Prof. Maureen Taylor is a Visiting Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), School of Communication, specializing in strategic communication and public relations. She holds a PhD from Purdue University and previously served as Director of the University of Tennessee’s School of Advertising and Public Relations and as the Gayford Family Chair at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on public relations theory, dialogue, disaster resilience, and digital media impact. Taylor chairs the Public Relations Review journal and has authored over 70 articles and multiple books. She is a Pathfinder Award recipient (2010) and an ICA Fellow (2018). Supervision is available for Masters and PhD students in strategic communication. Education: PhD in Communication, Purdue University (1996). Research Interests: Nation building, civil society engagement, crisis communication, and media’s role in divided societies. Recent work includes frameworks for community disaster resilience and digital media’s cultural impact in post-Soviet regions. Funded Projects: Includes WHO-funded studies on health communication evaluation and Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC-funded community preparedness models. Grants focus on measurement of government communications and pandemic response strategies. Current projects explore dialogic engagement architectures in social media. Awards: Pathfinder Award (2010), ICA Fellowship (2018). Grants & Collaborations: Over 10 funded projects since 2018, including evaluations of NSW government advertising and WHO’s Western Pacific Region campaigns.
Lourdes Ortega is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Georgetown University and serves as Faculty Director of Georgetown’s Initiative for Multilingual Studies. Her work focuses on multilingualism beyond childhood, equitable language education, and decolonial epistemologies. She mentors students at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Former positions include roles at University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (2004-2012), Northern Arizona University (2002-2004), and Georgia State University (2000-2002). Education: Ph.D. and M.A. from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Her research investigates how multilingualism develops in non-native contexts, advocating for social justice and equity in language education. Key contributions include her award-winning 2000 meta-analysis in Language Learning , the textbook Understanding Second Language Acquisition (2009), and co-editing The Cambridge Handbook of Bilingualism (2019). Recent work addresses under-studied languages like Arabic and Urdu in U.S. K-12 education, emphasizing decolonial and Indigenous frameworks. She has published extensively in top journals such as Applied Linguistics , Studies in Second Language Acquisition , and World Englishes . Awards: Gerald M. Mara Faculty Mentoring Award (2016, 2020), Pimsleur Award (2001), and 2023 recognition as a top 2% cited researcher. She advises 22 doctoral students and has secured grants supporting multilingual education research. Leads Georgetown’s Initiative for Multilingual Studies, co-chairs the Harmonious Bilingualism Network (HaBilNet), and edits Language Learning . Served as President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (2023-2024). Her work bridges theory and practice, prioritizing cura personalis (care for the individual) in mentoring and advocating for multilingual well-being.
Professor Libby Porter is a leading academic and researcher in urban planning and human geography at RMIT University, Australia. As Director of the Centre for Urban Research (CUR) and Professor in the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies (GUSS), her work focuses on critical urban governance, decolonising planning practices, Indigenous rights, and urban displacement. She holds a prestigious position as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has contributed extensively to international policy debates through her role as Assistant Editor for Planning Theory and Practice . Her research examines settler-colonial dynamics in urban development, public housing policy, and the intersection of planning with Indigenous sovereignty. Notable publications include Unlearning the Colonial Cultures of Planning (2010) and Planning in Indigenous Australia (2018). Libby has held academic roles in the UK and Australia and previously worked in urban planning policy for Victorian Government departments. She supervises students in Honours, Masters, and PhD programs, focusing on topics like Indigenous housing, urban displacement, and environmental policy. Her work has been featured in The Conversation , BBC News, and academic journals. Libby also leads the Critical Urban Governance Research Program and oversees the Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning at RMIT. Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Key Roles: Director, Centre for Urban Research; Co-founder, Planners Network UK; Member, Expert Advisory Panel for Melbourne 2030 Research Themes: Property rights, urban sustainability, decolonisation, Indigenous planning, gentrification
Dr. Ali Kassem is a Lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. His academic work spans multiple disciplines, focusing on decolonial approaches to understanding power dynamics, knowledge production, and social formations across the Arab-majority world and beyond. Dr. Kassem received his PhD from the School of Law, Politics, and Sociology at the University of Sussex. He completed postdoctoral research at the Institute for Advanced Studies at the University of Edinburgh and was an early career fellow with the Arab Council for Social Sciences funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. His academic journey includes teaching and research positions at Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, EHESS in Paris, American University of Beirut, and Lebanese American University. Dr. Kassem's research examines contemporary coloniality across questions of power and knowledge. His work spans anti-Muslim racism within Arab-majority contexts, transformations in Islamic educational institutions, dehumanization of Syrian refugees, and urban transformations in Lebanon. His transdisciplinary approach engages ethnic and racial studies, sociology of religion, social psychology, migration studies, and urban studies, working alongside anticolonial thinkers including Frantz Fanon, Ali Shariati, and James Baldwin. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on decolonial theory applied to education, urban studies, and Islamic contexts. Dr. Kassem's work consistently challenges Eurocentric frameworks while exploring alternatives emerging from the Global South. His research demonstrates particular attention to Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean region as sites for theorizing global coloniality. Dr. Kassem has authored the book "Islamophobia and Global Coloniality: the Lived Erasure of Visibly Muslim Women in Lebanon" (Bloomsbury Academic, February 2023) and is currently editing "Decoloniality and Arabo-Islamicate Worlds" (Bristol University Press, 2025). His scholarly contributions appear in journals including Ethnic and Racial Studies, Globalizations, Contemporary Religion, and Review of Middle East Studies.
Professor Holly Thorpe is a Professor of Sociology in Te Huataki Waiora / School of Health at the University of Waikato, specializing in Sport and Human Movement. She serves as Associate Dean Research in the Division of Health PVC Office and is an internationally recognized sociologist of sport, physical culture and gender whose work has earned prestigious fellowships and awards including Fulbright, Leverhulme, and Royal Society honors. Her educational background includes a PhD from the University of Waikato and Papa Reo Level 1 certification from Te Wananga o Aotearoa, reflecting both academic excellence and cultural engagement with Māori language and knowledge systems. Professor Thorpe's research centers on equity and inclusion in sporting cultures, with particular attention to women's health and wellbeing, sport and gender, and the impact of social media on athletic experiences. She employs critical and feminist theoretical frameworks with expertise in qualitative methods to examine how sport, physical activity, and health intersect in rapidly changing social landscapes. Her work spans gender studies, feminist methodologies, sports science, sociology of health, and digital media studies within sporting contexts, with a strong commitment to community-engaged research. Her extensive publication record reveals consistent thematic focus on contemporary issues including menstruation in sport, digital technologies and athlete experiences, pandemic impacts on wellbeing, and the gendered dimensions of mega-sport events. Her work frequently employs intersectional analysis and collaborates across disciplines to address complex questions about embodiment, identity, and social change in sporting cultures, particularly as they relate to women and marginalized communities. Professor Thorpe's significant scholarly recognition includes: Royal Society Early Career Research Excellence Award for Social Sciences (2018) Fellow of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (2018) Royal Society James Cook Fellowship for a two-year project focused on women's wellbeing through and beyond pandemic (2021) She actively supervises students and has secured substantial research funding including the Te Punaha Matatini CORE Research Institute project 'Youth Wellbeing in Uncertain Times: The Voices of Rangatahi from Flood-Effected Tairāwhiti Gisborne' (2023-2025). Professor Thorpe collaborates extensively with international and national sports organizations including the International Olympic Committee, High Performance New Zealand, Sport New Zealand, Skateistan, and Voice in Sport to ensure her research has real-world impact on policy and practice. She serves as Series co-editor for 'New Femininities in Digital, Physical and Sporting Cultures' and maintains active media engagement through The Conversation and other outlets. Professor Thorpe leads several significant research initiatives including 'Reimagining Fields of Play' (2023) and co-organized the 'Gender, Health and Wellbeing Symposium' (2022), demonstrating her commitment to creating spaces for critical dialogue about sport, gender, and health while advancing culturally responsive methodologies that center Indigenous and diverse perspectives.
Laura A. Meek is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan , specializing in Medical Anthropology , Decolonial Science and Technology Studies , and East African research . She holds affiliations with interdisciplinary networks like the UBC-O Science and Technology Studies Collective and co-directs the Storying Otherwise: Creative Ethnographic Writing Hub . PhD, MA in Anthropology (University of California, Davis) MA in Women’s Studies (George Washington University) Honors BA in Comparative Human Development (University of Chicago) Her research examines counterfeit pharmaceuticals and bodily epistemologies in Tanzania, framed through feminist , decolonial , and anti-racist lenses . She investigates leprosy elimination campaigns and fugitive science practices across Africa and Hong Kong, with recent work focusing on creative ethnographic prose and critical disability studies . Her publications span high-impact journals like Social Science & Medicine and Medical Anthropology Quarterly , addressing themes of radical uncertainty and world-making practices . Laura’s 15 most recent articles (2021–2025) analyze: pharmaceutical counterfeits in East Africa, the temporal politics of leprosy , anti-colonial global health , and creative writing as research . Her work bridges Indian Ocean connections and STS frameworks to critique neocolonial health governance. 2025 Collaborative Research Mobility Award 2024 Wenner-Gren Workshop Grant 2023 MAE–MAT Early Career Paper Award 2021 Society for Humanistic Anthropology Creative Ethnographic Prose Prize 2018 Wenner-Gren Dissertation Grant 2013 NSF Doctoral Dissertation Grant She supervises M.A. and Ph.D. students in UBC-O’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies programs, particularly in global health , African politics , and STS . Her professional service includes co-chairing the 2026 Cascadia Medical Anthropology Seminar and serving on the American Anthropological Association Nominations Committee .
Thomas C. Hilde is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, leading the environment/energy/climate/sustainability strategic focus area and co-directing the Indonesia research program at the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS). He also co-leads the university-wide Sustainability minor and advises the student-led Sustainability, Environment, and Energy Council (SEEC). As a Senior Fellow at CISSM and GoTech, he bridges policy, security, and technology governance. His research integrates philosophical pragmatism with practical climate policy, focusing on land use, energy decarbonization in Indonesia, Amazon deforestation conflicts, and climate ethics. He directs field courses in Indonesia and Peru, studying socio-ecological systems and policy interfaces. Key publications (2020–2025) analyze climate policy pathways, methane mitigation, EV infrastructure equity, and renewable energy investment in China. Recent work emphasizes the nexus between illegal gold mining, deforestation, and migration in the Amazon. Education: PhD in Philosophy (Pennsylvania State University) Awards: Fulbright Scholar (Venezuela, 2005), Edmond J. Safra Fellow (Harvard, 2014–2015) Grants/Consultancies: Worked with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, China’s Ministry of Ecology, and Indonesia’s National Development Planning Agency. His field courses (since 2011) combine interdisciplinary methods to address complex challenges in sustainable development and climate adaptation, emphasizing local knowledge systems and global policy coherence.
Gustavo Verdesio serves as an Associate Professor of Spanish within the Department of Romance Languages & Literatures at the University of Michigan. He maintains significant interdisciplinary affiliations as a faculty member of the Program in Native American Studies and as a Faculty Associate for Latina/o Studies. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies or Latin American Studies from Northwestern University (1992) Verdesio's research critically engages with Colonial Studies, Native American Studies, and Material Culture, focusing on Indigenous materialities in Uruguayan history. His current project examines the re-emergence of Indigenous groups previously declared extinct in Uruguay and non-Indigenous responses to Indigenous bodies within settler colonial structures. He investigates objects, agricultural practices, monumentality, and the political implications of Indigenous bodily recognition. Analysis of his 2018-2021 publications reveals consistent thematic focus on settler colonialism in Latin America, Indigenous rights frameworks, and decolonial approaches to archaeology and historical knowledge, with concentrated attention on Southern Cone nations including Uruguay and Argentina. Scientific Awards: No awards, fellowships, or medals were documented in available materials No information regarding graduate student advising, dissertation supervision, or specific research grants was provided in the source documentation. His academic activities appear centered on independent research and interdisciplinary collaboration rather than directed mentorship or externally funded projects as described. The available texts contain no references to laboratories, research centers, or formal collaborative teams associated with Professor Verdesio's work.
Ana Paula Da Silva is a Research Fellow at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science, specializing in coastal oceanography and eco-morphodynamics. Her work focuses on wave climate changes, sediment transport dynamics, coastal adaptation strategies, and Arctic coastal processes. She holds a Ph.D. from Griffith University (Australia) and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Quebec (Canada), studying High Arctic coastal erosion. Currently, she investigates the Great Barrier Reef's eco-morphodynamics and projected coastal changes through 2100. Education Ph.D. in Coastal Oceanography, Griffith University, Australia (Focus: Fingal Headland sediment bypassing) MSc in Coastal Dynamics, UFSC, Brazil Bachelor (Hons) in Oceanography, UFSC, Brazil Research Interests Ana's research bridges climate science and coastal management, emphasizing: Climate-driven changes in wave regimes and sediment transport Headland bypassing mechanisms and coastal connectivity Arctic coastal morphodynamics impacted by glacier retreat Long-term coastal vulnerability assessments Media Engagement She has participated in science communications through: ABC Radio interviews (2021) explaining Fingal Head sand bypassing impacts Conversation article (2020) on disappearing Australian beaches Lab/Affiliation Affiliated with Sydney Southeast Asia Centre, contributing to interdisciplinary coastal research initiatives.
Professor Sabine Dittmann is a leading expert in coastal ecosystem ecology and marine sciences at Flinders University, Australia. As a Professor of Marine Biology in the College of Science and Engineering, her work bridges research and environmental management, focusing on hypersaline estuaries, blue carbon restoration, and invasive species control. She holds a Habilitation in Ecology from the University of Bremen (2001), PhD from the University of Göttingen (1987), and MSc from the same institution (1984). Her research interests include coastal ecosystem health, mangrove and saltmarsh restoration, and decision support frameworks for marine conservation. She has advised government agencies on marine parks, Commonwealth Marine Reserves, and the Coorong ecosystem. Key roles include national president of the Australian Marine Sciences Association (2012–2014), current president of the Royal Society of South Australia, and member of the Australian Antarctic Science Council since 2019. Her recent work emphasizes the global challenges of hypersaline wetland restoration, invasive species impact, and blue carbon methodologies. Over 112 publications span estuarine dynamics, benthic macrofauna, and policy-relevant ecosystem assessments. Projects like the Coorong benthic surveys highlight her commitment to translating science into conservation action.
Jeff Sayer is a Professor in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry . His research focuses on applied conservation science and the human dimensions of environmental change , with fieldwork spanning Indonesia, West and Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. Current projects include sustainable landscapes in Indonesia (since 2010), forest transitions in Ghana and the Congo Basin (since 2000), and new approaches to conservation science (since 2000). Research emphasizes integrated natural resource management, landscape-scale decision-making, and reconciling agriculture with biodiversity conservation. Key research themes: Integrated landscape approaches for multifunctional landscapes Forest governance and tenure conflicts Policy coherence for Sustainable Development Goals Human-environment interactions in tropical regions Recent publication trends show interdisciplinary focus on deforestation-free trade policies, agroforestry systems, forest governance challenges, and transdisciplinary science applications across tropical Asia, Africa, and Canada.
Stephen M. Hart is a Professor of Latin American Film, Literature and Culture at University College London (UCL), affiliated with the School of European Languages, Culture and Society (SELCS) and the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. He is a General Editor at Tamesis Publishers and founder-director of the Centre of César Vallejo Studies at UCL. Education: BA (1980), MA (1984), PhD (1985) from University of Cambridge Academic Career: Lecturer at Westfield College (1984-1990), Associate/Full Professor at University of Kentucky (1991-1998), Senior Lecturer/Reader at UCL (1998-present) Specializing in Latin American literature, film, and culture, Hart has published extensively on César Vallejo and Santa Rosa de Lima, including critical editions of their works. His research spans literary theory, art history, and East-West relations, with a focus on documentary film-making and magical realism as a framework for understanding post-truth narratives. Recent publications address colonial sainthood processes, poetic modernism, and China-Latin America connections. He has directed documentary projects in Cuba since 2006 and received honors including the Order of Merit from the Peruvian Government and Honorary Doctorates from Peruvian institutions. Key Awards: Order of Merit for Distinguished Services (Peruvian Government, 2004), Honorary Doctorate (San Marcos University, 2004), Corresponding Member of Academia Peruana de la Lengua (2014) Leadership Roles: Director of UCL's ESRC DTC (2014), Director of Documentary Film-Making Summer School (Cuba, 2006-present) Teaching: Undergraduate courses on Latin American supernaturalism and cultural dilemmas; MA documentary film-making courses
Britt Kramvig is a Professor at the School of Business and Economics , part of the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE) at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Her research intersects decolonization , Indigenous (Sámi) studies, and creative industries , with a focus on storytelling, archive decolonization, and Arctic land-seascapes. She coordinates PhD studies in Tourism and Northern Studies and teaches courses on qualitative methods, climate change impacts on tourism, and knowledge co-production. Research Interests: Kramvig explores the decolonial potential of Indigenous archives , creative industries as decolonial praxis , and Arctic environmental humanities . Her work emphasizes ontology over epistemology , art-science collaborations (e.g., Dark Ecology, BAT), and indigenous survivance in tourism and cultural policy. She actively disrupts appropriation processes in Arctic landscapes through pluriversal storytelling. Key Collaborations: Kramvig contributes to international projects like Surviving the Unthinkable and The New Sámi Renaissance , advocating for indigenous data sovereignty and decolonial research ethics . She leads interdisciplinary efforts to integrate Sámi epistemologies into environmental science and policymaking. Recent Publications: Her 2023-2025 works address Arctic decolonization , indigenous archival practices , and co-creation in tourism , often published in journals like Environmental Research Letters and GeoHumanities . Notable topics include counter-mapping , indigenous survivance , and collaborative listening in Arctic soundscapes. Academic Affiliations: Member of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research and the Indigenous Voices research group at UiT. She participates in the OKTA - Sami Art and Friction-Filled Communities on Festivals project.
Martha Stiegman is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University. Her research integrates Indigenous knowledge, food sovereignty, and arts-based methodologies to address issues of social, environmental, and disability justice. She is actively engaged in community-based research and public scholarship in Toronto and Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). Her educational background includes a PhD from Concordia University’s Special Individualized Program and a BA in English Literature & Political Science from McGill University. This interdisciplinary foundation supports her work at the intersection of activism, research, and art. Stiegman’s research focuses on three interconnected domains: Indigenous/settler treaty relations, food sovereignty and justice movements, and participatory video and arts-based research. She emphasizes decolonizing methodologies and community-led knowledge production. Her work explores how arts-based approaches can deepen dialogues across communities and strengthen collective action for justice. Her recent publications and multimedia projects demonstrate a strong trend toward interdisciplinary, community-engaged scholarship that bridges Indigenous epistemologies, environmental justice, and disability justice. She frequently uses film, digital storytelling, and public art to mobilize knowledge and challenge colonial narratives. Co-creator of A Treaty Guide for Torontonians (2022) Lead on the Polishing the Chain project exploring Toronto’s treaty relationships Editor of the forthcoming Anti Colonial Food Systems (Routledge) Active collaborator with Indigenous scholars and artists including Dr. Sherry Pictou, Ange Loft, and Elder Kerry Prosper Stiegman has been involved in significant research grants such as the Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program. While specific advisees are not listed, her collaborative projects suggest active mentorship and supervision. She does not appear to lead a formal lab but works within research collectives and community partnerships.
Pavel Tkach is a Researcher at the Arctic Centre , University of Lapland. His research focuses on Arctic governance, subnational decision-making, and policy analysis, with a particular emphasis on environmental policy, migration studies, and indigenous rights. Tkach has been actively involved in EU-funded projects such as Arctic PASSION (observing systems for societal needs), SIRIUS 3.0 (migrant education data mapping), and Co-CREATE (responsible solar radiation modification research). He holds a Law background and has contributed to interdisciplinary research on topics like Nordic forest policy, green transition in the Arctic, and indigenous data sovereignty. Tkach has organized major events such as the Arctic Circle Assembly 2024 and Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit 2023 , showcasing his role in fostering international collaboration. His research outputs include commissioned reports on data-driven governance frameworks and peer-reviewed articles on climate policy, cultural security, and Arctic socio-legal dynamics. Tkach collaborates with institutions across Europe and is a key contributor to pan-Arctic observational systems and sustainable tourism initiatives.
