Russell Epstein is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. He is affiliated with the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Goddard Labs. His research focuses on neural mechanisms underlying visual scene perception, spatial navigation, and memory. Epstein holds a BA in Physics from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University. Epstein’s research interests include high-level vision, spatial cognition, and the neural basis of environmental representations. His lab uses functional MRI and cognitive neuroscience techniques to study how scenes, objects, landmarks, and spaces are encoded in brain systems such as the parahippocampal place area and retrosplenial cortex. Recent work explores cognitive maps, grid-like neural representations, and the role of multisensory cues in navigation. His articles emphasize spatial navigation strategies, hierarchical cognitive maps, and the interplay between perception and memory. Notable contributions include investigations into hippocampal spatial metrics, olfactory navigation, and the neural underpinnings of environmental learning. Epstein teaches courses on cognitive neuroscience, including PSYC 149 and PSYC 600. He advises two graduate students in Psychology and has no listed scientific awards. His work is supported by grants (unspecified) and conducted within collaborative teams at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Epstein’s research extends to labs focused on spatial cognition and neuroimaging, advancing understanding of how humans mentally map environments through visual and sensory integration.
Rodney Harrison is a Reader in Archaeology, Heritage and Museum Studies at the UCL Institute of Archaeology, University College London. He serves as the founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Archaeology and has been Vice President of the Association of Critical Heritage Studies since 2012. His research focuses on critical heritage studies, contemporary archaeology, and future-making practices in heritage contexts. Harrison's work challenges traditional boundaries between past, present, and future in heritage discourse, emphasizing how heritage functions as a future-oriented practice. His research spans cultural and natural heritage, exploring connections between heritage conservation and other material legacy management systems, including nuclear waste disposal. Harrison leads the major international 'Heritage Futures' research program funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council. This project represents one of the largest critical, comparative ethnographic studies of heritage practices, examining how different forms of heritage function as distinctive future-making practices across diverse contexts. His scholarly contributions include more than a dozen books and over 60 peer-reviewed articles. Notable publications include Collecting, Ordering, Governing: Museums, Anthropology and Liberal Government (2016), Heritage: Critical Approaches (2013), Reassembling the Collection (2013), Understanding the Politics of Heritage (2011), and The Heritage Reader (2008). Harrison's work consistently engages with critical theory, challenging conventional heritage frameworks and exploring innovative approaches to understanding how material and cultural legacies shape future possibilities. His research has significant implications for heritage policy, conservation practice, and theoretical developments in critical heritage studies.
Chi-Ming Yang is a Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences, where she has established herself as a leading scholar in literary and visual culture studies with a focus on race, empire, and East-West cultural exchanges. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges British, American, Asian, and Latin American studies while examining historical periods from the early modern era through the 18th century to contemporary contexts. Educational Background: Ph.D. in English from Cornell University B.A. in Comparative Literature from Stanford University with emphases in Spanish, Chinese, and English Professor Yang's research interrogates the intersections of race, visual culture, and imperial histories through multiple disciplinary lenses. Her work explores how objects, images, and texts function within global networks of power and representation, with particular attention to transpacific and transatlantic connections. She has developed significant expertise in chinoiserie, material culture, and the visual dimensions of racial formation across historical periods. Her recent publications demonstrate a growing interest in ecological perspectives on race and empire, particularly evident in her 2021 article 'The Song of the Rice Bird,' which innovatively examines plantation slavery through avian migration patterns. Her scholarship consistently bridges historical analysis with contemporary concerns about representation, power, and cultural exchange. Professional Recognition: 2022 Best Advisor Award in English, Sponsored by the English Undergraduate Advisory Board Professor Yang maintains an active advising role, having chaired doctoral dissertations including Jacob Myers' 'Noxious Life: Figuring Vermin in the Natural Histories of the Anglophone Caribbean' (2025) and Cassidy Holahan's 'Dramatizing the Novel: Transmedial Exchange in the Long Eighteenth Century' (2023). She regularly participates in departmental workshops and events, including the 2024 conversation with Sharon Holland exploring Black feminist perspectives on animal life in relation to Octavia E. Butler's work. Her teaching portfolio reflects her interdisciplinary approach, with recent courses including 'Science Fictions of Octavia E. Butler,' 'Orientalisms,' '18th-Century British Poetry,' and 'Arts of Abolition and Liberation,' demonstrating her commitment to connecting historical scholarship with contemporary social justice concerns.
Juan Ortiz-Apuy is a Canadian-Costa Rican artist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Studio Arts at Concordia University . His practice critically examines intersections of commodity fetishism , object-oriented ontology , and post-colonialism through installations addressing sustainability and environmental exploitation . He has exhibited internationally in institutions such as Les Abattoirs Museum (France) and MASS MoCA (USA). MFA, NSCAD University (2011) PG Dip, The Glasgow School of Art (2009) BFA, Concordia University (2008) His research investigates material cultures and ecological impacts of consumerism, employing found objects, 3D animation, and industrial materials. Key projects include Tropicana (2020), which critiques tropicality commodification, and La Guaria Morada (2019), exploring Costa Rican identity through environmental systems. Best International Representation (2024) by AICA, Costa Rican Chapter Grants from Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec, and SSHRC Ortiz-Apuy has participated in residencies at MASS MoCA and Guldagergaard Ceramic Research Center . His work has been reviewed in Canadian Art , MOMUS , and local Montreal publications.
Peter A. Flach is Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Intelligent Systems Laboratory, School of Computer Science, University of Bristol, where he has been faculty since 1997 and was promoted to Professor in 2003. He currently directs the UKRI AI Centre for Doctoral Training in Practice-Oriented Artificial Intelligence and serves as Vice-President of the European Association for Data Science (EuADS), having previously served as its President. His research centers on rigorous evaluation and improvement of machine learning systems, with seminal contributions to classifier calibration (including Beta Calibration and Precision-Recall-Gain curves), explainable AI frameworks, and data science methodology. He pioneered the extension of CRISP-DM to data science trajectories and developed Explainability Fact Sheets for systematic assessment of XAI approaches. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical deployment in real-world systems. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a dominant focus on interpretable and reliable machine learning, with strong emphasis on performance evaluation metrics, model calibration techniques, and human-centered explainability. His research increasingly addresses healthcare applications through projects like SPHERE and clinical decision support systems, while maintaining core contributions to fundamental ML theory. His scientific recognition includes prestigious fellowships: Fellow of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) Fellow of the European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI) Professor Flach has secured major research funding including UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training grants and EU network funding (TAILOR). He leads extensive collaborations across Engineering, Population Health Science, and international institutions (Monash University, Polytechnic University of Valencia), plus over 20 industry partners in the Practice-Oriented AI CDT including LV= and QinetiQ. His work with the SPHERE project demonstrates successful translation of AI research into residential healthcare settings. He leads the Intelligent Systems Laboratory at Bristol, which develops influential open-source tools including the FAT Forensics Python toolbox for algorithmic fairness and the Explainability Fact Sheets framework. His lab maintains strong connections with the European AI community through ELLIS and EurAI, positioning Bristol as a hub for human-centered and methodologically rigorous AI research.
Dr. Damien Charrieras is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Media , City University of Hong Kong, where he serves as Program Leader for the Master of Art in Creative Media and deputy program leader for the PhD in Creative Media. His work bridges cultural studies, new media theory, and the intersection of financial technologies with artistic practices through the ACIM Laboratory for Interventions in Speculative Finance . Doctoral research on digital artists' trajectories in Montreal FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University Research spans game engine design , datafication of creativity , blockchain in art , and post-anthropocentric creative processes . With over HK$3.14M in grants as Principal Investigator, he explores situated digital creativity in urban contexts, critical worldbuilding pedagogy , and the mediation of technical systems in cultural production. His publications in Cities , Organized Sound , and Human Relations analyze the reconfiguration of artistic practices through software infrastructures and automation paradigms. Scientific awards include: FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship
Jeannette Bohg is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University, directing the Interactive Perception and Robot Learning Lab. Previously, she was a group leader at the Autonomous Motion Department (AMD) of the MPI for Intelligent Systems (2012-2017). She holds a PhD from KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Stockholm) and degrees from Chalmers University and TU Dresden. Her research focuses on perception, learning, and real-time multi-modal methods for autonomous robotic manipulation and grasping, aiming to bridge principles of human sensorimotor coordination with robotic implementation. Education: PhD in Robotics (KTH), MSc in Art & Technology (Chalmers), Diploma in Computer Science (TU Dresden) Research interests include developing goal-directed, real-time robotic systems capable of meaningful feedback for execution and learning. Key areas are dexterous manipulation, imitation learning, and cross-embodiment policy transfer. Notable contributions include the TidyBot platform and work on force-aware surgical robotics. Awards include the 2019 IEEE ICRA Best Paper Award, 2019 IEEE RA Early Career Award, and 2020 RSS Early Career Award. Her lab explores intersections of robotics, ML, and computer vision. Advising: Actively mentoring students/postdocs in manipulation, perception, and learning. Grants and collaborations span NSF, Stanford AI Lab, and industry partnerships. Future work emphasizes robust real-world deployment and human-robot collaboration. Labs/Teams: Leads the Interactive Perception and Robot Learning Lab, contributing to Stanford’s AI ecosystem. Previously managed the MPI AMD group, fostering interdisciplinary research in autonomous systems.
Katherine Isbister is a full professor in the Department of Computational Media at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she directs the Center for Computational Experience. She was previously an associate professor jointly appointed between the Computer Science department at New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering and the NYU Game Center, and served as the founding Research Director of the Game Innovation Lab at NYU. Her research lies at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction and digital games, focusing on emotion, social connection, and playful experiences. Key research themes include emotion in games , social play , fidget technologies , social VR , and digital characters . Her work combines technical prototyping, design research, and empirical evaluation to understand how interactive systems can support emotional and social experiences. Her publications span top venues such as CHI, DIS, and IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing. Trends in her recent work show a strong emphasis on embodied interaction, affective design, and socio-technical systems for emotional regulation and social connection. She explores how movement, touch, and presence in virtual spaces can enhance human experience. MIT Technology Review TR100 Young Innovator (1999) Best Paper Award, ACM CSCW (2018) New Voices New Visions Award (for SimWorks art series) She has advised numerous students and led research projects involving social wearables, movement-based games, and mental health interventions. Her lab has received recognition from media outlets including NPR, Scientific American, and The Guardian. She has also collaborated with industry partners such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft. She leads the Center for Computational Experience at UCSC and has previously directed the Game Innovation Lab at NYU. Her team has produced over 100 peer-reviewed publications and several exhibition-ready games and art installations.
Douglas K. Snyder is a Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences within the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University. He previously served as Director of Clinical Training from 1991 to 2012 and has been internationally recognized for his research on marital assessment and outcome research on marital therapy, particularly through his development of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory. Dr. Snyder earned his bachelor's degree from Wittenberg University in 1974, received his doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978, and completed his internship at Duke University Medical Center. Prior to his appointment at Texas A&M, he served on the faculty at Wayne State University in Detroit and at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he also served as Director of Clinical Training and Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Snyder's research emphasizes the assessment, treatment, and prevention of couple relationship distress. His work centers on the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, a multidimensional measure of relationship accord now published in several languages and used worldwide. His treatment research focuses on tailoring therapy to specific partner and relationship characteristics by integrating cognitive, behavioral, emotion-focused, and insight-oriented interventions. His specific clinical interests include treating difficult couples with emotional, behavioral, and health problems, with particular attention to military and veteran couples and those dealing with infidelity. Dr. Snyder's recent publications demonstrate continued leadership in couple therapy, with emphasis on evidence-based approaches, treatment of infidelity, military couples, and cross-cultural applications of couple assessment tools. His work spans theoretical advancements and practical clinical applications. Outstanding Research Publication Award, Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 1991 Professor of the Year Award, Texas Psychological Association - Division of Students, 1993 Award for Distinguished Contributions to Family Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2005 Outstanding Contributions to Science Award, Texas Psychological Association, 2008 Distinguished Alumnae Award, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), 2012 Distinguished Psychologist Award for Lifetime Contributions to Psychotherapy, American Psychological Association, 2015 Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Divisions 5, 12, 19, 29, 43) Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Fellow of the Society for Personality Assessment Dr. Snyder has served as Editor of the Clinician's Research Digest and as Associate Editor for the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Family Psychology. His research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, with significant focus on military couples and relationship distress. He has developed evidence-based approaches for assessing and treating relationship problems across diverse cultural contexts. Dr. Snyder is affiliated with the Personality Processes research cluster at Texas A&M University, focusing on objective personality assessment and clinical assessment of couples and families. His work bridges research and clinical practice, with emphasis on developing practical assessment tools and treatment approaches for clinicians working with distressed couples.
Prof. Christian Heipke is a distinguished academic serving as Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodetic Science at Leibniz University Hannover, Germany. He also holds the position of Executive Director at the Institute of Photogrammetry and GeoInformation (IPI), one of the leading research institutions in geospatial sciences within the faculty. His leadership extends across multiple committees including the Curriculum and Teaching Committee, Admissions and Examination Boards for Geodetic Science and Geoinformatics, and Navigation and Environmental Robotics. As a Professor at IPI, he maintains active research while overseeing significant academic and administrative responsibilities at the university. Professor Heipke's research spans multiple domains within geospatial sciences, with particular emphasis on: Advanced photogrammetric techniques and algorithms Remote sensing applications for environmental monitoring Computer vision approaches for geospatial data analysis Urban development monitoring using satellite imagery Machine learning applications in geoinformatics Disaster prediction and management systems His recent scholarly output reveals a strong focus on integrating cutting-edge computer vision and deep learning techniques with traditional photogrammetric methods. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications shows a clear trajectory toward more sophisticated AI-driven approaches for processing geospatial data, with particular attention to time-series analysis, uncertainty quantification, and multi-view systems. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in flood forecasting, deforestation monitoring, urban planning, and construction materials analysis. The geographic scope of his research has expanded significantly, with recent projects focusing on international case studies in the Philippines and tropical regions. Professor Heipke leads the Institute of Photogrammetry and GeoInformation, a major research hub that has celebrated 75 years of contributions to the field. His leadership extends to the Graduiertenkolleg 2159: "Integrity and Collaboration in Dynamic Sensor Networks," where he serves as a professor overseeing doctoral research. The institute maintains state-of-the-art facilities for processing satellite imagery, aerial photography, and developing novel algorithms for geospatial data analysis. Under his direction, the institute has strengthened its international collaborations and interdisciplinary research approaches, particularly in addressing Sustainable Development Goals through geospatial technologies.
Michele Matteini serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Art History at New York University's College of Arts and Science, specializing in Late Imperial Chinese painting and material culture (ca. 1400-1800) with focus on Qing dynasty antiquarianism, collecting practices, and eighteenth-century transnational artistic exchanges. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. (2012) in History of Art from the Institute of Fine Arts M.A. (2004) in History of Art from New York University B.A. (2000) summa cum laude from the University of Venice, Ca’ Foscari Research interests encompass Late Imperial Chinese painting, antiquarianism, collecting culture, Qing history, urban culture, inter-Asian artistic exchanges, eighteenth-century globalism, craft traditions, embodied knowledge, and art historical methodology. His interdisciplinary approach bridges anthropology, religious studies, and art history to examine material culture across East Asia. Recent publications reveal consistent thematic focus on eighteenth-century material practices, analyzing antiquarian objects, historical figure cults, and cross-cultural artistic production. Works integrate art historical analysis with anthropological perspectives on topics like rock collecting, filial piety, and sacred materiality, demonstrating how objects functioned within social and global contexts. His scholarly recognition includes: The Andrew Mellon Foundation Fellowship for Assistant Professors, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (2013-2014) Ittleson Fellowship, Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art (2007-2009) Panofsky Distinguished Fellowship, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University (2002-2007) Matteini's research has been supported by major fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and National Gallery of Art. While current advising activities and grant projects beyond these fellowships are not detailed in available sources, his extensive publication record indicates sustained scholarly productivity focused on East Asian material culture.
Prof. Dr. Ewa Machotka is Full Professor and Chair of East Asian Art History at the University of Zurich's Institute of Art History since 2023. She leads Switzerland's only academic chair dedicated to East Asian art history, covering China, Japan, and Korea across historical periods through contemporary practices. Her educational background includes a PhD in Japanese art history from Gakushuin University, Tokyo (2008), funded by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Previous positions encompass Professor of Japanese Language and Culture at Stockholm University (2017-2023), Assistant Professor at Leiden University (2011-2017), and Curator of Japanese Art at Kraków's National Museum (1999-2008). Machotka's research centers on Japanese visual culture with dual emphasis on Edo-to-modern print traditions and contemporary socially engaged/eco-art. Methodologically, she integrates global art history, postcolonial theory, ecocriticism, gender/queer frameworks, and digital analysis to examine transnational interactions, canon formation, and socio-ecological dimensions of East Asian visual artifacts. Her work critically engages with Orientalism, collection histories, and multimodal text-image relationships. Under her leadership, the department organizes the Zurich Lectures series featuring international scholars, collaborates with Museum Rietberg on projects like the 2025 'Korean Wave(s)' symposium, and offers object-based pedagogy through seminars, museum excursions, and courses such as 'Curating Surimono'. Current initiatives include Dr. Uli Sigg's visiting professorship on Chinese cultural diplomacy and hands-on workshops exploring Hokusai's legacy.
Elena Gorfinkel is a Professor of Film Studies at King’s College London’s Faculty of Arts & Humanities. Previously, she was Associate Professor of Art History and Film Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2009–2016). Her research focuses on independent/underground cinemas, women’s filmmaking, feminist film historiography, and materialist approaches to cinema. Key publications include Lewd Looks: American Sexploitation Cinema in the 1960s (Minnesota UP, 2017), Wanda (BFI Classics, 2025), and co-authored The Prop (Fordham UP, 2025). She has received the 2022 Kraszna-Krausz Award and a 2018 Andy Warhol Foundation Grant for her work on cinema’s materiality and feminist historiography. Gorfinkel actively engages in public scholarship through film curation (e.g., BFI’s Barbara Loden retrospective), editorial roles ( Journal of Cinema and Media Studies , ASAP/Journal ), and media writing ( Sight & Sound , Art Monthly ). Her research bridges academic and popular realms, emphasizing marginalized cinemas and feminist critique. Teaching focuses on experimental film, women’s filmmaking, and cinema history. She has led international symposia and lectures on topics ranging from Andy Warhol’s films to global art cinemas.
Dr. Konstantinos Kalantzis is a Lecturer in Anthropology and Visual Culture at the Department of Anthropology, University College London (UCL). His academic journey includes a PhD in Anthropology from UCL (2010), an MSc in Visual Anthropology from the University of Oxford (2005), and a BA in History from the University of Crete (2004). He also serves as an Honorary Research Fellow at UCL. PhD in Anthropology, UCL (2010) MSc in Visual Anthropology, University of Oxford (2005) BA in History, University of Crete (2004) Kalantzis specializes in the intersection of visual culture, anthropology, and political imagination, with a focus on Greece and the Mediterranean. His research explores colonialism/postcolonialism, photography, ethnographic film, materiality, psychoanalysis, and rural societies. He has contributed to critical debates on crisis representation, Occidentalism, and the role of photography in documenting social imaginaries. His publications span ethnographic books, journal articles, and exhibitions, including Tradition in the Frame (2019) and the Citizens of Photography series (2021–2022). Recent work like "The Indigenous Sublime" (2023) and "Slippery Delight" (2022) examines visual ambiguity and pleasure in crisis contexts, while earlier articles analyze the debt crisis, tourism, and ethnographic film. He has received an ERC grant for the Citizens of Photography project, which investigates the camera's role in political imagination. His publications frequently address themes of displacement, crisis, and cultural representation through visual methods.
Zhiqiang Yu serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature at Baruch College's Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, City University of New York. With over two decades of teaching experience, he has established himself as a dedicated educator specializing in Chinese language, cinema, and civilization courses. Education: Ph.D. in Chinese, University of Washington M.A. in Asian Civilization, University of Iowa B.A. in Chinese Literature, Fudan University (Shanghai) Professor Yu's research focuses on innovative approaches to Chinese language pedagogy, with particular interest in applying economic principles and artificial intelligence to language teaching. His work bridges traditional linguistic scholarship with modern educational technology, examining how efficiency, resource allocation, and technological advancements can enhance language learning outcomes. His research spans Chinese linguistics, dialectology, cinema studies, and cultural elements in language teaching. His publication record reveals a consistent trajectory toward optimizing language instruction through systematic analysis. Recent work increasingly focuses on AI applications in language education and the economic framework of pedagogical efficiency. His scholarship demonstrates a progression from traditional linguistic analysis toward innovative teaching methodologies that incorporate modern technological and theoretical frameworks. Scientific Awards: Award of Excellent Academic Research Reviewer from Journal of International Chinese Education (2016) Graduate Teaching Fellowship from University of Washington (1993) Graduate Teaching Fellowship from University of Iowa (1989) Graduate Research Fellowship from University of Iowa (1988) Student Excellency Award from Fudan University (1984) Professor Yu has served extensively on departmental committees including as Department Assessment Coordinator and Secretary of the Asian and Asian-American Studies Committee. He has organized numerous academic events featuring prominent Chinese cultural figures and has contributed to developing Chinese language curriculum resources including online placement tests. His professional service extends to editorial work for CUNY publications and Chinese language training for the New York Police Academy. He maintains active involvement with multiple professional organizations including the American Name Society, American Oriental Society, American Society of Geolinguistics, Association for Asian Studies, and Chinese Language Teachers Association, frequently presenting at international conferences on Chinese language pedagogy.
