Graham Ward serves as Regius Professor of Divinity at Christ Church College, University of Oxford, and holds a Visiting Senior Research Fellow position in Theology at Campion Hall. His academic profile bridges institutional theology with cross-disciplinary cultural analysis within Oxford's theological framework. His research spans systematic theology, philosophy, and cultural studies, with concentrated focus on religion's interplay with anthropology, sociology, political theory, gender studies, and contemporary science. Current work involves a three-volume project developing culturally engaged systematic theology that confronts modern secular frameworks while re-examining Christian doctrine's societal relevance. Publication trends reveal sustained engagement with political theology (particularly through Carl Schmitt interpretations), deconstructive philosophy (Barth/Derrida dialogues), and cultural dynamics of religious practice. His scholarship consistently examines how theological concepts navigate modernity's collapse, addressing secularization through aesthetics, urban studies, and critical theory while maintaining doctrinal rigor.
Laura Spitz is Dean and Professor at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law, with a concurrent Visiting Professorship at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne Law School. Her academic and professional journey spans multiple institutions, including Seattle University, University of New Mexico, Cornell University, and Thompson Rivers University. Educational Background: JSD, Cornell University JD, University of British Columbia BA, University of Toronto Spitz's research interrogates the legal construction of borders and identities, blending contracts, commercial law, and critical analyses of personhood in corporate and environmental contexts. Her work explores the limits of subject-object dichotomies in law and society. Notable awards include multiple Graduation Hooding Professor distinctions at the University of New Mexico and Colorado Law School, alongside teaching accolades. She contributes to constitutional pluralism debates and has co-authored influential works on legal personhood. A nonpracticing member of the Law Society of British Columbia, Spitz serves as a legal expert in contracts and business law, with experience in First Nations economic development and nonprofit law. She has advised on Supreme Court cases and held leadership roles in global engagement and international affairs.
Professor Jinhua Chen (PhD, McMaster University, 1997) is a leading scholar in East Asian Buddhism at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts. Holding a Canada Research Chair (2001-2011) and inducted into the Royal Society of Canada (2020), his work spans trans-regional Buddhist narratives, monastic institutions, relic veneration, and technological innovations in medieval Asian religions. Key Affiliations: UBC Buddhist Forum (Director), Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies (Resident Scholar), and editorial roles in Brill Book Series on East Asian Religions and Studies in Chinese Religions . Research Themes: Combines textual analysis with interdisciplinary methods to explore Buddhist sacred sites, doctrinal transmissions, and church-state dynamics. His projects include From the Ground Up (SSHRC Partnership Grant 2016-2023), examining East Asian religions through multi-media sources, and studies on ruixiang (propitious signs) in medieval Chinese prognostication. Scientific Awards: Royal Society of Canada Fellow, Canada Research Chair, SSHRC Insight Grants, Humboldt Research Fellowship, and Max Planck Institute funding. Publications: Over 30 book chapters and journal articles (2000-2016), including monographs on Fazang, Shingon-Tendai conflicts, and Buddhist sacred geography. Teaching: Courses on Chinese thought, Chan/Zen Buddhism, and Buddhist text interpretation, emphasizing methodological rigor and cross-cultural analysis. Projects: Directed international collaborations on Buddhist manuscripts, palace chapels, and relic cultures, with grants totaling over $4 million CAD.
Ryuichi Abe is the Reischauer Institute Professor of Japanese Religions at Harvard University, currently on leave during 2025-26. He holds a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Columbia University and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on East Asian religions, premodern Japanese religions, and Buddhism. Education B.A. in Economics from Keio University M.A. from School of Advanced International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Columbia University Professor Abe's research focuses on Japanese Buddhism and its intersections with visual culture, literature, and gender studies. He explores historical developments of esoteric Buddhist traditions and interactions between Shinto and Buddhist practices. His work spans critical analyses of Buddhist textual theory, medieval origin narratives, and the cultural impact of figures like Zen Master Ryōkan. Publications include studies on Kūkai's esoteric discourse, the Lotus Sutra's medieval interpretations, and Xuanzang's Heart Sutra in Japanese kami worship contexts. Key themes in his research include ritual consecration, medieval Buddhist environments, and the symbolic integration of Shinto elements into Buddhist frameworks. He has contributed to journals such as Japanese Journal of Religious Studies and Impressions .
Simon Stern is a Professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he has taught since 2007, holding progressively senior positions from Assistant to full Professor since 2019. He serves as Chair in Innovation Law (2020-present) and Director of the Center for Innovation Law & Policy (2012-present). His research bridges legal doctrines with literary/intellectual history, focusing on legal fictions, the "reasonable man" standard, and intersections between law and sexuality. Ph.D. in English (UC Berkeley), J.D. (Yale), B.A. in English (Yale, magna cum laude) Editor-in-Chief of Yale Journal of Law & Humanities during law school Research interests include: law and literature, legal history, sexuality and the law, criminal law, and intellectual property. His work examines narrative techniques in legal reasoning, evidentiary standards, and historical evolution of legal concepts through literary frameworks. Recent publications analyze legal fictions, reasonable person standard evolution, and 19th-century tort law narratives. He co-edits Oxford University Press' Law and Literature series and the New Rambler Review. 2012 SLS Partnership Award for student advocacy 2023-2026 President of academic organization Serves on SSHRC Insight Grants Committee and multiple editorial boards
Mahmoud Abdallah is a Researcher at the Center for Islamic Theology , University of Tübingen, where he has worked since 2020. His career includes roles as Senior Scientist at the University of Innsbruck (2019–2020), Project Leader at ZITh (2016–2019), and Post-Doc researcher (2013–2018). He also held guest lectures at Marmara University (2017) and served as an Arabic Editor (2012–2013). Education : PhD in Comparative Linguistics (2012, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf), Master’s summa cum laude (2002, University of Minia), State Examination (1998, Al-Azhar University). Research Interests focus on Islamic Theology , Pastoral Care , Interreligious Dialogue , and Religious Institutions in Pluralistic Societies . He explores hermeneutics in Islamic counseling, Ḥisba in public order, and Umma dynamics in multicultural contexts. Recent Publications (2014–2022) analyze Qur’anic ambiguity , interfaith education , religious responses to crises (e.g., pandemic pastoral care), and Islamic social ethics . Key themes include Abrahamic unity , contextual theology , and religious hermeneutics . Scientific Awards : Master’s degree with summa cum laude distinction (University of Minia, 2002). Advising & Projects : Co-editor of Grundlagen muslimischer Seelsorge (2020) and Theologie des Zusammenlebens series (2017–2022). Led the 2016 project Scientific Education and Social Responsibility (Baden-Württemberg Ministry). Currently working on books about Prophetic Hermeneutics (2023) and Religious Transformations in Crisis (2022). Committee Memberships : Member of the German Islam Conference (since 2018), Scientific Advisory Boards at Zukunftsforum Islam e.V. (since 2017), and the DAVO (German Working Group on the Middle East, since 2009).
Professor Matthew Jones is Professor of International History at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he joined in 2013. He previously held academic positions at the University of Nottingham and Royal Holloway, University of London. He was appointed Cabinet Office official historian for the UK strategic nuclear deterrent in 2008. University: London School of Economics and Political Science School: Department of International History Academic Rank: Professor Email: m.c.jones@lse.ac.uk Office: SAR.3.09 Office Hours: Wednesday 1-2pm, Thursday 4-5pm Education: Undergraduate Degree: University of Sussex DPhil in Modern History: St Antony’s College, Oxford Professor Jones’s research focuses on 20th-century international history, particularly Post-WWII British Foreign and Defence Policy , Cold War Nuclear History , and British Decolonization in Southeast Asia . His work explores Anglo-American relations, nuclear strategy in Asia, and the political history of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. He has a sustained interest in the Vietnam War and US foreign relations after 1941. His recent publications reveal a strong trend in official historical analysis of nuclear policy, especially through his two-volume Official History of the UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent , based on full access to classified government records. His scholarship combines diplomatic, strategic, and political history with deep archival research, often uncovering new insights into high-level decision-making during the Cold War. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Appointed Cabinet Office official historian of the UK strategic nuclear deterrent and Chevaline programme (2008) Recipient of grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, British Academy, JFK Library, LBJ Library, Gilder Lehrman Institute, and Eccles Centre Professor Jones has supervised multiple PhD students, including Grant Golub, Alexandra Penler, and William King. His research is supported by major grants from national and international funding bodies. He has also served as Head of the Department of International History at LSE from 2017 to 2020. He is actively involved in public engagement, having delivered talks at institutions such as the Woodrow Wilson Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Royal United Services Institute. His work bridges academic scholarship and policy-relevant historical analysis.
Joanna Grela is a Professor at the Department of Comparative Civilization Studies within the Faculty of Philosophy at Jagiellonian University (UJ) in Kraków, Poland. She holds habilitation in cultural studies (2016, SWPS University, Warsaw), a doctorate in religious studies (2004, Jagiellonian University), and is a certified Tibetologist (2000, INALCO, Paris). Her academic credentials also include an MA in philosophy (1996, Jagiellonian University) and postgraduate studies in gender (2009, Jagiellonian University). Her educational background includes: 2004: PhD in Humanities in religious studies, Jagiellonian University 2000: Diplôme Unilingue de Langue et Civilization Orientales de Tibétain, Institut National des Langues et Civilizations Orientales (INALCO), Paris 1996: Master of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University 2009: Postgraduate studies in gender, Jagiellonian University Professor Grela's research focuses on Tibetan, Himalayan, and Mongolian cultures, with particular emphasis on pre-Buddhist cults and their contemporary representations in popular culture, societal transformations, Tibetan ethnic and cultural identity, cultural stereotypes, and the comparative anthropology of Buddhism. Her work bridges religious studies, cultural anthropology, and Tibetan studies, examining both historical traditions and their modern adaptations. She has made significant contributions to understanding how traditional Buddhist practices interact with contemporary social contexts, digital technologies, and global cultural flows. Her scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with Tibetan religious culture, Buddhist textual traditions, and the adaptation of Buddhist practices in modern contexts. She has extensively explored the relationship between pre-Buddhist traditions and contemporary religious practices, the role of deities in Tibetan Buddhism, and the transformation of Buddhist thought in different cultural settings including Thailand and Poland. Her more recent work addresses how Buddhism is adapting to digital environments and contemporary social challenges. Her notable achievements include: 2017: Pro Arte Docendi Award from the Rector of Jagiellonian University Multiple teaching awards (2011/12, 2012/13, 2014/15) Membership in the International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU) Collaboration with the Centre d'Etudes Himalayennes CNRS Professor Grela has led significant research projects including 'The impact of secularization and schooling on socio-religious relations between ritual specialists and the lay community in the Rebkong region' (2018-2020) and 'The Common Buddhist Text Project' (2009-2016). Her work demonstrates a strong commitment to both scholarly research and teaching excellence, with numerous publications spanning academic journals, edited volumes, and encyclopedia entries. She maintains active international collaboration and has presented her research at conferences across Europe and Asia.
Nicolas Petit is a Full-time Professor and Head of the Department of Law at the European University Institute (EUI). His expertise lies in EU and US competition law, law and economics, and the intersection of law and technological change. He co-founded the Dynamic Competition Initiative (DCI) with UC Berkeley in 2022. Petit holds a PhD from the University of Liège, Belgium, where he was previously a Full Professor. He has held visiting roles at Harvard Law School, Stanford University, and the College of Europe. His research focuses on dynamic competition, digital markets, and the 'more economic approach' to antitrust. Key projects include analyzing platform regulation, AI governance, and the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). Petit has advised the European Commission’s High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence and contributed to policy submissions for India, Brazil, and the EU. Publications span top journals like the Antitrust Law Journal and European Law Review , with an SSRN ranking of 23 among top legal scholars. He regularly engages in public discourse through platforms like Bluesky, addressing topics such as antitrust limits, AI regulation, and digital market dynamics. Current roles include Project Director at the EUI and leadership in initiatives like the Competition Law and Policy Workshop. His work integrates doctrinal, economic, and empirical methods to address modern regulatory challenges.
Niccolò Ridi is Senior Lecturer in Public International Law and Associate Director of the Centre for International Governance and Dispute Resolution (CIGAD) at King's College London's Dickson Poon School of Law. He joined King's in 2021 after roles at Liverpool University, Copenhagen University, and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. He holds a PhD from King's, an LLM from Cambridge, and an LLB/MA from Florence. His research focuses on international law (public/private), dispute settlement, and empirical methodologies including data mining/social network analysis. He is finalizing books on international adjudication precedent and comity principles (with Thomas Schultz). He serves as Assistant Editor of the Journal of International Dispute Settlement and is affiliated with leading legal societies. Key research areas include judicial behavior analysis, international court performance, and legal communities' practices. His recent work employs scientometrics to study legal idea propagation and network analysis of scholarly collaboration. He co-leads interdisciplinary initiatives like the Centre for Data Futures, exploring data-driven legal tools. His 2020s research emphasizes ICJ dynamics, Security Council resolution impacts, and investment arbitration innovations. He has supervised 1 PhD student and participates in global legal forums.
Raquel E. Aldana is the Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis School of Law, where she rejoined as a full-time faculty member in 2020 after serving as Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Diversity (2017–2020). She holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. degrees in English and Spanish from Arizona State University (summa cum laude). Her academic career includes prior roles at the McGeorge School of Law and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, as well as a Fulbright Scholarship in Guatemala (2006–2007). Her research focuses on transitional justice, criminal justice reform, sustainable development in Latin America, and immigrant rights. Aldana has authored or edited five books and over thirty law review articles, earning recognition through grants such as the UC Davis Academic Senate Interdisciplinary Grant for the project Building Bridges: Narrowing the Legal-Scientific Divide in Immigration Forensic Assessments . She teaches courses on immigration law, asylum, comparative forced displacement, and critical race theory. Aldana leads the Aoki Center for Critical Race and Nation Studies, co-directing its mission to advance interdisciplinary scholarship on race, ethnicity, and law. She co-founded the Critical Race Theory Book Series with UC Press, aiming to globalize and diversify critical race discourse. Her awards include the ABA’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award and the UC Davis Chancellor’s Achievement Award for Diversity. Her service includes roles on the American Law Institute, American Bar Foundation, and the Council on Foreign Relations. She chairs the ABA’s Latin America and Caribbean Council and co-chaired the UC Davis taskforce to achieve Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) status, realized in 2024. Her work integrates legal education, policy reform, and grassroots advocacy to address systemic inequities in migration, criminal justice, and global development.
David Germano is Professor of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia's College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Religious Studies. He also holds a Clinical Professor appointment in Nursing and serves as Director of multiple centers including the Tibet Center, the Contemplative Sciences Center, and SHANTI (Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts Network of Technological Initiatives). Since 2000, he has directed the Tibetan and Himalayan Library, establishing himself as a leading figure in Tibetan studies and digital humanities. Germano earned his B.A. from Notre Dame University in 1984 and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in 1992. His academic career at UVA progressed from Assistant Professor (1992-1998), to Associate Professor (1998-2011), and finally to Professor (2011-present). His research focuses on the Nyingma and Bön lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly tantric traditions and Buddhist philosophy from the eighth to fifteenth centuries. He also studies Tibetan history and literature, contemporary Tibet (especially regarding religion, education, and technology), and digital humanities. Germano is particularly interested in engaged scholarship that inserts higher education into a socially transformative role across various sectors. Germano's publications reveal a consistent focus on Tibetan Buddhist traditions, with particular emphasis on Dzogchen (Great Perfection) teachings, visionary movements, and the intersection of traditional practices with contemporary contexts. His work spans religious studies, anthropology, digital humanities, and Tibetan cultural studies, demonstrating interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Tibetan Buddhism and its modern manifestations. As a leader in digital humanities, Germano has pioneered numerous initiatives including the Tibetan and Himalayan Digital Library, the Tibetan Unicode Project, the Tibetan Literary Encyclopedia, and the Tibetan Language Learning Resources initiative. He has also co-directed the UVa-Machik Geotourism Initiative and the Tibetan and Himalayan Historical GIS project, demonstrating his commitment to innovative approaches for preserving and disseminating Tibetan knowledge.
Associate Professor Mariah Zeisberg researches constitutional theory and American political development at the University of Michigan's Department of Political Science. Her work examines constitutional interpretation by non-judicial branches, executive authority in national security contexts, and democratic legitimacy. Her award-winning book 'War Powers: The Politics of Constitutional Authority' developed a relational theory of constitutional interpretation for elected branches. Current projects investigate antislavery constitutionalism, including Frederick Douglass's constitutional thought and the role of abolitionist family networks in shaping constitutional change. Teaching includes courses on constitutional politics, war powers, and legal theory. Her research bridges political theory, legal studies, and American political development to understand how political actors maintain constitutional fidelity outside judicial channels.
Bene Colenbrander is a Researcher in the Department of History at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy, joining the 2024 cohort. He is supervised by Professor Alexia Yates and second-read by Carlotta Sorba, indicating his active engagement in advanced historical research within a prestigious academic environment. His research centers on intellectual and legal history, particularly focusing on early modern political thought. Key areas include the concept of 'reason of state,' the works of Hugo Grotius, and the development of international legal theory during the 17th century. His work bridges political philosophy, legal doctrine, and historical context, contributing to broader understandings of statecraft and sovereignty in early modern Europe. Bene's sole known publication to date, 'Reason of state in Hugo Grotius' 'De Iure Praedae'' (2024), reflects a deep engagement with foundational texts in international law. The article explores the interplay between moral philosophy, legal justification, and state interest in Grotius’ early writings, situating them within the political dynamics of the Dutch Republic. This suggests a research trajectory grounded in archival and textual analysis of canonical thinkers in political and legal theory. Bene Colenbrander has not yet received any listed scientific awards. As a current researcher, he is not known to be advising students or leading grants. He is part of the academic community within the Department of History at EUI, contributing to scholarly discourse in intellectual and legal history.
Jari Murto serves as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki, where he specializes in Labour and Social Law. With over two decades of academic and practical experience, he contributes significantly to Finnish and European labour law discourse through publications, policy analysis, and academic leadership. His educational qualifications include a Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, and Master of Laws (LL.M). Murto's doctoral dissertation Ryhmänormit yrityksessä (Group Norms in Companies, 2015) established foundational research on workplace norm systems. Murto's research examines labour law doctrines, norm systems, working conditions determination, and transition-phase labour market issues. He analyzes EU policy impacts on national frameworks, lifelong learning integration into labour law, and psychosocial workplace safety. Recent work addresses digital workplace challenges, parental employment policies, and just transitions in green/digital economies. His scholarship bridges theoretical legal frameworks with practical industrial relations through frequent commentary on Supreme Court decisions. As Doctoral Programme Supervisor, Murto mentors emerging legal scholars while maintaining active peer review roles. He serves on Finland's Board for Strengthening General Applicability of Collective Agreements and participates in European labour law networks including the Labour Law Research Network and Nordic Network of Labour Law Scholars. His conference activities span topics from social packages in income policy agreements to lifelong learning's role in modern labour law. Murto maintains strong engagement with practical legal applications through Supreme Court commentary series ( KKO:n ratkaisut kommentein ) and regular contributions to Lakimies journal. His research methodology combines doctrinal analysis with empirical studies of workplace practices and policy implementation.
