Jácome Filipe Morais Silva serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Superior School of Dance, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, where he is both an alumnus and current educator. His career spans performance, choreography collaboration, and dance instruction across multiple institutions. His academic journey recently concluded with a doctorate. His professional path began with childhood movement routines, progressed through athletics, and matured into dedicated dance performance and teaching. Research interests focus on Dance as a holistic discipline, Choreography methodology, and Performance Arts embodiment, drawing directly from decades of practical stage experience and pedagogical work.
Dr. Kai Lehikoinen is a University Researcher at Uniarts Helsinki's Research Institute. With a PhD in Dance Studies (University of Surrey, 2003), his work bridges dance pedagogy, socially engaged arts, and cultural well-being research. His academic career spans leadership roles including Vice Director of ArtsEqual (2015–2021) and Director of CERADA (2015–2021). Research focuses on arts-health intersections and future-oriented pedagogy Developed arts-based futures workshop model for European higher education Pioneered dance ambassador programs in elderly care settings His recent publications include Creativity, Society, and the Role of Socially Engaged Art in Higher Arts Education (Routledge, 2025) and Socially Engaged Arts (SEA) Practices: Key Skills and Capabilities (2023). Current projects Embodying Futures and Cultural Well-being Materialization explore embodiment theory and interdisciplinary well-being frameworks. Dr. Lehikoinen contributes to policy-making through the WHO Regional Office for Europe collaboration and serves on editorial boards including Critical Studies in Dance Leadership and Frontiers in Psychology . He advocates for ethical leadership models and appreciative dialogue in arts education reform.
Liam Saddington is a political and environmental geographer at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge , where he holds a Research Fellow position and serves as Director of Studies in Geography. His work bridges critical geopolitics, climate change, and pedagogy. Focuses on the geopolitical reimagining of small island states like Tuvalu and Kiribati amidst sea-level rise. Develops innovative educational tools (e.g., Model UNPO simulations) to engage youth in climate diplomacy and political geography. Investigates youth-climate justice intersections through participatory research and interdisciplinary toolkits. Research trends emphasize climate adaptation geopolitics, land reclamation, and the role of historical narratives in shaping contemporary climate discourses. His recent work examines the UK's environmental role in the Pacific under 'Global Britain' and 'Pacific Uplift' initiatives. Scientific awards: ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Newton Trust Grant, RGS-IBG Innovative Teaching Grant, University of Oxford Public Engagement Seed Fund, Cambridge Humanities Research Grant. Collaborations: Fiona McConnell (Oxford), Gerard Reilly, Miles Huppatz, Rachel Thorley (Churchill College).
Dr. Melanie Fritsch is a Junior Professor at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf since October 2020, specializing in Media Cultural Studies with a focus on Game Studies and related fields. Her career spans roles as a PR & Communications Manager in the gaming industry, lecturer at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and research assistant at Universität Bayreuth and Leipzig. Education: Theaterwissenschaft, Musikwissenschaft, and Neuere Deutsche Literatur at Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Sapienza Università di Roma (2000–2008) Doctorate: 2018 at Universität Bayreuth with dissertation 'Performing Bytes. Musikperformances der Computerspielkultur' Current Research: Ludomusicology, performance theory, fan studies, environmental narratives in games Melanie’s research bridges game studies, digital humanities, and musicology, emphasizing games as performative cultural practices. Her work explores intersections of music and gameplay, fan engagement dynamics, and liveness in digital spaces. Key publication trends include: Game music analysis (e.g., 'The Cambridge Companion to Video Game Music') Performance theory in gaming ('Live Performance Games') Environmental narratives in virtual worlds Historical game music studies (1980s Japanese game music) Interdisciplinary methodologies combining musicology and game design She has contributed to major conferences and symposia, including keynote presentations at Universidad de Chile and Kunstuniversität Graz. Her editorial work includes co-editing the peer-reviewed series 'Studies in Game Sound and Music'.
Natasha K. Foreman is a musicologist, composer, and Part-Time Lecturer in Music History at Wayne State University . She specializes in Japanese music, dance-music analysis, music theory, and aesthetics, with a research focus on sonic embodiment, sonic afrofuturism, and Japanese butoh. She has held roles in both the Music and Anthropology departments at WSU and previously taught at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. Education Ph.D. in Musicology/Ethnomusicology (secondary in Anthropology), Kent State University M.A. in Musicology/Ethnomusicology, Kent State University B.A. in Music Theory/Composition, St. Olaf College Research Interests Dr. Foreman's research spans the intersections of sound, movement, and identity. Her work delves into choreo-musical analysis , exploring how music and dance co-constitute meaning. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Japan, particularly on butoh and nagauta shamisen , and her creative output integrates composition with choreography. Her recent projects include The Sound of Butoh , an ethnomusicological investigation into the music of butoh performances globally. Her book The Gei of Geisha (2008, 2016) is a foundational text in Japanese music studies, examining geisha identity through the lens of musical performance. She has also contributed chapters to major edited volumes and written extensively on geisha, Japanese dance, and performance theory. Awards and Honors T. Temple Tuttle Prize (2002) – awarded for her paper on geisha and socio-artistic identities Pi Kappa Lambda – National Music Honor Society Phi Beta Delta – Honor Society for International Scholars Prix de la Ville de Fontainebleau Pour Thèorie (1992) – awarded by the French National Minister of Education Grants and Residencies UPTF Professional Development Grant , Wayne State University (2019) WSU Humanities Center Faculty Fellowship (2004) Japan Performance Theory Workshop , University of Michigan (2017) Arts Asia Festival , University of Kentucky (2009) Le Conservatoire américain École des Beaux-Arts , Fontainebleau, France (1992) Teaching and Outreach At Wayne State University, Dr. Foreman teaches courses in early Western music history, world music, ear-training, Asian music, anthropology, and Japanese area studies. She also serves as a dance historian/educator at Ballet Detroit, a pre-professional Russian ballet school. She regularly gives pre-performance lectures at Carnegie Hall and the Japan Society in New York City.
Professor Emma Rees serves as Professor of Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Chester's Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, where she directs the Institute of Gender Studies and leads the MRes Gender Studies program. With over fifteen years of academic service at the university (promoted to Professor in August 2015 after serving as Senior Lecturer from 2005-2015), she brings extensive leadership experience including six years as Deputy Head of Department. Her academic profile reflects a deep commitment to inclusive, intersectional feminist scholarship across disciplinary boundaries. Professor Rees's research spans multiple interconnected fields with primary expertise in: Gender studies and feminist theory Literature and gender analysis Gender and visual art interpretation Film and cultural studies Early modern literature Interdisciplinary approaches to embodiment Equality and diversity initiatives in Higher Education Her scholarly trajectory reveals a consistent evolution from early modern literary studies toward broader cultural analyses of gender and embodiment. A significant portion of her work engages with feminist perspectives on the body, exploring how literature, art, and culture construct and challenge gendered bodily experiences. Her publications demonstrate increasing incorporation of intersectional approaches that consider how gender intersects with other identity markers and social structures, particularly evident in her recent book "Margaret Cavendish" (2024) and "The Routledge Companion to Gender, Sexuality, and Culture" (2022). As an educator and supervisor, Professor Rees has developed innovative approaches to student transition into higher education, evidenced by her research on pre-induction social networking. Her teaching portfolio includes Gender studies, Feminist theory, Literature and gender, Gender and visual art, Film and cultural studies, and Early modern literature, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to gender scholarship. Professor Rees directs the University of Chester's Institute of Gender Studies, which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary gender research across the university. The institute supports collaborative projects, hosts events, and facilitates knowledge exchange between academic researchers, community organizations, and policymakers interested in gender issues. Her extensive community engagement includes regular contributions as a book reviewer, columnist, and media expert on gender-related topics.
Vicky Angelaki is a Professor at Mid Sweden University’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences since January 2020. With 15 years of full-time academic experience in the UK (University of Reading, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University), she specializes in interdisciplinary literary and theatre studies, focusing on societal/political intersections, environmental humanities, cultural sociology, and contemporary British drama. BA (Hons) English, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2003) MA Drama & Theatre, Royal Holloway (2005) PhD Drama & Theatre, Royal Holloway (2009) Her research explores theatre’s role in addressing climate crisis , digital environments, and sociopolitical issues. Recent projects include Performing Interspaces: Social Fluidities in Contemporary Theatre (RJ-funded monograph, 2022) and co-editing the Palgrave Macmillan series Adaptation in Theatre and Performance . She leads the Political Literatures research network at Mid Sweden University. Recent publications and presentations analyze environmental dystopias , gendered geopolitics in classical adaptations, and pandemic-era theatre pedagogy. Her work synthesizes ecocritical frameworks with performance studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary methodologies and international collaboration . RJ Sabbatical Grant (2022) Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2018) She teaches courses on Literature and Crisis , Contemporary Anglophone Theatre , and Political Literatures , supervising PhD candidates in collaboration with the University of Reading. Professional affiliations include the European Theatre Research Network, International Federation for Theatre Research, and assessment roles for Uppsala University’s KoF24 research evaluation.
Maria Herminia Arredonda Perez is a Professor at the University of Huelva, affiliated with the Faculty of Education, Psychology and Sports Sciences and the Department of Integrated Didactics. She works at the Research Center on Historical, Cultural, and Natural Heritage, focusing on music, cultural identity, and gender studies. Education: PhD (2020) in Music from the University of Huelva, thesis Fandangos de Huelva. Música, género y tradición , supervised by Dr. Francisco José García Gallardo. Her research explores the intersection of music, gender, and cultural heritage in Andalusia, emphasizing flamenco traditions, copla music, and traditional dance practices like colás . She investigates how music shapes regional identity and challenges sociocultural norms. Recent publications analyze flamenco environments in Huelva, stylistic evolution of fandangos, and gendered representations in Andalusian music. Collaborative projects include studies on transdisciplinary educational models and transcultural analysis of traditional music. She contributes to integrating Andalusian musical heritage into educational curricula and studies modern genres like Andalusian rock as tools for identity expression.
Nick Sorensen is Professor of Improvisation at Bath Spa University, where he currently serves as Interim Head of the School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities. He joined Bath Spa in 2008 after extensive experience working in secondary schools, including six years as a headteacher, and as an educational consultant. His academic journey includes a BA (Hons) in English and Drama from the University of Exeter, a PGCE from Goldsmiths College, London, an MA in Education from the University of Sussex, and a PhD from Bath Spa University. Sorensen's research centers around teacher education and professional development with a particular focus on improvisation as a fundamental element of teacher expertise. His book The Improvising Teacher: reconceptualising pedagogy, expertise and professionalism (2023) offers a radical reconceptualization of improvisation as core to teaching expertise. His research explores how expert teachers navigate complex classroom situations through improvisational thinking and action. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of improvisation, expertise, and professional practice in education. The articles demonstrate his theoretical development of the 'improvising teacher' concept and its application across various educational contexts, from music education to teacher training systems. His work increasingly bridges educational theory with practical applications for teacher development. Senior Fellow HEA AHRC Peer Review College (2016-2023) Sorensen has contributed to the development of the Paper Nations creative writing project and was a member of its Governance Group. He previously served as Assistant Dean of the Institute for Education at Bath Spa University. His educational consultancy company, The Improvising School, supports musicians, teachers, leaders and writers in developing their creativity. As a musician, Sorensen is a skilled saxophonist who has performed internationally with the transcultural music project Kusanganisa and has collaborated with notable jazz musicians including Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley. His performance background deeply informs his educational research on improvisation.
Jean-Thierry Julia is a researcher affiliated with LERASS (Laboratory of Sociology and Social Sciences) at the University of Toulouse. His work focuses on urban heritage dynamics, particularly examining how heritage conservation intersects with social tensions, gentrification, and citizen participation in urban transformation processes. Participated in sessions analyzing gentrification and urban heritage at ACHS 2016 (Montreal) Presented on digital itineraries through urban heritage in Marseille His research explores the socio-political dimensions of heritage preservation, emphasizing tensions between activist and expert perspectives in urban heritage management. He also investigates embodiment practices of heritage, such as performative arts and oral traditions, which contribute to cultural memory and identity formation. Jean-Thierry Julia collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at LERASS, engaging with community-based heritage projects and contributing to debates about heritage's role in shaping social order and urban landscapes. His participation in events like the Sugar Shack celebration and Pawâ closing dinner demonstrates engagement with both academic and cultural heritage practices.
Dr Andrea Maciel Rodrigues serves as a Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of Theatre, specializing in performance studies with emphasis on embodiment, urban contexts, and collaborative methodologies. Her academic profile reflects active engagement in contemporary theatre research and pedagogy. Her research interests center on Theatre and Performance Studies, particularly Embodiment in Performance, Urban Performance, and Theatre Laboratories. She investigates how performative practices catalyze social transformation through embodied urban interventions and dialogical walking methodologies, examining the interplay between physical movement, spatial politics, and collective knowledge production in city environments. Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications reveals consistent exploration of nomadic laboratory frameworks and horizontal knowledge exchange. Her work demonstrates increasing focus on archival embodiment and light/shadow dynamics while maintaining core themes of urban performance catalysis and collaborative repertoire development through international partnerships like Cross Pollination. Dr Rodrigues actively contributes to the Cross Pollination international arts research platform, which establishes temporary nomadic laboratories where practitioner-researchers generate epistemic insights through reterritorialization of specialized techniques and dialogical companionship practices.
Dr. Nikki Fairchild is an Associate Professor in Creative Methodologies and Education at the University of Portsmouth's School of Education, Languages and Linguistics. She serves as the institutional lead for the Education Unit of Assessment in the REF2029 entry. Education: PhD in Early Childhood Education and Care (University of Southampton), MA in Education (University of Chichester), PG Cert in Higher Education, BSc in Biology (University of Nottingham). Research Areas: Critical feminist materialism, posthumanist theory, research-creation, and qualitative methodologies applied to early childhood education and care (ECEC). Her work explores place-space relationality, temporal disruptions, and more-than-human subjectivities. Her recent publications focus on posthumanist pedagogies, hauntological approaches to education, and innovative methods for qualitative inquiry. She co-founded the international CG Collective, which challenges traditional academic conference formats to reimagine knowledge production. Her book Place-Space Methodologies will expand these frameworks further. Scientific Awards: AERA International Travel Award (2019) AERA Qualitative Research SIG Outstanding Book Award (2023) Anna Craft Creativities in Education Prize (2020) Fairchild teaches on the Professional Doctorate in Education and leads modules on research proposal writing and dissemination. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goal for Quality Education.
Senior University Lecturer Hannah Kaihovirta (Docent, PhD, M.A.) holds an academic position at the Faculty of Education of the University of Helsinki , specializing in Swedish-language teacher education with a focus on arts and crafts. She also serves as an Associate Professor at Åbo Akademi University and has held visiting research appointments at NTNU Trondheim . Education : Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education, Åbo Akademi (2009) Master of Arts in Drama Education, Åbo Akademi (2008) Master of Arts in Visual Arts, University of Art and Design Helsinki (2004) Docent in Fine Arts Education, Åbo Akademi (2003) Research interests center on arts-focused learning environments , multimodal/digital/hybrid pedagogy , and diversity in education . Her work explores: Visual methods in teacher training (VISLU project) Arts interventions in special education (EMOS#SOME project) Policy development for multilingual and socially equitable education (DIMISO framework) Materialist ontologies in contemporary art pedagogy Blended learning spaces for creative disciplines Scientific contributions include leadership of three major projects: SKAPA - Strategic visual arts education development (2024-2026) ART INTERVENTION - Arts in comprehensive school reform (2023-2025) VISLU - Visual methods in teacher education (2023-present) Scientific awards highlight her mentorship excellence, including the 2013 Handledarpris . Her supervision extends to master's and doctoral researchers across institutions like Aalto University and Åbo Akademi.
Dr. Vonzell Agosto is a Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Affiliate Faculty in Women and Gender Studies at the University of South Florida (USF). Her research bridges curriculum leadership, disability studies, and cultural studies, with a focus on intersectional equity and critical race theory. University: University of South Florida School: College of Education Department: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Email: vagosto@usf.edu Her work interrogates the intersections of race, gender, and disability in educational systems, using methodologies like historiartgraphy, critical counter-cartographies, and virtual performative inquiry. She has published in journals such as Educational Researcher , Teachers College Record , and Race, Ethnicity & Education . Dr. Agosto’s recent publications explore virtual mentoring, critical race media literacy, and aesthetic leadership, reflecting a trajectory toward innovative pedagogies and dismantling systemic inequities. Key themes include racialized labor, cultural symbolism, and policy-driven activism. She has served as Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on grants totaling $4.3 million, focusing on projects like The BEST Way (Black males in healthcare), Advancing Leadership for Intersectional Equity , and PlayFL: Transformative Theatrics . Dr. Agosto is also Associate Editor of the Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy .
Susan Erikson is an SFU Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, where she examines global health through the lens of political economy, financialization, and datafication. Her ethnographic research in Germany and Sierra Leone investigates how anticipatory technologies and financing mechanisms reshape health governance and equity across diverse settings. Education BA, English and Education, Boston College, with honors Cert, Organizational Development, Georgetown University MA, Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder PhD, Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder Her research interrogates the transformation of health data from accountability tools into financial assets, revealing how speculative instruments like pandemic bonds reconfigure health priorities. She analyzes the political economies that produce health inequalities, emphasizing local sovereignty and the social production of health metrics through long-term fieldwork in West Africa and Europe. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on Ebola response data systems, prenatal diagnostics, and financialization trends, showing how digital health technologies often exacerbate inequities while creating new investment opportunities. Her work connects granular ethnographic detail with macro-level analysis of global health governance structures. Scientific Awards Graduate Teaching and Mentorship Excellence Award (2012) Michael Hayes Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research and Service (2020) Society for Medical Anthropology's Virchow Prize (2013) SMA's Basker Prize (2012) for contributed chapter SMA Council for Anthropology of Reproduction book awards (2006, 2012) Mercator Fellowship from DFG Priority Program 1448 (2016) Senior Fellow at Käte Hamburger Kolleg (2014-2015) DAAD Visiting Research Faculty (2006) Mellon Foundation Faculty Fellow (2023) Though not currently accepting new students, she has mentored researchers studying maternal health metrics, polio eradication data, and tobacco medicine. Her work receives substantial funding from major international agencies supporting critical analysis of health systems. Grant Funding SSHRC: Finance Matters and Following the Money projects NSF: Global health political economy research Mellon Foundation: Digital Democracies Institute fellowship Wenner-Gren Foundation, Volkswagen Foundation, DFG, Norwegian Research Council She co-founded the Cascadia Seminar for medical anthropology and leads the SSHRC-funded Desirable/Undesirable Health Futures project with Sierra Leonean and European collaborators, developing critical frameworks for planetary health governance.
