Christopher Thomas Ryan is an Associate Professor in the Operations and Logistics Division at the UBC Sauder School of Business. He holds a PhD and BA from UBC in Management Science and Mathematics, respectively. His research spans optimization theory, game theory, theoretical economics, video game design, and pedagogy for business education. He has held positions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is affiliated with the Colibri Learning Foundation. Education: BA (Mathematics) and PhD (Management Science) from UBC; BA (Sociology and Economics) from University of Guelph. He has authored numerous textbooks and case studies, including works on research careers, operations management, and teaching methodologies. His work integrates human-centric approaches to operations and education systems. Research Interests include small business operations, education operations, theoretical economics, and the design of video games. He has published in top journals like Management Science, Econometrica, and Mathematical Programming. His grants include SSHRC and NSERC awards. Ryan advises students across multiple institutions and has mentored prominent faculty in marketing, operations, and MIS fields. Teaching focuses on core operations management for MBA programs and pedagogical innovation. He has developed cases on AI in education, early childhood development, and small business sustainability. Ryan’s work bridges academic research with practical applications in business and education sectors.
Tamar Gutner is Professor at American University's School of International Service (SIS), where she previously served as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Graduate Education and directed the MAIR, GGPS, and IER MA programs. Her leadership extends to program development and faculty mentorship, recognized by the 2017 Outstanding Faculty Mentor award. Education: Ph.D. in Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology M.A. in International Relations, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) B.S. in Radio/TV/Film, Northwestern University Professor Gutner's research examines the performance and effectiveness of international organizations, particularly international financial institutions. Her work analyzes institutional collaboration between the IMF and World Bank, the design of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and environmental governance in multilateral development banks. She employs theoretical frameworks from agency theory and institutional analysis to investigate mandate-performance gaps in global governance structures, with regional expertise in Central and Eastern Europe and emerging economies. Her publication trends reveal deepening focus on inter-organizational dynamics since 2020, shifting from single-institution analyses to collaborative mechanisms between multilateral entities. Recent work emphasizes evaluation methodologies for IO collaboration, with increasing attention to China's role in reshaping global financial governance through institutions like the AIIB. Scientific Awards: American University William Cromwell Award for Outstanding Teaching (2025) Darrell Randall Award for Outstanding Service (2014, 2024) Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship (2019) Multiple AU SIS Faculty Research and Curriculum Development Grants Professor Gutner has secured significant research funding from the Council on Foreign Relations, Brookings Institution, MacArthur Foundation, and International Studies Association. As a mentor, she has guided numerous graduate students through AU's international relations programs, with former advisees now working in international organizations and policy institutions. Her 2019 fellowship at the IMF's Independent Evaluation Office informed both her scholarly work and practical contributions to institutional evaluation frameworks. Her professional engagement includes regular participation in major conferences like the American Political Science Association and International Studies Association, where she presents on MDB collaboration strategies and global governance innovations. Current projects examine evolving corporate strategies in multilateral development banks as accountability mechanisms.
Tim Baldenius serves as the Paul M. Montrone Professor of Private Enterprise in the Accounting Division of Columbia Business School at Columbia University. He rejoined Columbia in 2017 after serving as Chair of NYU Stern's Accounting Department (2011-2016), and previously held faculty positions at Columbia Business School (1998-2011) where he chaired the Accounting Division (2009-2011). His teaching portfolio includes MBA courses in Financial Planning & Analysis, PhD seminars on managerial accounting, and executive education programs. His academic credentials include a Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Hamburg and a PhD in Accounting from the University of Vienna. Baldenius maintains editorial leadership as Associate Editor of Management Science and serves on the editorial boards of The Accounting Review , Review of Accounting Studies , and Review of Managerial Sciences . Professor Baldenius's research centers on managerial accounting systems, performance measurement frameworks, and corporate governance structures. His work examines how accounting information drives organizational decision-making, incentive design, and resource allocation. Key themes include transfer pricing mechanisms, cost allocation methodologies, and the interplay between managerial and tax objectives within multidivisional firms. His theoretical models often integrate contract theory with organizational economics to address real-world coordination challenges. His publication record spans top-tier journals in accounting, finance, and economics, revealing consistent focus on performance measurement systems (35%), transfer pricing (25%), corporate governance (20%), and incentive design (20%). The research demonstrates strong methodological diversity, employing game theory (40%), mathematical modeling (30%), and empirical analysis (30%) to investigate organizational decision processes. Baldenius has held significant leadership roles including Accounting Division Chair at Columbia (2009-2011) and Accounting Department Chair at NYU Stern (2011-2016). His teaching spans MBA, MS, PhD, and executive education programs with courses covering Financial Planning & Analysis, Accounting for Consultants, and Analytical Models in Accounting. His case studies on Sub-Micron Devices Inc. and Beanie Kids Holiday Camp are widely used in accounting pedagogy.
Mallesh M Pai is the Lay Family Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Rice University and a CEPR Research Fellow. His research bridges mechanism design, auction theory, and blockchain economics, with applications to decentralized finance (DeFi) and privacy economics. Prior to Rice, he was a Janice and Julian Bers Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. PhD in Managerial Economics and Strategy, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University Bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi His work focuses on designing robust mechanisms in environments with information asymmetry, privacy constraints, and decentralized systems. Recent publications address dynamic transaction fees, blockchain centralization, and algorithmic collusion. He serves on program committees for major conferences in computer science and economics. Indirect Persuasion (Journal of Political Economy) Dynamic Transaction Fee Mechanism Design (with Max Resnick) Collusive Outcomes via Pricing Algorithms (Marketing Science) Mallesh has received significant recognition for his work, including the Best Paper award at the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics (2021) and Best Pricing Paper from the American Marketing Association RAPSIG (2023). His research is supported by NSF grants on fair data analysis and digital privacy foundations. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in microeconomic theory and market design at Rice, emphasizing practical applications of theoretical models. His Erdős number is 3, reflecting interdisciplinary collaborations.
Jin Li serves as Zhang Yonghong Professor in Economics and Strategy, Area Head of Management and Strategy, and Director of the Centre for AI, Management and Organization (CAMO) at Hong Kong University Business School. Previously, he held tenured positions at Kellogg School of Management and London School of Economics where he was Tenured Associate Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy. Professor Li's research focuses on organizational economics, personnel economics, and labor economics, examining how firms design organizations to align incentives and build trust. His recent work explores digital economy topics including causality issues in machine learning algorithms, blockchain governance, and AI-organization interactions. This research demonstrates how organizational design creates competitive advantage through effective incentive structures and relational contracts. His publication portfolio shows consistent output in top-tier journals with recent emphasis on AI's organizational impact (2022-2023). Key thematic clusters include relational contracting dynamics (30% of recent work), digital transformation challenges (25%), labor market structures (20%), and blockchain governance mechanisms (15%). Management Department teaching prize at London School of Economics Associate Editor, Management Science Professor Li has advised numerous PhD students through courses like 'Economics of Organization for PhDs' at Kellogg. His service includes reviewing for 30+ top journals (AER, Econometrica, JPE, QJE, ReStud) and grant proposals for NSF and SSHRC. He serves as external PhD examiner for Norwegian School of Economics. As Director of CAMO, he leads research initiatives at the AI-organization interface, focusing on how artificial intelligence transforms workplace structures, managerial decision-making, and competitive dynamics in digital economies.
Lucia Zappalà is a Full Professor of General and Applied Entomology at the University of Catania's Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) since 2020. She serves as University Delegate for International Relations since 2019 and President of the European University Alliance EUNICE since 2024. Her research focuses on Hymenoptera parasitoids, integrated pest management (IPM), and pesticide effects on natural enemies. She is a member of the Italian Entomological Society's Agricultural Entomology section and the Italian National Academy of Entomology. PhD in Agricultural Entomology (University of Naples Federico II, 2001) Postdoctoral fellowship at University of Florida (2003) University of Catania faculty since 2006 Visiting professor at UC Berkeley (2015) Her research spans biological control agent discovery, pesticide risk assessment, and invasive pest management across Mediterranean agroecosystems. She has published over 300 indexed articles (h-index 37) on parasitoid-pest interactions and sustainable control strategies. Recent work examines botanical extract compatibility with natural enemies and essential oil-based plant defenses . She contributes to Phytoparasitica and European Journal of Entomology editorial boards. Scientific awards include a 2003 postdoctoral fellowship. She has served as Principal Investigator for national (FIR, PRIN) and international (FP7, ARIMNET 2) projects, and contributes to EFSA's Plant Health Panel. Her laboratory (Biocontrol Lab, Di3A) conducts applied entomology research on invasive Hemiptera and quarantine pest evaluations .
Vera Angelova is a Professor of Economics at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Villingen-Schwenningen , Faculty of Economics. She has held academic positions including Acting Professor at Freie Universität Berlin (2024) and long-term Research Associate roles at Technical University of Berlin (2012-2024) and Max Planck Institute for Economics (2006-2012). Doctorate in Economics (Dr. rer. pol.) from Friedrich Schiller University Jena (2010) Studied at Humboldt University of Berlin (2000-2005) and University of Western Ontario (2004-2005) Her research focuses on experimental and behavioral economics, game theory, and organizational economics. Recent publications explore topics like decision fatigue in competitive environments, incentive structures in expert markets, and cooperative strategies in game-theoretic frameworks. Scientific recognition includes the prestigious Otto Hahn Medal (2011) and the award for best course at Technical University of Berlin (2017). She has contributed to collaborative research centers on Rationality & Competition and Economic Risk. Angelova has been actively involved in academic governance, serving as Deputy Chair of Technical University of Berlin's Ethics Committee (2019-2024) and on the board of the ProFiL leadership development network (2020-2024). Her teaching spans microeconomics, economic policy, and statistics-related courses.
Joseph N.S. Eisenberg, PhD, MPH is Professor of Epidemiology and Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health . A leading infectious-disease epidemiologist, Eisenberg integrates theoretical transmission modelling with large-scale field studies to understand how environmental and social determinants drive water- and vector-borne disease dynamics across the globe. Education PhD, University of California, Berkeley/San Francisco, 1992 MPH, University of California, Berkeley, 1991 BS, University of California, Berkeley, 1982 Research Focus Eisenberg’s work centres on infectious disease epidemiology , particularly the environmental determinants of waterborne and vector-borne pathogens. His group develops dynamic transmission models that move microbial risk assessment from static individual-based calculations to population-based frameworks capable of capturing feedbacks between human behaviour, climate, infrastructure and pathogen spread. Empirical validation of these models occurs through multi-country collaborations in Ecuador (birth cohort, dengue mapping, zoonotic E. coli), Mexico (waste-water irrigation), Israel (poliovirus environmental surveillance), Ethiopia (urban water-system risk) and Kenya (WASH impacts). Recent Publication Trends Over 2024–2025 Eisenberg has published extensively on dengue and Zika transmission in Ecuador, WASH intervention modelling , antimicrobial resistance in enteric E. coli , and COVID-19 epidemiology . These works combine high-resolution field data (human landing catches, multiplex PCR diagnostics, eye-tracking neurodevelopment assessments) with advanced computational approaches (agent-based models, Bayesian spatial risk mapping, mechanistic QMRA), underscoring a commitment to methodological innovation grounded in real-world public-health problems. Scientific Awards & Recognition While no specific prizes are enumerated in the supplied text, Eisenberg’s sustained funding from the CDC (recent $17.5 M award establishing the Michigan Integrated Center for Outbreak Analytics and Modeling – MICOM) and repeated publication in PNAS , American Journal of Epidemiology and other high-impact journals attest to significant peer recognition. Advising & Grants Eisenberg mentors graduate students and post-doctoral researchers across epidemiology, biostatistics and global health. Active funding includes: CDC / MICOM – Michigan Integrated Center for Outbreak Analytics and Modeling (Principal Investigator) National Institutes of Health – Environmental influences on child diarrheal disease and the microbiome (Co-Investigator) NSF – Coupled natural-human systems: road development and infectious disease in Ecuador (Principal Investigator) Laboratories & Teams Eisenberg directs the EcoDess: Environmental Change and Diarrheal Disease in Ecuador research platform, coordinating interdisciplinary teams in Ann Arbor and field stations in Esmeraldas and Quito provinces. He is affiliated with the University of Michigan Center for Global Health Equity and the Global Public Health IDEAS initiative , fostering cross-campus collaborations in modelling, microbiology and social epidemiology.
Trond Bølviken is a Professor at the Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Agder. His research focuses on Lean Construction methodologies, project management, and construction waste reduction. He has contributed to advancing understanding of collaborative project teams, waste economics, and production planning. His work emphasizes practical applications of theoretical principles in construction, aiming to bridge gaps between academic research and industry practices. Key areas include uncertainty management, production control systems, and the integration of Lean principles with traditional construction workflows. Bølviken has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings, particularly within the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC). He collaborates with international researchers and industry practitioners to address challenges in project delivery and workflow optimization.
Xihao He is a Postdoctoral Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He works with Professors Erhan Bayraktar and Ibrahim Ekren. His research focuses on mean field games, optimal stopping, and principal-agent problems , with applications in stochastic processes and mathematical finance. Education : - Ph.D., Mathematics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (2024), supervised by Professors Jun Zou and Xiaolu Tan. - B.S., Wuhan University, China (2019). Research Interests : Xihao explores theoretical frameworks in stochastic analysis, including viscosity solutions, optimal stopping under non-Markovian dynamics, and contract optimization in mean-field settings. His work bridges pure mathematics and applied finance, addressing complex systems with common noise and large-scale interactions. Recent Publications : His recent articles analyze limit theory in mean-field optimal stopping and develop mean-field extensions of stochastic representation techniques. These contributions advance understanding of high-dimensional stochastic systems and their applications in finance and game theory.
Gerald Eisenkopf is a Professor of Business Administration with a focus on Management of Social Services at the University of Vechta, Germany. He is actively engaged in research and teaching, with a strong emphasis on behavioral and experimental economics applied to leadership, conflict resolution, and education policy. His work bridges economics and management, particularly in nonprofit and public service sectors. His research interests center on behavioral economics, leadership effectiveness, and conflict resolution. Using experimental methodologies—including lab and field experiments—he investigates how economic incentives, leadership styles (e.g., leading by example, punishment), and social dynamics shape decision-making in organizations and educational settings. His work often explores topics such as fairness, peer effects, and communication in social dilemmas. The trends in his recent publications reveal a consistent focus on experimental investigations of leadership and social behavior. His articles span disciplines including economics, management, education, and political economy, with recurring themes in behavioral game theory, incentive design, and organizational behavior. He frequently employs controlled experiments to isolate causal mechanisms in leadership and conflict contexts. Behavioral Mechanisms of Leadership (DFG-funded, since 2018) Behavioral Foundations of Conflict Resolution (DFG-funded, 2014–2017) He has served as a reviewer for numerous high-impact journals such as The Economic Journal , Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization , Education Economics , and Journal of Conflict Resolution , as well as for funding agencies including the German Research Foundation (DFG), Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Gerald Eisenkopf advises bachelor’s and master’s students, as evidenced by his recurring role in supervising theses. He teaches courses in controlling, social policy, nonprofit management, and quantitative methods. He leads a research team collaborating on projects related to leadership and group behavior, often with colleagues such as Torben Kölpin and Christian Walter. He is a member of academic associations including the Verein für Socialpolitik, Deutscher Hochschulverband, and the Economic Science Association.
Theodoros D. Bratis is an Assistant Professor in Applied Macroeconomics at the Department of Business Administration and Management of the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). He is affiliated with the School of Business Administration at AUEB, one of Greece's leading economic and business institutions. Dr. Bratis holds the following educational qualifications: BA in Economics from the University of Piraeus (2004) Master's degree in Financial Analysis for Executives from the University of Piraeus (2011) PhD in Monetary Policy and International Financial Markets from the Athens University of Economics and Business (2015) His research focuses on Macroeconomics, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, International Economics, Financial Stability, International Financial Markets, Applied Econometrics (with emphasis on Time Series Models), and Banking. His work primarily examines financial markets, sovereign risk, monetary policy transmission, and systemic risk within the European context, particularly during crisis periods such as the EMU debt crisis. Dr. Bratis has published extensively in recognized international scientific journals including the Journal of Financial Stability, Oxford Economic Papers, and Journal of International Financial Markets Institutions and Money. His publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on European financial markets, with particular attention to the Eurozone crisis period and its aftermath. His notable contributions include work on: Sovereign credit and geopolitical risks Monetary policy expectations and sovereign risk dynamics Systemic risk and financial stability during the Eurozone debt crisis Contagion effects in Eurozone bank and sovereign credit markets Impact of financial transaction taxes on market volatility Dr. Bratis serves as a reviewer for international scientific journals and has been a member of the Eastern Finance Association Conference Committee. He has also participated in Greek research programs, contributing to the national research landscape.
Mikhail Drugov is a Professor at the New Economic School (NES), holding the SAFMAR Foundation-supported position, and serves as Deputy Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs. He is also a Research Fellow at the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). With a distinguished academic career spanning multiple international institutions, Drugov contributes significantly to economic theory and its practical applications. Educational Background: PhD in Economics, University of Toulouse (2006, with highest honors) Master's degree, New Economic School and Higher School of Economics (2001) Bachelor's degree in Economics, Higher School of Economics (1999) Professor Drugov's research focuses on the intersection of theoretical and applied economics, particularly examining how incentive structures shape human behavior in competitive environments. His work in contract theory explores the design of optimal agreements under information asymmetry, while his corruption studies analyze both theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence of corrupt practices. His competition theory research investigates how luck, noise, and prize structures influence effort in tournaments, with significant implications for understanding winner-take-all markets. Notably, his work demonstrates how heavy-tailed distributions of luck can paradoxically reduce competitive intensity when participant numbers increase. His publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on tournament theory, corruption economics, and experimental approaches to understanding strategic behavior. Drugov's research often bridges theoretical models with real-world applications, particularly in understanding how institutions can be designed to minimize corruption and optimize competitive incentives. His work on corruption distinguishes between centralized and decentralized forms, explaining why some high-corruption countries still achieve economic growth. As an educator, Drugov teaches Industrial Organization Theory, Microeconomics 2, and Information Economy courses at NES. His academic leadership extends to his role as Deputy Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, where he shapes educational policy and academic standards at the institution. His research has been published in top economics journals including Journal of Economic Theory , Theoretical Economics , and Games and Economic Behavior , demonstrating both theoretical rigor and practical relevance.
Dorothea Kübler is a Professor of Economics at Technische Universität Berlin and Director of the Market Behavior department at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. She serves as a Principal Investigator in the Excellence Cluster SCRIPTS (Research Unit Temporality) and the Berlin Graduate School for Global and Transregional Studies (BGTS), and is a member of the International Research College (IRC) and the collaborative research center CRC TRR 190 “Rationality and Competition”. She completed her Economics degree at Freie Universität Berlin in 1992, earned her PhD in 1997, and completed her habilitation in 2003, both at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin. Her studies also included periods in Philadelphia and Konstanz. Kübler's research employs experimental methods and game theory to investigate decision-making and market design, with a focus on matching markets (such as university admissions), social and moral norms, educational choices, discrimination, and the role of AI in labor markets. Her work bridges theoretical game theory with real-world applications in education and labor policy, contributing to both academic knowledge and practical implementations. Her publication record (2010-2022) demonstrates sustained contributions to experimental economics, particularly in matching markets and behavioral aspects of economic decision-making. Key themes include the design of centralized admission systems, privacy trade-offs, and the interplay between social norms and economic incentives. Scientific Awards: Schader Prize (2020) Prize of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (2023) Research Funding and Leadership: Excellence Cluster SCRIPTS : Principal Investigator in Research Unit Temporality and BGTS Faculty CRC TRR 190 “Rationality and Competition” : Member “Matching in Practice” network : Founding Member Kübler directs the Market Behavior department at WZB, which conducts experimental research on market design, and co-founded the “Matching in Practice” network to connect academic research with practical market implementations in education and labor.
Attila Ambrus is a Professor of Economics at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a PhD from Princeton University (2003) and has held previous academic positions at Harvard University and the Hoover Institution. His research focuses on game theory, experimental economics, microeconomic theory, political economics, and economic history. He has received multiple NSF grants, including funding for studies on social relationships, risk sharing, and bargaining dynamics. Notable awards include the Excellence in Refereeing Award from the American Economic Review and the Warburg Prize. Ambrus has published extensively in top journals such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Econometrica, and the American Economic Review. His recent work examines voting behavior, informal risk-sharing networks, and delegation models in expert decision-making. He teaches advanced microeconomic theory and game theory courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His research spans theoretical frameworks and empirical studies, including historical analyses of economic phenomena like the long-term impact of cholera epidemics on urban development. Ambrus has served as an associate editor for journals including the Journal of Economic Theory and the Review of Economic Design. His professional activities include presenting at major conferences and inviting seminars at institutions like MIT, Yale, and LSE. His interdisciplinary work bridges theory and empirical applications, addressing issues such as social networks, political strategy, and development economics.
