Dr. Norman Forschack is a Researcher in the Department of General Psychology and Methodology at the University of Leipzig, focusing on neural mechanisms of attention and sensory processing. His work centers on alpha-band oscillations and their role in modulating perceptual awareness across visual and somatosensory domains using multimodal neuroimaging techniques. His research interests include cognitive neuroscience, attentional control mechanisms, and sensory perception dynamics. Forschack investigates how feature-based and spatial attention selectively enhance target processing while suppressing distractors, with particular emphasis on the neural correlates of conscious and unconscious perception. His experimental paradigms integrate EEG, fMRI, and behavioral measures to dissect attentional templates in visual search and somatosensory contexts. Analysis of his 2020-2025 publications reveals consistent exploration of alpha oscillations as modulators of attentional selection, with increasing sophistication in multimodal approaches. Recent work examines depth perception in attentional shifts, color chromaticity effects, and learning-induced plasticity in distractor processing, demonstrating how oscillatory dynamics shape both perceptible and imperceptible stimulus processing. Forschack contributes to a DFG-funded project (2018-2023) led by Matthias Müller investigating alpha oscillations in selective attention. His collaborative work with Till Nierhaus, Arno Villringer, and others spans neuroimaging methodology development and theoretical advances in attention models. As part of Leipzig University's cognitive neuroscience infrastructure, he operates within the General Psychology and Methodology department, contributing to experimental design frameworks and data analysis pipelines for attention research.
Andrew Caplin is the Silver Professor of Economics at New York University, where he co-directs the Center for Experimental Social Science and leads multiple research initiatives. His primary affiliations include ongoing roles at NYU and as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Professor Caplin's research spans behavioral economics, household finance, cognitive foundations of decision-making, and economic data engineering. Key themes include: Modeling of economic decision-making under cognitive constraints Labor market dynamics and retirement behavior Design and evaluation of economic policies Integration of machine learning with economic theory His recent publications (2019-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on experimental economics and behavioral insights, with emerging emphasis on AI interactions and judicial decision-making. The work increasingly employs field experiments and large-scale surveys across international contexts. Honors include election as Fellow of the Econometric Society. He leads significant grants including the Sloan-Nomis Program and Vanguard Research Initiative, supporting investigations into cognitive-economic interfaces and retirement planning. At the Center for Experimental Social Science, Professor Caplin coordinates interdisciplinary research on human behavior using experimental methods, facilitating collaborations across economics, psychology, and data science.
Gudrun Sproesser is a Professor and Head of the Department of Health Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Johannes Kepler University Linz since February 2022. She leads research and teaching initiatives focused on health psychology with particular emphasis on sustainable eating behaviors, food psychology, and the intersection of health and environmental sustainability. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications for promoting sustainable dietary choices. Dr. Sproesser completed her Diploma in Psychology at the University of Tübingen, Germany in 2007, followed by her Doctorate in Psychology at the University of Konstanz, Germany in 2012. She also earned the Baden-Württemberg Certificate for University Didactics in 2012. Her academic journey includes postdoctoral work at the University of Konstanz (2012-2022) and visiting positions at the University of Pennsylvania (2014, 2016). Her research primarily investigates the psychological mechanisms underlying dietary choices, with special focus on meat consumption, sustainable eating behaviors, and the cognitive heuristics that influence food perceptions. Dr. Sproesser's work examines how health and sustainability labels affect food choices, the role of cultural differences in dietary behaviors, and the psychological justifications people use for their eating habits. Her research employs experimental methodologies across multiple countries to understand the complex interplay between health psychology and environmental sustainability. She has established herself as a leader in examining the 'healthy = sustainable' heuristic that influences consumer food decisions. Analysis of Dr. Sproesser's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the intersection of health psychology and sustainability, particularly examining how people process information about food healthiness and environmental impact. Her work frequently employs cross-cultural comparative approaches, with studies conducted in Germany, Australia, Brazil, and other countries. A significant portion of her recent research investigates how animal-related labels influence meat selection behaviors and the psychological processes behind these effects, as well as the carbon footprint implications of academic conference travel. Distinguished Reviewer Award, European Journal of Health Psychology (2019) Early Career Award, European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) (2016) Schmieder Foundation Prize 2012, Award for Neurological Rehabilitation As an academic leader, Dr. Sproesser supervises Master's thesis students and teaches courses including Clinical Psychology, Advanced Psychological Diagnostics, Mental Disorders and Their Treatment, and Personality and Differential Psychology. Her research is supported by multiple grants, most notably a project funded by the German Research Foundation (2017-2020) titled 'Why people eat in a traditional or modern way: A cross-country study,' for which she was the lead applicant. She currently leads several active research projects including 'Psychometric evaluation of the German Version of the Motivations to Eat Meat Inventory (MEMI)' and 'The Health Sustainability Heuristic: Implicit Measurement and the Role of Knowledge.' Dr. Sproesser actively participates in professional organizations including the European Health Psychology Society and the German Psychological Society, where she contributes to task forces examining the professional profile of health psychology. She regularly presents at international conferences and collaborates with researchers across Europe, Australia, and the United States to advance understanding of the psychological factors influencing sustainable dietary behaviors.
Ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of MunichGermany
Professor Claus Thustrup Kreiner is a leading economist at the University of Copenhagen's Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI) and serves as a CESifo Research Network Fellow directing the Public Economics research area. His institutional affiliations bridge cutting-edge academic research with policy-relevant analysis through Denmark's premier economic research hub and the international CESifo network. His research spans Public Economics, Labour Economics, and Macroeconomics , focusing on critical societal challenges: the tension between economic efficiency and rising inequality, adaptive social insurance design for aging populations, and resilient tax systems amid globalization. His work uniquely integrates theoretical rigor with empirical validation using Scandinavian administrative data, examining how tax competition, migration, and intangible capital reshape fiscal policy frontiers. Professor Kreiner leads the Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI), which serves as Denmark's focal point for research on economic inequality and behavioral responses to policy interventions. The center's interdisciplinary approach combines microeconomic theory with empirical analysis to address fundamental questions about fairness perceptions, social mobility, and optimal policy design in modern welfare states.
Giandomenica Becchio is Professor of history of economic thought, methodology of economics, and theory of entrepreneurship at the University of Torino (ESOMAS Department), Italy. Holding a Ph.D. from the University of Florence, she has established herself as a leading scholar at the intersection of economic history, feminist economics, and classical liberal thought. Her research spans multiple domains within economic thought, with particular emphasis on feminist economics, history of political economy, Austrian economics, and women economists' contributions to economic theory. She has conducted extensive work on marriage theory within classical liberalism, examining how historical economic thinkers addressed gender relations and family structures. Her scholarship challenges mainstream economic approaches to gender issues while maintaining fidelity to classical liberal principles of individual freedom. Becchio's work reveals significant trends in how economic thought has approached gender inequality, demonstrating that despite progress in women's educational attainment, persistent gaps remain in labor force participation, wages, and entrepreneurship. Her analysis shows how traditional economic models often rationalize gender disparities as efficient outcomes of preference maximization, while feminist economics provides a more nuanced understanding of how social structures constrain genuine choice. National Secretary of AISPE (Italian Association for the History of Economic Thought) Member of the Institute for Political Studies' International Advisory Board Member of the Estoril Political Forum's Board of Convenors Author of 'History of Feminist and Gender Economics' (Routledge, 2017, 2020) Recent monograph on marriage theory (2024, Palgrave Macmillan - Springer) As both a researcher and institutional leader, Becchio has secured numerous research fellowships enabling her to serve as visiting scholar at prestigious institutions worldwide including Duke University, Yeshiva University, Hitotsubashi University, LSE, and the New School for Social Research. Her work bridges academic research with public discourse, as evidenced by her appearances in podcasts and contributions to policy discussions on gender economics. She has notably evolved from initially believing individual freedom alone would ensure gender equality to recognizing the necessity of active efforts to address persistent discrimination and social constraints.
Neil Meredith is a Professor of Economics and the Dana Professor of Business at West Texas A&M University's Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, where he also serves as Director of Continuous Improvement. He joined the university in 2011 after completing his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Georgia and has progressed through the academic ranks to his current position. Dr. Meredith earned his educational credentials from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (B.A. in Economics/Mathematics, 2006) and the University of Georgia (Ph.D. in Economics, 2011). He has enhanced his professional qualifications with a Microcredential Certificate in Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning (2022) and a Microcredential Certificate in Grant Writing (2024), demonstrating his commitment to continuous professional development. His research focuses primarily on health economics, with specific interests in vaccine economics, health insurance markets, and the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions. He also conducts research in applied microeconomics, examining the relationship between religiosity and economic outcomes. His publication record shows consistent productivity with recent work in 2022-2023, spanning journals from the Eastern Economic Journal to Preventive Medicine Reports. His research demonstrates both theoretical rigor and practical policy relevance, particularly in health economics. Dr. Meredith's awards include the Professional Service Excellence Award (2014), Outstanding Faculty Apple Polishing awards (2015, 2016), and the Swift Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching (2011). His professional service extends to journal reviewing and frequent media commentary on economic issues for local and national outlets. As an educator, Dr. Meredith teaches microeconomic theory and health economics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He has developed innovative approaches to teaching health economics, including asynchronous online formats, and has shared his pedagogical expertise through publications and presentations. His dual role as Director of Continuous Improvement reflects his commitment to enhancing academic quality and processes at West Texas A&M University.
Clive Oppenheimer is a distinguished British volcanologist and Professor of Volcanology in the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge. With a career spanning several decades, Professor Oppenheimer has established himself as a leading expert in volcanic processes, remote sensing of volcanic activity, and the historical impacts of major eruptions on climate and human societies. His academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences Tripos from the University of Cambridge in 1986, followed by a PhD from the Open University where his thesis investigated the use of remote sensing in volcanology under the supervision of Peter Francis and David Rothery. Professor Oppenheimer's research encompasses a wide range of volcanic phenomena: Volcanic gas emissions and degassing processes, particularly SO 2 , H 2 S, and CO 2 Remote sensing techniques for monitoring volcanic activity Climate impacts of historical and prehistorical volcanic eruptions Analysis of major volcanic events such as Tambora (1815), Samalas (1257), and Toba (~74,000 years ago) Volcanic hazard assessment and risk management Interdisciplinary connections between geology, archaeology, and history His scholarly output is extensive, with numerous high-impact publications that demonstrate consistent research activity through 2023. Professor Oppenheimer's work shows particular strength in interdisciplinary research, connecting geological science with historical, archaeological, and climate science perspectives. Among his most significant contributions is the book "Eruptions that Shook the World" (2011), which explores how major volcanic events throughout Earth's history have influenced climate patterns, ecosystems, and human civilizations. This work has been widely praised for its integration of scientific rigor with historical narrative. Professor Oppenheimer maintains active research collaborations across multiple institutions including the University of East Anglia, Open University, Karnatak University, University of Oxford, and University of Orléans, reflecting the international recognition of his expertise in volcanology.
Daniel Steven Nagin (born November 29, 1948) is the Teresa and H. John Heinz III University Professor of Public Policy and Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College. A leading figure in criminology and statistics, Nagin has made transformative contributions to understanding criminal behavior and developing analytical methods for longitudinal data. Nagin's research focuses on criminal deterrence theory, developmental trajectories of criminal behavior, and statistical methods for analyzing longitudinal data. He pioneered group-based trajectory modeling, which has revolutionized how researchers identify distinct patterns of criminal behavior across the life course. His work has challenged conventional wisdom about the deterrent effects of capital punishment and harsh sentencing, emphasizing that certainty of apprehension matters more than punishment severity for deterrence. Nagin's publications show a clear evolution from early work on deterrence theory to methodological innovations in trajectory modeling, and more recently to applications of these methods across diverse domains including mental health, prescription drug use, and economic outcomes. His most cited works center on group-based trajectory modeling approaches and their applications to criminal behavior. 2014 Stockholm Prize in Criminology 2006 Edwin H. Sutherland Award from the American Society of Criminology 2017 NAS Award for Scientific Reviewing Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2025) Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Nagin has supervised numerous doctoral students who have become influential scholars in criminology and related fields. His research has been supported by major grants from the National Institute of Justice, the National Science Foundation, and other federal agencies. He has served on influential committees including the National Research Council's Committee on Deterrence and the Death Penalty, whose 2012 report concluded existing research on capital punishment's deterrent effect was inconclusive. As a methodological innovator, Nagin's group-based trajectory modeling approach has created new opportunities for understanding developmental processes across multiple disciplines. His work continues to influence both theoretical developments in criminology and evidence-based criminal justice policy.
Manfred Keil serves as Associate Professor in the Economics Department at Claremont McKenna College's Robert Day School of Economics and Finance, specializing in macroeconomic policy and empirical analysis. His educational background includes a Zwischenpruefung from Goethe Universitaet Frankfurt, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the London School of Economics, and an M.A. from the University of Texas. Professor Keil's research centers on comparative economic performance across nations and regions, with significant contributions to business cycle forecasting methodologies. His expertise spans central bank policymaking, data science applications in economics, and regional economic integration dynamics, consistently employing rigorous statistical frameworks to address complex macroeconomic questions. His publication record demonstrates sustained scholarly impact since the late 1980s, with recent work advancing probabilistic approaches to economic expansion forecasting (2023) and historical investigations into political business cycles. Key thematic areas include inflation-growth nonlinearities, capital mobility constraints in developing economies, and comparative unemployment analysis across North America and Europe. Teaching responsibilities encompass core courses in Macroeconomics, Econometrics, and Statistics, reflecting his methodological strengths. Office hours are maintained Tuesday 12:30-1:30pm, Thursday 10:00-11:00am, and Wednesday 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom from Bauer Center 315.
Stelios Michalopoulos serves as Professor of Economics at Brown University's Department of Economics within the School of Social Sciences, affiliated with the Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC) since 2012. His research sits at the intersection of growth, political economy, and development economics, specializing in historical origins of comparative development through unconventional empirical strategies. He leverages historical natural experiments, anthropological sources, and novel economic activity measures to analyze ethnic, linguistic, and religious group dynamics. Key methodologies include geospatial data analysis from anthropological maps and colonial archives. Notable research strands examine educational mobility across faiths in Africa, education's impact on democratic transitions in the DRC, occupational choice dynamics, Mediterranean refugee flows, and foreign fishing impacts on African coastal communities using remote sensing. European Economic Association's Award for Innovation in Teaching (2023) for co-leading the Wheeler Institute's 'African History through the Lens of Economics' lecture series As co-lead of the Wheeler Institute initiative alongside Elias Papaioannou, Nathan Nunn, and Leonard Wantchekon, he developed an open-access course attracting over 27,000 registrations in 2022. Supported by CEPR, STEG, and the European Research Council, this initiative produced 10 main lectures, 10 special lectures, and 3 plenary sessions exploring African development challenges through historical parallels.
