Ching Kwan Lee is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her work focuses on global and comparative issues, including labor politics, political sociology, decolonization, and the dynamics of Chinese capitalism. She is renowned for her trilogy on Chinese labor and global expansion, including Gender and the South China Miracle , Against the Law , and The Specter of Global China . Lee has also authored groundbreaking studies on Hong Kong’s decolonization struggles and African-China relations. Education: PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. Research Interests : Globalization and its social impacts Comparative labor movements and protest dynamics Decolonization and postcolonial state formations Sino-African economic and labor relations Hong Kong’s political trajectory and transnational activism Her recent work explores resistance to 'global China,' including mass mobilizations in Hong Kong documented in Forever Hong Kong: A Global City’s Decolonization Struggle (2025). She co-edits the Cambridge Elements in Global China and leads the Global Hong Kong Studies @UC initiative. Awards & Recognition : 2024 Distinguished Career in Political Sociology Award Multiple book prizes for The Specter of Global China Fellowships at Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study and Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study Grants & Initiatives : Lead researcher on NSF grants studying platform capitalism and labor in China Initiated comparative projects on Brazil, India, China, and South Africa ( Southern Interregnum ) Co-editor of volumes on Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement and global labor studies
Prof. Dr. Oktay KIZILKAYA is a full-time Professor at Kirsehir Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Economics , Turkey. He has held academic positions since 2004, including Associate Professor (2019-2024) and Assistant Professor (2012-2018). Education: PhD and MA in Economics (2007-2012, 2004-2007), BA in Economics (1999-2004) from Selçuk University. Research Areas: International Political Economy, International Trade, International Investments, and International Economic Theories. His research focuses on the interplay between economic policies, foreign direct investment (FDI), energy consumption, environmental sustainability, and growth dynamics. Key themes include panel data analysis , co-integration , and policy implications for Turkey and emerging economies like BRICS-T. Recent publications analyze topics such as pandemic-induced uncertainty on tourism demand, eco-innovation in Germany, and the impact of political institutions on FDI. His work often employs time-series econometrics and panel causality methods . Scientific Awards: Publication Encouragement Award (2023) Publication Encouragement Award (2020) Best Researcher Award (2017, International Conference on Strategic Research in Social Science and Education) Award of 2017 (Strategic Researches Academy) Key Projects: Led 13 research projects on FDI, economic growth, environmental sustainability, and energy policy, all as principal investigator.
Sıtkı Egeli is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at İzmir University of Economics since 2015. With a PhD in International Relations from Bilkent University, an MA in Security Studies from University of Chicago, and a BA in Political Science from Boğaziçi University, he specializes in defense policy, security studies, and military technology. PhD: Bilkent University, International Relations (1993-1999) MA: University of Chicago, Security Studies (1988-1991) BA: Boğaziçi University, Political Science (1983-1988) His research focuses on weapons of mass destruction proliferation , air and missile defense , nuclear deterrence , space security , and disruptive military technologies . His publications analyze Turkish defense industrialization, Arctic geopolitics, and strategic stability in aerospace warfare contexts. Recent collaborative work (2017-2025) spans: • Balancing defense autarky (2025) • Arctic region involvement (2022) • Historical air power development (2021) • Military space operations (2021) • Turkish missile defense (2019) • Ballistic missile programs (2017)
Mark Wu is the Henry L. Stimson Professor at Harvard Law School, specializing in international trade and international economic law. He serves as Faculty Director of the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies and Co-Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. His research focuses on global governance, digital technologies, trade remedies, environment, and foreign investment. Wu holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, an M.Sc. in Development Economics from Oxford (Rhodes Scholar), and an A.B. from Harvard University. He has held roles at the World Bank, USTR, and McKinsey & Company. His awards include the Sacks-Freund Award and HLS Teaching Award. Wu’s recent roles include Senior Advisor to USTR (2021) and Biden-Harris Transition Team member. He has advised international organizations like the G20, OECD, and WTO. His scholarship addresses challenges in global trade governance and emerging economies. Key affiliations: Asia Center, Center for the Environment, Center for International Development, East Asian Legal Studies, Harvard Environmental Economics Program. Courses taught include International Trade Law and U.S. Economic Statecraft.
Peter A. Raymond is the Oastler Professor of Biogeochemistry at Yale University's School of the Environment and Department of Geology and Geophysics. He serves as Senior Associate Dean of Research & Director of Doctoral Studies and is Co-Director of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture. Raymond leads the Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab, which investigates the biogeochemistry of inland waters, enhanced weathering, methane cycling, and blue carbon systems through cutting-edge field, laboratory, and modeling approaches. Education B.S., Marist College Ph.D., College of William and Mary/Virginia Institute of Marine Science Research Focus Raymond's research fundamentally reshapes our understanding of carbon cycling in aquatic systems, demonstrating that rivers serve as dynamic conduits rather than passive pipes in the global carbon cycle. His work examines how biology and watershed variables alter carbon chemistry in streams, rivers, and estuaries, with particular emphasis on understanding global carbon cycles in relation to climate change. Raymond employs radiocarbon measurements to explore the age and turnover of carbon in aquatic ecosystems, revealing that rivers are variable sources of both old and young terrestrial dissolved organic carbon to oceans. The Raymond Lab is particularly known for developing the Pulse-Shunt Concept, which challenges traditional views of riverine biogeochemistry by emphasizing the episodic and dynamic nature of elemental fluxes. Current research directions include enhanced weathering and alkalinity studies for carbon removal, global greenhouse gas budgets through projects like RECCAP 2, natural methane cycling in aquatic systems, and blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes. Publication Trends Raymond's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on global carbon and methane cycling, with particular attention to inland water systems' role in the Earth's climate system. His work increasingly integrates large-scale datasets with field measurements to understand how climate change and human activities affect greenhouse gas emissions from rivers and streams. A significant portion of his recent work contributes to international efforts like the Global Carbon Project, aiming to refine estimates of global carbon and methane fluxes. His research also shows growing emphasis on carbon removal strategies, particularly enhanced rock weathering through the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A project, and their potential for climate mitigation. Scientific Recognition Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering Coastal and Estuarine Research Federations Cronin Award for Young Scientists ISI highly cited author Past Editor and Chief of the American Geophysical Union's journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles Mentorship and Funding Professor Raymond currently mentors four doctoral students (Jon Gewirtzman, Shou-En "Samuel" Tsao, Benjamin Saalidong, and Mingyu Zhang) and masters student Bella Garrioch. His research is supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), including CAREER awards, and participation in the Earthshot-funded GOAL-A (Global Ocean And Land Alkalinization) project. Raymond has also been involved in significant collaborative projects with USGS data to research how climate and land use change alter carbon export from US watersheds, and with Lamont Doherty to develop methods for measuring air-sea gas exchange of CO2 in rivers and estuaries. Research Infrastructure The Raymond Biogeochemistry Lab at Yale is a dynamic research group comprising research scientists, postdocs, doctoral and masters students, and postgraduate researchers. The lab recently acquired a Mini Carbon Dating System (MICADAS) at Yale, significantly expanding their research capabilities in ecosystem carbon turnover and verification of natural climate solutions. The lab collaborates globally on projects in the Arctic, Hudson River, and middle Atlantic Bight, and is actively involved in the NASA Carbon Monitoring System BlueFlux field campaign to assess carbon exchange in coastal wetlands.
Christophe Bisson is an Associate Professor at SKEMA Business School (Paris campus) specializing in Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship. His research examines augmented anticipatory systems, competitive intelligence, AI governance, and strategic early warning frameworks. He directs the MSc International Strategy and Influence program and leads research at the SKEMA Center for Artificial Intelligence. Bisson holds a PhD in Competitive Intelligence from Aix-Marseille University and a Postgraduate Certificate in AI from the University of Helsinki. His professional experience includes international strategy consulting and academic positions at universities in Turkey and France. Awards & Honors: Inducted into Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows (2023) SCIP International Academic Award (2017)
Jeffrey Monaghan is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Criminology and Criminal Justice (ICCJ) at Carleton University. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Queen’s University and serves on the editorial board of Criminological Encounters . His research focuses on the intersections of policing, surveillance, and systemic inequality, with a particular emphasis on settler colonialism, Indigenous movements, and the global expansion of security practices. Monaghan teaches courses on criminological theories, policing, and justice frameworks. His work examines how security and policing practices criminalize marginalized communities, especially Indigenous peoples and social movements resisting extractive development. Key projects include analyses of counterterrorism strategies, disability injustice in criminal systems, and the securitization of Canadian foreign aid. He has authored/co-authored books like Security Aid: Canada and the Development Regime of Security and Policing Indigenous Movements , and edited volumes such as Protests in the Information Age . Monaghan’s research integrates critical criminology, colonial studies, and sociolegal analysis. He is cross-appointed to Carleton’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the School of Canadian and Indigenous Studies, amplifying interdisciplinary engagement with security governance and social justice issues.
Dr. Juan Manuel Berbel Pineda is a full Professor at the Department of Business Organization and Marketing at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain. His academic work focuses on tourism economics, sustainable tourism practices, and international business strategies, particularly within the hotel industry and textile sector. Key research areas: Tourism Economics, Sustainable Tourism, International Business Strategy Affiliated with IMEGS (Innovation and Marketing for a Sustainable Global Environment) research group Doctoral Programs: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Family Business His research explores tourism competitiveness and internationalization patterns through empirical studies on hotel chains in Latin America, fair trade impacts in emerging economies, and post-COVID-19 rural tourism development. Analysis of 15 recent publications reveals strong emphasis on structural equation modeling, cross-cultural comparisons, and market segmentation strategies. Current academic activity includes international collaborations with institutions like Massey University, Varna University of Management, and University of Mauritius. His 2020 work on Ecuadorian chia seed exports demonstrates methodology for EU market selection using 7-dimensional indicators, while his sustainable tourism studies provide frameworks for pandemic-era tourism revival through non-overcrowding strategies.
Elisa Ricci is a Full Professor at the Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science (DISI) at the University of Trento and serves as Head of the Research Unit Deep Visual Learning at Fondazione Bruno Kessler. She coordinates the Doctoral Program in Information Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Trento and holds prestigious fellowships from ELLIS and IAPR. Her research focuses on advancing computer vision and deep learning systems capable of operating in open-world environments. Key interests include domain adaptation, continual learning, and self-supervised learning for visual and multi-modal data processing. Her work addresses critical challenges in enabling machines to adapt to new domains without forgetting prior knowledge, with applications spanning robotics perception, medical imaging, and privacy-preserving AI systems. Recent publications reveal a dominant trend toward leveraging vision-language models for open-vocabulary tasks, training-free adaptation methods, and federated learning architectures. Significant research thrusts include machine unlearning for privacy, robustness against bias in visual classifiers, and novel class discovery using foundation models—particularly evident in 2025 publications addressing medical imaging, 3D segmentation, and collaborative generative systems. Her major recognitions include: ELLIS Fellow IAPR Fellow As Doctoral Program Coordinator at the University of Trento, she oversees PhD training while leading the Deep Visual Learning unit at Fondazione Bruno Kessler. Her research group secures competitive grants in AI-driven perception systems, though specific funding sources aren't detailed in the source material. The Deep Visual Learning Research Unit specializes in open-world computer vision challenges, developing frameworks for domain adaptation, continual learning, and multi-modal perception. Current projects integrate generative models with robotics applications while addressing privacy concerns in vision-language systems through unlearning techniques.
Luca De Benedictis is a Professor of International Economics and Network Analysis at the University of Macerata's Department of Economics and Law. His research focuses on international trade empirics, including trade specialization measurement, network analysis, and causal models. He has authored numerous articles on topics like gravity models, migration impacts, and historical trade networks. His work spans journals such as the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society and Network Science . He teaches courses in International Economics and Network Analysis. His research interests include economic geography, policy evaluation, and applied econometrics. Notable projects include analyzing the Erasmus Program's inclusivity, Roman road networks' legacy, and immigration's effect on trade. De Benedictis has secured funding from EU initiatives like COSTNET and GeComplexity, focusing on network data science and economic systems. He serves on editorial boards of journals like Italian Economic Journal and Journal of Historical Network Research . His work bridges theoretical models with empirical applications in trade, migration, and policy.
Prof. Dr. Gülşen Eryiğit is a Professor at Istanbul Technical University within the Faculty of Computer and Informatics , Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering . She founded and directs the ITU Natural Language Processing Group , Turkey's leading team in Turkish-language NLP, and serves as Senior Action Editor for ACL RR , Director of ITU TÖMER (Turkish Language Teaching Center), and Co-Chair of the EU UniDive Cost Action WG3. Education: PhD in Computer Engineering from ITU (2007), MSc and BSc from ITU and Marmara University Research: Focuses on Natural Language Processing for Turkish, including dependency parsing , coreference resolution , multiword expressions , and language education technology Her recent work involves multilingual transfer learning , LLM applications for Turkish text simplification, and gamification for morphology education. She has received prestigious awards like the Siemens Excellence Award and TÜBİTAK's Above Threshold Award . Her research has produced 65+ publications and 29+ projects funded by EU, TÜBİTAK, and industry partners. Scientific Awards: Siemens Excellence Award (2007) Above Threshold Award (TÜBİTAK, 2015) Certificate of Appreciation (EU 7th Framework, 2012) Thank You Plaque (ITU, 2017) The ITU NLP Group under her leadership has developed Turkey's first licensed NLP software exported internationally. She collaborates with European institutions through COST actions and participates in ACL, CoNLL, and LREC conferences. Her lab focuses on language technology for Turkish , including sign language processing and social media normalization.
Dr Alvin Tan is a Lecturer in the School of Advertising, Marketing & PR at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). His research focuses on SME internationalisation, export readiness, and managerial decision-making in cross-border contexts. He holds a PhD in International Business from the University of Queensland (2012) and has over a decade of academic experience, including roles in teaching units like AMB110 Internationalisation. Education: Doctor of Philosophy (International Business), University of Queensland (2012) Bachelor of Business (Honours), Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Commerce (International Business), University of Tasmania Research Interests: Small-medium enterprise internationalisation drivers, export decision rigidity, managerial commitment in export strategies, and inward internationalisation dynamics. His work emphasizes the pre-internationalisation phase and has contributed to frameworks like the export readiness index. Awards: QUT Vice Chancellor's Performance Award for Teaching Excellence (2008) Accredited Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) Teaching and Supervision: Specializes in global business strategy, international marketing, and supervises postgraduate students on SME internationalisation topics.
Chad E. Hart is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University (ISU), specializing in agricultural economics and international trade policy. His research focuses on WTO agricultural commitments, crop insurance, biofuel policy, and commodity market dynamics. Hart holds a Ph.D. (1999) and B.S. (1991) in economics from ISU and Southwest Missouri State University, respectively. He has served in roles at ISU’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) and the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI), examining trade policies and energy-agriculture intersections. Hart has received notable awards, including the CALS Dean’s Citation (2020) and Exemplary Faculty Mentor Award (2016). His work bridges academic research and practical extension, addressing issues like trade disputes, commodity pricing, and agricultural sustainability. Hart’s insights frequently inform USDA outlook reports and policy analyses, with a focus on Iowa’s agricultural economy. Labs/Teams: Active in CARD and FAPRI, contributing to interdisciplinary research on agricultural policy and market dynamics.
Pol Antràs serves as the Robert G. Ory Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he has been a faculty member since 2003. He holds significant research affiliations as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), where he directed the International Trade and Organization Working Group, and as a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). He also contributes to the Barcelona School of Economics as a member of its Scientific Council. His academic foundation includes a BA and MSc in Economics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and a PhD in Economics from MIT (2003). Antràs specializes in international economics and applied theory, with recent research focusing on global value chains, the interplay between globalization and interest rates, market power in global markets, and international relations. His work examines how firms organize cross-border production, the implications for trade policy, and the structural transformations in international trade following events like pandemics. He bridges rigorous theoretical modeling with empirical analysis to address contemporary economic challenges. His publication record reveals a sustained focus on the evolution of global trade architecture, particularly the rise of production networks and their vulnerability to disruptions. Recent work explores unconventional intersections such as monetary policy's impact on trade flows and the political economy of ideology-driven foreign influence. His major scientific distinctions include: Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2007) Fundación Banco Herrero Prize (2009) Fellow of the Econometric Society (2015) Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2024) As Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economics (2015-2020) and contributor to multiple editorial boards, Antràs shapes scholarly discourse in economics. His research is institutionally supported through NBER and CEPR affiliations, though specific grant details aren't publicly itemized. He maintains an active role in mentoring graduate students at Harvard. He drives collaborative research through leadership in the NBER's International Trade and Organization Working Group and CEPR's research networks, fostering international scholarly exchange on trade and globalization.
Gyu Tag Lee is a Professor in the International Studies Department at George Mason University Korea, specializing in Cultural Studies with a focus on K-Pop, media criticism, and the globalization of culture. He holds a PhD in Cultural Studies from George Mason University (2013), an MA in Communication from Seoul National University, and a BA in English Language and Literature from the same institution. Having completed three years of military service in the Republic of Korea Air Force, he has been teaching at George Mason University Korea since 2014. His research interests span Cultural Studies, Media Criticism, Popular Music, K-Pop and Hallyu, Globalization of Culture, and Music Industry studies. Professor Lee is particularly recognized for his expertise on K-Pop's global expansion, cultural appropriation issues within the industry, and the relationship between Korean cultural identity and global pop music markets. His extensive publications reflect a consistent focus on K-Pop's evolution, from its historical roots to contemporary challenges and future directions. His work examines the tension between local Korean identity and global appeal, the role of digital platforms in fan engagement, and the cultural politics surrounding K-Pop's international success. Professor Lee's research demonstrates how K-Pop functions as both a cultural product and economic phenomenon with significant implications for understanding transnational cultural flows. As a respected commentator in the field, he serves on the selection committee for the Korean Music Awards and has been featured in numerous international media outlets including Wall Street Journal, South China Morning Post, Netflix's documentary Explained, and major Korean broadcasters such as KBS, MBC, and SBS. His insights on cultural appropriation in K-Pop have been particularly influential in shaping discussions about cultural sensitivity and global cultural exchange. Professor Lee teaches courses including Media Criticism, Globalization and Culture, K-Pop, Hallyu, and Korean Society, and Korean Popular Culture in a Global World, bringing his scholarly expertise directly into the classroom to educate the next generation of cultural critics and analysts.
