Jeffrey A. Cooper is a Professor of Law at Quinnipiac University School of Law , where he teaches courses in estate planning, wills and trusts, and taxation. He previously served as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and is currently faculty adviser to the Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal . Education: AB from Harvard University, JD from Yale University, LLM from New York University Research Interests: His work focuses on tax policy , estate and gift taxation , and the intersection of federal tax law with state probate systems . He specializes in trust enforceability , uniform trust code , and historical analysis of tax legislation. Publications: Recent articles address perpetual trusts , state death tax decline , and curriculum reforms in estate planning education. His scholarship is widely published in national law journals and cited in casebooks. Scientific Awards: Academic Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) Faculty Scholar, Quinnipiac University Professional Background: Before academia, Cooper practiced law for over a decade as a principal at Cummings & Lockwood, senior officer at United States Trust Company, and special counsel to Shipman & Goodwin. He also served as a senior adviser to Fiduciary Trust Company International.
Sarah Turnbull is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, affiliated with the Balsillie School for International Affairs. Her work intersects criminology, sociolegal studies, and critical border/migration studies, focusing on immigration detention, deportation, punishment, and social justice through postcolonial, antiracist, and feminist lenses. Education: PhD and MA in Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies from the University of Toronto; BA from Simon Fraser University. Her current research includes: (1) a SSHRC-funded study on the National Immigration Detention Framework in Canada using Foucauldian genealogical methods; (2) the Prison Transparency Project , a comparative analysis of carceral transparency in Canada, Spain, and Argentina; and (3) a transatlantic study on pandemic impacts in prisons. She employs ethnographic and qualitative methods in her research. Selected Grants: 2023–2030: Co-Investigator, Prison Transparency Project (SSHRC Partnership Grant). 2022–2025: Principal Investigator, Reforming Detention (SSHRC Insight Grant). 2022–2023: Co-Principal Investigator, COVID-19 Justice as Penal Justice (Strathclyde-Waterloo Transatlantic Award). Turnbull’s publications and collaborations emphasize systemic inequalities, carceral mobilities, and ethical research practices. She co-founded the Prison Transparency Project and has contributed to dialogues on art as resistance in detention settings.
Sebastian Kube is a Professor of Behavioral and Experimental Economics at the University of Bonn, Germany. He holds concurrent positions as Senior Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Public Goods, Research Fellow at the Institute for the Future of Labor (IZA), and Vice Director of the BonnEconLab. He also coordinates the European Doctoral Program in Quantitative Economics and serves on multiple editorial/research boards. University of Bonn Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) BonnEconLab European Doctoral Program in Quantitative Economics His experimental research examines social preferences , cooperation mechanisms , incentive design , and norm enforcement . Key areas include: how remuneration schemes affect workplace cooperation, the effectiveness of social sanctions in social dilemmas, and the psychological foundations of environmental behavior. Recent work explores trust communication strategies for maintaining cooperation, information asymmetry effects in group dynamics, and incentive reversal phenomena where higher rewards paradoxically reduce effort. His 2025 publications particularly focus on sanction removal strategies and environmental behavior. Scientific Awards: Excellence in Teaching Award (2017, 2016, 2015, 2012) IZA Young Labor Economist Award (2011) Etienne-Laspeyres Prize (2011) Heinz Sauermann Prize (2004) As Vice Director of BonnEconLab, he oversees experimental infrastructure for economic research. His methodological approach combines field experiments with laboratory studies , often using behavioral game theory frameworks. He has published extensively in top journals including American Economic Review , Journal of Public Economics , and Management Science .
Professor Philip Birch is a distinguished academic in Criminology at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Faculty of Design & Society, School of International Studies & Education. With over 15 years of academic experience across British, American, and Australian university systems, he has established himself as a leading expert in policing, community safety, and criminal justice. His extensive practical background in criminology, including roles as a Specialist Crime Team Manager, Community Safety Research Manager, and Through Care Worker in UK correctional facilities, informs his applied research approach. Professor Birch's educational background includes a BSocSci. (Hons) in Social Policy (Crime & Justice) from the University of Manchester, multiple postgraduate qualifications from the Open University (including an MSc. in Social & Criminological Research Methods), a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice from the University of Huddersfield, and a PhD in Criminology from the University of New South Wales. He also holds a Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy. His research centers on six key areas: Police & Policing; Community Safety & Crime Prevention; Prisons, Probation & Parole Policy & Practice; Assessment, Treatment & Management of Offenders; Gender & sexuality inclusive Domestic and Family Violence; and Sex Work, Sex Workers and Procurement. His work emphasizes the practical application of criminological research to real-world justice issues, with strong industry engagement across law enforcement and correctional services. Recent publications reveal a clear trend toward police mental health, aging in policing, hate crime identification, trauma-informed policing approaches, and digital community safety initiatives. His research employs diverse methodologies including qualitative case studies, Delphi methods, rapid evidence assessments, and comparative analyses across multiple jurisdictions. Teaching award (2019) from Australian College of Educators for outstanding contribution to education Literati Award (2019) for published work Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy Professor Birch has supervised numerous Honours, Masters by Coursework, Masters by Research and PhD students in Criminology, Criminal Justice and Policing, with several completions to date. He has secured over $1.3 million in research funding, including an ARC Linkage grant, and has acted as an external assessor for domestic and international funding bodies. His research projects address critical issues in criminology and policing, often with direct policy implications. He established the Crime & Security Science (CaSS) Research Group at UTS in 2022, a cross-faculty initiative connecting academia with industry to advance evidence-based criminology, criminal justice, policing, and community safety research. This group serves as a hub for collaborative projects addressing contemporary security challenges through translational research.
Joseph Frey is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Texas. His research focuses on stigma-related issues affecting marginalized populations, including LGBTQ+ communities and families involved in social service systems. He examines intersections between mental health, criminal justice policies, and child welfare, with a particular emphasis on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and parenting support mechanisms. His work utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to address systemic barriers in service provision. Key themes include the impact of regional cultural attitudes on sexual identity stigma in the American South, the role of probation officer networks in connecting individuals with mental health resources, and strategies to enhance parental self-efficacy in under-resourced communities. Dr. Frey has published extensively on topics such as Head Start program effectiveness, latent class analysis of ACEs, and peer support interventions for fathers. His scholarship bridges academic research with practical applications in social work practice and policy development.
Rachel Ellis is an Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on women's experiences of punishment in the U.S., employing qualitative methods like ethnography and interviews to explore themes of race, class, gender, sexuality, and religion in carceral contexts. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as MA and BA degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University, respectively. Ellis's current projects include a Russell Sage-funded study on women’s lived experiences on probation and an interview-based examination of women's reentry after incarceration. Her 2023 book, *In This Place Called Prison: Women's Religious Life in the Shadow of Punishment*, analyzes how religion shapes freedom and constraint within prisons. Recent publications address topics such as desistance narratives, maternal incarceration impacts, and the porous nature of prison institutions. Her teaching includes courses like *CCJS342 Corrections* and *CCJS418C Gender and Crime*, reflecting her commitment to integrating research into pedagogy. Ellis advises three current graduate students and has contributed to prominent journals in criminology and sociology. Her work bridges sociological theory with empirical research on criminal justice systems and gendered inequality.
Margaret Drew is an Associate Professor at UMass School of Law , focusing on Gender Violence , Human Rights , and Legal Ethics . With decades of practical legal experience in Massachusetts courts, she transitioned to academia in 2005 after a career in family law, probate, and residential real estate litigation. Education: BA from University of Massachusetts Boston, JD from Northeastern University School of Law, LLM in Taxation from Boston University School of Law Her research explores the intersection of law and gender-based violence , including trauma healing frameworks and feminist jurisprudence. She co-founded the Human Rights at Home Blog and has designed clinics enabling students to work directly with survivors of domestic abuse. Recent publications address complex social determinants in HIV care, feminist perspectives on pandemic response, and human rights remedies in domestic violence cases. In 2025, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions. Scientific Awards: 20/20 Vision Award (ABA Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence) Lifetime Achievement Award (May 1, 2025) As a former Director of Clinics at multiple law schools and current member of the American Bar Association and National Association of Women Lawyers , she continues to advocate for survivors while teaching courses like Intimate Partner Violence and State Attorney General Clinic .
Shoshana R. Shelton is a Professor at the RAND School of Public Policy and a Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation. Her work centers on program evaluation, public health systems, emergency preparedness, and national health security, with significant contributions to pandemic response, violence prevention, and crisis decision-making. She has led major projects for federal agencies including the CDC, DHS, FEMA, and the U.S. Secret Service. Education: M.P.H., The Ohio State University B.A. in English, Denison University Her research focuses on strengthening public health infrastructure through performance measurement, logic modeling, and stakeholder engagement. She has developed tools such as tabletop exercises for continuity of operations in public health laboratories and led after-action reviews of the public health response to COVID-19. Her work emphasizes building resilience against biological threats, natural disasters, and targeted violence. Shelton's recent publications highlight trends in emergency alert systems, disaster resilience, criminal justice reform during pandemics, and equitable health security research investment. She advocates for evidence-based policies that balance bioterrorism preparedness with responses to natural disasters and climate-related emergencies. Scientific Awards: No awards listed in the provided text. She has advised or collaborated with numerous federal and state agencies, contributing to national health security through rigorous evaluation and policy analysis. Her grants and projects reflect sustained funding from DHS, CDC, and other federal bodies focused on improving public safety and health system readiness. She has also led initiatives on behavioral threat assessment in schools and wearable technology for law enforcement wellness. Labs and Teams: Previously led a four-year project on mass attacks and targeted violence for the U.S. Secret Service. Collaborated with the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) on continuity of operations planning. Contributed to the Priority Criminal Justice Needs Initiative, fostering innovation across law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
Melissa Brown is a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law. She serves as Director of both the Elder & Health Law Clinic and the Elder & Health Law Certificate of Concentration. Professor Brown also acts as faculty advisor for the Native American Law Student Association and previously led the development of the Legislative & Public Policy Clinic and the Homeless Advocacy Clinic from 2013–2023. Education: BA from California State University, Chico JD from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Her research and teaching focus on elder law, health law, and social policy, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to legal and medical challenges such as informed consent, surrogate decision-making, and elder abuse. Her advocacy work has influenced legislation on probate courts, nursing home citations, durable powers of attorney, and Medicare supplemental insurance. Scientific Awards: 2022 Hether Clash Macfarlane Faculty Teaching Innovation Award Listed in 'Sacramento's 40 Top Lawyers' by The Best Lawyers in America (over a decade) Professor Brown’s students engage in direct client representation, courtroom advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaborations with UC Davis Medical School. She has authored educational materials for attorneys and advocates across multiple states and organizations, including the American Bar Association and AARP.
Professor Coral Dando is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Westminster, leading research in forensic cognition and investigative interviewing. With a background as a London Police Officer, she completed a BSc (Hons) Psychology and PhD in Applied Forensic Cognition. She is a Chartered Psychologist, National Teaching Fellow, and Registered Forensic Psychologist. Her research focuses on eyewitness memory, deception detection, and cross-cultural interviewing, with a particular emphasis on improving investigative methods in security and forensic contexts. Her academic roles include teaching forensic psychology modules (e.g., detecting deception, investigative interviewing) and supervising PhD students researching topics like virtual environments in interviews and neurodivergent credibility. She has secured significant research funding from entities like the Home Office, FBI, and CPNI, totaling over £2M across projects addressing insider threats, county lines exploitation, and aviation security. Key Research Themes: Eyewitness reliability, cognitive interviewing techniques, cross-cultural persuasion, and insider threat detection. Grants: Includes a 2024 €97,000 COST grant for implementing the Mendez Principles and a 2016 $469,000 FBI-funded study on intelligence interviewing. Professor Dando’s work bridges academia and practice, training professionals from police forces, security agencies, and NGOs. She contributes to policy development and has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including seminal works on the cognitive interview and WAFA (Witness-Aimed First Account) for neurodivergent individuals. Her research emphasizes ethical, context-aware methodologies to enhance justice outcomes.
Jacob Schuman is an Associate Professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, specializing in Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Evidence. He teaches courses on the Law of the Police and supervises community supervision (probation, parole, and supervised release). Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at Penn State Law School, where he earned the Student Bar Association Faculty Equity Award. Before academia, he worked in the Federal Community Defender Office, representing criminal defendants in appellate proceedings. His scholarship has appeared in top-tier journals like the Stanford Law Review and New York University Law Review, focusing on legal frameworks governing supervised release and reentry. His work bridges historical jurisprudence and contemporary criminal justice reform, often cited by courts, scholars, and advocates across ideological spectrums. Education: Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, followed by clerkships for Judge Michael Boudin (U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit) and Judge James Boasberg (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia). He served as Notes Chair of the Harvard Law Review. Research emphasizes the law of community supervision, judicial roles in reentry processes, and sentencing philosophy. His recent articles explore topics like Indian Country supervision, revocation procedures at the Founding era, and probation’s intersection with constitutional principles. His amicus curiae briefs in federal circuit cases highlight practical applications of legal theory. Awards include recognition for equity-focused teaching and impactful scholarship. Professional engagement includes appellate advocacy training and contributions to legal policy debates. His work often critiques systemic inequities in criminal supervision and proposes evidence-based reforms to improve sentencing transparency and judicial accountability.
Prof. Gonul Demez is a full Professor at Akdeniz University's Faculty of Letters, Department of Applied Sociology. She holds a doctorate in Communication Sciences from Marmara University and specializes in sociology, gender studies, and media. Her research examines patriarchy, probation systems, and cultural representations of the body. Education: Ph.D. in Communication Sciences, Marmara University (2004) M.A. in General Sociology, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (1998) B.A. in Sociology, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University (1993) Research Focus: Demez investigates the intersection of power, gender, and social control. Her work spans media representations of masculinity, sociological analysis of probation in Turkey, and the medicalization of the body. Key themes include patriarchal structures, criminogenic rehabilitation, and cultural hegemony in popular media. Publications: Her 15 most recent articles (2012–2025) reveal a strong emphasis on gender dynamics in Turkish society, criminal justice reform, and cultural studies. Trends include ethnographic studies of marginalized groups (e.g., probationers, waste collectors) and critical analyses of media narratives. Grants & Advising: She has led multiple TUBITAK projects on substance abuse socio-dynamics and violence against women. Currently advising 10+ graduate students on topics like urban segregation, gender representations in media, and patriarchal structures.
Alexandra Cox is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Reading, serving as Programme Director for the BSc in Criminology. She holds a Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Cambridge and a Yale undergraduate degree. Previously, she was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, Assistant Professor at SUNY New Paltz, and Research Scholar at Yale Law School. Her research focuses on socio-legal dynamics of punitiveness, criminal justice institutions, youth justice, and racial inequities. She has authored/co-edited books like Trapped in a Vice and The Palgrave International Handbook of Youth Imprisonment , and her work has been published in journals such as Punishment and Society and Social & Legal Studies . Dr. Cox collaborates with organizations like Reprieve, the Howard League, and the Centre for Justice Innovation on projects addressing race and criminal justice policy. She has received awards including the American Society of Criminology Book Award and fellowships from the Gates Cambridge Trust and Soros Justice Advocacy. Her research emphasizes intersectional analysis, decarceration strategies, and the impact of systemic racism within criminal justice systems. Her recent publications explore topics such as Black fatherhood in youth justice, probation officer perspectives on systemic legitimacy, and racial disparities in youth diversion programs. She actively advises Ph.D. students researching criminological and socio-legal issues, with a focus on frontline workers, juvenile confinement, and racial justice.
Ben Ost is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), affiliated with the Department of Economics within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds a PhD from Cornell University (2011) and a BA from Grinnell College (2006). His research focuses on labor economics and the economics of education, with specific interests in teacher quality, higher education outcomes, and applied econometric methodologies. Educationally, Ost has contributed to understanding how academic policies like probation systems and honors programs affect student performance and earnings. He has examined generational differences in teacher effectiveness, employer connections in college networks, and omitted variable bias in statistical models. His work frequently employs regression discontinuity designs and value-added modeling to assess educational interventions and labor market dynamics. Key Research Themes: Teacher development, college access policies, human capital formation, and peer effects. Grant Funding: Principal Investigator for $47,000 Spencer Foundation grant and $3,894 OSSR grant. Teaching: Award-winning instructor in graduate microeconometrics, labor economics, and education economics courses. Recognized with the UIC TRP Award (2011-2016), Ost has advised numerous graduate and undergraduate students, serving as committee chair or member for over 20 advisees. His professional service includes peer-review roles for top journals like the Quarterly Journal of Economics and American Economic Review, alongside NSF grant reviewing.
Per-Åke Nylander is a Senior Lecturer at Örebro University, affiliated with the School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences and the Department of Behavioral, Social and Legal Sciences. He holds a PhD in Social Work (2011) and has extensive experience as a social worker (1978–1993), later transitioning to academia. His research focuses on prison work, probation services, drug treatment, and the impacts of parental imprisonment on children. Educations: BA in Social Work (1978), MA in Social Work (1996), PhD in Social Work (2011). Research interests include prison officer occupational culture, drug treatment in prisons, and the socioemotional dynamics of correctional work. He has led projects like 'Prison-based Drug Treatment in Nordic Countries' (2012–2014) and 'Childhood with a Parent in Prison' (2015–2016). Collaborates with international networks in confinement and emotion research, and contributes to research groups ProSA and CAPS. Publications span over 20 years, addressing prison management, prisoner well-being, and penal policy. His work bridges academic research and professional practice, emphasizing evidence-based interventions and systemic reforms. Teaching roles include courses on prison work, criminology, and social pedagogy. He developed the University Course for Prison Officers (2002–2012), integrating theoretical and practical training.
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