Pauline Lemaigre-Gaffier is a Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), affiliated with the Institute of Cultural and International Studies (IECI) and the Department of History. She co-leads the VoCriPat project (2023–present) and participates in the DIM PAMIR committee (2022–present) and ANR ACADEC project (2022–present). Her research focuses on European court societies (festivals, ceremonies, urban interactions) Cultural history (material culture, documentary writings) Political history (public finance, administrative practices) Economic history (privileges and businesses) Heritage sciences Her 15 most recent publications explore topics like archival practices in early modern Europe French court administration of the arts economic networks of privileged enterprises royal household logistics spanning 2015–2024, with upcoming works on economic history and heritage sciences in 2025. She has received the Benabou Prize (2012) and was a Thiers Foundation scholarship holder (2009–2010) . Her career includes editorial roles at Entre-Temps (2021–2023) and educational management for the 'Music, Performance, and Heritage' degree (2014–2016). She collaborates with institutions like the Centre de recherche du Château de Versailles and the Heritage Sciences Foundation.
Matt Bribitzer-Stull is a Professor in the Music Department at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities campus). His research focuses on Wagner studies, film music, and analytical approaches to composition. He has made significant contributions to the understanding of leitmotifs in both operatic and cinematic contexts. Primary Affiliation: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Department: Music Email: mpbs@umn.edu His scholarly work explores the intersection of Wagnerian compositional techniques and modern film scoring, with a particular emphasis on harmonic associativity and thematic development. He has published extensively on topics related to Schenkerian analysis and the application of operatic motifs in non-traditional media. Research output trends indicate a strong focus on Richard Wagner's influence across multiple domains, including opera, orchestral music, and film. His 2015 book on leitmotifs synthesizes these themes, while earlier articles examine Wagnerian harmonic practices in works by Strauss and other composers.
Shyon Baumann is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto, where he has held faculty positions since 2002. He maintains an affiliation with the Centre for the Study of the United States (CSUS) and previously served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Poetics (2015-2017) while holding multiple administrative roles within the university. His educational background includes: PhD in Sociology from Harvard University Professor Baumann's research centers on the sociology of culture, examining cultural evaluations, preferences, and choices through the lens of social inequality. His work investigates how cultural consumption and production intersect with status hierarchies, with primary case studies in film, television, advertising, music, and food. He is particularly renowned for his contributions to food studies, analyzing the gourmet foodscape and ethical consumption dynamics. His recent publications (2021-2025) reveal a concentrated focus on food sociology, especially meat consumption ethics, the 'meat paradox,' and producer-consumer relationships in sustainable food systems. Parallel research explores cultural capital acquisition across life stages and omnivorous consumption patterns in music and high-status goods, consistently linking cultural practices to social stratification. His notable recognition includes: Best Student Paper (Co-Winner), Culture Section of American Sociological Association (2001) Professor Baumann has taught core sociology courses including Media Ethics and Policy and Sociology of Culture. His editorial leadership at Poetics and sustained research output demonstrate significant scholarly influence, though specific grant details and student mentorship records aren't publicly documented in the provided materials.
Irene Albers is a full Professor at Free University of Berlin's Department of Philosophy and Humanities, holding dual appointments at the Peter Szondi Institute for General and Comparative Literature and Institute for Romance Philology since 2004. She chairs both the Examination Board and Doctoral Committee for General and Comparative Literature, serves as Trustee of Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes since 2004/05, and has been Principal Investigator for the Friedrich-Schlegel Graduate School for Literary Studies and Cluster Languages of Emotion since 2007. Her research bridges comparative literature, anthropology, and visual culture with institutional leadership spanning editorial projects and international conferences. Her educational background includes: Born in Bremen (1967) Romance Studies, Philosophy, and German Studies at Universities of Tübingen, Tours, and Konstanz M.A. from University of Konstanz (1993) Ph.D. from University of Konstanz (1999) on literature and photography in Émile Zola, Proust, and Claude Simon Albers' core research examines literary anthropology through colonial/postcolonial lenses, focusing on French literary engagement with Africa, surrealism, and literature-photography intersections. She pioneered studies on Michel Leiris' ethnological poetics and Claude Simon's photographic techniques, extending to historical emotion research (anatomy of affects, body language) and romance novella traditions. Her work consistently challenges Eurocentric literary canons through primitivism critique and heteronomy aesthetics, emphasizing textual restitution and cultural reclamation. Recent publications (2018-2025) reveal a sharp turn toward colonial restitution ethics, particularly in oral literature provenance. Articles increasingly analyze literature as colonial loot, connecting French modernism with African/Caribbean contexts through collaborative projects with anthropologists like Eléonore Devevey. This trajectory builds from earlier surrealist studies to concrete frameworks for decolonizing literary scholarship, spotlighting institutional complicity in cultural appropriation while advancing symmetrized modernity revisions. Scientific awards include: Senior Fellow and Prize Winner of the Zukunftskolleg, University of Konstanz (2009) Albers supervises master's and doctoral students through dedicated AVL colloquia while securing major research funding as Principal Investigator for Friedrich-Schlegel Graduate School (2007-present) and Cluster Languages of Emotion (2007-2012). Her current DFG-funded project 'Literature as Colonial Loot?' with Andreas Schmid pioneers philological provenance research. Earlier, she contributed to Collaborative Research Center 511 'Literature and Anthropology' (Konstanz, 1999-2002) and DFG-funded conferences on Claude Simon. She leads the DramaNet research project and co-edits the 'machina' series at transcript Verlag since 2010. As board member (2007-2009) and deputy (2008-2012) of Cluster Languages of Emotion, she coordinates Area D 'Cultural Codings of Emotions'. Her Zukunftskolleg fellowship (2012-2013) and Marcel Proust Society collaborations underscore sustained engagement with literary anthropology networks.
Kerri Kotta is a Professor of Music Theory and Head of Musicology at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. She holds a PhD in Musicology (2004) and an MA in Composition (1997) from the same institution. Her research focuses on music theory, tonal analysis, Estonian music history, and contemporary composition, with special expertise in the works of Eduard Tubin and Dmitri Shostakovich. She coordinates the International Eduard Tubin Society and edits the composer's complete works. Her research interests span music theory , compositional techniques , Estonian cultural heritage , and interdisciplinary performance studies . Recent publications explore modernism in Estonian art music, Beethoven's structural rhetoric, and socio-psychological dimensions of contemporary opera. Kotta received the Reet Neimar Criticism Award (2023) for her contributions to music scholarship. She leads the project How to share the ardor? Conveying complex musical structures through animated scores (2024-2025), funded by the Estonian Ministry of Culture. Administratively, she chairs the Estonian Musicological Society (2013–present) and the International Eduard Tubin Society (2015–present), while serving on the board of the Estonian Composers Union (2022–present).
Edward Muir is the Clarence L. Ver Steeg Professor in the Arts and Sciences and Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence at Northwestern University, with joint appointments in the Department of History and Italian Studies at Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. His academic journey includes a B.A. from the University of Utah (1969), an M.A. (1970), and Ph.D. (1975) in Modern European History from Rutgers University, including a Semester in Italy Program at Syracuse University (1967). Muir's research explores the intersection of ritual, violence, and power in Renaissance Europe, with emphases on Italian history, microhistory, and cultural anthropology. His work examines civic ceremonies, gender exclusion, and the sociopolitical underpinnings of early opera. Key themes include the anthropology of Venice, religious processions, and community formation in pre-modern societies. His scholarly publications reveal a consistent focus on Renaissance cultural practices, Venetian society, and methodological innovations in microhistory. Recent works analyze opera's emergence in 17th-century Venice, anti-war movements, and gendered public spaces, blending archival rigor with interdisciplinary theory. Awards and Honors: Herbert Baxter Adams Prize (1982) Two-time Howard R. Marraro Prize winner (1982, 1993) Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award (2010, $1.5 million) Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2014) Charles Deering McCormick Professorship for Teaching Excellence (2006) Muir has held major administrative roles including Department Chair at Northwestern and LSU, co-directed the Graduate Program in Italian Studies, and served on editorial boards for journals like the American Historical Review . He mentors through graduate programs but no specific student advisees are listed.
Sheldon Lu is a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of California, Davis. He holds affiliations with East Asian Studies, Performance Studies, Cultural Studies, Film and Media Studies, Critical Theory, and Environmental Humanities. His academic career includes roles as Chair of the Department of Comparative Literature, Director of the Graduate Program in Comparative Literature, and Founding Co-Director of the Film Studies Program. Lu has taught at institutions including the University of Pittsburgh and Beijing Normal University, and served as a Fulbright scholar in Ukraine (2004-2005). Education: B.A. (1984) and Ph.D. (1990) in Comparative Literature from Indiana University and University of Wisconsin-Madison, respectively. His research bridges literary studies, visual culture, film, and China studies. Key publications include Contemporary Chinese Cinema and Visual Culture (2021, BAFTSS Honorable Mention) and Chinese Modernity and Global Biopolitics (2007). He edited the Critical Interventions book series (2009-2019). Lu's work has appeared in journals like New Literary History , Journal of World Literature , and Cinema Journal . Awards include the 2005 Choice Award for Chinese-Language Film: Historiography, Poetics, Politics . He has organized special journal issues on topics ranging from ecocinema to transnational Chinese cinemas. Teaching focuses on Asian literature, film studies, critical theory, and urban culture. Notable courses include World Cinema and East-West Literary Relations .
Prof. Rossella Ferrari holds a professorship in Chinese Studies at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Vienna. Her research explores performance cultures across the Chinese-speaking world, with a focus on avant-garde theatre, transnational networks, and postsocialist transformations. Key contributions include the concept of 'pop avant-garde' and 'Xiqu 2.0,' examining how classical performance interacts with digital media. She co-edited Asian City Crossings (2021) and authored Transnational Chinese Theatres (2020). Current projects investigate 'performing postsocialism' and intercultural collaborations. Her work bridges disciplines like architecture, visual arts, and film, emphasizing methodologies rooted in Asian perspectives to challenge Eurocentric paradigms. Recent studies analyze pandemic impacts on transnational theatre networks and the role of cities as analytical frameworks. Collaborations with groups like Hong Kong's Zuni Icosahedron highlight her focus on boundary-crossing performance practices. Publications span monographs, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed articles addressing topics such as Brechtian influences in China, intertextuality in global performance, and avant-garde adaptations of classical works like Mudan Ting . Her research underscores the socio-political dimensions of artistic expression in East Asia, particularly in contested historical contexts.
Rebecca Williams is an Associate Professor in Media Audiences and Participatory Cultures at the Faculty of Business and Creative Industries , University of South Wales. She co-leads the Creative Industries Research & Innovation Group and chairs the Faculty Ethics Committee. PhD in Media & Cultural Studies (2008), Cardiff University Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching (2011), University of Glamorgan MA in Critical and Cultural Theory (2004), Cardiff University BA (First Class) in Journalism, Film, and Broadcasting (2003), Cardiff University Her research focuses on media audiences , fan engagement , transmedia storytelling , and the experience economy , particularly in media tourism and themed entertainment . Current projects explore Disney's evolving role in global culture and the commodification of fan practices. Rebecca's publications span fandom theory , transmedia analysis , and immersive media , including monographs on theme park fandom and post-object fan identity. She actively supervises PhD students in areas like celebrity studies , media tourism , and digital fan communities . She welcomes PhD applications in media audiences, fan studies, and immersive experiences, with a commitment to mentoring emerging scholars in these fields.
Professor Matthew Head is Professor of Music at King's College London. Educated at Oxford and Yale, his research explores German Romantic keyboard music, Enlightenment subjectivity, and representations of gender in 18th-century musical cultures. His monograph 'Sovereign Feminine' examines music's role in constructing femininity during this period. Current projects investigate expressive practices in Haydn, Mozart, and C.P.E. Bach, analyzing emotional dimensions like terror, melancholy, and desire through keyboard works. He co-directs widening participation initiatives bridging King's College and St George's musical communities.
Dr. Marco Ladd is a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow in Music at King's College London, researching musical culture in early twentieth-century Italy. Current projects investigate musical accompaniment in Italian silent cinema and the emergence of 'light music' in 1920s Italy. Research connects screen music traditions, fascist cultural policies, and popular music development. Publications analyze synchronization practices in silent film and explore intersections between cinema, opera, and operetta. Co-edits a forthcoming special issue on Italian operetta for Cambridge Opera Journal .
Philippe Coulangeon is a CNRS Research Professor with HDR at the Centre for Research on Social Inequalities (CRIS) at Sciences Po. His research is situated at the intersection of cultural sociology and the sociology of social inequalities, focusing on cultural practices, tastes, and social stratification. His research interests include: Cultural Sociology and Inequalities Cultural Capital and Omnivorousness Social Stratification and Class Arts and Cultural Education Ecological Conversion and Lifestyles Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences His publications reveal a strong thematic continuity in understanding how culture functions as a marker of social distinction and inequality in France. Recent works increasingly integrate environmental concerns, showing evolving trends toward sustainable lifestyles and their social dimensions. His methodological focus on quantitative and geometric data analysis underpins a rigorous empirical approach to cultural sociology. Scientific awards and honors: No specific awards mentioned in the text. He has supervised PhD students, including Abel Aussant, and teaches graduate courses on the sociology of inequalities and quantitative methods. He has been involved in major funded projects, notably an ANR project on the social forces of ecological conversion. His editorial roles include membership on the editorial board of the journal Sociologie . He is affiliated with CRIS and collaborates with researchers across France on issues of inequality, particularly during the pandemic. His recent policy briefs highlight the impact of lockdowns on social life and inequality.
Christopher Castro serves as an Assistant Professor of Composition at Chapman University's College of Performing Arts. A composer and double bassist from Brooklyn, New York, he combines academic rigor with avant-garde experimentation. Ph.D. in Composition and Theory from University of California, Davis Bachelor of Music from Juilliard School (Double Bass & Composition) His research bridges Western Art Music traditions with contemporary innovations , creating works that merge: Johannes Ockeghem's polyphonic complexity John Coltrane's spiritual intensity Modernist structural experimentation Historical reconstruction techniques Jazz-classical hybrid forms Interdisciplinary performance formats Recent compositions demonstrate trends in flexible instrumentation , text-music relationships , and genre synthesis . His output spans chamber works, orchestral pieces, and vocal compositions with equal mastery. Scientific recognition includes: 2023 Fromm Music Foundation Commission (Harvard University) Chamber Music America's 2021 Classical Commissioning Award As a new music advocate , Castro collaborates with ensembles like: Left Coast Chamber Ensemble (artistic advisory board) New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble Los Angeles Philharmonic's Upbeat Live series Lyris Quartet and Sharon Harms
Professor Adam Myjak is a renowned sculptor and educator at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, where he runs the Sculpture Studio. Born in 1947 in Stary Sącz, he has been a professor since 1990 and served as Rector of the Academy for three terms (1990-1996, 1999-2005, 2012-2020), significantly influencing Polish art education during transformative periods. Myjak began his studies at the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw in 1965, graduating with distinction in 1971. He also served as Head of the Sculpture Department at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin. Artistically, he debuted with the 'New Figuration' movement of the 1970s, co-founded the 'For Improvement' movement, and served as art editor for 'Nowy Wyraz' magazine. His work evolved from soft-textured heads to more synthetic surface treatments combining matte and polished surfaces, with his signature walking, elongated openwork 'Figures' emerging in the mid-1980s. Professor Myjak's artistic output includes monumental works such as the 'Homo Homini' monument in Kielce (2006), busts of Krzysztof Penderecki (2013) and Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki (2014), and the quadriga at the Grand Theatre. He has held over 100 solo exhibitions worldwide, including at Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw (1993, 2005) and Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg (1981). Scientific Awards and Honors Złoty Medal Gloria Artis (2005) - highest distinction for contributions to culture Member of Polish Academy of Learning (2009) Olympic Laurel 2016 for sculpture 'Jeździec' (2017) Cyprian Kamil Norwid 'Life's Work' Award (2019) Doctor Honoris Causa from Lviv National Academy of Arts (2019) Honorary Citizen of Międzyzdroje (2013), Mrągowo (2014), and Sandomierz (2016) Professor Myjak has established permanent galleries of his work at the European Center for Music named after Krzysztof Penderecki (2013) and the Center for Theatrical Practices in Gardzienice (2015). He also co-runs the 'Opera' Gallery at the Grand Theatre with Waldemar Dąbrowski. His ongoing relevance in contemporary art is evidenced by the 2024 solo exhibition 'Adam Myjak. Sculpture' at the Rozruch Art Gallery in Poznań.
Paul Richards is a Research Foundation Professor of Music and head of the composition and theory area at the University of Florida since 1999. He previously served as Visiting Professor at Florida State University (2016) and taught at Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin. His academic roles include teaching courses in composition, music theory, and orchestration, along with supervising graduate students. He earned a DMA in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin and degrees from the University of Arizona. Education: Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), Composition, University of Texas at Austin, 1998 Master of Music (MM), Theory and Composition, University of Arizona, 1993 Bachelor of Music (BM), Theory and Composition, University of Arizona, 1991 Research Interests: Richards’ work spans orchestral, vocal, chamber, and theatrical compositions, including operas and wind ensemble pieces. His style blends eclectic influences—from Jewish sacred music to modernist techniques—resulting in works praised for their "strong melodic gift" and innovative orchestration. Commissions have come from prestigious organizations like the Florida Orchestra, Boston Brass, and White Snake Projects. Awards and Recognition: Recipient of numerous international composition prizes, including the St. Mary’s College/Kaplan Foundation Commission Competition and Second Prize in the International Horn Society Composition Competition University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship (2017–2020, 2010–2013) Finalist in the National Opera Association’s Dominic Argento Chamber Opera Competition (2023) Advising and Grants: Richards has advised over 40 graduate students and chaired multiple PhD committees. His grants include support from the University of Florida and the Research Foundation. He has also served as a mentor in composer-in-residence programs, including the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s Fresh Ink Competition. Labs and Collaborations: He co-founded the Florida Contemporary Music Festival (2013–2018), fostering collaboration between composers and performers. His work integrates interdisciplinary projects, such as music for dance and film, and he actively collaborates with choreographers and theater artists.
