Andrew Mitchell is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, Monash University, and a member of the WTO Dispute Settlement Panelists Indicative List. He has extensive legal practice experience with Allens Arthur Robinson and consults for governments, international organizations, and the private sector. Mitchell has taught law in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Singapore, and the US. He holds law degrees from the University of Melbourne, Harvard Law School, and a PhD from the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on international economic law, public international law, and digital trade governance, with a particular emphasis on the intersection of trade law and public health. Mitchell has secured six major grants, including an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship, and has authored over 170 books and articles. He serves as an editor for Edward Elgar’s International Economic Law Series and multiple journal editorial boards. Recent projects include 'Safeguarding Health in International Investment Agreements' (2022–2025) 'Maritime Cooperation for a Sustainable Indo-Pacific' (2021–2022) 'Global E-Commerce and Cottage Industries in India' (2020–2021) He has contributed to policy submissions on bilateral investment treaties and delivered lectures on data sovereignty and digital trade. His awards include editorial leadership roles at journals like the Journal of World Investment and Trade and Asia Pacific Law Review .
Dr. Winnie Yip is a Professor of the Practice of Global Health Policy and Economics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She serves as Faculty Director of the China Health Partnership and recently concluded her role as Acting Director at Harvard's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. Previously, she was a Professor at the University of Oxford and led the Global Health Policy Program. She holds a PhD in Economics from MIT and a BA from UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on systemic healthcare interventions, policy design, and aging populations' impact on health systems. She collaborates closely with governments and international agencies like the World Bank and WHO, advising on reforms in Asia. Her work emphasizes equitable access, health system efficiency, and innovative eldercare solutions. Dr. Yip’s academic leadership includes roles as past President of the International Health Economics Association and editorial positions at journals like Social Science & Medicine . Her grants include funding from NSF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and EU Commission. Key areas of study include telemedicine, long-term care financing, and healthcare delivery in low-income regions.
Sabrina Furtado is a Lecturer in Sport Management and Dean’s Associate Fellow at Loughborough University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. She holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD. Previously, she taught at the Federal University of Paraná and State University of Santa Catarina in Brazil, focusing on sport management, sports law, and entrepreneurship in the sports sector. Her research focuses on sports governance, strategic planning, and policy development in public and private sports entities. Key areas include Olympic and Paralympic federations, sports financing, and the impact of media representation on disability inclusion. She contributes to the Sport, Business and Society and Lifestyle for Health and Wellbeing research groups, as well as the Inteligência Esportiva Research Institute . Recent work analyzes governance structures in Santa Catarina municipalities, business intelligence applications in sports management, and modernization processes in Brazilian Olympic federations. Her publications span topics like Paralympic organizational roles, media stigma in disability sports reporting, and funding mechanisms for sports initiatives. No scientific awards are mentioned. Sabrina advises master’s students on sport management and policy but no grant details are provided. Her current projects aim to strengthen sports policies and enhance stakeholders’ engagement in the sport system.
Sascha van Schendel is an Assistant Professor in Data Protection & Cybersecurity at the Department of Law & Markets, Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She is affiliated with the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization and contributes to the Sectorplan SSH-Breed research initiative on the influence of digitalization on work, prosperity, and entrepreneurship. Her research lies at the intersection of law, technology, and fundamental rights, with a focus on data protection, privacy, algorithmic governance, and the regulation of emerging technologies in public and environmental domains. She has published widely on topics including GDPR compliance, privacy by design, smart energy systems, AI in criminal justice, and the legal implications of predictive policing. The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward the regulation of data in public infrastructure (e.g., energy grids), algorithmic accountability in law enforcement, and the integration of legal and technical perspectives in privacy-preserving systems. Her work spans environmental law, criminal procedure, and digital constitutionalism, demonstrating interdisciplinary reach. Scientific Awards: No awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: While no formal PhD or Master’s students are listed, Dr. van Schendel has been involved in significant research projects such as the NWO-funded Megamind project on smart energy grids, indicating experience with competitive grant funding. She actively collaborates with legal scholars and contributes to public policy debates, including responses to national legislation like the Dutch Cybersecurity Bill. Labs and Teams: She is a core member of the Erasmus Centre of Law and Digitalization, a research hub focusing on the legal challenges of digital transformation. Her work is embedded in interdisciplinary collaborations involving law, technology, and public policy experts.
Prasanna (Sonny) Tambe is a Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in the economics of technology and labor markets. His research explores AI’s impact on workforce dynamics, HR algorithms, and the gender wage gap in tech industries. Education: Ph.D. in Managerial Science and Applied Economics (Wharton, UPenn); S.B. and M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MIT). His work leverages internet-scale data from job platforms and patent databases to analyze trends in skill acquisition, remote work diversity, and algorithmic bias in hiring. Recent studies examine AI’s role in HR decision-making, the economics of emerging technologies, and labor market responses to IT innovation. Scientific Awards: Best Undergraduate Professors (Poets & Quants, 2020) Best Paper Awards (Management Science, Information Systems Research) ISS Sandra A. Slaughter Early Career Award (2016) Tambe co-directs Wharton Human-AI Research, focusing on ethical AI integration in organizations. His teaching includes award-winning courses on AI’s societal implications and data-driven business strategies.
Prof. Dr. Peter Gomber is Chair of e-Finance at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Germany. He serves as Co-Chairman and member of the Board of the 'efl – the Data Science Institute', an industry-academic partnership between Frankfurt and Darmstadt Universities and leading industry partners. Additionally, he is a member of the Exchange Council of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Supervisory Board of Clearstream Banking AG, and Research Fellow at the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE in Frankfurt. Prof. Gomber received his Ph.D. at the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Giessen in 1999 after graduating in Business Administration. Before joining Goethe University in 2004, he worked for five years as Director, Head of Market Development Cash Markets and Xetra Research at Deutsche Börse AG, where he developed new market models and products for cash market trading on Xetra. His research focuses on market microstructure theory, digital finance and fintech, regulatory impact on financial markets, and electronic trading systems. With over 150 publications in leading international journals, his work has significantly influenced the field, particularly his highly cited papers on the Fintech Revolution. His recent research examines market fragmentation, circuit breakers, research unbundling under MiFID II, and the application of AI in financial markets. Prof. Gomber's extensive publication record shows a clear evolution from traditional market microstructure and electronic trading systems toward digital finance, fintech innovations, and regulatory impact analysis. His work bridges technical aspects of financial markets with regulatory considerations, demonstrating how technological innovations interact with market structure and regulation. His scientific recognition includes: IBM Shared University Research Grant (2007) Reuters Innovation Award (2000) Best Paper Award of the Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2020) Best Information Systems Publications Award (2020) Top 1 and Top 3 most cited articles in Fintech research (2025 bibliometric analysis) Prof. Gomber has successfully supervised numerous PhD students, including Tino Cestonaro who won the Best PhD Paper Award 2025. He has acquired significant research funds from both public institutions and the private sector. Notably, a market model invention by Prof. Gomber was granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, with two additional market model inventions filed for patent in Europe and the US. He leads an active research team at the Chair of e-Finance, including researchers like Benjamin Clapham, Micha Bender, and Tino Cestonaro. The team collaborates closely with the efl – the Data Science Institute and the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE, bridging academic research with practical applications in financial markets.
Professor Will Bateman is a distinguished academic at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Law, where he serves as a Professor and recently completed his term as Associate Dean (Research) from 2021 to 2024. He is also a Chief Investigator for the ANU Grand Challenge project "Humanising Machine Intelligence" and a Fellow at the Gradient Institute, a leading ethical AI research organization based in Sydney. Professor Bateman's educational background is impressive, having earned a PhD and LLM (Hons) from the University of Cambridge and a BA/LLB (Hons) from the Australian National University. Prior to his academic career, he worked in appellate litigation, commercial disputes, and banking as a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills, and served as an associate to Justice Stephen Gageler AC of the High Court of Australia and Justice Steven Rares of the Federal Court of Australia. Professor Bateman's research spans two major interdisciplinary domains that sit at the intersection of law with finance and technology. His work on financial regulation focuses on the legal aspects of central banking, sovereign debt markets, digital currencies, and sustainable investing. He has provided expert evidence to the UK Parliament's House of Lords Inquiry into Quantitative Easing, and has collaborated with major financial institutions including the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Bank of England. His research on artificial intelligence examines regulatory frameworks for AI in the public sector, with collaborations including the Minderoo Foundation and the Gradient Institute. His recent publications demonstrate a remarkable breadth across legal theory, financial regulation, and AI governance. The articles reveal a consistent theme of examining how traditional legal frameworks adapt to new financial technologies and monetary policy challenges. His work bridges theoretical legal scholarship with practical policy implications, as evidenced by his numerous government consultations and collaborations with central banks worldwide. 2020 Yorke Prize by the University of Cambridge for his work on public finance and constitutionalism Top 10 all-time most downloaded SSRN paper on central banking ("Central Bank Money: Liability, Asset, or Equity of the Nation?") Professor Bateman actively supervises research students, currently mentoring Benjamin Ettinger who is pursuing a PhD on "Legal Method, Cartels and Public Monopolies: A View From the High Court 1908 - 1948." He has secured significant research funding, including projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK), the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft), and The Minderoo Foundation. His "Rebuilding Macroeconomics Initiative: Legal and Economic Conceptions of Money" received £245,000, while the "FA Mann" project was funded with €620,000 (approximately A$1,012,500). He leads the "Humanising Machine Intelligence" project, an ambitious interdisciplinary initiative involving computer scientists, mathematicians, philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, and lawyers aimed at developing democratically legitimate machine intelligence. He also co-led a major project with the University of Western Australia to formulate model legal frameworks for AI regulation in the public sector, funded by The Minderoo Foundation.
Farhat Chowdhury is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Economics at Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Their research focuses on education and health policy, particularly the impact of menstrual product access in schools on educational outcomes, alongside broader international economic and policy issues related to innovation, gender, and development. Education: Ph.D. in Economics, Bryan School of Business and Economics, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2024) Teaching responsibilities include Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics courses across multiple terms (Fall 2024 to Winter 2025). Recent publications explore gender dynamics in innovation ecosystems, AI research funding spatial patterns, and pandemic-era government policies' sectoral impacts. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided information. Current roles include advising in economics education and contributing to policy-relevant research initiatives in public health and innovation sectors.
Anthony Niblett is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Law, Economics, & Innovation at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He is an Affiliate Researcher with the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence and co-founder of Blue J, a startup leveraging AI for tax and legal professionals. Education: Ph.D. in Economics, Harvard University (2009) M.A. in Economics, Harvard University (2006) LL.B. (Honours), University of Melbourne (2003) B.Com. (Honours in Economics), University of Melbourne (2003) Bigelow Fellow, University of Chicago His research bridges artificial intelligence , innovation , and legal theory , with a focus on contract law , competition policy , and judicial behavior . He explores how machine learning transforms legal practice, regulatory frameworks, and judicial decisions. His work includes self-driving contracts , computational antitrust , and the personalization of law . Recent publications analyze AI’s role in legal disagreement , gender gaps in employment law , and computational merger reviews . His articles emphasize the intersection of technology , economics , and legal reform . Scientific Awards: Canada Research Chair in Law, Economics, & Innovation Bigelow Fellow, University of Chicago He serves as an Academic Advisor at the Future of Law Lab and contributes to Blue J , advancing AI applications in legal domains. His teaching includes Contract Law , Torts , and Economic Analysis of Law .
Michael Lepech is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. His research focuses on integrating sustainability into civil engineering through quantitative assessment and multi-scale modeling, particularly via the Sustainable Integrated Materials, Structures, Systems (SIMSS) framework. He also leads the Stanford Center at the Incheon Global Campus (SCIGC) in South Korea, exploring smart city technologies for urban sustainability. Education : PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering (2006), MBA in Finance and Strategy (2008) from the University of Michigan. Research Areas : Sustainable infrastructure design, biopolymer composites, life cycle assessment, digital twinning, smart city technologies, and multi-physics deterioration modeling. Leadership : Director of SCIGC, advancing research on smart and sustainable urban environments in Songdo, South Korea. His recent publications focus on biopolymer-bound composites, traffic signal optimization, and life cycle sustainability analysis. He has received recognition as a Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Woods Institute for environmental research.
Henri van Soest is a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy and a Senior Analyst at RAND Europe. He is based at RAND, a global policy research organization, where he leads studies on energy security, artificial intelligence governance, critical infrastructure protection, and European Union policy. His work supports key institutions including the European Union, UK government, and Dutch government. His research focuses on the intersection of technology and policy, particularly in energy systems and AI. Key areas include: AI governance and trustworthy AI tools Energy security and digitalisation of the power grid Critical undersea infrastructure protection Cybersecurity in energy systems Space technology regulation Societal resilience and national security The trend in his recent publications shows a growing emphasis on the dual-use nature of AI in critical infrastructure, balancing innovation with security and resilience. His work combines technical analysis with policy recommendations, often using modeling and expert elicitation. Much of his research addresses transatlantic and European policy challenges, especially in energy and security domains. Scientific contributions and policy impact are evident through frequent publications and expert submissions to governmental bodies. Notable outputs include evidence submissions to the UK Parliament and reports for the U.S. Department of Energy. While no formal awards are listed, his influence is reflected in high-level policy engagement. He has advised on grants and policy studies involving global teams, particularly in energy transition, AI infrastructure, and resilience planning. His prior experience includes energy policy research at the University of Oslo, cleantech analysis, and corporate governance in banking. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and a joint LL.M. from KU Leuven and the University of Zurich. Henri van Soest leads research within RAND Europe’s multidisciplinary teams focusing on science, technology, and security policy. His work often involves collaboration across international experts and institutions, particularly on EU and NATO-related security issues. He contributes to projects involving horizon scanning, Delphi studies, and quantitative modeling in policy contexts.
Professor Eero Vaara, currently at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, is a globally recognized expert in organizational theory, strategic change, and institutional dynamics. With 39 publications in Financial Times top 50 journals between 2008-2022, his work explores historical perspectives, discursive processes, and paradoxes in organizational transformations. Affiliation: Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Research Focus: Strategic change, institutional work, narrative theory, and historical embeddedness Eero’s research bridges macro-institutional and micro-practice approaches, emphasizing how unmaterialized decisions, discursive struggles, and temporal dynamics shape organizational trajectories. His work spans multinational corporations, public sector governance, and extreme contexts, with a growing interest in historical analysis and critical discourse studies. His recent publications highlight themes such as strategy-as-practice , national identity , and temporal intentionality . Articles like Near-histories and strategy emergence and Discursive legitimation demonstrate his interdisciplinary approach combining institutional theory, paradox theory, and narrative analysis. Scientific Awards: Academy of Management fellowship Ranked 11th most published management scholar in FT top 50 journals (2008-2022) Eero’s collaborative research style and resilience in the publication process have led to influential contributions in strategic management and organizational studies. His colleague Eric Zhao notes that his work “opens up new ways of thinking about organizations, strategy, and change,” reflecting Oxford Saïd’s commitment to research excellence.
Robert Thomas is a Professor of Public Law at the University of Manchester's School of Law. He holds a LL.B. from Cardiff University (1995) and a Ph.D. from Nottingham University (1998). His research focuses on administrative law, immigration/asylum law, and administrative justice, with particular emphasis on tribunals, judicial review, and institutional design. He has advised the UK Parliament on immigration reforms and authored influential works like Administrative Justice and Asylum Appeals (2011), which won the Peter Birks Prize. His recent projects include studies on AI in governance, constitutional history, and systemic administrative justice failures. Thomas is actively involved in legal education, co-authoring Public Law (5th ed., 2024) and supervising postgraduate research in public law and immigration law. Key research contributions include empirical analyses of asylum appeals, administrative tribunals, and ombudsman practices. He has addressed challenges in public sector digitalisation, outsourcing impacts on administrative justice, and the implications of pandemic governance. Thomas advocates for administrative fairness agendas in immigration systems and contributes to legal scholarship through peer-reviewed articles and edited volumes on topics ranging from judicial review to constitutional caricature history. His awards include the 2011 Peter Birks Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship. Thomas engages with policy-making through expert testimony, public commentary, and collaborative research funded by the British Academy and Nuffield Foundation. His work intersects law, policy, and social justice, emphasizing the practical implications of legal frameworks on vulnerable populations.
John Psarras is a Professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, specifically within the Division of Industrial Electric Devices and Decision Systems. He serves as the Director of the Decision Support Systems Laboratory (DSSlab) and the University Research Institute of Communication and Computer Systems. He holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (1982) and a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (1989), both from NTUA. His research specializes in decision support systems with applications in energy management, environmental analysis, and information systems. Key areas include: Multi-criteria analysis for energy policy and renewable integration AI-driven optimization of smart grids and building efficiency Sustainable finance mechanisms for green projects Blockchain applications in education and data security His recent publications (2023–2025) demonstrate a strong focus on AI-enhanced decision tools for energy transitions, smart infrastructure, healthcare diagnostics, and cross-border renewable cooperation, reflecting interdisciplinary innovation. He has supervised 22 PhD theses and coordinates EU-funded projects in energy policy, clean technology, and capacity building. No scientific awards are listed in available sources. He leads the Decision Support Systems Laboratory (DSSlab), advancing research in energy analytics, and directs the University Research Institute of Communication and Computer Systems, facilitating large-scale interdisciplinary collaborations.
Prof Nigel Mehdi is the Director of the DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development at the University of Oxford's Department for Continuing Education, where he also serves as a Departmental Lecturer. He is a Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford, and holds an Honorary Professorship in the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham. Additionally, he serves as Programme Director for the UAE National Artificial Intelligence Programme. Education: PhD in Real Estate Economics from London School of Economics Postgraduate qualifications in Software Engineering, Politics, Development and Democratic Education, Sustainable Development, Digital Education, and Professional Education and Training Research Interests: Prof Mehdi's research sits at the intersection of urban economics , digital technologies , and sustainable development . His work focuses on applying advanced technologies like AI and big data analytics to urban challenges. Key areas include: Real estate sustainability and economics Smart cities and intelligent buildings Spatial big data applications in urban planning Digital education for sustainability Urban resilience and governance Property technology (PropTech) innovations Research Trends: His recent publications demonstrate a clear focus on future-oriented urban governance , with multiple 'Executive Outlook' reports examining privacy, governance, money, ESG, and work in 2030+ scenarios. These works bridge academic research with practical policy implications for urban development. His earlier works focus on technological applications in surveying and urban development, showing an evolution from technical implementation to strategic foresight. Awards and Recognition: OUSU Outstanding Tutor (2017) Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Fellow of the British Computer Society Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Teaching and Supervision: Prof Mehdi leads the DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development programme and teaches on the Master's in Sustainable Urban Development. He welcomes doctoral applications in areas including: Real estate sustainability Spatial big data and smart cities Digital economies and urban analytics AI applications in urban contexts Urban resilience and governance Professional Roles: He serves as Chair of the UK Education Standards Board for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and as an Accreditation Team member for the Institution of Engineering and Technology. His consultancy work spans public and private sectors, including governments, NGOs, and global corporations.
