Professor Rae Langton is the Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Newnham College. She previously held positions at MIT, the University of Edinburgh, and Monash University. Her research focuses on speech act theory, feminist philosophy, and the ethical implications of language and social structures. Langton’s work examines how hate speech and pornography subordinate marginalized groups, influencing legal and social norms. Education: BA (Hons) in Philosophy from the University of Sydney (1986), PhD from Princeton University (1995). Key roles include Chair of the Philosophy Faculty at Cambridge and membership in prestigious academic societies such as the British Academy and American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Research interests span feminist theory, moral and political philosophy, metaphysics, and Kantian ethics. Notable publications include Sexual Solipsism (2009) and Kantian Humility (1998). Awards include Prospect Magazine’s 'World Thinkers 2014' and the John Locke Lectures at Oxford (2015). Langton’s career highlights include pioneering analyses of pornography’s objectification effects and contributions to debates on free speech. She advocates for gender equity in education, inspired by Newnham College’s legacy.
Marc Ouellette is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at Old Dominion University (ODU), located in Norfolk, Virginia. His research focuses on cultural studies, gender, media, and digital games, with a particular emphasis on how masculinity, sexuality, and pop culture intersect within these contexts. Education: Ouellette holds a Ph.D. in English from McMaster University (2003), an M.A. in English from McMaster (1998), a B.E. in English from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (2011), and a B.A. in English from the University of Waterloo (1997). Research Interests: He explores topics such as video game narratives, gender representation in media, and digital culture. Key areas include the semiotics of video games, the portrayal of masculinity in sports films, and the intersection of pop culture with societal norms. Publications: Ouellette has authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including works on Grand Theft Auto IV, Tomb Raider, and The Good Soldier. His books include *Masculinity in Gaming: Construction and Performance* and *The Post-9/11 Video Game*. Awards: He has received accolades such as the 2024 Best Practices in Mentoring Award and the 2015 Learning Games Initiative Fellowship. His teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards from ODU and McMaster University. Labs/Teams: While no specific lab is listed, his work intersects with digital humanities and game studies initiatives at ODU.
Vicki Elsey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University, where she leads the Applied Work Psychology Research Group and serves as Director for Postgraduate Education. She is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Registered Occupational Psychologist with the HCPC. Her roles include supervising doctoral and professional doctorate students, teaching on the MSc Occupational and Organisational Psychology Programme, and overseeing postgraduate program quality assurance. Education: Vicki holds a Professional Doctorate in Psychology (2016), MSc in Psychology (2000), BSc (Hons) in Psychology (2000), and a Teaching & Learning qualification (2006). Her consultancy expertise spans employee selection, leadership coaching, and career development programs. Research focuses on career sustainability, employability, and women's career challenges, including parenthood and health conditions. She has contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education and gender equality. Key projects include the European Commission-funded GETM3 project on entrepreneurial talent management. Publications explore themes like gender dynamics in careers, resilience in military leadership, and burnout mitigation strategies. Her 2018 award for Excellence in Occupational Psychology Research (Early Career) underscores her scholarly impact. Vicki actively engages in professional committees, including past roles with BPS training and qualification boards.
Ginger A. Hoffman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Saint Joseph's University. She holds dual PhDs in Philosophy (MIT) and Neuroscience (Yale), as well as a BA in Biology from Wesleyan University. Her research focuses on the philosophy of psychiatry, ethics, feminist theory, and philosophy of disability, advocating for more relational and socially embedded models of mental health to improve clinical practices and reduce stigma. Education: PhD in Philosophy (MIT), PhD in Neuroscience (Yale), BA in Biology (Wesleyan) Her work critiques biomedical reductionism, explores ethical dimensions of antidepressants, and champions neurodiversity and Mad Pride perspectives. She has held prestigious fellowships including the National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and Harvard Mind/Brain/Behavior Fellowship. Her articles address topics like group mental disorders, gendered psychiatric disability, and metaphysical assumptions in psychiatric research. Awards include the Saint Joseph's University Faculty Teaching Award (2016–2017). Awards: Faculty Teaching Award, NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard Fellowship Her professional activities include roles in the Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry, and founding the Philadelphia Philosophy of Psychiatry Working Group. She actively engages in public health ethics, advocating for inclusive mental health frameworks.
Hans-Christoph Schmidt am Busch is Professor of Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy within the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the Technical University of Braunschweig, where he has been employed since 2013. Previously, he held visiting professorships at the universities of Magdeburg, Münster, and Vechta from 2010 to 2013. His academic career includes significant research stays as a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at Northwestern University, Georgetown University, and Columbia University, as well as a fellowship at the Cluster of Excellence 'Religion and Politics' at the University of Münster during 2020-2021. His research focuses primarily on Political Philosophy, Social Philosophy, Legal Philosophy, and the History of Philosophy, with particular expertise in Hegelian philosophy, critical theory, and the philosophical foundations of economics. His work consistently engages with recognition theory, social philosophy, and the intersection of philosophical concepts with contemporary social and economic issues. Schmidt am Busch completed his doctorate at the University of Münster on Hegel's concept of labor and his habilitation at Goethe University Frankfurt on 'Recognition' as a Principle of Critical Theory, establishing his scholarly foundation in German Idealism and critical social theory. His publication record reveals a clear evolution in research interests while maintaining connections to his foundational work. Early publications focused on Hegel and Saint-Simonism, while more recent work has increasingly addressed contemporary issues like inheritance rights, bequeathing, and intergenerational justice. His scholarly output demonstrates remarkable breadth across languages (German, French, and English) and consistent engagement with both historical and contemporary philosophical debates. Among his notable achievements is his membership in the Scientific Committee of the International College of Philosophy since 2023 and his organization of significant academic conferences including 'The Philosophy of the Market' (2014), 'The Right to Bequeath' (2019), and 'Freedom, Justice, and Esteem: Perspectives from an Unconditional Basic Income' (2022). These conferences reflect his commitment to bridging theoretical philosophy with pressing contemporary social issues. Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Member of the Scientific Committee of the International College of Philosophy (2023-present) Schmidt am Busch has made substantial contributions to academic discourse through his numerous monographs, edited volumes, and journal articles. His work on recognition theory has been particularly influential, connecting Hegelian philosophy with contemporary critical theory. His research on basic income, inheritance rights, and market philosophy demonstrates his ability to apply philosophical frameworks to contemporary socio-economic debates, establishing him as a significant voice in contemporary political and social philosophy.
Mindy Erchull is a Professor of Psychological Science at the University of Mary Washington, with expertise in objectification theory, sexualization of women, feminist identity, reproductive health psychology, and attitudes about menstruation. She serves as a consulting editor for journals such as Women’s Reproductive Health and Gender Issues , and has presented her research extensively at major psychological conferences. B.A., Connecticut College M.A. and Ph.D., Arizona State University Her research focuses on the intersection of gender, mental health, and social norms. Recent work explores menstrual cup attitudes, reproductive health funding perceptions, and the psychological impacts of helicopter parenting. Publications span journals like Psychology of Women Quarterly , Sex Roles , and Health Psychology . She co-authored the textbook Psychology of Women and Gender . Dr. Erchull's awards include the Mary Roth Walsh Teaching the Psychology of Women Award, multiple Fellowships (APA, APS, Psi Chi), and the 2025 Christine Ladd-Franklin Award. She advises the UMW Psi Chi chapter and holds leadership roles in the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives and Society for Menstrual Cycle Research.
Aaron S. Breslow, Ph.D. is an active faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine's School of Medicine. He serves as Principal Investigator for the National Institute of Mental Health-funded project "Mapping Interventions to Reduce Mental Health Services Disparities among Transgender and Nonbinary Adults" (2021-2025). His work focuses on mental health disparities, particularly among transgender and gender nonconforming populations, with significant contributions to understanding the intersection of gender identity, mental health, and HIV care. Dr. Breslow's research interests span mental health, gender identity, transgender health, HIV/AIDS, minority stress, healthcare disparities, objectification studies, and psychiatric epidemiology. His work consistently addresses the unique mental health challenges faced by transgender and nonbinary individuals, with particular attention to how legislative environments, social support, and healthcare systems impact mental wellbeing. Analysis of Dr. Breslow's recent publications (2020-2025) reveals a strong focus on transgender mental health, with particular emphasis on healthcare disparities, minority stress mechanisms, and innovative interventions including teletherapy approaches. His work bridges clinical psychology, public health, and gender studies, often employing mixed-methods approaches to understand complex interactions between identity, discrimination, and mental health outcomes. Dr. Breslow currently leads an active NIMH-funded research project examining mental health service disparities among transgender and nonbinary adults. His collaborative work extends across multiple institutions, with a focus on community-engaged research that directly addresses the needs of marginalized populations.
Rushikesh K. Joshi is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. His research focuses on computational models for programs, their structures and dynamics, including processes, interactions, concurrency, and distributed systems. He has taught advanced courses like CS 770 (Process Engineering), CS 787 (Language Engineering), and CS 757 (Design and Re-engineering). Research Interests: He specializes in software engineering, distributed systems, program analysis, and code refactoring. His work includes modular process modeling, trace language mining, and consistency models for business processes. He also explores objectification of procedural code through projects like Ox and AccessViz. Notable Projects: Anonymous Remote Computing (ARC), Filter Objects, Constore Graph Database, and Ox (objectification of Linux kernel structures). Funding sources include IBM, Microsoft, Infosys, and the Ministry of Information Technology. Scientific Contributions: His research has led to publications in IEEE Transactions, LNCS, and other venues. He has advised over 100 theses, including Ph.D. students Karnika Shivhare, Omkarendra Tiwari, and Vrinda Yadav.
Jose Gutierrez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah, specializing in critical mathematics education. His work bridges historical analyses of curriculum policies with community-based initiatives, focusing on equity and social justice for historically marginalized groups such as Native American and Latinx students. He employs archival research and collaborative learning frameworks to address systemic barriers in mathematics education. University of Utah (2017–present) Research Interests: Gutierrez examines the intersection of mathematics education, cultural identity, and power dynamics. His research emphasizes family engagement, multilingual learner support, and the role of mathematics curriculum in assimilationist policies, particularly in Indigenous boarding schools. Recent Publications: His studies explore topics like arithmetic word problems in historical contexts, collaborative problem-solving dynamics, and metaphorical reasoning in mathematics instruction. These works highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining cognitive science, mathematics education, and critical theory. Scientific Awards & Grants: National Science Foundation Grant: Building Coherence in STEM Learning Opportunities (2017–2020) National Science Foundation Grant: Signs of Power in Indian Boarding Schools Mathematics Curriculum (2022–2024) Teaching Activities: Gutierrez has taught courses in qualitative research methods, STEM education, and critical cultural studies, alongside supervising Ph.D. and Master’s thesis research. His instruction integrates community partnerships and social justice frameworks.
Amy M. Rees serves as an Associate Professor in the Counseling, Therapy, and School Psychology Department at Lewis & Clark College's Graduate School of Education and Counseling. She is a core faculty member in the Professional Mental Health Counseling Program, with her office located in Rogers Hall 333 on the Graduate Campus in Portland, Oregon. Her academic credentials include: PhD in Counseling Psychology, Ball State University (1998) MA in Counseling Psychology, Ball State University (1995) BS, Purdue University (1993) Dr. Rees's scholarly work centers on LGBTQ issues , multicultural feminist therapies , and counselor supervision . She investigates intersections of gender, sexuality, and mental health through frameworks of social justice and activism, with particular emphasis on how societal attitudes shape therapeutic practices and individual experiences. Her publication record reveals consistent thematic focus across gender roles, sexual prejudice, and minority experiences. Key trends include analysis of sexism within homophobia, political influences on mental health practice, and gendered manifestations of depression. Methodologically, her work blends qualitative exploration with clinical application to address systemic issues in counseling psychology. No major scientific awards or fellowships are documented in available sources. As faculty, Dr. Rees mentors graduate students in the Professional Mental Health Counseling Program, guiding clinical training and research in specialized areas including LGBTQ counseling and feminist therapeutic approaches. Her supervision integrates theoretical knowledge with real-world application in mental health settings.
Lauren M. Rosenblum serves as an Associate Teaching Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Adelphi University, teaching courses on nineteenth through twenty-first century literature, visual culture, media studies, and multimedia activism including innovative seminars like From Batman To The Black Panthers and Graphic Women . Her academic credentials include: PhD in Literature from Stony Brook University (2021) MA from New York University (2004) BA from Barnard College (1996) Dr. Rosenblum's research centers on twentieth- and twenty-first century women's writing with particular focus on intersections of sexuality and disability in early modernist literature. Her scholarly work spans interdisciplinary studies, visual culture, digital humanities, and general education pedagogy, currently developing a book manuscript on feminist methodologies in archival recovery. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent engagement with queer theory applied to modernist authors like Katherine Mansfield and Gertrude Stein, alongside pioneering work in digital humanities pedagogy. Her scholarship demonstrates how multimedia approaches transform teaching of canonical texts while recovering marginalized voices in early twentieth-century literature. As an active conference participant, Dr. Rosenblum organizes and presents at major academic gatherings including the Modernist Studies Association, where she leads discussions on feminist publishing migrations and interdisciplinary modernist pedagogy, reflecting her commitment to evolving scholarly discourse.
Professor Christopher Hart is a faculty member at Lancaster University's School of Social Sciences , specializing in Cognitive Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis . He currently teaches courses including Language Origins and Evolution, Language Cognition and Culture, Cognitive Linguistics, and Critical Discourse Analysis at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Research Focus : Combines cognitive science and critical discourse analysis to study language-cognition-action links in political communication, with emphasis on migration discourse, political protest, and right-wing populism Methodology : Employs cognitive linguistics frameworks (conceptual metaphor, frame semantics), experimental methods, and multimodal analysis (language, images, gestures) Hart's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on multimodal political communication , particularly Trump's discourse and immigration representation in media. His work bridges cognitive theory with empirical testing of semiotic effects on audience perception. He leads the Gesture in the Communicative Style of Right Wing Populism research project (2024-2026) and supervises PhD students including Noha Abdel Kader and Steve Strudwick . Hart contributes to research groups in Discourse and Text , Language Ideology and Power , and Cognitive Linguistics .
Kara Styck serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northern Illinois University, specializing in School Psychology. Her research develops assessment tools for measuring cognitive abilities, social skills, and academic engagement in K-12 and higher education environments, with direct applications to educational decision-making processes including screening and diagnostic procedures. Her educational background includes: Ph.D. in Psychology from Arizona State University M.A. in Psychology from Arizona State University B.S. from Florida State University Dr. Styck's research program centers on psychometric innovation in educational contexts, particularly focusing on measurement validity, rater effects, and cultural considerations in assessment. She examines how psychological measurements influence critical educational decisions while developing instruments that enhance accuracy in identifying student needs. Her methodological expertise spans Rasch modeling, factor analysis, and generalizability theory to address challenges in behavioral and cognitive assessment. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent emphasis on measurement precision across diverse educational settings, with recurring themes including rater variability correction, structural validation of assessment tools, and cross-cultural applicability of psychological instruments. Her work demonstrates increasing sophistication in addressing measurement challenges through advanced statistical techniques while maintaining practical relevance for classroom applications. She actively mentors graduate students as evidenced by numerous student-coauthored publications, with advisees contributing to research on anxiety measurement, cultural load in intelligence testing, and rater effects in academic competence scales. Her collaborative approach extends to departmental research centers including the Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault and the Collaborative on Early Adolescence. Dr. Styck contributes to the department through teaching PSYC 324 (Developmental Child Psychology), PSYC 640 (Theory and Assessment of Intellectual Functioning), and PSYC 648 (Consultative Interventions), while maintaining an active research program that bridges psychometric theory and educational practice.
Cheryl Cooky is a Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University, holding joint appointments in American Studies and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She serves as Associate Editor for the Sociology of Sport Journal and is a past-president of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, while also advising the Women's Sports Foundation's National Policy Board. Her academic journey includes: Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Southern California M.S. in Sport Studies from Miami University B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Dr. Cooky's research interrogates the complex intersections of gender, sport, and media through critical feminist lenses. Her work exposes systemic inequities in sports representation, challenges heteronormative frameworks in athletic culture, and documents the uneven progress of social change in women's sports. She employs interdisciplinary methodologies to analyze how media narratives construct gendered athletic identities and perpetuate institutional barriers, with particular attention to digital activism and intersectional experiences of gender-expansive athletes. Analysis of her recent publications reveals persistent themes of media bias against women's sports, the weaponization of femininity in athletic contexts, and the paradoxical nature of feminist progress within sports institutions. Her scholarship demonstrates how seemingly progressive policies often maintain structural inequalities through subtle mechanisms like gender-bland sexism in sports journalism and the sexualization of female athletes' imagery. As a public intellectual, Dr. Cooky has significantly influenced media discourse through op-eds and commentary in over 100 outlets including The New York Times , The Guardian , and National Public Radio . Her co-authored book No Slam Dunk: Gender, Sport and the Unevenness of Social Change remains foundational in sports sociology, while her longitudinal studies on televised sports coverage provide empirical evidence of enduring gender disparities since the 1980s.
L. Monique Ward is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the Department of Communication and Media. Her research focuses on media's impact on gender, race, and body image, particularly among adolescents and young adults. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication and Media from UCLA. Key research areas include media influences on racial identity, gender stereotypes, and the psychological consequences of sexual objectification. She has been recognized with the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship, highlighting her excellence in teaching and research. Dr. Ward's work explores how media shapes beliefs about femininity, masculinity, and racial stereotypes, with recent studies examining online discrimination against Black emerging adults and the long-term effects of childhood media exposure on body image. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges psychology, communication, and sociology. She is involved in departmental initiatives such as award programs for Communication and Media majors, emphasizing student support and academic excellence. Her research also addresses digital media's role in sexual health, relationship dynamics, and mental well-being among diverse populations.
