Obed Adonteng-Kissi serves as a Lecturer in Social Work within the Faculty of Health Sciences. His academic work centers on critical social issues in Ghana and Africa, including child labor, mental health of migrants, and community conflicts arising from resource extraction. Key research domains include: Child Protection: Investigating cultural responsiveness in child protection systems and the tension between children's rights and parental expectations. Migration and Mental Health: Systematic reviews on mental health help-seeking behaviors among African migrants. Community Conflicts: Studies on mining-related conflicts in Ghana and oil exploration impacts in Nigeria, focusing on livelihoods and compensation. His publication record from 2015 to 2024 shows a consistent emphasis on Ghanaian contexts, with a methodological preference for qualitative and mixed-methods research. He frequently compares rural and urban settings and engages with human rights frameworks to address social problems.
Karen Renee Harris is a Professorial Fellow at the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE) within the Faculty of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University. Her research focuses on evidence-based writing instruction, particularly for students with learning difficulties and diverse language backgrounds. She is renowned for pioneering the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) methodology, which integrates metacognitive and behavioral strategies to enhance writing skills. Her work emphasizes the interplay between reading and writing, advocating for integrated literacy approaches. Key areas of interest include teacher professional development, motivational factors in writing, and interventions for students with learning disabilities. Harris has collaborated extensively with institutions globally, contributing to policy discussions on educational assessment and equity. Recent studies highlight her investigations into SRSD implementation in K-12 settings, including randomized controlled trials assessing its impact on transcription skills, persuasive writing, and cross-disciplinary literacy outcomes. She has also explored barriers to evidence-based practices in education and the role of formative assessment in writing development. Her research frequently addresses marginalized populations, such as English language learners and African American male students, ensuring her work has practical applications in diverse classrooms. Collaborations with co-authors like Steve Graham and Debra McKeown underscore her commitment to bridging research and practice in educational psychology and special education.
Lawrence Hanley is a Professor at San Francisco State University, specializing in 20th-century American working-class literature, pedagogy, and higher education politics. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and previously taught at the City University of New York. His research explores labor figures in cultural contexts, as seen in his current book project Proletarian Monsters . He teaches courses in cultural studies, labor literature, and modern American literature. His research interests span the intersections of class, education, and cultural production. Notable works include analyses of proletarian literature’s form and politics, critiques of managed university systems, and explorations of open educational resources in California. His publications address themes such as academic labor dynamics, the role of experience in cultural studies, and the evolution of humanities in digital capitalism. Though no awards are listed, his scholarly contributions focus on reinterpreting historical literary movements and critiquing contemporary educational policies. His advising and grants are not detailed in the provided texts, but his teaching emphasizes critical pedagogy and interdisciplinary approaches.
Rebecca Luce-Kapler is the Dean of the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University and holds the rank of Professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education. She earned her B.Ed., MEd, and PhD from the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on literary practices, particularly writing’s role in shaping human consciousness and identity. She emphasizes interpretive reading/writing practices for generative learning and critiques normative cultural forms in education. Her work bridges literary studies and pedagogy, exploring topics like narrative agency, curriculum design, and new literacies. Notable publications include Writing with, through, and beyond the text and Engaging Minds: Changing Teaching in Complex Times . She also engages in applied research with marginalized populations, such as incarcerated men through creative writing projects. Her academic leadership includes roles in teacher education program development and collaborative inquiry models. She maintains a blog ( writingbrains.blogspot.com ) exploring intersections of consciousness and literacy.
Don Slater is Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Department of Sociology. He co-directs the Configuring Light/Staging the Social research group with King's College London and LightFollowsBehaviour, focusing on urban lighting as material infrastructure. His work bridges sociology, design practice, and urban planning through collaborative research. Slater's research centers on material culture and technologies in everyday life, with three major strands: (1) Urban lighting studies examining social inequalities, health impacts, and design practices; (2) Digital culture and new media ethnography, particularly in Global South contexts; (3) Consumer culture and sociology of economic life. His Configuring Light group has conducted ESRC seminar series, iGuzzini Social Lightscapes workshops globally, and major Horizon 2020 projects like ENLIGHTENme studying lighting impacts on elderly well-being in Amsterdam, Bologna, and Tartu. Recent publications reveal strong interdisciplinary trends across urban studies, public health, and design research. His work increasingly integrates health impact assessment with lighting design, particularly through EU-funded projects addressing social inequalities in public lighting. The research shows consistent focus on material-semiotic approaches to infrastructure, with growing emphasis on policy applications in urban planning. Slater leads significant research initiatives including a four-year Horizon 2020 study on lighting and elderly well-being, Olympic Park gender safety assessments, and Asian lighting professional workshops. His Configuring Light group forms partnerships with iGuzzini, RIBA Publishing, and multiple European cities, securing substantial ESRC and EU funding for transnational urban lighting research. As co-founder of the Configuring Light research group, Slater develops collaborative frameworks between social researchers and lighting professionals. The group's methodology combines ethnographic fieldwork with design practice, notably through site-based workshops in Colombia, Paris, London, and Derby. Current projects focus on health impacts of lighting infrastructure and social justice dimensions of urban illumination.
Aukje Lamonica serves as Professor and Internship Coordinator in the Department of Public Health at Southern Connecticut State University's School of Health and Human Services. Her academic profile centers on public health education and behavioral research with specialized expertise in addiction studies, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations including suburban women and mothers experiencing substance use disorders. Her research program critically examines the social determinants of addiction through qualitative methodologies, investigating opioid and methamphetamine use patterns, harm reduction strategies, and the impact of social policies on marginalized communities. Key themes include the intersection of criminal justice involvement with maternal health, social capital dynamics in recovery, and the lived experiences of people who use drugs, with consistent emphasis on translating findings into practical public health interventions. Recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate escalating focus on the opioid crisis among suburban mothers, analyzing treatment barriers during the pandemic, overdose circumstances, and child separation consequences. Her work consistently employs ethnographic approaches to document structural vulnerabilities while advocating for trauma-informed, gender-responsive care systems that address socioeconomic barriers to recovery. She has secured internal university funding including a $1,000 SCSU grant (2013) for developing online school health education courses. Her scholarly engagement includes extensive conference presentations at major sociological and public health forums where she addresses qualitative methodology applications in addiction research and technology-enhanced pedagogy.
Prof. Dr. Ursula Rogg is a faculty member at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich (AdBK Munich), where she leads the Art Education (Lateral Entry) class. She is based in the Old Building (Altbau), with studio space A.O2.58 and classroom A.EG.11. Her work bridges artistic practice and educational research, focusing on aesthetic learning in diverse and under-resourced contexts. Her research interests include: Aesthetic learning strategies across disciplines Documentary-based art forms (photography, audio, performance) Art education in 'problem schools' and peripheral areas The role of ambiguity and concreteness in artistic knowledge Integrating theory and practice in teacher training for artists Prof. Rogg emphasizes the transformative potential of art in education, advocating for exploratory, collaborative learning processes. She sees artistic practice as a form of 'science fiction' in shaping future educational realities. Her concept of 'Planned ignorance – realism and poetry' reflects her methodological and philosophical approach. She founded the KontextSchule, a practice and discourse laboratory for female teachers and artists, and completed her PhD at Bauhaus University Weimar, researching aesthetic learning in infrastructure-poor regions of Brandenburg. Notable professional aspects: Former freelance photo artist and performer in a women's collective Ten years of teaching experience in Berlin's challenging school environments Author of a highly acclaimed essay on her teaching experiences Developer of scenarios, scores, and materials for aesthetic interventions in education Her personal website ( www.ursularogg.de ) features her artistic and academic projects, including texts, audio works, and visual documentation.
Rajvir Gill is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Education within the School of Applied Social Sciences at De Montfort University (DMU), United Kingdom. She has been a member of the academic team since 2015 and is currently pursuing her PhD on a part-time basis. Her work is deeply rooted in equity, inclusion, and critical pedagogy. BA (Hons) Education Studies, De Montfort University MA Education Practice, De Montfort University PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Her research focuses on social justice, race, gender, identity, and educational technology. She explores how positionality shapes academic and educational experiences, particularly for marginalized groups such as British South-Asian women and Muslim students. Her work employs creative methodologies to access lived experiences and challenges systemic inequities in education. The recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend bridging education, technology, and critical social theory. Themes include the use of eye-tracking for inclusive assessment, Whiteness in higher education, and identity formation in student-staff dynamics. These works highlight her commitment to using research for social change and educational equity. Her scientific recognition includes FHEA status and a scholarship during her undergraduate studies. She is also recognized for her contribution to the 'Hair Equality Report', which received media coverage and influenced institutional responses to racial bias in education. FHEA: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Scholarship during BA (Hons) Education Studies Rajvir Gill actively contributes to research projects and supervisory roles, though specific student names are not listed. She has secured internal funding for EDI-focused research and is involved in consultancy with the DMU Research team. Her future work continues to center on identity, inclusion, and innovative pedagogical practices. She is associated with the Social Sciences Research & Innovation Institute at DMU and presents regularly at national and international conferences such as RAISE, BETT, and RadicalDMU. Her teaching covers historical and contemporary issues in education, digital transformation, inclusion, and research methods, reflecting her broad expertise and commitment to critical education.
Simon Edelblutte is a Professor of Geography at the University of Lorraine in Nancy, France, where he has been teaching since 1994. He lectures across all levels of higher education, from Bachelor’s to Master’s degrees, in both general geography and specialized research areas. His research centers on industrial landscapes and territories, examining their genesis, evolution, decline, and reconversion, particularly in regions marked by strong industrial legacies such as Lorraine. He investigates the complex relationships between industry and urban development, territorial identities, heritage, and urban renewal through a landscape-focused methodology, integrating quantitative data, field surveys, interviews, and comparative analysis. He supervises multiple PhD students and collaborates within international research networks across the Greater Region (Lorraine, Luxembourg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Wallonia) to cross-reference experiences of industrial reconversion and heritage valorization. The most recent articles highlight a consistent focus on industrial urban forms—such as factory towns and company towns—and their transformation in post-industrial contexts. His work spans theoretical reflections and empirical case studies across France, the UK, and Europe, with recurring themes of heritage recognition, landscape memory, and territorial resilience. His publications appear in prominent French geography journals and edited volumes, demonstrating sustained scholarly engagement. He has actively participated in major academic forums, including the TICCIH congresses (2006, 2015), and regularly presents at international symposia and conferences on industrial heritage and landscape studies. There are no listed scientific awards or fellowships in the provided text. However, his extensive publication record and conference involvement indicate significant academic contributions. He advises PhD students on industrial landscape themes and engages in collaborative research, though specific grants or funding sources are not mentioned. He is involved in research teams and networks focused on industrial heritage and landscape evolution, particularly within transnational collaborations in Western Europe. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary and cross-border dialogue to understand industrial reconversion processes.
David L Erben serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at The University of Toledo's College of Arts and Letters, specializing in Indigenous and non-Western literary and cinematic traditions. His scholarly profile demonstrates active engagement with global narrative forms and cross-cultural discourse. Education: Ph.D. from University of South Florida Dr. Erben's research centers on Indigenous Literatures and Native American storytelling traditions, with significant contributions to World Cinema studies through his Fourth World Cinema framework. His work examines visual-textual design strategies in Native American literature while exploring cross-cultural dialogues between Eastern and Western literary traditions, particularly Confucian influences on modernist writers like Ezra Pound. He also investigates contemporary media phenomena including clickbait mechanics in digital journalism. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2018-2022) reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) Indigenous narrative sovereignty through textual and visual strategies, (2) East-West literary intersections in modernist contexts, and (3) contemporary media discourse analysis. These strands demonstrate methodological versatility across literary criticism, visual studies, and media linguistics while maintaining consistent focus on marginalized narrative traditions. Scientific Awards: No awards documented in available institutional records Advising and Grants: VIVO database indicates no active research grants. Publicly available materials contain no listings of graduate students, PhD candidates, or formal advisees. His workshop activities at North-Ossetian State University (Russia) and Qilu University (China) suggest international teaching engagements without formal advising structures. Labs and Teams: No dedicated research laboratories, digital humanities initiatives, or structured research teams are referenced in institutional profiles. His collaborative outputs show zero co-authors across 17 publications, indicating primarily independent scholarship.
Michal Huss is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and Lecturer in Architectural Studies at the University of Manchester, researching the built environment of post/colonial and divided cities through architectural and political theory lenses. Her work examines how spaces facilitate daily life, rituals, and resistance against colonial and capitalist legacies. She earned her PhD in Architecture from the University of Cambridge (2017–2021, awarded 2022) under ESRC sponsorship, with her thesis Walking in Landscapes of Displacement: The Spatiality of Transcultural Activism forming the basis of her forthcoming monograph Refugees, Urban Belonging and the Transgressive Art of Walking (Amsterdam University Press, 2025). Huss employs participatory 'walk-along' ethnography, archival research, and artistic methods to study housing, ruins, cemeteries, and urban ghost stories across South Asia and the Middle East. Her research redefines urban knowledge by centering everyday spaces of living and dying on geographical margins, highlighting multidirectional spatial practices and acts of repair. Her 12 recent publications reveal a cohesive trajectory from mapping occupation (2015–2019) to analyzing contemporary struggles over Muslim cemeteries (2024) and the transgressive potential of walking in divided cities (2022–2025), consistently engaging with spatial justice, memory activism, and resistance. Her scientific recognition includes: Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship supporting her current project on everyday spaces of living and dying Huss supervises PhD students and secures research funding through competitive fellowships, with her Leverhulme project examining spatial struggles on urban margins. Her methodology inherently involves community collaboration in field sites, though formal lab affiliations aren't specified.
Takashi Ariga is a Professor at Waseda University's School of Creative Science and Engineering, Department of Architecture. He currently serves as the Dean of the School of Creative Science and Engineering and Director of the Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering. His academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Waseda University (1985), followed by a Master's in Construction Engineering (1987), and culminated with a Ph.D. in Environmental Planning and Urban Design from the University of California, Berkeley (1997). With over 15 years of professional experience in private sector environmental development before entering academia, he brings practical insights to his research and teaching. Professor Ariga's research interests span a comprehensive range of urban planning and architectural topics. His primary focus areas include City and Regional Planning, Urban and Community Design, and the Theory and Methodology of Participatory Planning. He has made significant contributions to understanding Urban Morphology, particularly how traditional urban forms evolve while maintaining their essential character. His work on Environmental Design and Management explores sustainable integration of natural systems within urban environments, while his research on Heritage Management and Planning examines innovative approaches to preserving cultural landscapes. His expertise in Design Simulation and Communication bridges traditional planning methods with contemporary digital tools for enhanced community engagement. His recent scholarly output demonstrates a consistent focus on practical applications of urban planning theory. The 15 most recent publications reveal a pattern of research addressing urban resilience, community-based planning processes, and sustainable urban development. His work spans diverse geographical contexts from Tokyo neighborhoods to international case studies, with particular attention to disaster recovery planning, urban agricultural systems, and cultural heritage preservation. A distinctive feature of his research is the integration of historical perspectives with contemporary planning challenges, creating frameworks that honor traditional knowledge while addressing modern urban complexities. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research Grant Review Committee Award (2016) Waseda University Ono Art Memorial Prize (1986) International Federation of Housing and Planning (IFHP) International Urban Design Competition Grand Prize (1985) Japan City Planning Association Urban Planning International Student Competition Grand Prize (1985) Professor Ariga has been actively involved in numerous research projects funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, including studies on urban ecological systems, strategic assessment technology for community-based planning, and collaborative planning between stakeholders. His leadership extends to committee memberships with Tokyo's urban planning and landscape councils, demonstrating his commitment to translating academic research into practical urban governance. His laboratory, Ariga Lab ( arigalab.arch.waseda.ac.jp ), serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research connecting students, faculty, and community stakeholders in innovative urban planning initiatives.
Dr. Angela Wilcock is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Arts and Creative Sciences at the University of Sunderland. Her academic career demonstrates a sustained commitment to research on domestic violence, gender dynamics, and the experiences of marginalized populations, particularly focusing on coercive control and migratory marriage experiences of Thai women in the UK. Dr. Wilcock's research interests center on domestic violence, feminist research methodologies, criminology, and the intersection of gender with cultural adaptation. Her work consistently examines power dynamics within intimate relationships and institutional responses to gender-based violence. She has developed particular expertise in understanding how Thai women navigate domestic violence within the context of migratory marriage, revealing critical insights about cultural dislocation and legal vulnerability. Her methodological approach emphasizes feminist standpoint epistemology and the importance of acknowledging emotionality within research on sensitive topics. Analysis of her recent publications (2020-2025) reveals a consistent focus on gender-based violence across multiple contexts, with increasing sophistication in analyzing coercive control mechanisms. Her work spans theoretical contributions to feminist epistemology, empirical studies of specific populations (particularly Thai migrant women), practical evaluations of domestic violence services, and public-facing guidance on issues like online violence. This breadth demonstrates her commitment to connecting academic research with practical applications while maintaining theoretical rigor. Dr. Wilcock actively engages with students and colleagues through the CASS Public Lecture Series and FES2023 Economic and Social Inclusion Research Conference at the University of Sunderland. Her teaching interests appear to focus on creating appropriate learning environments for discussing challenging social issues, as evidenced by her work examining whether social science classrooms should be 'safe spaces' or 'discomforting spaces.' Her research has practical applications across multiple domains including judicial training (as seen in her work on magistrates' needs regarding domestic abuse), service provision for domestic violence survivors, and public education (such as her Independent article on online violence). She collaborates extensively with researchers like Sheila Quaid, Sarah Lonbay, and Keeley Davidson, demonstrating her ability to bridge academic disciplines and connect research with practical service evaluation.
Prof. Dr. Robel Abay is a Visiting Professor for Disability Studies at Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin (ASH Berlin), specializing in intersectional disability justice, decolonial methodologies, and critical race theory. His work focuses on the intersections of disability, race, migration, and coloniality, with an emphasis on participatory research approaches. Currently serving as a substitute professor for participatory approaches in social and health sciences until March 2025, he will transition to a visiting professorship in Disability Studies from April 2025 to March 2026. Dr. Abay's academic journey includes: PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (2019-2023), dissertation on "Participatory Research on Discrimination and Participation in Employment of BIPoC with Disability Experiences" MA in Social Work in Interdisciplinary Research and Practice, University of Kassel (2017-2019) BA in Social Work, University of Kassel (2014-2017) Study Abroad in Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations, Cardiff University, Wales (2016) BA in Sociology and Political Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2007-2010) Dr. Abay's research centers on intersectional disability justice, examining how ableism, racism, and colonial legacies intersect to shape experiences of marginalization. His work employs decolonial methodologies to challenge Eurocentric knowledge production and promote pluriversal approaches in social work. He investigates the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPoC) with disabilities, particularly at the intersections of migration, queerness, and climate crisis. His scholarship critically analyzes power relations embedded in social structures, with a focus on developing transformative practices that foster social justice and equity. Through participatory research methods, he centers the voices of marginalized communities in knowledge production, challenging traditional academic hierarchies and epistemic violence. Dr. Abay's recent publications reveal a strong focus on decolonial approaches to disability studies, with particular attention to intersectionality and participatory methodologies. His work consistently examines how colonial legacies persist in contemporary social structures, particularly in healthcare, education, and migration systems. A significant portion of his scholarship addresses the experiences of BIPoC with disabilities, highlighting how racialization and ableism intersect to create unique forms of marginalization. His research increasingly engages with climate justice, exploring connections between environmental crisis, migration, and disability. The methodological approach across his publications emphasizes pluriversalism, challenging Eurocentric frameworks and advocating for diverse knowledge systems in social work research and practice. Dr. Abay has received several notable research fellowships and funding awards: "The Good Family Visiting Faculty Fellowship" from Queen's University, Canada (January-September 2026) Early Career Support from Hans-Böckler-Stiftung at ASH Berlin (October 2023-September 2024) Dr. Abay serves as a peer mentor for displaced scholars through The Kaldor Centre for Displaced Scholars Peer Mentoring Program at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. His current research projects include "Queer(ing) Migration," funded by The Good Family Visiting Faculty Fellowship and Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, which examines the experiences of queer refugees in Berlin through an intersectional lens. He is also involved in the GLOHRA (Global Health Research Alliance) project, which addresses structural challenges of decolonization in global health research. Additionally, he co-leads the AdiCoBe project, the first initiative by and for people with African roots and disability experiences in Germany, funded by aidFIVE gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mbH. Dr. Abay founded and coordinates the IDJ-Network (Intersectional Disability Justice), a collaborative platform for scholars and activists working at the intersections of disability, race, and coloniality. He is an associated research member at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and actively participates in the Migration and Social Transformation Network (MSTN). His institutional affiliations include membership in the German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA), the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF), and the Center for Inclusion Research Berlin (ZfIB). He also serves as co-spokesperson for the "Flucht, Migration, Rassismus- und Antisemitismuskritik" (Migraas) working group of the German Society for Social Work (DGSA).
Nanna Stjernholm Jepsen serves as a PhD fellow in the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Humanities. Her research bridges art historical analysis with contemporary theoretical frameworks. Her primary research interests explore material culture through the lens of memory studies and gender theory, with particular focus on Danish modern art. Key areas include: Sculptural memory strategies in contemporary practice Materiality of chronic illness in artistic biographies Gender narratives in 20th century Danish art Architectural anonymity in brick-based sculpture Analysis of her publications reveals consistent engagement with Per Kirkeby's sculptural work and Emil Westman Hertz's literary-artistic output, demonstrating interdisciplinary approaches that merge art history with medical humanities and gender studies. Her methodological focus on material traces and embodied memory forms a cohesive thread across diverse publications. Dr. Jepsen maintains active scholarly communication through peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles, primarily published with Danish institutions like ARKEN Museum and Aarhus University Press. Her work appears in both academic and museum publication contexts, reflecting practice-oriented art historical research. Her professional activities include editorial work on anthologies and contributions to museum catalogues, indicating strong institutional collaborations within Denmark's cultural sector. Current research trajectories suggest continued exploration of material vulnerability in artistic practice.
