Professor Ida Koivisto from the Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki specializes in administrative law, constitutional law, and global administrative law. Her research focuses on transparency in digital governance, automated decision-making in public administration, and the intersection of law with digital technology. Key research themes: Digital transparency, legal automation, EU administrative law Active in multidisciplinary projects like DARE (Digital Administration Redesigned for Everyone) and AlgoT (Algorithmic Transparency) Recent publications explore ethical dimensions of AI in governance, legal personhood in digital systems, and paradoxes of transparency. Her work appears in journals like Artificial Intelligence, Humans and the Law and Critical Analysis of Law . International collaborations include academic visits to the University of Toronto, University of Hong Kong, and European University Institute. She contributes to policy through expert statements for Finland's Constitutional Law Committee and other public institutions.
Aleksandra Cavoski is a Professor of Law at the Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham, and serves as Director of Global Engagement for the College of Arts and Law. She is also affiliated with the Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action and the Centre for Environmental Research and Justice, reflecting her strong commitment to interdisciplinary and sustainability-focused legal scholarship. Her research lies at the intersection of environmental law, EU law, and public international law, with a particular focus on the connections between law and science, policy, and language. She explores how legal frameworks are shaped by social, political, and scientific contexts, especially in areas such as environmental governance, climate action, and regulatory innovation. Environmental Law EU Law Law and Science Legal Translation New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) Circular Economy and Plastics Regulation Energy Transition and Critical Minerals Her recent publications and research projects highlight a consistent focus on regulatory innovation and sustainability, particularly in the use of NAMs for chemical safety, the legal challenges of promoting recycled plastics, and the geopolitics of critical minerals for clean energy. These works reflect a multidisciplinary trend integrating law with environmental science, public health, and policy analysis. Her scientific recognition includes being appointed as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Bayreuth in 2018. This honor reflects her international standing in legal academia. She actively supervises PhD students on topics such as renewable energy policy, hydraulic fracturing, and legal translation. Her research is supported by major grants from the European Commission and the UK’s Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC), including projects like RECREATE and PrecisionTox, which aim to transform regulatory science and sustainability law. She leads and co-leads major interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Health-centred Systems Approach towards Net-Zero (Heal-NZ) and the development of a circular economy for medical plastics, demonstrating her role in bridging law with science and public health.
Florian Zemmin is a Professor at Freie Universität Berlin's Institute of Islamic Studies , serving as Co-Director of the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS). His research focuses on Islamic reformism , Middle Eastern conceptual history , and Arabic sociologies of religion within broader debates about modernity and secularity . Current affiliations: Freie Universität Berlin (since 2020) Previous affiliations: Universität Bern (2010-2020), Universität Leipzig (2015-2021) His research interests examine how Islamic traditions intersect with modern secular concepts through: Historical conceptual analysis in Arabic and Ottoman contexts Comparative secularisms beyond Western frameworks Postcolonial critiques of Eurocentric theory Sociological approaches to Islamic knowledge production Current projects include: Das soziokulturelle Leben soziologischer Konzepte – creating a critical lexicon of 60 sociological terms in Arabic Global Secularity: A Sourcebook – co-editing a 7-volume series on secular formations across regions Arabic Sociologies of Religion – challenging Eurocentric sociology through Arabic theoretical work Key publications address: Conceptual transfers in Islamic modernism Secularism in Islamic intellectual history Arabic sociology of religion Ottoman conceptual transformations Islamic responses to global social theory
Dov Cohen is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois, with extensive cross-disciplinary affiliations including the Information Trust Institute, College of Law, Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies, and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. His academic home resides within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Professor Cohen's research centers on Cultural Psychology with specific expertise in honor cultures, institutional inversion, and cross-cultural value systems. His work examines how cultural frameworks shape cognition, emotion, and behavior - particularly regarding violence, debt, and religious influences. Notable contributions include the development of the 'institutional inversion' framework explaining discrepancies between collective attitudes and behaviors, and pioneering research on honor cultures in the American South. His publication record demonstrates consistent high-impact contributions across top journals including Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , Current Directions in Psychological Science , and Social Psychology . Recent work explores East-West relationship differences, gendered language in financial contexts, and the psychological mechanisms underlying cultural transmission. Cohen maintains active research programs examining the embodied nature of culture through psychological perspective and physical comportment. His theoretical work integrates Lewinian field theory with contemporary cultural psychology frameworks. As a mentor, Professor Cohen advises graduate students in Psychology and related interdisciplinary programs, fostering research that bridges cultural psychology with law, economics, and religious studies. His collaborative projects frequently involve international teams examining cultural phenomena across diverse national contexts.
Professor Julian Richards is a leading academic in security and intelligence studies at the University of Buckingham, where he serves as Director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS). He holds a PhD in Political Violence from the University of Cambridge (1993) and spent nearly two decades in British Government intelligence roles before transitioning to academia in 2006. His roles include Programme Director for three MA programmes and supervising BUCSIS’s MPhil/DPhil research students. Education: PhD in Political Violence (Cambridge University, 1993). Prior to academia, he held senior intelligence positions with the UK Government. Research focuses on global security, extremism/radicalization, intelligence analysis techniques, and cyber threats. He has authored four books and numerous articles, including works on counter-terrorism, cyber-warfare, and Far-Right extremism in Europe. His media commentary spans BBC, Sky News, and international outlets. His articles explore contemporary security challenges such as post-Brexit intelligence dynamics, cyber resilience, and extremist propaganda in digital spaces. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining political science, technology, and ethical considerations in intelligence practices. Awards: None explicitly listed, though his contributions to security discourse are widely recognized. He advises on policy and has testified in government inquiries on privacy-security balances. Advising & Grants: Supervises doctoral researchers in security studies and leads BUCSIS’s research initiatives. His work intersects academia and policy, addressing real-world security challenges through rigorous analysis. Labs/Teams: Directs BUCSIS, fostering collaborative research on global security threats. The Centre hosts interdisciplinary projects on intelligence analysis, cyber security, and counter-extremism strategies.
Unn Røyneland is a Professor of Scandinavian Linguistics and Multilingualism at the University of Oslo 's Faculty of Humanities . She is affiliated with the Center for Multilingualism in Society Across the Lifespan (MultiLing) and has been a key figure in Norwegian language policy and standardization efforts, including the Nynorsk 2011 orthographic revision . Current Research Focus: Multilingual and multilectal practices on social media Dialect acquisition among migrants Dialect levelling and language attitudes Language and embodiment Multiethnolectal speech styles Language policy and planning Ongoing Projects: Multilectal Literacy in Education (2020-2025) (RCN-funded, Co-PI) Multilectal Practices on Social Media (2020) (with Øystein A. Vangsnes) Urban Talk and Text (MultiLing Core-group project, 2021) AquaAurora (2021, UiT The Arctic University of Norway) Her scholarly work spans 15+ years of research output, with recent publications analyzing: Language activism and social justice (2024) Multilingualism across the lifespan (2022) Migration-induced dialect acquisition (2020) Youth multilingual practices in digital spaces (2018) Nynorsk standardization processes (2016) Multiethnolectal speech patterns (2008-2010) As Co-Chief Editor of the LME Linguistic Minorities in Europe Online series at De Gruyter, she continues shaping academic discourse in multilingualism studies.
Prof. Dr. Daniel Eggers serves as Professor of History of Philosophy at the University of Regensburg's Faculty of Philosophy, Arts, History and Social Sciences since 2021, holding the Chair of History of Philosophy. Previously, he worked as a research associate at RWTH Aachen University and the University of Cologne, where he completed his habilitation in 2020. His educational background includes: PhD from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (2007) Master of Philosophy from University of Cambridge (2005) Magister Artium from Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (2004) Studies in Philosophy, Germanistics, Communication Science, and Educational Sciences (1994-2004) Eggers specializes in 17th-18th century moral and political philosophy, with additional expertise in metaethics, moral psychology, and media ethics. His research critically examines expressivism, sentimentalism, and the role of reason in moral judgment, while addressing contemporary challenges in scientific communication and democratic discourse. His work bridges historical philosophical analysis with modern ethical dilemmas, particularly in digital environments and public reason. His publications demonstrate consistent focus on Hobbesian theory, moral motivation, and the intersection of ethics with political theory. Key trends include rigorous analysis of natural law theory, examination of emotional versus rational components in moral judgment, and critical evaluation of media ethics frameworks. Award highlights: Zeitschriftenpreis der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK) for 'Medienethik: Vier populäre Irrtümer' (2021) Eggers actively contributes to academic governance as board member of Bayerisches Promotionskolleg Politische Theorie and co-editor of the 'Ideen&Argumente' book series at de Gruyter. He serves as peer reviewer for major funding bodies including DFG, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and numerous international philosophy journals. His teaching portfolio spans historical philosophy courses and specialized seminars on ethical theories, reflecting his dual commitment to academic research and pedagogy. He participates in the European Hobbes Society and contributes to interdisciplinary forums including the Middle Ages Forum and Classical Center at the University of Regensburg.
Christian von Scheve is a Professor of Sociology and Head of the Department of Sociology of Emotions at Freie Universität Berlin. He also serves on the board of the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1171 'Affective Societies' and is a Research Fellow at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin). His academic journey includes positions as a Research Professor at DIW Berlin (2011-2014), Junior Professor at Freie Universität Berlin (2008-2014), and Assistant Professor at the University of Vienna (2007-2008). His research examines the interplay between culture, social structures, and emotions, with emphasis on: The social/cultural constitution of emotions and affective experiences Emotional dimensions of economic action Human/non-human social interaction He employs diverse methodologies including surveys, interviews, and experiments. His recent publications (2022-2025) predominantly explore affective polarization , refugee integration , and the role of emotions in political discourse, utilizing interdisciplinary approaches spanning sociology, neuroscience, and political science. A consistent theme is how emotions shape social cohesion and conflict in contemporary societies. He holds key editorial roles including Co-Editor of Soziale Welt , Associate Editor of Emotion Review , and Editorial Board positions for multiple book series on affective societies and emotion research. He actively advises Master's students, requiring thesis proposals to be submitted six weeks before registration deadlines. His research is embedded in collaborative projects like SFB 1171 'Affective Societies' and the 'Social Cohesion and Civil Society' initiative.
Senad Bećirović serves as a full Professor at the University of Education Lower Austria (Pädagogische Hochschule Niederösterreich), having progressed from assistant professor (2014) to associate professor (2017) before attaining his current rank in 2023. His academic career spans teaching research methodology, pedagogy, and advanced statistics across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at international institutions, delivered through both online and in-person formats. Bećirović's research focuses primarily on Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies in education , with significant contributions to intercultural education , gifted education , and foreign language pedagogy . His work demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward understanding how emerging technologies reshape educational practices and outcomes. Through four books published by Springer and Nova Science and over 60 articles in top-tier journals, he has established himself as a leading voice in digital educational transformation. His recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a pronounced emphasis on AI applications in education, with multiple studies examining AI literacy, policy frameworks, and implementation strategies across European higher education contexts. This research demonstrates both theoretical depth and practical relevance to current educational challenges. Bećirović actively contributes to the scholarly community as editor and reviewer for numerous Q1 journals including Smart Learning Environments (Springer), Education and Information Technologies (Springer), and TESOL Quarterly (Wiley). He participates in multiple European Commission-funded initiatives such as ENRICH (Enhancing Teaching and Research through Innovative Digital Technologies) and Erasmus+ projects focused on peace learning and English education. His professional activities extend to international collaboration through membership in the European Network Ethical Use of AI and the American Educational Research Association (AERA). He frequently delivers keynote addresses at international conferences, sharing expertise on AI in education, digital transformation, and intercultural competencies.
Riikka Koulu is an Associate Professor of Social and Legal Implications of AI at the University of Helsinki, holding joint appointments at the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Social Sciences. She serves as Director of the University of Helsinki Legal Tech Lab, an interdisciplinary research hub focused on law, technology, and society, and is an affiliated researcher at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin. In 2025, she will be an academic visitor at Oxford University. Education: Doctor of Law (OTT), University of Helsinki (awarded November 17, 2016) Title of Docent (digitalisation of law), University of Lapland (2020-present) Riikka Koulu is a socio-legal scholar specializing in the interconnections between law, technology, and society. Her research focuses on understanding law's role in shaping and being shaped by digitalized societies. She combines doctrinal and theoretical legal analysis with empirical research from a public law perspective. Her current work examines digital public administration, AI policy and regulation, European technology regulation, and the impact of digital technologies on legal decision-making. She is particularly interested in human oversight mechanisms and interface design in automated systems. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on the legal implications of digital transformation, with particular attention to automated decision-making in public administration, algorithmic governance, and the changing nature of legal procedures in digital environments. Her work spans theoretical explorations of legal concepts in digital contexts and practical analyses of how technology is reshaping justice systems and public administration. Scientific Recognition: Title of Docent (digitalisation of law), University of Lapland (2020) Affiliated researcher, Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin (2019-present) Riikka Koulu actively supervises doctoral researchers through the Doctoral Programme in Law and has secured significant research funding for multiple projects. Her current research portfolio includes the ADM-Gov project (2022-2026) on automated administration governance, the REPAIR project (2022-2025) on algorithmic system maintenance, and the DARE project (2021-2026) on inclusive digital administration design. These projects involve collaboration with international partners and interdisciplinary teams. As Director of the University of Helsinki Legal Tech Lab, Koulu leads an interdisciplinary research hub that is part of the Network of Centers (NoC). The lab serves as a focal point for research on the intersection of law, technology, and society, bringing together scholars from legal studies, computer science, social sciences, and design disciplines to address pressing challenges in digital governance.
Yusuf Mehmet ÖRNEK is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Sociology of Law at Antalya University. He holds a doctorate from Johannes Gutenberg University and a Master's degree from Hacettepe University. His academic work bridges philosophy, sociology of law, and cross-cultural intellectual traditions. Doctorate: Johannes Gutenberg Universität Master's: Hacettepe Üniversitesi His research focuses on German philosophy (Kant, Heidegger, Jaspers), ethical frameworks , and university ideals . He explores intersections between ancient philosophy and modernity , political philosophy , and urban ethics . Recent publications analyze climate change as an ethical crisis and cultural reception of Nicolai Hartmann in Turkey . ÖRNEK is known for comparative studies between Turkish and German philosophical traditions, particularly examining Takiyettin Mengüşoğlu's engagement with European thinkers. His work traces historical dialogues between philosophers like Arendt-Jaspers-Heidegger and their implications for contemporary thought.
Asunción Gómez Pérez is a Spanish computer scientist and Full Professor at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) . She currently serves as Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Doctoral Studies at UPM and holds a seat at the Real Academia Española . She has authored over 300 publications and accumulated 20,000 citations. Education : PhD in Computer Science (UPM, 1993), MBA (Comillas Pontifical University) Leadership Roles : Director of the Department of Artificial Intelligence (2008–2016), Academic Director of AI Master’s/PhD programs (2009–2016), Executive Director of UPM’s Artificial Intelligence Lab (1995–1998) Her research focuses on Semantic Web and Ontology Engineering , with applications in knowledge representation, machine-machine communication, and multilingual data integration. She pioneered methods for ontology validation, metadata licensing, and AI-driven social inclusion. Key publication trends include: Ontology evaluation frameworks (e.g., OOPS!) Linked Data quality models and validation tools Multilingual and cross-lingual AI applications Interoperability solutions for smart cities and healthcare Machine Learning for social exclusion prediction Ontology-driven library and lexicography systems Scientific Awards Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences Ada Byron Prize She has led projects like the NeOn Methodology for ontology development and contributed to the European framework for linked data rights (LD Terms). Her work bridges theoretical research with practical implementations in AI and Semantic Technologies.
Nancy Fraser is the Henry and Louise A. Loeb Professor of Philosophy and Politics at The New School for Social Research, a leading figure in critical social theory and political philosophy. She is a member of the Editorial Committee of New Left Review and has authored influential works on justice, capitalism, and feminist movements. Her research bridges philosophy with contemporary social issues, emphasizing the intersections of redistribution, recognition, and ecological crisis. Fraser holds a PhD from the City University of New York (1980). Her recent books include Cannibal Capitalism (2022) and Feminism for the 99% (2019). Her work has been translated into over 20 languages and cited by the Brazilian Supreme Court in landmark rulings. Her research interests span social and political theory, feminist theory, and contemporary European thought. Key themes include racial capitalism, social reproduction crises, and the rise of right-wing populism. Fraser has held prestigious fellowships and chairs, including the Nonino Prize (2022) and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (2018). Teaching includes courses on imperialism, socialism, and anarchism, alongside independent studies and dissertation guidance. Her advocacy for social justice is reflected in her interdisciplinary approach to theory and activism.
Dr Dimitrios Tsarapatsanis is a Senior Lecturer at York Law School, University of York. Previously, he served as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Sheffield. He holds an LLB from the University of Athens, an LLM in EU and International Law, and a PhD from Université Paris X-Nanterre. His research focuses on legal theory, human rights, AI ethics, and European law. Education: LLB, University of Athens LLM in EU and International Law, University of Athens DEA in Legal Theory, Université Paris X-Nanterre PhD (summa cum laude), Université Paris X-Nanterre Research Interests: Legal realism, administrative law, judicial decision-making, AI ethics in law, human rights jurisprudence, and bioethical legal issues. His work bridges theoretical jurisprudence with practical legal challenges, particularly in European contexts. Recent work explores the application of natural language processing to predict judicial outcomes and the ethical implications of AI in legal systems. He has also contributed to debates on the European Court of Human Rights' strategies and the legal status of prenatal life. Recipient of the Paul Ricoeur Prize (2009) for his doctoral thesis on prenatal legal personhood. Collaborations: Active in interdisciplinary projects, including the 'AI Law and Ethics: The Challenge of AI Wrongdoing' initiative. His research often intersects with political theory and institutional analysis. Professional Contributions: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2018). Previously practiced law in Greece, focusing on EU law and human rights cases.
Edyta Bojanowska serves as Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University with an affiliated appointment in the Department of History. Her academic career bridges literary scholarship and historical analysis, focusing on imperial and postcolonial frameworks within Russian and Central European contexts. Bojanowska earned her Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literature from Harvard University and completed her undergraduate studies at Barnard College with a dual major in English and Russian. Her educational trajectory established the foundation for her interdisciplinary approach to Slavic studies. Her research program critically examines 19th-century Russian literature through the lenses of empire, nationalism, and globalization. Key interests include settler colonial dynamics, spatial theory, travel writing, and the interplay between ideology and literary form. She has pioneered methodologies connecting Russian cultural production to global imperial histories, particularly through her award-winning work on Goncharov's The Frigate Pallada and Gogol's Ukrainian-Russian identity negotiations. Bojanowska's publication record reveals consistent engagement with colonial paradigms in Russian literature, evolving from early studies of Gogol and Pushkin toward broader imperial frameworks. Her recent scholarship demonstrates increasing focus on racial discourse, indigenous land rights, and the spatial dimensions of empire, culminating in the Ab Imperio Award-winning analysis of Tolstoy's Bashkir estate. The thematic continuity across her work establishes her as a leading voice in post-Soviet imperial historiography. National Humanities Center Fellowship (Spring 2025) Ab Imperio Award for Best Study in New Imperial History (2022) Guggenheim Fellowship (2020-2021) AATSEEL Best Book in Literary Scholarship (2019) MLA Scaglione Prize for Best Book in Slavic Studies (2007-2008) Bojanowska actively shapes her field through editorial leadership on Ab Imperio and the PMLA Advisory Committee. Her teaching portfolio reflects her research expertise, featuring undergraduate seminars on War and Peace and Russian short fiction alongside graduate courses on spatial theory and imperial culture. Current leave status for Spring and Fall 2025 accommodates her National Humanities Center residency while maintaining her position as a central figure in Slavic literary studies.
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