Monica Berlin was the Richard & Sophie D. Henke Distinguished Professor of English at Knox College, serving from 1998 until her passing in 2022. She held leadership roles as Chair of the Department of English and Associate Director of the Program in Creative Writing. Her academic background includes a B.A. in English Writing (1995, Knox College), M.A. in Literature and Composition (1998, Western Illinois University), and M.F.A. in Poetry (2002, Vermont College). Her research focuses on creative writing (poetry, nonfiction, fiction) and modern/contemporary American literature. She has published extensively in literary journals and anthologies, earning major awards like the Crab Orchard Poetry Series Open (2018) and New Measure Poetry Prize (2013). Her collaborative work with Beth Marzoni has been widely recognized in literary circles. Beyond academia, Berlin directed The Space (a literary center) and spearheaded digital archives like A Map of Voices: The Knox Writers' House . She contributed to campus governance as a member of the Faculty Personnel Committee and engaged with the community through roles at the Galesburg Public Library and literary festivals. Students praise her ability to guide them in refining their craft, emphasizing the 'elusive mechanics of writing.' Her legacy includes fostering literary innovation and accessibility in education and public spaces.
Matthew Potolsky is Professor of English at the University of Utah, specializing in nineteenth-century literature and literary theory. His career spans from 1998 Lecturer at Harvard University to current University Professorship. He earned a BA in Comparative Literature and Philosophy (1990), followed by MA and PhD in Comparative Literature (1992, 1997) from UC Irvine. Chair of English Department (2013-2016) University Professor (2014-2016) Research focuses on Decadence , Mimesis , Finance-Aesthetics intersections , and Government Secrecy . His work traces connections between financialization and decadent aesthetics, revealing how economic cycles influence artistic production. Key themes include: Decadent anti-realist literary movements Finance capital's cultural impact Decadent counterpublic formations Victorian aesthetic education debates Sublime aesthetics in national security Cosmopolitanism in literary communities Recent publications analyze: Decadent style as financialization rhetoric Reintroduction of verisimilitude theory Decadent responses to financial crises Mimetic labor in artistic production Decadent cosmopolitan counterpublics Historical parallels between financialization and literary decadence
Steven Jackson is a Professor of Information Science and Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University's Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, with additional graduate field appointments in Communication and Public Affairs. Since July 2023, he has served as Vice-Provost for Academic Innovation at Cornell, and previously held leadership positions as Chair of Information Science and Dean of William Keeton House. His work bridges academic research with significant institutional leadership in higher education innovation. Dr. Jackson's research focuses on critical intersections of technology, society, and the environment, with three primary strands: technology ethics, law and policy; maintenance, repair and sustainability; and technology, inequality and global development. His work draws from American pragmatism, political economy, and science and technology studies, integrating methods from sociology, anthropology, philosophy, and media studies. He is particularly interested in how computing practices meet social and material worlds, with implications for infrastructure, collaboration, sustainability, and cultural practice. His recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on repair as both theoretical concept and practical methodology, exploring 'ordinary hope' as a framework for technological engagement and examining unmaking as a necessary counterpart to design. The research spans diverse geographical contexts from the global North to South, addressing caste dynamics in computing, digital authoritarianism, and infrastructure challenges in developing contexts. Dr. Jackson has received significant recognition including an NSF CAREER award and more than twenty paper awards at leading computing and information science venues. His research has been supported by major organizations including the U.S. National Science Foundation, Social Science Research Council, Ford Foundation, Sloan Foundation, World Bank, Intel Research, Atkinson Center for Sustainability, and the Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council. As an advisor, Dr. Jackson has mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to prominent positions at institutions worldwide. He currently advises Jen Liu, Amy Cheatle, Daniel Mwesigwa, Johan Michalove, and Ritik Batra, while his former students include Palashi Vaghela (Assistant Professor at Simon Fraser University), Samir Passi (Responsible AI Researcher at Microsoft), Maggie Jack (Assistant Professor at NYU), and Ranjit Singh (Senior Researcher at Data and Society). Dr. Jackson convenes the Computing On Earth Lab, an experimental collaboration bringing together social scientists, humanists, artists, and engineers to rethink the material and planetary foundations of computing. The lab reflects his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches that address computing's environmental impacts and sustainability challenges.
Anna Morcom is Professor and Mohindar Brar Sambhi Chair of Indian Music in the Department of Ethnomusicology at UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music. She previously held a professorship at Royal Holloway, University of London, and earned her Ph.D. from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) in 2002, where she also completed her undergraduate studies in Ethnomusicology and Hindi (1993-1996). Her research spans music and dance in India and Tibet, employing ethnographic and oral historical methods to examine the intersections of musical culture with politics, nationalism, identity, gender, inequality, economic development, and media. Morcom's scholarship is notable for its interdisciplinary approach that bridges traditional and popular musics with contemporary theoretical frameworks. Her work demonstrates significant trends toward examining music within economic frameworks, particularly through her founding of SEM's Special Interest Group on Economic Ethnomusicology. Recent publications increasingly focus on cultural economies, performance labor, and the relationship between artistic practice and economic systems in South Asia. Society of Ethnomusicology's Allan Merriam prize (2014) Marcia Herndon prize of SEM's Gender and Sexualities section (2014) Morcom's research has been supported by multiple grants from the Leverhulme Trust and the British Academy. She has been interviewed by prominent media outlets including BBC Radio 4's Thinking Allowed, The Hindu, Tehelka, and Scroll regarding her influential work on Indian dance cultures. As founder of SEM's Special Interest Group on Economic Ethnomusicology, she has shaped scholarly discourse on the economic dimensions of musical practice. Her current projects include the monograph on Hindustani music and co-editing two significant volumes: Creative Economies of Culture in South Asia: Craftspeople Performers (Routledge) and the Oxford Handbook of Economic Ethnomusicology (OUP).
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.
Dr. Jeni Mitchell is a Lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, affiliated with the School of Security Studies under the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy. She specializes in future war studies, space security, and the evolution of rebellion, serving as co-director of the Future Threats Lab within the Centre for Science & Security Studies. Her work emphasizes human-centric approaches to analyzing existential threats and their societal impacts. Her education includes a PhD from King’s College London, where her doctoral research focused on civilian victimization by non-state armed groups. She has held positions at Chatham House, the Brookings Institution, and the Middle East Institute. Teaching responsibilities include MA modules on future warfare, spacepower, and insurgency, while she also directs the MA International Relations and War program. Mitchell’s research explores future threat perceptions (particularly in space), futures research methodologies, and the intersection of war, genocide, and utopian ideologies. Her methodological innovations, termed ‘future-crafting,’ employ creative formats like films and games to model conflict scenarios. Notable collaborations include work with the Freeman Air and Space Institute and King’s Wargaming Network. Recent publications address Ukraine’s apocalyptic imaginary, space-based threat analysis, and refugee-warrior dynamics. Her research group activities include the Environmental Security research group and contributions to widening participation initiatives like the 2024 Summer School in international security.
Mark Angus is a Visiting Lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Design, and has been a pivotal figure in stained glass art since the 1970s. His work spans architectural commissions for churches and public spaces in the UK, Germany, and Ireland, alongside autonomous art in painting, printmaking, and artist’s books. He operates studios in Frauenau (Germany) and Graz (Austria). Education : Bristol Polytechnic (Chartered Surveyor, 1970), Swansea School of Art (Architectural Stained Glass, 1978). Research Interests focus on: Stained Glass as a medium for spiritual and secular narratives. Vitreography (glass-based printmaking) and its interplay with light and subtlety. Artist’s Books integrating letterpress and visual storytelling. Human Figure Representation in glass and paper, emphasizing dialogue and existential themes. Recent Publications include his 2018 artist’s book 80 Capriccios and the Turbulences of the Self , drawing on Goya’s Los Caprichos to critique modernity, and 2025’s KUNST. Kunst im Landkreis Passau, Bd. 70 , documenting regional art practices. His RED (2014) and Juvenescence (2014) explore color symbolism and eternal youth through acrylics and illustrated novels. Scientific & Artistic Awards : 1990: South West Arts & Crafts Fellowship 1984: South West Arts Major Craft Award 1979: Crafts Council Setting-up Grant 1978: Worshipful Company of Glaziers Travelling Scholarship Teaching & Collaborations : He has taught at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Penland School of Crafts (USA), and Bild-Werk Frauenau (Germany), including 2025’s masterclass Risk & Resonance – The Stained Glass Experience . His exhibitions, such as 80 Capriccios (2024, Neuburg am Inn), reflect interdisciplinary dialogues between glass, poetry, and theological themes.
Aya Aboelenien is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at HEC Montréal, a leading business school in Montréal, Canada. Her research focuses on morality and ethics in consumption, consumer culture theory, qualitative methods, aesthetics, and social media. She holds a Ph.D. (Marketing) from Concordia University, an M.B.A. and BBA from the American University in Cairo. Research Interests Aya’s work examines ethical consumption trends, influencer dynamics, and marketplace morality. She explores how brands navigate ethical dilemmas and how social media influencers shape consumer behavior. Her recent studies include analyses of cancel culture’s impact on brands, the ethical dimensions of influencer marketing, and meat consumption’s cultural symbolism. Recent Contributions Her 2024 papers in Journal of Brand Management and Journal of Business Research address brand response strategies to changing market logics and the formation of marketplace moral sentiments. Earlier work in Journal of Marketing Management (2023) and Consumption Markets & Culture (2022) further highlight her focus on ethical influencers and contested consumption practices. Awards & Supervision She received the Best Competitive Paper Award at the 2025 Consumer Culture Theory Conference. Since 2021, she has supervised five MSc projects on topics like green marketing, influencer strategies, and brand repositioning. She teaches courses in consultancy-based marketing research and strategic marketing. Affiliations Aya is affiliated with HEC Montréal’s marketing department and collaborates with global scholars on projects involving consumer ethics and digital marketing innovations.
Tina Dacin is a Professor of Strategy and Organizational Behavior at the Smith School of Business, Queen's University, Canada. She holds the Stephen J.R. Smith Chair and serves as Director of the Community Impact Research Program. Her roles include former Director of the Smith School’s Centre for Social Impact, former University Senate member, and former Chair of the Principal’s Innovation Fund Committee. She co-founded the Community of Social Innovation Chair and holds affiliations with the Academy of Management and Informs. Education: Ph.D. (1993) in Business Administration from the University of Toronto and M.A. in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick. Research focuses on cultural heritage, social innovation/entrepreneurship, strategic alliances, and globalization. Key themes include custodianship, tradition preservation, place-making, and institutional dynamics. Recent work explores craft-based ventures, place-sensitive organizational practices, and institutional renewal in crises like the Detroit water wars. Awards: None explicitly listed, though her chair position reflects academic distinction. Teaching includes courses on global social impact and analytics/ethics policy. Labs/Teams: Leadership in the Community Impact Research Program and the Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics.
Claire Battershill is an Assistant Professor jointly appointed in the Faculty of Information and the Department of English at the University of Toronto. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and a BA (Hons) from the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the history and future of the book, with a particular emphasis on feminist experimental publishing, literary aesthetics, and 20th/21st-century publishing practices. She is Co-Director of the Modernist Archives Publishing Project (MAPP), a critical digital archive of early 20th-century publishers’ records, and Co-Creator of the SSHRC-funded 'Make Believe' research-creation project. Her publications include Women and Letterpress Printing: Gendered Impressions (2022) and Using Digital Humanities in the Classroom (2022). Dr. Battershill has held prestigious roles such as Wendy M. Cecil Professor in VicOne at Victoria College and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She has secured grants including the SSHRC Impact Award (2017) and funding from the Canada Council for the Arts. Her teaching spans courses like INF2228H (The Future of Things: Digitization and Remediation) and BKS1002H (Book History in Practice), blending theory with hands-on engagement in digital humanities and book studies. Her research interests span digital humanities pedagogy, collaborative publishing projects, and the intersection of feminist theory with material book culture. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary initiatives like the Critical Digital Humanities Initiative (CDHI) at the University of Toronto.
Kristin Schwain is a Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Missouri's School of Visual Studies. She holds a PhD in Art History and Humanities from Stanford University and a BA in Art History and Humanities from Valparaiso University. Her interdisciplinary research examines marginalized objects and practices in American art history, emphasizing their cultural significance through lived experience. Her educational background includes: PhD in Art History and Humanities, Stanford University BA in Art History and Humanities, Valparaiso University Dr. Schwain's research centers on American Material and Visual Culture, Art and Religion, Arts of the African Diaspora, and Public Humanities. She investigates overlooked artifacts to reveal their influence on everyday life, challenging assumptions about modernization's impact on religious expression. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary relevance through studies of traditional craft, artist books, photojournalism, and mass-produced objects as lenses into social practices. Her recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on art-religion intersections in American cultural history, from Henry Ossawa Tanner's biblical paintings to Afro-Cuban religious themes in Ediciones Vigía artist books. This body of work reveals evolving methodologies for uncovering marginalized narratives through interdisciplinary frameworks spanning visual culture, material studies, and diaspora scholarship. Her scholarly recognition includes: First Biennial National Basketry Association Book Award for Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America Dr. Schwain has secured major grants from the Smithsonian Institution, Luce/American Council of Learned Societies, Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, and Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Research Center. Her collaborative public humanities projects with the Missouri School of Journalism's Pictures of the Year International and Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney department store collection demonstrate institutional partnerships that translate academic research into community engagement. She actively collaborates with the Museum of Art and Archaeology at the University of Missouri on exhibitions like Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America and Juan Roberto Diago: Foraged Materials, Assembled Histories , fostering cross-generational dialogues through multi-venue traveling shows and digital initiatives including The iCatalog .
Barbara Gowdy is an esteemed Adjunct Professor and a prolific novelist and short-story writer , renowned for her contributions to fiction across multiple genres. She has achieved international recognition with publications in 24 countries and received prestigious accolades such as the Trillium Book Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship . Her work has been shortlisted for major literary prizes, including the Booker Prize and the Governor General’s Award .
Mesha M Maren is an Associate Professor of the Practice of English at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences since 2023. She holds an M.F.A. from Queens University of Charlotte (2014). Her academic career includes prior roles as Assistant Professor of the Practice (2019-2023) and extensive teaching in creative writing. Maren’s work focuses on narrative-driven creative writing, particularly exploring themes of rural life, family dynamics, and social issues through fiction and literary essays. Her acclaimed novel Sugar Run (2019) examines the complexities of Appalachian culture. She has received prestigious fellowships including the Fulbright Research Award (2018) and MacDowell Colony residency (2015). Recognition highlights include the Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize (2015) and multiple short story contest victories. Her teaching portfolio spans introductory creative writing courses to advanced fiction workshops. Maren’s research interests intersect literary arts with sociocultural narratives, evident in publications like West Virginia in Transition (2019) and Milk River (2019). She actively engages in cultural initiatives through Duke's arts programs, co-teaching interdisciplinary courses on New York’s cultural landscape. Awards & Fellowships: Fulbright Research Award (2018) MacDowell Colony Fellowship (2015) Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize (2015) Multiple short story contest victories (2011–2012) Teaching emphasizes craft development in fiction writing, with courses like Advanced Workshop in Fiction and Writing the City: New York as Subject . No formal lab affiliations are noted, though her creative projects often involve collaborative cultural research initiatives.
Scott Taylor is a Professor of Leadership & Organization Studies in the Department of Management at the University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Business School. He also serves as the Business School Director of External Engagement and Responsible Business and as Academic Lead for Accreditations. He has held academic positions at Open, Essex, Exeter, and Loughborough Universities, and has been affiliated with the University of Birmingham in two periods: 2002–2007 and since 2013, confirming his current active status. Education: PhD in Management, Manchester Metropolitan University MA in Human Resource Management, University of Bolton MA in Arts, University of Glasgow His research centers on feminism in organizations, with current projects exploring gender quotas in political parties and women in the craft brewing sector. His work critically examines misogyny, gendered workloads, and the roles of men in feminist organizational change. He has published extensively in top journals such as Gender, Work & Organization , Human Relations , and Organization . His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on gender, power, and organizational ethics, often from a feminist and critical perspective. Scott Taylor is currently Development Editor for the Journal of Business Ethics and serves on the editorial boards of Academy of Management Learning & Education , Leadership , and Organization . He supervises several postgraduate students including Jennifer Davies, Isbahna Naz, and Dannielle Dorn. He is also a member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools’ Equality, Diversity & Inclusion committee, reflecting his institutional leadership in equity issues. Scientific Awards and Recognitions: Member, Chartered Association of Business Schools EDI Committee He has taught and visited universities internationally, including Auckland, Delhi, São Paulo, Jeddah, Melbourne, and Lapland. His academic leadership, editorial roles, and sustained research output confirm his active and influential position in the field of organizational studies.
Dr. Kathryn A. Burnett is a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Arts and Media at the University of the West of Scotland, based in the School of Business and Creative Industries. She is actively involved in supervising PhD students and contributes to research areas including rural sociology, cultural heritage, and climate adaptation. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to sustainable communities and environmental stewardship. Education: (Details not explicitly provided in text, but her extensive academic output suggests a PhD in related fields.) Research Interests: Dr. Burnett’s expertise spans Scottish culture, remote rural communities, island studies, and the creative industries. Her work emphasizes cultural work, resilience in marginalized regions, and the intersection of media, narrative, and place. She explores themes such as Gaelic heritage, climate adaptation strategies, and the socio-economic dynamics of small island communities. Recent Research Trends: Her publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to rural regeneration, climate adaptation through participatory methods, and the mediatization of island spaces. Recent work includes studies on Arctic art education, coastal community resilience, and sustainable enterprise in remote areas. Awards: SFHEA (2021) Best Paper Award, Rural Enterprise ISBE, Cardiff (2013) Winner of Best Paper Rural Enterprise ISBE (2014) Grants & Advisory Roles: She has held external examiner roles at institutions like the University of Highlands and Islands and has been a Board Member of The Reid Foundation. Her activities include organizing conferences, hosting academic visitors, and contributing to national and international research networks. Labs/Teams: Collaborations include projects with the University of Lapland (e.g., Nurture: Living in the Landscape) and cross-border initiatives on Arctic studies and climate adaptation. She frequently engages in interdisciplinary research with environmental scientists and sociologists.
