Cédric Lesage is a Professor and the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Chair in Accountancy at Concordia University. He serves as Associate Dean for Research & Impact, focusing on audit, ethics, corporate governance, and responsibility. His doctoral teaching includes ADMI 861B - Research in Auditing and ADMI 871 - Foundations of Business Research . Research Areas: Audit, Ethics, Corporate Governance, Responsibility Email: cedric.lesage@concordia.ca ORCID: 0000-0001-8460-0895 CV: Available via his profile His publications explore audit pricing, joint audit policies, media bias in corporate fraud reporting, and auditor independence in kinship economies. Collaborative work spans institutions and disciplines, emphasizing empirical and ethical dimensions of accounting research.
Nora Waitkus is a Professor of Sociology at Heidelberg University's Max-Weber Institute of Sociology and an Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at the London School of Economics' International Inequalities Institute. Her research focuses on socio-economic stratification, wealth inequality, class dynamics, housing inequalities, and economic elites. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Bremen, an M.A. in Political Science from Freie Universität Berlin, and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Hamburg. Key research areas include: wealth concentration mechanisms, institutional drivers of inequality, cross-national comparative analysis, and media portrayals of economic elites. She employs methods like longitudinal household surveys, media data analysis, and survey experiments. Her recent work emphasizes how redistribution policies moderate income-wealth linkages, the role of inheritance in wealth legitimacy, and gender disparities in wealth accumulation across occupational classes. Awards: RC28 Significant Scholarship Award, Aleida Hagenaars Memorial Award, NWO Talent Grant (VENI) Grants: VENI project on Varieties of Wealth , Wealth Conflicts within Families (TiU Grant) She leads the Chair of Comparative Social Stratification at Heidelberg University and maintains active collaborations with institutions like Tilburg University and the University of Michigan.
Dr Petra Geraats is an Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow at St John's College. She holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and has been affiliated with Cambridge since 2000. Research Interests: Macroeconomics Monetary Policy Central Bank Transparency Behavioral Economics Selected Publications analyze trends in monetary policy transparency, central bank credibility, and macroeconomic stabilization. Her work spans theoretical and empirical studies of central bank communication and forecasting practices. Teaching: Macroeconomics at the MPhil and Economics Tripos levels Supervision of Part I, Part IIA, and Part IIB Macroeconomics at St John's College Courses in Monetary Economics, International Macroeconomics, and Macroeconomic Policy Professional Engagement: Participated in evaluations of central banks, including the Bernanke Review of the Bank of England. Delivered keynote speeches, including at the Dutch Central Bank Conference.
Venancio Tauringana serves as Professor of Accounting and Sustainability at Southampton Business School, University of Southampton, where he held the Department of Accounting Head position from April 2018 to September 2023. Previously Acting Head of Department (2016) and Acting Director of Research for the Business School (2017), he also directs the Centre for Research in Accounting, Accountability and Governance (CRAAG) and serves as Editor of Advances in Environmental Accounting and Management alongside Associate Editor roles for two leading journals. His academic credentials include a Masters’ Degree (M.Acc) in International Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Glasgow and a PhD in Accounting from Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland. Professor Tauringana’s research centers on sustainability reporting and corporate governance, examining how organizations—particularly in emerging economies and SMEs—measure and disclose environmental and social performance. His work bridges academic rigor with practical applications, influencing corporate reporting standards and policy frameworks globally. He has published in premier outlets including Review of Accounting Studies (ABS 4*) and British Journal of Management (ABS 4*), establishing himself as a key voice in sustainability accounting. His recent publications (2024-2025) reveal expanding research horizons across sustainability reporting drivers, governance in sustainable manufacturing, African frontier market finance, and healthcare governance impacts. These studies demonstrate methodological diversity—from systematic reviews to multinational case analyses—while maintaining geographic breadth spanning Africa, the Caribbean, and the UK through extensive international collaborations. His scientific recognition includes: Emerald Literati Award for outstanding contribution as a reviewer (2011) Emerald Literati Award for outstanding research paper (2019) Professor Tauringana has examined over 25 PhD students and supervised 15 to completion, currently guiding multiple doctoral candidates in sustainability accounting. His £150,000+ research funding supports impactful projects like the SME Sustainable Growth initiative where students collaborate with UK and Chinese small businesses to produce first-time sustainability reports. He also serves as external examiner for accounting programs at Aston, Kent, and Bedfordshire universities. He actively contributes to the Centre for Research in Accounting, Accountability and Governance (CRAAG), Centre for Accounting Education (CAE), and co-leads CESAR (Centre of Excellence in Sustainability Accounting and Reporting), driving interdisciplinary research that connects academic scholarship with industry sustainability challenges through regular workshops and practitioner engagements.
Robert Braun is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a PhD from Cornell University (2017) and previously taught at Northwestern University. His research focuses on civil society dynamics during social upheaval, intergroup relationships in conflict settings, and the historical dimensions of political fear and persecution. His work has been published in prestigious journals like the American Journal of Sociology and American Political Science Review. Key contributions include his book Protectors of Pluralism (Cambridge UP, 2019), analyzing community responses to mass persecution, and his forthcoming project Bogeymen , tracing political fear through Central European folklore. Braun also examines healthcare economics, studying private equity impacts on medical practices and hospice care quality. His interdisciplinary approach bridges historical sociology, political theory, and quantitative analysis. Education: PhD in Sociology, Cornell University, 2017 Research Interests: Genocide Studies, Healthcare Policy, Ethnopolitical Conflict, Moral Mobilization Awards: Not explicitly mentioned in available texts Braun’s work on Holocaust resistance patterns and bystander dynamics has influenced debates on collective action and moral responsibility. His recent studies on healthcare consolidation highlight financialization effects in medical sectors, contributing to policy discussions on equity and access.
Akshaya Jha is an Associate Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy , as well as a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) . His work combines economic modeling with causal inference to analyze energy and environmental policy impacts on electricity markets. Education: Ph.D. in Economics, Stanford University B.S. in Economics and Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University Research Interests span energy economics , environmental economics , industrial organization , and public policy , focusing on quantifying economic and environmental trade-offs in electricity supply policies. Recent work includes financial trading in California’s electricity market, Germany’s nuclear phase-out, rooftop solar growth in Western Australia, and electricity blackout determinants in India. Scientific Contributions appear in American Economic Review , Management Science , and PNAS . Article trends reveal expertise in regulatory distortions , market design , environmental externalities , and policy communication . Scientific Awards: Hicks-Tinbergen Award (best paper in Journal of the European Economic Association ) Heinz College Martcia Wade Teaching Award (2023) USAEE Young Professional Research Award (2021)
Klaus Schmidt is a Professor of Economics at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, holding the chair in the Department of Economics within the Faculty of Economics. His research focuses on theoretical and applied aspects of contract theory, game theory, and industrial organization, with significant contributions to understanding venture capital finance, privatization, and fairness in economic behavior. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Bonn (1991) with the dissertation "Commitment in Games with Asymmetric Information" and Habilitation (1994) with "Contracts, Competition, and the Theory of Reputation". Early academic support included scholarships from Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (1982-87) and a German Academic Exchange Service grant (1988/89). Professor Schmidt's research centers on contract theory applications across diverse domains. His work on fairness and reciprocity (notably with Ernst Fehr) revolutionized behavioral contract theory, while contributions to venture capital finance and privatization established foundational frameworks for analyzing incomplete contracts in real-world settings. He employs rigorous game-theoretic modeling to address incentive problems in procurement, privatization, and organizational design. His publication record since 1991 reveals consistent focus on contract-theoretic problems, with increasing emphasis on behavioral aspects after 1999. Key thematic clusters include venture capital finance (2002-2003), fairness/reciprocity (1999-2000), and privatization/incomplete contracts (1995-1996), demonstrating evolution from pure theory to policy-relevant applications. Gossen Prize of the German Economic Association (2001) Commerzbank Prize of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (2001) Teaching Prize of the Bavarian ministry of science (2000) Walter-Adolf-Jörn Prize (1993) German Academic Exchange Service Grant (1988/89) Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes Scholarship (1982-87) Professor Schmidt has secured major research funding including German Science Foundation grants for "Incomplete Contracts" (1999-present) and "Venture Capital Finance" (1998-present). His teaching excellence was recognized with Bavaria's highest teaching award (2000), and he maintains active collaboration with leading economists including Ernst Fehr and Monika Schnitzer. While specific student mentorship details aren't documented, his extensive publication record and seminar leadership indicate significant academic supervision.
YUE Heng is a Full-time Professor of Accounting at Singapore Management University (SMU), holding dual roles as Director of the SMU-ZJU Doctor of Business Administration (Accounting & Finance) Program and Programme Director of the SMU Tsinghua Joint Master of Science in CFO Leadership. He joined SMU in 2015 after teaching at Peking University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Management from the Guanghua School of Management. He holds a PhD in Accounting from Tulane University's Freeman School of Business. His research focuses on corporate governance, earnings management, voluntary disclosure in emerging markets, and capital market dynamics. Notable contributions include studies on tunneling through intercorporate loans, political corruption impacts on reporting quality, and cultural influences on corporate risk-taking. His work has been published in top journals like the Journal of Financial Economics and The Accounting Review . Honors include the Liyining Research Award (2013) and the ICBC Economic Scholar Award (2011). He advises doctoral students in accounting and has contributed to curriculum development in executive education programs. His current research explores green transition challenges, audit quality in anti-corruption contexts, and information asymmetry in emerging markets. Key Research Themes: Corporate Governance Failures, Financial Transparency, Political Economy of Accounting, Emerging Market Financial Systems Teaching Areas: Advanced Financial Accounting, CFO Leadership, Financial Statement Analysis
Dr. Daniel Read is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Sport Business , Loughborough University London. His interdisciplinary research addresses critical integrity issues in sport through qualitative and quantitative methodologies, focusing on athlete welfare, governance, sponsorship, fan behavior, and digital media. PhD in Sport Business (Loughborough University London) MRes in Psychology BSc in Sports Science and Physiology Dan's current projects examine: Athlete welfare (care-seeking behavior, medicine misuse, education) Commercial innovation vs. sporting tradition Digital divide impacts on sport access 21st-century sport governance He collaborates with organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency , FIFA , World Rugby , and the Professional Footballers’ Association . His teaching expertise spans research methods, data analytics, sport integrity, and digital media, alongside PhD supervision.
Dr. Jiaman Xu is a Lecturer in Finance at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, a position she has held since 2024. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor in Finance at University College Dublin (2022-2024) following completion of her PhD at the University of Edinburgh. Her academic credentials include: PhD in Finance, University of Edinburgh, 2022 MSc in Finance (Distinction), University of Edinburgh, 2018 BSc in Accounting, Huazhong Agricultural University, 2013 Dr. Xu's research centers on empirical corporate finance with specialized focus on private markets dynamics, including established private companies' interactions with public markets and VC/PE-backed firms. Her work explores cultural transmission in finance through inherited trust mechanisms, pension finance complexities, and behavioral aspects of risk-taking in banking institutions. She also investigates blockchain applications for transforming corporate governance structures. Her publication portfolio reveals consistent contributions across corporate governance, private equity, behavioral finance, and pension economics. Recent work examines institutional ownership effects in private firms, cultural determinants of informal finance, and international spillover effects from corporate scandals, demonstrating methodological rigor in empirical finance research. Dr. Xu actively supervises postgraduate students and teaches Corporate Financial Management at Cardiff University. Previously at UCD, she instructed Foundations of Finance (UG), Empirical Corporate Finance, Financial Analysis, and Corporate Finance (PG) courses across multiple academic years.
Gita Steiner-Khamsi is the William Heard Kilpatrick Professor of Comparative Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she chairs the Department of International and Transcultural Studies. She also holds a UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education Policy at the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. Her career spans over three decades with significant contributions to understanding how educational policies travel across national borders and are adapted in local contexts. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Zürich (1983) and an honorary doctoral degree from Mongolian State University of Education (2004). Prior to joining Columbia, she worked for ten years on multicultural and anti-racist education policies at the Ministry of Education in Zurich, Switzerland. Steiner-Khamsi's research focuses on policy borrowing and lending, globalization studies, comparative policy analysis, school reform, and teacher policy. She has pioneered system-theoretical approaches to understanding externalization, reception, and translation of educational policies across borders. Her work examines how international organizations govern education in the absence of coercive measures and how governments respond to global norm-setting. Her publication record shows consistent scholarly output with increasing focus on knowledge brokerage as a global governance tool, soft governance through international comparison, and transnational accreditation of public schools. Her most recent book (2025) explores the seven temporalities of global school reform, demonstrating her continued evolution in examining the time dimensions of policy transfer. William Heard Kilpatrick Professor of Comparative Education UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education Policy Dr. h.c. from Mongolian State University of Education Steiner-Khamsi has supervised over 60 doctoral students (PhDs and EdDs) and has led significant international projects including the USAID Teacher Education Project in Pakistan, which she describes as giving "ownership to Pakistanis" rather than having donors dictate implementation. Her research has been supported by various international organizations including UNICEF, where she investigated teacher shortages in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She maintains active research projects examining public-private partnerships in education, global governance mechanisms, and transnational accreditation systems, continuing to shape the field of comparative education policy through both theoretical contributions and practical applications in diverse international contexts.
Stéphanie GIAMPORCARO is a Professor of Sustainable Finance at KEDGE Business School, specializing in the sociology of financial markets, organizational theories, and democratic deliberation. Her research focuses on sustainable finance and financial innovations to understand their functioning and societal impacts. Her research interests include: Sustainable finance (SRI, ESG) Impact investing Responsible fintech Sustainable corporate governance/CSR Social construction of markets Democratic deliberation in finance Financial market sociology Professor GIAMPORCARO has published extensively in leading academic journals including Business Ethics Quarterly, Human Relations, Organization Studies, and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. Her recent work explores blockchain applications for sustainable investment, complementary currencies in informal economies, CEO compensation structures, environmental disclosure practices, and ESG materiality across global markets. Her publications demonstrate consistent focus on sustainable finance mechanisms and their societal implications, with particular attention to emerging economies and innovative financial instruments. Her scientific contributions include serving as principal investigator for the Reynolds and Gifford Research Fellowship of the Principles for Responsible Investment Association with the project "Re-imaginining Responsible Investment Futures: Deliberative pathways towards collective action." She is also an associate section editor for the Journal of Business Ethics and serves on the editorial boards of Human Relations and Organization Studies. Professor GIAMPORCARO has supervised over 50 theses for Masters, MBAs and PhD students across diverse sustainable finance topics. She actively disseminates her research through platforms like The Conversation, bridging academic insights with public discourse on finance and sustainability.
Alfons Oude Lansink is a Professor and Chairholder in Business Economics at Wageningen University, Netherlands. He holds adjunct professorships at Universitas Padjadjaran (Indonesia) and the University of Florida (USA), and serves on the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture's CDM committee and Rabobank's scientific advisory board. His academic career spans roles as director of Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS) and Secretary-General of the European Association of Agricultural Economists. Education: MSc and PhD in Agricultural Economics from Wageningen University Leadership: Head of Business Economics group since 2003 His research focuses on dynamic technical and economic efficiency , sustainable performance of food supply chains , and economics of plant health . Recent work examines climate adaptation strategies, circular economy applications, and cross-border agri-food innovation dynamics using advanced econometric models. Key projects include MINDSTEP (modeling farm decisions), Closing the Loop (insect-based agriculture), and Food Pro-tec-ts (transboundary food technologies). Publications address topics like: Technical efficiency in dairy and arable farming Economic impacts of climate change on agriculture Corporate social responsibility in food manufacturing Policy evaluation for biogas and organic farming He serves as: Secretary/Treasurer of agricultural economics journal foundation Advisor to Universitas Padjadjaran (Indonesia) on policy and PhD supervision Editorial board member of Agronomy Journal and European Review of Agricultural Economics
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.
Danny Yagan is a Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley Department of Economics, with expertise in public economics, taxation, and income inequality. He contributes to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the Conference on Research in Income and Wealth. His research focuses on fiscal policy, including deficit sustainability and the "growth dividend" concept. He has extensively studied pass-through business entities' impact on labor income share and inequality, using administrative tax data to analyze wealth distribution and taxation of top earners. Recent work examines spatial inequality trends, place-based redistribution, and the role of colleges in intergenerational mobility. Collaborations with scholars like Raj Chetty, Emmanuel Saez, and Owen Zidar highlight his interdisciplinary approach. Yagan's publications span topics including tax reform, capital taxation, and household investment behavior. He is actively involved in policy analysis and empirical economic research.
