Robert West is an Associate Professor at EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne) in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences , leading the Data Science Lab (dlab) . His research focuses on Natural Language Processing , Machine Learning , and Computational Social Science , analyzing human-generated data from the web, social media, and online platforms. Education : PhD in Computer Science (2016) - Stanford University MSc in Computer Science (2010) - McGill University BSc in Computer Science (2007) - Technische Universität München Research Interests : West develops algorithms for analyzing large-scale web data, with emphasis on multilingual NLP , social network analysis , and AI ethics . His work bridges machine learning with social science to understand digital human behavior. Scientific Awards : ICWSM’22 Adamic–Glance Distinguished Young Researcher Award Google Faculty Research Award Facebook Research Award Multiple Outstanding Paper Awards at ICWSM and WWW Advising & Grants : He advises 12 PhD students and has secured funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation , Swiss Data Science Center , and industry partners. His lab maintains collaborations with Microsoft Research and CROSS . Labs & Collaborations : West leads the Data Science Lab at EPFL, which focuses on web-scale data analysis , privacy-preserving machine learning , and AI for social good . The lab develops tools like Wikispeedia and Quotebank for public data exploration.
Aamir R. Mufti serves as Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles, with affiliations at the Asia Pacific Center. His scholarly work bridges literary studies, anthropology, and area studies focused on South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Jewish diaspora communities. His research centers on: Global colonialism and decolonization processes Postcolonial reconfigurations of Western humanities concepts (secular, minor, cosmopolitan) Migrant/refugee experiences in European unification projects Palestine as historical experience of homeland loss Critical examinations of world literature frameworks Analysis of his publications reveals consistent engagement with suppressed narratives in colonial and postcolonial contexts, particularly examining how enforced immobility contradicts world literature's mobility discourse and how minority experiences in Europe were disseminated globally through colonial nation-state formations. His work systematically interrogates Orientalism's legacy in contemporary humanistic practice. Mufti maintains a long-standing editorial role with the journal boundary 2 , where he has curated special collections advancing critical postcolonial discourse. His current research trajectory emphasizes migrant subjectivity within European political crises and reimagining humanities frameworks from colonized perspectives. Academic foundations include doctoral training under Edward Said at Columbia University, with formative influences from South Asian literary traditions (notably Faiz Ahmed Faiz) and European critical theory (Heinrich Heine). His institutional work positions Comparative Literature as a discipline uniquely equipped to address contemporary global political rightward shifts through interdisciplinary humanistic analysis.
Vincent J. Cheng is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah, holding appointments since July 2019. He previously served at the University of Southern California (1979–2019) in roles including Professor of English and Director of Asian American Studies. His academic leadership includes directing the Tanner Humanities Center (2003–2007). Cheng specializes in modernist literature, particularly James Joyce, with research focusing on cultural memory, national identity, and postcolonial studies. He has authored influential works like Amnesia and the Nation and edited volumes on Joyce’s legacy. Recognized for teaching excellence, he received the Calvin S. and JeNeal Hatch Prize in Teaching (2024) and the Distinguished Teaching Award (2014). Cheng’s research integrates philosophy, history, and literature, exploring themes like migration, empathy, and ethical remembrance. His recent work analyzes Joyce’s treatment of memory and history, connecting Irish and American Southern narratives. He also contributes to Joyce Studies Annual and serves on editorial boards for Western Humanities Review . Teaching-wise, he leads advanced seminars on literary studies and British writers, guiding Ph.D. thesis research. Award highlights include the Fulbright Scholar Award (2015) and the Carole & Gordon Segal Visiting Chair in Irish Studies (2014). He remains active in community outreach, such as presenting Joyce’s Dubliners to high school students. His interdisciplinary approach bridges literary analysis with cultural and ethical inquiry.
Bo Bottomley is a Researcher affiliated with the School of Law at the University of East Anglia. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and is a member of the Migration Research Network. Her work focuses on migration and refugee studies, particularly examining how state policies impact human rights and refugee integration. She has contributed peer-reviewed analyses in high-impact journals such as the Journal of Refugee Studies . Bottomley’s research bridges legal frameworks, social policy, and global migration dynamics. Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from an unspecified institution (listed in her profile). Research Interests: Migration Studies, Refugee Law, Human Rights, and the intersection of state policies with international law. She critically evaluates how state actions influence refugee rights and societal inclusion, emphasizing structural inequalities and legal accountability. Publications: Her 2022 book review in Journal of Refugee Studies highlights her engagement with contemporary debates on refugee rights and state responsibilities. This work reflects her broader focus on systemic barriers faced by displaced populations. Labs/Teams: Active member of the Migration Research Network, contributing to collaborative projects on migration law and policy.
Ameil Joseph is an Associate Professor at McMaster University's School of Social Work, where they contribute to critical scholarship at the intersection of mental health, race, and social justice. Their work examines how ideas about difference, normalcy, sexuality, eugenics, race, ability and mental 'illness' cohere and perform within policy, law and practice, with over a decade of professional experience in mental health settings including supportive housing, settlement services, crisis respite, and forensic community treatment. Education: Ph.D in Social Work, York University (2009-2014) MSW, Wilfrid Laurier University (2005-2007) BA in Psychology, University of Waterloo (1998-2003) Dr. Joseph's research engages with critical mental health, postcolonial theory, critical race theory, and critical disability studies to examine the historical production of ideas about difference. Their scholarship particularly focuses on how these ideas manifest in mental health systems, immigration policy, and criminal justice, with attention to issues of social justice, violence, ethics, and confluence. Their work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical implications, addressing the complex interplay of colonialism, racism, sanism, and eugenics in contemporary social systems. Analysis of Dr. Joseph's recent publications reveals a sustained focus on colonial and eugenic violence within mental health, immigration, and criminal justice systems. Their scholarship consistently examines how racism, sanism, and ableism intersect to produce particular forms of state violence, particularly against racialized immigrants with mental health conditions. Recent work has expanded to address temporal dimensions of oppression, data colonialism, and community responses to grief and loss during the pandemic, demonstrating both theoretical sophistication and practical relevance to current social issues. Scientific Awards: University Scholar 2025 - Recognized for research leadership and impact among eight McMaster professors honored as University Scholars Dr. Joseph has secured significant research funding, including nearly $75,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for community-engaged projects addressing social justice issues. Their teaching portfolio includes advanced courses on critical mental health perspectives, race and colonialism in Canadian society, and social justice theory. While specific graduate students aren't listed in available materials, their extensive co-author network suggests active mentorship and collaboration. Dr. Joseph contributes to community-based initiatives in Hamilton addressing racism in healthcare and mental health systems, connecting academic scholarship with practical community responses to systemic issues. Dr. Joseph maintains an active presence in community responses to contemporary challenges, particularly through initiatives addressing grief during the pandemic and systemic racism in healthcare. Their work exemplifies the integration of scholarly rigor with community engagement, demonstrating how academic research can inform and be informed by real-world social justice efforts.
Bernard Comrie is a Research Professor Emeritus in Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the College of Letters and Science. He previously served as Director of the Department of Linguistics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (1998–2015) and held a Distinguished Professorship at UCSB (2002–2021). His career includes teaching positions at the University of Cambridge, University of Southern California, and leadership roles in major research institutions. Comrie’s research focuses on Language universals and typology Historical linguistics Languages of the Caucasus, New Guinea, and Great Andamanese He emphasizes fieldwork-driven cross-linguistic analysis of topics like tense/aspect, transitivity, numeral systems, and prehistoric migration studies through collaborations with archaeologists and geneticists. His recent publications explore morphosyntactic variation (e.g., verb indexing in Asian languages, reflexivity in Tsez), language contact (Kanashi prehistory), and numeral system typology. Articles often bridge theoretical linguistics with empirical data from understudied languages. Notable contributions include the World Atlas of Language Structures and foundational work on Nakh-Daghestanian and Andamanese languages. He advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to reconstructing prehistoric human movements via linguistic evidence.
Emily Hannum is a Professor of Sociology and Education at the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts & Sciences, where she also serves as Associate Dean for Social Sciences. She is affiliated with the Population Studies Center, Center for the Study of Contemporary China, Graduate School of Education, and Penn Development Research Initiative. Education: PhD in Sociology from University of Michigan (1998) Research Focus: Poverty and child welfare, gender and ethnic stratification, sociology of education Projects: Gansu Survey of Children and Families, climate-environment-childhood inequalities in LMICs Workshops: Co-organizer of Penn Education and Inequality Workshop Her research explores childhood poverty in China, demographic impacts on education systems, and climate risks affecting children's welfare. She investigates environmental hazards, educational disparities, and family separation effects across China, India, and low/middle-income countries. Recent publications analyze educational expansion in East Asia, climate crisis impacts on child health, and gender disparities in Latin America. She directs longitudinal studies on rural poverty and collaborates on cross-national projects related to environmental and educational equity. Scientific awards include the Stanley I. Sheerr Term Professorship in Social Sciences.
David Glovsky serves as Assistant Professor of History and African and African American Studies within Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, focusing on 19th-20th century West Africa with regional expertise in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea. His research examines borderlands through lenses of mobility, citizenship, and alternative geographies, challenging state-imposed borders with community-driven spatial narratives. His educational foundation includes a B.A. in History and Human Geography from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in African History from Michigan State University. Prior academic appointments include the Department of Africana Studies at University at Albany and the Department of History at Boston University, following Peace Corps service in southern Senegal that redirected his career from sports media into academia. Glovsky's research program centers on social justice-oriented historical narratives of marginalized West African communities, particularly Fulbe populations. His work synthesizes oral histories and archival research across six nations to analyze how borderland residents construct fluid geographies that transcend colonial/postcolonial boundaries. Key themes include migration as resistance , gendered border experiences , and Islam's role in transnational community formation , with methodological innovation in spatial history and decolonial approaches. Analysis of his nine recent publications (2019-2023) reveals consistent engagement with West African borderland resilience , demonstrating how communities maintain cross-border networks despite state fragmentation. His work bridges historical scholarship and contemporary migration debates , employing interdisciplinary frameworks from anthropology, geography, and postcolonial theory to document alternative spatial organizations that challenge Western cartographic traditions. ACLS Fellowship supporting book project Borderlanders: Popular Geographies, Mobility, and Belonging in West Africa Glovsky actively mentors graduate students interested in African history, emphasizing pathways for underrepresented scholars into U.S. academia. His research has received competitive external funding including the ACLS Fellowship, while his collaborative work on the NEH ‘Ajamī Project advanced accessibility of Pulaar manuscripts through digitization and multilingual translation. He maintains strong community ties with West African scholars and institutions, particularly in Senegambia. Though not leading a formal laboratory, Glovsky collaborates with international research teams across West Africa on borderland studies and manuscript preservation, working closely with scholars in Kolda (Senegal), Dakar, and Guinea-Bissau to document community histories through participatory methodologies.
Katherine Brickell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), where she serves as Research Lead for the Department of Geography. She is editor of the journal Gender, Place and Culture and former Chair of the RGS-IBG Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group. Her work spans social, political, development, urban and legal geography with a feminist orientation. Brickell's research centers on three interconnected themes: home and home unmaking, labor precarity, and feminist legal geographies. Her longstanding interest in the domestic sphere and home unmaking aims to reaffirm the home as a political entity. Her monograph Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia brings together 15 years of research on domestic violence and forced eviction. Since 2017, she has conducted collaborative work in London and Dublin on modular housing for homeless families. She has also led significant research on labor conditions in Cambodia, including the ESRC-DFID funded 'Blood Bricks' project (2016-2019) studying climate change impacts on rural families migrating to brick kilns. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on debt, microfinance, and climate vulnerability in Cambodia, with multiple 2022-2024 articles examining how over-indebtedness intersects with social reproduction and climate adaptation. Her work consistently applies feminist lenses to understand spatial dimensions of power, particularly in Southeast Asia. Brickell has published in top journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , Progress in Human Geography , Antipode , and Annals of the American Association of Geographers . Gill Memorial Award (2014) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016) Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (2020) Brickell has supervised numerous doctoral students and mentored postdoctoral fellows working on topics including remittances during COVID-19, climate mobilities, moral geographies of garment work, and women's experiences with domestic violence. Her research has been funded by ESRC-DFID, UKRI GCRF, and the Urban Studies Foundation, among others. She collaborates extensively with colleagues in Cambodia and across Europe, with current projects examining climate resilience, credit-taking, and nutrition in Cambodia and South India, as well as the economic impacts of the pandemic on Cambodian garment workers.
Prof. Marcy Zenobi-Wong is a Full Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Health Sciences and Technology, specializing in biofabrication and tissue engineering. Her research focuses on cartilage regeneration using advanced biomaterials, including nanofilm coatings and 3D printing techniques. She holds patents in tissue engineering and has pioneered methods like filamented light (FLight) biofabrication for creating anisotropic tissues. Her academic journey includes a B.Sc. from MIT (1985), M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Stanford (1987, 1990), followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Michigan. She leads the Biofabrication Group at ETH, developing therapies for joint repair and regenerative medicine. Courses taught include Biomedical Engineering and Materials and Mechanics in Medicine . Research highlights include engineered hydrogels for cartilage protection, CRISPR-driven gene editing in chondrocytes, and biohybrid neural interfaces. Her work bridges material science, cell biology, and clinical applications, with a focus on translational medicine. Collaborative projects involve creating elastic cartilage grafts for microtia reconstruction and volumetric printing of complex tissue constructs.
Norman M. Naimark serves as the Robert & Florence McDonnell Professor of East European Studies and Professor of History at Stanford University, with courtesy appointments in German Studies. He holds senior fellowships at both the Hoover Institution and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and is affiliated with The Europe Center and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. Education: Ph.D. in History, Stanford University (1972) Naimark specializes in Soviet-era Eastern European history, with dual research pillars: Soviet policies in post-WWII Europe and 20th-century genocide/ethnic cleansing phenomena. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary human rights discourse, emphasizing geopolitical power dynamics and systematic violence against civilian populations. Methodologically, he combines archival rigor with comparative frameworks across national contexts. His publication trajectory from 1979–2019 reveals evolving focus from Marxist movements in partitioned Poland to Soviet occupation mechanics, culminating in comprehensive genocide studies. The 2019 monograph on Stalin's postwar European sovereignty struggles synthesizes decades of research into Soviet imperial practices. Scientific awards: Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1996) Richard W. Lyman Award for outstanding faculty volunteer service (1995) Stanford Dean's Teaching Award (1991-92, 2002-3) Naimark's academic leadership includes directing Stanford's Global Studies Division, Bing Overseas Studies Program, and Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. His research informs current policy discussions on authoritarianism and democratic resilience, as evidenced by recent engagements with Belarusian democracy movements and U.S.-Russia relations. He collaborates extensively through Stanford's interdisciplinary centers, particularly contributing historical perspectives to The Europe Center's sovereignty research and the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law's governance initiatives.
Karl Gustafsson is a Professor at Stockholm University within the Department of Economic History and International Relations. His work bridges security studies , collective memory , and digital research methods in international relations. Current Role: Professor of International Relations, Stockholm University Previous Positions: Post-Doc at Lund University, Researcher at Swedish Institute of International Affairs Visiting Appointments: University of Tokyo, Osaka University, Keio University, Academia Sinica, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Research Focus: Karl specializes in memory politics , ontological security , and anxiety-driven international dynamics , particularly in Sino-Japanese relations and digital platforms . His studies explore how historical narratives and online memory construction influence state identity and policy. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the Wang Gungwu Prize (2014) and Stockholm University Association’s award (2011). Holds Swedish Research Council and Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg Foundation grants for projects on apologies in international politics and digital memory in East Asia . Publications: His work appears in journals such as International Studies Quarterly , European Journal of International Relations , and Memory Studies , addressing topics like narrative power in East Asia, anxiety’s role in policy change , and digital humanities applications in IR.
Professor Amy Maguire is a leading academic in human rights and public international law at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds roles as Deputy Head of the School of Law and Justice (2021-2024) and co-founder Director of the Centre for Law and Social Justice. Her research focuses on human rights accountability, Indigenous rights, climate change displacement, and refugee rights. She has secured over $2.7 million in grants, including an ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellowship (2024-2028) for national human rights reform initiatives. Maguire advises the Queensland Parliament on human rights compliance and collaborates with global institutions like the Australian Human Rights Commission. Her work has influenced policy, including Australia’s death penalty abolition strategy and Indigenous rights frameworks. She has been awarded multiple accolades for research and teaching excellence, including the 2020 Leadership Excellence Award and 2016 Early Career Researcher of the Year. Maguire’s education includes a BA, LLB (Hons), and PhD from the University of Newcastle. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges law and social justice, addressing issues like climate migration and legal responses to global crises. She leads projects such as the Hunter Region climate displacement study and the Human Rights Measurement System. Maguire’s public engagement includes over 70 articles for The Conversation, reaching 920,000+ readers, and expert media commentary globally. She advocates for inclusive education through initiatives like early entry programs for Indigenous and refugee students, earning a 2021 Senior Fellowship from Advance HE. Her research outputs span 60+ publications, with key works on MH17 litigation, climate justice, and Indigenous legal frameworks. Grants include a 2021 stimulus grant to establish the Centre for Law and Social Justice, supporting postdoctoral research and international collaborations. Maguire’s leadership extends to global networks, including the UN Human Rights Council evaluation project and the Human Rights for NSW Alliance. She remains committed to translating research into policy, education, and community impact through clinics, youth forums, and law reform advocacy.
Swantje Falcke is an Assistant Professor in Economic and Social History at Utrecht University's Department of History and Art History. As part of the College of Humanities, her research focuses on migrant integration, naturalization, and the interplay between environmental change and migration patterns. Areas of Expertise: Migration and Societal Change, Pathways to Sustainability, In-Equality Studies Academic Background: PhD in Economics (2017) at Utrecht University, Post-Doc in Political Science at Maastricht University Her interdisciplinary work examines: Education-labor market mismatches among Dutch migrants Impact of German citizenship law reforms on naturalization Long-term effectiveness of refugee integration policies Environmental change effects on migration dynamics Scientific recognition includes: Duncan Black Award (2014) for political economy research NWO XS grant (2024) for environmental migration studies Her publications demonstrate methodological rigor, combining longitudinal analysis, policy evaluation, and empirical economic testing.
Albrecht Fuess is a Professor of Islamic Studies at Philipps University of Marburg since 2010, specializing in Middle Eastern History (13th–17th centuries), Mamluk socio-cultural dynamics, and contemporary European Islamic discourses. His research spans historical continuity in Ottoman-Mamluk-Safavid interactions, Islamic youth cultures, and Mediterranean geopolitics. Research Focus: Medieval Islamic history, Transottomanica mobility studies, Islam in Europe, and cultural integration of Muslim migrants. Awards: Le Studium Fellowship (2007–2009) at Université de Tours. His publications emphasize military-economy interplay, legitimacy through religious narratives, and resource management in empires, with a focus on Mamluk and Ottoman transformations. He has advised on doctoral projects covering topics like Islamic welfare, Arabic ʾAmālī literature, and Cypriot-Ottoman relations. Leadership: Co-coordinator of Transottomanica (DFG-SPP 1981), member of ANR and DAAD committees, and liaison professor for the German National Academic Foundation. Editorial Roles: Co-editor of 'Transottomanica' and 'Muslim Worlds' series, and advisory board member for journals in Cairo, Paris, and Leuven.
