Dr. Samuël Kruizinga , an Associate Professor of Contemporary and Military History at the University of Amsterdam , is a leading scholar on conflict, neutrality, and transnational warfare. His research spans World War I/II blockades, postcolonial conflicts (e.g., Indonesian Independence War), and the role of small states in international relations. He leads the €10.2 million BLOCKADE: The Hidden Weapon project, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and NTNU, exploring blockades' impact on violence, humanitarianism, and global order. Education: Leiden University, Sorbonne (Paris), University of Oxford, Ph.D. from University of Amsterdam (2011) Research Themes: Conflict resolution, resilience in crises, foreign fighters (e.g., Ukraine, Spanish Civil War), grey zone warfare, occupation studies His work bridges disciplines like international history, econometrics, and war studies. Recent publications analyze blockades, intelligence failures, and the moral ambiguities of colonial military operations. Kruizinga also contributes to debates on neutrality, historical memory, and the transformation of warfare. Scientific Awards: ERC Synergy Grant (€2.3 million) for the BLOCKADE project (2024)
Cecilia Marcela Bailliet is a Professor at the Department of Public and International Law of the University of Oslo , where she directs the Masters Program in International Law. She holds a J.D./M.A. (honors) from The George Washington University Law School and Elliott School of International Affairs and a Doctorate in Law from the University of Oslo. Her research focuses on International Law , Human Rights , Refugee Law , Peace , and Counter-Terrorism , with a particular emphasis on gender rights and collective rights . Education: J.D./M.A., The George Washington University Doctorate in Law, University of Oslo Bailliet has authored or edited 14 books, including Research Handbook on International Solidarity and the Law (2024) and Promoting Peace Through International Law (2015). She has published extensively on topics such as: Refugee Law (e.g., gender-based persecution, asylum procedures) Human Rights (e.g., women’s rights, counter-terrorism) Peace Law (e.g., normative foundations, inter-American jurisprudence) Migration (e.g., burden-sharing, asylum-humanitarian protection grey zones) Her work has influenced UN guidelines and inspired the International Solidarity Map . Bailliet has advised international organizations and served on the Academic Review Board of the Cambridge International Law Journal . She co-hosts a series of interviews with international judges and contributes to the Intl Law Grrls Blog as an editor.
Courtney J. Fung is an Associate Professor in the Department of Security Studies & Criminology at Macquarie University. She holds concurrent roles as a Non-Resident Fellow at Harvard University’s Fairbank Center, Asia Society Australia, LSE IDEAS, and the Lowy Institute. Her research focuses on rising powers’ engagement with global governance and international security, particularly China’s evolving role in institutions like the UN Security Council and cyber policy frameworks. Education: Courtney earned a PhD in International Relations from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. She is a Fulbright Scholar at Georgetown University (2024) and serves on The Fletcher School Board of Advisors. Research Interests: Her work examines China’s influence on international norms, cyber sovereignty, UN peacekeeping, and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Key contributions include her 2019 Oxford University Press book China and Intervention at the UN Security Council: Reconciling Status , which explores how China navigates intervention and regime change debates at the UN. Awards: Courtney has received the HKU Research Output Prize (2019–2020), Early Career Teaching Award (2016), and Fulbright Award (2023). Her research has been featured in journals like Contemporary Security Policy and International Affairs . Grants & Projects: She led the 2023 project Japan for Strategy: Bringing Japan into Australia’s Defence and Intelligence Strategy . Her work is supported by grants such as the Early Career Scheme Research Grant (2014) and Government Research Fund Award (2020). Media Engagement: Courtney frequently comments on Chinese foreign policy for outlets like The Wire China , analyzing cyber governance, UN diplomacy, and geopolitical rivalry.
Davide Previtali is an Assistant Professor at the University of Bergamo's Department of Engineering. His research focuses on control systems, black-box and preference-based optimization, and lithium-ion battery technologies. He teaches the 'Data science and automation' course (6 CFU). Education: Master’s in Computer Science Engineering (2019), PhD in Engineering and Applied Sciences (2022), both from University of Bergamo Research interests include model predictive control, thermal systems optimization, regenerative braking systems, and integration of biological models with neural networks. Recent work emphasizes energy-efficient industrial processes and algorithms for preference-based optimization with convergence guarantees. Publications span industrial oven modeling, shrink tunnel control systems, and advanced optimization algorithms. He leads the Control systems and Automation Laboratory, focusing on practical applications of control theory in manufacturing and energy systems. Labs/Teams: Control systems and Automation Laboratory
Dr. John Morrison is an Associate Professor in Criminology at Maynooth University's School of Law and Criminology. He holds a PhD in International Relations (University of St Andrews), an MA in Forensic Psychology (University College Cork), and a BA in Psychology (University College Dublin). His research focuses on terrorist decision-making, including organizational splits, radicalization, and trust dynamics in extremist groups. Funded by ESRC and Minerva, his work has been published in journals like Terrorism and Political Violence and Studies in Conflict and Terrorism . Morrison serves as Co-Editor of Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression , and is an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. He founded research centers on terrorism and extremism at Royal Holloway and the University of East London. His teaching includes modules on criminology and terrorism at Maynooth. Recent students include Dr. Daniella Scerri and Dr. Eke Bont. Key roles include Director of Teaching and Learning at Maynooth’s School of Law and Criminology, and advisory board member for the Society for Terrorism Research. His podcast Talking Terror interviews leading experts in counter-terrorism studies. Awards include an honorary lectureship from UCL’s Security and Crime Science department. Research interests span disengagement strategies, CVE initiatives, and the psychology of extremist group membership. He has authored/co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles and books, including 100 Years of Irish Republican Violence (2016). Current projects address climate change and terrorism linkages, and interdisciplinary criminal justice research frameworks.
Christian Bueger is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Copenhagen and serves as an Honorary Professor at the University of Seychelles. He is also a Research Fellow at UNIDIR and Director of SafeSeas, a maritime security research network. His research focuses on maritime security , global ocean politics , and critical maritime infrastructure protection , particularly subsea data cables and offshore renewable energy. He advocates for international cooperation and adaptive governance in regions like the Western Indian Ocean and Baltic Sea. Key themes in his work: Security governance , regional collaboration , infrastructure resilience , and climate-maritime nexus Recent publications analyze NATO’s role in subsea protection , EU-GCC maritime dynamics , and lessons from Seychelles’ anti-piracy efforts . His 2025 edited book The Politics of Global Ocean Regions explores ocean spaces as political entities. Bueger contributes to policy debates on zones of peace, grey zone warfare, and maritime cybersecurity. He regularly briefs international bodies like the UN Security Council and leads training programs such as Singapore’s Regional Maritime Practitioner Programme.
Associate Professor Jürgen Aosaar (b. 1983) is a leading silviculture and forest-ecology researcher at the Estonian University of Life Sciences , Institute of Forestry and Engineering, Chair of Silviculture and Forest Ecology. After completing BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in forestry at the same university (2005–2012), he advanced from research engineer (2007) to senior research fellow (2018–2024) and since May 2024 holds the rank of Associate Professor. Research focus centres on biomass production of fast-growing broadleaved species, carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and climate-smart forest management . He has authored or co-authored ≈95 peer-reviewed articles and led or co-led over 30 national and international projects (>€5 million total funding), including Horizon Europe and Estonian Research Council grants. Education & Training PhD Forestry, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 2012 MSc Forestry, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 2007 BSc Forestry, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 2005 Numerous specialised courses (SLU, UBC, COST Actions, etc.) Scientific Awards 2024 – Estonian University of Life Sciences Science Popularization Award, 1st Prize 2007 – State Forest Management Centre Award for Best Master’s Thesis in Forestry Doctoral & Master’s Supervision Currently supervising 2 PhD and 2 MSc students; 8 theses already defended under his guidance (topics range from carbon balance of Scots-pine and birch stands to environmental education in forest estates). Labs & Teams Active member of the university’s Centre of Bioeconomy council and several curriculum-development committees; leads the Master’s programme in Forest Management and Forest Ecology.
Dr. Stacey Henderson serves as Associate Professor at Flinders University's College of Business, Government and Law, where she leads the Defence, Security & Space research theme within the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies. Her institutional affiliations include the Australian Centre for Space Governance (founding member), International Institute of Space Law, and Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (council member 2020-2025). Her research focuses on the protective capacity of international law, with specialized expertise in space governance, disarmament, and atrocity prevention. Key areas include commercial space activities, grey zone operations in space/cyber domains, information warfare, sustained human presence in space, and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) framework. Her current Office of National Intelligence-funded project examines chemical/biological agent use against non-human targets. Recent scholarly output demonstrates strong thematic concentration in space law evolution (2023-2024), with 10 publications addressing critical infrastructure protection, sustainable resource utilization, and corporate accountability in space. Concurrent work explores disinformation threats to democracy and legal education reform. Her research directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals through contributions to peace, justice, and institutional development. Vice Chancellor's Early Career Researcher Award (2024) Director, Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand (2022-2024) Steering Committee Member, Australian Centre for Space Governance Henderson actively contributes to national security policy through media engagements on arms control, space law, and information operations. Her Jeff Bleich Centre leadership role connects academic research with defense and security applications. Current projects include developing frameworks for space as critical infrastructure and analyzing disinformation impacts on democratic processes.
Evhen Tsybulenko is a Senior Lecturer at Tallinn University of Technology's Department of Law within the School of Business and Governance. He holds concurrent roles as a Professor at Kyiv International University and has served as director of the Human Rights Centre at TTÜ. His career includes extensive work with the International Committee of the Red Cross, focusing on international humanitarian law dissemination. Education: PhD in International Law (Kyiv National University), post-doctoral research at DePaul University, and over 60 academic publications across international law, human rights, and conflict studies. He advises organizations like the Estonian Integration Commission and OSCE. Research focuses on international law's role in modern conflicts, particularly Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and legal frameworks for emerging challenges like autonomous weapons systems and Arctic governance. Awards include the ILA's 2018 recognition for anti-Russian resistance efforts. Grants include leading projects on the Digital Single Market and Eastern Partnership legal frameworks. Advised 17+ students on topics ranging from cyber warfare to international tribunals. Active in global legal networks, serving on editorial boards of prominent journals and as an advisor to international legal initiatives.
Tristanne Connolly is Professor of English at St. Jerome’s University (a federated college of the University of Waterloo, Canada). She has previously held positions at Butler University and Auburn University. Her scholarly work explores British Romantic literature and culture, focusing on William Blake, Erasmus Darwin, Jane Austen, gender and sexuality studies, medical humanities, and the intersections of literature, science, and art. Education PhD, King’s College, University of Cambridge MA, McMaster University BA, McMaster University Research Interests Connolly’s research interrogates the relations between literature, medicine, and science in the Romantic period, with sustained attention to questions of gender and sexuality, reproduction, and the porous boundaries between material and immaterial, human and non-human. She has published extensively on William Blake, Erasmus Darwin’s botanical-sexual poetry, and the cultural history of medicine and midwifery. Recent editorial projects include Beastly Blake (2018), Canadian Music and American Culture: Get Away From Me (2017), British Romanticism in European Perspective: Into the Eurozone (2015), and the forthcoming digital critical edition of Erasmus Darwin’s The Loves of the Plants (2025). Scientific Awards & Fellowships Corresponding Fellowship, The English Society (2016–) University of Manchester Research Networking Fund Grant (2013) Distinguished Teacher Award, University of Waterloo (2010) CIHR Operating Grant co-investigator, “City Life and Well-Being” (2006–2011) Government of Canada Cultural Personalities Exchange Program grant (2006) St. Jerome’s University Faculty Research Grant (2005, 2012) Graduate Supervision & Grants Connolly supervises graduate research in British Romantic literature and culture, William Blake, Erasmus Darwin, Jane Austen, poetry, gender and sexuality, medical writing and illustration, science, and religion. She has served as Chair of the Department of English at St. Jerome’s (2015–2018) and President of the faculty union (2018–2020). She is currently co-editor of two Palgrave Macmillan book series: Pop Music, Culture and Identity and Asia-Pacific and Literature in English . Laboratories & Research Groups While no dedicated laboratory is mentioned, Connolly participates in interdisciplinary research networks including the University of Waterloo’s “Grey Zone of Health and Illness” cluster and maintains active international collaborations with scholars in the UK, Japan, and across Europe.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Crothers, USAF, is an Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department at the United States Naval Academy. With a 24-year Air Force career, he has served as a Professional Military Education instructor and electrical engineer, focusing on electronic warfare and information warfare assessments. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor's degree from Virginia Military Institute. Education: Ph.D. in Political Science, Michigan State University M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology Bachelor's degree, Virginia Military Institute His research examines the domestic political consequences of foreign militarized interventions, including post-conflict democratization, political stability, and the domestic implications of grey zone conflict. Recently, he explores how foreign-directed covert and information operations influence political outcomes in targeted states. He teaches courses on comparative and international politics, including interstate conflict and the politics of information technology. Previously, Crothers served at Air Command and Staff College as an Assistant Professor of Military and National Security Studies, International Security Course Director, and Director of the Staff Department of International Security and Military Studies.
Jonathan Jingsheng Shi is a Professor and Holder of the Art E. Favre Industrial Construction Chair at Louisiana State University's Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management. He has held academic roles since 1985, including professorships at the University of Florida, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Illinois Institute of Technology, with extensive industry collaborations. His research focuses on green technologies, construction operations modeling, energy efficiency, and ERP systems. Education: Ph.D., University of Alberta, Canada (1992–1995) M.Sc., Wuhan University, China (1982–1985) B.Sc., Wuhan University, China (1978–1982) Research Interests: Dr. Shi’s work integrates sustainability, data-driven construction processes, and advanced technologies. Key areas include energy-efficient building systems, project scheduling optimization, and neural networks for construction analysis. His projects often bridge academia and industry, emphasizing practical applications. Grants & Projects: "Building Energy Efficient Homes for America (BeeHa)" ($660,345 USD, US DOE) "Advanced Decentralized Water/Energy Network Design" ($1.25M, US EPA) "Highway Work Zone Safety Audit Guidelines" ($1M+, FHWA) His research has received over $8M in federal and industry funding, addressing critical issues in construction sustainability and safety. Advising & Collaboration: While no students are listed, his projects involve interdisciplinary teams with industry partners. He has co-led initiatives with organizations like the Illinois Department of Transportation and the US Department of Energy.
Nacima Labadie is a Full Professor at the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), leading the Industrial Engineering department since 2018. She holds roles in academic governance, including membership in UTT's Scientific Council (since 2017) and the Computer Science and Digital Society Laboratory Council (since 2021). Her research focuses on Transportation and Distribution Logistics , Operations Research , and Numerical Optimization , with applications in vehicle routing problems, blood supply chains, and sustainable logistics. She pioneered the C2P Collaborative Network VRP and Grey Zone Two-Echelon VRP , addressing urban and eco-friendly delivery challenges. Her work spans metaheuristic algorithms (e.g., GRASP, Iterated Local Search) for stochastic optimization and supply chain design. Notable contributions include models for biomass supply chains, blood distribution systems, and decision support platforms like AidAdom for healthcare coordination. Recent publications emphasize low-emission logistics , urban traffic optimization , and multi-objective decision-making in complex networks. Her research integrates simulation tools (ARENA/CPLEX) and signal processing techniques for graph-based problems. As a department head, she oversees 300+ students and guides the Optimization and Systems Safety master’s program. Her work aligns with UTT’s strategic goals in Operational Research and Digital Society initiatives.
Magne Frostad is a Professor of International Law and Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Law, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. His work focuses on international law, constitutional law, maritime law, and armed conflict , particularly examining legal frameworks for military use of the sea, security policy, and human rights. Current Roles: Vice Dean for Research, UiT Faculty of Law; Work Package Leader in the FAKENEWS project (2021–2025). Education: Visiting Scholar at Edinburgh Law School (2022); Visiting Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford (2015–2017). Research Trends: Recent publications analyze maritime security in conflict zones (e.g., Red Sea Houthi attacks, Montreux Convention), legal protections for underwater cultural heritage, and historical perspectives on military law. He contributes to governance gaps in disinformation resilience and Arctic security. Projects & Affiliations: Member of the Grey Zone research group; involved in digital education initiatives via Canvas platform studies. Collaborated on the Oslo Manual on Law of Armed Conflict (2015–2018).
Kaleigh Heard is a Lecturer in Human Rights and Deputy Director of the MA in Human Rights programme at UCL's Department of Political Science. She also serves as Director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drones and Modern Warfare. Her research focuses on ethico-strategic dilemmas in warfare, particularly human security issues such as civilian protection, children in armed conflict, and conflict-related sexual violence in coalition operations. She employs mixed methods and has conducted fieldwork across multiple conflict zones including Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Education: BA (Hon) in International Relations, University of Western Ontario MA in Political Science, University of British Columbia MA in War Studies, Royal Military College of Canada Research Interests: Human security in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism Legal and ethical dimensions of modern warfare Civilian harm mitigation strategies Arctic defence systems Hybrid warfare analysis Her book The Price of a Life: The Confluence of Law, Justice and Strategy in Civilian Harm Compensation (2023) examines compensation mechanisms for civilian casualties. Research funding has come from the Canadian Department of National Defence, UK Ministry of Defence, EU Commission, and others. Advising and Grants: Provides advisory services to governments/NGOs. Active in policy development through roles like APPG Director. Collaborates on projects with Dstl, RAND Corporation, and NATO. Labs/Teams: Leads research initiatives on modern warfare through UCL's Human Rights MA program and cross-institutional collaborations with defence research organizations.
