Sarah Billington is the UPS Foundation Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Her research program focuses on sustainable building design, human wellbeing, and ethical supply chain practices. Education: PhD, University of Texas at Austin, Structural Engineering (1997) MSE, University of Texas at Austin, Structural Engineering (1994) BSE, Princeton University, Civil Engineering & Operations Research (1990) Her lab employs interdisciplinary methods to study how built environments impact human physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. Current projects include developing tools to quantify nature exposure in buildings, exploring affordable housing's role in wellbeing, and using AI to assess forced labor risks in material supply chains. While no longer active in this area, her group previously pioneered research on sustainable construction materials like bio-based composites and ductile cement-based composites. Her recent publications address topics such as nature integration in architecture, workplace design optimization, and health impacts of building materials. The Billington Lab at Stanford fosters collaborative team science, welcoming partnerships to advance occupant-centric engineering solutions.
Professor Aleksandra Cichocka is a Professor of Political Psychology and Deputy Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Kent. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Warsaw and was a Fulbright Fellow at New York University. Her research focuses on political psychology, particularly collective narcissism, self-worth dynamics, and the psychological underpinnings of political attitudes. She leads the Political Psychology Lab and has been on leave until Summer 2025. Education: PhD in Psychology (University of Warsaw, 2013), Fulbright Fellowship (New York University, 2009-2013). Research interests include links between narcissism and political behavior, collective narcissism's social consequences, and psychological factors driving political engagement. Her work has been published in top journals like Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Political Psychology . Key achievements include major grants from the Leverhulme Trust and Nuffield Foundation, and awards such as the Jos Jaspars Medal (2017) and Andrzej Malewski Award (2016). She supervises current and past PhD students in topics like conspiracy theories and identity politics. Professional roles include editorial positions at PNAS Nexus and European Journal of Social Psychology . Her research spans global collaborations on topics like pandemic responses and nationalism.
Kristia Wantchekon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Georgetown University's College. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Yale University. Her research focuses on ethnic-racial identity development, particularly among adolescents, and its intersection with academic adjustment, discrimination experiences, and intergroup contact. She explores how identity processes and contextual factors influence youth mental health and educational outcomes, with a special emphasis on designing school-based interventions to foster inclusive environments. Her work analyzes how teachers and educators navigate race-related conversations, curriculum design, and professional development to address systemic inequities. Recent studies investigate Colombian adolescents' academic adjustment through an ethnic-racial lens and contextual moderators of identity interventions, including family socialization and ethnic background. Key themes in her publications include the role of ethnic-racial identity in mitigating discrimination impacts, the psychometric validation of identity measures for marginalized groups, and the moderating effects of identity centrality on intervention efficacy. Her research consistently bridges developmental, social, and educational psychology to promote equity in academic settings. No scientific awards or grant details are listed in the provided materials. She has not yet disclosed advising relationships or lab affiliations.
Roxane de la Sablonnière is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Montreal, affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She directs the CSI—Laboratory on Social Change and Identity and is a member of the CÉCD—Centre for the Study of Democratic Citizenship and the CIRCA—Interdisciplinary Research Centre on the Brain and Learning. Her research focuses on social change, cultural identities, intercultural relations, and the psychological impacts of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. She has advised over 20 graduate students and led numerous research projects funded by agencies such as the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Education & Research Focus : Her work examines how rapid societal changes affect individuals, particularly in contexts of immigration, policy shifts (e.g., multiculturalism, secularism), and Indigenous communities. Recent studies include longitudinal analyses of pandemic-related behaviors, identity integration processes, and the role of cognitive strategies in managing conflicting identities. Grants & Collaborations : She leads projects like "S'engager pour mieux aller!" (FRQS-funded) and contributes to strategic networks such as the Centre pour l'Étude de la Citoyenneté Démocratique (CÉCD). Her research integrates psychology with sociology, leveraging mixed methods (e.g., text mining, longitudinal tracking) to address societal challenges. Labs & Teams : As CSI director, she oversees projects on social change dynamics and identity reconstruction. Her work bridges academic and applied domains, influencing policy debates on integration, public health, and community resilience.
Tiffany Lewis is an Associate Professor at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College, CUNY. Her work bridges rhetoric, social movements, and public affairs to explore gendered political advocacy. Education: Ph.D., Communication, University of Maryland, College Park M.A., Communication, University of Montana, Missoula B.A., Speech Communication, University of Washington, Seattle Research Interests: Historical analysis of women's activism in the progressive-era U.S. Embodied and performative advocacy tactics (mountain ascents, hikes, road trips) Visual rhetoric and cartography in social movements Decolonizing assessment methods in communication pedagogy Publications Trends: Her work primarily examines the intersection of gender, regional identity, and rhetorical strategy in early 20th-century advocacy, with a focus on Western U.S. suffrage movements. She employs archival research, discourse analysis, and geospatial methods. Committee Service: Executive Committee, Marxe School Assessment Committee, Marxe School Strategic Planning Committee, Marxe School Editorial Board, Recovering Democracy Archive: Speech Recovery Project Teaching: She instructs courses on public communication, equity-focused advocacy, social movement activism, and women in U.S. politics.
Maria Elena Valcher is a Professor at the Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Italy. She is an IEEE Fellow (since 2012), IFAC Fellow (since 2023), Socio Effettivo of Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti (since 2017, previously Socio Corrispondente 2008-2017), and Socio Effettivo of Accademia Galieliana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti in Padova (since 2022, previously Socio Corrispondente 2017-2022). She currently serves as Administrator of the Istituto Veneto and holds leadership positions including EUCA President (2024-2025) and IEEE Control Systems Society Past President. Her research focuses on control systems, systems theory, optimization, Boolean control networks, multi-agent systems, and consensus problems. She has made significant contributions in distributed control, data-driven methods, and network optimization, with recent work exploring applications in opinion dynamics and social networks. Recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on data-driven approaches to control systems, particularly in distributed state estimation, unknown-input observer design, and multi-agent coordination. Her work shows consistent development in theoretical frameworks for networked systems with practical applications. Awards and Honors: IEEE Fellow (2012) IFAC Fellow (2023) Socio Effettivo, Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti (2017-present) Socio Effettivo, Accademia Galieliana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti in Padova (2022-present) She teaches 'Controlli Automatici' (Bachelor in Information Engineering) and 'Systems Theory' (Master in Control Systems Engineering) during the 2024/2025 academic year. She has chaired major conferences including the 61st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC 2022) and serves as Program Chair for ICSTCC 2025.
Leonie Huddy is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology from UCLA. Her research focuses on political behavior, intergroup relations, and gender/race dynamics, with recent work on partisan identities and polarization in the U.S. and Western Europe. Education: PhD in Social Psychology (University of California, Los Angeles). Roles: Co-editor of Political Psychology (2005–2010), Past-President of the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP), and member of the American National Election Studies Board of Overseers. Research Interests: Explores nationalism, affective polarization, and the impact of emotions on political decisions. Recent work emphasizes the role of group identity in shaping political cohesion and policy preferences. Publications Trends: Recent articles address nationalism's effects on EU support, partisan polarization reduction strategies, and empathy's role in welfare policy advocacy. Her work bridges social psychology and political science, emphasizing identity-driven behavior. Awards: SUNY Distinguished Professor title and leadership roles in professional societies. Labs/Teams: Directs the Political Psychology Lab and collaborates with the Behavioral Political Economy Lab at Stony Brook.
Melissa J. Ferguson is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University since 2020, previously affiliated with Cornell University's Psychology Department (2002-2020). Her research focuses on implicit cognitive processes underpinning evaluation, goal-pursuit, self-control, and social behavior. She investigates impression updating, prejudice expression, and behavioral control mechanisms. Ph.D., Social Psychology, New York University (2002) As director of Yale's Implicit Social Cognition Lab, Ferguson explores how implicit evaluations evolve through reinterpretation and new evidence. Her work spans human-robot interaction, moral agency, and political bias dynamics, with funding from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Recent publications analyze: (1) Robot competence evaluation mechanisms, (2) Implicit bias correction methods, (3) Legal decision-making patterns, and (4) Prejudice shifts during political events. She contributes to high-impact outlets like Psychological Science and PNAS . Best Paper Award, ISCON 2016
Dr. Lindsey Cameron is a Reader in Psychology and Director of Undergraduate Student Experience and Student Success at the University of Kent 's School of Psychology . Her research focuses on social developmental psychology , particularly how children develop social knowledge and intergroup attitudes. Her research interests include the development of intergroup attitudes, the role of social norms and cognitive development in shaping these attitudes, and the creation of school-based interventions to reduce prejudice. She investigates the impact of intergroup contact (direct and indirect), cultural awareness, and acculturation processes in childhood. Recent publications highlight trends in intergroup relations, bullying dynamics in schoolchildren, and interventions for social inclusion. Notable areas include intergenerational contact , malocclusion and peer relationships , and gender stereotypes in children’s media . Scientific awards include her appointment to the British Journal of Developmental Psychology Editorial Advisory Panel. She has supervised PhD students such as Dr. Caitlin Baker (2020) and Dr. Lauren Spinner (2017), focusing on topics like strategic color blindness and gender socialization . Her grants span projects like "Growing up with diversity" (British Psychological Society, 2014) and "Tackling racism amongst adolescents" (Big Lottery Research Programme, 2008–09). Collaborations involve charities and diversity organizations across Europe, including One Globe Kids and Office of the Children’s Commissioner .
Erica Burman is a Professor of Education at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. She holds visiting professorships at institutions in South Africa, Brazil, Spain, and Norway, and adjunct roles in Norway. Her research focuses on critical developmental psychology, feminist theory, childhood studies, and intersectionality. She has supervised over 80 doctoral students, many exploring themes like racialization, mental health, and education equity. Her academic career began with a PhD from Sussex University in 1990. She co-founded the Discourse Unit and co-convenes the Manchester Psychoanalytic Matrix and Feminist Theory Network. Her work challenges normalizing practices in mental health and education, emphasizing postcolonial and Frantz Fanon-inspired frameworks. Notable projects include the 'Women Asylum Seekers from Pakistan' study (2005-2008), influencing asylum policies, and research on austerity's impact on families. She has authored over 228 publications including books like Child as Method (2024). Awards include the British Psychological Society's Honorary Fellowship. Research interests span pedagogical practices for sustainability, group analysis, and educational inequalities. She serves on editorial boards of journals like Childhood and Feminism & Psychology .
Isabelle Pichon is an academic affiliated with the University of La Réunion (UCO), specifically within the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences. She holds a Doctorate in Psychological Sciences from the Catholic University of Louvain (2006) and serves as an Educational Manager for the 3rd Year Psychology Degree - PSTO Masters program. Her research focuses on prosocial behaviors, religion's impact on social dynamics, intergroup relations, stereotypes, and ethical behavior. She has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals like Le sociographe and Basic and Applied Social Psychology , exploring topics ranging from minority resilience to ideological conflicts. Her academic work bridges sociology and psychology, emphasizing societal norms, identity formation, and the psychological underpinnings of social actions. Recent studies include investigations into how religious priming influences prosociality and the ethical tensions between collective norms and individual behavior. Notable contributions include analyzing sexual minorities' resilience mechanisms and the interplay between personal and professional identity among social work students. Dr. Pichon has presented at conferences such as the XXème congrès AIPTLF (2018), addressing themes like work-life transition dynamics. Her research methodologies include experimental approaches and quantitative analyses. No scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed, but her extensive publication record underscores sustained scholarly engagement in social and psychological sciences.
Deborah Rivas-Drake is the Stephanie J. Rowley Collegiate Professor in the Marsal Family School of Education and a Professor of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on how educational, familial, and community contexts shape adolescents’ racial and ethnic identity, socioemotional well-being, and civic engagement. She co-directs the Contexts of Academic + Socioemotional Adjustment (CASA) Lab, emphasizing practices that disrupt racism and xenophobia. Her work is funded by NSF, Spencer Foundation, and W.T. Grant Foundation. She has authored/co-authored influential books like Below the Surface: Talking with Teens about Race, Ethnicity, and Identity , which won major awards. She holds leadership roles in SRCD and SRA committees, advocating for equity in education and youth development. Her research highlights the role of ethnic-racial socialization, discrimination, and intergroup contact in youth outcomes. She collaborates with educators and policymakers to translate research into practical tools for schools and families. Key contributions include frameworks for equity-focused social-emotional learning (SEL), strategies for undocumented families, and interventions to foster civic responsibility. Her grants include initiatives like the 'INVITE: Inclusive and Innovative Intelligent Technologies for Education' project and measures of equity-based SEL practices. Rivas-Drake’s awards reflect her impact on developmental science and policy. She bridges academia with community engagement, advising school districts and organizations like CASEL and Sesame Workshop. Her work underscores intersectionality, emphasizing how race, class, and immigration status interact to shape youth experiences. The CASA Lab’s interdisciplinary approach addresses systemic inequities through rigorous research and actionable solutions.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Margaret Shih is the Neil H. Jacoby Chair in Management and a professor of management and organizations at UCLA Anderson School of Management. On July 1, 2025, she was appointed the school's interim dean. She has been a faculty member at UCLA Anderson since 2008 and previously served on the faculty at the University of Michigan for eight years and worked at the RAND Corporation. Her educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.A. in Social Psychology from Harvard University and a B.A. in Psychology with honors from Stanford University. Professor Shih's research focuses on the effects of diversity in organizations, particularly examining social identity and the psychological effects of stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and stigma in organizational contexts. Her work spans organizational behavior, social psychology, and diversity studies, with significant contributions to understanding how identity affects workplace dynamics, leadership, and decision-making. She has recently published research on the influence of political polarization on perceptions of threats to democracy. Her scholarly work demonstrates consistent exploration of how individuals navigate multiple identities in organizational settings, with particular attention to colorblind diversity policies, stereotype activation mechanisms, and strategies for reducing stigma in workplaces. Her research has evolved from foundational work on stereotype boost effects to more complex examinations of multiracial identity and organizational inclusion strategies. 2017 La Force Award for Leadership 2017 Niedorf Decade Teaching Award 2011 Fulbright Award 2006 Literature, Sciences and Arts Class of 1934 Memorial Teaching Award, University of Michigan 2006 Literature, Sciences and Arts Award for Educational Excellence, University of Michigan 2005 Outstanding Scholar Honor, National Science Council, Taiwan 2003 Martin E.P. Seligman Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research in Positive Psychology 1998-1999 Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University Professor Shih has received substantial research funding from prestigious organizations including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, John Templeton Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her administrative roles have included serving as Management and Organizations department chair, deputy dean of academic affairs (where she recruited five new ladder faculty and updated Anderson bylaws), and faculty special advisor in the UCLA Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She serves on the executive committee for the International Society for Self and Identity and is a consulting editor for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Her laboratory work and research teams focus on understanding how systems contribute to different types of inequities and how bureaucratic obstacles impede equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. She has been instrumental in developing frameworks for identity management strategies in organizational contexts and examining how political polarization affects workplace dynamics.
David Broockman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley , and Director of the Berkeley Center for American Democracy since 2022. His research focuses on American Politics , Political Behavior , and Experimental Methods , with significant contributions to understanding political polarization, representation, and campaign effectiveness. Key themes in his work include: Political Polarization : Field experiments on cross-cutting media consumption, cross-partisan conversations, and affective polarization. Representation : Studies on how politicians represent citizen interests, including racial and partisan dynamics. Experimental Design : Methodological innovations in field experiments, survey methodology, and causal inference. His work has been recognized with awards such as the Joseph L. Bernd Award , APSA Experimental Research Section Best Paper Award , and the Cialdini Prize . Broockman teaches courses in empirical analysis, political psychology, and American political behavior, and serves on editorial boards for American Political Science Review and American Journal of Political Science .
Egor Lazarev is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Yale University. Previously, he held positions at the University of Toronto (2018-2019) and was a Harvard Academy Scholar (2019-2020). His research focuses on law, state-building, and conflict in post-Soviet regions, particularly Chechnya and Crimea, emphasizing legal pluralism and societal resilience. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University (2018) with a dissertation titled Laws in Conflict: Legacies of War and Legal Pluralism in Chechnya . His work examines how state and non-state legal systems interact in conflict-affected societies, with a focus on gender dynamics and post-war governance. Key publications include the award-winning book State-Building as Lawfare (Cambridge UP, 2023), which analyzes Chechen legal systems post-war, and articles in World Politics and Political Science Research & Methods . Recipient of the 2024 Gaddis Smith Book Prize for State-Building as Lawfare . Recipient of multiple APSA awards for dissertation fieldwork and research on gender and religion in politics. Research funded through fellowships from the United States Institute of Peace and Yale’s Order, Conflict, and Violence Program. Teaching expertise includes post-Soviet politics, political violence, and qualitative research methods. He has advised numerous collaborative projects on conflict legacies and legal systems in Eurasia.
