Lillie Padilla is an Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at Sam Houston State University's Department of World Languages and Cultures. Holding a Ph.D. and M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from Arizona State University alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Ghana, her research explores interdisciplinary connections between: Afro-Latinx representation in educational materials Discourse analysis and language ideologies Sociolinguistic studies in Equatorial Guinea Critical race theory applications in language teaching Her work focuses on Spanish subject pronoun expression patterns in multilingual contexts and curriculum development for inclusive pedagogy. Recent publications examine: Representation gaps in Spanish language textbooks Methodological challenges in Equatorial Guinea research Critical discourse analysis of Netflix's Elite series Intersectional representation of Afro-Latinx women Scientific achievements include: Finalist for American Association of Linguistics 2025 award for co-edited volume Representation, Inclusion and Social Justice in World Language Teaching Padilla's research continues to shape conversations about linguistic diversity and marginalized voices in language education through both empirical studies and theoretical frameworks.
Nicholas Evans is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (CoEDL) at the Australian National University’s School of Culture, History & Language. His work bridges fieldwork-based language documentation with theoretical questions in typology, cultural evolution, and social cognition. Focus on endangered Australian and Papuan languages Director of ARC Laureate Project on 'The Wellsprings of Linguistic Diversity' Co-leader of SCOPIC (Social Cognition Parallax Corpus) study Collaborator in global linguistic diversity initiatives His research explores how micro-level community multilingualism shapes macro-level linguistic diversity, with fieldwork spanning seven years in remote Indigenous communities. Recent projects include PARABANK (paradigm syncretism analysis) and Southern New Guinea language studies, particularly Nen and Yam family languages. Scientific recognition includes the Ken Hale Award (Linguistic Society of America), Anneliese Maier Forschungspreis, and fellowships in the Australian Academy of Humanities, Australian Social Sciences Academy, and the British Academy.
Laurel MacKenzie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at New York University (NYU), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Science. She specializes in variationist sociolinguistics, dialectology, and language change, with a focus on English and French varieties. Her work integrates quantitative analysis of speech data to explore intra-speaker variation and language evolution. She co-directs the NYU Sociolinguistics Lab and leads the NSF-funded NYC Individual Differences Corpus project, alongside the Our Dialects initiative, an online atlas of British English dialects. Education: PhD in Linguistics, University of Pennsylvania (2012) BA in Linguistics and French, University of California, Berkeley (2006) Research Interests: Morphological and syntactic variation Regional dialects of English and French Linguistic pedagogy and public engagement Recent Projects: Recent work includes publications on participle leveling in English, sociolinguistic replication studies, and grammatical variation analysis. She has also collaborated on dialect mapping tools and consulted for media projects on language change and accents. Awards: No awards explicitly listed in provided texts. Labs/Teams: NYU Sociolinguistics Lab (Co-Director) Our Dialects Project (Academic Lead)
Lily L. Tsai is the Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and founder/director of the MIT Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB). She previously chaired the MIT Faculty and focuses her research on governance, accountability, and political participation in developing contexts, particularly Asia and Africa. Her research explores how decentralization, democratic reforms, informal institutions, and economic development influence public goods provision. She also investigates the dual impacts of social capital and civil society on political outcomes, and analyzes political behavior in authoritarian and transitional systems through surveys, interviews, and field experiments. Recent publications span topics including collective governance, vaccine compliance in Uganda, anticorruption strategies in China, and the role of informal institutions in rural China. Tsai’s work appears in journals like American Political Science Review and World Development . Dogan Award for best book in comparative research (2007-08) She leads interdisciplinary projects such as the Compass Initiative (SHASS Education Innovation Fund) and The Science of Respect with MIT’s Brain and Cognitive Sciences department. MIT GOV/LAB, which she founded in 2014, emphasizes real-time empirical collaboration between researchers and practitioners to address governance challenges.
Tijana Gajić is a researcher at Singidunum University in Belgrade, Serbia. She holds a Ph.D. in Philology (2020), an MA in English Language and Literature (2009), and a BA in the same field (2007) from the University of Belgrade. Her work focuses on the intersection of language education, digital tools, and critical pedagogy. Doctoral Studies: Philology , University of Belgrade (2017-2020) Master Studies: English Language and Literature , University of Belgrade (2008-2009) Bachelor Studies: English Language and Literature , University of Belgrade (2003-2007) Dr. Gajić’s research explores the impact of digital technologies on language acquisition, critical thinking development, and the sociopolitical dimensions of English language learning. She has published extensively on mobile applications like Duolingo, HelloTalk, and WordUp, analyzing their efficacy in modern pedagogy. Her recent publications (2024-2025) examine digital tools’ influence on language education, critical pedagogy in Serbian classrooms, and AI-driven language learning innovations. Earlier works (2020-2016) established her expertise in tandem learning, vocabulary enhancement via apps, and affective factors in language acquisition. Notable collaborations include partnerships with researchers like N. Maenza , A. Gagić , and J. Nikolić . While no specific grants or awards are mentioned, her involvement in conferences such as Sinteza and ELTA Serbia underscores her active role in advancing language education. Her 2022 book, Nastava stranih jezika i razvoj kritičkog mišljenja u eri neoliberalizma , synthesizes her critical pedagogy framework. Current projects likely continue her focus on digital transformation in language teaching.
Erik Ketzan is a Lecturer in Digital Humanities and Cultural Computation at King's College London. He holds a PhD in English/Digital Humanities from Birkbeck, University of London, and has held postdoctoral roles at the University of Cologne and Trinity College Dublin, where he coordinated the MA in Digital Humanities and Culture. His research focuses on computational literary studies, legal/ethical issues in digital research, and corpus stylistics. He has published widely on topics such as Thomas Pynchon’s computational stylistics, legal frameworks for digital humanities research, and gender bias in historical texts. His work includes developing tools like Coleto for textual variant analysis and co-authoring the book *Thomas Pynchon and the Digital Humanities* (2022). Ketzan actively engages in policy advocacy, advising on copyright and data protection in DH, and has contributed to projects like CLARIN and the Leibniz Institute for the German Language. Education: PhD in English/Digital Humanities, Birkbeck, University of London Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cologne (EncycNet Project) Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Fellow, Trinity College Dublin Research Interests: Computational approaches to literary analysis, legal challenges in data-driven research, corpus stylistics, and gender studies in historical corpora. Teaching: Courses include Python for the humanities, computational literary studies, and legal issues in digital humanities.
Oscar Westlund serves as Professor at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), where he co-leads the OsloMet Digital Journalism Research Group. He maintains a secondary appointment at the University of Gothenburg and acts as Editor-in-Chief of Digital Journalism . His research spans digital journalism, fact-checking, platform dynamics, media management, news consumption, and mobile media. Westlund's scholarly focus centers on journalism safety in digital environments, sociotechnical dimensions of misinformation combat, and platform-induced challenges for news organizations. His work examines professional fragilities of journalists, epistemological foundations of data journalism, and legitimacy paradoxes in public service media-platform relationships. Current projects address disinformation countermeasures through the SCAM initiative (Source Criticism And Mediated Disinformation). Analysis of his 2022-2024 publications reveals dominant themes: journalism safety frameworks (33%), platform-journalism tensions (27%), and fact-checking as sociotechnical practice (23%). Key methodological approaches include cross-national comparative studies, epistemological analysis, and practice theory applied to digital news production. Westlund actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial leadership at Digital Journalism and special issue guest editing. His research group coordinates interdisciplinary collaboration on digital journalism studies, while the SCAM project develops practical methodologies for disinformation detection in democratic contexts. Recent work demonstrates increasing emphasis on mobile news ecosystems and journalist safety cultures. He co-leads the OsloMet Digital Journalism Research Group, which investigates platform impacts on news production, mobile journalism evolution, and epistemological shifts in data-driven reporting. The group maintains strong international partnerships, particularly with Swedish institutions through his University of Gothenburg affiliation.
Meredith Tamminga is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania, where she directs the Language Variation and Cognition Lab . Her work bridges sociolinguistics , psycholinguistics , and theoretical linguistics , focusing on how linguistic variability is represented in mental grammar and how social context influences speech perception and production. She co-leads the Philadelphia Signs Project , exploring sign language sociolinguistics with collaborators at Penn and Gallaudet University. PhD in Linguistics (2014), University of Pennsylvania BA in Linguistics (2009), McGill University Her research integrates experimental methods with naturalistic speech analysis to study individual and group-level language change. Keywords include phonetics-phonology mapping , intraspeaker variation , and quantitative modeling . Notable grants include NSF awards and SAS Dean’s Mentorship Award . Key affiliations include MindCORE , Penn’s hub for integrative mind sciences, and collaborative ties to the Phonetics Lab , Child Language Lab , and Cultural Evolution of Language Lab . Her lab emphasizes cross-departmental research and welcomes undergraduate RAs and PhD students.
Salvatore Callesano is an Assistant Professor of Hispanic Linguistics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on sociolinguistics, particularly bilingual communities in the U.S., language perception, and digital media representations of bilingualism. He employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate how language variation interacts with identity, media, and social structures. Dr. Callesano collaborates on Project 16 of the Asociación de Lingüística y Filología de América Latina, addressing linguistic aspects of Latin American diaspora communities. His work bridges traditional sociolinguistic inquiry with modern digital practices, analyzing how social media shapes perceptions of language use among Latinx populations. Recent research highlights include studies on code-switching in Miami's linguistic landscape, dialect perception, and the role of media in mediating language attitudes. His publications span peer-reviewed articles and book reviews, emphasizing empirical rigor and interdisciplinary connections between language, culture, and society.
Dr. Elaine T. Jurkowski serves as Professor in Social Work at Southern Illinois University's College of Health and Human Sciences, holding multiple leadership roles including Graduate Program Director (2021-present) and Program Director for Gerontology Programs (2020-present). She maintains cross-appointments as Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine's Family Practice Residency Program and Professor in the Department of Health Education, demonstrating her interdisciplinary impact. B.S.W. (Industrial Social Work), University of Manitoba, Canada M.S.W. (Policy and Administration), University of Manitoba, Canada Ph.D., Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago M.B.A., Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2022) Dr. Jurkowski's research program centers on health disparities, access to mental health services, aging, and disability issues, with particular focus on rural populations. Her work bridges public health, social work, and gerontology through innovative approaches to program evaluation, technology-enhanced teaching, and culture change in long-term care settings. She has developed expertise in international health planning and inter-professional collaboration across diverse cultural contexts. Her publication portfolio shows consistent thematic development across decades, with recent work focusing on medical tourism during the pandemic, rural-urban health disparities, and technology applications in gerontology education. These publications reflect her commitment to addressing healthcare access challenges for vulnerable populations through both scholarly inquiry and practical interventions. Great Cities Research Fellow in Health Provost Faculty Fellow (2018) Provost Assessment Fellow (2016) Student Hotspotting certification (2018-present) A.P.M. Assessment Academy certification (2016, 2017) Dr. Jurkowski has successfully secured over $1 million in research funding from agencies including Health Resources and Services Administration, The Hartford Foundation, and Administration on Aging. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to improving services for older adults and people with disabilities, particularly in rural settings. She has served as Graduate Program Director twice (2003-2014, 2021-present), mentoring numerous social work students through their academic and professional development. Her professional activities extend beyond campus through international consulting in West Africa, Hong Kong, India, China, Russia, and Egypt, and community engagement via the "Dare to Care" radio show and board service with Caring Counseling Ministries, Supporting People in Need, and UNA/USA Southern Illinois Chapter.
Hernan Galperin is a Professor of Communication and Director of Doctoral Studies at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. His expertise lies in Internet policy, digital inequality, and the intersection of technology adoption with social stratification. He holds affiliations with institutions like the Annenberg Research Network on International Communication (ARNIC) and the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab. Galperin has authored four books and published in leading journals such as Telecommunications Policy and New Media & Society. His research, funded by organizations like the Pew Charitable Trust and the Inter-American Development Bank, focuses on broadband accessibility, digital inclusion, and policy impacts. Notable awards include membership in the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council and top paper awards from the International Communication Association (2020, 2022). Education background: While not explicitly detailed in the provided text, his academic roles and publications imply advanced training in communication studies, public policy, or related fields. His work integrates quantitative methods with policy analysis to address global challenges in technology access. Research highlights include studies on broadband’s role in poverty reduction (Ecuador), geographic discrimination in the gig economy, and the gender digital divide in Latin America. He has contributed policy briefs on the Affordable Connectivity Program and digital inclusion in public housing, demonstrating real-world policy impact. His affiliations with global institutions reflect a focus on international collaboration in addressing digital divides. Grants and awards: His funding sources include the Pew Charitable Trust, IDRC-Canada, and the Internet Society. Awards highlight his contributions to cyberpolicy and global media governance. His work often bridges academic research with actionable policy recommendations, particularly in underserved regions. Labs and teams: He directs ARNIC and collaborates with the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab and USC Price Center for Social Innovation, fostering interdisciplinary approaches to communication and technology challenges.
Dr. Ana Radulovic is a researcher at the University of Singidunum, Serbia, with expertise in leadership, organizational behavior, and management. She earned her PhD in Management from Aston Business School, UK, focusing on relational leadership and the impact of leader-follower relationships on outcomes. Her academic journey includes two master's degrees—one in Management from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, and another in Postmodern English Literature from the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade—as well as undergraduate studies in English language and literature at the Faculty of Philology and management studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. PhD: Management, Leadership (Aston Business School, UK, 2012–2016) Master's: Management (University of Belgrade, 2010–2012) Master's: Postmodern English Literature (University of Belgrade, 2010–2011) Undergraduate: English language and literature (University of Belgrade, 2006–2010); Management (Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2008–2009) Her research interests center on Leadership , with a focus on relational dynamics, interdependence theory, and quantitative/experimental methodologies. She explores how social media, crises, and virtual environments influence leadership effectiveness and organizational sustainability. Dr. Radulovic has received numerous scholarships and awards, including multiple Fund for Young Talents scholarships, a full scholarship for her doctoral studies at Aston University, a US government scholarship for Indiana University, and recognition for TESOL curriculum design and academic achievement. She has also contributed to the field through grants like the US Government Grant for Sustainable Development Program implementation. Scholarship from the Fund for Young Talents (2009/2010, 2012/2013, 2013/2014, 2014/2015) Full scholarship for doctoral studies (Aston University, 2012–2015) US government scholarship (Indiana University, 2008/2009) Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development scholarship (2007/2008, 2010/2011) Best curriculum design award in TESOL (2009) Dean's Award for Academic Achievement (2008/2009) US Government Grant for Sustainable Development Program (2010) ERSTE Bank 'Club 27 Superstars' finalist (2011) Her work spans theoretical and applied research, with publications on topics like forgiveness in leader-member exchange relationships, servant leadership for sustainability, and charismatic leadership during crises. She has also participated in international conferences, presenting on leadership dynamics in virtual teams and social media integration.
Dean Eckles is an Associate Professor of Marketing at MIT Sloan School of Management and serves as an Associate Director of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS). He is also affiliated with the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing through the Institute for Data, Systems & Society and its Statistics and Data Science Center. Additionally, he leads the analytics research area at the Initiative on the Digital Economy and organizes the annual Conference on Digital Experimentation (CODE@MIT). His educational background includes a BA in philosophy, BS and MS in cognitive science, MS in statistics, and PhD in communication, all from Stanford University. Prior to joining MIT, Eckles worked as a scientist at Facebook, where he contributed to areas including News Feed, messaging, advertising, tools for randomized experiments, and survey methods. He previously held research positions at Nokia and Yahoo. Eckles's research primarily focuses on social influence mediated by interactive technologies, examining how communication technologies mediate, amplify, and direct social influence. His work spans multiple specific areas including social interactions, contagion, and interventions in networks; experimental design and inference in networks; and methods for causal inference. His research often combines social science with advanced statistical methods. His notable publications include research on long ties in social networks and their relationship to economic prosperity, how network structure affects social contagions, and algorithmic transparency in social media platforms. His work has appeared in prestigious journals including PNAS and Nature Human Behaviour, and he has provided expert testimony before the US Senate on algorithmic ranking. Long ties, disruptive life events and economic prosperity (PNAS) Long ties accelerate noisy threshold-based contagions (Nature Human Behaviour) Algorithmic transparency and assessing effects of algorithmic ranking (Senate testimony) Eckles actively shares his research through social media platforms including Bluesky, Twitter, and Mastodon, as well as through his blog and contributions to the Gelman et al. blog. His work bridges academic research with practical applications in technology and policy.
Prof. Magnus Fröhling is a Full Professor of Circular Economy and Sustainability Assessment at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), leading the Chair of Circular Economy and Sustainability Assessment at TUM Campus Straubing. He holds a doctorate and habilitation from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), specializing in material flow analysis and resource efficiency. His career includes roles as a professor at TU Bergakademie Freiberg before joining TUM in 2018. Fröhling’s research focuses on quantitative approaches for circular economy systems, including industrial value chains, built environments, and bioeconomy. He co-leads the TUM Mission Network Circular Economy, an interdisciplinary platform for research and innovation. **Education:** Bachelor/Master in Industrial Engineering, Karlsruhe University (TH) PhD in Industrial Engineering (2005), Karlsruhe University Habilitation in Business Administration (2011), KIT **Research Interests:** Circular economy concepts for automotive industry, buildings, and energy systems; sustainability assessment in bioeconomy; policy instruments for resource efficiency. His work emphasizes lifecycle analysis and closed-loop systems. **Awards:** TUM Sustainability Award (2021) and recognition for groundbreaking research on sustainability in industrial biotechnology (2020). **Advising & Grants:** Leads research initiatives like CirculaTUM, focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration. His work integrates policy analysis, technological innovation, and industrial ecology to advance sustainability goals. **Labs/Teams:** Active in TUM’s Green Fuel Center and SynBioFoundry@TUM, promoting sustainable energy and biotechnology solutions.
Therese Nordin is an Assistant Professor at Umeå University's Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, specializing in occupational therapy. Her research focuses on social participation and togetherness among older adults within home care contexts, particularly through the STAY-IN-TOUCH project. Research Themes Gerontological perspectives on loneliness Co-creative methods in home care interventions Relational and transactional models of human activity Power dynamics in health services research Qualitative approaches to social participation Recent Publications Her work explores the interplay between structural care provision and subjective experiences of social connectedness in aging populations, with specific attention to: Gender norms and loneliness in men Home care professionals' conceptualization of social needs Design of participatory care models Quantitative-qualitative integration in aging research Methodological Expertise Therese employs a range of qualitative approaches, including: Scoping reviews Creative co-design methodologies Narrative analysis Transactional perspective frameworks
