. D. W. Thomas, N. Phillips, J. Gehman, and T. Tharchen. His research has appeared in top journals such as Academy of Management Review , Strategic Organization , Journal of Business Venturing , and Strategic Management Journal . While no formal awards are listed in the provided text, his sustained publication record in premier outlets and named professorship indicate significant scholarly recognition. He advises graduate students and collaborates on projects related to innovation and entrepreneurship, though specific advisees are not listed. Garud's work is associated with research on digital platforms, regional innovation ecosystems, and the cultural dimensions of entrepreneurship. He contributes to ongoing scholarly conversations on the processual nature of innovation and the role of narrative and design in entrepreneurial success.
Prof. Dr. Torsten-Oliver Salge is a University Professor and Co-Director of the Institute for Technology and Innovation Management (TIM) at RWTH Aachen University, where he heads the Innovation, Strategy and Organisation (ISO) Group since April 2013. He also serves as a Fellow of Cambridge Digital Innovation at the University of Cambridge, maintaining strong international academic connections. His work bridges theoretical organizational research with practical applications across multiple sectors. Salge completed his business administration studies across multiple European countries including Germany, France, Italy, and England. He earned both his Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees from the University of Cambridge. His academic journey includes positions as interim professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen (2012-2013), junior professor at the Ruhr-University Bochum (2009-2012), and post-doctoral research associate at Cambridge (2009). His research focuses on organizational behavior in innovation contexts , particularly examining collaboration across disciplinary, organizational, and institutional boundaries. He investigates how organizations learn from performance feedback, approach problem-solving, and implement strategic HRM practices that enhance employee well-being. A distinctive feature of his work is the examination of technology legitimation, adoption processes, and payoff realization in complex organizational settings. His research combines behavioral and institutional perspectives to understand innovation processes. Analysis of Salge's publication record reveals a strong emphasis on healthcare innovation management, with numerous studies examining hospital information systems, infection control, and healthcare service improvement. His work often applies dynamic capabilities theory to innovation processes and demonstrates methodological sophistication through both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The publications show consistent contributions to top-tier management journals including Academy of Management Review , MIS Quarterly , and Journal of Product Innovation Management . Scientific Recognition: Nominated for European Research Paper of the Year 2016 (CIONET) Multiple Best Paper awards at Academy of Management conferences across various divisions Shortlisted for Strategic Management Society (SMS) Best Conference Paper Awards Recipient of prestigious scholarships including ESRC, DAAD, and Cambridge European Trust funding Recognized with the Knut Holt Best Paper Award from ISPIM Throughout his career, Salge has maintained active collaborations with organizations across healthcare, central government, and financial services sectors. His international scholarly network is evidenced by visiting appointments at universities in Auckland, Buenos Aires, Cambridge, Oxford, and Philadelphia. At RWTH Aachen, he leads an interdisciplinary team within the TIME Research Area, which comprises over 100 senior and junior researchers working at the intersection of innovation, technology management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. As Co-Director of the RWTH TIM institute, Salge oversees a research unit with approximately 30 doctoral candidates, 5 postdocs, and more than 20 student researchers. The institute maintains strong industry connections and focuses on strategic technology management, open innovation, innovation culture, organizational change, business model development, and customer-oriented value creation.
Murat Oztok serves as Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen's School of Education, actively supervising PhD candidates across Education, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, and Computing Science. His work fundamentally challenges the assumption that digital learning spaces are inherently equitable, positioning online education as an extension of colonial practices where societal Discourses reproduce systemic inequalities through hidden curricula. Oztok's research program centers on decolonizing digital education through critical analysis of the interplay between self, knowledge, digital tools, and power structures. Key projects include his 2019 monograph The Hidden Curriculum of Online Learning which applies Foucault's power theory alongside postcolonial critiques of whiteness, and current investigations into cognitive apprenticeship models for equitable online doctoral provision. His scholarship consistently prioritizes intersectionality, epistemic justice, and transformative pedagogical approaches that confront historical power imbalances in digital learning environments. Analysis of his 2019-2025 publications reveals a clear trajectory from foundational work on social presence in MOOCs toward sophisticated postcolonial frameworks for networked learning. Oztok increasingly centers Global South perspectives and Indigenous knowledge systems, arguing technological solutions must address colonial legacies to achieve educational justice. His interdisciplinary methodology bridges educational theory, sociology, and digital humanities to develop practical strategies for inclusive digital pedagogy. As an active PhD supervisor across five disciplines, Oztok demonstrates strong commitment to mentoring next-generation scholars in decolonial digital pedagogies, though specific grant-funded projects remain undocumented in available materials. His work remains pivotal in reimagining online education as a site for transformative social change rather than reproduction of inequality.
Antoni Verger i Planells is Professor of Sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and ICREA Acadèmia researcher specializing in educational policy and comparative education. He serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Education Policy and World Yearbook of Education, and coordinates the European Master GLOBED (Education Policies for Global Development) and GLANCE research group within GEPS-UAB. His research centers on the political economy of global education governance, with primary focus on privatization, marketization, and accountability systems. He examines how international organizations drive policy convergence through instruments like large-scale assessments and public-private partnerships, while analyzing equity implications across diverse national contexts including Spain, Latin America, and OECD countries. His work critically engages with theories of policy transfer, network governance, and the emerging global education industry. Verger's recent publications (2024-2025) reveal intensifying research on privatization dynamics, showing how corporate strategies shape education reform through policy entrepreneurship and regulatory innovation. His analysis of accountability regimes demonstrates how hybrid systems create contradictory pressures on schools, while his work on teacher governance exposes tensions between performance metrics and professional autonomy across regulatory contexts. Scientific recognition: ICREA Acadèmia award for research excellence He has directed major funded projects including ILSAINC (2019-2023) mapping the global assessment industry, REFORMED (2016-2022) analyzing autonomy/accountability policies, and EDUPARTNER (2013-2016) studying public-private partnerships. His grant portfolio demonstrates sustained funding for critical analysis of global education governance structures and their implementation. Through GLANCE research group and GLOBED master program, Verger fosters international collaboration on comparative education studies, connecting scholars from Global South and North to examine power dynamics in transnational education policy processes.
Jon Vidar Sigurdsson is a Professor and Head of Department in the Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History at the University of Oslo, where he has served since September 2006 and assumed departmental leadership in January 2021. His distinguished career includes previous appointments as Associate Professor at both the University of Bergen (1991-1994) and the University of Oslo (1995 onwards), and Director of the Centre for Viking and Medieval Studies (2002-2004). His educational background features a BA in history and Icelandic literature from the University of Iceland (1984), a Cand. Philol from the University of Bergen (1987), and a PhD from the University of Bergen (1993). Prior to his academic career, he worked at the Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Bergen. Professor Sigurdsson's research focuses on Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavian societies, with particular expertise in political culture, Old Norse religion, Christianization processes, church history, saga literature, social structures, and gender studies. His current major project examines Nordic 'civil wars' in the High Middle Ages through cross-disciplinary and comparative analysis. His extensive publication record reveals consistent scholarly focus on Icelandic political structures, chieftaincy systems, and religious transformations, with recent work expanding into comparative civil war studies, saint cults, and medieval standardization processes. His research demonstrates methodological sophistication through interdisciplinary approaches that bridge historical analysis with archaeological, anthropological, and literary perspectives. Major scholarly contributions include 'Chieftains and Power in the Icelandic Commonwealth' (1999) 'Den vennlige vikingen. Vennskapets makt i Norge og på Island ca. 900-1300' (2010) Co-edited volumes including 'Medieval and Modern Civil Wars' (2021) Leadership of the 'Nordic Elites in Transformation' research series As department head, he oversees academic programs and research initiatives that position the department as a leading center for Nordic historical studies. His scholarly influence extends through numerous PhD supervisions, editorial board memberships, and international collaborations that have shaped contemporary understanding of medieval Scandinavian societies.
Stef Aupers serves as Professor of Media Culture at KU Leuven's Institute for Media Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences. His research centers on cultural sociology of media, examining meaning production, representation, and consumption in contemporary digital cultures with particular focus on conspiracy theories, game studies, and religious mediatization. His primary research domains include: Conspiracy Theory Discourse in Digital Spaces Digital Game Culture and Social Dynamics Religion-Media Intersections Popular Culture Analysis Mediatization of Modern Myth Analysis of his 2021-2025 publications reveals consistent exploration of how conspiracy theorists construct worldviews through digital platforms, the commodification of religion in gaming ecosystems, and socio-technical exclusion mechanisms. His work demonstrates methodological sophistication in analyzing YouTube/Reddit communities, audiovisual rhetoric, and epistemological boundary work between mainstream and alternative knowledge systems. Aupers actively contributes as keynote speaker, conference organizer, and academic journal reviewer, with expertise spanning media analysis, conspiracy culture interpretation, and science-religion discourse. His research provides critical frameworks for understanding contemporary digital culture's most contentious phenomena through cultural sociological lenses.
Dr David Johnson is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Durham University Business School, where he serves as Associate Chair for the £9 million Smart & Scale initiative supporting SME innovation in North-East England. He is also a Fellow of the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing and maintains active Visiting Fellow positions at international institutions. Johnson's educational background includes: PhD in Management (Entrepreneurship), University of Edinburgh Business School MSc by Research (Entrepreneurship), University of Edinburgh Business School MBA, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow Master's degree in Science, University of Edinburgh Bachelor's degree in Science, University of Leeds PG Cert in Learning, Teaching, and Assessment Practice His research centers on academic entrepreneurship , life science commercialisation , and university-industry engagement , with particular focus on linguistic approaches and machine learning applications. Johnson examines how institutional practices shape entrepreneurial activities across contexts ranging from regenerative medicine to Freemasonry, emphasizing the built environment's role in ecosystem development. Johnson's publication trajectory reveals evolving methodological sophistication, shifting from early studies on regenerative medicine venturing (2014-2017) toward computational linguistics and machine learning applications (2024-2025). His work consistently bridges theoretical frameworks with practical innovation challenges, spanning entrepreneurial ecosystems, technology transfer, and narrative analysis in resource mobilization. His scientific recognition includes: NASA Innovation and Technology Transfer: Space2Pitch Final Visiting Research Fellow at Interface, Edinburgh Fellow of Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing Visiting Research Fellow at Skolkovo Institute Visiting Research Scholar at Wisconsin School of Business Fellow of Higher Education Academy Johnson supervises postgraduate students including Clare Talbot-Jones and Olivia King, supported by over £500,000 in research funding: Science commercialisation activities at university-industry boundary (£390,824) Cardiology-focused point-of-care device development (£38,934) Primary Research Support Fund for Zambian field research (2025) Global Engagement Grant for Dartmouth College knowledge exchange (2024) He actively leads research infrastructure as Co-Director of Durham Enterprise Centre and through his Smart & Scale initiative role, while contributing to interdisciplinary health research via the Wolfson Institute fellowship.
Ulrike Altendorf serves as Associate Professor of Contemporary English Language at Leibniz University Hannover's Faculty of Philosophy, where she holds multiple leadership positions including Head of the English Linguistics Department and Managing Director of the English Department (since 2021, and previously from 2012-2014). Her extensive administrative roles include Deputy Chair of the Audit Committee, Examination Officer for German and English Linguistics, and representation on the Doctoral Committee of the Faculty of Philosophy. Altendorf's research expertise centers on English language variation with particular focus on Estuary English, which has formed the cornerstone of her academic career since her 2001 doctoral dissertation at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Her scholarly approach bridges traditional dialectology with cognitive sociolinguistics, developing innovative frameworks like the perceptual prototype approach to language variation. She examines how ideology and social perception shape linguistic categorization, particularly in the contested case of Estuary English as a legitimate dialect category. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on language variation, with particular attention to British English dialects, accent studies, and the sociocultural dimensions of linguistic change. Her work demonstrates evolution from descriptive documentation of Estuary English features to theoretical contributions examining the cognitive and ideological processes behind dialect formation and recognition. Recent publications increasingly incorporate cognitive sociolinguistic perspectives while maintaining empirical grounding in phonetic and phonological analysis. Altendorf leads active research projects including 'Estuary English Revisited' and 'S Retraction,' examining sound changes in Southeastern England. Her scholarly influence extends through editorial work, including co-editing 'Cultural Issues in the Matrix of Applied Linguistics' (2020) and 'Australien Verstehen – Facetten eines Kontinents' (2010), demonstrating her commitment to interdisciplinary approaches in linguistic research.
Anna Kende is a University Professor at Eötvös Loránd University, serving as Director of the Institute of Psychology and Head of the Department of Social Psychology. She actively contributes to academic governance as a member of both the Faculty Honors Committee and Faculty Council. Her research centers on the psychology of intergroup relations, with specialized expertise in social change processes, prejudice reduction mechanisms, and collective action dynamics. A defining focus of her work examines anti-Gypsyism and the social inclusion challenges faced by Roma communities across Europe, integrating both theoretical frameworks and applied interventions. Her research methodology frequently employs large-scale international collaborations spanning dozens of countries. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2025) reveals three dominant research trajectories: pandemic-induced shifts in intergroup relations (particularly migration attitudes), cross-cultural analyses of allyship motivations for marginalized groups (LGBTQ+ and Roma), and context-dependent interventions for reducing structural prejudice. Her work consistently utilizes multinational datasets and addresses contemporary societal challenges through psychological lenses. Professor Kende has secured substantial funding from European Union programs and other international organizations for numerous research projects. She leads the Social Groups and Media Research Workshop, which investigates group dynamics, media influences on social attitudes, and psychological mechanisms of social change. Her work bridges academic research with real-world applications in prejudice reduction and social cohesion.
