Sam Yam is a Professor and Head of the Management & Organisation Department at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Business School. He holds the Jardine Cycle & Carriage Professorship and serves as Associate Dean. His research spans strategy, organisational behaviour, applied psychology, ethics, and human-technology interaction. Yam has contributed to over 125 publications, focusing on AI ethics, workplace dynamics, and cross-cultural management. He explores topics like robot replacement effects, abusive supervision, and financial anxiety's intergenerational impacts. His work bridges psychology, ethics, and organisational theory, addressing contemporary challenges in automation, leadership, and human-AI collaboration. Appointments: Head of Management & Organisation (2022–present), Joint Appointment in Arts & Social Sciences (2023–present). Key Research Themes: Future of work, human-technology interaction, ethical leadership, and Machiavellian dynamics. Notable Contributions: Multimodal ADHD diagnostics, leader biases toward robot-using employees, and cultural impacts on team performance. Yam’s interdisciplinary approach integrates psychology, technology, and management, addressing societal issues like AI ethics and workplace automation. His research frequently appears in top journals like the Journal of Management and Annual Review of Organizational Psychology .
Professor Gabriel Brostow is a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at University College London (UCL), where he leads research in Computer Vision and Human-Computer Interaction. He also serves as Chief Research Scientist and Senior Director of the R&D Team at Niantic, the company behind Pokémon GO. His work bridges academic research and industry applications, focusing on developing AI systems that enhance human capabilities through what he terms 'Human in the Loop AI'—now commonly referred to as Human-Centered AI. Brostow completed his BS in Electrical Engineering at UT Austin, followed by a PhD with Irfan Essa at Georgia Tech. He then pursued postdoctoral research with Roberto Cipolla's Computer Vision & Robotics Group at Cambridge University as a Marshall Sherfield Fellow, and with Marc Pollefeys in ETH Zurich's CVG Group. His research explores how AI, particularly Computer Vision, can serve as 'super-tools' for professionals across various domains including filmmaking, architecture, robotics, and scientific research. Specific interests include assistive technology for everyday life, authoring systems that maximize user effort, 3D reconstruction, depth estimation, and vision-language models. His work often involves creating systems that are validated through real-world human interaction to ensure practical utility. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on practical applications of Computer Vision that directly interact with humans. His research spans 3D scene understanding, depth estimation, sketch-based interfaces, and multimodal AI systems. There's a clear emphasis on creating benchmarks and tools that facilitate human-AI collaboration, with applications in assistive technology, urban planning, filmmaking, and biodiversity monitoring. His work frequently appears at top conferences including CVPR, NeurIPS, ECCV, and CHI. Marshall Sherfield Fellowship Brostow actively mentors PhD students, with current advisees including Ross Murphy, Skanda Koppula, Gizem Unlu, Omiros Pantazis, and Jamie Watson. His alumni include numerous PhD graduates and MSc students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and industry. He emphasizes selecting students based on passion and potential rather than just academic credentials, valuing traits like helpfulness, drive, and hunger to learn. His research is supported through collaborations with major institutions and companies including DeepMind, MIT, and the University of Edinburgh. He leads a research group at UCL that collaborates closely with Niantic's R&D team, creating a unique bridge between academic research and industry application. His team's work frequently involves developing novel Computer Vision techniques that are validated through real-world human interaction, ensuring practical utility alongside technical innovation. The group explores blue-sky research problems with applications ranging from assistive technology to professional tools for filmmakers, architects, and scientists studying diverse environments.
Univ-Prof. Dr. med. Malek Bajbouj serves as Director of the Institute for Affective Neuroscience and Emotion Modulation at Charité – University Medicine Berlin's Campus Benjamin Franklin (CBF), operating within the Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry (CC 15). His position integrates clinical leadership with translational neuroscience research focused on severe mental illnesses. Dr. Bajbouj's research program centers on affective neuroscience and emotion dysregulation mechanisms in psychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia spectrum conditions and depression. He pioneers multimodal intervention approaches combining neuromodulation (tDCS), oxytocin augmentation, mindfulness therapies, and digital health tools. His work emphasizes translational biomarker development using neuroimaging, machine learning, and physiological stress parameter analysis to personalize treatment for treatment-resistant populations. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) novel treatment combinations for negative symptoms in schizophrenia (oxytocin + mindfulness, yoga therapy); (2) real-world implementation of neuromodulation (at-home tDCS protocols, technical efficacy monitoring); and (3) global mental health responses to crises (pandemic impacts on vulnerable groups, culturally adapted refugee interventions). His methodology consistently employs rigorous randomized controlled trials with embedded biomarker studies. As director of his eponymous institute, Dr. Bajbouj leads a multidisciplinary team conducting neuroimaging studies, clinical trials, and international collaborations focused on emotion modulation pathways. The institute coordinates research across CC 15's clinical infrastructure at CBF Building V, with particular emphasis on bridging laboratory neuroscience with clinical psychiatry through the DepressionDC and OXYMIND trial frameworks.
Professor Shani Orgad is a leading academic in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she holds the rank of Professor. Her research focuses on gender, feminism, media representations, and globalization, with notable works exploring motherhood, work-life balance, and the intersection of media with contemporary cultural narratives. Education: Orgad earned a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, followed by a Master's and PhD in Media and Communications at LSE. She is renowned for her interdisciplinary approach, blending media studies with ethnographic research and sociocultural analysis. Research Interests: Her work critically examines media discourses around gender, motherhood, and inequality. Key themes include the 'confidence culture' critique, menopause visibility, and the role of media in shaping public perceptions of marginalized groups. She has also explored humanitarian communication and the challenges faced by NGOs in engaging the public. Awards: Orgad has been recognized for her teaching excellence, including the 2019 LSE Teaching Excellence Prize and the 2018 LSE Excellence in Education Award. Her book Confidence Culture (2022), co-authored with Rosalind Gill, challenges neoliberal individualism in modern feminist discourse. Public Engagement: She frequently contributes to public discussions on media and gender through blogs, podcasts, and media commentaries. Her work bridges academic rigor with societal relevance, addressing issues like pandemic resilience, menopause discourse, and the impact of social media on self-perception. Current Projects: During the 2024/25 academic year, Orgad is on research leave, focusing on new projects that continue her exploration of media, gender, and cultural dynamics.
Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt is Principal of Jesus College Oxford and Professor of Computing Science at the University of Oxford. He is Chairman and Co-founder of the Open Data Institute which he established with Sir Tim Berners-Lee. His career spans multiple prestigious institutions including the University of Southampton and University of Nottingham, where he held leadership roles in AI research. He has served in significant government advisory positions including as Information Advisor to the UK Prime Minister and member of the Public Sector Transparency Board. Nigel Shadbolt earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Psychology from the University of Newcastle (1st Class Honours, 1978) followed by a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh. His academic journey includes positions as the Allan Standen Professor of Intelligent Systems at Nottingham and leadership of the Web and Internet Science Group at Southampton before joining Oxford. Shadbolt's research spans the interdisciplinary field of Web Science, which he helped originate, focusing on human-centered AI, social machines, open data, and ethical considerations in technology. His work examines how humans and computers integrate at web scale to create novel applications, with recent emphasis on children's digital autonomy and privacy. He has published over 500 articles exploring topics from cognitive psychology to computational neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence to the Semantic Web. His notable contributions include the development of data.gov.uk and leadership in establishing Oxford's Institute of Ethics in AI. His 2018 book 'The Digital Ape: how to live (in peace) with smart machines' has been described as a 'landmark book' in the field. Knighted in 2013 for services to science and engineering Fellow of The Royal Society (FRS) Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) Fellow of the British Computer Society (FBCS) Technology Pioneer status by the Davos World Economic Forum UK national BT Flagship IT Award As an advisor, Shadbolt has supervised numerous PhD students who have gone on to positions at Google DeepMind, the World Bank, and other prestigious institutions. His research has been supported by multiple grants including SOCIAM, KOALA, and ReTiPS projects. He co-founded Garlik Ltd, which was acquired by Experian, demonstrating his commitment to translating research into practical applications that benefit society. Shadbolt leads the Web and Internet Science research group at Oxford, focusing on social machines - applications that succeed at web scale by integrating humans and computers in novel ways. His work on the KOALA Hero Toolkit and CHAITok system addresses critical challenges in children's data autonomy on social media platforms, reflecting his commitment to ethical technology design.
Karen Livescu is a Professor at the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC), a philanthropically endowed graduate institute for computer science located on the University of Chicago campus. She also serves as a courtesy faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago and is an Affiliated Scholar at the Data Science Institute there. Her research focuses on advancing speech and language processing through innovative machine learning approaches. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT (2005) S.M. from MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (1999) A.B. in Physics from Princeton University (1996) Karen's research spans multiple dimensions of speech and language processing with particular emphasis on speech recognition, spoken language understanding, and multimodal processing. She has made significant contributions to articulatory feature-based speech recognition, self-supervised learning for speech representation, and sign language processing. Her work consistently bridges machine learning techniques with linguistic and speech science knowledge, focusing on creating more robust, interpretable, and inclusive speech processing systems that can handle diverse languages and modalities. Her recent publication trajectory reveals a strong focus on self-supervised learning for speech representation, multilingual speech processing, and sign language understanding. She has been instrumental in developing benchmark frameworks like SUPERB and ML-SUPERB that have become standard evaluation tools in the speech community. Her work increasingly addresses critical challenges in low-resource language scenarios, language disparities in speech technology, and ethical considerations in real-world deployment. Scientific Awards: Best Paper award at EMNLP 2024 for 'Towards robust speech representation learning for thousands of languages' Best Student Paper Award at ASRU 2023 Best Short Paper Award at CRAC 2021 Top system at WMT-SLT 2023 Karen has successfully advised numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who have gone on to faculty positions at institutions like University of Waterloo, University of Edinburgh, and Stellenbosch University, as well as industry roles at major technology companies including Google, Meta, and NVIDIA. Her research group has secured significant funding for projects including the development of the SLUE benchmark for spoken language understanding and the SUPERB framework for evaluating self-supervised speech models. She has been actively involved in organizing workshops and symposia that bring together researchers in speech and language processing. Karen leads the Speech and Language at TTIC (SL@TTIC) research group, which maintains a strong collaborative relationship with researchers at the University of Chicago and other institutions. The group has been particularly active in advancing sign language processing through projects like ChicagoFSWild and OpenASL, while also making significant contributions to spoken language understanding and multilingual speech recognition. Her team regularly participates in community challenges and benchmarks, helping to push the field forward through open science and collaborative evaluation frameworks.
Allison Godwin is a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, joining the faculty in 2023. She holds a B.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2014) in Chemical Engineering and Science Education from Clemson University. At Purdue University, she was a tenured member of the School of Engineering Education and held a joint appointment in the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering (2020). Research Interests: Engineering identity development, particularly for underrepresented groups Inclusive pedagogies to reduce equity gaps in STEM Engineering workforce diversity and retention strategies Mixed-methods research on belonging and motivation Scientific Awards: 2023 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Research 2022 AERA Division I Outstanding Research Publication Award 2021 CEE William H. Corcoran Award 2017-Present NSF CAREER Award 2016 NARST Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award Leadership Roles: Past Chair of ASEE Educational Research Methods Division (2021-2023) Associate Editor for Chemical Engineering Education (2020-Present) Co-led Purdue’s Faculty Learning Community for inclusive teaching
AnHai Doan is the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and Gurindar S. Sohi Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on data integration, entity matching, and data science, with particular emphasis on building end-to-end systems that leverage machine learning, scalable data management, and human-data interaction. He leads the Magellan project, which develops open-source tools for entity matching as part of the Python data ecosystem. Dr. Doan's research interests include: Data cleaning and integration: Building end-to-end data integration systems as parts of the Python ecosystem of open-source data tools Data science: Developing an agenda that integrates research, system building, education, and outreach, with focus on data quality Crowdsourcing: Pioneering work on using crowdsourcing for data management and integration Knowledge bases: Building community-centric knowledge bases His recent work shows a strong trend toward developing practical systems for data integration that combine machine learning with traditional database techniques. The Magellan project represents a comprehensive effort to build an end-to-end entity matching system, with numerous publications spanning entity matching algorithms, debugging tools, and cloud-based matching services. His research increasingly focuses on the intersection of data science and data management, particularly on data quality issues. Selected scientific awards: Gurindar S. Sohi Professorship (2020) Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship (2018) SIGMOD Research Highlight Award (2017) Vilas Associate, UW-Madison (2016) Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2007) NSF CAREER Award (2004) ACM Doctoral Dissertation Award (2003) Dr. Doan has been actively involved in service to the data management community, including serving on the SIGMOD Advisory Board, as associate editor for VLDB, and co-chairing the industrial program for VLDB. He has also played a key role in strategic initiatives at UW-Madison, including helping to establish the School of Computer, Data, and Information Sciences. He has mentored numerous students and researchers through his work on the Magellan project and related research efforts. Additionally, he co-founded GreenBay Technologies to commercialize Magellan, which was later acquired by Informatica. He leads the Database Group at UW-Madison and has been instrumental in developing data science educational programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His work bridges research, education, and practical applications in the rapidly evolving field of data management and data science.
Virginia Ferreiro Basurto is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), where she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in psychology, with a strong focus on gender equality and gender-based violence. She is actively involved in postgraduate coordination, including the Chair of Gender Violence Studies and the Summer University of Gender Studies at UIB. Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands Coordinator, Chair of Gender Violence Studies, UIB Coordinator, Summer University of Gender Studies, UIB Member, Gender Studies Research Group (ESTUDEGE), UIB Education: Degree in Pedagogy, University of the Balearic Islands Master’s in Inclusive Education, University of the Balearic Islands Doctoral Candidate in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, University of the Balearic Islands Dr. Ferreiro Basurto’s research centers on gender perspectives in the Information Society, with emphasis on ICT-related social-digital exclusion of women and sexist cyberviolence. Her work explores implicit and explicit attitudes toward gender-based violence, bystander intervention, street harassment, and the myth of romantic love as a justification for abuse. She has contributed extensively to academic discourse through publications and participation in national and international conferences. The trend in her recent scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on gender-based violence in both physical and digital environments. Her articles analyze youth perceptions of cyberaggression, the role of bystanders in intimate partner violence, and methodological advancements in measuring supportive attitudes toward violence. The interdisciplinary nature of her work spans psychology, sociology, gender studies, and digital humanities, often informed by empirical data from Spanish populations. Scientific Awards: No specific awards listed in the provided text. She has been involved in multiple research projects funded by national and international institutions, including the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, FECYT, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Fundación BBVA, and Instituto de la Mujer. These projects cover themes such as critical thinking development in education, citizen involvement in violence prevention, and intervention programs for abusers. She also advises and supervises master’s theses and final degree projects, particularly in gender-focused postgraduate programs. Dr. Ferreiro Basurto is a member of the Gender Studies Research Group (ESTUDEGE) at UIB, a consolidated R&D&I group dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research on gender, violence, and digital society. Her collaborative work involves designing and evaluating gender-sensitive educational and intervention programs.
Prof. Rita Bauer is a Senior Lecturer and Privatdozentin in Psychology at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. She leads the Outpatient Clinic for Psychotherapy within the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus. Her academic journey includes a PhD (Dr. phil.) from the University of Regensburg (2010), postdoctoral habilitation in Psychology (2014), and a Habilitation in Medicine at TU Dresden (2014). Bauer specializes in mood and anxiety disorders, suicide prevention, caregiver burden, and e-mental health. She has pioneered research on digital tools in psychiatry and the impact of online support groups on bipolar disorder management. Education: Diploma in Theology (1994–2000), University of Regensburg Diploma in Psychology (1997–2003), University of Regensburg PhD in Psychology (2010), University of Regensburg Postdoctoral Habilitation in Psychology and Medicine (2014) Certified in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (2004–2007), Institut für Therapieforschung Bauer’s research focuses on the intersection of technology and mental health. Her work on caregiver burden and suicide prevention has earned her the Lilly Research Prize (2006) and a stipend for postdoctoral research (2010–2012). She co-founded the Werner-Felber-Institut for Suicide Prevention and chairs the Working Group on Family Therapy within the German Association for Psychiatry. Her publications analyze digital health applications, including psychiatrist use of technology, environmental influences on suicide risk, and online self-help forums. She also investigates palliative care and psychooncology, reflecting her roles as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in Dresden since 2013. Awards: Lilly Research Prize (2006) Stipend for Postdoctoral Qualification (2010–2012) Bauer advises on suicide prevention training and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams at the Werner-Felber-Institut. Her clinical work integrates evidence-based practices with digital tools, enhancing mental health service delivery in Germany.
Dr. Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy & Business Economy at Brunel Business School, Brunel University of London. She serves as Programme Lead for the BSc International Business Programme and Trade2Grow Executive Education Programme. Additionally, she is Impact Lead at the Brunel Centre for AI: Social and Digital Innovation, where she leads the capability area in the Future of Work. Dr. Tabaghdehi is also an economist and social impact advisor for the independent NGO, Social Innovation Movement. Dr. Tabaghdehi earned her PhD in Economics and Finance (2008) and MSc in International Money, Finance, and Investment (2015), both from Brunel University London. She also holds a BA in Theoretical Economics from University of Mazandaran. She completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Dr. Tabaghdehi is internationally recognized for her research on digital transformation, with particular expertise in the ethical integration of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Her work focuses on how emerging technologies shape industries, labor markets, and society, with emphasis on enhancing SME growth through technological innovation. She explores applications across critical sectors including social care, supply chain management, and environmental sustainability. A central theme in her research is smart data governance, ensuring ethical, transparent, and responsible use of data in decision-making processes. Her research portfolio demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of technology, ethics, and business strategy. She has developed frameworks like the Digital Business Auditing Framework, which has been adopted internationally for smart city initiatives. Her work connects academic research with practical policy applications, as evidenced by her presentations as oral and written evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee. Her publications span AI ethics, digital footprint implications, fertility economics, and healthcare cost analysis, showing interdisciplinary breadth while maintaining thematic coherence around digital transformation's societal impact. Scientific Awards and Recognition Semi-finalist: Research Impact Award at Brunel University London, 2023 Staff Award: Exceptional in Collegiality and Supportive to Colleagues at Brunel University London, 2022 Exceptional Performance at Regents University London, 2018-19 Staff Award in Teaching, Learning and Assessment at Regents University London, 2016 Best Lecturer Award at London Brunel International College, 2014 Best Lecturer Award at London Brunel International College, 2013 Dr. Tabaghdehi actively supervises PhD students researching areas including Smart Data Governance, Ethical AI Governance, Digital Innovation Impact, Responsible AI Adoption Strategies, Sustainability, and Future of Labour Market. She has secured research funding from multiple sources including the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), Brunel University London, and Brunel Business School. Her current projects include research on AI Adoption and Governance, Youth digital addiction, Algorithm Reliability Framework, and SMEs digital footprints. She has also co-designed the "Digital Adoption" module for the UK Government's Help to Grow Management program, demonstrating the practical application of her research. As a member of multiple professional organizations, Dr. Tabaghdehi serves as an associate practitioner at Social Value International, associate member of the Big Innovation Centre, and member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on AI. She is also a member of the ESRC Review College, British Academy of Management Review College, and Energy Institute UK, contributing to the broader academic and policy communities through these roles.
Raul Castro Fernandez is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, where he researches data ecology, a concept he created to study how data shapes our world and how we can shape it back. He is the faculty co-lead of the Data Science Institute's Data Ecology Research Initiative and a member of ChiData, the data systems research group at the University of Chicago. He is also co-founder and Chief Research Officer at invocate and co-runs Chicago Data Night, a forum connecting industry and academia in Chicago. Castro Fernandez's research focuses on data ecology, data discovery, data markets, and data integration. He develops both theory and systems that help people and organizations find, evaluate, and use data effectively. His work often uses techniques from data management, statistics, and machine learning. He has pioneered concepts in data market design, understanding the economics of data, and building platforms to support markets of data. His research on data ecology frames how data moves through and transforms technological, economic, and social systems—and how to design interventions to make those ecosystems more valuable, equitable, and resilient. His publications reveal a strong focus on data markets, data discovery, and LLM applications for data management. Recent work includes Pneuma (leveraging LLMs for tabular data), Solo (data discovery using natural language), and Nexus (correlation discovery for spatio-temporal data). His research spans theoretical foundations of data value to practical systems for data sharing and discovery. SIGMOD Test of Time Award (2023) NSF CAREER Award (2024) Sloan Research Fellowship (2025) Castro Fernandez has advised numerous PhD, Master's, and undergraduate students who have gone on to pursue PhDs at institutions like University of Washington and Stony Brook, joined companies like Google, Anthropic, and Citadel, or founded startups. His teaching includes courses on The Value of Data, Ethics in Data Science, and Introduction to Databases. He serves on program committees for major conferences including SIGMOD, VLDB, and CIDR, and has been recognized as a Distinguished Reviewer by multiple venues.
Dr. Joel Town is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and cross-appointed in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University . He holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of York and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) from the University of Sheffield. Education: BSc (Hons) in Psychology, University of York, England Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), University of Sheffield, England Dr. Town's research focuses on psychotherapy outcome research , mechanisms of change in psychotherapy , and psychological treatments for depression and medically unexplained symptoms . He specializes in Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) , examining its efficacy for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and somatic symptom disorders. His work includes clinical trials , systematic reviews , and meta-analyses to evaluate therapeutic processes and outcomes. His recent publications highlight ISTDP applications for personality disorders, anxiety, chronic pain, and eating disorders. Key trends include emotional processing , therapeutic alliance dynamics , and cost-effectiveness of brief interventions . Dr. Town also explores how unconscious emotional conflicts influence treatment outcomes. As a clinician, he serves as the lead clinical psychologist at the Medically Unexplained Symptoms Clinic, QE-II Health Science Centre, and as Director of Dynamic Health Psychological Services, Halifax . He supervises clinical psychology interns and practicum students and contributes as a Consulting Editor for journals like Psychotherapy and Psychotherapy Research .
Dr. Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education at the University of South Florida's College of Education. She coordinates the Gifted Education Program and teaches in the fully-online Gifted Education program, offering courses for the Florida Endorsement and Master's degree. Her roles include leading the Ed.D. in Educational Program Development and serving on various college committees. Education: B.A. in English (University of Miami, 1990), M.A. in English (Florida State University, 1991), Ph.D. in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted Education (University of Southern Mississippi, 2003). Research focuses on underrepresented gifted children and social-emotional needs of AP/IB students. Notable projects include the Javits-funded REACH initiative and an IES study on intrapersonal factors in AP-IB success. Her work emphasizes technology integration, program development, and mental health interventions in advanced curricula. Key grants include a Javits Gifted Education Award (2009-2011) and an IES grant (2010-2012). Awards include the NAGC Early Scholar Award (2013). Advising and grants: Primary Investigator on multiple projects; collaborates with Dr. Shannon Suldo on major studies. Active in college committees like the Tenure and Promotion Committee and Strategic Plan Revision Committee. Labs/Teams: Leads the Gifted Education Program and collaborates on interdisciplinary research teams focusing on advanced learners and educational innovation.
Dr. Karin van Es is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Culture Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University. She serves as project lead for the Humanities at Data School and is an affiliate and impact liaison at the Centre for Digital Humanities. Her work bridges academic research and practical applications in the digital society, with a focus on collaborating with external parties on interdisciplinary projects. She is also part of the GenAI in Education Humanities taskforce at Utrecht University. Her research is situated at the intersection of television studies, software studies, and critical data and algorithm studies, with a particular focus on streaming video culture and industries. Her notable publications include the book The Future of Live (Polity Press, 2016) and co-edited volumes such as The Datafied Society (AUP, 2017), Situating Data (AUP, 2023), Collaborative Research in a Datafied Society (AUP, 2024), and Governing the Digital Society (AUP, 2025). She has published extensively in journals including Television & New Media , Media, Culture and Society , Critical Studies in Television , Social Media + Society , Big Data and Society , and First Monday . Dr. van Es's recent publications reveal a strong focus on the governance of digital platforms, AI ethics, and the impact of streaming services on media consumption. Her work increasingly examines the societal implications of datafication, with particular attention to educational contexts, public values, and methodological innovations for studying digital phenomena. She has pioneered approaches like "data walking" and "data donations" as research methods for understanding how people interact with digital platforms in everyday contexts. Her scholarship demonstrates a consistent commitment to critical technical practice that bridges theoretical insights with practical interventions in the datafied society. Editor of special issue "Critical Technical Practice(s)" for Convergence Organizer of "Innovative Methods for Video-on-Demand Research" workshop (2024) Speaker at ECREA 2024 conference on "Netflix Uncovered: Insights from Data Donations" Member of editorial board for Convergence journal Her media contributions include appearances on WORT 89.9 FM discussing "The Meaning of Live" (2022), participation in the "De Maatschappelijk Betrokken Docent" program (2022), and earlier contributions on topics like "Wat is beeldradio?" (2016) and "Live liveness in realtime" (2015). She leads the Media and Performance Studies research group and is deeply involved with the Data School at Utrecht University. Her work with the GenAI in Education Humanities taskforce focuses on understanding and shaping the integration of generative AI in educational contexts. Through her role at the Centre for Digital Humanities, she helps bridge academic research with practical applications in society, particularly around issues of data governance, digital literacy, and the societal impact of emerging technologies.
