Jeffrey A. Cooper is a Professor of Law at Quinnipiac University School of Law , where he teaches courses in estate planning, wills and trusts, and taxation. He previously served as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and is currently faculty adviser to the Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal . Education: AB from Harvard University, JD from Yale University, LLM from New York University Research Interests: His work focuses on tax policy , estate and gift taxation , and the intersection of federal tax law with state probate systems . He specializes in trust enforceability , uniform trust code , and historical analysis of tax legislation. Publications: Recent articles address perpetual trusts , state death tax decline , and curriculum reforms in estate planning education. His scholarship is widely published in national law journals and cited in casebooks. Scientific Awards: Academic Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Faculty Scholar, Quinnipiac University Professional Background: Before academia, Cooper practiced law for over a decade as a principal at Cummings & Lockwood, senior officer at United States Trust Company, and special counsel to Shipman & Goodwin. He also served as a senior adviser to Fiduciary Trust Company International.
Professor Dan Meagher is a Chair in Law at Deakin University's Faculty of Business and Law, where he leads research in constitutional law and statutory interpretation. He serves as Director of Research at Deakin Law School and actively contributes to legal scholarship through publications, editorial work, and supervision of doctoral candidates. Doctor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales Master of Laws, Monash University Bachelor of Economics, Monash University Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Monash University His research focuses on constitutional law, statutory interpretation, and human rights protections. He explores the principle of legality, responsible government norms, and the interplay between common law and statutory frameworks, often advocating for enhanced rights protections through judicial interpretation. Professor Meagher's scholarly output highlights trends in Australian constitutionalism, including proportionality in secondary legislation, non-discrimination principles, and the evolution of common law rights. His work bridges doctrinal analysis with practical implications for legislative drafting and judicial review. Elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law Comments Editor for the Public Law Review Director of Research at Deakin Law School He supervises doctoral research on topics like human rights protection and legislative drafting models. His professional activities include co-editing major legal texts and contributing to debates on constitutional evolution and judicial interpretation.
Susan Fino is a Professor at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Wayne State University. Her research focuses on public law, American constitutional law, administrative law, and the role of state supreme courts. She holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University. She has received the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her courses include American Government (PS1010) and Constitutional Law (PS5110/PS5120), taught across multiple terms from 2023 to 2025. Dr. Fino's research explores judicial federalism, state constitutional frameworks, and legal interpretations of rights. Her work analyzes topics like church-state relations, taxation provisions in state constitutions, and assisted suicide debates. She has written extensively on state supreme court dynamics, including landmark cases and institutional performance metrics. Her scholarship bridges legal theory with practical governance challenges at both state and federal levels. Her publications span over three decades, addressing evolving legal landscapes such as the Rehnquist Court’s federalism approach and technological impacts on criminal sentencing. She consistently engages with issues at the intersection of law, politics, and societal values.
Jonathan N. Katz is the Kay Sugahara Professor of Social Sciences and Statistics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He holds a S.B. from MIT (1990), M.A. from UC San Diego (1992), and Ph.D. from UC San Diego (1995). His career includes roles as Assistant Professor (1995-98), Associate Professor (1998-2003), and Professor (2003-11) at Caltech, with subsequent appointments as Sugahara Professor (2012–present), Executive Officer for Social Sciences (2007), and Division Chair (2007–14). His research focuses on statistical methods in social sciences, electoral systems, and public policy. Key affiliations include the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project and the Linde Institute of Economic and Management Sciences. Katz is Deputy Editor for Social Sciences at Science Advances and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011) and the Society for Political Methodology (2008). Research interests span political methodology, formal theory, and American politics. Recent work addresses partisan fairness in electoral systems, statistical rigor in political modeling, and institutional dynamics in legislative and judicial contexts. Notable contributions include critiques of electoral college bias and audits of political behavior research methodologies. Awards: Career Achievement Award in Political Methodology (2024), Inaugural Fellow, Society for Political Methodology (2008). Grants/Labs: Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, Linde Institute Directorship (2013–14).
William Kennedy is a Professor in the English Department at the University at Albany, State University of New York. For over 40 years, he has crafted a body of literature centered on Albany, New York, creating what is known as the "Albany Cycle" of novels. His work has established Albany as a significant place in American literature, comparable to Joyce's Dublin and Bellow's Chicago. His educational background includes a BA from Siena College, following attendance at Public School 20 and Christian Brother's Academy. Professor Kennedy's creative work focuses on American fiction, particularly historical and urban narratives rooted in Albany's cultural and political landscape. His writing explores machine politics, family sagas, and the interplay between individual lives and historical events, rendering Albany's "outcasts and machine politicians, lowlifes and swells" with profound humanity. His narratives transform the city into a mythic capital of national memory. His publications consistently draw from Albany's history, with recurring themes of political corruption, redemption, and the resilience of marginalized communities. The "Albany Cycle" demonstrates his mastery in blending local history with universal human struggles across multiple literary forms. William Kennedy's distinguished honors include: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship Election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Regents Medal of Excellence from SUNY Governor's Arts Award Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in France Election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences As an educator, Kennedy taught creative writing and journalism at the University at Albany from 1974-1982 and Cornell University in 1982-83. His MacArthur Fellowship directly funded the creation of the New York State Writers Institute at Albany, with matching funds from the university and legislative support from Governor Cuomo. He has served on the New York State Council for the Humanities board and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. William Kennedy co-founded the New York State Writers Institute in 1984, which has grown into a major literary hub conducting statewide cultural and educational activities. The Institute remains central to his legacy, fostering literary arts through readings, workshops, and educational programs across New York.
Lisa Ford is an Endowed Professor of Modern British Imperial History at the University of New South Wales. Her research focuses on legal history, settler colonialism, and the British Empire's legal frameworks. She holds a PhD from Columbia University and has authored/co-authored influential works such as *Settler Sovereignty* and *The King’s Peace*. Ford’s expertise spans the British Empire’s legal order, colonial governance, and Indigenous jurisdictions. **Education**: Columbia University (MA, MPhil, PhD) and University of Queensland (BA, LLB, MA). **Research Interests**: Legal history of the British Empire (1760–1840), settler colonialism, and the legal dimensions of early American and Australian settlements. Her work bridges legal theory with colonial practices, emphasizing the intersection of law, power, and Indigenous resistance. **Awards**: Dalton Award, Australian Academy of the Humanities Fellowship, Thomas J. Wilson Prize, and Bancroft Dissertation Prize. Her publications explore imperial legal reforms, colonial commissions, and the legacy of settler sovereignty. **Grants & Advising**: Recipient of Australian Research Council grants, including the Future Fellowship (2019–2024). She co-edits *The Cambridge Legal History of Australia* and collaborates on projects analyzing colonial legal systems and Indigenous governance. **Labs/Teams**: Involved in interdisciplinary initiatives on empire and law, including digital scholarship on colonial commissions and collaborative research with institutions like the University of Western Sydney.
Jeffrey Monaghan is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Criminology and Criminal Justice (ICCJ) at Carleton University. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Queen’s University and serves on the editorial board of Criminological Encounters . His research focuses on the intersections of policing, surveillance, and systemic inequality, with a particular emphasis on settler colonialism, Indigenous movements, and the global expansion of security practices. Monaghan teaches courses on criminological theories, policing, and justice frameworks. His work examines how security and policing practices criminalize marginalized communities, especially Indigenous peoples and social movements resisting extractive development. Key projects include analyses of counterterrorism strategies, disability injustice in criminal systems, and the securitization of Canadian foreign aid. He has authored/co-authored books like Security Aid: Canada and the Development Regime of Security and Policing Indigenous Movements , and edited volumes such as Protests in the Information Age . Monaghan’s research integrates critical criminology, colonial studies, and sociolegal analysis. He is cross-appointed to Carleton’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the School of Canadian and Indigenous Studies, amplifying interdisciplinary engagement with security governance and social justice issues.
Sakari Melander is a Professor at the Faculty of Law , University of Helsinki, specializing in Criminal Law , with a focus on constitutionalization, Europeanization, and sentencing policies. His work bridges theoretical criminal law with practical legislative and policy challenges. Key research areas include EU criminal law, constitutional constraints on criminal legislation, and general doctrines of criminal law. He has extensive experience in parliamentary legal consultation, providing expert opinions to Finland’s Legislative Committees (e.g., on immigration control, anti-corruption directives, and digital evidence handling). Recent publications address topics like EU corporate sanction policies, constitutionalization of criminal law, and reforms in Finnish sentencing systems. His 2025 article in the New Journal of European Criminal Law explores balancing administrative and criminal sanctions in the EU. Scientific awards include: Hilkka ja Otto Brusiin Foundation Thesis Prize (2001) Magister Bonus – Good Teacher Award (2014) Primustohtori Award (2010) Year’s Teacher (2010) Year’s Opponent (2008) He leads research projects such as Criminal Law Under Pressure: Differentiation and Harmonization (2012-2015) and Assessment of Human Trafficking Sanction Practices (2021-2022), and supervises doctoral theses on criminal law topics.
Susan L. Burns is a Professor at the University of Chicago, where she holds appointments in the Department of History, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and The College. She currently serves as Department Chair and Chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee. Education: PhD, University of Chicago (1994) Her research focuses on Japan’s nineteenth-century social history, emphasizing intellectual and cultural practices, the intersection of medicine and public health, gender analysis, and legal discourses. She explores continuities between Japan’s early modern and modern eras, particularly how medical and legal frameworks shaped national identity. Recent publications span leprosy’s impact on citizenship, the rise of medical marketplaces, and gendered dimensions of reproductive health. Her digital humanities work on Mapping Medical Tokyo integrates GIS and text mining for historical analysis. Scientific Awards: Fulbright-Hays Fellowship IIE Fulbright Japan Foundation Japan Society for the Promotion of Science National Endowment for the Humanities She has secured grants for research on medical commodities, psychiatric practices, and the spatial dimensions of Meiji-era health policies. Her courses include Gender and Japanese History and Medicine and Culture in East Asia .
Dr. Colleen F. Visconti serves as Professor and Program Director of the Speech-Language Pathology program within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baldwin Wallace University. She holds a Ph.D. in Child Language Disorders from Case Western Reserve University, an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Pennsylvania State University, and a B.A. in Communication Sciences from Case Western Reserve University. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Child Language Disorders, Case Western Reserve University M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, Pennsylvania State University B.A. in Communication Sciences, Case Western Reserve University Visconti's research centers on the scholarship of teaching and learning and evidence-based education, with specific expertise in peer mentoring systems, interprofessional education frameworks, Zambia-based community engagement initiatives, clinical decision-making protocols, and problem-based learning methodologies. Her scholarly contributions have been disseminated through presentations at state, regional, and national conferences alongside publications in journals such as Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, Perspectives on Issues in Higher Education, and The ASHA Leader. She has co-authored three significant publications: the forthcoming open-access text 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in CSD: Past, Present, and Future', 'Case Studies in Evidence-Based Education: A Resource for Teaching in Clinical Professions' (2021), and 'Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: Evidence-Based Education'. Additionally, she co-founded and edits the open-access journal Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her distinguished accolades include: Distinguished Contribution Award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (2023) Honors of the Association from the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2021) Fellow of the Association Award from the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2016) Editor's Award from the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association for co-authored article 'Diagnostic Reasoning by Experienced Speech Language Pathologists and Student Clinicians' As an active professional leader, Visconti served as President of the Ohio Speech-Language-Hearing Association (OSLHA) and currently functions as a site visitor for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Council of Academic Accreditation. Her extensive service history includes OSLHA roles as Vice President, Director of Marketing, and University Affairs Representative, alongside ASHA contributions as Convention Committee Member, Special Interest Division Coordinator, and State Legislative Councilor for Ohio. In her academic capacity, she teaches graduate/undergraduate courses including Foundations in Evidence-Based Practice, Articulation and Phonology Disorders, and international Capstone courses in Zambia.
Dr Melanie Brunner is a Lecturer in Medieval Studies at the University of Leeds, affiliated with the School of History and the Institute for Medieval Studies. She holds a PhD in Medieval Studies from the University of Leeds and an MA in History and English from Universität Augsburg. Her research focuses on late medieval ecclesiastical history, papal administration, and the history of mendicant orders, particularly the Franciscans. She has contributed to major projects like the International Medieval Bibliography and led research networks such as the DFG-Netzwerk Imitation and Stilus Curiae. Her work explores political culture of the Avignon papacy, canon law dynamics, and religious reform movements. Education: PhD (Medieval Studies, University of Leeds), MA (History and English, Universität Augsburg). Professional affiliations include the Ecclesiastical History Society and Mediävistenverband. She supervises doctoral students in areas like Franciscan history, papal politics, and medieval book culture. Current projects include editorial direction of the International Medieval Bibliography and leadership of the MA Medieval Studies program. Research Interests: Late medieval papal governance, mendicant orders' institutional development, theological debates on poverty, and decision-making mechanisms in the Avignon Curia. She examines how theology, law, and political strategy intersected in medieval church administration. Advising & Grants: Supervises 4 current PhD students and has completed 6 theses. Involvement with EU-funded COST Action IS1301 and White Rose Collaboration Fund projects. Collaborates internationally with institutions like the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Universität Zürich. Labs/Teams: Core member of research groups including Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) and Politics, Diplomacy, and International History at Leeds. Active in interdisciplinary medieval studies networks.
Professor Shoon Murray is a distinguished faculty member at American University's School of International Service, specializing in American foreign policy and civil-military relations. Holding a PhD in political science from Yale University, she teaches foundational courses including Analysis of US Foreign Policy (SISU-230) and Foreign Policy: Theory and Decision Making (SIS-689). Education: PhD in Political Science, Yale University Research Focus: Dr. Murray's scholarship critically examines war powers, decision-making theory, and the interplay between public opinion, media, and foreign policy formation. Her work analyzes how political leaders navigate security crises, congressional-authority tensions in military actions, and institutional shifts in diplomatic practices amid global power diffusion. She investigates enduring phenomena like the “rally ‘round the flag’” effect while documenting the post-9/11 militarization of U.S. strategic approaches. Publication Trends: Recent research centers on the evolution of the 2001 AUMF, combatant commanders' diplomatic roles, and State Department-DoD institutional competition. Her scholarship reveals how military actors increasingly shape foreign policy narratives while traditional diplomatic channels erode, with implications for democratic accountability and strategic coherence in counterterrorism operations.
Klaas Van Gelder is an Assistant Professor of History at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , specializing in early modern history. He is affiliated with the SHOC research group and serves as Archivist at the General State Archives in Brussels. His academic journey includes an MA (2005) and PhD (2012) from Ghent University, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Ghent and the University of Vienna. He has held visiting roles, including at Saint Mary's University in Halifax (2024). Van Gelder’s research focuses on social, political, and cultural history of early modern Europe, particularly access to justice, litigants’ profiles, and legal rituals. Key projects include the FED-tWIN project ACCESS , examining Brabant’s legal systems, and studies on seigneurial police regulations. He has authored books like Regime Change at a Distance (2016) and edited volumes such as More Than Mere Spectacle (2021). He has received awards including the André Schaepdrijverprijs (2005) and Frans Stephan Preis (2014). His grants and collaborations include leadership roles in projects like Onderzoeksgroep Alliantie VUB-UGent . He co-edits journals and participates in international conferences, addressing topics like AI in historical archives and rural revolts.
Eero Hyvönen is a Professor of Computer Science at Aalto University and Director of the Helsinki Centre for Digital Humanities (HELDIG) at the University of Helsinki. He leads the Semantic Computing Research Group (SeCo), specializing in Semantic Web technologies and applications. Hyvönen holds an Adjunct Professor title at the University of Helsinki's Department of Computer Science. His work focuses on developing national-level semantic web infrastructure, with applications in digital humanities, cultural heritage, and AI. He has published over 500 research articles and books, receiving numerous awards including the Decoration of Knight, First Class, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (2018). Hyvönen chairs editorial boards of journals like Semantic Web and serves on committees for major conferences. His research spans semantic web technologies, linked open data, and AI applications in cultural heritage domains. Key projects include Sampo portals (e.g., LetterSampo, OperaSampo) for cultural data analysis, ParliamentSampo for parliamentary data, and FindSampo for archaeological finds. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating law, history, and computing through initiatives like FIN-CLARIAH. Hyvönen advises doctoral and master's students, notably Annastiina Ahola and Jouni Tuominen, who have won awards under his supervision. He directs research infrastructures, chairs international boards, and actively contributes to open data policies and standards development.
Terrence Chapman is a Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, affiliated with the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, Center for European Studies, and Clements Center on History Strategy, and Statecraft. His research focuses on international organizations, conflict resolution, and political economy frameworks. Key research areas include: International institutional legitimacy Global regulatory regimes Public opinion in international affairs Conflict management mechanisms Formal modeling of diplomatic interactions Recent scholarly trends reveal expertise in climate governance negotiations, digital surveillance politics, and regulatory effectiveness. His work spans theoretical modeling and empirical analysis of international collaboration dynamics. Scientific recognition includes: 2011-2012 APSA Conflict Processes Section Book Award Teaching portfolio covers: Science Fiction and Politics International Organization and Law Research Methods in International Politics Previously served as associate/senior editor for International Studies Quarterly .
