Dr. Simon O'Meara is a Professor at SOAS University of London , serving as Reader in the History of Architecture & Archaeology of the Islamic Middle East and Department Student Support and Experience Convenor. He holds a PhD from the University of Leeds (2004) in Arabic and Islamic Studies, following BA and MA degrees in Art History with a focus on visual theory. Key research areas: Islamic architecture , North African urbanism , material culture , and Islamic visual theory Specializes in analyzing how Islamic religious/legal discourses shape urban spaces and visual culture His publications include two monographs: Space and Muslim Urban Life (2007) on Fez's party walls, and The Kaʿba Orientations (2020) on Mecca's spatial symbolism. Current work examines Quranic exegesis through architectural lenses (2024) and Sufi cosmological centers (2023). PhD supervision topics include: Charlie Oubridge: The Nation in Egyptology Aydin Ozcandan: Ottoman fountains and epigraphs Contact: so20@soas.ac.uk | Office: Room 558, Russell Square: College Buildings
Lucia Dolce serves as the Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhism within the Department of Religions and Philosophies at SOAS University of London, part of the School of History, Religions and Philosophies. Her academic base is room 342 in the Russell Square: College Buildings campus. Her educational background includes: Laurea MA (University of Venice) PhD (Leiden University) Professor Dolce's research centers on two interconnected projects: first, the discourse on the body in medieval Japanese Buddhist rituals and its connections to continental Tantric practices, emphasizing ritual fluidity and performative theory applications; second, contemporary Buddhism-Shinto syncretism with focus on revival of premodern practices in Kyoto shrines. She also examines Tokyo's urban pilgrimage routes like the Seven Gods of Fortune, analyzing institutional negotiations and religious marketing dynamics. Her journal articles (1992-2023) consistently explore ritual knowledge transfer in Japanese Buddhism, with recent works on scriptural repurposing and tantric exegesis highlighting material culture and practice-centered approaches. Earlier publications establish foundational studies on Nichiren Buddhism's esoteric dimensions, astrological cults, and celestial body worship, revealing enduring thematic threads across three decades of scholarship. Scientific awards: No awards listed in provided text Advising and grants: She currently supervises four PhD candidates: Rachel Williams (Japanese Secularity), Haruka Saito (Repentance Rituals), Sooyeun Yang (Korean Astrological Buddhism), and Yeonju Lee (Korean Nationalism). Previous supervisees include twelve PhD graduates such as Emanuela Sala (2022, Sannō Shintō), Ronit Wang (2022, Thai Hell Parks), and multiple 2011 completions. Dolce led the Newton Fellowship-associated project 'The Lucky Gods of Tokyo' (2014-2016), investigating spatial politics in Buddhist-Shinto pilgrimage networks.
Prof. Dr. Julia A. B. Hegewald is a Professor of Oriental Art History at the University of Bonn, Germany, affiliated with the Institute of Oriental and Asian Studies (IOA) and the Department of Asian and Islamic Art History (AIK). Her research focuses on artistic expressions of dependency in Asian art, particularly South Asian, using 're-use' theory to explore cultural integration and creativity under adversity. She holds a Ph.D. from SOAS, University of London, and a Habilitation from RWTH Aachen. Key academic roles include founding the Cam-Kar Research Institute in Mysore (since 2002) and serving on editorial boards for journals like the Journal of Global Archaeology and Veranda . She has led major projects, including the Emmy Noether Junior Research Group on Jainism in Karnataka (2005–2014). Awards include the DFG Emmy Noether extension (2011–2014) and the Prix en études indiennes (2010). Hegewald has authored over 3 books, edited 6 volumes, and published 77 academic articles. Her work bridges art history with cultural studies, addressing themes like Jaina temple architecture, Indo-Islamic syncretism, and modern Indian urban planning. She actively contributes to global academic networks, including the European Association for Asian Art and Archaeology (EAAA).
Dr Crispin Branfoot is a Reader in the History of South Asian Art and Archaeology at SOAS University of London, affiliated with the School of Arts and the Department of History of Art and Archaeology. He holds a BA in Ancient History and Archaeology from Manchester University, and an MA and PhD in Art and Archaeology from SOAS. His research focuses on the arts of southern India from the 14th to 20th centuries, with emphasis on Hindu temple architecture, colonial-era renovations, and the intersection of photography, archaeology, and conservation. He has supervised four PhD students examining topics ranging from temple iconography to colonial paper-making practices. His work explores how sacred spaces like the Minakshi-Sundareshvara temple in Madurai were reconfigured through colonial and post-colonial interventions, while also analyzing pilgrimage routes, portraiture traditions, and the legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire. He has contributed to major publications such as India: A History in Objects (2022), and his research bridges material culture studies with postcolonial theory. He previously worked at De Montfort University and the British Museum, where he gained expertise in South Asian art curation and historical documentation.
Elizabeth (Lisa) Alexandrin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at the Faculty of Arts, University of Manitoba . Her academic work bridges Islamic Studies , Sufism , and gender theory , with a focus on visual and textual representations of mysticism. Education: PhD in Islamic Studies, McGill University (2006) MA in Anthropology, University of Toronto (1993) BA in Anthropology, Boston University (1993) Research Interests: Islamic intellectual history Sufism Ismaili thought Body histories Visual piety Key Themes in Publications: Apocalyptic narratives in Fāṭimid Ismāʿīlī thought Qurʾanic calligraphy as spiritual practice Symbolism of walāyah (sainthood) in Sufi texts Intersection of dreams and mystical exegesis Awards: SSHRC Insight Development Grant (2018-2022) Explore SSHRC/University of Manitoba grant (2021-2022) SSHRC standard research grant (2011-2012)
Thomas Barrie is a Professor of Architecture at North Carolina State University's College of Design, serving as Director of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Initiative and Coordinator of the Master of Advanced Architectural Studies program. An internationally recognized scholar in religious architecture and spirituality in the built environment, he is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and has received numerous accolades including the 2024 NCSU Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence. His educational background includes: Master of Philosophy in Architectural History and Theory, University of Manchester Master of Architecture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University B.A. in English, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Professor Barrie's research explores the symbolism, cultural significance, and ritual functions of architecture across religious traditions, while examining housing through the ontological roles of home. His work bridges architectural theory and practice, emphasizing architecture's social mission and spiritual dimensions. Key publications include four books addressing sacred space, world religions, and domestic environments, establishing foundational frameworks for understanding architecture's role in human experience. His scholarly output reveals consistent exploration of architecture as a mediator between sacred and secular realms, with recent works focusing on comparative religious architecture and cultural contexts of home. This trajectory demonstrates deep commitment to understanding how built environments shape communal identity and individual well-being across diverse cultural settings. His distinguished career has been recognized with numerous honors: NCSU Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence (2024) ACSA Distinguished Professor Award (2019) AIA Fellowship (2020) Three NC State Outstanding Extension Service Awards (2019, 2015, 2014) Induction into the Academy of Faculty Engaged in Extension (2015) Two AIA Honor Awards for design excellence As director of the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Initiative, Professor Barrie has mentored hundreds of students through community-based design studios addressing housing challenges in the Triangle region. His leadership has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration across architecture, planning, and social sciences, resulting in award-winning student projects and tangible community impact through the Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum which he co-founded. Professor Barrie leads the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Initiative and co-founded the international Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, creating platforms for scholarly dialogue and practical application that bridge academic research with community engagement in housing and spiritual dimensions of the built environment.
Danuta Mirka is a Professor at Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music in the Department of Music Theory and Cognition. She holds the Harry N. and Ruth F. Wyatt Chair in Music Theory and has been recognized with major awards for her scholarship. PhD in Musicology from University of Helsinki Senior Fulbright Fellow at Indiana University Humboldt Fellow and DFG Research Fellow at University of Freiburg Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow at University of Southampton Her research synthesizes historical music theory with contemporary cognitive approaches, focusing on metric manipulations in Haydn/Mozart, sonoristic structuralism in Penderecki, and topic theory in eighteenth-century music. She has developed analytical frameworks for textural and timbral systems in avant-garde compositions. Key trends across her publications include: cross-disciplinary application of semiotics and fuzzy logic to music analysis; systematic studies of cadential structures in Classical-era works; and innovative methodologies for analyzing non-traditional instrumental techniques. Her article on Penderecki's sonoristic style introduced groundbreaking concepts of six-dimensional textural analysis. Society for Music Theory Citation of Special Merit (2015) Wallace Berry Award (2011) Marjorie Weston Emerson Award (2023) Roland Jackson Award (2017) Mirka has edited major reference works and served on editorial boards of leading journals. Her scholarship bridges Polish avant-garde traditions with Western analytical methodologies.
Prof. Ludwig D. Morenz is a Professor of Egyptology at the University of Bonn and Director of the Egyptian Museum Bonn. He holds positions as a Principal Investigator in archaeological research and leads excavations in Egypt. His academic journey includes a Habilitation from the University of Tübingen (2001), a PhD from Leipzig (1994), and extensive postdoctoral fellowships across Europe. His research focuses on Pharaonic socio-economic systems, particularly dependency relationships between state expeditions and Canaanite populations. He examines ancient Egyptian economy, religion, and cultural interactions through material and textual evidence. Key areas include the origins of alphabetic writing, solar deity symbolism, and Roman-Egyptian cultural hybridity. Morenz has secured over €1 million in third-party funding from institutions like the German Research Foundation (DFG) and Gerda Henkel Foundation. He supervises numerous doctoral and master's students, reviewing over 30 theses and international PhDs. His editorial roles include founding journals like Studia Sinaitica and Bonner Ägyptologische Beiträge . Major excavations under his leadership include the Elite Necropolis of Qubbet el Hawa and the Serabit el-Chadim Hathor temple project. He participates in consortia such as the DFG Research Training Group 'Archeology of Pre-Modern Economies' and the International Congress of Egyptologists. Awards: Heisenberg Fellowship (DFG), Feodor Lynen Fellowship (Humboldt Foundation), Herzog-Ernst Scholarship Exhibitions: Curated annual special exhibitions at the Egyptian Museum Bonn, including a landmark show on alphabetic writing origins at Cairo's National Museum Publications: 13 monographs, 4 edited volumes, and over 100 articles
Professor Samer Akkach is a prominent academic at the University of Adelaide's School of Architecture and Civil Engineering within the Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology. He joined the university in 1993 after completing his Master of Architectural Design at UNSW (1985) and PhD at the University of Sydney (1992). As a leading scholar in architectural history, Islamic studies, and Middle Eastern urban history, he founded the Centre for Asian and Middle Eastern Architecture (CAMEA) in 1997 to address Eurocentric biases in architectural discourse. His research focuses on early modern Islamic intellectual history, urban secularism in Damascus, and pre- and post-Copernican Islamic cosmology. Key contributions include editing seminal works like Self, Place, and Imagination (1999) and De-Placing Difference (2002). CAMEA conferences such as the 2016 Ilm: Science, Religion, and Art in Islam reflect his commitment to cross-cultural architectural thinking. Akkach’s publications bridge architecture, philosophy, and cultural studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to urban form and sacred space. His work critiques conventional architectural education and advocates for inclusive, culturally sensitive design frameworks.
Sthaneshwar Timalsina holds the Nirmal K. and Augustina Mattoo Endowed Chair in Classical Indic Humanities at Stony Brook University's Department of Asian & Asian American Studies, part of the College of Arts & Sciences. He also teaches at San Diego State University's Departments of Religions and Philosophy. His academic journey includes a master’s from Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, a Ph.D. from Martin Luther University (Halle, Germany), and teaching stints at UC Santa Barbara and Washington University in St. Louis. Research focuses on Hindu philosophy, comparative religions, and Tantric studies. He explores Advaita Vedanta, consciousness studies, tantric symbolism, and yoga traditions through philological and cognitive approaches. Over 80 scholarly articles and multiple books including Seeing and Appearance (2006), Consciousness in Indian Philosophy (2009), and works on tantric visual culture (2015) reflect this. His writings synthesize classical Sanskrit scholarship with modern analytical frameworks. He launched the Vimarsha Foundation (2019) to globalize Sanskrit-based philosophical education through immersive courses.
Christian Kleinbub is a Professor in the Department of History of Art at The Ohio State University, where he has held academic ranks including Assistant, Associate, and full Professor since 2006. He specializes in 15th–16th century Italian and European art, with a focus on image theory, naturalism, and the body in Renaissance art. His work explores visionary imagery, the relationship between art and spirituality, and the scientific dimensions of anatomical representation, particularly in the works of Michelangelo and Raphael. He has authored two books and numerous articles published in leading journals such as The Art Bulletin and Renaissance Quarterly . Education : B.A. (magna cum laude) in History of Art from Yale University (1999); Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance Art History from Columbia University (2006). His dissertation, "Vision and the Visionary in Raphael," won the 2013 Gustave O. Arlt Award for scholarly excellence in the humanities. Research Interests : Kleinbub’s research bridges art history, philosophy, and theology. He investigates how Renaissance artists reconciled contemporary artistic imperatives with sacred traditions, particularly in Michelangelo’s anatomical studies and Raphael’s visionary compositions. His recent work analyzes the interplay between touch, sight, and spiritual experience in religious imagery. Honors and Awards : He has received the Rodica C. Botoman Award for Teaching (2017–2018), a Robert Lehman Fellowship (2015–2016), and multiple grants from The Ohio State University. His book Michelangelo’s Inner Anatomies (2020) explores the poetical and scientific dimensions of the artist’s anatomical insights. Service and Leadership : Kleinbub serves on national committees for the Italian Arts Society and has led departmental initiatives at Ohio State, including chairing the Graduate Studies Committee. He has lectured internationally and organized scholarly symposia on Renaissance art at venues such as Villa I Tatti and the Ashmolean Museum.
Marco Costa is a Full Professor at the Department of Psychology "Renzo Canestrari" within the University of Bologna. His research spans cognitive psychology, cross-modal perception, and environmental psychology, with a particular emphasis on the interplay between music, visual cognition, and behavioral responses. His recent publications highlight trends in auditory-visual integration , including studies on musical mode perception , spatial cognition , and environmental influences on behavior . His work bridges theoretical and applied domains, ranging from urban design to sensory neuroscience.
Prof. Dr. Maarten Delbeke serves as Full Professor at ETH Zurich's Department of Architecture and Deputy Head of the Institute for the History and Theory of Architecture. His academic career spans Ghent University, where he was appointed Full Professor in 2014, and University of Leiden, before joining ETH Zurich in 2017. At ETH, he leads the Chair for History and Theory of Architecture with a focus on examining architectural history c.1400-1900 and its relevance to contemporary architectural practice. Delbeke received his PhD from Ghent University in 2001 after studying Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture and Engineering. His academic development included fellowships at the Belgian Historical Institute in Rome, Worcester College in Oxford (2001-2003), and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. His career progressed from Assistant Professor positions at Ghent University (2005) and University of Leiden (2006), where he secured a Vidi-grant from NWO for 'The Quest for the Legitimacy of Architecture in Europe, 1750-1850' (2010-2015). His research centers on early modern art and architecture across Europe, particularly examining the interface between religion and aesthetics, architectural representation in literature and print media, and origin myths. Delbeke has made significant contributions to Baroque studies through publications on Bernini, Algardi, and Sforza Pallavicino, and has investigated architectural theory from the 17th-19th centuries through works on the Perrault brothers, Fischer von Erlach, Piranesi, and Victor Hugo. His current work increasingly focuses on Swiss and German Rococo architecture and identity formation in architectural discourse. Delbeke's extensive publication record shows a clear trajectory from focused Baroque studies toward broader investigations of architectural identity, legitimacy, and character across European contexts. His recent works demonstrate growing integration of digital humanities approaches, while maintaining his core interest in how architecture constructs meaning through historical narratives and aesthetic concepts. He has secured significant research funding including current Swiss National Science Foundation projects 'Building Identity: Character in Architectural Debate and Design, 1750-1850' and 'Swiss Rococo Cultures: Idioms of ornament and the architecture of East Switzerland.' As founding Editor-in-Chief of 'Architectural Histories' (EAHN), he has shaped scholarly discourse in architectural history. Delbeke actively contributes to research infrastructure as board member of SARI (Swiss Art Research Infrastructure) and international core member of Copenhagen's Centre for Privacy Studies. His 'Graph' project with Benoît Seguin and ETH Library exemplifies his commitment to methodological innovation in architectural history, while his upcoming Herbstsemester 2025 courses demonstrate his active engagement in architectural education.
Clemente Marconi is the James R. McCredie Professor in the History of Greek Art and Archaeology and University Professor at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts, as well as a Full Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Milan. His research focuses on ancient Greek and Roman art, with an emphasis on Archaic and Classical Greek architecture, Sicilian archaeology, and cultural property repatriation. He directs excavations at Selinunte, Sicily, and chairs the Seminar on Ancient Art and Archaeology. Marconi holds prestigious academic affiliations including membership in the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and the Academia Europaea. Education: B.A. (1990) from University of Rome La Sapienza; Ph.D. (1997) from Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa. His interdisciplinary methodology integrates semiotics, anthropology, and hermeneutics to contextualize ancient art within broader cultural frameworks. Recent projects include the Selinunte excavations (since 2006) and a forthcoming exhibition on Picasso's engagement with classical antiquity. Research interests span Greek temple decoration, colonial archaeology, and the social function of monuments. Key publications include Temple Decoration and Cultural Identity in the Archaic Greek World (2007) and The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Art and Architecture (2015). His excavations at Selinunte have revealed critical insights into Punic-Greek interactions and temple biography. Professional contributions include mentoring graduate students involved in international networks, such as the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. Awards and honors reflect his disciplinary leadership, including his role as corresponding member of the German Archaeological Institute.
Phil Edwards is a Lecturer in the School of Art at RMIT University, specializing in interdisciplinary art practices that explore hybridity, cultural critique, and contemporary artistic expression. His research spans children’s art, outsider art, and the intersection of fine art with everyday aesthetics. He holds a Master’s degree examining innate aesthetic tendencies in everyday object assemblages and a PhD analyzing the role of audio CDs in fine art culture. Research Interests: Edwards focuses on six core themes: children’s art/outsider art’s relationship to formal painting, fake poetry integration in visual art, alchemy as metaphor, music brut, temporality in hybrid art forms, and abstract landscape painting. His creative works often blend digital media (e.g., Instagram-based projects) with traditional techniques. Teaching & Supervision: Edwards supervises Masters and PhD students in research topics like border identity visualizations (Maria Penne’s DFA project). He actively mentors projects such as An Exploration of Zen-inspired Poetic Nature Painting and Museum of Emotion . Exhibitions & Projects: His works include installations like Museum of Platitudes AND Aphorisms and digital projects such as Continual Instagram Painting . He frequently exhibits in venues like the c3 Art Gallery and George Paton Gallery, emphasizing public engagement and conceptual depth.
