Marta de Ruijter-Villani serves as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Utrecht University, focusing on medical research within the Child Health strategic program at UMC Utrecht. Her academic role centers on investigating the fundamental biological processes governing embryonic development and reproduction from the earliest stages through adulthood. Her research spans reproductive biology and developmental genetics, with specialized expertise in chromosome segregation mechanisms during oocyte maturation and early embryonic divisions. She utilizes equine models to study reproductive aging effects on fertility, examining spindle assembly dynamics, centrosome behavior, and metabolic influences on embryonic viability. This work provides critical translational insights into human reproductive disorders and age-related infertility. Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals a consistent focus on large animal models to dissect conserved cellular mechanisms in reproduction. Her studies bridge basic cell biology with clinical reproductive medicine, addressing chromosome dynamics, embryo development under metabolic stress, and the molecular basis of aneuploidy. This integrative approach has established significant connections between equine reproductive aging and human fertility challenges. Dr. de Ruijter-Villani leads research within the FUTURA Utrecht group (Future Health and Reproduction Academy Utrecht), which investigates developmental origins of health and disease with direct relevance to pediatric health outcomes and reproductive medicine advancements.
Ryan Schacht is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Graduate Program Director at East Carolina University. His research integrates ethnographic and large-scale demographic data to understand how sex-ratio imbalances, early-life conditions, and socio-ecological change shape human reproductive strategies, family formation, paternal investment, and violence. Research Interests Human behavioral ecology and reproductive decision-making Sex-ratio dynamics and partner availability Parental investment and family formation Life-course epidemiology and historical demography Violence and social instability Fieldwork in Baja California, Mexico, anchors his mixed-methods approach, while historical datasets extend analyses to US and global populations. Recent Publication Trends Schacht’s 2024-2025 outputs reveal concentrated attention to historical demography of the US South and Baja California, evolutionary explanations for sex-ratio variation, and cross-cultural tests of reproductive inequality. Isotopic and large-scale demographic techniques increasingly complement ethnographic data. Funding & Advising He currently holds grant funding for MA students and invites prospective graduate researchers to contact him via his ECU email. Contact Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 Email: schachtr18@ecu.edu | Phone: 252-328-9462
Bernt Bratsberg is a Senior Research Fellow at the Frisch Centre and an Adjunct Professor at ESOP, Department of Economics, University of Oslo. With a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara (1991), he has established himself as a leading researcher in labor economics, immigration, wage inequality, and education. Dr. Bratsberg's educational background includes a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara (1991), an M.A. in Economics from the same institution (1987), and a Cand. Mag. in Computer Science from the University of Bergen, Norway (1984). His research spans several interconnected areas including labor market dynamics, immigration economics, wage inequality patterns, and education outcomes. A significant portion of his recent work focuses on the intersection of cognitive ability, education, and labor market outcomes, with particular attention to demographic trends and long-term societal implications. His research often utilizes large-scale Norwegian population data, particularly from the HUNT study, to examine relationships between early life factors and later-life outcomes. Dr. Bratsberg's work on cognitive ability and earnings has revealed important insights about how cognitive skills relate to economic outcomes, particularly at the top of the earnings distribution. His research on immigration has examined how immigrant groups integrate into the labor market and how this is affected by social insurance systems and economic conditions. More recently, his work has expanded into understanding how occupational factors influence cognitive health in later life. Among his notable contributions are studies on the social gradients in employment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the relationship between cognitive function at age 18 and dementia risk, and the impact of automation risk on electoral behavior with gendered consequences. Dr. Bratsberg has been actively involved in numerous research projects at the Frisch Centre, particularly those related to labor market, welfare, and education themes. His work often involves collaboration with other prominent Norwegian economists including Ole Røgeberg, Oddbjørn Raaum, and Knut Røed.
Jennifer Donelson is an Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow at James Cook University , affiliated with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. Her research investigates how marine fish respond to climate change through acclimation and transgenerational plasticity , utilizing advanced temperature-controlled aquarium systems. PhD in Marine Ecology (2012) from James Cook University Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Technology Sydney (2013-2016) Collaborative fellowship between KAUST (Saudi Arabia) and Coral Reef Studies Centre Her work spans thermal ecology , phenotypic plasticity , and parental effects , with publications analyzing developmental acclimation , epigenetic responses , and behavioral changes under ocean warming. Key projects explore gene expression , metabolic adaptation , and conservation strategies for coral reef ecosystems. Jennifer’s recent 15+ peer-reviewed articles focus on topics like multi-generational thermal exposure , marine heatwave impacts , and molecular acclimation in reef fish. Notable awards include her ARC Future Fellowship for climate change research. Contact: Office in Building DB-32 Room 118, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia. Twitter: @DrJDonel
Dr. Julie Maslowsky is an Associate Professor of Health Behavior and Clinical Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Nursing and Associate Professor of Health Behavior and Health Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She is also a Research Associate Professor at the UM Institute for Social Research. Her work focuses on adolescent health with a particular emphasis on sexual and reproductive health including contraception and abortion. Dr. Maslowsky's research integrates adolescent developmental science with population and reproductive health to inform developmentally appropriate policies and practices. She is a team scientist, builder, and interdisciplinary scholar whose work has been funded by multiple institutes of the NIH. She founded Youth Reproductive Equity, the nation's leading research collaborative focused on adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health post-Dobbs v. Jackson. Her research interests span adolescent development and health, sexual and reproductive health, population health, health policy, and health equity. Dr. Maslowsky has received notable awards including the Outstanding Adolescent Health Initiative from the University of Michigan Adolescent Health Initiative, being named a Public Voices Fellow by The Op-Ed Project, and receiving the Compassion in Action Award presented by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Dr. Maslowsky is currently leading several major research projects: Creating a state-level policy data dashboard to facilitate research on reproductive health (NICHD R01HD115716, PI, 9/16/2024-5/31/2029) Development of a digital decision support tool to facilitate developmentally appropriate adolescent contraceptive counseling in primary care (NICHD R21HD107460, PI, 9/12/2022-8/31/2024) Research roadmap on policy-ready research for youth abortion access (William T. Grant Foundation, PI, 1/1/2023-12/31/2023) Her publications demonstrate strong focus on adolescent perspectives on contraception post-Dobbs, the impact of abortion restrictions on minors, and the role of developmental science in reproductive health policy. Her work appears in high-impact journals including JAMA, Health Affairs, Pediatrics, and JAMA Pediatrics. Dr. Maslowsky serves on multiple professional organizations: Co-Director of Social Science and Medicine at the Center for History, Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Ethics in Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School (2025-present) Affiliate, Institute for Health Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan (2024-present) Affiliate, Institute for Research on Women and Gender, University of Michigan (2024-present) Society of Family Planning (Chair of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Special Interest Group, 2021-2025) As an educator, Dr. Maslowsky teaches courses on social determinants of health, intervention development, implementation science, and grant writing. She actively mentors students and is currently accepting new PhD students. Her media appearances in outlets like The Washington Post, NPR, and The Conversation demonstrate her commitment to translating research into public discourse on adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
Julian Antonio Martinez-Agosto is an Associate Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Human Genetics, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. Board-certified in Medical Genetics, he has served on the UCLA faculty since 2007 after completing his MD/PhD at Yale University and pediatric training at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. His research focuses on novel growth regulatory pathways in progenitor and stem cell maintenance, particularly studying human growth disorders with cancer predisposition. Yale University: MD/PhD in Medicine/Neuroscience (2000) UCLA: Pediatric Residency and Medical Genetics Training Postdoctoral Fellow: Laboratory of Utpal Banerjee at UCLA Dr. Martinez-Agosto's research spans genetics, developmental biology, and neurogenetics with specific emphasis on overgrowth disorders, cancer predisposition syndromes, and autism spectrum disorders. His laboratory investigates molecular pathways including PTEN, mTOR, and other growth regulatory mechanisms using both human clinical studies and Drosophila models. His clinical practice focuses on genetic syndromes leading to overgrowth, vascular malformations, and cancer predisposition. His recent publications reveal strong trends in autism genomics, PTEN-related disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions, and molecular mechanisms of growth regulation. The research demonstrates interdisciplinary collaboration across genetics, neurology, and pediatrics with emphasis on translational applications. Cell Press 2021 Faces of Cell Pediatric Department Outstanding Research Award David W. Smith Pediatric Trainee Research Award Dr. Martinez-Agosto serves as Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects including studies on PTEN-associated autism, undiagnosed disorders, and Drosophila hematopoietic stem cell niches. His laboratory has trained numerous researchers in the field of medical genetics and developmental biology. His research is conducted through the Martinez Lab, which maintains active collaborations with multiple research groups at UCLA and other institutions, focusing on translational approaches to understanding genetic growth disorders.
David Lo is the OUB Chair Professor of Computer Science and the founding Director of the Center for Research in Intelligent Software Engineering (RISE) at Singapore Management University. He has held significant leadership roles including General Chair of MSR'22 and ASE'16, and Program Committee Co-Chair for ASE'20, FSE'24, and ICSE'25. Lo has championed the field of AI for Software Engineering (AI4SE) since the mid-2000s, demonstrating how data mining, machine learning, information retrieval, natural language processing, and search-based algorithms can transform software engineering data into actionable insights and automation. His research spans Mining Software Repositories (MSR), large language models for code, software testing, smart contract analysis, and developer tooling. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on the intersection of large language models and software engineering, with particular attention to code generation, evaluation, documentation, and the practical implications of AI tools for developers. His work increasingly addresses economic efficiency, privacy concerns, and human factors in AI-assisted development. Two Test-of-Time awards Eleven ACM SIGSOFT/IEEE TCSE Distinguished Paper awards ACM Fellow IEEE Fellow ASE Fellow National Research Foundation Investigator (Senior Fellow) Lo has supervised numerous students and collaborated extensively across the software engineering community. His work on Mining Software Repositories has led to practical tools and insights that have shaped the field. He regularly contributes to major conferences and has served in leadership roles across ASE, ICSE, and FSE communities. As founding Director of the Center for Research in Intelligent Software Engineering (RISE) at SMU, Lo leads a research group focused on advancing AI techniques for software engineering problems, with emphasis on practical applications that address real developer pain points.
Judith Korb is a Professor at the University of Freiburg, working within the Institute of Biology I in the department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology. She leads the Korb Lab, which focuses on social insects, particularly termites, examining their evolution, ecology, and sociobiology. Her research spans multiple areas of evolutionary biology and social insect behavior, with a particular emphasis on termite societies. Dr. Korb has made significant contributions to understanding social evolution, caste differentiation, reproductive division of labor, and the molecular mechanisms underlying social behavior in termites. Her work explores the exceptional longevity of social insect queens, termite mound architecture, chemical communication in social insects, and the genomic basis of eusociality. Dr. Korb's research combines field studies in Africa with molecular and genomic approaches to unravel the complexities of social insect biology. Dr. Korb's publication record demonstrates consistent scientific productivity, with numerous high-impact papers in leading journals across evolutionary biology, ecology, and genomics. Recent work has focused on the genomic basis of social evolution, aging in social insects, and termite ecology, revealing important insights into how sociality reshapes fundamental biological processes like aging and development. Over 200 publications including high-impact papers in Nature Ecology and Evolution, PNAS, and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Contributor to authoritative references including the Encyclopedia of Social Insects Extensive international collaborations across Europe, Africa, and North America Dr. Korb has supervised numerous students and collaborated extensively with researchers worldwide, contributing significantly to our understanding of social evolution in termites and other insects. Her laboratory employs a range of methodological approaches, including behavioral observations, molecular techniques, genomic analyses, and field ecology to investigate the evolution and maintenance of sociality in insects.
Sara K. Redd is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University. She also serves as the Director of Research Translation for the Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast (RISE). PhD, Emory University MSPH, Emory University BA, Bucknell University Dr. Redd is an interdisciplinary scholar focusing on domestic sexual and reproductive health (SRH) policy, structural determinants of SRH care access, and multilevel SRH stigma. Her work emphasizes the Reproductive Justice framework, highlighting sociopolitical systems’ role in SRH inequities, particularly in the U.S. South. She collaborates with local and national reproductive health organizations. Her recent research trends from 2021–2025 include systematic reviews on abortion complications, analyses of Georgia’s SRH policy landscape, studies on contraceptive access disparities, and explorations of disinformation in family planning settings. These works intersect public health policy , reproductive justice , and health equity . Grants and Collaborations: Director of Research Translation, RISE Partnerships with reproductive health/rights organizations Labs and Teams: Affiliated with Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health and RISE, focusing on community-led SRH research.
Adam Gregory Dolezal is an Associate Professor in Entomology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an affiliate at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. His research focuses on understanding how environmental stressors—such as nutrition, pesticides, pathogens, and landscape composition—affect honey bees and wild bees in agroecosystems. He employs interdisciplinary approaches including genomics, landscape ecology, and physiology to study pollinator health and decline drivers. Education: PhD (2012, Arizona State University) and B.S. (2006, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). Honors include the Insects Young Investigator Award (2022) and recognition as an excellent instructor (2019). Research interests emphasize viral infections, pesticide impacts, and dietary influences on bee health. His work highlights interactions between multiple stressors and their cumulative effects. Recent studies explore solutions like agrivoltaic systems and native vegetation integration to mitigate agricultural pressures. Awards include the Insects Young Investigator Award and teaching excellence. His lab focuses on applied research to improve pollinator resilience, with collaborations in conservation biology and sustainable agriculture.
Davide Dominoni is a Reader (equivalent to Associate Professor) in Ecology and Environmental Change at the University of Glasgow's School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine. His research focuses on how urbanization affects wildlife, particularly through light pollution, noise, and habitat alteration, with emphasis on avian circadian rhythms and adaptation mechanisms. Education: PhD in Biology (Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany; 2009-2013) MSc in Nature Conservation (University of Parma, Italy; 2006-2008) BSc in Natural Sciences (University of Milan, Italy; 2001-2005) Research Interests: Dr. Dominoni investigates how artificial light at night disrupts biological rhythms, urban adaptation in birds, and conservation strategies for species in human-modified landscapes. His work integrates field experiments, long-term monitoring, and molecular approaches across projects studying great tits, blue tits, and tawny owls. Current Projects: Ageing in the light: Effects of artificial light on bird ageing Demographic adaptation of passerines along urban gradients Impacts of urbanization on biodiversity patterns Tawny owl ecology in urban areas Variation in circadian rhythms across species Advising & Grants: Supervises six PhD students researching urban ecology topics. Secured funding from NERC, EPSRC, Royal Society, and others for projects on urbanization's ecological impacts and evolutionary consequences.
Roles and Affiliations: Daniel Redhead is an Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen (since 2023) within the Department of Sociology and the Inter-university Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS). He concurrently serves as a Guest Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology's Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture. Previously, he held roles including Group Leader (2020–2023) and Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2018–2020) at the same institute, and Visiting Researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2017–2018). Education: PhD in Psychology (2015–2018), University of Essex Masters by Research (MA) in Anthropology (2014–2015), Durham University BA (Hons) in Archaeology and Anthropology (2011–2014), Durham University Research Interests: Redhead focuses on cultural evolution, human behavioral ecology, social hierarchy, and social network analysis . His work examines how social structures, cooperation, and inequality emerge in diverse contexts—from rural Colombian communities to foraging societies in the Congo Basin. He employs advanced statistical methods and computational models to analyze complex social systems. Articles Trends: His recent publications emphasize methodological innovations (e.g., Bayesian network analysis, STRAND software), cross-cultural studies of cooperation and status, and interdisciplinary approaches bridging anthropology, evolutionary biology, and sociology. Awards: Human Behavior & Evolution Society Margo Wilson Award (2024) NSF HNDS Program Co-PI Grant ($400,000, 2022) Leakey Foundation Research Grant (2025) Teaching & Grants: Redhead teaches courses on Solidarity & Social Contexts and Methodology & Data Collection at the University of Groningen. He actively secures grants as PI/Co-I, including multi-million-dollar NSF and ESRC funding.
Helen Bothwell is an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, specializing in Landscape Ecology and Conservation Genetics. Her research focuses on applying genetic and spatial modeling approaches to address global change impacts on ecosystems, particularly in foundational species like eucalyptus and Populus trees. She leads the Bothwell Conservation Genetics Lab, which collaborates with government agencies to inform conservation management through projects such as drought adaptation genomics and population viability assessments for Georgia black bears and ruffed grouse. Education: B.S. in Conservation Biology from University of Wisconsin-Madison (2010), Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics from Northern Arizona University (2013), and Ph.D. in Biology from Northern Arizona University (2017). Her work bridges theoretical advances in landscape genetics with applied conservation solutions, emphasizing 'genes-to-ecosystems' frameworks to understand microevolutionary processes influencing macroscale biodiversity patterns. Research Interests include spatial conservation prioritization, functional genomics of drought adaptation, and improving predictive models by integrating genetic data. Current projects span Australian eucalyptus restoration, North American Populus genetics, and Southeast Asian clouded leopard habitat modeling. Her lab emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration to foster student development and practical outcomes. Grants and Partnerships: Collaborates with Georgia DNR, Australian Research Council, and Global Felid Initiative to translate genetic insights into actionable conservation strategies. Lab members include graduate students and postdocs working on diverse topics from microbial community interactions to wildlife corridor design. Lab Facilities: Utilizes advanced molecular labs, spatial modeling tools, and field research networks across multiple continents. Current initiatives prioritize climate-resilient forest restoration and genetic connectivity mapping for imperiled species.
Romain Libbrecht is a CNRS Research Fellow at the University of Tours, France, affiliated with the Research Institute on Insect Biology (IRBI) under the UFR of Sciences and Techniques. Previously, he held positions as an Assistant Professor at the University of Mainz and conducted postdoctoral research internationally. His research focuses on understanding phenotypic plasticity and division of labor in social insects, particularly ants, integrating evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology, molecular biology, and epigenetics. Education highlights include a PhD from the University of Lausanne (2012), a Master’s from the University of Rennes (2007), and research internships at the University of Reading (2005-2006). His work explores how environmental and social factors influence ant behavior, physiology, and gene expression through multi-disciplinary approaches. Research interests emphasize the molecular mechanisms underlying caste differentiation, task specialization, and social organization. Key findings include the role of transcriptional activity in response to queen loss, the impact of worker diversity on colony productivity, and sensory-driven division of labor via odorant receptors. His articles consistently investigate insect social systems, with recent work focusing on invasive ant species and the interplay between parasite load and host physiology. No notable awards are listed, but his contributions to ant genomics and epigenetics have advanced understanding of social evolution. Lab affiliations include the IRBI, where he collaborates on projects bridging ecology and molecular biology. No specific grants or advising roles are detailed, but his transcontinental academic journey reflects a commitment to global scientific collaboration.
Zawadi Rucks-Ahidiana is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her research focuses on urban sociology, racial capitalism, gentrification, and racial inequality, with particular attention to media narratives and housing policies. Education: PhD in Sociology from University of California, Berkeley Her work examines gentrification through critical lenses, analyzing how racial capitalism shapes urban development and media representations. She also investigates structural and cultural factors contributing to the racial wealth gap, especially for Black women. Key research themes include: Racialized media portrayals of neighborhoods Economic disparities in housing and financial systems Historical and contemporary gentrification processes Methodological innovations in mixed-methods research She has published extensively on these topics, with recent articles addressing the systemic barriers facing Black women in academia and the intersection of race/class in post-prison labor markets.
