Rudolf Sinkovics is Professor of Strategy and International Business at Durham University (UK) and Visiting Professor at LUT University (Finland). His research examines global value chains, responsible business practices, and the impact of digital transformation on international business operations. Research interests focus on: Governance and upgrading in global value chains Responsible business and sustainability transitions Digital transformation in international business Cross-border knowledge networks International marketing and consumer behavior Sinkovics has received prestigious recognitions including Fellowship in the Royal Society for Arts (FRSA) and inclusion in the Stanford/Elsevier list of top 2% most cited scientists globally. His editorial roles include Co-Editor-in-Chief for Critical Perspectives on International Business. His publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary focus, combining international business theory with sustainability science, digital transformation studies, and organizational ethics. Recent work emphasizes the role of business in achieving Sustainable Development Goals through innovative governance models.
Dr. Barbara Ann Hofmann is a Professor in the School of Education at Trinity Western University (TWU), specializing in science and mathematics education with a focus on inquiry and project-based learning. She holds a PhD in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Alberta (1997) and has 15 years of teaching experience across elementary, middle, and high school levels. Her expertise includes proactive problem-solving in education and geotechnical design solutions. Education: Bachelor of Education (BEd), Middle Years - University of British Columbia (2004) PhD, Geotechnical Engineering - University of Alberta (1997) MSc (Distinction), Civil Engineering - University of Alberta (1989) BSc (Distinction), Civil Engineering - University of Alberta (1985) Research Interests: Dr. Hofmann’s research bridges geotechnical engineering and education. Her doctoral work focused on in-situ ground freezing techniques to obtain undisturbed soil samples for liquefaction assessment during earthquakes. She advocates for innovative teaching methods like project-based learning to engage students in STEM fields. Awards: Andrew Stewart Graduate Prize for PhD Students Province of Alberta Graduate Fellowship and Scholarship Alexander Rutherford Scholarship Teaching and Affiliations: Dr. Hofmann teaches courses such as EDUC 456B (Curriculum and Pedagogy: K-07 Mathematics) , EDUC 458B (Curriculum and Pedagogy: K-8 Science) , and EDUC 472 (Curriculum and Pedagogy: An Introduction to Teaching the Natural and Mathematical Sciences Grades 8-12) . She is a member of the British Columbia Teachers Federation.
Prof. Daantje Derks is a Full Professor at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, specializing in Work and Organisational Psychology. His research focuses on workplace behavior, technology’s impact on work-life balance, agile team effectiveness, and job crafting. He has contributed extensively to understanding how organizational practices influence employee well-being and performance. Key research areas include: Agile teams and resource mobilization Technology-assisted work and its psychological effects Work-life boundary management Counterproductive work behaviors Recent work highlights include advancing theories on team resilience, analyzing smartphone use’s role in workplace stress, and evaluating policy guidelines for remote work. His studies often employ diary methods and meta-analyses to explore daily dynamics and long-term trends. Derks has supervised 5 academic works and collaborates internationally on organizational psychology topics. His research bridges theoretical frameworks (e.g., JD-R model) with practical applications for workplace design and policy-making.
Melissa Tully is a Professor and CLAS Collegiate Scholar at the University of Iowa, serving as Director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She holds the Easton Professorship of Research and is a Senior Research Fellow at the Public Policy Center. Her research focuses on news literacy, misinformation, and global media with emphasis on African contexts. She teaches courses on social/digital media and leads the Global Media Studies Working Group at the Obermann Center. Tully earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. Recent grants include projects on media literacy impact measurement and combating misinformation in Kenya/Senegal. She has advised numerous grants totaling over $2M, including roles as Principal Investigator for studies on WhatsApp misinformation and news literacy frameworks. Her work spans Sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S., addressing topics like mobile money adoption, cyberbullying, and sponsored content ethics. Key research themes include media literacy behaviors, misinformation countermeasures, and digital inequalities. Over 60 peer-reviewed articles highlight her contributions to Science Communication, Journalism Theory, and African media studies. Collaborations with international organizations like Innovations for Poverty Action reflect her commitment to applied research.
Desiderio Juan García Almeida is a Professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria within the Department of Economics and Business Management . His research focuses on entrepreneurship, tourism management, knowledge transfer, and organizational behavior. He actively collaborates with the GIR Business Organization and Management research group and contributes to European sustainability and education initiatives. Research Interests : Entrepreneurship, Tourism Management, Knowledge Transfer, Hospitality Innovation, Organizational Behavior, Family Business Succession, Sustainable Development Collaborations : Extensive work with José Luis Ballesteros Rodríguez , Pedro Manuel Calero Pérez , and others in hospitality, tourism, and business education Publications : Over 73 publications, including articles in high-impact journals like International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management and Journal of Knowledge Management , focusing on knowledge dynamics, tourism entrepreneurship, and organizational growth Projects : Involved in Erasmus+ programs for circular economy education and studies on post-pandemic economic recovery in tourism His work bridges knowledge management with entrepreneurial practices , particularly in island economies and the hospitality sector. He examines how education and experience influence business succession and innovation, and how frontline employees drive change through creativity and motivation. His recent articles explore transgenerational entrepreneurship in the Canary Islands and immigrant entrepreneur knowledge in tourism, while earlier works analyze training transfer, communication quality, and Bologna process adaptations in European business education.
Prof. Jörn Meissner, PhD, is a Full Professor of Supply Chain Management & Pricing Strategy at Kühne Logistics University (KLU) since 2011. He holds a PhD and Master’s in Management Science from Columbia Business School and a Diploma in Business from University of Hamburg . As an academic and entrepreneur, he founded Manhattan Review and Lancaster Executive . Education: PhD in Management Science, Columbia University (2005) Master of Philosophy, Columbia University (2005) Diplom-Kaufmann, University of Hamburg (1997) Research Expertise: Focus on stochastic and dynamic decision-making using mathematical optimization and machine learning Key projects: Global supply chain optimization , Inventory control , Revenue management , and Operations & service management Industry collaborations with British Telecom , British Airways , Apple Europe , and SAP Germany Publication Trends: Recent work addresses intermittent demand forecasting for spare parts, lateral transshipment optimization , and risk-sensitive capacity control Historical contributions include progressive interval heuristics for multi-item lot sizing and dynamic pricing with customer choice models Teaching Experience: Previously held academic positions at Lancaster University Management School , University of Hamburg , and University of Mannheim Developed MBA electives in Advanced Decision Models , Supply Chain Management, and Revenue Management
Michael Hyland is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on the modeling, analysis, and optimization of smart urban transportation systems, with particular emphasis on shared autonomous vehicles, microtransit integration with fixed-route transit, and sustainable mobility solutions. He employs methodologies from operations research (optimization, Markov decision processes), statistical modeling (discrete choice, regression), and economic analysis to address challenges in urban mobility. Education: Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering (Transportation), Northwestern University, 2018 M.Eng., Civil and Environmental Engineering (Transportation), Cornell University, 2013 B.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Magna Cum Laude, 2013 His recent research explores emerging mobility paradigms through topics such as dynamic fleet management, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) impacts, equity in job accessibility, electricity demand implications of e-bikes, and human-machine collaborative planning frameworks. The work often combines large-scale simulation with interpretable modeling techniques. Hyland leads the Hyland Lab , which develops computational tools for evaluating integrated transportation systems. The lab's work spans theoretical modeling (e.g., state-space representations, decomposition heuristics) and applied policy analysis (e.g., assessing Senate Bill 1 infrastructure projects, AV-era parking reforms, and micromobility deployment strategies).
Associate Professor Zhidong Li is a prominent researcher at the Data Science Institute within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. With over a decade of experience in data science and machine learning, he leads impactful research bridging theoretical advancements with practical applications across multiple critical infrastructure domains. Dr. Li earned his PhD from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and previously served as a senior engineer at Data61, CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Australia's federal government agency for scientific research. His research spans machine learning, data mining, pattern recognition, image processing, and human-computer interaction with applications in water, gas, traffic, urbanization, visitor economy, agriculture, environment, finance, property market, railway, law, electric and health sectors. His work particularly focuses on developing interpretable AI models, temporal point processes, and practical applications for smart infrastructure management. His extensive publication record reveals strong thematic consistency in applying advanced machine learning techniques to infrastructure management problems, with particular emphasis on water systems. His research demonstrates progression from fundamental algorithm development toward increasingly sophisticated applications with real-world impact, especially in temporal modeling, graph neural networks, and fairness in AI systems. Scientific Awards 2022 R&D Excellence Award NSW Water Award 2021 UTS Medal for Research Impact for the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Research Excellence 2018 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Excellence in Data Science 2019 Victorian iAwards - Industrial & Primary Industries Merit for 'Predictive Analytics for Water Pipe Maintenance' Multiple AWA research innovation awards (NSW, National, QLD) Dr. Li actively supervises Masters and PhD students and leads numerous funded research projects across diverse sectors. His collaborative approach is evident through partnerships with water utilities, transport agencies, and various CRC projects focusing on Food Agility, Digital Finance, and Smartcrete. His work on the world's first independently-audited ethical talent AI in partnership with Reejig demonstrates his commitment to translating research into real-world solutions that address societal challenges while maintaining ethical standards.
Dr. Wei Yang is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Strategy at the University of Glasgow's Adam Smith Business School, where she is part of the Strategy and Technology Management research cluster. Previously, she held academic positions at Nankai University and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in China, with visiting appointments at Columbia University Business School and the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL). Her educational background includes BA and MA degrees from Beijing Normal University and a PhD in International Management from Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg in Germany. Prior to academia, she worked as a management consultant at Towers Perrin in Beijing. Wei Yang's research centers on competitive strategy and alliance governance within emerging markets, with particular focus on how domestic and foreign firms engage in dynamic competition to gain advantages. Her work examines: Competitive dynamics between local and multinational firms in institutional voids Board structures and decision-making processes in joint ventures Top management team composition and strategic action speed Ownership effects on business growth and competitive behavior Alliance proactiveness and performance outcomes in emerging economies Her publication record shows consistent evolution from joint venture governance studies in the early 2000s toward sophisticated analyses of competitive dynamics and top management influences. Collaborating frequently with Klaus Meyer, she publishes in leading journals including International Business Review and Journal of Business Research, with recent work exploring TMT diversity effects (2025) and ownership-competition relationships (2019-2020). Her scholarly recognition includes: An international award (specific name not provided) Nominations for Academy of Management (AoM) awards Nominations for European International Business Academy (EIBA) awards Wei Yang actively supervises PhD researchers in Strategy and International Business, currently guiding Qi Ruochen on DeFi technology standards research. She has secured over £270,000 in research funding including a £240,000 National Natural Science Foundation grant (2017-2021) on new venture business models and multiple CEIBS research grants. Her supervision covers topics like guanxi/corruption in Chinese public sector and TMT/competitive dynamics relationships. As an active member of the Strategy and Technology Management research cluster, she contributes to collaborative initiatives examining strategic management in global contexts while maintaining professional memberships in the Academy of Management, Strategic Management Society, and International Association of Chinese Management Research.
Susan Freeman is a Professor of International Business at the Business School of the University of South Australia (UniSA). She is actively involved in research and supervision within the UniSA Business academic unit, with a strong focus on international entrepreneurship, SME internationalization, and global strategy. Her work frequently appears in top-tier journals such as International Business Review , Global Strategy Journal , and Scandinavian Journal of Management . Her research interests span a broad range of topics including international business strategies, subsidiary autonomy in multinational enterprises, value creation in global value chains, high-performance work systems, and the dynamics of social networks in firm internationalization. She has contributed significantly to the understanding of how SMEs from diverse contexts—such as Brazil, India, and Australia—navigate international markets and develop competitive strategies. The recent publications of Professor Freeman reflect a strong trend toward conceptual and systematic reviews that integrate theoretical frameworks like the attention-based view, resource-based view, and dynamic capabilities. Her work often explores paradoxes and tensions in international management, such as coopetition at the supranational level and the balance between autonomy and control in multinational subsidiaries. She also contributes to policy-relevant research, particularly in how governments can better support foreign subsidiaries through after-care services and tailored investment promotion. Internationalization through social networks: a systematic review and future research agenda (2024) Paradoxical tensions at multiple levels: a model of unbalanced supranational coopetition (2024) High-performance work systems in public service units (2024) Are all cats grey in the dark? A new taxonomy of internationalizing SMEs (2024) Developing successful assumed autonomy-based initiatives (2023) Professor Freeman has received recognition through citations in Web of Science and Scopus, with several of her articles cited over 10 times. She has collaborated with researchers from institutions in France, Iceland, China, and the UK, indicating a strong international research network. While specific grants are mentioned in some publications (e.g., Watanabe Trust Fund, Letterstedtska Fund, HI NIAS), detailed grant histories are not fully elaborated in the provided texts. She serves as a Research Degree Supervisor at UniSA and has contributed to edited volumes and book chapters on SME internationalization and growth frontiers in international business. Her work bridges academic theory with practical implications for managers and policymakers, particularly in the areas of export strategy, organizational design in MNEs, and support mechanisms for growing firms.
Dirk De Clercq is a Distinguished Professor of Management at the Goodman School of Business, Brock University. His research focuses on organizational behavior, workplace psychology, leadership, and employee well-being. He explores topics such as employee turnover, resilience, workplace conflict, and the interplay between work and family life. His recent work examines how organizational dynamics like bullying, procedural injustice, and leadership styles affect employee behavior and performance. Research interests include understanding how employees navigate challenges such as role ambiguity, workplace incivility, and political climates. He investigates mechanisms like resilience, forgiveness, and innovation propensity as buffers against negative outcomes. His studies often emphasize practical implications for fostering healthier organizational cultures and improving employee engagement. Publications highlight trends in organizational change, ethical behavior, and the psychological impact of crises. He has analyzed the role of religiosity, self-control, and adaptive humor in mitigating workplace stress. Dirk’s work bridges theoretical insights with real-world management practices, contributing to fields like entrepreneurship and human resource management. No awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided text. His research is supported through institutional affiliations at Brock University, with a focus on collaborative studies across international contexts. Labs/Teams: No specific lab or team affiliations are mentioned, though his collaborative articles suggest involvement in interdisciplinary research networks.
Yalda T. Uhls serves as Assistant Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she founded and directs the Center for Scholars & Storytellers. This initiative bridges academic research with entertainment industry practices to maximize positive media impacts on youth development through evidence-based collaborations with studios and platforms. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, complemented by a Master of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Developmental Psychology from UCLA. Prior to her academic career, she spent 15 years as a senior film executive at major studios including MGM and Sony, providing unique industry insights that inform her translational research approach. Dr. Uhls' research program investigates how traditional and digital media shape preteen and adolescent social behavior, with particular emphasis on proactive strategies for families and content creators to harness media for positive health outcomes. Her work extends to critical examinations of diversity, inclusion, and implicit bias in media representation, reflecting her perspective as an American-born child of Iranian immigrants. She actively promotes evidence-based media practices through her advisory roles with organizations including Common Sense Media, YouTube Kids, and the Barbie advisory council. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent focus on media's developmental impacts, with recent work exploring parental mediation techniques, cross-cultural digital behaviors, and screen-free environments for emotion recognition. Her 2014 study demonstrating improved nonverbal emotion skills in preteens after screen-free outdoor camps received widespread attention in outlets like Time Magazine and the New York Times. Her significant contributions have been recognized through: Society for Research in Child Development Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award (2015) UCLA Dissertation Award UCLA Service Award for Psychology in Action As an educator, she teaches the undergraduate course Digital Media and Human Development while mentoring students through Psychology in Action, a graduate-student-run program translating research for public audiences. Her industry-academic bridge-building has led to consultations with the White House, Google, Pixar, NFL, and Harvard Business School, alongside authoring the parenting guide Media Moms & Digital Dads. The Center for Scholars & Storytellers represents her flagship initiative, creating structured pathways for entertainment industry professionals to access developmental science through workshops, reports, and direct collaborations, thereby operationalizing her vision of media as a positive developmental tool.
Eva Ekvall Hansson is a Professor and Assistant Head of the Department of Health Sciences at Lund University. She leads the research group 'Human Movement: Health and Rehabilitation' and serves as a Research Team Manager. Her roles include membership in the LU Profile Area: Proactive Ageing and chairmanship of the Med-service Board. She teaches physiotherapy and medical sciences programs at Lund University, while maintaining clinical practice at Skåne University Hospital's ENT department two half-days weekly. Her research focuses on dizziness, vertigo, balance deficits, falls prevention, osteoarthritis, stroke rehabilitation in primary care, and higher education methodology. Collaborations include the LOAD osteoarthritis network and Ear-Nose-Throat research groups. She has supervised 9 doctoral works and leads projects like ORAF (hip fracture rehabilitation) and SaVE-A-Fall (vestibular adaptation). Key projects include studying wearable devices for osteoarthritis patients, post-COVID mobility impacts, and pediatric physiotherapy methods. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being.
Dr. Laura Salciuviene is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Strategy and International Business at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK, where she has been since 2022. She previously served as a lecturer at Lancaster University from 2008 to 2021. She is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, reflecting her commitment to high-quality teaching and learning. PhD in Business and Administration (Marketing) MSc (Hons) in Business Management BSc in Business Management Her research centers on moral identity, sustainable consumption, cross-cultural influences, and digital environments . She investigates how individual attitudes shape sustainable business strategies across international contexts. Her work spans consumer behavior, organizational ethics, and strategic management, often integrating psychological and sociocultural perspectives. She has published in journals such as Journal of Consumer Marketing , International Business Review , and Sustainability , with recent focus on moral identity, circular economy, and sustainable business practices. Her recent publications reveal a strong thematic focus on sustainability in both personal and organizational contexts, particularly examining the psychological and cultural drivers of pro-environmental behavior. She also contributes to educational resources, including a digital course on sustainable and circular consumption. Dr. Salciuviene is actively involved in the academic community: Member of the Editorial Review Board, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing Session and Track Chair at international conferences (BAM, EIBA, ERCP) External and Internal Examiner for PhD theses at Alliance MBS, Lancaster, and Manchester She teaches postgraduate modules in Advanced Strategy, International Business Strategy, and Cross-Cultural Management , and serves as Module Leader and Academic Integrity Officer. While no formal advisees are listed, her PhD examination roles indicate strong engagement with doctoral research. She has industry experience in retail management and contributes to knowledge transfer through Udemy. No formal scientific awards are mentioned.
Pejman Lotfi-Kamran is an Associate Professor at the School of Computer Science, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, where he also serves as the head of the school and director of Turin Cloud Services. His research focuses on computer architecture, systems, approximate computing, and cloud computing, with an emphasis on performance and energy efficiency for big-data applications. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Computer Science, EPFL (2013) M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran (2005) B.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran (2002) Lotfi-Kamran's research spans computer architecture innovations, including data and instruction prefetching, networks-on-chip, coherence protocols, and many-core processor design. He has pioneered work on scale-out processors, neural acceleration for GPUs, and approximate computing frameworks. His publications appear in top venues such as ISCA, HPCA, MICRO, and IEEE/ACM journals. His recent articles reflect a strong trend in improving system performance through intelligent prefetching, efficient NoC designs, and energy-aware architectures. Key themes include reducing frontend bottlenecks, optimizing cache behavior, and enhancing data delivery in large-scale systems. His work often combines cross-stack insights with hardware-software co-design for real-world impact. Scientific awards and recognitions include: 2017 CADS Best Paper Award 2016 Young Faculty Award from Iran's National Elites Foundation 2012-2013 Intel Ph.D. Fellowship 2012 and 2011 HiPEAC Paper Awards 2011 HPCA Best Student Paper Finalist Multiple academic honors from University of Tehran He has advised several graduate students including Paria Darbani, Ali Ansari, Mohammad Bakhshalipour, and Farid Samandi, many of whom have co-authored significant papers. His teaching spans institutions like Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Science and Technology, and EPFL, covering advanced computer architecture and multiprocessor systems. He has led research projects such as AxBench and CloudSuite on Simics, and contributed to national initiatives like Iran’s National Grid. He is actively involved in tool development and continues to shape research in next-generation computing systems. He leads the Turin Cloud Services initiative at IPM and is deeply engaged in both theoretical and applied aspects of computer systems research, with ongoing work in neural acceleration, approximate computing, and scalable architectures.
