Stefanie Sequeira is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia, focusing on clinical psychology, adolescent mental health, and neuroimaging. Her research explores how social threat and reward processes develop during childhood and adolescence, linking these mechanisms to psychopathology such as anxiety disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). Integrates ecological momentary assessment (EMA), fMRI, and eye-tracking into her work Pursues three research lines: novel measures for social threat/reward, brain-behavior links in psychopathology, and associations between reward functioning, anxiety, and STBs in adolescence Lab: Brains, Emotions, and Adolescent Relationships (BEAR) Lab Her recent publications examine social media impacts on adolescent affect, neuroimaging in ADHD, climate change anxiety, and cultural humility in psychology training. She is recruiting graduate students for Fall 2024.
Dan Catlin is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), within the College of Natural Resources and Environment. His research focuses on quantitative ecology, particularly the conservation of threatened shorebirds like piping plovers and least terns. He holds a B.A. from Hamilton College (2001), an M.S. from Oregon State University (2004), and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech (2009). Research interests include shorebird demography, habitat management impacts on survival, and the effects of climate change, human activity, and natural disasters on species recovery. Current projects involve Missouri River shorebird dynamics, Niobrara River plover habitat, and winter survival factors for piping plovers in Georgia/South Carolina. He collaborates on studies assessing hurricane-induced habitat changes and predator control strategies. Publications span over 20 years, emphasizing shorebird ecology, habitat modeling, and conservation strategies. His work integrates field data with Bayesian networks and spatial analysis tools. No scientific awards are explicitly listed, but his contributions to endangered species management are notable. Advising and grants: While no students are listed, his projects imply collaborative research teams. The Virginia Tech Shorebird Program is a key platform for his fieldwork and outreach efforts.
Mathieu Hikaru Desan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder. He earned his PhD from the University of Michigan in 2016. Research focuses on historical sociology, political sociology, and cultural sociology Current book project: Practical logic of political conversion, analyzing French 'neo-socialists' who became Nazi collaborators Published in journals like Sociological Theory, Comparative Studies in Society and History, and Critical Sociology His work spans critical theory, Marxist analysis, and the sociology of fascism. Recent publications address class abstractionism, Bourdieu-Marx synthesis, and colonial sociology. He serves as Graduate Chair and Graduate Admissions Director.
Yuhang Li is an Associate Professor of Chinese Art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Art History. She serves as Affiliate of the Religious Studies Program, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, and Center for East Asian Studies, and holds the role of Faculty Director of Material Culture at the Center for Design and Material Culture. Her education includes a B.A. from Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing, 1991), M.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2001), and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2011). Her research focuses on gender and material practice in late imperial China, particularly Buddhist women’s artistic devotions, Chinese textiles and costume, opera’s role in visual culture, and Qing court art. Her book Becoming Guanyin (2020) won major academic awards. She co-edited Performing Images: Opera in Chinese Visual Culture (2014) and contributed to special issues on Empress Dowager Cixi. Teaching includes courses on Asian art surveys, Chinese art history, material culture, and gender studies. Her work bridges art history with religious studies, exploring how material practices reflect gendered identities and religious belief. Awards include the 2021 Religion and the Arts Book Award and the 2024 Geiss-Hsu Book Prize. Her research frequently examines the intersection of ephemeral mediums (e.g., paper, hair embroidery) with enduring cultural and religious themes.
Eli D. Strauss is a behavioral ecologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz. He will transition to an Assistant Professor position at the Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University in late 2025. His research focuses on the evolution of stable social systems, particularly in spotted hyenas, analyzing how individual behaviors and relationships shape group-level dynamics. Strauss employs field experiments, computational techniques, and long-term observational data to study dominance hierarchies, social inequality, and the interplay between individual experiences and collective behaviors. Research Interests : Strauss investigates how societies emerge from individual interactions, emphasizing long-term perspectives. Key themes include dominance hierarchy dynamics, social inheritance, and the ecological drivers of social behavior. His work bridges behavioral ecology with computational methods, addressing questions about social structure stability and evolutionary adaptations. Key Projects : Co-director of the Mara Hyena Project in Kenya, a long-term study on hyena behavior and ecology. Developing methodologies for longitudinal studies of dominance hierarchies, including frameworks for analyzing hierarchy dynamics across timescales. His computational tools (e.g., DynaRankR ) are widely used for dominance inference. Upcoming Initiatives : Establishing a lab at Michigan State University focusing on social behavior and collective ecology. Recruiting graduate students and postdocs to study social systems, computational ecology, and animal behavior.
Tanya Kant is an Associate Professor in Media and Cultural Studies (Digital Media) at the University of Sussex’s School of Media, Arts and Humanities. Her research focuses on algorithmic personalization, digital identity, and the socio-economic implications of data-driven systems. She authored the influential book *Making It Personal: Algorithmic Personalization, Identity and Everyday Life* (2020) and co-manages REFRAME, an open-access publishing platform. Her work bridges qualitative cultural studies with critical political economy, examining how algorithmic systems shape identities, creativity, and socio-material realities. Key research areas include generative AI ethics, algorithmic autobiographies, data profiling, and the impact of AI on PR/communications industries. Kant has collaborated with Ofcom, MIT, and Full Fact on data ethics and misinformation. Her teaching roles include convening MA Digital Media and supervising PhDs in critical AI studies. Recent grants include a £9,600 AHRC Impact Accelerator Award (2023) for studying ethical AI use in communications sectors. Professional activities include advisory roles at Open Rights Group and Full Fact, as well as frequent media engagements discussing AI’s societal implications. Her work emphasizes creative resistance strategies against algorithmic systems, such as participatory methods for ‘writing with’ digital selves through algorithmic autobiography projects. Notable Grants: Sussex KE Fellowship (2025), AHRC Impact Accelerator Award (2023) Key Collaborations: MIT, Ofcom, Full Fact, Magenta Associates Teaching Portfolio: Convenes 10+ modules including ‘Digital Cultures’ and ‘Gender, Sexuality and Digital Culture’
Thomas W. Kaminski is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Applied Physiology at the University of Delaware’s College of Health Sciences. His research focuses on sensorimotor and neurocognitive aspects of musculoskeletal injuries, particularly chronic ankle instability, sport-related concussions, and repetitive head impacts in soccer. He directs the Athletic Training Research Laboratory, established in 2003, which collaborates with departments across UD, including Athletics, Physical Therapy, and Engineering. Education: PhD in Sports Medicine (University of Virginia, 1996), MS in Athletic Training (University of Arizona, 1985), BS in Sports Medicine (Marietta College, 1984). Courses taught include Evidence-Based Sports Medicine, Upper/Lower Extremity Evaluation, and Clinical Practicum. Research emphasizes injury prevention, biomechanical analysis, and rehabilitation strategies. His lab uses advanced tools like the KinCom Isokinetic Dynamometer, Bortec EMG systems, and Triax Impact Monitors. Current projects include studying neck strengthening programs for youth soccer players and blood biomarkers in concussion recovery. Grants and collaborations involve the NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium, focusing on collegiate athletes and military cadets. Lab initiatives aim to translate findings into broader health applications for physically active populations. Lab facilities include the Human Performance Lab and partnerships with UD Physicians, Student Health Services, and regional sports programs. Active research areas include concussion symptom evolution, sex-based injury differences, and the effects of sport specialization on cognitive/postural functions.
Tim Futing Liao is a Professor of Sociology & Statistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, holding the LAS Alumni Distinguished Professorial Scholar title. He serves as President of the Sequence Analysis Association and incoming Editor of Socius . His research focuses on inequality, life course analysis, quantitative methodology, population studies, and collective memory. Liao earned his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Research Interests: Dr. Liao's work spans migration patterns (especially Filipino/Indonesian domestic workers), health disparities, sequence analysis methodologies, and social stratification. He combines advanced statistical techniques with sociological theory to explore topics like wage inequality, mental health among migrants, and the role of collective memory in social movements. Awards & Roles: Recipient of the ASA Methodology's Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award (2021), he has held editorial roles at top journals including Sociological Methodology , Demography , and Advances in Life Course Research . He also developed influential software tools for sequence analysis and inequality measurement. Grants & Collaborations: Active in interdisciplinary projects, his work involves collaborations on migrant labor conditions, health policy analysis, and methodological advancements. Notable outputs include R/Stata packages for sequence analysis and inequality decomposition. Labs/Teams: Leads research initiatives on life course trajectories and quantitative sociology methodologies at the University of Illinois, contributing to both theoretical advancements and practical applications in social science research.
Tanya Golubchik is a Senior Lecturer in Computational Microbiology and an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow at the University of Sydney's School of Medical Sciences under the Faculty of Medicine and Health. She is affiliated with the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre and the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID). Her research focuses on applying modern genomics technologies to study pathogen evolution and transmission, particularly in viruses and bacteria with public health significance. She has collaborated extensively with institutions such as the University of Oxford's Big Data Institute and the PANGEA-HIV Consortium, contributing to HIV and SARS-CoV-2 genomic analysis. Educated at the University of Sydney with a dual major in biology and computer science, she earned her PhD in molecular biology. Her postdoctoral work at the University of Oxford involved pneumococcal vaccine escape variants and within-host bacterial evolution. She led computational analysis of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing during the pandemic as part of the COG-UK Consortium and returned to Sydney in 2022. Her research interests include understanding how pathogens evolve within hosts, develop strategies to combat infections, and integrate metagenomics for clinical insights. She has pioneered methods like targeted metagenomics for simultaneous sequencing and transcriptional profiling of pathogens. Recent work examines RSV intrahost diversity in infants and SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics in the UK. She also explores climate change impacts on disease through CLIMADE and investigates HIV transmission networks in Africa. Her scientific contributions include the 2023 Thompson Prize from the University of Sydney. Research grants span projects like genomics solutions for HIV surveillance in low-income settings, vector-borne disease detection amid climate change, and metagenomic studies in female reproductive health. Her work bridges epidemiology, genetics, and translational research, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to global health challenges. In advising and grants, she has secured funding for high-throughput sequencing and transmission network analysis. While no formal advisee names are listed, her supervisory roles in molecular epidemiology and bioinformatics suggest active student mentoring. Collaborations with international teams and institutes highlight her global engagement in addressing infectious disease threats through computational and genomic strategies. Key teams include the PANGEA-HIV Consortium, COG-UK, and CLIMADE. She leads initiatives at Sydney ID and the School of Medical Sciences, advancing pathogen genomics and outbreak response methodologies.
Britta van Beers is a Full Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding positions in Legal Theory and Legal History within the Faculty of Law, as well as affiliations with the Kooijmans Institute, Law & Technology, and Boundaries of Law. Her research focuses on intersections between law, emerging technologies, bioethics, and human rights. She has authored over 70 publications since 2015, addressing topics like CRISPR governance, surrogacy regulation, and legal personhood in the age of biotechnology. Awarded multiple grants and prizes (specifics unspecified) Supervised 2 PhD theses Edited volumes on personalized medicine ethics and symbolic legislation Her work critically examines technological innovations' impact on legal frameworks, particularly in genetics, artificial intelligence, and reproductive technologies. Recent projects include analyzing human germline modification dialogues and ethical challenges in accessing biobanks for forensic purposes. Key contributions include redefining legal personhood in the context of posthuman technologies and advocating for explicit goals in public dialogues about gene editing. She frequently engages with policymakers, as seen in her contributions to Dutch parliamentary discussions on embryo law reforms.
Howard Rundle is a Full Professor in the Department of Biology within the Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa. His research laboratory focuses on empirical studies in evolutionary ecology and evolutionary genetics, utilizing both laboratory and field approaches with model systems including various Drosophila species and the antler fly ( Protopiophila litigata ). His work is conducted both in controlled laboratory settings and in natural environments, particularly in Algonquin Park's Wildlife Research Station. Dr. Rundle's primary research interests span evolutionary ecology and evolutionary genetics, with particular emphasis on: The role of sexual selection in adaptation and purging of deleterious mutations Sexual conflict and its ecological context The evolutionary divergence of mate preferences and its contribution to speciation Quantitative genetics of sexual displays, particularly cuticular hydrocarbons in insects The impact of ecological complexity on evolutionary processes His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on how mating environments influence the dynamics of sexual conflict, adaptation, and speciation. Much of his work examines whether sexual selection helps or hinders adaptation, with growing emphasis on genomic approaches to understand the genetic basis of evolutionary responses. His research program demonstrates how ecological context fundamentally shapes evolutionary outcomes, particularly in the interface between natural and sexual selection. Dr. Rundle collaborates extensively with researchers at other institutions including Aneil Agrawal (University of Toronto), Russell Bonduriansky (University of New South Wales), Vincent Careau (University of Ottawa), Kelly Dyer (University of Georgia), Amanda Moehring (Western University), and Locke Rowe (University of Toronto). These collaborations enhance the scope of his research across multiple dimensions of evolutionary biology. The Rundle Lab maintains a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, explicitly welcoming and supporting members from all racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds, as well as those from the LGBTQ+ community, operating under the University of Ottawa's principles in these areas.
Susan Gail Sherman, PhD, MPH, is a Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior and Society at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds joint appointments in Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Epidemiology, and Mental Health departments. Dr. Sherman is Co-Director of the Baltimore HIV Collaboratory and part of the Executive Leadership Committee of the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research. She co-leads the Addiction and Overdose workgroup of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative and serves on Baltimore City and state advisory commissions on syringe exchange and overdose prevention initiatives. Dr. Sherman earned her PhD from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2000, MPH from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996, and BA from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1989. Her research focuses on improving the health of marginalized populations, particularly drug users and sex workers, with emphasis on structural drivers of health. She has over 17 years of experience developing and evaluating HIV prevention, peer-outreach behavioral, and microenterprise interventions in Baltimore, Pakistan, Thailand, and India. Her research spans the intersection of public health and public safety, harm reduction evidence for drug policy, economic development as HIV prevention, and structural determinants of health. Dr. Sherman is PI of studies examining police roles in the STI/HIV risk environment of street-based sex workers and evaluating innovative pre-booking diversion programs for low-level drug offenders. She is also developing a full-service drop-in center for sex workers in Baltimore. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on harm reduction, opioid crisis interventions, structural determinants of health, and the intersection of public health and law enforcement. Her work increasingly addresses gender-specific vulnerabilities, particularly among women who use drugs and sex workers, while maintaining a strong commitment to evidence-based policy solutions. 2011 Advising, Mentoring & Teaching Recognitions Award, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2006 Advising, Mentoring & Teaching Recognitions Award, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2002 Delta Omega Society 1997-2000 NIMH Predoctoral Training Grantee, Office of AIDS Dr. Sherman has received significant grant funding for her work, including the FORECAST (Fentanyl Overdose Reduction Checking Analysis Study) and the SAPPHIRE (Sex Workers and Police Promoting Health in Risky Environments) study. She serves as PI for multiple projects examining structural interventions with sex workers and drug users in Baltimore. Her research portfolio includes international work in Pakistan, Thailand, and India on HIV prevention and microenterprise interventions. Dr. Sherman is actively involved with the Center for AIDS Research, Center for Global Health, Center for Public Health and Human Rights, and Center for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research, Prevention and Training. She serves as Board Secretary of the National Harm Reduction Coalition and is deeply engaged with community-based organizations working with marginalized populations.
Debra Satz is the Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, holding the Marta Sutton Weeks Professorship of Ethics in Society and a courtesy professorship in Political Science. She earned her B.A. in Philosophy from City College of New York (1978) and Ph.D. in Philosophy from MIT (1988). Her research focuses on the moral limits of markets, distributive justice, and ethical dimensions of economic systems. Her work critically examines issues like commodification, inequality, and the ethical governance of markets. Notable contributions include analyzing noxious markets, reparations for historical injustices, and the societal role of public service. She has authored influential books such as Why Some Things Should Not Be For Sale (2012), arguing for ethical boundaries in market transactions. Satz’s articles span topics from AI ethics to housing market governance, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach to political theory and practical policy implications. As dean, she oversees Stanford’s humanities and sciences initiatives, emphasizing ethical inquiry across disciplines.
Dr. Michele J. McIntosh is an Associate Professor at the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing, Trent University. With clinical expertise in women’s health nursing and qualitative research methods, she focuses on sexual and reproductive health, violence, child and adolescent health, and ethical considerations in research. Education: BA (Queen's University), BScN, MScN (University of Toronto), PhD (University of Alberta) Her research explores stigmatization in healthcare settings, participant distress in qualitative interviews, and breastfeeding practices among HIV+ mothers. She actively contributes to the ethics of qualitative inquiry and has presented at the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. Dr. McIntosh’s recent publications focus on public health ethics, vaccination policies, and methodological rigor in qualitative nursing research. She serves on the Editorial Board of the Qualitative Health Research Journal and mentors graduate students in their thesis work. Award-winning women’s health nurse CIHR Health Professional Student Awards (for her students) She is currently supervising graduate and honors thesis students while investigating campus responses to sexual assault and pregnancy/breastfeeding accommodations in educational institutions.
Raaj Kishore Biswas is a Biostatistician and Research Fellow at the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, and a part-time Research Biostatistician at Sydney Local Health District (NSW Health). He holds a PhD in Road Safety and Transport Analytics (UNSW Sydney, 2022) and advanced degrees in Biostatistics and Applied Statistics. His research focuses on lifestyle factors, non-communicable diseases, and global health equity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Affiliations: Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney Sydney Local Health District (part-time) Member, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre Member, Charles Perkins Centre Research Interests: Biostatistical methods, public health analytics, physical activity epidemiology, maternal-child health, and global health policy. He specializes in analyzing large-scale datasets (e.g., UK Biobank) and collaborating on randomized controlled trials and observational studies. Publications: Over 80 peer-reviewed articles in journals like European Heart Journal , BMC Medicine , and PLOS One . Recent work emphasizes sleep patterns, cardiovascular risk, and pandemic preparedness in LMICs. Grants: Recipient of Charles Perkins Centre Professional Development Award (2024) and contributor to trials like the Active Women over 50 project. Labs/Teams: Leads the Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health team at Charles Perkins Centre, collaborating globally on projects addressing healthcare access and behavioral interventions.
