Simone Pfeffer is a Professor at Nuremberg Techinical University , specializing in Sociology of Education, Medical Sociology, Family Sociology, and Childhood Sociology . Her work integrates Prevention, Health Promotion, Resilience, Biographical Research, and Identity Development . Primary research: Resilience and Safety (ReSi) projects for violence prevention in daycare Key publications: 15+ peer-reviewed works on educational inequality, gender disparities, emotional learning, and resilience frameworks Grants: Funded by BMJ , STAEDTLER Foundation , and BMBF for initiatives like ReSi+ and ResIdent Her recent articles focus on: Violence protection strategies in daycare (ReSi+) Educational inequality analysis Resilience-building for 6-10 year-olds Gender dynamics in income and labor division Historical perspectives on childhood Current projects include: ZeitID – Identity development in historical contexts ImSchutz – Violence protection implementation in youth facilities
Kim Rhoads is a Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is a colorectal surgeon and clinical researcher with expertise spanning the cancer continuum, including basic science (endothelial cell regulation, angiogenesis), clinical care, health services research in cancer disparities, and health policy. She founded the Community Outreach and Engagement program at the Stanford Cancer Institute before joining UCSF and has been recognized for her work in health equity through awards like the Nusz-Galante Award, Alpha Omega Alpha membership, and NIH grants. University of California, Berkeley: BA in Linguistics (1991) Joint Medical Program with UCSF: MS in Health & Medical Sciences (1996) University of California, San Francisco: MD in Medicine (1998), Residency in General Surgery (2005) Harvard University School of Public Health: MPH in Healthcare Policy & Management (2006) Rhoads' research focuses on cancer disparities , health equity , and community-based participatory research . Her work addresses systemic inequities in cancer care access and quality, particularly in minority-serving hospitals. She has led NIH-funded studies on disparities in multiple chronic diseases and developed interventions like financial reimbursement programs for cancer clinical trials. Rhoads' recent publications emphasize racial disparities in cancer outcomes , community engagement , and health equity interventions . Her research explores the impact of structural factors (e.g., hospital quality, financial barriers) and social determinants (e.g., race, income) on cancer care and survivorship. Scientific Awards : Nusz-Galante Award for outstanding medical students (UCSF, 1998) Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society (UCSF, 1998) House staff research award (UCSF Department of Surgery, 2002) House staff award for compassion in care (UCSF Department of Surgery, 2002) Rhoads has served as Principal Investigator on NIH grants (e.g., R21CA161786) and Co-Principal Investigator on U24MD017250, addressing disparities in cancer care quality and clinical trial access. She co-developed the Philip R. Lee Fellow in Health Policy program at UCSF and has a long-standing interest in institutional partnerships to promote health equity.
Marius R. Busemeyer is a Full Professor of Political Science specializing in Comparative Political Economy at the University of Konstanz, where he heads the Working Group on Comparative Political Economy and serves as Speaker of the Cluster of Excellence 'The Politics of Inequality'. He holds a doctorate in political science from the University of Heidelberg and studied at both Heidelberg and Harvard Kennedy School. His research focuses on comparative political economy, welfare state analysis, education policy, public spending, institutional change, and public opinion. Recent work examines perceptions of inequality, technological change impacts on welfare states, European social citizenship, and digitalization's effects on social/education policies. His approach combines quantitative surveys, experimental methods, and comparative case studies across Western European contexts. Research outputs demonstrate strong emphasis on: 1) Welfare state adaptation to technological/digital challenges 2) Education policy reforms and public opinion 3) Inequality perceptions and policy preferences 4) European social integration. His work consistently employs rigorous comparative methodologies across multiple policy domains and national contexts. Awards and fellowships include: Stein Rokkan Prize for Comparative Social Science Research (2015) European Research Council Starting Grant DFG Emmy Noether Program Grant Membership in Young Academy of Europe Visiting fellowships at Harvard, Oxford, WZB Berlin, and Sorbonne He leads major research initiatives including the EU Horizon 2020 project 'The Future of European Social Citizenship', the 'Inequality Barometer' survey, and projects on digitalization's impact on welfare states. As Cluster Speaker, he coordinates interdisciplinary inequality research across political science, sociology, economics, and education studies.
Michelle Hutchens is an Assistant Professor of Accountancy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she has held her current position since 2017. Previously, she served as a Lecturer at the same institution (2016–2017) and held senior tax roles at Crowe Horwath LLP (2009–2011) and Deloitte Tax LLP (2002–2009). She earned a Ph.D. and M.B.A. in Accounting from Indiana University (2016 and 2003, respectively), alongside a B.S. in Business Administration (2002). Her research focuses on corporate taxation, including tax avoidance behaviors, financial statement disclosure of income taxes, and tax policy implications. Notable interests include cross-border tax planning, the effects of tax standards on investors, and the relationship between taxation and initial public offerings (IPOs). Recent publications explore topics such as TCJA bonus impacts on employee satisfaction, the role of third-party reporting in tax planning, and the influence of tax policies on corporate risk. Her work frequently bridges accounting, taxation, and policy analysis. No scientific awards are listed. She currently teaches Principles of Taxation (ACCY 312), emphasizing federal income tax principles and business taxation. No advising/grants information is provided, and no lab affiliations are mentioned.
Anh Persson is an Assistant Professor of Accountancy and Gies Advanced Scholar at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Gies College of Business. She holds a PhD in Accounting from Michigan State University (2019), Chartered Accountant certification from the UK (ICAS, 2014), an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics (2010), and a BBA in Accounting with Mathematics minor from Jacksonville University (2010). Research examines tax avoidance strategies, international tax transparency, income shifting mechanisms, and regulatory impacts on corporate taxation. Current projects investigate country-by-country reporting effects on multinational corporations and tax authority monitoring patterns. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on tax disclosure impacts, with recent work analyzing how regulatory transparency influences corporate behavior and market reactions. Research employs empirical methods to measure tax avoidance and regulatory effectiveness. Scientific Awards: Gies Advanced Study Scholar (2024) Best Reviewer Award for Hawai'i Accounting Research Conference (2023) Ph.D. Student Excellence in Research Award, Michigan State University (2017) Teaches taxation courses and supervises doctoral research. Leads projects on cannabis industry finance and voluntary tax transparency supported by Gies College research grants.
Oktay Urcan is a Professor of Accountancy and Academic Director of iDegrees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has held roles including Josef and Margot Lakonishok Faculty Fellow and Fred & Virginia Roedgers Faculty Fellow in Accountancy. Prior to this, he was an Associate Professor (2014–2022) at the same institution, and previously an Assistant Professor at London Business School (2007–2014). His research focuses on archival financial accounting, including debt market relevance of accounting information, macro accounting, and tax policy effects. He has received multiple recognitions, including the Raymond A. Hoffman Faculty Excellence Award and repeated listings as an excellent teacher by students. Education: PhD in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas (2007) and BA in Management from Bogazici University (2002). His teaching includes advanced accounting topics like mergers and acquisitions, and he leads doctoral research seminars. Current roles also include overseeing online programs through iDegrees. Research Interests: Extensive work on macroeconomic impacts of tax policies, corporate tax avoidance, and the interplay between accounting disclosures and market outcomes. Recent studies explore AI's regulatory implications and cross-border tax monitoring effects. Awards: Highlighted awards include the Lakonishok Fellowship (2022–present), Roedgers Fellowship (2016–present), and consistent student excellence rankings. His work bridges accounting theory with practical regulatory and policy challenges. Course Leadership: Teaches courses such as ACCY 500 (Accounting Measurement), ACCY 532 (Accounting for M&As), and doctoral research methods. His course content emphasizes applied accounting practices in complex transactions and regulatory environments.
Jessica Cohen is the Bruce A. Beal, Robert L. Beal and Alexander S. Beal Associate Professor of Global Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She serves on the Standing Committee on Global Health and Health Policy (2023-2024) and focuses on interdisciplinary research addressing maternal and child health, healthcare access disparities, and the application of behavioral economics to healthcare systems. Her work spans multiple countries, including Kenya, Uganda, India, and Zambia, and emphasizes evidence-based interventions for improving healthcare quality and equity. Her research interests include maternal health policies, telemedicine adoption in postpartum care, cost-effectiveness of malaria treatments, and sociodemographic factors influencing healthcare outcomes. She employs randomized controlled trials, qualitative assessments, and quasi-experimental designs to evaluate interventions such as digital health platforms in sub-Saharan Africa and telehealth cost-saving strategies in high-income settings. Recent studies have also explored the impact of Medicaid reimbursement policies on contraceptive access and infant health outcomes in the U.S. While no scientific awards are explicitly listed, her contributions to global health research have been published in prominent journals and address critical gaps in postpartum care quality and affordability. Her research teams collaborate with institutions in low- and middle-income countries to design scalable solutions for healthcare challenges, such as improving light infrastructure in maternity facilities and assessing the ripple effects of immunization campaigns. Her work on postpartum care transitions, healthcare provider decision-making, and the interplay between socioeconomic status and medical outcomes underscores her commitment to bridging clinical practice and public health policy. Jessica Cohen’s studies often highlight actionable insights for policymakers, such as the role of default scheduling in reducing care gaps for high-risk patients and the economic implications of antibiotic overprescribing in children under five.
Andrea Lanteri is an Associate Professor of Economics at Duke University, affiliated with the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Economics from the London School of Economics. His research focuses on Macroeconomics, particularly fiscal policy design, capital markets, and business cycle dynamics. He is a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Dr. Lanteri has led grants such as 'Credit Shocks and Equilibrium Dynamics in Consumer Durable Goods Markets' (NSF, 2018-2022) and 'Capital Specificity and Aggregate Productivity' (CAF Development Bank, 2016-2017). His teaching includes intermediate macroeconomics (ECON 210D) and advanced courses like Macroeconomic Analysis II (ECON 706D). His research explores topics like optimal taxation, durable goods markets, and capital reallocation. Recent work examines how credit shocks impact consumer behavior and how policy frameworks handle partial information. His studies combine theoretical models with empirical data, addressing real-world economic challenges. Lanteri’s contributions span journals such as the American Economic Review and Review of Economic Dynamics. He advises on policy-related projects and collaborates with institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank. His future research includes clean technology financing and innovation dynamics.
Marjorie B. McElroy is a Professor of Economics at Duke University since 1986, affiliated with the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and the Duke Population Research Center. Her research focuses on labor economics, family decision-making, marriage markets, and financial economics. She has held leadership roles including Department Chair (1996–2002) and Acting Chair (1995–1996). McElroy earned a Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University (1969) and a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University (1965). Her research explores altruism in marriage markets, bargaining theory, and demographic policy impacts, particularly China’s population policies. She has received National Science Foundation grants for studies on family decisions and marriage markets. Notable publications include work on gender dynamics in academia, crime deterrence models, and divorce law effects. McElroy teaches courses in labor and family economics, applied microeconomics, and honors research supervision. McElroy’s academic contributions span theoretical and empirical economics, with a focus on household economics and policy analysis. Her work bridges microeconomic theory with real-world applications in family structure, public policy, and financial markets. She is recognized for advancing methodological approaches in panel data analysis and arbitrage pricing theory.
Craig Furfine is a Clinical Professor of Finance and Associate Chair of the Finance Department at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. His research focuses on interbank markets, commercial mortgage securitization, and real estate finance. He holds a PhD in economics from Stanford University and has held roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Bank for International Settlements, and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Professor Furfine teaches courses in corporate finance and real estate finance, including Managerial Finance I for MBA programs. He has authored over 20 case studies and a textbook, Practical Finance for Property Investment , and serves as an Associate Editor of the Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking . His work spans policy analysis, financial regulation, and strategic financial planning, with a focus on mitigating systemic risks in financial markets. His research publications address topics such as liquidity dynamics in financial crises, credit rating procyclicality, and the impact of regulatory frameworks on mortgage-backed securities. Furfine’s contributions bridge academic theory and practical applications, influencing both academic discourse and industry practices in real estate and banking sectors.
Maria Kim is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Finance at the School of Business, University of Wollongong, where she has held positions since 2011. She also serves as Academic Program Director for the Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Commerce programs. Kim earned her PhD from the University of Sydney in 2011, focusing on bankruptcy prediction modeling. Her research interests span corporate governance, bankruptcy prediction, financial distress modeling, and market microstructure. Key areas of focus include analyzing corporate survival strategies in emerging markets like Vietnam and China, evaluating policy interventions such as market-wide circuit breakers, and exploring the intersection of strategic alliances and firm performance during crises. Kim has secured funding through the University of Wollongong's Targeted Researcher Support Grant and has contributed to over 20 peer-reviewed publications since 2005. Her work frequently examines macroeconomic shocks, machine learning applications in finance, and the impact of tax avoidance on corporate stability. Completed supervision of three PhD students focusing on climate risk management, Chinese market microstructure, and Vietnamese corporate governance. Member of the Commerce Chinese Research Centre (2012–2016), fostering cross-cultural business research.
Giang Nguyen is an Associate Professor of Finance at Pennsylvania State University's Smeal College of Business. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MBA in Finance from George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors from Monash University and the University of Queensland. Her research focuses on market microstructure, financial econometrics, and fixed income markets, with particular emphasis on liquidity, price discovery, and municipal finance dynamics. In addition to her academic role, Nguyen has served as a Visiting Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a Financial Economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She has advised multiple PhD students and contributed to over 15 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals like the Journal of Financial Economics , Management Science , and Review of Financial Studies . Her work explores topics such as Treasury dealer behavior, opioid crisis impacts on local finance, cryptocurrency sentiment analysis, and municipal bond market dynamics. Nguyen has received prestigious awards including the NASDAQ Best Paper Award and the Lovick P. Corn Dissertation Fellowship. She currently serves on the Smeal Teaching Award Committee and advises the Vietnamese Student Association.
Dr. Clair Reynolds Kueny serves as Associate Professor, Department Chair, and Graduate Program Director for the Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology within the Psychological Science Department at Missouri University of Science and Technology's College of Arts, Sciences, and Education. She joined as full-time faculty in August 2016 after completing her doctorate, and assumed program leadership in 2020 while teaching core graduate courses including Organizational Development and Ethics. Her educational foundation includes a Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Saint Louis University, complemented by dual B.S. degrees in Psychology and Political Science with Statistics minor from Truman State University. Dr. Kueny's research centers on employee discretionary behaviors, workplace stress, and person-environment fit , with specialized focus on healthcare applications in rural settings. She integrates Industrial-Organizational Psychology principles to improve healthcare professional experiences and radiation therapy delivery, while also examining safety culture in transportation industries. Her methodology frequently employs simulation modeling and cross-sectional surveys. Recent publications (2021-2025) reveal strong emphasis on rural healthcare innovation (particularly mobile radiation oncology systems), global health disparities in low-resource cancer care, and safety behavior analysis in transportation. Her work consistently bridges organizational psychology theory with practical healthcare implementation challenges. Her accolades include multiple university teaching awards, service recognitions, and Outstanding Reviewer honors from Group & Organization Management journal: 2022 Faculty Service Award 2021 Outstanding Contributions to Graduate Studies 2021 CASB Alumni Student Impact Award 2020 CASB Community Outreach Award 2019 Faculty Teaching Award 2020-2021 Outstanding Teaching Commendations 2020-2021 Outstanding Reviewer Awards As Graduate Program Director, Dr. Kueny oversees curriculum development for the MS I-O program while securing research funding for rural healthcare improvement initiatives. Her teaching portfolio spans undergraduate Industrial Psychology to graduate Ethics courses, with demonstrated excellence through repeated commendations. She actively contributes through R-NetWORC collaboration and GIOP Executive Team leadership, focusing on interdisciplinary applications of organizational psychology in healthcare systems improvement and community-engaged senior design projects.
Dr. Mandu Stephen Ekpenyong is a Senior Lecturer in the MPH Global Health Programme at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on improving maternal and child health outcomes through interventions addressing health systems, community factors, and social determinants, particularly in low-resource settings. Dr. Ekpenyong's work examines health inequalities, healthcare access for vulnerable populations, and the impacts of stigma on health-seeking behavior. She applies mixed-methods approaches to investigate global health challenges in contexts ranging from Nigeria to UK migrant communities. Her recent publications address pressing issues including COVID-19 impacts on healthcare workers, contraceptive access, climate health vulnerabilities, and innovative nursing education approaches. Dr. Ekpenyong serves as sustainability lead for her school and is currently accepting PhD students.
Michael A. Lewis is Professor at Silberman School of Social Work, City University of New York, with expertise in quantitative methods, social policy, and civic engagement. Education includes a Ph.D. from CUNY Graduate Center (1995), M.S.W. from Columbia University (1990), and B.A. from McDaniel College (1987). Research centers on economic justice frameworks, particularly Basic Income Guarantee systems, causal inference methodologies, and mathematical modeling of social phenomena. Publications (2006-2020) show progression from economic policy analysis to advanced quantitative applications in social work research, with consistent focus on poverty/social welfare systems. Awards include Fulbright Specialist Grant, NASW Leadership Award, and quantitative methods recognition. Professional service includes board membership for Basic Income organizations. Current office: Room 603, Silberman Building, 2180 Third Avenue, New York.
