Dr. Razak Khan is a Research Fellow in the History Research Group at CeMIS (Center for Modern Indian Studies). His academic journey includes a DPhil from Freie Universität Berlin (2014) and postdoctoral fellowships at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nürnberg. Research Focus: Early modern/colonial India, South Asian Islam, Urdu public cultures, history of emotions, Indo-German comparative histories, and global intellectual history. Key Projects: His Habilitation project explores 'Minor Cosmopolitanism' through Syed Abid Husain's writings, while his book Minority Pasts (OUP, 2022) examines locality and belonging in Rampur. Publications: 15 recent works span transnational Indo-German intellectual histories, emotional geographies, Urdu archives, and Indo-Islamic cultural studies. Collaborations: Co-edited The Incomparable Festival (Penguin, 2021) and contributed to interdisciplinary volumes on emotions and migration.
Professor Anna Traianou is a distinguished academic at Goldsmiths, University of London, where she serves as Professor of Education and Director of the Centre for Identities and Social Justice. Her work spans multiple dimensions of educational research with a particular focus on the intersection of policy, practice, and ethics in contemporary educational contexts. Her research interests center on culture, learning and teacher 'expertise' in contemporary policy and politics; the contestation of education policy in contemporary Europe, austerity and the changing form of the education state; and philosophical perspectives on ethics and their implications for researcher autonomy. She has published extensively on these topics, with notable works including 'Understanding Teacher Expertise in Primary Science: a sociocultural approach' (2006) and 'Ethics in Qualitative Research: Controversies and Contexts' (2012) co-written with Martyn Hammersley. More recently, she co-edited 'Austerity and the Remaking of European Education' (2019) with Ken Jones. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on education policy under austerity conditions, particularly in Greece, where she has examined the role of trade unions in education reform and the intricacies of conditionality in policy implementation. She has also made significant contributions to research ethics, particularly regarding the concept of vulnerability in social research and its application to studies involving political elites. Professor Traianou teaches on the BA (Honours) Education Culture and Society, MA Education: Culture Language and Identity, and MPhil/PhD Education programmes. Her doctoral supervision focuses on education policy, particularly the interplay between supranational policy influence and national traditions; learning and teacher 'expertise' in contemporary policy and politics; and research ethics as situated practice. She has secured significant research funding, including from the British Academy (2019-2022) for research on structural adjustment in Greece (2010-2018) and from the National Education Union (NEU) for her current project on teachers' curriculum autonomy. Her recent report 'Are you on slide 8 yet?' examines the impact of standardized curricula on teacher professionalism.
Barbara Plank is a full professor and chair for AI and Computational Linguistics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where she heads the Munich AI and NLP (MaiNLP) lab and co-directs the Center for Information and Language Processing (CIS). She additionally serves as a visiting full professor at the IT University of Copenhagen, maintaining active dual institutional affiliations in computational linguistics and NLP research. Her research focuses on human-centric natural language processing challenges, particularly learning under sample selection bias (domain adaptation, transfer learning) and annotation bias, learning with limited data through continual/semi-supervised/weakly-supervised methods, multimodal learning at language-vision-speech interfaces, and fortuitous supervision for variety-space aware language understanding. She pioneers methodologies addressing human label variation as a critical factor in model robustness rather than mere noise. Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal dominant trends in modeling human label variation across NLP tasks, especially natural language inference and entity recognition, alongside dialectal language processing and LLM evaluation frameworks. Her work systematically investigates how human disagreement in annotations can be leveraged to build more robust, adaptable systems rather than treated as errors. Scientific recognition includes: ERC Consolidator Grant for the DIALECT project advancing natural language understanding for non-standard languages and dialects ACL 2024 Area Chair Award for the paper 'VariErr NLI: Separating Annotation Error from Human Label Variation' Leading the MaiNLP lab at CIS (LMU), she directs research integrated with MCML (Munich Center for Machine Learning), Munich Intelligent Robotics, ELLIS Unit Munich, UniDive, and COST action. Current projects include ERC-funded DIALECT and KLIMA-MEMES, focusing on human-facing NLP solutions for real-world language diversity challenges. She actively shapes the field through ACL leadership as VP-Elect and numerous keynotes emphasizing human-centric approaches. The MaiNLP lab at Akademiestr. 7, 80799 Munich, drives innovation in computational linguistics through interdisciplinary collaboration, maintaining strong ties with European research networks while developing practical applications for language variation and robust NLP systems. The lab's work directly informs her teaching in LMU's Computational Linguistics programs, bridging research and education in cutting-edge NLP methodologies.
Guofang Li is a Professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at the Faculty of Education, affiliated with the Centre for Early Childhood Education & Research (CECER). Her work centers on bilingual development and literacy education within multicultural contexts, particularly focusing on Chinese-Canadian communities. Her research interests include: Early bilingual development Family literacy practices Early literacy instruction methodologies Early education for minority learners Teacher education for multilingual classrooms Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals a concentrated focus on Chinese-Canadian children's bilingual development, examining home literacy environments, digital technology impacts, and pandemic-related disruptions. She consistently advocates for equity-focused approaches in superdiverse educational settings, emphasizing translanguaging practices and critical perspectives on linguistic justice. Scientific Awards: No awards explicitly mentioned in source materials Advising and Grants: No specific student names or grant information provided in source materials Labs and Teams: Centre for Early Childhood Education & Research (CECER): An interdisciplinary hub facilitating collaborative research between academics, educators, and community partners focused on advancing evidence-based early childhood education practices through longitudinal studies and community-engaged projects.
Elizabeth Phelps is the Pershing Square Professor of Human Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She directs the Phelps Lab, which investigates how emotions influence learning, memory, and decision-making using multidisciplinary approaches including behavioral studies, neuroimaging (fMRI), physiological measurements, and computational modeling. The lab collaborates widely across psychology, neuroscience, economics, and clinical disciplines. Her research examines: Human neuroscience of affect and cognition interactions Emotional modulation of learning and memory systems Neural mechanisms of decision-making under uncertainty Impact of emotion on social cognition and behavior Translational applications for psychological disorders Contact information: Email: phelps@fas.harvard.edu Lab email: phelpslab@fas.harvard.edu Address: Northwest Lab Building, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 The lab welcomes study participants and research assistant applicants, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in research.
Dr. Martha Sidury Christiansen is a Professor of Applied Linguistics/TESOL at the University of Texas at San Antonio , where she serves in the College of Education and Human Development . She is the Principal Investigator of Project RESPETO , a NSF-funded initiative exploring racial equity in engineering education. Her work spans sociolinguistics, digital literacies, and raciolinguistic analysis, with a focus on transnational multilingual communities. Born in Veracruz, Mexico Ph.D. in Foreign/Second Language Education (Ohio State University, 2013) M.A. in English Composition (Indiana University, 2007) B.A. in English Language Teaching (Universidad Veracruzana, 2002) Her research examines how transnational youth navigate digital spaces through multiliteracies , challenges Western academic writing norms via Mexican decolonial methodologies , and investigates raciolinguistic intersections in identity formation. The 15 most recent publications reveal a strong focus on digital communication , transnationalism , and critical pedagogy across journals like TESOL Quarterly and Language@Internet . 2023-2025: Expanding raciolinguistic frameworks in digital contexts 2021-2022: Analyzing multimodal identity construction 2019-2020: Exploring Mexican bilinguals' online language use She has received multiple honors including ACUE Fellow (2023), Fulbright Scholar (2017), and Faculty Leadership Fellow (2021-2022). Her presentations at conferences like ICOLLITE and DDVM Lab highlight her expertise in critical sociolinguistic awareness and digital discourse analysis . Dr. Christiansen actively consults for nonprofits on linguistic equity and multilingual education .
Auritro Majumder is Associate Professor of English at the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, holding a courtesy appointment in the India Studies Program. His academic profile spans literary scholarship, critical theory, and intellectual history with a focus on non-Western perspectives. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in English from Syracuse University (2014), a Certificate in Critical Theory from Cornell University (2012), an M.A. (First Class) in English from Jadavpur University (2009), and a B.A. (First Class Honours) in English from Jadavpur University (2007). Majumder's research centers on peripheral internationalism and decolonial knowledge production , examining literary traditions across India, the Soviet Union, China, Latin America, and the United States. His work bridges literary theory , critical race studies , and global political movements , with particular emphasis on Bengali literature, caste-race intersections, and South-South cultural networks. His monograph Insurgent Imaginations: World Literature and the Periphery (Cambridge University Press, 2020) redefines world literature through non-Western frameworks. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent engagement with decolonial aesthetics , transnational solidarity , and subaltern epistemologies . His scholarship demonstrates interdisciplinary reach spanning literary studies, political theory, film criticism, and comparative intellectual history, with increasing focus on contemporary debates around planetary consciousness and peripheral modernities. His scientific recognition includes: Project Completion Grant, CLASS (2019) William Lee Pryor College Professorship (2018-2019) Research Progress Grant (2017) CLASS Research Funds (2016) New Faculty Summer Research Grant (2015) Majumder actively contributes to academic service as Executive Committee member of the Modern Language Association’s South Asian and South Asian Diasporic Language, Literature and Culture Forum, editorial board member for Mediations , jurist for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and reviewer for multiple international journals. He has lectured globally across North America, South Asia, Europe, and Brazil. His teaching portfolio includes courses on postcolonial literature, modern Indian literature, and graduate seminars in postcolonial theory. Current projects include a monograph titled The Global South in Literature and Theory and a co-edited anthology Cultures of the Cold War in South Asia .
Audrey Truschke is Professor of South Asian History and Director of Asian Studies at Rutgers University–Newark, within the Department of History, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and specializes in the cultural, imperial, and intellectual history of early modern and modern India (c. 1500–present). Her scholarship bridges deep historical inquiry with urgent contemporary debates, particularly around religious identity, nationalism, and decolonization. Truschke earned her B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago (2004) and her Ph.D. in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies from Columbia University (2012). Her academic journey includes prestigious fellowships at Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris III. Her research centers on South Asian history, with a focus on the Mughal Empire, Indo-Muslim rule, Sanskrit-Persian cultural exchanges, and the historical construction of Hindu identity. She critically examines how premodern histories are mobilized in modern political projects, especially Hindu nationalism (Hindutva). Her work spans cultural, intellectual, and religious history, emphasizing philology, translation, and the politics of historical memory. Truschke’s recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory: analyzing the evolution of religious and ethnic identities, particularly 'Hindu' and 'Han', through longue durée historical lenses. Her articles explore how empires, religions, and languages interacted in South Asia, and how these pasts are weaponized in the present. She frequently engages with themes of hegemony, identity formation, and the dangers of historical falsification, especially in the context of Hindutva ideology and its global manifestations. Scientific Awards and Honors: Karwaan Book Award (2022) National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholars Fellowship (2021) Rutgers Board of Trustees Research Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence (2020) John F. Richards Prize in South Asian History, American Historical Association (2017) Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013–2016) Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship (2009–2010) Truschke is an active advisor and mentor, though specific student names are not listed in the provided texts. She has secured significant research funding, including grants from the NEH and Princeton University Press. Her public scholarship includes contributions to the South Asia Scholar Activist Collective , the Hindutva Harassment Field Manual , and the Reporting Guide on Hindu Nationalism . She is currently writing a single-volume history of India for Princeton University Press, forthcoming in 2025. She is affiliated with several research initiatives, including the South Asia Scholar Activist Collective (SASAC), and maintains an active public presence through her personal website, media appearances, and public writings. Her work bridges the academy and public discourse, challenging dominant narratives and promoting historical accuracy in understanding South Asia.
Balázs Trencsenyi is Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at Central European University (CEU) and serves as Director of the CEU Institute for Advanced Study in Budapest. He is also Co-Director of Pasts Inc., Center for Historical Studies, and a Member of the 'Democracy in History' Working Group at the CEU Democracy Institute. His academic leadership includes directing the Erasmus Mundus+ Program 'History in the Public Sphere' (2019–2023) and heading the History Department (2017–2020). His educational background includes a PhD in Comparative History from CEU (2004), an MA in Nationalism Studies from CEU (1998), and an MA in Philosophy from Eötvös Loránd University (1997). Trencsenyi is a leading scholar in the intellectual and political history of East Central Europe, with a focus on transnational and comparative approaches. His research examines political modernity, crisis discourses, nationalism, national characterology, anti-modernism, and the conceptual history of identity and temporality. He has directed major collaborative projects such as the ERC-funded 'Negotiating Modernity' and 'European Regions and Boundaries: A Conceptual History.' His influential publications include the multi-volume A History of Modern Political Thought in East Central Europe (Oxford University Press) and Intellectuals and the Crisis of Politics in the Interwar Period and Beyond (2025). His recent articles reflect sustained engagement with crisis discourses, authoritarian regime-building, transnational intellectual history, and the politics of memory in East Central Europe. Themes across his work include the fragility of democracy, the legacy of state socialism, and the interplay between nationalism and modernity. CEU Community Service Excellence Award (2023) Fellow of Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (2020) Member of Academia Europaea (2011) ERC Starting Grant (2008–2013) Trencsenyi has supervised numerous doctoral students in political thought, nationalism, and intellectual history. He has led research clusters such as 'Crises of Democratization' under the CIVICA project and co-organizes the 'Invisible University for Ukraine' initiative. He is Editor of East Central Europe (Brill) and has served on editorial boards and peer-review panels for major academic institutions and journals. His teaching covers comparative history, political modernity, crisis discourses, and counter-cultural movements under socialism.
Chiara Cannella serves as Interim Dean and Professor of Teacher Education at Fort Lewis College, where she has been faculty since 2010. Based in the Teacher Education Department, she is a leading scholar in culturally responsive and anti-bias education, with expertise spanning sociocultural research, American Indian education, and social justice frameworks. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Anthropology and Education, University of Arizona (2009) M.A. in Anthropology and Education, University of Arizona (2004) B.A. in English Language & Literature, University of Michigan (1996) Dr. Cannella's research centers on education for marginalized students and identity construction through critical sociocultural lenses. She investigates how teacher leadership programs shape professional identity, examines academic identity formation among marginalized youth, and develops counter-hegemonic research methodologies. Her work consistently connects classroom practice to broader social justice movements through community-based partnerships and humanizing pedagogical approaches. Analysis of her publications (2008-2015) reveals persistent focus on resistance-based educational frameworks, particularly in contexts of political pressure like Tucson's ethnic studies ban. Her scholarship bridges anthropology and education through qualitative methodologies that center student and teacher agency, with recurring themes of civic identity development, community resistance to disinvestment, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. Dr. Cannella actively translates research into practice through: Professional development for regional school districts on supporting marginalized students Co-founding the Southwest Colorado Culturally, Linguistically, and Economically Diverse Working Group Service on the Durango 9-R Achievement Gap Task Force Committee work for American Educational Research Association's Division G Consulting engagements with tribal education programs including presentations at Northeastern State University Her collaborative approach extends to research partnerships documented in co-authored works with scholars like Luis Moll and Julio Cammarota, emphasizing community cultural wealth models and sociocultural perspectives on educational relationships.
Aldo Gangemi is a Full Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bologna, specializing in Informatics (INFO-01/A). His research integrates Semantic Technologies, Natural Language Processing, Data Science, and Cognitive Science to address challenges in knowledge representation, ontology engineering, and cultural heritage informatics. He co-founded the STLab at ISTC-CNR and DHARC at the University of Bologna, and is on leave from Sorbonne Paris Nord University (Computer Science Lab - LIPN). Scientific roles include serving as area chair for Web Semantics , editorial board member for Semantic Web and Applied Ontology , and conference chairs for major events like WWW2015 and ESWC2018. He has led European projects such as GALEN, WonderWeb, NeOn, and MARIO, and developed software tools like FRED, Aemoo, and Framester. Research interests focus on semantic technologies, knowledge patterns, and applications in humanities, medicine, law, and fisheries. Over 250 peer-reviewed publications span these areas, with emphasis on ontology-based knowledge integration, multimodal reasoning, and ethical AI. His work bridges cognitive science and technological innovation, particularly in virtual reality's societal applications and cultural heritage preservation. Notable contributions include the PRIVAFRAME knowledge graph for sensitive data, the ImageSchemaNet ontology for embodied cognition, and the Sandra neuro-symbolic reasoner. His interdisciplinary approach addresses challenges in AI ethics, creative systems, and citizen-driven data curation.
Brian A. Hatcher is the Packard Professor of Theology and a Professor in the Department of Religion at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on modern and contemporary Hinduism, particularly in colonial and postcolonial South Asia, with a specialization in Bengal and Sanskrit learning. Education: PhD, Harvard University (1992) MA, Harvard University (1986) MDiv, Yale University (1984) BA, Carleton College (1980) Research Interests: Dr. Hatcher explores Hinduism's transformation during colonial periods, focusing on figures like Ishvarchandra Vidyasagar and movements such as the Swaminarayan Sampraday and Brahmo Samaj. His work challenges traditional reform narratives by analyzing religious polities and vernacular modernity. Recent projects include mapping the Dasnami Sampraday's historical influence in Bengal and completing an annotated translation of Vidyasagar's Bahu-bibaho ("Against High-Caste Polygamy"). Awards & Grants: Packard Professor of Theology American Academy of Religion Individual Research Grant (2020) Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Fellowship (2006) American Philosophical Society Fellowship Teaching: Courses include 'Modern Hinduism,' 'Religion and Colonialism in South Asia,' and 'Hindu-Christian Studies.' Key Publications: Hinduism Before Reform (Harvard UP, 2020) Idioms of Improvement (Primus Books, 2020) "Daśanāmī samādhis in West Bengal" (Journal of Hindu Studies, 2021) His work bridges historical analysis, textual criticism, and colonial-era social dynamics.
Eetu Mäkelä is a Professor of Digital Humanities at the University of Helsinki, leading the research group at the Helsinki Centre for Digital Humanities. He focuses on computational methods in humanities and social sciences, including datafication and interdisciplinary collaboration. He serves as Technical Director of DARIAH-FI and a Research Programme Director at the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities. Currently, he heads the preparatory group for the Helsinki Liberal Arts and Sciences Bachelor’s Programme. His research emphasizes technological and theoretical foundations of computational research, with notable contributions to linked open data, sociolinguistic analysis, and historical text mining. He has developed widely used tools like Recon, Palladio, and Octavo, which are employed in academic and public sectors. His work has garnered over 20 awards, including best paper and open science recognitions. Key areas of expertise include digital humanities methodologies, data integration, and open science practices. He actively contributes to teaching, designing courses such as 'Methods for Digital Humanities' and demonstrating innovative pedagogical approaches. His recent projects involve analyzing 18th-century philosophical texts and sociolinguistic change using computational methods. Awards: Multiple best paper awards, open data awards, and open science awards. Grants/Advising: Leads research initiatives funded by the Academy of Finland and other bodies. Mentors interdisciplinary research teams but no specific student names listed. He maintains active roles in academic infrastructure, including the DARIAH-FI initiative and the Helsinki Institute’s datafication program. His work bridges technical innovation with humanities scholarship, emphasizing practical, enduring systems for academic and public use.
Kristin Soraya Batmanghelichi is a Professor in Middle East Studies at the Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages (IKOS), Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo. She is a feminist scholar with a PhD from Columbia University and has held academic positions at Leiden University, Columbia University, and Princeton University. Her research focuses on gender, sexuality, cyberactivism, and political Islam in Iran and the broader Middle East. PhD in Iranian Studies, Columbia University (2013) MA in Human Rights and MA in Middle Eastern Studies, Columbia University (2004, 2007) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Religion, Culture and Public Life (IRCPL), Columbia University (2016–2017) Visiting Lecturer, Leiden University (2014–2016) Her research interests include feminist theory, postcolonial studies, cyberactivism, women's movements, and the politics of class, sex, and race in the Middle East. She explores how gendered public spaces and digital platforms shape resistance and identity in Iran. Her work bridges activism and academia, particularly through feminist engagements with digital culture and diasporic politics. Her recent publications and monograph Revolutionary Bodies: Technologies of Gender, Sex, and Self in Contemporary Iran (2021) examine the intersections of technology, gender, and selfhood in Iran. Articles span topics such as cyberfeminism, government morality, and feminist challenges on social media, reflecting a strong focus on digital publics and feminist epistemology in the Iranian context. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Independent Research Fund Denmark (2023–2026), Co-PI President's Global Innovation Fund, Columbia University (2017) Whiting Foundation Dissertation Fellowship (2011–2012) Columbia University Jackson Fellowship (2008–09) Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (2006) Multiple research and travel fellowships from Columbia University and the Houtan Foundation She has supervised master’s theses and taught courses such as Iran in the World , Gender & Revolutions , and Fieldwork in the Middle East . She is Co-PI on a major Danish-funded project on diasporic Iranian politics and digital publics (2023–2026). She has co-organized international conference series on populism and pluralism across Amman, Tunis, Paris, and New York. She is an original member of the Theory of the Margins Collective in Oslo and founder of the Digging Collective , both of which support critical and interdisciplinary feminist scholarship.
Pascale Trevisiol Okamura is an Associate Professor in Language Sciences and Language Teaching at Sorbonne Nouvelle University, affiliated with the DILTEC research team (EA 2288). Her primary role includes teaching language acquisition and foreign language didactics within the UFR of Literature, Linguistics, and Didactics (LLD). She co-heads the Master 2 program in Language Teaching (FLE/FLS) and holds administrative roles in departmental councils and educational committees. Education Background: Lecturer at Sorbonne Nouvelle University since 2015 Previously taught at Université de Poitiers (2010–2015) and Université Paris 8 (2007–2010) French teaching assistant at Hokkaido University, Japan Research Focus: Specializes in third language acquisition (L3), crosslinguistic influence, and the interface between language acquisition and didactics. Key themes include: Discourse construction in L3 French Input processing and initial language exposure Development of teaching materials for FLE Plurilingual practices among language teachers Current projects involve multilingualism in primary education, Tamil-speaking learners' L3 French acquisition, and reflexive training in research. Teaching & Supervision: Co-supervises doctoral research on topics such as L3 French acquisition in Chinese contexts, translinguistic discourse influences, and plurilingual teacher practices. Teaches advanced courses on language acquisition theories and FLE methodology. Labs/Teams: Member of the Second Language Acquisition Network (ReAL2) and part of the DILTEC team, focusing on language didactics and multilingualism research.
.jpg)