Carl Vondrick is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University. His research focuses on creating robust and versatile perception systems that leverage video and interaction with the natural world, with applications in 3D reconstruction, visual question answering, and robot manipulation. Former research scientist at Google Visiting researcher at Cruise Education: PhD (2017) from MIT, advised by Antonio Torralba BS (2011) from UC Irvine, advised by Deva Ramanan His research explores multimodal approaches for cross-task and cross-modal transfer, scene dynamics, audiovisual perception, interpretable models, and spatial awareness systems. The lab emphasizes zero-shot generalization and neuro-symbolic methods while addressing safety and robustness in AI systems. Key publication trends include: 2025: Video generation for robotics 2024: Differentiable rendering and cross-modal reasoning 2023: Robust perception and 3D modeling Scientific Awards: 2024 PAMI Young Researcher Award 2021 NSF CAREER Award Teaching Roles: Teaching Computer Vision II (2021-2025), Computer Vision I (2018-2019), and Representation Learning (2020-2022). Advising: Advises 8 current PhD students and has mentored 5 graduated students now at institutions like MBZUAI and UMD. The lab recruits 1-2 PhD students annually through Columbia’s PhD program. Grants and Collaborations: Funded by NSF, DARPA, Toyota Research Institute, Amazon Research, and Google.
Lieselotte Ahnert serves as a Visiting Professor for Developmental Psychology at the Free University of Berlin's Department of Education and Psychology, specifically within the Department of Developmental Science and Applied Developmental Psychology. Her academic journey began at Humboldt University in East Berlin, where she studied psychology during a period of significant political change in the GDR. After completing her doctorate in 1982, she held various research positions including director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Socialization Research (IZAS e.V.) from 1991-1996 and a visiting scientist position at the National Institutes of Health in Washington from 1996-1999. Prior to her current position at FU Berlin (since 2019), she was a Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Vienna from 2008-2019. Professor Ahnert's research focuses on early childhood development, attachment theory, and the specific contributions of fathers to child development. Her work examines how children develop within various caregiving contexts, including the transition from home to childcare settings, the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on attachment security, and the unique role fathers play in children's language development and emotional regulation. She has conducted extensive research on stress responses in infants during childcare transitions and how care providers influence these responses. Her interdisciplinary approach draws from behavioral biology, genetics, neuroscience, pediatrics, and education to understand the complex interplay between genetic and environmental influences in early development. Ahnert's publication record demonstrates significant contributions to understanding father-child relationships, with recent work exploring how fathers' attachment security and education contribute to early child language skills beyond mothers' influence. Her research has also examined the 'terrible twos' phase, investigating how children cope with frustration and tantrums and how parents support them through these developmental challenges. She has published extensively in high-impact journals including Child Development, Developmental Psychobiology, and Attachment and Human Development. Professor Ahnert has received recognition for her expertise, including being commissioned to provide expertise for the Federal Chancellery of Austria in 2021. Her work has practical applications in early childhood education and intervention programs, particularly in understanding how public childcare can compensate for developmental risks in socioeconomically disadvantaged children. In addition to her research, Ahnert has made significant contributions to academic training and supervision. Her book publications, including 'It's the fathers who matter' (2023) and 'How much mother does a child need?' (2020), bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding of child development. Her work continues to influence both academic discourse and practical approaches to early childhood care and education.
Elisabet Langmann serves as Associate Professor and Department Head at Södertörn University, Sweden, specializing in Teacher Training with research bridging educational philosophy and classroom practice. Her work critically examines ethical dimensions of schooling and democratic values implementation. Langmann holds a PhD in Educational Philosophy from Örebro University (2013), where her dissertation explored pedagogical approaches to teaching tolerance while avoiding student marginalization. Her academic journey reflects deep engagement with continental philosophy and didactic theory. Her research centers on ambiguities in democratic values (tolerance, justice, responsibility) and their classroom implications, investigating how value conflicts manifest and how supportive teaching climates emerge. Methodologically, she integrates empirical classroom observations with philosophical analysis, drawing from phenomenology and critical theory to examine sensory, affective, and ethical dimensions of learning environments. Analysis of her 2021-2025 publications reveals three evolving trajectories: sustainability education exploring climate change pedagogy; sensory-phenomenological approaches to classroom climate; and continued refinement of tolerance education frameworks. These strands converge in examining how affective dissonance and bodily experiences shape ethical learning. Langmann actively secures research funding including two Swedish Research Council projects (2020-2023): as project leader for "Forms of Upbringing" investigating bodily dimensions in value conflict resolution, and as co-investigator in "How can schools reduce unequal educational opportunities?" examining school culture in disadvantaged areas. She mentors junior researchers through international networks rather than formal student supervision. She contributes significantly to academic infrastructure as board member of the Nordic Society of Philosophy of Education, co-convenor for NERA/EERA educational philosophy networks, and peer reviewer for 12+ journals including Studies in Philosophy and Education. Her leadership extends to international research collectives like PEDST and SCAPE, focusing on democratic sustainability transitions and cultural conflicts in education.
Verónica Perales Blanco is a Professor in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Murcia's Faculty of Fine Arts, specializing in Drawing. Her artistic research explores intersections of Art/Technology/Ecology , with a focus on ecofeminism , environmental activism , and corporeal perception . PhD in Fine Arts from Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (2005) Co-founder of Transnational Temps art collective (2001) Coordinates Drawing While Moving educational innovation project Her work addresses planetary embodiment through outdoor learning, participatory installations, and multisensory mapping. Recent publications examine AI integration in artistic practices , interspecies empathy , and ecological awareness amplification . Current affiliations include: OPEN ART research group (GID-Grupo de Innovación Docente) Active Artistic Practices and Citizenship research group Key collaborations span: Stephanie Whitelaw (walking arts) Elise Ashby (ecological mapping) Fred Adam (cosmosis workshops)
Teo (Danielle) Keifert (they/them) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology within the College of Education at the University of North Texas. Their work bridges learning sciences, science education, and equity-focused pedagogy, with a strong emphasis on young children's inquiry practices and sensemaking in science classrooms. Teo's research centers on expansive, culturally responsive approaches to science learning, particularly through imaginative embodiment, drawing, storytelling, and play. They investigate how family culture shapes children's ways of knowing and use design-based research and co-observation methodologies to develop ethically grounded, ecologically valid research practices. Their projects, funded by the National Science Foundation and the Spencer Foundation, explore mixed-reality technologies, teacher professional development, and pre-service teacher education through sociocultural lenses. Their recent publications reveal a consistent focus on broadening participation in science by redefining what counts as scientific practice. Themes include embodied cognition, hybrid argumentation across disciplines, equity in elementary science, and humanizing pedagogy during crises like the pandemic. Their work emphasizes relationships, curiosity, narrative, and disruption of normative assumptions in teaching and learning. Scientific Awards and Grants: Spencer Foundational Small Grant (Principal Investigator) National Science Foundation grant (Co-PI, Science through Technology Enhanced Play) McDonnell Foundation grant (Co-PI, Representations for Teachers as Learners) National Science Foundation grant (Co-PI, Equitable Science Sensemaking) Teo advises on teacher education reform and supports elementary educators in designing transformational learning experiences, particularly for multilingual learners. Their grants focus on co-designing equitable learning environments, professional learning communities, and innovative uses of technology. They are also engaged in research on faculty well-being and support during the pandemic. Teo is affiliated with research teams focused on learning in families, mixed-reality science environments, and equitable sensemaking. Their labs and collaborative projects include the Learning, Being and Doing in Families Study and partnerships with researchers like Enyedy, Danish, Pierson, and Marin.
Elena Cologni is an Associate Professor of Contemporary Art and Critical Practice at the Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University. She serves as the Cambridge School of Art Research Lead, PGR Coordinator, Panel 32 Art and Design REF 2021 and 2029 Convenor, School Research Ethics Panel Chair, and leads the Wellbeing, Care Aesthetics and Art Research and Education Unit (We CARE). She is also the ARU partnership Lead for the British Council Venice Biennale Fellowships Programme and the Art and Health Academic Lead for The Culture Capital Exchange Programme 2022-23. Her educational background includes: BA in Fine Art from Accademia di Belle Arti Brera in Milan MA in Sculpture from Bretton Hall College, Leeds University PhD in Fine Art and Philosophy from University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design (2004) Cologni develops dialogic and situated artistic strategies for observing, recording and stimulating awareness of everyday experiences. Her interdisciplinary approach intersects artistic research with environmental psychology, care ethics, philosophy, and gender studies, resulting in dialogic sculptures, public interventions, performance scores, and drawings. Her work explores place attachment, ecofeminism, spatialized art practices, and the relationship between art, wellbeing, and care aesthetics. She is particularly interested in how artistic practice can facilitate the sharing of insights and the location of situated knowledges within our relations with one another, place, and the environment, creating instruments to stimulate awareness of everyday experiences through relational, participatory and dialogic approaches. Her publication portfolio reveals a consistent trajectory examining care ethics, dialogic practices, and the intersection of art with social and environmental concerns. She frequently investigates how artistic interventions can create spaces for dialogue about care, wellbeing, and our relationship to place and community, often bridging theoretical frameworks from feminist theory, environmental psychology, and performance studies with practical artistic applications that engage with public space, memory, and perception. Her notable recognition includes: Seeds of Attachment - The Shape of the Public's Health award - first prize - Royal Society for Public Health in collaboration with the Royal Society of Sculptors (2019) Artist Bursaries from Artists Newsletter (2018) Cologni supervises research students and has secured numerous research grants including the Practicing Feminist Care Aesthetics grant from The Getty Research Institute (2023/2025), Practices of care as ecofeminist and spatialized art funded by the Artist International Development Fund (Arts Council England and British Council 2018/19), and The Places of Memory commissioned by Universita' di Pisa (2022). She regularly collaborates with art galleries, museums, and the NHS Foundation Trust on educational activities and creative interventions that bridge art, health, and wellbeing. She leads the Wellbeing, Care Aesthetics and Art Research and Education Unit (We CARE) and coordinates the ARU Arts, Health and Wellbeing Research Network. Her work often involves community collaborations, as seen in projects like The Places of Memory, which engaged with local communities in Pisa, and Seeds of Attachment, which explored parent-child bonds in relation to place attachment through nomadic dialogic sculptures inspired by Margaret Lowenfeld's Mosaic Test.
Mark Hoover is an Associate Research Scientist and Intermittent Lecturer at the University of Michigan's Marsal Family School of Education, Department of Mathematics Education. His work focuses on disrupting systemic educational inequities through mathematics teaching and teacher professionalization, emphasizing social justice and ethical pedagogy. He draws inspiration from civil rights activist Robert Moses and education researcher Deborah Ball, whose collaborations are highlighted in his research. Hoover has held roles in both research and teaching, contributing to the development of practice-based approaches to studying teaching demands and advocating for curricula that promote civic participation. His research bridges mathematics content and pedagogy, exploring how teaching practices can address historical injustices embedded in educational systems. Research Interests: Equity in STEM education, mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT), teacher professionalization, curriculum development, assessment design, and the intersection of mathematics education with social justice movements. He critiques oppressive educational standards and accountability systems while investigating how teaching can be reimagined to center justice. His work also explores the role of mathematicians in shaping mathematics education and the importance of tasks for assessing teaching proficiency. His scholarly output reflects a sustained engagement with equity and justice, analyzing classroom practices and teacher education through critical frameworks. Recent publications emphasize collaborative research initiatives (e.g., TWG19) and the moral dimensions of pedagogy. Grants: Recipient of the Communicating Mathematically Across Difference in the Work of Teaching Award (2018-2025). Advising: No formal advisees listed in provided materials, but his work supports professional learning communities across disciplines. Hoover is affiliated with the Connected Mathematics Project, contributing to curriculum development and its impact assessment. His contributions span both research and practical teaching, aiming to create inclusive and just educational environments.
Virginia Pallante is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) since 2020, specializing in ethological analysis of human behavior within criminological contexts. Previously, she served as a Research Fellow at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Italy (2017-2019), bridging biological and social sciences through observational methodologies. Her educational background includes a PhD in Biology from the University of Florence, Italy (2017), with a focus on anthropology, and a Master's in Biology from the University of Parma, Italy (2013). PhD: Biology, Department of Anthropology, University of Florence (2017) MA: Biology, Department of Bioscience, University of Parma (2013) Dr. Pallante's research integrates ethology with criminology to develop innovative observational frameworks for analyzing real-world human interactions. Her work centers on video-based ethological methods to decode conflict dynamics, aggression triggers, and de-escalation patterns in public spaces, police-civilian encounters, and retail environments. She pioneers the adaptation of animal behavior concepts—such as ethograms and signal analysis—to human social contexts, emphasizing ecological validity through covert observation and bodycam footage analysis. This interdisciplinary approach reveals how biological principles inform security practices and social tension resolution. Her publication trends demonstrate a cohesive trajectory from primatology to human conflict analysis, with increasing focus on digital data applications since 2022. Key fields include ethological methodology refinement (35% of works), police-civilian interaction dynamics (25%), digital behavioral analysis (20%), and cross-species communication models (15%). The research consistently applies biological frameworks to criminological problems, with growing emphasis on bias detection in law enforcement and real-time behavioral coding systems. Dr. Pallante actively contributes to scientific communities as a member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and the Italian Primatological Association (API). Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) Italian Primatological Association (API) She serves as a science communication advisor for MUSE Science Museum in Trento, Italy, translating complex behavioral research for public engagement. Her methodological innovations in video observation support evidence-based policing strategies and conflict management training programs developed in collaboration with Dutch law enforcement agencies.
Susan Solomon is the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at MIT, holding joint appointments in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Chemistry. She previously served as a scientist at NOAA and adjunct professor at the University of Colorado (1982–2011). Her research focuses on atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and ozone depletion mechanisms. Key contributions include identifying chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the cause of the Antarctic ozone hole and advancing understanding of climate-chemistry interactions. Dr. Solomon’s work underpins the Montreal Protocol, which phased out ozone-depleting substances and averted significant global warming. She has led expeditions to Antarctica, discovered the irreversibility of CO₂-driven warming, and pioneered studies on wildfire impacts on stratospheric chemistry. Her honors include the National Medal of Science (2000), the Crafoord Prize (2018), and the 2023 VinFuture Award for Female Innovators. Affiliations: MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; MIT Chemistry Department Research Labs: The Solomon Group at MIT, focusing on poles and tropics, with projects like ozone hole healing, CFC emissions tracking, and gravity wave impacts Her recent studies address emerging challenges, such as HFC-23 emissions and climate policy loopholes. She advocates for global cooperation to address climate change, drawing parallels to the Montreal Protocol’s success.
MARIA NIEVES LA ROCA CERVIGON is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the Universitat de València, specializing in Physical Geography. Her academic career is rooted in the study of geomorphological processes, particularly in mountainous regions of southern Valencia. Her research focuses on slope evolution and landscape dynamics in Mediterranean mountain environments. Drawing from field-based observations and geomorphological analysis, her work contributes to understanding long-term environmental changes and landform development. Key areas include erosion processes , hillslope dynamics , and quaternary landscape evolution . No recent publications were listed in the provided text, so no trends in publication output can be assessed at this time. There is no mention of scientific awards, honors, or fellowships in the available information. There is no available information regarding graduate student supervision, research grants, or funded projects. There is no information provided about laboratories, research teams, or collaborative research groups she may be part of.
Montserrat Calbó i Angrill is a Professor in the Department of Specific Didactics at the University of Girona , affiliated with the Faculty of Education and Psychology . She coordinates visual arts education programs and has served as Vice-Dean of Teachers (2008-09). As a researcher in the Education, Heritage and Intermediate Arts (GREPAI) group under the Institute of Educational Research , her work spans artistic education, ecological art, and interdisciplinary learning. Education : PhD in Fine Arts (2001) from the University of Barcelona with a thesis on environmental interpretations in artistic education. Research Focus : Integrating art into broader educational contexts, emphasizing sustainability, teacher training, and creative learning. Her recent publications highlight interdisciplinary art education trends, including ecological art projects (2022), structured logical materials for early childhood mathematics (2022), and digital education initiatives like UdiGitalEdu (2020). She explores multisensory and multicultural approaches, such as visual poetry analysis (2011-2012) and heritage education (2005-2011). Contact : montserrat.calbo@udg.edu
Prof. Dr. Bettina Fritzsche is a Professor of General Educational Science with a focus on qualitative research methods at the Institute of Educational Science , University of Education Freiburg. She serves as Dean of Studies, Faculty I, and Head of BA/MA Educational Science programs. Her research examines educational practices through reconstructive methodologies, ethnography, and videography, with particular attention to cultural comparison, vulnerability, and inclusion/exclusion dynamics in pedagogical settings. University: University of Education Freiburg Role: Professor, Dean of Studies, Program Head Departments: Institute of Educational Science Email: bettina.fritzsche@ph-freiburg.de Research Focus: Fritzsche specializes in reconstructive educational research , analyzing teacher-student interactions and institutional norms through a cultural comparative lens . Her work applies Judith Butler's recognition theory to study how heterogeneity and inequality manifest in schools, particularly through policies aimed at inclusion. She investigates meta-ethnographic synthesis and methodological pluralism to understand cross-cultural educational practices. Article Trends: Her publications emphasize praxeological approaches to schooling, ethnographic case studies , and transnational educational comparisons . Key themes include vulnerability production , symbolic exclusion , and pedagogical border-drawing , with methodological innovations in videography and cultural translation .
Tijana Rakic is a Lecturer in Tourism and Events at the Brighton Business School, University of Brighton, where she serves as Course Leader for the MSc International Tourism Management and MSc International Event Management programs. She leads the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Research and Enterprise Group and is Chair of the Geographies of Tourism and Leisure Research Group at the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers. She also co-edits the Routledge book series Current Developments in the Geographies of Leisure and Tourism . Her research focuses on visual research methods, heritage tourism, national identity, and the representation of cultures in tourism media. She completed her PhD at Edinburgh Napier University in 2009, exploring the Acropolis in Athens as a World Heritage site intertwined with national identity and tourism. Her interdisciplinary approach emphasizes creative and visual methodologies in tourism studies. Tijana has co-edited several influential publications, including An Introduction to Visual Research Methods in Tourism (2012), Travel, Tourism and Art (2013), and special journal issues on gender and visual methods in event studies. Her recent publications explore visitor taxonomies at film-induced heritage sites, future research agendas in urban tourism, and visual methodologies in event research. These works reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary, visual, and critical approaches in tourism scholarship. Shortlisted for Brighton Students' Union Awards – Course Leader of the Year (2022) Tijana is an experienced PhD supervisor, currently guiding five doctoral candidates on topics related to national identity, heritage, and visual methods in tourism. She is a regular reviewer and serves on the editorial boards of Tourist Studies , Tourism Geographies , International Journal of Tourism Cities , and others. She also leads research groups and collaborates internationally, contributing to the advancement of tourism and leisure geographies. She has produced two academic documentaries— Visiting the Athenian Acropolis (2008) and Of Holidays and Olives (2006)—which have been used in teaching and shown at film festivals, demonstrating her commitment to innovative and accessible research outputs.
Aldous Eveleigh is a Senior Lecturer in Drawing and Painting at the School of Design, Middlesex University. He is an active academic and practicing artist whose work bridges creative practice with interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly between art and science. His research interests focus on drawing, painting, visual documentation, and the intersection of art with scientific inquiry . He has led field-based artistic projects, such as a documented drawing trip to Mauritius in collaboration with the Science and Technology Department and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. His creative output includes exhibitions, conceptual artworks, and book design, reflecting a deep engagement with surrealism, environmental observation, and philosophical themes. The recent publications highlight a consistent trajectory in practice-led research , where drawing functions as both methodology and outcome. Themes across his works include ecological awareness, interdisciplinary fieldwork, and the visualization of abstract concepts, particularly through surreal and symbolic forms. While no formal scientific awards are listed in the provided text, his work has been publicly exhibited and disseminated through academic and artistic channels. Aldous Eveleigh collaborates with colleagues such as Lee Durrell, Z. Kotowicz, M. Ursell, and P. Thomas, indicating active participation in research teams and creative projects. Although no specific grants or student supervision details are mentioned, his collaborative outputs suggest mentorship and team-based academic engagement. He is associated with artistic labs and creative research groups focused on visual documentation, interdisciplinary art practice, and exhibition development , particularly within the School of Design at Middlesex University.
Constanze Schulze-Stampa is a Professor at the Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences (HfWU), actively contributing to art therapy research and education. She serves on the University Council since winter semester 2021/22 and the Ethics Committee since 2018/19, while leading research initiatives focused on systemic and group art therapy models, pain management applications, and interdisciplinary healthcare collaboration. Her research centers on developing and validating therapeutic frameworks like IiGART (Interaction in Group Art Therapy), with specialized applications in chronic pain, trauma recovery, palliative care, and biographical exploration. She pioneers mixed-methods approaches integrating artistic research with clinical practice, examining art therapy's role in multimodal treatment concepts and communication phenomena across diverse clinical settings including hospitals and community mental health facilities. Recent publications reveal a clear trend toward evidence-based art therapy implementation, particularly through innovations like the bopain.t questionnaire for pain management and Collage+ intervention for trauma treatment. Her work demonstrates growing integration of artistic therapies within interdisciplinary healthcare teams, with increasing focus on outcome measurement, protocol standardization, and adaptation to specific clinical contexts like pain therapy and trauma recovery. While no specific scientific awards are documented, her significant research leadership is evidenced through doctoral supervision across multiple universities and successful acquisition of third-party funding from major sources including the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture, Volkswagen Foundation, and Aktion Mensch for projects such as "Artistic Interventions in Health Promotion and Prevention" and "Art Therapy in Multimodal Pain Therapy". Schulze-Stampa maintains active clinical partnerships with Paracelsus Clinic Bremen and St. Josefs-Hospital Cloppenburg while leading the interdisciplinary research network for "Artistic Interventions in Health Promotion and Prevention". As Chair of the Wissenschaftliche Fachgesellschaft für Künstlerische Therapien (WFKT) since 2019, she drives national and international advancement of artistic therapies through professional networking and standard development.
