Monica Berlin was the Richard & Sophie D. Henke Distinguished Professor of English at Knox College, serving from 1998 until her passing in 2022. She held leadership roles as Chair of the Department of English and Associate Director of the Program in Creative Writing. Her academic background includes a B.A. in English Writing (1995, Knox College), M.A. in Literature and Composition (1998, Western Illinois University), and M.F.A. in Poetry (2002, Vermont College). Her research focuses on creative writing (poetry, nonfiction, fiction) and modern/contemporary American literature. She has published extensively in literary journals and anthologies, earning major awards like the Crab Orchard Poetry Series Open (2018) and New Measure Poetry Prize (2013). Her collaborative work with Beth Marzoni has been widely recognized in literary circles. Beyond academia, Berlin directed The Space (a literary center) and spearheaded digital archives like A Map of Voices: The Knox Writers' House . She contributed to campus governance as a member of the Faculty Personnel Committee and engaged with the community through roles at the Galesburg Public Library and literary festivals. Students praise her ability to guide them in refining their craft, emphasizing the 'elusive mechanics of writing.' Her legacy includes fostering literary innovation and accessibility in education and public spaces.
Matthew Potolsky is Professor of English at the University of Utah, specializing in nineteenth-century literature and literary theory. His career spans from 1998 Lecturer at Harvard University to current University Professorship. He earned a BA in Comparative Literature and Philosophy (1990), followed by MA and PhD in Comparative Literature (1992, 1997) from UC Irvine. Chair of English Department (2013-2016) University Professor (2014-2016) Research focuses on Decadence , Mimesis , Finance-Aesthetics intersections , and Government Secrecy . His work traces connections between financialization and decadent aesthetics, revealing how economic cycles influence artistic production. Key themes include: Decadent anti-realist literary movements Finance capital's cultural impact Decadent counterpublic formations Victorian aesthetic education debates Sublime aesthetics in national security Cosmopolitanism in literary communities Recent publications analyze: Decadent style as financialization rhetoric Reintroduction of verisimilitude theory Decadent responses to financial crises Mimetic labor in artistic production Decadent cosmopolitan counterpublics Historical parallels between financialization and literary decadence
Steven Jackson is a Professor of Information Science and Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University's Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, with additional graduate field appointments in Communication and Public Affairs. Since July 2023, he has served as Vice-Provost for Academic Innovation at Cornell, and previously held leadership positions as Chair of Information Science and Dean of William Keeton House. His work bridges academic research with significant institutional leadership in higher education innovation. Dr. Jackson's research focuses on critical intersections of technology, society, and the environment, with three primary strands: technology ethics, law and policy; maintenance, repair and sustainability; and technology, inequality and global development. His work draws from American pragmatism, political economy, and science and technology studies, integrating methods from sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and media studies. He is particularly interested in how computing practices meet social and material worlds, with implications for infrastructure, collaboration, sustainability, and cultural practice. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on repair as both theoretical concept and practical methodology, exploring 'ordinary hope' as a framework for technological engagement and examining unmaking as a necessary counterpart to design. The research spans diverse geographical contexts from the global North to South, addressing caste dynamics in computing, digital authoritarianism, and infrastructure challenges in developing contexts. Dr. Jackson has received significant recognition including an NSF CAREER award and more than twenty paper awards at leading computing and information science venues. His research has been supported by major organizations including the U.S. National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, World Bank, Intel Research, Atkinson Center for Sustainability, and the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council. As an advisor, Dr. Jackson has mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to prominent positions at institutions worldwide. He currently advises Jen Liu, Amy Cheatle, Daniel Mwesigwa, Johan Michalove, and Ritik Batra, while his former students include Palashi Vaghela (Assistant Professor at Simon Fraser University), Samir Passi (Responsible AI Researcher at Microsoft), Maggie Jack (Assistant Professor at NYU), and Ranjit Singh (Senior Researcher at Data and Society). Dr. Jackson convenes the Computing On Earth Lab, an experimental collaboration bringing together social scientists, humanists, artists, and engineers to rethink the material and planetary foundations of computing. The lab reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that address computing's environmental impacts and sustainability challenges.
Aya Aboelenien is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at HEC Montréal, a leading business school in Montréal, Canada. Her research focuses on morality and ethics in consumption, consumer culture theory, qualitative methods, aesthetics, and social media. She holds a Ph.D. (Marketing) from Concordia University, an M.B.A. and BBA from the American University in Cairo. Research Interests Aya’s work examines ethical consumption trends, influencer dynamics, and marketplace morality. She explores how brands navigate ethical dilemmas and how social media influencers shape consumer behavior. Her recent studies include analyses of cancel culture’s impact on brands, the ethical dimensions of influencer marketing, and meat consumption’s cultural symbolism. Recent Contributions Her 2024 papers in Journal of Brand Management and Journal of Business Research address brand response strategies to changing market logics and the formation of marketplace moral sentiments. Earlier work in Journal of Marketing Management (2023) and Consumption Markets & Culture (2022) further highlight her focus on ethical influencers and contested consumption practices. Awards & Supervision She received the Best Competitive Paper Award at the 2025 Consumer Culture Theory Conference. Since 2021, she has supervised five MSc projects on topics like green marketing, influencer strategies, and brand repositioning. She teaches courses in consultancy-based marketing research and strategic marketing. Affiliations Aya is affiliated with HEC Montréal’s marketing department and collaborates with global scholars on projects involving consumer ethics and digital marketing innovations.
Andrea Korda, PhD (University of California, Santa Barbara), is an Associate Professor of Fine Arts & Humanities and Associate Dean (Research) at the Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta. Her academic career bridges art history, material culture studies, and pedagogical innovation. Educations: BA in Fine Arts, Queen's University MA in Art History, Concordia University PhD in Art History, University of California, Santa Barbara Research Focus: Dr. Korda specializes in 19th-century visual and material culture, with a focus on education's visual dimensions, children's literature, and community-engaged projects like the award-winning Crafting Communities initiative. She co-curated the virtual exhibition Photographies (Bruce Peel Special Collections) and explores hands-on learning through historical crafts. Teaching: Courses include modern art history (AUART 220), photography theory (AUART 225), and special topics in visual culture (AUART 382). She emphasizes experiential learning and digital humanities integration, as seen in her work with the Getty Museum Challenge and OER projects. Collaborations: Leads interdisciplinary teams on projects like Crafting Communities , blending scholarship with public engagement. Her research bridges historical methodologies with contemporary pedagogical practices, fostering connections between academia and communities.
Claire Battershill is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed in the Faculty of Information and the Department of English at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and a BA (Hons) from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the history and future of the book, with a particular emphasis on feminist experimental publishing, literary aesthetics, and 20th/21st-century publishing practices. She is Co-Director of the Modernist Archives Publishing Project (MAPP), a critical digital archive of early 20th-century publishers’ records, and Co-Creator of the SSHRC-funded 'Make Believe' research-creation project. Her publications include Women and Letterpress Printing: Gendered Impressions (2022) and Using Digital Humanities in the Classroom (2022). Dr. Battershill has held prestigious roles such as Wendy M. Cecil Professor in VicOne at Victoria College and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She has secured grants including the SSHRC Impact Award (2017) and funding from the Canada Council for the Arts. Her teaching spans courses like INF2228H (The Future of Things: Digitization and Remediation) and BKS1002H (Book History in Practice), blending theory with hands-on engagement in digital humanities and book studies. Her research interests span digital humanities pedagogy, collaborative publishing projects, and the intersection of feminist theory with material book culture. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives like the Critical Digital Humanities Initiative (CDHI) at the University of Toronto.
Elif BAŞTÜRK is an Associate Professor at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Archaeology, specializing in Settlement Archaeology, Hittite studies, and Early Bronze Age ceramics. With a PhD from Ege University (2014), she has led excavations at Tanır Yassıhöyük since 2022 and participated in major projects across Anatolia. Education: PhD in Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, Ege University (2014) MA in Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, Ege University (2006) BA in Archaeology, Ege University (2003) Research Focus: Her work examines archaeological transitions in Anatolia and the Near East, particularly ceramic traditions, settlement patterns, and Assyrian influence during the Bronze and Iron Ages. She employs statistical and technological methods to analyze material culture. Projects: Notable projects include the Tanır Yassıhöyük excavations (2021–present), Assyrian trade influence studies in Afşin-Elbistan plain, and documentation of Early Bronze Age ceramics in Siirt Başur Höyük. She has also led regional surveys threatened by the Ilısu Dam. Publications: Recent outputs include 2025 studies on Iron Age ceramics and Assyrian mill technology, alongside excavation reports from 2016–2024. Her work bridges field archaeology with material analysis, contributing to understanding cultural dynamics in ancient Anatolia.
François Guimbretière is a Professor in the Department of Information Science at Cornell University, with affiliations to the Department of Design & Technology. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University and previously served on the faculty at the University of Maryland before joining Cornell in 2009. His research centers on human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, and interface design, with a strong emphasis on hardware/software co-design to create seamless, sustainable, and innovative interactive systems. His work spans multiple domains including interactive fabrication, remote collaboration, and low-power interfaces. Guimbretière's recent research explores novel fabrication methods such as interactive printing and yarn-based electronics, as well as immersive remote embodiment systems that reduce reliance on physical travel. These efforts reflect a broader trend toward sustainable and accessible interaction technologies. His publications demonstrate consistent contributions to top-tier venues in HCI and ubiquitous computing, focusing on tangible, wearable, and environmentally conscious interfaces. Scientific Recognition: He advises graduate and undergraduate researchers in the development of next-generation interactive systems. His lab supports projects in digital fabrication, remote presence, and sustainable design, often involving interdisciplinary collaboration. While specific grants are not listed, his research trajectory suggests sustained funding in human-centered technology innovation. He leads a research group focused on building practical, user-centered systems that bridge the digital and physical worlds through creative engineering and design. The lab emphasizes hands-on prototyping, real-world deployment, and the integration of traditional craft with advanced technologies.
Hannes Zacher is a Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at Leipzig University's Wilhelm Wundt Institute of Psychology. He previously held academic positions at Queensland University of Technology (Australia) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands). His research focuses on occupational health, proactive employee behavior, aging in the workplace, and sustainable organizational practices. He has been awarded grants from institutions like the German Science Foundation (DFG) and the Volkswagen Foundation. Zacher earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Justus-Liebig-University Gießen in 2009, following a Diploma (equivalent to B.Sc./M.Sc.) in Psychology from the Technical University of Braunschweig (2000–2006). His research interests include occupational health and well-being, proactive and adaptive employee behavior, aging at work and career development, and environmentally sustainable behavior in organizations. He employs methodologies such as longitudinal surveys, experience sampling, and experiments. Key themes in his work address the interplay between work environments and employee well-being, with a focus on fostering sustainable practices and mitigating age-related challenges in the workplace. Zacher leads projects such as the Centre for Digital Work and studies like 'The Role of Work in the Development of Civilization Diseases.' His publications span topics from green workplace behavior to leadership dynamics during crises. He has no listed scientific awards but has secured significant grant funding for his research. Advising and grant details reflect his commitment to impactful research, though specific student names are not provided. His lab and team efforts emphasize translating psychological insights into organizational practices for sustainability and employee well-being.
Kristin Schwain is a Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Missouri's School of Visual Studies. She holds a PhD in Art History and Humanities from Stanford University and a BA in Art History and Humanities from Valparaiso University. Her interdisciplinary research examines marginalized objects and practices in American art history, emphasizing their cultural significance through lived experience. Her educational background includes: PhD in Art History and Humanities, Stanford University BA in Art History and Humanities, Valparaiso University Dr. Schwain's research centers on American Material and Visual Culture, Art and Religion, Arts of the African Diaspora, and Public Humanities. She investigates overlooked artifacts to reveal their influence on everyday life, challenging assumptions about modernization's impact on religious expression. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary relevance through studies of traditional craft, artist books, photojournalism, and mass-produced objects as lenses into social practices. Her recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on art-religion intersections in American cultural history, from Henry Ossawa Tanner's biblical paintings to Afro-Cuban religious themes in Ediciones Vigía artist books. This body of work reveals evolving methodologies for uncovering marginalized narratives through interdisciplinary frameworks spanning visual culture, material studies, and diaspora scholarship. Her scholarly recognition includes: First Biennial National Basketry Association Book Award for Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America Dr. Schwain has secured major grants from the Smithsonian Institution, Luce/American Council of Learned Societies, Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center. Her collaborative public humanities projects with the Missouri School of Journalism's Pictures of the Year International and Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney department store collection demonstrate institutional partnerships that translate academic research into community engagement. She actively collaborates with the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri on exhibitions like Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America and Juan Roberto Diago: Foraged Materials, Assembled Histories , fostering cross-generational dialogues through multi-venue traveling shows and digital initiatives including The iCatalog .
Ronald G. Dreslinski is the Morris Wellman Faculty Development Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, within the College of Engineering. He leads the Computer Engineering Lab (CEL) and directs multiple government-funded research initiatives. His research focuses on Computer Architecture , Hardware Design Automation , and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) , specializing in autonomous system-on-chip synthesis and reconfigurable computing. His work aims to democratize hardware design by eliminating barriers of cost, expertise, and uncertainty through tools enabling no-human-in-the-loop implementation. Dr. Dreslinski manages significant funding from defense and science agencies. Current projects include: DARPA DSSoC (DASH) DARPA Space-BACN (Cochon) DARPA Prowess (Dr. Dash) IARPA Agile (PANDO) NSF Fuse (Regaining the Edge) Past projects encompass: DARPA CRAFT (CERTUS) DARPA PERFECT DARPA SDH (Transmuter) DARPA IDEA (FASoC, OpenROAD) NASA/AFRL (HPSC) He drives the OpenROAD project toward 24-hour autonomous chip design, with industrial adoption by Intel and IHP for shuttle services. His lab develops open-source tools like FASoC for synthesizable analog-digital SoC composition, advancing portability and correctness-by-construction methodologies.
Dr Nga Wun (Doris) Li is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) within the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, Department of Fashion and Textiles. She leads research in seamless knitting technology, smart textiles, and sustainable fashion innovation. PhD in Fashion & Textile Design (HK PolyU, 2021) BA (Hons) in Fashion & Textiles (HK PolyU, 2012) Certifications in Wholegarment Machine (Shima Seiki, Japan) and Higher Education Pedagogy (UTS) Her research focuses on functional garments, knitting technology, and bio-informed textile design. Key projects include smart socks for DVT prevention , one-size sports bras , and buoyant swimwear for children . She combines knitting with machine learning and 3D printing for material innovation. Recent publications highlight her work on compression textiles (2025), wearable glucose sensors (2025), and knitted metasurfaces for acoustic comfort (2024). She has secured AU$52,000+ in grants across 5 funded projects. Fashion Design Award (Jeanswest, China) Outstanding Presentation & Research Paper Awards (2024) Dr Li supervises PhD and MPhil students in smart textiles and sustainable design while coordinating machine knitting courses. She collaborates with AiDLab (Hong Kong) and Powerhouse Museum (Australia).
Dagmar Schäfer is a leading historian of science and technology, serving as Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) and holding the Chair of China Studies and History of Technology at the University of Manchester (2011). She directs Department III: Artifacts, Action, Knowledge at MPIWG since 2013 and holds Honorary Professorships at Technische Universität Berlin (History of Science and Technology) and Freie Universität Berlin (China Studies). Her research spans the history of Chinese technology (Song-Ming dynasties), material culture, and knowledge systems, emphasizing artifacts' role in scientific diffusion. Doctorate (1996) and Habilitation (2005) in Sinology and History of Science Guest Professorships: Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2017), IAS Princeton (2019), European University Institute (2022) Her seminal work, The Crafting of the 10,000 Things (2011), explores 17th-century Chinese knowledge systems, earning the Pfizer and Levenson Prizes. Recent contributions focus on knowledge ownership (co-edited Ownership of Knowledge , MIT Press 2023) and plurilingual scholarship in Eurasia (co-edited Brill 2023). Her 2020 Leibniz Prize recognized her innovative approaches to global cultural studies. Publications analyze comparative technological paradigms, local knowledge in historical contexts, and transcultural artifact analysis. She is central to the Kn/Own/Able project challenging intellectual property norms in knowledge dissemination.
Golan Levin is Professor of Electronic Art at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art, with courtesy appointments in the School of Design, School of Architecture, School of Computer Science, and Entertainment Technology Center. From 2009 to 2022, he served as Director and Co-Director of CMU's Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, a laboratory dedicated to supporting atypical, anti-disciplinary research at the intersection of arts, science, technology, and culture. Levin's research spans interactive art, digital fabrication, information visualization, and generative design. He explores the critical potential of visualization, generative computation for expressive form, and how abstraction connects to realities beyond language. His practice engages interactive gestural robotics, nonverbal interaction aesthetics, and tactical applications of personal digital fabrication through responsive artifacts and media provocations that highlight human-machine relationships. His publications reveal consistent innovation in real-time audiovisual systems, interactive fabrication interfaces, and pedagogic tools for artists. Key trends include slit-scan video techniques, tangible augmented-reality performance, and noise-based visualizations, demonstrating his commitment to expanding human action vocabulary through digital media while bridging artistic expression with computational systems. Levin's work has received significant recognition: Permanent collection inclusion at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Whitney Biennial exhibition "50 Designers Shaping the Future" by Fast Company (2012) Competitive grants from National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Creative Capital, and Rockefeller MAP Fund As an educator, Levin teaches "studio courses in computer science" on interactive art, experimental capture, and generative design, emphasizing computation as a medium for critical inquiry. His research funding from major cultural institutions supports interdisciplinary exploration at the arts-technology nexus. The Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, which he directed for 13 years, remains a vital hub for anti-disciplinary collaboration, continuing his legacy of fostering creative agency through technology-infused artistic practice.
Thompson S.H. Teo is a Professor in the Department of Analytics and Operations (DAO) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. He holds editorial roles in top journals including European Journal of Information Systems, International Journal of Information Management, and Communications of the AIS. His research spans information systems strategy, business-IT alignment, e-commerce, sustainability, and AI's societal impacts. With over 200 publications, he ranked #143 globally in 2023 among business scientists (research.com) and was recognized in Stanford's top 2% global scientists (2021-2023). Awards include the Best Associate Editor Award (2017) and AIS Distinguished Membership. Thompson's research interests include IT adoption, cyberloafing, supply chain digitalization, and green innovation. He teaches courses on innovation, Industry 4.0, and strategic IT at undergraduate, masters, and executive levels. Notable contributions include frameworks for commute experience analysis and AI adoption market signals. His work bridges theory and practice, addressing challenges in sustainability, organizational behavior, and digital governance. Affiliations: NUS Business School, Distinguished Editorial Advisory Board (IJoIM), Senior Member (INFORMS) Grants & Leadership: Extensive editorial leadership, supervised China Scholarship Council PhD students, and executive programs on innovation design thinking. Key Contributions: Over 270 publications, four co-edited books on IT/e-commerce, and policy-relevant studies on environmental regulations and green tech adoption. His research often employs mixed methods (e.g., QCA for corruption analysis, PLS-SEM for cyberloafing models) and addresses global issues like fake news mitigation via ChatGPT and pandemic-era customer engagement in short videos.
