Emily Gephart is Senior Lecturer at Tufts University's School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Lecturer in the Department of History of Art and Architecture. She holds a PhD in History Theory & Criticism from MIT (2014), MA in History of Modern and American Art from Tufts (1997), and BA in Art History and Fine Arts Studio from Oberlin College (1991). Her research spans visual culture, focusing on ecocriticism and perceptual psychology through diverse media including scientific approaches to the unconscious mind, poetic satire, oceanic encounters in art, millinery fashion, and fly fishing lures. Gephart's publications explore intersections of art, ecology, and psychology, with recent work examining marine painting across the Atlantic, Anthropocene visual culture, and ethical fashion. She has presented at numerous conferences including College Art Association (2012, 2014, 2019), History of Science Society (2014), and Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (2019).
Neeraj Bharadwaj is the Proffitt’s Professor in Marketing and Charlie & Carolyn Newcomer Faculty Fellow at the Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee. He holds affiliations with the Neel Corporate Governance Center and the Sustainability Research Network. Education: Ph.D. (Marketing, University of Wisconsin, 2000), MBA (University of Wisconsin, 1988), BBA (University of Wisconsin, 1985). Prior to academia, he worked in brand management at Miller Brewing Company and as a consultant for government and multinational corporations. Research focuses on sustainability, innovation, branding, livestream retailing, and the marketing-finance interface. Key contributions include studies on additive manufacturing sustainability, emotional displays in livestream retail, and corporate brand value analysis. His work appears in Journal of Marketing , Journal of Product Innovation Management , and others. Notable awards include the 2022 Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award and recognition as a Top 40 Undergraduate Business Professor (2017). He chairs the AMA Sustainable Marketing & Innovation SIG and founded the Sustainability Research Network. Advising and grants: Leads the PDMA Doctoral Consortium and organizes academic initiatives like the 2017 special issue on innovation in data-rich environments. Active in interdisciplinary collaborations between industry and academia. Labs/Teams: Co-founded the Sustainability Research Network, fostering interdisciplinary research on ESG initiatives’ business impacts.
Kasra Talebian serves as an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Fine Arts, Final University, Turkey, specializing in architectural theory and urban environmental design with a regional focus on Iranian cities. Academic Background: Doctoral Degree in Architecture, Eastern Mediterranean University (2021) Master's Degree in Architecture, Eastern Mediterranean University (2013) Bachelor's Degree in Architectural Engineering, Azad University of Mashhad (2008) Research Focus: His work critically examines urban lighting and digital-life integration through empirical studies of Mashhad, Iran. Key investigations include light pollution metrics , nightlife economies , and post-pandemic residential adaptations , revealing how artificial illumination shapes social behavior and urban identity in religious pilgrimage contexts. Current projects explore hybrid living models merging physical-digital domestic spaces. Publication Trends: Recent outputs (2020-2025) demonstrate escalating emphasis on digital disruption in urban environments, with 60% of articles analyzing Mashhad-specific case studies. His methodology combines behavioral observation with spatial documentation, particularly regarding LED screen impacts on public space usage. The 2025 article on post-pandemic hybridism represents his most significant theoretical contribution to residential architecture.
Jim McCann is an Associate Professor at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. He holds a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University (2010), advised by Nancy Pollard, and has held positions at Adobe Research and Disney Research Pittsburgh. His academic journey includes postdoctoral work and industry experience in game development before joining CMU's faculty in 2017. His research focuses on creativity support tools spanning real-time systems, textiles fabrication, machine knitting, and interactive design. Key themes include: Developing compilers and interfaces for machine knitting (e.g., 3D shape knitting, knitout semantics) Building accessible fabrication tools for textiles and soft objects Creating parameterized design spaces enhanced with machine learning Advancing physics-based animation and simulation tuning His publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinarity, with recent work emphasizing textiles computing (knitting compilers, fabric 3D printing), human-AI collaboration (design adjectives), and novel interfaces (infinity mirrors, RFID systems). Earlier contributions established foundations in gradient-domain editing, fluid control, and motion synthesis. He leads the Carnegie Mellon Textiles Lab and has advised 9+ graduate students on topics ranging from knit microstructures to robot design. His teaching includes courses on Algorithmic Textiles Design, Real-Time Graphics, and Game Programming.
Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna is a distinguished academic at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, holding the position of Professor of Management and Organization. He has been with Cardiff since 1990, progressing from lecturer to his current professorial position in 2002. His work spans organizational studies, human resource management, and diversity research, with a particular focus on racial equality in organizations. Ogbonna's research interests primarily center on organizational culture, equality, diversity and inclusion, with significant emphasis on the position of Black and minority ethnic communities in the labor market. His recent work has increasingly focused on anti-racism initiatives, particularly in the Welsh and UK contexts. He has published over 100 scholarly papers in leading international journals, with his most recent work examining anti-racism strategies in organizations, precarious work conditions, and mentoring disparities for ethnic minority academics. His research demonstrates a clear trajectory from early work on organizational culture in retail sectors to contemporary critical examinations of race relations in organizations. The publications reveal a consistent thread exploring how organizational structures, cultures, and management practices either perpetuate or challenge inequality, with recent work increasingly focused on actionable anti-racism strategies and policy implementation. Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours List Fellow of the British Academy of Management Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales Multiple best paper and most downloaded article awards Ogbonna has held significant advisory roles, including membership on the Advisory Board of the Covid Recovery Commission and advising UK Sport Councils on race equality. He has served in ministerial appointments in Wales, including chairing the Steering Group for the All Wales Race Equality Action Plan. Currently, he co-chairs the External Accountability Group implementing the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan. His work bridges academic research and practical policy implementation, demonstrating how scholarly insights can directly inform organizational and governmental approaches to equality and inclusion.
Valeria Orso is an Assistant Professor at the University of Padova. Her research focuses on Human-Machine Interaction in Industry 5.0, Extended Reality (XR) technologies, and their applications in marketing and sustainable development. She explores how technology can enhance workplace well-being, consumer experiences, and disaster preparedness through innovative approaches like augmented reality and mixed reality systems. Her research interests span across multiple disciplines including sustainable energy awareness, ergonomic design for aging populations, and the ethical implications of automation in workplaces. Key projects include virtual training for flood emergencies and the development of hybrid technologies for urban resilience. Her recent work highlights trends in AR-driven retail innovation, generational differences in sustainability awareness, and the role of technology in fostering safer human-robot collaborations. She has contributed to interdisciplinary studies bridging engineering, social science, and healthcare through over 50 publications. No scientific awards have been listed for Prof. Orso. Her advisory work focuses on integrating participatory design methods with video-analysis to drive employee-centric innovation in industrial settings. She has been involved in collaborative projects like the Hybrid and Sustainable Worlds initiative and the SHIP Project for inclusive urban park design. Her lab work emphasizes real-world applications such as smart home systems for fragile populations and IoT solutions for healthcare monitoring.
James J Clark is a Professor at McGill University's Centre for Intelligent Machines (CIM). His research focuses on advancing machine vision, neural networks, and deep learning applications in areas such as visual attention modeling, 3D environments, and edge computing. He specializes in developing efficient neural network architectures and optimization techniques for real-world systems. Key research interests include computer vision, machine learning, and their intersections with fields like image processing and natural language processing. Recent work emphasizes model compression, knowledge distillation, and hardware-aware neural architecture search for resource-constrained devices. His publications span topics such as gaze field modeling in 3D environments, dataset pruning for transformers, and adversarial correction in domain adaptation. Notable contributions include frameworks for efficient BERT inference on multi-core processors and methods for visual attention prediction in retail scenarios. No scientific awards or student advisees are explicitly listed. His research is anchored in the CIM, reflecting a strong focus on interdisciplinary machine intelligence applications.
Joline Uichanco is an Associate Professor of Technology and Operations at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and Director of the Tauber Institute for Global Operations, funded by Ford Motors Co. She holds a Ph.D. in Operations Research from MIT (2013), alongside advanced degrees in Computation, Engineering, and Finance from MIT and the National University of Singapore. Her research focuses on optimizing resource allocation in dynamic environments, particularly in supply chain resilience during emergencies, retail operations in omni-channel contexts, and data-driven decision-making. Key areas include humanitarian logistics, maintenance scheduling under uncertainty, and retail pricing/inventory strategies. She collaborates with major retailers like Target and Best Buy to address challenges in inventory management and dynamic pricing. Her work emphasizes robust optimization and distribution-free models, addressing both for-profit and non-profit sectors. Recent publications explore workforce configuration in charities, surplus food redistribution, and multi-product pricing under uncertain demand. She also investigates volunteer management strategies to enhance long-term donor relationships. Dr. Uichanco is affiliated with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and actively contributes to interdisciplinary projects in global operations. Her research bridges theory and practice, offering actionable insights for organizations navigating complex operational challenges.
Prof. Dr. Prisca Brosi is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at the Karlsruhe Leadership University (KLU), based in Hamburg. Her research focuses on psychological theories in organizational contexts, particularly examining how emotions influence leadership, performance, and recruitment processes. She holds a Ph.D. from the Technical University Munich and has been a visiting researcher at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and New York University. Her work explores stereotypes in workplace evaluations, the impact of digital transformation on work design, and emotional labor dynamics. Brosi serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Organizational Behavior and teaches at both student and executive levels. Her research has been published in top journals like the Journal of Applied Psychology and Journal of Business Ethics . Education: Ph.D. in Human Resource Management, Technical University Munich Habilitation, Technical University Munich Diploma in Industrial Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Research Interests: Emotions and leadership effectiveness Stereotypes in recruitment and evaluation Workplace dynamics in digital transformation Presenteeism and work-life balance Her articles highlight themes such as the impact of team context on newcomer performance, guilt-driven presenteeism, and leader emotion displays. Brosi collaborates with organizations on joint research projects and emphasizes practical applications of her findings. She has presented at major conferences like the Academy of Management and has been featured in media outlets including Die Zeit and Wirtschaftswoche .
Rajesh Chandrashekaran is a Professor of Marketing at the Silberman College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University, within the Department of Marketing, Management, and Entrepreneurship. He holds a BE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Mangalore University (India), and an MBA and Ph.D. in Marketing from Rutgers University. His teaching portfolio includes undergraduate and graduate courses such as Principles of Marketing, Strategic Marketing, Marketing Research, and Advertising Management. He has also instructed in the College’s Executive Program and has been recognized with teaching excellence awards from both the Student Government (Teacher of the Year) and the College of Business. Research focuses on pricing psychology, particularly the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying price perception. Key areas include the effects of color on pricing cues, spatial layout in retail pricing, and the role of reference prices in consumer decision-making. His work has been published in top-tier journals like the Journal of Marketing Research and Journal of Retailing, and presented at major academic conferences. Notable contributions include studies on red/black price color effects, price presentation formats, and consumer involvement in reference price utilization. His interdisciplinary approach bridges marketing strategy with neuroscience, examining brain activity linked to pricing and visual marketing stimuli. Professional service includes advising students and contributing to academic discourse through conference presentations and editorial roles. His research agenda emphasizes practical implications for retail pricing strategies, advertising design, and consumer engagement tactics.
Sarah Staton is a Senior Tutor in Sculpture and co-lead of the Spatial Value Research Catalyst at the Royal College of Art (RCA). She holds an interim Head of Sculpture role (2023–2025). Her work focuses on public art’s social potential, material innovation, and collaborative practices. Key affiliations include RCA, Royal Danish Academy of Art, Edinburgh College of Art, and The Slade. Education: No formal education details provided in text. Research Interests: Public sculpture’s communal impact, material affective dimensions, socio-economic context, and threshold spaces. Her research includes studies on public commissions’ role in fostering community connections, as seen in projects like Edith & Hans (Bristol University, 2015) and Alphonse (Milton Keynes, 2019). She founded SupaStore (1993), a pioneering pop-up art model with global iterations. Recent exhibitions include The Masses (Galerina, 2024) and Wonderful (UNICEF Innocenti, 2024). Notable awards include the Arts Foundation Award for Sculpture (2008), D&AD Award (2008), and shortlistings for the Brick Award (2017). Staton advises on grants like the Arts Council England Research Grant (2013). Her lab/teams include collaborations with Grizedale Arts and pea proposals , exploring public art’s political dimensions. Current projects involve Tideway Super Sewer commissions and research on public sculpture’s urban impact.
Dr. Louisa McKenzie is an Associate Fellow at the Warburg Institute, part of the School of Advanced Study, University of London. As an art historian specializing in the devotional art and material culture of late medieval and Renaissance Europe, particularly Italy, she brings expertise in intersections between materials, iconography, and meaning. Her academic journey includes a PhD in History of Art, MA in Art History, Curatorship and Renaissance Culture, MA in History of Art, and BA (Hons) in Theology. Dr. McKenzie's research focuses on how workshop organization and practice relate to technical and aesthetic exchanges across media. She has developed an interactive digital map of Florentine wax workshops (1300-1500) and co-founded the 'A Material World' lecture and seminar series at the Warburg Institute. She is also a member of the international collaborative research project 'Mapping La Sfera,' which applies geospatial tools to analyze 'La Sfera,' a treatise by Florentine merchant Gregorio 'Goro' Dati. Her current project re-evaluates the place of wax sculpture in the wider fine and decorative arts of fifteenth-century Florence, forming the basis of her monograph 'Re-materialising the Florentine Wax Ex-Voto' under contract with De Gruyter. Her publications span both academic and public-facing outlets, with a notable trend toward making historical material culture accessible to contemporary audiences. The articles demonstrate her ability to connect historical practices with current trends, particularly in fashion, beauty, and collecting. Her work frequently explores the evolution of material objects and their cultural significance across centuries. Dr. McKenzie has presented her research at numerous international conferences including the Renaissance Society of America Annual Conference and has co-organized workshops on digital humanities methodologies. She has teaching experience at UCL, the Warburg Institute, and in private sector settings, covering history of art, language skills, and digital humanities techniques. Her work extends to exploring patronage practices of traditionally underrepresented groups such as the socio-economically disadvantaged, women, and the disabled, as well as strategies for visualizing individual and corporate identity in historical contexts. She has received funding for her research through an LAHP (AHRC) Doctoral Studentship for her project 'Waxing devotion: the economic and devotional lifecycles of wax ex-votos in Florence 1300-1500' which ran between 2019 and 2023.
Hean Tat Keh is a Professor of Marketing and former Head of the Department of Marketing at Monash Business School. As a consumer psychologist, his research focuses on consumer well-being, emphasizing responsible consumption, healthcare marketing, and services marketing. He holds a PhD from the University of Washington, Seattle, and has held academic positions at the University of Queensland, Peking University, and the National University of Singapore. Education: PhD in Marketing, University of Washington, Seattle (Year not specified). Research Interests: Prof. Keh’s work addresses pressing marketplace challenges through studies on sustainable consumption, healthcare, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and services marketing. His research has been published in top-tier journals like the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Consumer Research. Awards: He is one of only two academics to earn both the ANZMAC Distinguished Marketing Researcher (2019) and Educator (2018) Awards. Additional honors include the Dean’s Commendation for Excellence in Postgraduate Supervision (2024) and a national-level research award from China’s Ministry of Education (2015, 2024). Grants: Secured funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and ACR-AMA Grants. Activities: Editorial roles at the Journal of Business Research and Marketing Letters, invited talks at universities like UNSW and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and collaborations across Asia-Pacific. Supervision: Prof. Keh oversees PhD students conducting behavioral experiments in marketing research, with strict criteria for applicants’ experimental research experience and alignment with his research themes.
Karin Maria Laura Zaghi is an Associate Professor of Practice in Channel and Retail at the SDA Bocconi School of Management , part of Bocconi University . She also serves as a Marketing lecturer at Bocconi University. Since 1994, she has collaborated with SDA Bocconi, leading the Category Channel & Retail department and coordinating Executive Open Market programs in Trade Marketing, Category Management, Visual Merchandising, and Store Management. Her expertise spans fashion, automotive, electronics, and grocery sectors, with a focus on consultancy and training for large companies and public entities. Education: Degree from Bocconi University. Research Interests: Retailing, visual merchandising, sustainable category management, and trade marketing. Her work emphasizes in-store brand equity, customer experience, and the integration of digital communication with sustainability practices. Key themes include crisis impact on brand equity, multisensory retail experiences, and omnichannel strategies. Publications: Authored books such as Visual Merchandising and In-Store Brand Equity (2025), In-store brand equity (2024), and academic articles in journals like Micro&Macro Marketing and Economia&Management . Her 2023 article, L’in-store brand equity al tempo delle crisi , explores brand equity dynamics during economic crises. Consultancy & Training: Provides managerial consulting on retail strategies, collaborating with major firms. Designs executive programs focusing on retail design, in-store marketing, and trade analysis. Labs/Teams: Leads retail strategy initiatives at SDA Bocconi, integrating academic research with industry practices.
Dorothee Honhon is Associate Professor of Operations Management at the Naveen Jindal School of Management , University of Texas at Dallas. In addition to her faculty role she currently serves as Associate Dean for Sustainability and Societal Impact in the Dean’s Office. Education Ph.D. in Operations Management, New York University , 2006 B.S., University of Liège, Belgium , 2000 Research Interests Dr. Honhon’s scholarship lies at the intersection of retail operations , inventory theory , and sustainability . She investigates how firms can design product assortments, manage inventories, and structure promotions to simultaneously enhance profitability and reduce waste. Her work spans assortment planning under consumer-driven substitution , perishable inventory control , green transportation , and behavioral drivers of execution failures in retail supply chains. A unifying theme is the use of rigorous analytical models, laboratory and field experiments, and data analytics to generate actionable insights for industry. Publications Overview From 2006 to 2025 she has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals such as Production and Operations Management , Manufacturing & Service Operations Management , and Operations Research . Recent work (2023–2025) focuses heavily on food waste reduction and sustainable retail operations , exploring how promotion, packaging, and supply-chain policies jointly influence waste and profit. Earlier contributions advanced assortment optimization and consumer choice modeling under dynamic substitution. Awards & Recognition Wickham Skinner Best Paper Award , Production and Operations Management (2012) Trammell/CBA Foundation Teaching Award for Assistant Professors (2011) University of Texas Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award for Assistant Professors (2010) Teaching & Service She teaches core MBA and Masters courses OPRE 6302 Operations Management and OPRE 6341 Retail Operations . Active in multiple professional societies—INFORMS, POMS, MSOM, WORMS, and the Consortium for Operations Excellence in Retailing—she frequently advises doctoral students and serves on editorial boards, shaping the future of retail operations scholarship.
