Heng Huang is the Brendan Iribe Endowed Professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park . He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Dartmouth College and holds prior degrees from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. His research focuses on advancing the foundations and applications of artificial intelligence, particularly in machine learning, data mining, natural language processing, computer vision, and biomedical informatics . His work integrates large-scale optimization, fairness, and robustness in deep learning systems. Heng Huang’s recent publications demonstrate a strong trend in large language models, federated learning, model watermarking, continual learning, and medical image analysis . His work appears consistently in top venues like NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, ICLR, and MICCAI, reflecting a broad impact across theoretical and applied AI. He actively mentors students and postdocs, seeking highly motivated researchers in machine learning and related domains. His work has significant implications for healthcare, privacy, and trustworthy AI.
Prof. Antje Stokman is a Professor of Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning at HafenCity University Hamburg. Her department researches and designs landscape-, nature-, and water-related transformation processes, with teaching and research focused on the design and collaborative creation of urban landscapes in their dynamic interactions between natural and human habitats. Her research interests include: Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Climate-Adapted Urban Landscapes Blue-Green Infrastructure Water-sensitive Urban Design Linear Infrastructure Landscapes Urban Transformation Processes Prof. Stokman has led several significant research projects including the LILAS research network (Linear Infrastructure Landscapes as Open Spaces for the City in Climate Change), the City on the Blue Belt project, and the Blue-Green Infrastructure Dialogue Process. Her recent publications focus on transforming urban linear infrastructure landscapes and developing water development corridors along federal waterways as open space potential for urban green-blue infrastructure. Scientific awards: City of Hamburg's Teaching Prize (Hamburg Teaching Award) Prof. Stokman supervises doctoral projects including Katarina Bajc's work on "Perception and Design of Ecological Processes in Landscape Architecture" and Anne Kittel's research on "The Transformation of Metropolitan Landscapes." She has received research funding from various sources including the Federal Environment Agency, BMUV, BMBF, and EU Horizon 2020. She co-leads the Blue-Green Infrastructure Lab (BGI-Lab) with Prof. Wolfgang Dickhaut, which focuses on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of environmentally sound urban planning and landscape architecture.
Aeli Roberts is a Professorial Teaching Fellow at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, specializing in sustainability, health and safety, and sustainable construction practices. She is a member of BSSC's Centre for Sustainable Governance and Law in the Built Environment, a partnership between UCL and Gatehouse Chambers. Her educational background includes a diverse range of qualifications: PhD from Open University (2004), Bar Vocational Course from BPP Law School (2005), BSc in Construction Management from University College London (2003), MSc from Royal Holloway (1988), BSc from Royal Holloway (1986), and Higher National Diploma from Camberwell College of Art (1990). Initially trained as a chemist, she worked in industry and taught material science to conservation students before transitioning to construction management. Roberts' research focuses on integrating green space within urban environments for environmental and social benefits, health and safety in construction, and sustainable building practices. Her work examines sustainability in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which employ 85% of UK construction workers, and explores architect-client interactions for sustainable domestic construction. She has conducted comparative studies of health, safety, and well-being in UK and Hong Kong construction industries. Her publication record shows a strong focus on operational failure mitigation, knowledge transfer for safety culture, and the role of building control in sustainable construction. Recent work emphasizes climate change impacts on construction, wellbeing in the industry, and sustainable design integration. Her research bridges academic theory with practical application in the construction sector. Scientific Awards: Significant contributions serving the Design Futures Council's London and Cambridge Think Tank (2012) Roberts has held teaching positions across multiple subject areas including materials science, law, and sustainability. She has developed a third-year module on built asset management, emphasizing the importance of post-occupancy building performance. Her teaching philosophy connects historical building conservation with contemporary sustainability challenges, particularly in the context of upgrading existing housing stock to meet carbon reduction targets. She has been involved in collaborative research projects with organizations including the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), focusing on eco-design training for the construction supply chain. Her work with the CIC 2050 Group demonstrates engagement with industry-wide sustainability initiatives.
Remko Van Hoek serves as Professor of Practice in the Department of Supply Chain Management at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas. He teaches Sourcing and Procurement courses across undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. Prior to joining the University of Arkansas, Dr. Van Hoek held academic positions in Europe and served as a visiting professor at Cranfield School of Management, complemented by extensive industry experience as a supply chain and procurement executive at global corporations including Nike, PwC, and The Walt Disney Company. He currently serves on the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Board of Directors and acts as executive director of the CSCMP Supply Chain Hall of Fame hosted by the Walton College. Dr. Van Hoek's research centers on digital transformation in procurement and supply chain management, with particular focus on blockchain implementation, artificial intelligence applications, and sustainable sourcing practices. His work investigates how emerging technologies reshape procurement processes, supplier relationship management, and risk mitigation strategies. He explores innovative approaches to supplier diversity programs, ethical sourcing frameworks, and the strategic evolution of procurement from cost reduction to value creation. His research consistently bridges academic theory with industry practice through case studies from major corporations, developing actionable frameworks for practitioners facing digital disruption and sustainability challenges. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes in AI-driven supply chain risk prevention, blockchain implementation for transparency, and sustainable supplier engagement. His work demonstrates consistent industry collaboration, drawing from case studies at Walmart, Moet Hennessy, and Bayer to address post-pandemic resilience challenges. A significant portion examines procurement's strategic evolution beyond transactional functions, with recurring emphasis on ethical considerations in digital transformation and the practical implementation barriers for emerging technologies in global supply networks. As a Professor of Practice, Dr. Van Hoek integrates executive-level industry experience into curriculum development and student mentorship. His industry-engaged teaching model includes guest lecturer programs connecting students with supply chain practitioners, as evidenced by his co-authored work on integrating industry insights into supply chain education. While specific grant funding details are not publicly documented, his leadership in the CSCMP Supply Chain Hall of Fame demonstrates commitment to professional development and industry-academia knowledge transfer. Dr. Van Hoek directs the CSCMP Supply Chain Hall of Fame initiative, which documents transformative contributions to supply chain management through interviews with industry pioneers and historical case studies. This platform serves as both an educational resource for Walton College students and a professional development tool for supply chain practitioners globally. The Hall of Fame preserves critical industry knowledge while highlighting contemporary innovations in supply chain strategy and technology implementation.
Dagmar Schäfer is a leading historian of science and technology, serving as Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG) and holding the Chair of China Studies and History of Technology at the University of Manchester (2011). She directs Department III: Artifacts, Action, Knowledge at MPIWG since 2013 and holds Honorary Professorships at Technische Universität Berlin (History of Science and Technology) and Freie Universität Berlin (China Studies). Her research spans the history of Chinese technology (Song-Ming dynasties), material culture, and knowledge systems, emphasizing artifacts' role in scientific diffusion. Doctorate (1996) and Habilitation (2005) in Sinology and History of Science Guest Professorships: Shanghai Jiao Tong University (2017), IAS Princeton (2019), European University Institute (2022) Her seminal work, The Crafting of the 10,000 Things (2011), explores 17th-century Chinese knowledge systems, earning the Pfizer and Levenson Prizes. Recent contributions focus on knowledge ownership (co-edited Ownership of Knowledge , MIT Press 2023) and plurilingual scholarship in Eurasia (co-edited Brill 2023). Her 2020 Leibniz Prize recognized her innovative approaches to global cultural studies. Publications analyze comparative technological paradigms, local knowledge in historical contexts, and transcultural artifact analysis. She is central to the Kn/Own/Able project challenging intellectual property norms in knowledge dissemination.
Tal Simons is Professor of Organization Theory in the Department of Organisation and Personnel Management at Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University Rotterdam, and has been an ERIM Fellow since 2019. His research examines organizational responses to societal pressures through institutional and behavioral lenses. Simons' work centers on institutional theory applications in regulatory resistance, ideological dynamics, and organizational authenticity. He investigates how firms navigate social movements, media scrutiny, and moral legitimacy challenges across diverse sectors including tobacco, wine, and contemporary dance. His methodology blends historical analysis with qualitative case studies to uncover patterns in community cohesion, aesthetic innovation, and cross-cultural collaboration. Publication trends reveal an evolution from foundational studies on kibbutzim and Israeli wine industry transformation (1997-2010) toward contemporary analyses of CSR-media relationships, regulatory compliance, and authenticity construction (2015-2024). Recent work emphasizes ideological imperatives in news coverage and moral legitimacy frameworks, while maintaining consistent theoretical grounding in institutional logics and organizational ecology. Professional recognition includes: ERIM Fellow (2019–present) As an active doctoral supervisor, Simons mentors nine PhD candidates across organization theory and behavior domains. His advisees explore cross-cultural collaborations, multi-stakeholder organizing, sustainability-focused community enterprises, and societal change mechanisms. Supervision spans 2015 to present with roles as promotor and committee member, reflecting sustained commitment to developing organizational scholarship through next-generation researchers.
Prof. Dr. Dimitrije Ćeranić is an Associate Professor of Civil Law at the Faculty of Law, University of East Sarajevo. He has been a faculty member since 2005 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021. His primary teaching focuses on Inheritance Law, Family Law, Property Relations of Spouses, Children's Rights, and Notarial Law across undergraduate and graduate programs. He also guest lectures at the University of Belgrade and teaches Social Work at the Faculty of Philosophy in East Sarajevo. Education: LL.B. (2005) from University of East Sarajevo. Master’s (2008): University of Belgrade on will validity. PhD (2016): University of Kragujevac on inheritance effects of adoption. Research Interests: Civil Law with emphasis on family law, inheritance rights, adoption law, property rights, and legal conventions. He has published 42 articles, a monograph on inheritance legal consequences of adoption (2020), and a co-authored handbook on domestic violence protection (2021). Administrative Roles: Vice Dean for Research (since 2018), Head of Civil Law Department (since 2022), Editorial Secretary of the Faculty Yearbook, and former Library Board President. He actively contributes to legal reforms in Republika Srpska, including drafting family law and higher education legislation. Professional Activities: Member of national/international legal associations, trade unions, and supervisory boards. Serves as a reviewer for legal journals and proceedings. Fluent in English and Russian.
J. Daniel Kim is an Assistant Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches MBA and PhD courses on entrepreneurship and innovation. His research focuses on high-growth entrepreneurship, venture scaling, strategic human capital, mergers and acquisitions, innovation, and labor markets. PhD - MIT Sloan School of Management BA - Dartmouth College His research explores: Startup hiring challenges and firm-driven search strategies Timing and risks of venture scaling Post-acquisition employee retention patterns Founder impact on organizational change Immigrant founder contributions to entrepreneurship Key article trends show: Focus on talent dynamics in high-growth firms Analysis of organizational antecedents in acquisitions Quantitative approaches using population-level data Interdisciplinary connections between entrepreneurship, strategy, and economics Debunking myths about founder demographics Linkage between labor market mechanisms and startup performance Scientific recognition includes: Multiple Teaching Excellence Awards at Wharton (2024-2020) Best Paper Prize from Strategic Management Society (2020) Kauffman Dissertation Fellowship (2017) MIT Sloan Doctoral Thesis Prize (2019) Prof. Kim serves as an economist with the United States Census Bureau and has published in top journals including Strategic Management Journal , Organization Science , and American Economic Review: Insights . His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal , New York Times , and Financial Times .
Akie Iriyama is a Professor at the Graduate School of Business and Finance, Waseda University, with affiliations to the Faculty of Commerce and Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering. Their research bridges practical and theoretical aspects of entrepreneurship, international business, and strategic management. Education: PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business M.A. and B.A., Keio University, Tokyo, Japan Research Focus: Globalization of venture capital and transnational technical communities Strategic responses to informal and foreign rivals in emerging markets Equity ownership dynamics in international joint ventures Technology sourcing and real options theory in MNC subsidiaries Paper Trends: Recent publications analyze competitive actions in non-market spaces, reverse technology transfer mechanisms, and equity ownership evolution in international partnerships. Common themes include cross-border knowledge flows, strategic paradoxes in outsourcing, and institutional factors shaping innovation. Scientific Awards: Waseda University Teaching Award (2016) Best paper award nominee (Academy of Management, 2016) Dean’s Discretionary Award (SUNY Buffalo, 2010) Nominated for Haynes Prize (Academy of International Business, 2010) Nominated for Best Conference Papers (Strategic Management Society, 2008) Research Projects: Current projects include large-scale data analysis of urban startup location strategies in Japan (2020-2024) and studies on multi-partner international joint ventures.
Anthony Bebbington is the Milton P. and Alice C. Higgins Professor of Environment and Society at Clark University’s Graduate School of Geography. He also holds roles as a Research Associate at the Centro Peruano de Estudios Sociales (Peru) and a Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Manchester (UK). His expertise spans political ecology, extractive industries, socio-environmental conflicts, and rural development in Latin America. With a PhD in Geography from Clark University (1990), he has conducted extensive research across Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and El Salvador. His work examines the interplay between resource extraction, governance, and community rights, with a focus on addressing inequality and environmental justice. His research has been supported by major grants from the Economic and Social Research Council (UK), Ford Foundation, and National Science Foundation. Notable collaborations include partnerships with organizations such as Rimisp-Latin American Center for Rural Development, the Salvadoran Ministry of Environment (MARN), and the University of Manchester. Bebbington is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and has held fellowships from institutions like the Stanford Center for Advanced Studies and the Fulbright Commission. Research interests include institutional innovations in resource governance, the socio-environmental impacts of mining, and political settlements shaping extractive industry policies. His publications address topics like infrastructure’s role in environmental degradation, community-based development, and the governance of extractive industries. Recent work highlights the global drivers of environmental change linked to mining and the need for equitable resource management frameworks. Awards: US National Academy of Sciences membership, multiple fellowships from leading institutions. Key Projects: Studies on mining governance in El Salvador, Honduras, and Peru; analyses of deforestation linked to extractive industries; and frameworks for sustainable infrastructure development. Bebbington’s advisory and grant work emphasizes bridging academic research with policy impact. He collaborates with NGOs and governments to design inclusive strategies for natural resource management, emphasizing participatory approaches and environmental accountability.
Michalis Vazirgiannis is a Professor at LIX, École Polytechnique (France) leading the Data Science and Mining (DaSciM) group. With academic backgrounds in Physics (Athens University), AI (Heriot-Watt University), and Informatics (Athens University), he has conducted research at Fraunhofer, Max Planck MPI, and INRIA/FUTURS while teaching at institutions across Greece, France, China, and Spain. His research spans Machine/Deep Learning for Graphs (GNNs, graph kernels, embeddings) Text Mining & NLP (Graph-of-Words, biomedical text analysis) Combinatorial Optimization for pandemic forecasting and energy systems Event/Anomaly Detection in time series and sensory data Industrial collaborations with Airbus, Google, Tencent, and BNP . He has supervised 29 completed PhD theses, published over 250 papers, and received prestigious awards including Marie Curie and Tencent Rhino-Bird Fellowships. His team leads the ANR-HELAS Chair (2020-2025) focusing on heterogeneous data deep learning.
Dr Vera Axyonova is an Assistant Professor at the University of Birmingham's Department of Political Science and International Studies within the School of Government. Holding a PhD from the University of Bremen and Jacobs University Bremen, she has held prestigious positions including Marie Skłodowska-Curie REWIRE Fellow at the University of Vienna and Hurford Next Generation Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment. PhD: University of Bremen & Jacobs University Bremen (2013) MA: Fulda University of Applied Sciences (2008) Diploma: East Kazakhstan State University (2006) Her research focuses on international crisis management, cross-border norm transfer, and knowledge production in conflict environments. Recent projects examine European normative engagements in Eastern Europe and academic freedom challenges during forced migration. Her publications appear in top-tier journals like Peacebuilding and European Security . Notable awards include the Marie Skłodowska-Curie REWIRE Fellowship and Carnegie Endowment's Hurford Next Generation Fellowship. She co-chairs the ECPR Research Network on Statehood and Sovereignty and has held visiting positions at European University Institute, Freie Universität Berlin, and George Washington University.
Marios Koutsias is a Senior Lecturer at Essex Law School, University of Essex, specializing in EU Commercial Law, Company Law, and Data Protection. He holds an LLB from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an LLM in EU Law from the University of Essex, an MA in Politics and International Relations from King's College London, and a PhD in Law from the University of Essex. Prior to his academic career, he practiced as a lawyer on Greek Law and European Union Law in Thessaloniki and Brussels, and remains a member of the Thessaloniki Bar Association, Greece. His educational background includes: LLB from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece LLM in EU Law from University of Essex MA in Politics and International Relations from King's College, London PhD in Law from University of Essex Dr. Koutsias' research focuses on Company Law, Corporate Governance, Comparative Company Law, European Union Law with a special emphasis on the Internal Market, and Privacy and Data Protection. His work critically examines shareholder primacy versus stakeholder theory, the influence of national cultural identities on corporate governance frameworks, and the evolving landscape of data protection regulations in the digital economy. He has made significant contributions to understanding how Brexit might reshape European corporate governance paradigms and the tensions between commercial interests and privacy rights in global trade. His publication record reveals a strong interdisciplinary approach, connecting theoretical legal concepts with practical commercial applications. The research trends show increasing focus on post-Brexit regulatory alignment, stakeholder governance models, and data protection challenges in international commerce. His most recent 2025 article argues that Brexit should not sever UK-EU privacy regulatory connections to protect both trade interests and human rights. Dr. Koutsias supervises PhD students in Law with expertise in corporate governance frameworks across different jurisdictions. His current supervisees include Tioluwani Comfort Tioluwani and Iman Abdulrahman M Alfaraj, while he has successfully guided seven PhD students to completion since 2016, including Christina Gkampitsaki (awarded January 2024) and Tioluwani Comfort Tioluwani (awarded December 2023). His teaching responsibilities encompass Company Law (LW225), Law of the European Union (LW302), Final Year Research Project (LW304), Introduction to the Law of the European Union (LW430), Industry Placement (LW811), and Data Protection Law in the Digital Age (LW656). He has secured research funding including the 2019 Mondaq KTP 2 grant from Innovate UK. Dr. Koutsias has co-authored three significant books: 'Company Law in the New Europe' and 'The Nature of Corporate Governance: The Significance of National Cultural Identity' (both Edward Elgar Publishers), and 'Company Law' by Palgrave with Professor Janet Dine, which is considered one of the leading textbooks in the field. He also serves as a Specialist Contributor to Gore Brown on EU Company Law publications, demonstrating his recognized expertise in this specialized area.
Rodrigo García-Velasco is an academic staff member at the Department of History, University College London (UCL), specializing in medieval Iberian history, with a focus on economic and legal interactions between Jews, Muslims, and Christians. He leads the project Documentary Afterlives: Recycling the Past in Premodern Iberian Judiciaries, 1371-1600 , exploring how marginalized groups preserved and reused legal documents in Castile. He is also completing his first book, Jews and Muslims Before the Law in Christian Iberia, 1000-1200 , analyzing the emergence of legal distinctions for religious minorities in municipal laws. His research interests include medieval legal systems, religious minority treatments, Arabic-Latin literary exchanges, Mediterranean mobility, and the historiography of convivencia. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2019), and has worked as a Rothschild Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow there. Publications span Medieval Encounters , al-Masaq , and edited volumes on Christian-Muslim relations. His work emphasizes the role of documentary practices in post-conquest societies, linking Islamicate legal knowledge to Christian institutional management of land and heritage.
William B Gartner serves as the Bertarelli Foundation Distinguished Professor of Family Entrepreneurship at Babson College's F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business, where he also directs research at the Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship. Having joined Babson's faculty in 2017, Gartner brings over 40 years of experience studying entrepreneurial phenomena, with particular expertise in family entrepreneurship dynamics. He previously held distinguished chairs at the University of Southern California and Clemson University, establishing himself as a leading scholar in the field. Gartner earned his PhD, MBA, and BBA from the University of Washington, forming the foundation for his extensive research career. His academic journey began during entrepreneurship's early days in the late 1970s when he took one of the first entrepreneurship courses as an MBA student at the University of Washington, when only six students initially enrolled in the class. Gartner's research primarily explores how families act entrepreneurially, examining topics including entrepreneurial legacy, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and the transformation of family businesses across generations. His work bridges entrepreneurship theory with practical applications, particularly focusing on how entrepreneurial legacies can drive innovation in family businesses. He is particularly interested in the linguistic innovations entrepreneurs employ and how storytelling shapes entrepreneurial identity and practice. His scholarship has evolved to incorporate humanities perspectives, recognizing that literature, philosophy, and history provide valuable insights into entrepreneurial thinking and behavior. Analysis of Gartner's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on family entrepreneurship as an ongoing process rather than a static state, with increasing attention to methodological innovation in entrepreneurship research. His work demonstrates growing interest in the role of narrative, visual methods, and qualitative approaches to understand complex entrepreneurial phenomena. The research shows consistent focus on family business succession as transformation rather than simple transfer, with increasing attention to adolescent entrepreneurial development and the influence of parenting styles. 2025 — Top 1% of Scholars in all subjects, Stanford/Elsevier's Top 2% Scientist Rankings 2024 — The FamCap25 – The Top FamilyEnterprise Academics, FAMILY CAPITAL MAGAZINE 2022 — Justin G. Longnecker Fellow, United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship 2016 — Dedication to Entrepreneurship Award, Entrepreneurship Division, Academy of Management 2013 — Foundational Paper Award, Entrepreneurship Division, Academy of Management 2005 — International Award for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Research Gartner actively mentors doctoral students and early-career researchers, frequently collaborating on publications addressing complex family business dynamics. His editorial roles as Special Issue Editor for Entrepreneurship and Regional Development and Academy of Management Perspectives demonstrate his influence in shaping research agendas. He has secured significant research funding supporting studies on entrepreneurial legacy, family business succession, and adolescent entrepreneurial development, though specific grant amounts aren't detailed in the available materials. As Director of Research at the Bertarelli Institute for Family Entrepreneurship, Gartner leads initiatives connecting academic research with practical applications for family businesses. His work emphasizes the transformative potential of entrepreneurship within family contexts, challenging traditional notions of family business succession as mere transfer of ownership. Through workshops and seminars, he helps families explore how entrepreneurial legacies can lead to new innovations while preserving core values across generations.
