Natalie T. Wood, PhD (Auburn University, 2002), is a Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean at Saint Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business. Her expertise spans consumer behavior and social media marketing, with a focus on digital engagement and virtual environments. PhD, Auburn University (2002) GradDip in Marketing, Edith Cowan University (1999) BBus in Marketing, Edith Cowan University (1996) Her research explores social media’s influence on consumer trends, political marketing, themed hospitality authenticity, and virtual education. Key journals include Journal of Consumer Behaviour and Business Horizons . Recent publications analyze microblogging’s role in customer service and brand promotion. Notable awards: Saint Joseph’s University Faculty Merit Award for Teaching (2013) and Research (2007). Grants from Arrupe Center (2019) and Direct Selling Education Foundation (2010-2011) highlight her funded work. Professional roles include Assistant Director, Center for Consumer Research (2007-2011).
Nicoline Frølich is Professor and Director of the Centre for Learning and Education (LINK) at the University of Oslo, Norway. She also holds part-time Professor II appointments at the Department of Government, University of Bergen and at NIFU – Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education. Education 2002 – PhD in Comparative Politics, University of Bergen 1994 – Master in Comparative Politics, University of Bergen 1992 – Pedagogy, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) 1989 – Master in Economics and Business Administration, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) Research Interests Frølich’s research focuses on governance, management and organisation of higher education systems, institutional reforms, knowledge policies, and public administration. She employs institutional theory to examine how universities and colleges respond to policy pressures, merger processes, quality assurance mechanisms, and leadership communication during change. Recent Publication Trends Between 2018 and 2025 her work has concentrated on three interconnected themes: leadership and communication within university mergers, gendered career trajectories in academia, and the tension between quality assurance systems and institutional autonomy. Empirically, her studies draw on Nordic and European cases, combining survey data with qualitative analyses of policy enactment. Scientific & Professional Appointments 2023–present – Academic Chair, Circle U alliance 2023–present – Member, SIKT advisory board (Norway) 2021–present – Editorial board member, TEAM – Tertiary Education and Management 2021–2022 – Chair, EAIR – The European Higher Education Society 2019–present – Advisory Board member, UKÄ (Swedish Higher Education Authority) 2019–2021 – Co-Editor-in-Chief, TEAM – Tertiary Education and Management Research Groups & Projects Frølich leads the research group Knowledge, Learning and Governance: Studies in higher education and work (HEDWORK) and participates in the Policy, Bureaucracy, and Organization (PBO) group. She is currently directing the project Re-Structure , which investigates the effects of structural reforms on Norwegian higher education institutions.
Dr Virginia Hagger is a Senior Lecturer in Nursing at Deakin University's School of Nursing & Midwifery, part of the Faculty of Health and the Institute for Health Transformation. She specializes in diabetes education, self-management, and psychological wellbeing. Her research focuses on structured education programs, diabetes distress, and workforce development. She holds a PhD and Master of Public Health from Deakin University. Dr Hagger has led numerous national and international studies, including interventions targeting diabetes distress, insulin therapy barriers, and telehealth support. She is affiliated with the Quality and Patient Safety (QPS) Strategic Research Centre and the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes . Awards include the 2019 Alfred Deakin Medal and 2017 Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence. Her teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate nursing, including units on diabetes pathophysiology and psychosocial contexts. Current doctoral students focus on diabetes distress, social support in Ethiopia, and autonomy in insulin management. Over 30 peer-reviewed articles and grants (e.g., MRFF-funded HypoPAST and LISTEN trials) underscore her contributions to diabetes care innovation and workforce training.
Chris Coleridge serves as Management Practice Associate Professor at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and holds a Fellowship at Wolfson College. He specializes in entrepreneurship and strategic management education, with particular emphasis on climate-related innovation and net zero entrepreneurship. He founded Cambridge's first Master's degree in Entrepreneurship and currently chairs Wolfson College's Entrepreneurship Hub. His academic credentials include: MBA from London Business School MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology from London School of Economics PhD in Management (focusing on business model innovation) from London School of Economics Research centers on top management team dynamics within startups and scaleups, examining how entrepreneurial networks drive collaborative innovation and ecosystem development . His work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical climate-tech applications, particularly through venture building processes and strategic scaling decisions for sustainability-focused enterprises. Recent publications (2020-2024) reveal consistent focus on corporate governance structures in high-technology ventures, with recurring analysis of board leadership efficacy, CEO duality implications, and heterogeneity impacts on competitive strategy. The research integrates agency/stewardship theories to explain governance dynamics in climate innovation contexts. Professional recognition includes: Five teaching awards during tenure at University College London Through active industry engagement, Coleridge translates academic research into climate solutions via Carbon13 (a climate venture builder) and Faster Climate Impact (an ecosystem integrator for climate tech). His advisory work focuses on strategic scaling of climate startups, mergers and acquisitions in sustainability sectors, and net zero business model innovation. He leads Wolfson College's Entrepreneurship Hub and contributes to global sustainability initiatives including the Business Schools for Climate Leadership consortium's Global PhD Course. Current efforts prioritize building 'climate powerhouses' through acquisition-driven integration of climate technology firms.
Dr. Celestine Ike Nwachukwu is a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and HRM at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Business School. He holds external roles including External Examiner (Postgraduate/Undergraduate HRM, Solent University; Undergraduate Business with HRM, University of Salford) and Senior Visiting Fellow at Coal City University, Enugu, Nigeria. His professional memberships include the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and British Academy of Management (BAM). Education: PhD in Management Studies, Liverpool John Moores University (2013-2016) MSc in Human Resource Management and Development, Liverpool Hope University (2011-2013) B.Th. (Sacred Theology), Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome B.A. Philosophy, Imo State University Research Interests: Focuses on value-added HR functions, innovative people management, inclusive leadership, e-leadership transformations, and HR leadership in advancing decent work. Current research tracks include digital leadership in organizations and HRM’s role in private sector decent work. Active in exploring academics’ cultural awareness in teaching international students and work-integrated learning practices. Teaching & Supervision: Teaches postgraduate courses like Leading with High Performance and HR Analytics, and undergraduate modules such as Managing People in the Contemporary Economy. Supervised PhDs including studies on social learning barriers in Nigerian public service and entrepreneurial experiences of Black African entrepreneurs. Acts as Internal PhD Viva Examiner for strategic HRM topics. Professional Contributions: Session Chair for HRM tracks at the British Academy of Management Conference (2023) and panelist at the World HR Congress (2021). Engaged in policy discussions on employee turnover prevention and people development strategies.
Stuart Croft is Vice-Chancellor & President of the University of Warwick and Professor of International Security in the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS). Since joining Warwick in 2007 he has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Arts & Social Sciences), Provost, and since February 2016 as the University’s chief executive, leading 5,500 staff across all disciplines. Education & Career: 18 years at the University of Birmingham, latterly Professor of International Relations and Head of the School of Social Sciences. Appointed Professor of International Security, University of Warwick, January 2007. Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Arts & Social Sciences) 2011-2013. Provost 2013-2016. Vice-Chancellor & President from February 2016. Research Interests: Professor Croft’s scholarship lies at the intersection of security studies and political culture, using constructivist and narrative approaches to analyse how identities and discourses shape security policy. He has published extensively on the War on Terror, NATO transformation, European security governance, and the securitisation of Islam in Britain. His work combines large-scale funded empirical projects with theoretical innovation in International Relations. Publications & Grants Trend: Over the past two decades his output has clustered around three themes—cultural narratives of terrorism and counter-radicalisation, institutional governance of Euro-Atlantic security (NATO/EU), and arms-control regimes—moving from traditional strategic studies toward critical security approaches that foreground identity, discourse and governance. Scientific Awards & Fellowships: Academician, Academy of Social Sciences (2006) Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (2006) International Studies Association – International Security Section Book Award short-list 2007 Doctoral Supervision & Mentoring: He has successfully supervised 21 PhD students at Birmingham and Warwick, examined 25 UK PhDs as external examiner, and currently supervises 6 doctoral researchers. He has mentored 9 ESRC, EU and British Academy post-doctoral fellows. Editorial & Professional Leadership: Editor of the Palgrave ‘New Security Challenges’ book series since 2005; co-editor of Contemporary Security Policy 1989-2004; editorial board member of Critical Studies on Terrorism and Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict . Chair (2009-2011) and President (2011-2013) of the British International Studies Association.
Dr. Omkar Prabhakar Dastane is a Senior Lecturer and Director of Postgraduate Studies at the Malaysia School of Business, Monash University Malaysia. He holds a PhD in Business from Curtin University and certifications including Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE) from CABS, UK, and HRDF-approved trainer status in Malaysia. His research focuses on technological impacts on businesses, digital consumer behavior, and customer value perception, with publications in A-ranked journals like the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing & Logistics . He has secured MYR 157,549 in research grants and received notable awards like the Best Paper Awards (2017/2018) and Emerald Literati Award (2024). Dr. Dastane has held leadership roles including Head of MBA Programs and Head of Postgraduate Studies at top-tier institutions. He actively contributes to editorial roles for journals like Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research and reviews for SSCI/SCIE-indexed publications. His teaching emphasizes strategic branding and services marketing, integrating AR/VR tools for immersive learning. He has also led educational visits across ASEAN countries. His research interests span metaverse applications in business, immersive technologies, and contemporary consumer behavior trends. Recent work explores AI-driven services, live-stream commerce, and digital transformation's role in achieving UN SDGs. He has advised on over 200 research projects and secured multiple teaching grants including the 2025 Learning & Teaching Grant.
Professor Louis Schmidt is a leading academic in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster University , with a research focus on developmental psychophysiology, temperament, and the long-term effects of early adversity. His work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science, emphasizing the interplay between brain function and socio-emotional development across the lifespan. Key research themes: Shyness, social anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and outcomes of extremely low birth weight. Recognized for mentoring postdoctoral fellow Kristie Poole, who was celebrated as a role model in the Child Emotion Laboratory. Scientific Awards : Royal Society of Canada recognition for contributions to research and scholarship. Research Trends from 15 recent publications include: Neurophysiological mechanisms of shyness (EEG, ERP, RSA) Impact of antenatal corticosteroids on adult brain function Intergenerational effects of maternal mental health interventions Cross-cultural comparisons of temperamental shyness Developmental consequences of preterm birth Behavioral and neural correlates of social anxiety in diverse populations Grants & Collaborations : Led the SNACS randomized controlled trial on antenatal corticosteroids, with applications in obstetrics and developmental neuroscience. Collaborates extensively on topics like autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and emotion regulation. Labs & Teams : Directs the Child Emotion Laboratory at McMaster University, fostering interdisciplinary research on developmental psychopathology and neural mechanisms of temperament.
Profile Roles and Affiliations: Michael Smets is a Professor of Management at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He is also a Research Fellow at Green Templeton College and a member of the Centre for Professional Service Firms. His academic contributions span institutional theory, practice theory, and strategic management. Education: Bachelor’s equivalent in Business and Economics, Cologne University, Germany MSc in Management Research, Saïd Business School DPhil in Management, Saïd Business School Postdoctoral Researcher at Saïd Business School and University of Alberta’s School of Management Research Interests: Michael’s work examines professional service firms (PSFs) through three core lenses: Global Operations: Internationalisation challenges in law, consulting, and reinsurance firms, with a focus on institutional complexity and regulatory systems. Innovation & Career Systems: How evolving career structures in PSFs can simultaneously drive innovation and address work-life balance demands. Recent studies highlight ambidextrous career paths and their strategic leverage. Methodological Innovation: Pioneering video- and team-ethnography to capture micro-level organisational practices. His ‘fly on the wall’ study at Lloyd’s of London is a landmark in this domain. Academic & Industry Impact: His research has been translated into industry-relevant outputs, including reports for the reinsurance sector and handbooks for legal firms. The 2013 ESRC Award for Outstanding Impact in Business recognises this translational work. Academically, he has received the 2012 Academy of Management Journal Best Article Award and multiple best paper awards. Teaching & Executive Education: Michael teaches strategic management, innovation, and business development in executive programmes for Commerzbank, Deloitte, and other global firms. He is Programme Director for the Oxford Leading Professional Service Firms Programme, emphasizing interactive, case-study driven pedagogy. His teaching philosophy prioritises critical thinking over rigid models, as he states: ‘It is critical to understand under which circumstances which models work, and which ones don’t.’ Labs & Collaborations: Affiliated with the Centre for Professional Service Firms and the Oxford Initiative on Rethinking Performance. He collaborates with institutions like Cass Business School and Aston Business School on ethnographic studies. His work also intersects with the Insurance Institute of London and the International Bar Association for practitioner-focused outputs.
David Shepherd is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. He is a core member of the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime and actively supervises PhD students. His research focuses on white-collar crime, fraud, corruption, organizational compliance, and justice. He employs both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to study offender behavior, fraud measurement, and prevention strategies. His work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to justice and reduced inequalities. Recent research outputs reveal a strong trend in understanding fraud against vulnerable populations—especially older adults—and evaluating public policy responses. His work also explores economic espionage through social media and systemic fraud in public services. He frequently collaborates with Mark Button and other colleagues on interdisciplinary projects. Emerald Outstanding Paper Award (2018) David Shepherd has contributed to high-impact commissioned reports for the Ministry of Justice, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and charitable organizations such as Re-engage. He has secured multiple research and innovation grants, often as Co-Investigator, focusing on fraud measurement, victim support, and economic crime. He regularly advises on national policy and has presented findings to the Home Office, INTERPOL, and WIPO. He is actively involved in research dissemination through invited talks and media engagement, emphasizing the societal impact of white-collar crime and digital reintegration challenges for offenders.
Dr. David Goretzko is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Methodology and Statistics at Utrecht University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. He leads the Measurement and Machine Learning Lab and specializes in the integration of data science techniques with psychometric theory. His academic journey includes: Ph.D. in Psychological Methods from LMU Munich (2020) M.Sc. in Statistics from LMU Munich (2018) M.Sc. in Psychology from LMU Munich (2016) B.Sc. in Physics from LMU Munich (2015) B.Sc. in Psychology from LMU Munich (2014) Dr. Goretzko's research primarily focuses on the intersection of machine learning and psychometrics. His work addresses critical challenges in factor analysis, measurement invariance, and model fit assessment. He develops innovative methods that combine traditional psychometric approaches with modern data science techniques, particularly in the areas of exploratory factor analysis trees, regularized factor analysis, and cost-sensitive machine learning applications in psychological assessment. His research has significant implications for improving the validity and reliability of psychological measurements across diverse populations. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating machine learning methodologies with traditional psychometric approaches. A significant portion of his work focuses on factor analysis techniques, particularly addressing the challenge of determining the appropriate number of factors. His research also extensively covers measurement invariance testing across multiple covariates using tree-based approaches, and he has made notable contributions to evaluating model fit in confirmatory factor analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of his work spans psychology, statistics, and computer science. Dr. Goretzko serves as an Associate Editor for the European Journal of Psychological Assessment and is an active reviewer for numerous prestigious journals including Psychological Methods, Behavior Research Methods, and Structural Equation Modeling. He also reviews grant proposals for major funding agencies such as the German Research Foundation (DFG), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Dutch Research Council (NWO). He currently holds a Project Grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG GO 3499/1-1) since 2021. His research program focuses on developing and validating new methodologies for psychological assessment that incorporate machine learning techniques while maintaining psychometric rigor. His work has practical applications in educational measurement, clinical psychology, and organizational assessment. Dr. Goretzko leads the Measurement and Machine Learning Lab at Utrecht University, which focuses on developing innovative methodologies that bridge the gap between traditional psychometrics and modern data science. The lab's research has particular relevance for improving measurement practices in cross-cultural research, educational assessment, and clinical psychology settings where measurement invariance and factor structure validation are critical concerns.
Professor Hisham Farag is a distinguished academic at the University of Birmingham , where he serves as Professor of Finance and Director of Research at the Birmingham Business School . He is also the Founding Director of the Sustainable Financial Innovation Research Centre (SFIC) , underscoring his leadership in advancing research in sustainable finance and financial innovation. His work is deeply embedded in the Department of Finance , where he contributes to both research and academic leadership. His primary research interests span a wide and impactful range of topics in modern finance, including FinTech , corporate governance , board structure and diversity , corporate social responsibility (CSR) , behavioural finance , sustainable finance , ESG , and green finance . His research investigates how governance mechanisms, board composition, and financial innovations influence firm performance, risk, and ethical outcomes, particularly in both developed and emerging markets. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on global corporate governance, alternative finance, and the social dimensions of finance. Key themes include the role of board diversity in bank stability, the impact of FinTech on entrepreneurship, and the integration of CSR in Islamic and Chinese financial institutions. His work frequently appears in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Corporate Finance , British Journal of Management , and European Journal of Finance . Professor Farag has received significant research funding from notable institutions including the Bank of England , Innovate UK (Energy Systems Catapult) , and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) . His research projects have addressed critical issues such as board effectiveness, risk in financial institutions, and investment decisions in hedge funds. He is actively involved in the academic community, serving as Associate Editor for several prestigious journals: European Journal of Finance , Research in International Business and Finance , Business Ethics European Review , and African Accounting and Finance Association . He has also co-authored a research monograph titled Balancing the Board: Directors’ Skills and Diversity , funded by ICAS. Among his accolades, he received the Best Paper Award at the Global Finance Conference in California, USA. His scholarly output includes numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and professional reports, reflecting a sustained and influential contribution to the field of finance.
Dr James Herbert-Read is an Associate Professor and Whitten Lecturer in Marine Biology at the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge. He serves as Deputy Head of Department (Postgraduate Education) and leads the Marine Behavioural Ecology Group. His research focuses on understanding how animals, particularly marine organisms, collect and process information from their environments to make behavioral decisions, with emphasis on social interactions, adaptation mechanisms, and ecological constraints. His group employs theoretical frameworks, controlled experiments, and quantitative field studies to investigate behavioral diversity in marine species. Key themes include collective behavior, predator-prey dynamics, camouflage strategies, and the impacts of environmental stressors on animal decision-making. Recent publications highlight work on lionfish vocalization mechanisms, cuttlefish camouflage, citizen science applications in marine research, and behavioral responses to visual and acoustic noise. Scientific awards and affiliations include: Whitten Lecturer in Marine Biology Associate Professor, University of Cambridge He has supervised research projects on topics such as: Social attraction in invasive fish species Evolution of coordinated movement Neurophysiological basis for leadership in shoals Maternal effects on offspring exploration
Marcel Lubbers is a Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Science: Relations between groups and cultures at Utrecht University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. He leads the European Research Centre on Migration and Ethnic Relations (ERCOMER) and serves as a board member of the Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS). As associate editor of the European Sociological Review (ESR), he significantly influences academic discourse in migration and political sociology. His work represents Utrecht University in the focus area Migration and Societal Change, connecting research with broader societal implications. Professor Lubbers' research program centers on migration's societal impacts, particularly examining how immigration influences nationalism, Euroscepticism, and voting behavior. His work adopts both macro-level perspectives on societal cohesion and micro-level analyses of immigrant integration processes. Recent publications reveal his focus on political extremism, interethnic relations, and the psychological mechanisms behind public attitudes toward migration. His methodology combines large-scale survey analysis, comparative European studies, and longitudinal approaches to track attitude changes over time. Lubbers' scholarly output shows consistent engagement with contemporary political challenges, including analyses of radical right voting patterns, the workplace as a setting for interethnic contact, and the impact of national nostalgia on political attitudes. His research demonstrates methodological sophistication through meta-analyses, mixed-methods approaches, and innovative survey designs like the Dutch Parliamentary Election Study and Dutch Ethnic Minority Election Study. Through web publications on platforms like Stukroodvlees.nl and contributions to the Migration Advisory Council, Lubbers actively bridges academic research and public policy debates. His work provides evidence-based insights on migration policy, electoral behavior, and societal integration that inform both scholarly and policy discussions in the Netherlands and beyond.
Dr. Vincent Homburg is an Associate Professor in Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam and holds the ERA Chair in 'e-Governance and Digital Public Services' at the University of Tartu, Estonia. He holds a Master’s degree from Twente University and a PhD from Groningen University. His research focuses on e-government, public management theory, and information systems. He has co-authored/co-edited influential books such as Understanding E-Government and The Information Ecology of E-Government . He has supervised multiple PhD students and received the 2010 Best PhD Supervisor Award from NIG. His research interests include e-government in the Netherlands and globally, digital public services, and the role of social media in citizen-government interactions. He has published over 112 peer-reviewed articles and actively contributes to academic journals as an editor and reviewer. His recent work explores institutional trust in digital governance, cross-border digital services in the EU, and social media adoption in China and Canada. Education: PhD in Organisation Studies/Information Systems (Groningen University) Master’s in Public Administration (Twente University) Awards: Best PhD Supervisor Award (2010) His research bridges theoretical and practical aspects of governance, emphasizing institutional dynamics and technology’s role in public administration. He collaborates internationally, contributing to policy discussions on digital transformation and citizen engagement.
