University of California , Santa Barbara (UCSB)United States
Bernard Comrie is a Research Professor Emeritus in Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the College of Letters and Science. He previously served as Director of the Department of Linguistics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (1998–2015) and held a Distinguished Professorship at UCSB (2002–2021). His career includes teaching positions at the University of Cambridge, University of Southern California, and leadership roles in major research institutions. Comrie’s research focuses on Language universals and typology Historical linguistics Languages of the Caucasus, New Guinea, and Great Andamanese He emphasizes fieldwork-driven cross-linguistic analysis of topics like tense/aspect, transitivity, numeral systems, and prehistoric migration studies through collaborations with archaeologists and geneticists. His recent publications explore morphosyntactic variation (e.g., verb indexing in Asian languages, reflexivity in Tsez), language contact (Kanashi prehistory), and numeral system typology. Articles often bridge theoretical linguistics with empirical data from understudied languages. Notable contributions include the World Atlas of Language Structures and foundational work on Nakh-Daghestanian and Andamanese languages. He advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to reconstructing prehistoric human movements via linguistic evidence.
Pranav Anand is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). He currently serves as the Faculty Director of the Humanities Institute at UCSC since July 2023. His research focuses on the interplay between context, interpretation, and grammatical perspective, particularly in areas like de re/de se contrasts, evaluative predication, and indexical shift. He has contributed to studies on narrative structures, evidential restrictions, and the syntax-semantics interface in sluicing. Dr. Anand has taught a variety of courses including Ling 119: Narratives , Ling 231: Semantics A , and special topics like Invented Languages: From Elvish to Esperanto . His work bridges theoretical linguistics with computational methods, evidenced by collaborations in projects such as the Santa Cruz sluicing dataset and analyses of political discourse in online commentary. His research has been published in journals like Linguistics and Philosophy , Language , and Discourse and Society , with a focus on semantics, pragmatics, and narrative linguistics. He has also contributed to computational linguistics initiatives, including the development of annotated corpora for sentiment analysis and argumentation studies. Dr. Anand's academic contributions span both theoretical exploration and applied computational linguistics, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to understanding language structure and usage.
Brita Wårvik is a Professor in the Department of Languages at Åbo Akademi University, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities, Psychology and Theology. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Phil. Dr.) from the same institution, awarded in 2013, and has been actively contributing to linguistic research for decades. Doctor of Philosophy (Phil. Dr.), Åbo Akademi University, 2013 Her research centers on discourse analysis, pragmatics, and historical English linguistics, with a particular focus on Early Modern and Medieval English texts. She investigates discourse interaction, textual structures, and pragmatic conservatism in religious prose, often employing corpus-based and textual analysis methods. Her work bridges micro and macro perspectives in discourse, exploring how semantic units contribute to broader text worlds. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory in historical discourse studies, with increasing emphasis on corpus linguistics, manuscript variation, and the evolution of discourse markers. Her editorial work, such as the 2024 volume Structures in Discourse , highlights her leadership in synthesizing interdisciplinary perspectives on language use. Scientific Awards: Teacher of the Year (2001) ÅAU Student Union's Rose (2007) Brita Wårvik actively supervises and mentors academic visitors and collaborators, as seen in her hosting of scholars like Carmen Lee and Lieselotte Anderwald. She is the coordinator of the ongoing Project ICLE (International Corpus of Learner English) , securing research continuity and international collaboration. Her involvement in organizing workshops, such as the ICLE+30 FI-subcorpus Workshop in 2024, underscores her role in fostering academic exchange. In terms of research infrastructure, she is deeply embedded in the ICLE network, contributing to the development of learner language corpora. Her activities reflect strong international collaborations, particularly in the fields of historical linguistics and discourse studies, with a visible presence in both research and academic community-building.
Anand Bhattad is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University, starting Fall 2025. Previously, he held positions as a Research Assistant Professor at the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC) and a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on the intersection of computer vision, generative modeling, and physical reasoning, aiming to develop perception-driven and physics-aware visual models. His academic journey includes a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under David Forsyth, with mentorship from Derek Hoiem, Svetlana Lazebnik, Greg Shakhnarovich, and Shenlong Wang. Prior to his PhD, he earned dual master’s degrees in Computer Science and Civil and Environmental Engineering at UIUC and a bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from NITK Surathkal, India. Research interests center on how generative models encode physical and perceptual knowledge, with key contributions in intrinsic image emergence, projective geometry limitations, and physics-aware relighting techniques. His work bridges classical computer vision concepts with modern deep learning, producing state-of-the-art methods for 3D scene synthesis and image editing. Articles span topics like 3P Vision , diffusion models, and 360° video datasets, reflecting interdisciplinary approaches in computer graphics and computational photography. Scientific awards include Outstanding Reviewer at ICCV 2023, CVPR 2022 Best Paper Finalist, and multiple conference service roles as workshop organizer and area chair. He designed the TTIC course Past Meets Present: A Tale of Two Visions , teaching connections between historical and modern computer vision research.
Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)Switzerland
Malvina Nissim is a leading researcher in computational linguistics and NLP at the University of Groningen's Department of Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on multilingual modeling, bias mitigation, and human evaluation frameworks. Key Contributions : Developed CALAMITA (Italian LLM benchmark), IT5 models for Italian language processing, and ReproHum framework for NLP evaluation reproducibility Research Pillars : Multilingual reasoning consistency, perspective-based text analysis, and figurative language modeling Her work spans activation steering techniques, cross-lingual transfer learning, and the creation of specialized language resources like the EurekaRebus dataset and MAGPIE idiom corpus. She pioneered methods for gender bias measurement in BERT and developed the SocioFillmore tool for perspective visualization. Recent publications explore model uncertainty as MCQ difficulty proxy, Italian headline generation benchmarks, and multilingual multi-figurative language detection. She actively participates in teaching initiatives like the "NLP with Bracelets" workshop for Italian high school students. Scientific Awards : ACL Best Paper Award (2025) EMNLP Outstanding Reviewer (2023) EVALITA Leadership Recognition (2024) She advises PhD students in model bias analysis and has contributed to the development of the Dutch Abusive Language Corpus (DALC) and the ReproNLP reproducibility framework. Her collaborations span institutions in Italy, Netherlands, and international NLP communities.
Yoshiko Matsumoto is the Yamato Ichihashi Professor in Japanese History and Civilization and Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Stanford University, with a courtesy appointment in Linguistics. She has been a faculty member at Stanford since 1992, progressing from Assistant Professor to her current distinguished position. Matsumoto also serves as coordinator of the Japanese Language Program and has held significant administrative roles including Chair of the Department of Asian Languages (2003-2005) and Interim Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (2016). Matsumoto earned her Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley (1989), following M.A. degrees in Linguistics from UC Berkeley and General and Applied Linguistics from the University of Tsukuba, an M.I.A. in American Studies from the University of Tsukuba, and a B.A. in English Language & Literature from Japan Women's University. Professor Matsumoto's research focuses on linguistic pragmatics from cross-linguistic perspectives, with particular expertise in Japanese language. Her work spans structural and sociocultural aspects of language in use, including noun-modifying clause constructions, honorifics, discourse markers, and the intersection of language with gender and aging. She has pioneered research on conversational narratives of older adults, examining how ordinary framing strategies help individuals navigate difficult experiences. Her current projects explore intergenerational communication through haiku, communicative abilities of people with dementia, and noun-modifying constructions across Eurasian languages. Matsumoto's scholarship consistently bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications for understanding human communication in diverse social contexts. Matsumoto's recent publications reveal a growing focus on practical applications of linguistic research for social benefit, particularly in intergenerational communication and dementia care. Her work increasingly integrates arts-based approaches, especially haiku poetry, to bridge generational divides and enhance communication with elderly populations. The research shows a consistent trajectory from theoretical linguistic frameworks toward applied, human-centered language studies that address real-world challenges in aging societies, with particular attention to how ordinary language practices help individuals navigate life transitions and difficult experiences. Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University (2000) Richard E. Guggenhime Faculty Scholar, Stanford University (2000-2003) Violet Andrews Whittier Fellow, Stanford Humanities Center (2019-2020) Faculty Research Fellow, Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research (2014-2015) Research Fellow, Japan Foundation (2002) Internal Fellow, Stanford Humanities Center (2005-2006) Presidential Fund for Innovation in the Humanities, Stanford University (2009-2011) Professor Matsumoto has mentored numerous students through her teaching in Japanese language and linguistics courses, including specialized offerings on language and aging, points in Japanese grammar, and haiku-based communication. Her research has been supported by prestigious grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Japan Foundation, and Stanford's Presidential Fund for Innovation in the Humanities. She has served on multiple editorial boards including the Journal of Pragmatics since 1992, demonstrating long-standing leadership in her field. Matsumoto has also advised students through individual studies and thesis projects in East Asian Languages and Cultures. Matsumoto leads several collaborative research initiatives including the 'Sharing Conversations' project which examines intergenerational communication through haiku, and research on communicative abilities of people with dementia. Her work often involves interdisciplinary teams spanning linguistics, gerontology, and creative arts, with fieldwork conducted in both Japan and the United States. The 'Noun-Modifying Constructions in Languages of Eurasia' project represents a major international collaboration examining linguistic structures across cultural boundaries. She also directs the 'Language, Old Age and Gender in Japan' project supported by the Stanford University/Japan Foundation, and the 'Difficult Conversations Continue: Memories of the 3.11 Disaster and Bereavement Narratives' project focused on post-disaster communication.
Dr. Anna Rogos-Hebda is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. She is actively involved in research and teaching in the fields of cognitive and historical linguistics, with a strong emphasis on diachronic semantics, emotion terminology, and corpus-based analysis. Faculty of English, Adam Mickiewicz University Researcher in Cognitive and Historical Linguistics Active contributor to international academic conferences Her research interests center on the language of emotions , conceptual metaphor theory , and the diachronic development of abstract categories in English and Polish. She employs corpus linguistics and cognitive semantics to investigate semantic change, particularly in Middle and Late Modern English. Her work explores how emotions such as hope, belief, and hate are linguistically encoded and evolve over time. The recent articles reflect a consistent focus on diachronic cognitive linguistics , with themes including semantic change in emotion terms , conceptualization of social categories (e.g., beggars, refugees, immigrants), and political and ideological discourse . Her methodology is predominantly corpus-based, often involving quantitative and multivariate analysis of lexical usage across time and cultures. She has not been awarded any formal scientific prizes or fellowships mentioned in the text. Dr. Rogos-Hebda has served as an assistant editor for Studia Anglica Posnaniensia (2001–2010) and has been actively involved in organizing academic events such as the History of English Language in Poznań (HEL-P) and Figurative Thought and Language (FTL) conferences. She has received research support through scholarships from the University of Helsinki and Otto Friedrich Universität, Bamberg, as well as a conference grant from the Foundation for Polish Science. She is a member of several professional organizations, including Societas Linguistica Europea (SLE), Polish Association for the Study of English (PASE), International Society for the Linguistics of English (ISLE), and The Philological Society (TPS). She regularly presents her work at major international conferences and contributes to collaborative research projects, particularly with scholars like Małgorzata Fabiszak and Karolina Krawczak-Glynn.
Fabienne Berger-Remy is a Senior Lecturer at Dauphine University – PSL, accredited to supervise research (HDR). She transitioned to academia in 2014 after extensive professional experience in marketing, brand management, and consumer goods consulting, with prior affiliations at IAE Paris Sorbonne. Research Focus : Multidisciplinary studies on marketing profession transformations, work-brand-consumption dynamics, and intangible capital creation. Publications in M@n@gement , Journal of Business Research , and Journal of Marketing Management highlight her work on digital transformation, brand crisis management, and organizational psychology. Publications reveal trends in digital marketing impacts, crisis communication strategies, and intellectual capital dynamics. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical marketing challenges, including brand dissonance and datafication.
Audrey Jaffe is a Professor at the University of Toronto, specializing in Romantic and Victorian Literature. She is affiliated with the Graduate Faculty and Undergraduate Instructor roles, contributing to the academic community through research and teaching on the Victorian novel, affect theory, and narrative structures. Research focuses on Victorian realism Expertise in class and identity dynamics in fiction Advances understanding of emotional measurement in Victorian finance Her recent publications, including essays on George Eliot and Dickens, reveal trends in analyzing ideology, genre, and socio-economic contexts in 19th-century British literature. She co-edits volumes bridging political economy and literary studies.
Marte Tonning Otterlei is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Stavanger, affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences. Her work focuses on child welfare systems, parental experiences in care proceedings, and dialogue-based decision-making processes. She holds a PhD in Social Work and has extensive experience in qualitative research methodologies. Key research interests include family reunification dynamics, communication practices during care transitions, and systemic challenges faced by child welfare workers. Her work emphasizes understanding the emotional and psychological impact of state interventions on families, particularly through positional analysis frameworks. Recent publications explore innovative dialogue processes for reunification after care orders, grief management in child removal contexts, and the ethical dimensions of parental notification systems. She has contributed to international conferences on child welfare equity and social justice issues. Media engagement includes analyses of terminology's impact on care removal perceptions and studies on worker isolation in high-stress cases. Her 2022 monograph Perspektiver på omsorgsovertakelser synthesizes findings from multiple studies on care transition processes. Collaborations include work with Redd Barna on child participation initiatives. Research outputs emphasize actionable insights for improving family participation, worker well-being, and systemic empathy in child welfare practices. Current projects address communication frameworks for difficult conversations in care proceedings.
Jennifer Grandits is a Principal Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Clemson University, affiliated with the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. She holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from the University of Connecticut (2013), along with a Quantitative Research Methods Certificate, MA in Developmental Psychology (2010), and dual BA degrees in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Virginia (2007). Her research focuses on autism spectrum disorder interventions, implicit biases in healthcare, and aging workforce adaptation. She teaches courses in experimental psychology and lifespan development. Key research themes include sensory-based interventions for autism, cross-cultural stigma analysis, and leveraging machine learning for predictive modeling in health contexts. Her work bridges developmental psychology with practical applications in education and clinical settings. Expertise areas: Neurodiversity, child development, applied statistics Recent projects involve collaborations with autistic communities in curriculum design Teaching responsibilities include foundational psychology courses and advanced lifespan development studies. Her CV highlights contributions to inclusive education programs and technology adoption initiatives for older adults.
Milica Popović Stijačić is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Media and Communications (Singidunum University), specializing in cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, and experimental methodology. She earned her degrees in psychology (University of Novi Sad) and applied statistics (University of Novi Sad), with a doctoral thesis titled The influence of perceptual information in word processing - the perspective of embodied cognition . Graduate and Master's in Psychology, University of Novi Sad Master's in Applied Statistics, University of Novi Sad PhD in Cognitive Psychology, University of Novi Sad Her research focuses on perceptual richness in semantic processing, embodied cognition, and statistical modeling of cognitive tasks. She leads a student research group at the FMK Lab, collaborating on projects related to cognitive psychology presented at domestic and international conferences. Key publications include studies on attribute framing effects (2024), emotional word processing during the pandemic (2023), and perceptual influences on memory recall (2022). Recent collaborative work explores AI applications in sustainable fashion (2022) and socioeconomic impacts on preschool intelligence (2020). She contributes to methodological advancements through comparative statistical approaches (2018) and investigates multisensory learning mechanisms (2015). Current collaborations include projects on sensorimotor deficits in psychosis/dementia (University of Zagreb, since 2021) and research on fundamental psychic processes (Ministry of Serbia-funded, 2018-2020). Teaching responsibilities include courses on lower/higher cognitive processes, contemporary psychological research, and scientific methodology.
Dr. Stefanie Ullmann is a Researcher at the University of Cambridge's Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy . She holds a PhD in Linguistics from University of Marburg, Germany, where her thesis analyzed metaphorical framing of the 2011 Arab Spring revolutions in media/political discourse. Her research spans functional linguistics, critical theory, and digital ethics with particular focus on algorithmic bias, counterspeech strategies, and socio-political conflict discourse. Current affiliation: University of Cambridge, UK Education: PhD in Linguistics (University of Marburg, Germany) Key research areas: Critical metaphor analysis, corpus linguistics, machine translation ethics, digital democracy Recent projects: Giving Voice to Digital Democracies (AI communication impacts) Her publications include: Discourses of the Arab Revolutions in Media and Politics (Routledge, 2022) - monograph on metaphorical framing Counterspeech: Multidisciplinary Perspectives (Routledge, 2023) - co-edited volume on dangerous speech mitigation Contact: su272@cam.ac.uk
Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyUnited States
Elisabeth Camp is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Rutgers University. She holds a PhD from UC Berkeley and previously taught at the University of Pennsylvania before joining Rutgers in 2013. Her work bridges philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and aesthetics. Education: BA: University of Michigan PhD: University of California, Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellow: Harvard Society of Fellows (2003-2006) Research Interests: Her work investigates non-propositional thought and speech, focusing on: Metaphor and figurative language Loaded terms (e.g., slurs) Cognitive perspectives and emotional frames Non-sentential representation (maps/diagrams) Semantic-pragmatic boundaries Antagonistic conversation dynamics Scientific Awards: ACLS Fellowship (2020) NEH Fellowship (2019) Rutgers Board of Trustees Research Fellowship (2018) Key Article Trends: Recent publications explore metaphorical cognition, visual-verbal representation differences, and ethical implications of non-literal communication. Her 2017 work on Trumpian language became a reference in political discourse analysis.
Norman Y. Teng is a Distinguished Research Fellow (Professor) and current Director at the Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica, where he has held positions since 2000. His career spans leadership roles, including Director General of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and advisory positions for prestigious foundations and councils. PhD in Philosophy, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (1992) MA in Philosophy, FuJen Catholic University, Taiwan (1986) BA in Philosophy, FuJen Catholic University, Taiwan (1984) Teng’s research focuses on political philosophy , metaphor analysis , and the philosophy of mind and cognitive science . His work bridges Eastern and Western thought, examining concepts like civic Confucianism , freedom in democratic frameworks , and metaphorical structures in political discourse . Recent publications analyze US-China relations, same-sex marriage debates, and cognitive foundations of metaphor. His 15 most recent articles (2006–2025) explore themes such as constitutional democracy , embodied cognition , and cross-cultural political discourse . These works employ interdisciplinary methodologies, integrating philosophy of language , cognitive science , and political theory . Scientific Awards : 2024 Merit Research Fellow Award (National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan) 2024 Ministry of Education’s 67th Annual Academic Awards 2024 Academia Sinica 12th Scholarly Monograph Award 2016–2024 Special and Outstanding Research Awards (Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan) Teng has secured major grants for Humanity Innovation and Social Practice projects (2016–2022, 2022–2025) and serves as Supervisor of the Taiwan Philosophical Association. He contributes to editorial boards of journals like EurAmerica and Journal of New Praxis .
