Professor Helena Sanson is a Full Professor of Italian, History of Linguistics, and Women's Studies at the University of Cambridge , where she is also a Fellow of Clare College and serves as Postgraduate Teaching and Examining Officer for the Italian Section. She joined Cambridge in 2005 after teaching at University College London (1998-2003) following her British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship. PhD from University of Reading (2002) Her interdisciplinary research focuses on the intersection of Italian linguistic history , literary culture , and gender studies from the Renaissance to post-Unification period. Particular emphasis includes women's contributions to linguistic thought , conduct literature analysis , and female roles in translation networks . Her work examines how women navigated language standardization, educational access, and literary production across social strata. Recent projects include Leverhulme-funded research on women's linguistic experiences in 18th-19th century Italy and co-edited volumes on transnational travelers' accounts and early modern female education . She founded the Women and Gender in Italy (1500-1900) book series and the journal Women Language Literature in Italy . Scientific awards include: British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship Leverhulme Research Fellowship Philip Leverhulme Prize CRASSH Early Career Fellowship Isaac Newton Trust grant Senior Visiting Fellowship at University of Bologna She supervises graduate research in topics spanning women's writing , linguistic thought , translation history , and cultural marginalization in 16th-20th century Italy. Her work bridges philology, literary criticism, and social history through rigorous textual analysis.
Geraldine Heng is the Mildred Hajek Vacek and John Roman Vacek Chair in English at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is cross-appointed to Middle Eastern Studies, Women's Studies, Jewish Studies, and the Rapoport Center for Human Rights and Social Justice. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2023 and a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, she founded and directs the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), a major interdisciplinary initiative promoting global perspectives on premodernity. With a Ph.D. from Cornell University, Heng has pioneered the field of premodern critical race studies, fundamentally challenging the assumption that race is a modern construct. Her research focuses on literary, cultural, and social encounters between worlds, particularly through the lenses of race, gender, sexuality, class, and religion, with special attention to medieval Europe's interactions with Asia and Africa. Heng's scholarly work reveals how medieval global connections shaped cultural production and identity formation long before the so-called 'Age of Exploration.' Her approach synthesizes literary analysis, historical research, and critical theory to uncover the deep roots of globalization and its implications for understanding contemporary identity politics and cultural exchange. Her publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory toward increasingly global frameworks, moving from studies of medieval romance to comprehensive examinations of early global interconnectedness. This evolution reflects her commitment to dismantling Eurocentric narratives of the medieval world and revealing the complex networks of exchange that characterized premodern societies across Afro-Eurasia. 2019 PROSE prize in Global History 2019 Academy of American Literature prize in Historical Studies 2019 Robert W. Hamilton Grand Prize 2020 Otto Gründler prize Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2023) Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America Heng has secured approximately $750,000 in grants for digital projects and held eight major fellowships at research centers. She co-edits the Cambridge University Press Elements series in the Global Middle Ages and the University of Pennsylvania Press series RaceB4Race: Critical Studies of the Premodern. Her teaching encompasses courses on early global literatures, premodern race, Crusades literature, Arthurian traditions, and feminist theory. As founder and director of the Global Middle Ages Project (G-MAP), Heng has built an international scholarly network that challenges traditional disciplinary boundaries and promotes collaborative approaches to studying premodern global connections. The project has fostered numerous digital initiatives, publications, and conferences that have significantly reshaped how scholars understand medieval intercultural exchange.
Prof. Dr. Koert van Bekkum serves as Professor and Department Chair of Old Testament at the Evangelische Theologische Faculteit Leuven (ETF Leuven), where he also holds the position of Academic Vice Dean for Research since 2022. Previously, he was an Associate Professor of Old Testament at ETF Leuven (2018-2020) and continues to hold an Associate Professor position at Theological University Kampen since 2018. His academic career spans biblical scholarship, theological education, and research leadership in the field of Old Testament studies within the Reformed tradition. His educational background includes: PhD from Theological University Kampen (2010) with highest honors, dissertation: 'From Conquest to Coexistence: Ideology and Antiquarian Intent in the Historiography of Israel's Settlement in Canaan' Basiskwalificatie Onderwijs, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (2014) Visiting PhD Candidate, Archaeological Institute, Hebrew University Jerusalem (2000) Member Megiddo Expedition (1998, 2000) Drs. theol., Theological University Kampen (1997) VWO-diploma (gymnasium), Gomarus College, Groningen (1989) Van Bekkum's research interests span multiple dimensions of Old Testament scholarship, with particular emphasis on biblical historiography, archaeology of the Southern Levant, and the intersection of biblical studies with Reformed theology. His work demonstrates deep engagement with ancient Near Eastern contexts, biblical chronology, and the theological interpretation of scripture. He has made significant contributions to understanding biblical covenants, ancient Israelite history, and the relationship between biblical texts and archaeological evidence. His scholarship often bridges traditional Reformed theological perspectives with contemporary academic approaches to biblical studies, creating a distinctive voice in the field that values both confessional commitments and scholarly rigor. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of biblical texts with historical and archaeological contexts, particularly regarding the chronology of ancient Israel and the Southern Levant. Van Bekkum frequently examines how biblical narratives interact with ancient Near Eastern contexts, as seen in his work on Joshua, Deuteronomy, and biblical covenants. His scholarship shows a growing interest in reception history and how biblical texts have been interpreted across different eras, including contemporary contexts of religious pluralism. Notably, he has engaged with controversial topics like the Shapira forgeries and biblical chronology, demonstrating willingness to tackle complex scholarly debates while maintaining theological integrity. Van Bekkum is actively involved in academic service, serving on the Executive Board of the Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (2017-), as a member of the American Schools of Oriental Research (2019-), and previously as Secretary of the Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België (2017-2022). His leadership extends to editorial roles, including previous service on the Editorial Board of Verantwoordingsreeks (2014-2017) and the Board of the Society for Christian Philosophy (2013-2017). His academic work is characterized by a commitment to integrating biblical scholarship with Reformed theological tradition while engaging constructively with contemporary scholarly debates. Van Bekkum's research demonstrates how historical-critical methods can coexist with confessional theological commitments, offering a model for evangelical scholarship that is both academically rigorous and theologically faithful.
Jonathan H. Grossman is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he has been since 2013. He earned his Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania (1996) and a B.A. in English and Religious Studies from Brown University (1989). Education: Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania (1996) M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania (1993) B.A., English & Religious Studies, Brown University (1989) Research Interests focus on the intersection of 19th-century British literature, standardization history, and narrative theory. His work examines how transportation networks, legal systems, and technological infrastructures reshaped Victorian perceptions of time, space, and community. Recent projects include analyzing metrology’s role in literary form and global transport’s narrative implications. Publications highlight his expertise in Dickens studies and Victorian systems. Notable works include Charles Dickens’s Networks: Public Transport and the Novel (Oxford, 2012) and The Art of Alibi (Johns Hopkins, 2002). His 2025 article on screw thread standardization in Technology and Culture extends his interdisciplinary analysis. Scientific Awards include the UCLA Senate Distinguished Teaching Award (2013–14) and recognition in The Best American Essays (2005) for his essay 'Alibis'. He has secured multiple UCLA Senate grants for digital humanities initiatives like Cruikshank’s Eye and Yellowback Cover Art . Professional Service spans editorial roles as Co-Editor of Nineteenth-Century Literature (2011–present) and leadership in the Dickens Project. He mentors graduate students, serves on departmental committees, and contributes to academic publishing workshops and conferences.
Anne-Sophie Noel is a Lecturer in Greek language and literature at École Normale Supérieure de Lyon since 2018, with a focus on Greek theatre , cognitive approaches to tragedy , and material culture . She serves as a Junior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (2023–2028) and holds leadership roles in the InSpectA and KINSPECTA research projects. Research Themes : Materiality in Greek drama (tragic objects, prosthetics, textiles) Cognitive science intersections (audience empathy, kinesthetic resonance) Postcolonial and ecocritical readings of classical texts Academic Leadership : Co-head of Master in Ancient Worlds (2023–2024) Coordinator of sub-axis B3: 'Reception of past cultures' (2021–2025) Member of HiSoMA Laboratory Council and Scientific Council Her scientific awards include: Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) Junior membership (2023–2028) Eighth section of the CNU: Elected member (substitute) (2024–2028) Notable research collaborations include: Theatre practice and interpersonal synchronization (2024, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience) Co-edited special issues on ancient object life (2024, Cahiers du Théâtre Antique) Contributions to cognitive studies in Greek tragedy (OUP, Routledge)
Dr. Michael Stevens is a Senior Lecturer at University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra , where he focuses on advanced manufacturing and biomedical device control systems . His work bridges digital manufacturing for SMEs with smart artificial heart technologies , emphasizing industry collaboration and translational research. Specializes in physiological control systems for rotary blood pumps Develops unobtrusive fall detection systems for dementia patients Leads international projects on total artificial heart development Education : B.Eng (Medical - First Class Honours), Queensland University of Technology (2010) PhD in Physiological Control for Biventricular Assist Devices, University of Queensland (2014) Research Trends show consistent focus on: Machine learning for biomedical diagnostics (2018–2025) mmWave radar and thermal sensors in patient monitoring (2021–2024) Computational fluid dynamics in artificial heart modeling (2016–2024) Physiological control algorithms for rotary blood pumps (2011–2025) Scientific Awards : UNSW Scientia Education Award (2021) for contextual teaching Heart Foundation Runner-up for "Smart Artificial Hearts" pitch (2021) ARC PGC Supervisor Award (2017) for mentoring Grants & Supervision : Holds over $6 million in competitive funding including MRFF and ARC grants. Currently supervises 4 PhD students while maintaining industry partnerships with VitalCare and BiVACOR. Labs & Facilities : Works across UNSW Engineering labs and Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering platforms, including mock circulation loops and high-performance computing clusters for CFD simulations.
Yiqun Zhou serves as Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and, by courtesy, of Classics at Stanford University. Holding dual appointments since 2013, Zhou is actively engaged in teaching and research within Stanford's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures and the Department of Classics, with program affiliations at the Center for East Asian Studies. Research interests span Chinese and comparative women's history, early Chinese literature, Ming-Qing fiction, China-Greece comparative studies, and the reception of classical antiquity in modern China. Zhou's scholarly approach emphasizes cross-cultural analysis between ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations, particularly examining gender relations, literary traditions, and the modern Chinese reception of classical antiquity. Zhou's publications demonstrate consistent scholarly output with recent works appearing in 2024, focusing on imperial performance, gender dynamics, and intellectual history. The research trajectory reveals a sustained engagement with comparative methodologies, particularly examining intersections between Chinese and Greco-Roman civilizations across historical periods. Zhou actively mentors graduate students through multiple roles including Doctoral Dissertation Advisor for Xiaoyi Huang and Bingxiao Liu, Master's Program Advisor for Helen Bovi and Yuan Wei, and Doctoral Program advisor for ZiFan Yang. Teaching responsibilities include courses such as Beginning Classical Chinese, Heroes and Heroism (co-listed with Classics), Proseminar in East Asian Humanities, and The Use of Classical Antiquity in Modern China. Academic background includes a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Chicago (2004). Zhou maintains an active research agenda with publications spanning journal articles and book chapters, primarily focusing on comparative approaches to Chinese literature and history with Greco-Roman antiquity.
Rebecca Anne Barr is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of English, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Jesus College. Her research intersects gender, sexuality, and the eighteenth-century novel with interdisciplinary links to medical humanities and reproductive justice. She has led projects like the 2019 Irish Research Foundation Creative Connections Award on fertility politics and serves as an Associate Editor for the journal Medical Humanities . Research Interests: Eighteenth-century literature, gender studies, medical humanities, reproductive justice, and interdisciplinary analysis of satire and language. Key Projects: Crausaz Wordsworth Interdisciplinary Fellowship (2022-23), upcoming Keough-Naughton Library Research Award (2024) for Jonathan Swift studies. Publications: Authored and co-edited works on women's writing, Irish masculinity, and the cultural politics of reproduction. Her forthcoming monograph Killjoy Comedy (2025) explores humor in 1750s fiction. Notable Awards: 2019 Irish Research Foundation Creative Connections Award 2023 Crausaz Wordsworth Interdisciplinary Fellowship 2024 Keough-Naughton Library Research Award Teaching and Leadership: Convened the Cambridge MPhil in Eighteenth-Century and Romantic Studies (2020-22) and chaired the Faculty's EDI committee (2021-2023). She welcomes graduate research proposals in her core areas.
Bernhard von Stengel is a Professor of Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics, London School of Economics and Political Science . His work bridges game theory, computational complexity , and mathematical economics , with a focus on equilibrium computation and algorithmic aspects. Developed Game Theory Explorer , open-source software for analyzing strategic and extensive-form games. Organized major workshops like What is Strategic Information? (2024) and Game Theory and Machine Learning (2023). Authored the textbook Game Theory Basics (Cambridge University Press, 2021). His research spans zero-sum games , correlated equilibrium , inspection games , and communication over noisy channels . Recent work includes characterizing the Condorcet dimension of metric spaces (2024) and stable-set bounds for Nash equilibria in bimatrix games. He has collaborated with institutions like the Game Theory Society and contributed to public discourse via talks on algorithms' societal impact (2021) and game theory in politics (2020).
Brian A. Catlos is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and Research Associate in Humanities at the University of California Santa Cruz. He serves as Director of the CU Mediterranean Studies Group and Co-Director of The Mediterranean Seminar, an international scholarly forum with over 1,900 members worldwide. His academic appointments span multiple disciplines including Religious Studies, History, Ethnic Studies, Asian Languages and Civilizations, and Jewish Studies. Dr. Catlos specializes in Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations, Medieval Mediterranean history, and ethno-religious minorities in pre-modern contexts. His research focuses on the complex dynamics of religious and ethnic identity in medieval Europe and the Islamic world, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula. He explores how religious minorities navigated political power structures while maintaining cultural and religious identities under majority rule. His publications reveal a consistent focus on challenging simplistic narratives about religious conflict in medieval Mediterranean societies. Rather than portraying these societies as defined primarily by religious division, his work emphasizes the practical accommodations, economic interdependencies, and complex identities that characterized daily life across religious boundaries. His research demonstrates how religious identity often functioned alongside other social markers like language, profession, and regional affiliation. Catlos has received numerous prestigious awards including the Medieval Academy of America's Charles Homer Haskins Medal (2018), the Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Book Prize (2014), and a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship. His books have been translated into numerous languages including Spanish, German, Polish, Korean, Russian, and Chinese. 2024 Guggenheim Fellow Medieval Academy of America's Charles Homer Haskins Medal (2018) Middle East Studies Association's Albert Hourani Book Prize (2014) American Historical Association's James A. Rawley Prize American Historical Association's Premio del Rey Boulder Faculty Association Award for Excellence in Research (2015) As an educator, Catlos mentors MA students interested in Mediterranean Studies and Christian-Muslim-Jewish relations, with recent students securing fully-funded PhD positions at Princeton, Brown, and Rochester. He has received multiple teaching and leadership awards from the Boulder Faculty Association. His current research includes 'An Age of Convergence: Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean' and 'James the Conqueror: A Crusader King in an Age of Faith and Reason.'
Jan Buts is an Associate Professor at the Sustainable Health Unit within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo, specializing in the intersection of translation theory, medical humanities, and corpus linguistics with a focus on sustainable health and development discourses. His academic background includes: Linguistics and Literature studies at KU Leuven (Belgium) PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies from the University of Manchester (UK) Postdoctoral research at Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) Assistant Professor position at Boğaziçi University (Turkey) Buts' research centers on corpus-assisted discourse analysis applied to translation theory, medical humanities, and sustainable development. He actively develops the Sustainability and Health Corpus to analyze how language shapes public health narratives, gender discourses in development aid, and conceptual frameworks around sustainability. His work bridges linguistic analysis with critical perspectives on social justice and health equity. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward integrating corpus linguistics with medical humanities and sustainable development goals. Key trends include examining gendered vulnerabilities in policy discourse, translation's role in knowledge dissemination for sustainability, and digital media's impact on health communication – all characterized by methodological innovation in corpus construction and conceptual analysis. His scientific recognition includes: Runner-up for the Martha Cheung Award (2023) Buts serves on the executive council of IATIS (International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies) and leads multiple research initiatives including the SHE Corpus project. His grant activities focus on interdisciplinary collaborations between translation studies and medical humanities, particularly through projects like KNOWIT (Knowledge in Translation) and MEDRA (Medicalisation of Democratic Rights in Abortion debates). He directs the Sustainable Health Unit, fostering cross-disciplinary teams that combine linguists, medical researchers, and public health experts to advance data-driven critical analysis of health and sustainability discourses through innovative corpus methodologies.
Susanne Wofford is Professor at NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she served as Dean from 2007-2022. A distinguished scholar of epic poetry and Renaissance literature, her academic appointments include positions at Yale University, University of Wisconsin-Madison (where she directed the Center for the Humanities and held the Mark Eccles Professorship), and visiting professorships at Harvard and Princeton. Her research examines Shakespeare, Spenser, Renaissance and classical epic traditions, comparative European drama, and literary theory. Current book projects explore transnational dimensions of Renaissance drama: 'The Apparent Corpse: Popular and Transnational Bodies on the Shakespearean Stage' and 'Shakespeare and the Foreign: Intercultural Literacy and Literary Diaspora in Early Modern Europe'. Wofford's extensive honors include teaching awards from Yale and Wisconsin, the Robert Frost Chair at Bread Loaf School of English, and prestigious fellowships including the Marshall Scholarship. She holds leadership positions in major academic organizations including the Modern Language Association and Shakespeare Association of America.
Maura Nolan is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of California, Berkeley. She specializes in late medieval English literature, particularly focusing on the 14th and 15th centuries, and examines the relationship between medieval aesthetics and early modern developments. Her work bridges sensory experience, cultural cognition, and literary style. Education: A.B. in English, Dartmouth College M.A. and Ph.D. in English, Duke University Research Interests: Nolan’s research explores the role of the aesthetic in medieval vernacular literature, particularly through analyses of sensation, style, and cultural context. Current projects include studies of John Gower’s contingency and sensation, and the intersection of medieval beauty concepts with emerging literary style. She interrogates how medieval texts engage with sensory perception and how these inform modern understandings of aesthetics. Publications: Her work spans monographs, edited volumes, and articles, with a focus on figures like Chaucer, Gower, and Lydgate. Key themes include textual criticism, medieval manuscript studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to aesthetics. Recent publications address Ovidian allusions, Lancastrian literature, and digital humanities methodologies in medieval text analysis. Teaching and Affiliations: Nolan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at Berkeley and has held roles such as Wheeler Fellow (2005–2008). Her office is in Wheeler Hall 230, and she holds office hours by appointment.
Julia Chang is an Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences, with affiliations in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and the Southeast Asia Program. Her interdisciplinary work bridges Spanish literature, feminist theory, and Philippine studies. PhD in Hispanic Language and Literatures with a Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (University of California, Berkeley) Previously taught at Brown University and San Quentin State Prison Research spans 19th-century Spanish realist novels , Philippine colonial literature , and contemporary Spanish visual arts , emphasizing race, disability, gender, and queer theory . Her 2022 book Blood Novels examines racial hierarchies in Spanish realism, while recent publications explore game studies, anti-racism, and decolonial frameworks. In 2024, her work on realism and race in the Hispanic Empire continues this trajectory. Awards include the 'Harriet S. Turner Beca' for scholarship and the Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award (2021). She contributes to collective projects like the CIVIC Research Collaborative ('Interactive Media and Games') and the TRECE research group on race and ethnicity in Spain.
Dr Thu Ngo is a Researcher at UNSW Sydney, affiliated with the School of Arts, Design & Architecture. She holds a Ph.D. in Education Linguistics from the University of New England, Australia, focusing on evaluative language deployment. Her expertise spans Systemic Functional Linguistics, Multimodal Digital Literacy Education, Paralanguage analysis (body language, gesture, facial expressions), and Children’s Literature. Dr Ngo has received grants including the ACU Teaching Development Grant (2019-2020) for visualizing multimodal literacy pedagogy and the Explorance Faculty Research Grant (2021) for student-feedback-based course redesign. Her research integrates linguistic theory with practical educational applications. Recent work explores emotional expression in music education through semiotics, gesture in science communication, and the role of paralanguage in fostering equity for international students. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects, such as analyzing characterisation in children’s literature adaptations and refining appraisal frameworks in ESL contexts. Dr Ngo’s publications include a 2021 book on paralanguage modeling and peer-reviewed articles in journals like Research Studies in Music Education and Research in Science Education . She is also active on ResearchGate and maintains an ORCID profile.
