Benjamin J. Appel is Associate Professor at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy, researching effectiveness of intergovernmental organizations and international law. Education includes Ph.D. in Government and Politics from University of Maryland (2012) and B.A. from Mercyhurst College. Research examines UN Security Council's role in conflict resolution, International Criminal Court's human rights impact, and state repression patterns. Authored work on crisis bargaining and compliance with humanitarian law. Recipient of NSF grants and teaches courses on international institutions, human rights, and conflict processes.
Katharine M. Donato is the Donald G. Herzberg Professor of International Migration and former Director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Her work focuses on migration's economic, health, and social dimensions, including U.S. immigration policy, refugee integration, environmental migration drivers, and migrant health. Donato has held faculty positions at Vanderbilt and Rice Universities and was a visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation (2017–2018). Her research explores topics such as deportation impacts, Mexican labor markets, and the legal visa system. Key contributions include co-authoring Gender and International Migration: From Slavery to Present (2015) and Refugee and Migrant Integration (2019). She leads projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Russell Sage Foundation (RSF), and others, including studies on Bangladeshi environmental migrants and assimilation of unaccompanied minors in the U.S. Donato’s work bridges disciplines, linking migration to health, policy, and climate change. Recent articles address extreme weather’s role in migration, medical-legal partnerships for immigrants, and predictive modeling of forced migration using social media data. Her scholarship emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to global governance challenges and migrant well-being.
Rimjhim Aggarwal is a Professor at the School of Sustainability, Arizona State University (ASU). Her research focuses on sustainability governance, climate risks, and the food-energy-water nexus, with emphasis on urban systems, social-ecological dynamics, and policy design. She explores how institutions and governance structures adapt to environmental challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. Her work integrates interdisciplinary approaches, combining policy analysis, systems modeling, and participatory methods. Notable contributions include frameworks for nexus governance in Phoenix and Cape Town, studies on circular economy solutions for waste management, and analyses of climate adaptation strategies in agriculture. She also emphasizes education innovation through virtual field experiences to democratize geoscience learning. Key research themes include institutional fit in governance systems, climate risk integration in development goals, and equitable resource management in urbanizing contexts. Her publications span over three decades, reflecting deep engagement with global sustainability challenges such as biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and socio-environmental justice.
Adam Isen is an Associate Professor of Economics at Johns Hopkins University, specializing in labor and public economics. His research focuses on the impact of government policies on households and firms, particularly exploring causal mechanisms behind economic inequality and intergenerational mobility. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a PhD in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Education: Bachelor's Degree: Stanford University PhD in Economics: Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Research Interests: Labor Economics: Analyzing how policies affect labor markets, employment, and household decisions. Public Economics: Evaluating tax policies, social programs, and their long-term societal impacts. Intergenerational Mobility: Studying how policies influence outcomes across generations through mechanisms like military service, education access, and wealth distribution. Key Research Themes: His work often uses lottery-based natural experiments to isolate causal effects, such as studying lottery winners to assess wealth impacts on criminal behavior, homeownership, and education choices. Recent papers explore tax policy's effects on firm financing, pandemic-era unemployment insurance fraud, and the long-term consequences of historical policies like the Clean Air Act. Awards: None explicitly listed in the provided materials. Grants/Advising: No specific grants or advisee names are mentioned, but his research frequently involves collaborative projects with institutions and datasets such as the U.S. Social Security Administration and Swedish administrative records. Labs/Teams: Not explicitly detailed in the provided texts, though his work suggests collaboration with interdisciplinary teams focused on policy evaluation and empirical analysis.
Regan Harrell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS). She is concurrently completing her PhD in rehabilitation science while serving as a faculty member and co-coordinator of the Advanced Vestibular Physical Therapist Certificate Program at SHRS. Her research focuses on vestibular disorders in moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and technology development for diagnostic and treatment applications. Education includes a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Duquesne University. She holds certifications as a Board-Certified Specialist in Neurologic Physical Therapy (NCS) and has been recognized with awards such as the Promotion for Doctoral Studies II Scholarship (2024) and Second Place at the 2023 American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting for her work on TBI and BPPV laterality. Her professional affiliations include the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy and the International Neurologic Physiotherapy Association. Her research interests emphasize advancing clinical understanding of BPPV, improving rehabilitation protocols for vestibular dysfunction in TBI patients, and adapting telehealth strategies during crises like the pandemic. She has contributed to global discussions on telehealth delivery for vestibular care and published extensively on TBI-related vestibular disorders and clinical outcomes. Notable contributions include a case report on vestibular rehabilitation for cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) and a scoping review on vestibular disorder prevalence in TBI patients. She was part of the University of Pittsburgh Physical Therapy delegation to the 2024 Bárány Society Meeting, highlighting her engagement in international vestibular research networks.
Stefano Caria is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Warwick. He will join the University of Oxford in 2025. His affiliations include J-PAL, CEPR (Development and Labour), BREAD, CAGE, and STICERD's EEE program. He serves as a trustee for the Global Change Data Lab (OWID), IGC lead academic for Ethiopia, and co-chair of J-PAL's Labor Sector. His research focuses on labor markets, development economics, and experimental methods, with recent projects addressing refugee employment in Jordan, garment sector dynamics in Ethiopia, and urban poverty in Bangladesh. Key publications include studies on labor market exclusion in African cities, firm growth constraints, and the impact of childcare subsidies in Egypt. He has received the Leverhulme Prize and contributes to policy through roles like editor at Econometrica and advisor to international organizations. Current work explores social structures in labor markets, climate migration, and adaptive policy interventions.
Liang Zhang is a Professor of Higher Education at New York University's Steinhardt School, specializing in higher education economics, finance, and public policy. He previously taught at the University of Minnesota, Vanderbilt University, and Penn State University. His research examines the role of governments and institutions in shaping institutional performance and student outcomes, with a focus on college access, labor markets, and policy efficacy. Dr. Zhang holds dual PhDs from Cornell University (Economics) and the University of Arizona (Higher Education). His work has been published in leading journals such as Review of Higher Education , Economics of Education Review , and Harvard Education Review . Key research areas include the impact of state policies on college enrollment, peer effects in academic decisions, and the global dynamics of scientific productivity. Recent studies highlight his analysis of the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s effects on veteran education access and outcomes, as well as the stratification of faculty employment in U.S. higher education institutions. His work consistently bridges economic theory and policy practice, offering actionable insights for institutional leaders and policymakers.
Søren Lundbye-Christensen is an Associate Professor and Biostatistician affiliated with the Clinical Institute at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalborg University, and Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark. He specializes in biostatistical support for medical research, with a strong emphasis on cardiovascular and epidemiological studies. His research interests include biostatistics, survival analysis, cohort studies, clinical epidemiology, and statistical modeling in public health. He has contributed to a wide array of healthcare research, particularly in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, maternal health, and infectious diseases. His methodological expertise spans time-to-event analysis, registry-based research, and interval-censored data modeling. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in applying advanced statistical methods to large-scale clinical and population-based datasets. His work often involves collaboration with medical researchers to derive prognostic models, validate clinical databases, and assess public health outcomes. Key themes include cardiovascular risk, fertility, cancer biomarkers, and implementation of medical training programs. Scientific Contributions and Recognition: Published over 320 research articles and datasets. Active contributor to methodological advancements in biostatistics. Regular peer reviewer, including for journals like the R Journal. Public engagement through media appearances on statistics and health. Academic Advising and Grants: Søren has supervised 31 student theses, formally serving as PhD supervisor for 14 theses and as a biostatistical advisor for 19 others, primarily in mathematics and statistics. He has participated in numerous research projects funded through institutional and national grants, including studies on seasonal disease trends, postoperative complications, and metabolic disease prediction. His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration across medicine, public health, and data science. Labs and Research Teams: He is embedded in collaborative research networks at Aalborg University Hospital and Aalborg University, contributing statistical expertise to clinical research groups. He is involved in projects utilizing Danish national health registries and has contributed to the development and validation of clinical databases. His work supports both hypothesis-driven medical research and methodological innovation in biostatistics.
Associate Professor Jenni Ilomaki holds a position at Monash University's Centre for Medicine Use and Safety. With expertise in clinical pharmacy, epidemiology, and public health, she leads a research group analyzing administrative claims data. Her work spans collaborations with governmental and non-governmental organizations globally, yielding over 150 peer-reviewed publications and $4 million in grants. She previously served as Chair of ASCEPT's Pharmacoepidemiology Special Interest Group and currently serves as Science Lead for the Monash Addiction Research Centre and Executive Editor of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Education includes a Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) from the University of Kuopio (1999) and Master of Science (Pharmacy) from the University of Kuopio (2004). She completed a PhD in alcohol epidemiology at the University of Eastern Finland (2011) and a postdoc at the University of South Australia (2011-2014). Notable recognitions include Young Epidemiologist of the Year (2011) and the Ronald D. Mann Best Paper Award (2021). Key research focuses on quality use of medicines, medicine safety, large population studies, and innovative epidemiological methods. Major projects include developing clinical decision support tools for cardiovascular prevention, analyzing preventable hospitalizations in aged care, and investigating psychotropic medication trends in youth. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health equity and non-communicable disease reduction. Recent publications emphasize drug repurposing (e.g., SGLT2 inhibitors), opioid prescribing patterns, hip fracture outcomes, and dementia detection algorithms. She chairs multinational studies on stroke and myocardial infarction cost burdens, demonstrating interdisciplinary impact across pharmacology, epidemiology, and health economics.
Dr. Aisha Ijaz is a Lecturer in Marketing at Edge Hill University's Business School and Programme Leader for joint marketing programmes. She specializes in the intersection of religion, identity, and consumer behavior, particularly focusing on Muslim consumers in Western societies. Her research addresses ethical branding, political consumerism, and faith-based decision-making. She teaches digital marketing, social media analytics, and advertising, while also leading live digital marketing consultancy projects. A member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM), she contributes to academic standards as part of Edge Hill’s External Examiner Committee. Education: PhD in Business (Marketing), Liverpool Hope University (2014–2021) MSc in Distributed Systems, Liverpool Hope University (2005–2007) BA in Business and Community Enterprise & Multimedia Technology, Liverpool Hope University (2002–2005) Research Interests: Her work examines how religious identity influences consumption patterns, especially in complex socio-political contexts. She explores ethical branding strategies, consumer activism related to global conflicts (e.g., Israel-Gaza), and the role of digital technologies in marketing. Her contributions include articles in Journal of Food Products Marketing and media commentary via The Conversation and TRT World. Awards & Engagement: Recipient of the 2024 Edge Hill Lecturing Hero Award. Engaged in public discourse on branding and protests, including analyses of global brand boycotts' impact. Active in academic service, serving as an internal PhD examiner and peer reviewer for journals like Journal of Islamic Marketing and Comparative Migration Studies .
Daniel Geiger is a Professor and Chairholder of Organization Studies at the University of Hamburg , Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Department of Social Economics. He has previously held professorial positions at the University of Kaiserslautern and the University of Linz. He earned his PhD from Freie Universität Berlin and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Liverpool. He is an internationally recognized scholar in organization theory, with a focus on organizational routines, crisis management, and practice-based research. Education: Dipl.-Kfm. in Business Administration, Freie Universität Berlin; PhD in Management, Freie Universität Berlin (2005); Habilitation, University of Linz (2009). Professional Experience: Professor, University of Hamburg (2013–present); Professor, University of Kaiserslautern (2010–2013); Assistant/Associate Professor, University of Linz (2007–2009); Research Fellow, University of Liverpool (2005–2007). Prof. Geiger’s research centers on the dynamics of organizational routines in crisis and emergency contexts. He employs ethnographic methods and has collaborated with organizations such as the Uganda Red Cross, Feuerwehr Hamburg, and Technisches Hilfswerk. His work explores how time, space, and paradox shape coordination in extreme situations. His recent publications reveal a deepening focus on temporal elasticity, granularity in routine studies, and multi-actor dynamics in legitimacy repair and crisis response. He has contributed significantly to journals like Administrative Science Quarterly , Organization Studies , and Organization Science . His scientific contributions have been recognized with awards including the Douglas McGregor Memorial Award (2010) and the Best Paper Award for Young Scholars (2009). He serves on the editorial boards of Organization Studies , Management Learning , and European Management Journal , and is an active member of EGOS, including its Executive Board and Standing Working Group on Managing in Extreme Contexts. Prof. Geiger has advised several doctoral students and junior researchers, including Dr. Iris Seidemann and Pia Geisemann. He has led international research projects and held visiting appointments at the University of California, Irvine, and the Uganda Management Institute. His work combines theoretical rigor with practical relevance, particularly in humanitarian and emergency management contexts.
Dr. Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy & Business Economy at Brunel Business School, Brunel University of London. She serves as Programme Lead for the BSc International Business Programme and Trade2Grow Executive Education Programme. Additionally, she is Impact Lead at the Brunel Centre for AI: Social and Digital Innovation, where she leads the capability area in the Future of Work. Dr. Tabaghdehi is also an economist and social impact advisor for the independent NGO, Social Innovation Movement. Dr. Tabaghdehi earned her PhD in Economics and Finance (2008) and MSc in International Money, Finance, and Investment (2015), both from Brunel University London. She also holds a BA in Theoretical Economics from University of Mazandaran. She completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Dr. Tabaghdehi is internationally recognized for her research on digital transformation, with particular expertise in the ethical integration of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Her work focuses on how emerging technologies shape industries, labor markets, and society, with emphasis on enhancing SME growth through technological innovation. She explores applications across critical sectors including social care, supply chain management, and environmental sustainability. A central theme in her research is smart data governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and responsible use of data in decision-making processes. Her research portfolio demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of technology, ethics, and business strategy. She has developed frameworks like the Digital Business Auditing Framework, which has been adopted internationally for smart city initiatives. Her work connects academic research with practical policy applications, as evidenced by her presentations as oral and written evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee. Her publications span AI ethics, digital footprint implications, fertility economics, and healthcare cost analysis, showing interdisciplinary breadth while maintaining thematic coherence around digital transformation's societal impact. Scientific Awards and Recognition Semi-finalist: Research Impact Award at Brunel University London, 2023 Staff Award: Exceptional in Collegiality and Supportive to Colleagues at Brunel University London, 2022 Exceptional Performance at Regents University London, 2018-19 Staff Award in Teaching, Learning and Assessment at Regents University London, 2016 Best Lecturer Award at London Brunel International College, 2014 Best Lecturer Award at London Brunel International College, 2013 Dr. Tabaghdehi actively supervises PhD students researching areas including Smart Data Governance, Ethical AI Governance, Digital Innovation Impact, Responsible AI Adoption Strategies, Sustainability, and Future of Labour Market. She has secured research funding from multiple sources including the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), Brunel University London, and Brunel Business School. Her current projects include research on AI Adoption and Governance, Youth digital addiction, Algorithm Reliability Framework, and SMEs digital footprints. She has also co-designed the "Digital Adoption" module for the UK Government's Help to Grow Management program, demonstrating the practical application of her research. As a member of multiple professional organizations, Dr. Tabaghdehi serves as an associate practitioner at Social Value International, associate member of the Big Innovation Centre, and member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI. She is also a member of the ESRC Review College, British Academy of Management Review College, and Energy Institute UK, contributing to the broader academic and policy communities through these roles.
Neil F. Lobo is a Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, where he has held progressive academic positions since 2004. His work lies at the intersection of medical entomology, infectious disease epidemiology, and public health policy, with a focus on mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. He conducts field and laboratory research across multiple continents, collaborating with global health programs to inform vector control strategies. Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, University of Notre Dame (1995–2000) B.Sc., St. Joseph’s Arts and Science College, Bangalore, India (1990–1994) Dr. Lobo's research centers on understanding the biological and behavioral traits of Anopheles mosquitoes that influence malaria transmission. His lab investigates vector bionomics, species composition, insecticide resistance, and the impact of human behavior on disease spread. A major focus is residual transmission—malaria cases that occur despite existing interventions like bed nets and indoor spraying. His work emphasizes evidence-based decision-making for national malaria control programs. His recent publications span topics including spatial repellents, human exposure patterns, and malaria eradication strategies. Collectively, these studies reflect a strong commitment to operational research that bridges scientific discovery with real-world implementation. His work is published in high-impact journals such as The Lancet , Malaria Journal , and American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene , and often involves multi-institutional, international collaborations. Scientific awards and honors: No specific awards mentioned in the provided text. Dr. Lobo has advised numerous research projects and contributed to major global health initiatives, including collaborations with ministries of health in Africa and Southeast Asia. His lab supports operational research to evaluate intervention efficacy, vector surveillance, and transmission drivers. He has secured funding for long-term field studies in countries such as Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Ethiopia, enabling data-driven policy recommendations for vector control. The Lobo Lab operates with a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in science. It fosters an open, intersectional environment that values diverse perspectives to enhance scientific rigor and global applicability. The lab collaborates with academic institutions, NGOs, and public health agencies worldwide to advance health standards, particularly for populations disproportionately affected by preventable diseases.
Dr. Anja Schmidt is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ , specifically within the Department of Conservation Biology & Social-Ecological Systems. She has been affiliated with UFZ since 2020 and previously worked at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and UFZ's Community Ecology Department. Her research focuses on ecosystem processes, particularly decomposition dynamics driven by invertebrates in tropical and agricultural systems, climate change impacts, and biodiversity conservation. PhD in Ecology (UFZ, 2012–2015) Master's in Ecology, Environmental Science, Bioinformatics (University of Giessen, 2008–2011) BSc in Biotechnology, Animal Physiology, Organismic Biology (University of Erlangen/Nuremberg, 2005–2008) Her work explores the interplay between decomposition processes , invertebrate biodiversity , and human-driven environmental changes . She investigates how climate change, land use, and pollution affect soil and aquatic ecosystems, with a focus on multitrophic interactions. Her research integrates experimental platforms like the iDiv Ecotron and UFZ's environmental observatories (TERENO, MOSES) to simulate and monitor real-world conditions. Dr. Schmidt's recent publications highlight her contributions to understanding invertebrate decline and its cascading effects on microbiomes, soil biodiversity assessments, and policy frameworks for conservation. She collaborates extensively with networks such as iDiv, STACCATO, and LEGATO, bridging experimental ecology with societal decision-making through projects like Faktencheck Artenvielfalt . She is associated with experimental infrastructures including: iDiv Ecotron Project (2018–2020) Global Change Experimental Facility (GCEF) TERENO (Terrestrial Environmental Observatories) MOSES (Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems) MOBICOS (Mobile Stream Laboratories) River Experiment Leipzig
Maria Antoniak is an Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, with affiliations to the Department of Information Science. Her research bridges natural language processing and cultural analytics, focusing on computational methods to analyze language-culture intersections in online communities and healthcare settings. Her recent work explores research cultures and LLM adaptations (ACL 2025), ethical human-LLM interactions (COLM 2024), and story detection in digital spaces (ACL 2024). Publications span maternal healthcare NLP (FAccT 2024), bias measurement (ACL 2021), and narrative power dynamics (CSCW 2019). She has served on editorial boards for the Journal of Cultural Analytics and Computational Humanities Research (CHR) Journal, and as Senior Area Chair for ACL 2025. Her outreach includes founding AI for Humanists workshops and developing cultural analytics tools like Little Mallet Wrapper and Riveter. Antoniak completed her PhD in Information Science at Cornell University, advised by David Mimno, and holds an MS in Computational Linguistics from the University of Washington. She is actively recruiting students for Fall 2026 and has taught NLP-related courses at multiple institutions globally.
