Reihaneh Rabbany is an Assistant Professor at the School of Computer Science, McGill University, and a core faculty member of Mila - Quebec's artificial intelligence institute. She holds the Canada CIFAR AI Chair and is affiliated with the Center for the Study of Democratic Citizenship. Her research focuses on complex data analysis at the intersection of network science, data mining, and machine learning. Research Interests: Network Science Data Mining Graph Representation Learning Unsupervised and Self-supervised Learning Anomaly Detection Social Good Applications Publication Trends show emphasis on temporal graph analysis, community detection, misinformation identification, and interdisciplinary collaborations with political science and criminology experts. Notable Awards Canada CIFAR AI Chair CAIAC 2021 Best Master's Thesis Award (co-supervisor) Advising includes mentoring PhD and MSc students across multiple institutions, with graduated students transitioning to roles at Microsoft Research, Mila, Yale, and Google. Labs & Collaborations: Leads the Complex Data Lab at McGill, collaborates with Mila, and contributes to community evaluation frameworks like CommunityEvaluation and TopLeaders algorithm.
Dr. Jillianne Code is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, directing the ALIVE Research Lab. Her work focuses on learner agency, educational technologies, and social media's impact on student success. Specializes in immersive virtual environments for assessment Researches self-regulated learning and formative feedback Investigates health education through digital interventions Her recent publications examine pandemic-era educational transitions, digital literacy in teacher training, and cognitive tools in virtual reality. She has received Outstanding Paper Awards for her work on immersive assessment. Dr. Code leads research projects on learning analytics, student engagement in digital spaces, and technology education sustainability. Her work bridges educational theory with practical interventions through digital badges, mobile health applications, and 3D learning environments.
Dr. Johan P Larsson serves as a Lecturer in Economics and Public Policy within the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge, concurrently holding a Fellowship and Director of Studies position in Land Economy. His academic profile bridges theoretical and empirical research in spatial economic phenomena, with emphasis on policy-relevant investigations of regional competitiveness and urban dynamics. His educational foundation includes: PhD from Jönköping University Dr. Larsson's research program centers on economic geography and regional science, specializing in urban economics and entrepreneurship. He examines how historical industrial structures, neighborhood effects, and policy interventions shape economic integration and innovation ecosystems. Methodologically, he combines quantitative analysis of large-scale datasets with natural experiments (e.g., pandemic-induced remote work) to isolate causal mechanisms in spatial economic processes. His recent publication trajectory (2021-2025) reveals consistent focus on three interconnected domains: evaluation of place-based policies (e.g., City Deals), analysis of the entrepreneurial state's role in innovation, and investigation of immigrant integration dynamics. These works predominantly utilize Scandinavian and English case studies while generating globally applicable theoretical insights, demonstrating methodological sophistication through spatial econometrics and policy counterfactuals. Recognition for his scholarly contributions includes: The JIBS Student Association’s Pedagogical Prize (2017) The Martin Beckmann Award from Regional Science International (2015) Jan Wallander scholar designation (2015) His teaching portfolio spans Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Urban economics, and Applied statistics, reflecting his interdisciplinary expertise. While doctoral advisees aren't explicitly listed, his Director of Studies role indicates active undergraduate supervision within Cambridge's collegiate system. Current research appears focused on post-pandemic labor geography and mission-oriented innovation policy evaluation, though dedicated laboratories or formal research teams aren't mentioned in available materials.
Vincent Kaufmann is an Associate Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) , leading the Urban Sociology Laboratory (LaSUR) . Since 2010, he serves as Scientific Director of the Mobile Lives Forum in Paris. His career spans teaching at institutions like Lancaster University , Ecole des Ponts ParisTech , and Tongji University , with research focusing on mobility sociology , urban dynamics , and public policy evaluation . Master's in Sociology from University of Geneva PhD at EPFL on transport modal practices His work explores mobility-capital interactions , motility , and rhythmanalysis in contemporary societies. Key themes include urban lifestyle transformations , cross-border regions , and mobility-sustainability nexus , with recent emphasis on new proximities and slow cities . Teaching roles span EPFL departments like Teaching (EDAR) , Architecture and Urban Sciences (SGC) , and Human and Social Sciences (CDH) . He has directed numerous PhD and master's theses on urban mobility topics.
William S. Horton (Sid) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University , where he has taught since 2005 and directed the Cognition and Communication Lab (Cresap 108). Starting in September 2025, he will serve as Chair of the Department of Linguistics . His research focuses on socio-cognitive mechanisms in language use, particularly discourse pragmatics , perspective-taking , and non-literal language processing . Education: B.S. in Psychology/German from Duke University (1991), M.A. and Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from University of Chicago (1994/1999) Previous roles: Postdoctoral research at SUNY-Stony Brook, Cognitive Aging at Georgia Tech Research trends from his 20+ years of publications include common ground , memory processes , figurative language , and age-related communication changes . His work increasingly incorporates computational text analysis and real-time digital communication studies. Awards : Fellow, Society for Text and Discourse Students : Supervised Ph.D. theses on conversational alignment, common ground activation, and digital communication. Undergraduate honors projects explore inhibitory deficits, speech internalization, and perspective-taking in bilingualism. Cognition and Communication Lab investigates language processing in spoken/written contexts using experimental methods and computational models.
Christopher R. Berry is the William J. and Alicia Townsend Friedman Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and the College at the University of Chicago, and Director of the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation. He also served as the inaugural director of the Center for Municipal Finance. His research focuses on American politics, metropolitan governance, municipal finance, and intergovernmental fiscal relations. Notably, his book *Imperfect Union* won the APSA Best Book Award in Urban Politics. Key affiliations include the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His work has been featured in major media outlets like the *New York Times* and *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver*. His research often intersects property tax fairness, urban policy, and the effects of leadership in politics and sports. His awards reflect his scholarly impact, including the APSA Urban Politics award and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His research extends to leadership studies, as seen in collaborations analyzing coach effects in professional sports.
Sebastian U. Stich is a tenured faculty member at the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security , where he has been since December 2021. He is also a member of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) since June 2020. His research focuses on optimization methods for machine learning, collaborative learning algorithms, privacy and security in distributed systems, and theoretical foundations of deep learning. Stich received his PhD in Theoretical Computer Science from ETH Zurich (2014), following a Master's in Mathematics at the same institution (2010-2014). Prior to CISPA, he worked as a research scientist at EPFL (2016-2021) and held positions at ETH Zurich and ICTEAM/CORE. He has been awarded the ERC Consolidator Grant 2024 , Google Research Scholar Award (2023), and Meta Privacy-Enhancing Technologies Research Award (2022). His team includes Dr. Anton Rodomanov (since 2023), Dr. Rotem Mulayoff (since 2024), Xiaowen Jiang (2023), Yuan Gao (2023), and notable alumni like Anastasia Koloskova (defended 2023). Stich actively organizes workshops (e.g., NeurIPS OPT 2024) and serves on editorial boards ( Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications , Transactions on Machine Learning Research ). He teaches advanced courses in optimization at Saarland University and has held visiting positions at MIT. Key scientific contributions include: Developing ProgFed for progressive federated learning (2021) Creating ProxSkip to accelerate communication in federated settings (2022) Formalizing SCAFFOLD with control variates for FL (2020) Introducing RelaySum mechanism for decentralized learning (2021) Proposing Lookahead-Minmax for GAN training (2021) His work addresses fundamental challenges in: Decentralized optimization theory Communication-efficient algorithms Privacy-preserving model training Handling heterogeneous data distributions Stochastic gradient dynamics Second-order optimization methods
Thomas Chaney is a Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California (USC), holding the John Elliott Chair in Economics. He is affiliated with Sciences Po’s Department of Economics and leads the ERC Project HTMG. His research focuses on International Trade, Networks, and Finance, with notable contributions to historical trade dynamics and modern financial constraints. Chaney is a CEPR and CESifo Research Fellow, reflecting his academic standing. Research Interests: Chaney’s work bridges historical and contemporary economic phenomena, analyzing trade networks, collateral constraints in corporate finance, and the impact of migration on innovation and urban development. His research often employs innovative methodologies, such as combining archaeological data with economic models to study ancient trade systems. Articles Trends: Recent work examines Bronze Age trade networks, modern corporate investment dynamics, and the role of real estate collateral. His 2024 articles explore ancient trade’s end and contemporary empathy’s economic implications, showcasing interdisciplinary approaches. Earlier papers like Trade, Merchants, and the Lost Cities of the Bronze Age (2019) exemplify his historical focus. Grants & Awards: Chaney leads the ERC-funded HTMG project and holds prestigious fellowships. His work has been published in top journals and spans empirical trade analysis, financial economics, and historical methods. Labs/Teams: Active in USC’s Economics Department and collaborates with global institutions like Sciences Po and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). His research group integrates economists, historians, and data scientists for interdisciplinary projects.
Timothy John O'Brien is a Professor of Astrophysics and Associate Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Department of Physics & Astronomy. He also served as Director of Teaching & Learning in the Department of Physics & Astronomy from 2016-2020 and as Associate Dean for Social Responsibility for the Faculty of Science & Engineering during the same period. His educational background includes a B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics with Astrophysics from the University of London (1985) and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Manchester (1990). Professor O'Brien's research concentrates on the study of exploding stars—mainly nova outbursts caused by thermonuclear explosions on the surface of white dwarfs in binary star systems. Over the years, he has developed expertise in a wide range of astrophysical techniques, working across the spectrum from radio waves to X-rays while also carrying out numerical simulations of the aftermath of explosions using his own hydrodynamic codes. Recently, he has developed an interest in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI) using radio telescopes. His research fingerprint shows strong activity in Novae (100%), Optical Bursts (94%), Recurrent Novae (56%), Ejecta (45%), Planetary Nebula (38%), Emissions (32%), Classical Novae (32%), and Nebula (28%). His recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on nova outbursts, particularly in symbiotic novae systems like RS Ophiuchi, with high-resolution imaging techniques and multi-wavelength observations. His work spans theoretical modeling, observational astronomy across the electromagnetic spectrum, and data analysis from major telescope facilities. Kelvin Medal of the Institute of Physics (2014) for Public Engagement Professor O'Brien has extensive teaching experience, having worked as a lecturer in three universities since 1988. He has taught a wide range of courses in astronomy & astrophysics, physics, applied mathematics, and computing. From 1999-2009, he directed a distance learning program in astronomy that enrolled over 1,300 students. His current teaching includes Dynamics, Physics of the Solar System, and a course on the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. He has also supervised numerous project students throughout his career. He is actively involved in public engagement, including regular media appearances and events at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement. He was a co-founder of the bluedot festival and contributed to the successful nomination of Jodrell Bank Observatory as a World Heritage Site in 2019.
Jordan Siegel is a Professor of Strategy at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a Michael R. and Mary Kay Hallman Faculty Fellow. He also serves as a Visiting Faculty member at The American College of Greece (ACG). His academic background includes a Ph.D. from MIT, and B.A. and M.A. degrees from Yale University. Professor Siegel’s research focuses on global strategy, particularly how companies leverage institutional differences across borders to gain competitive advantages through governance and human resource management strategies. His work examines institutional arbitrage—how firms exploit formal and informal rules (e.g., laws, cultural norms) to enhance performance, even in single-country operations. Notably, he investigates how foreign multinationals in Japan and South Korea exploit social biases by promoting female managers, leading to long-term performance improvements. His findings highlight the strategic use of labor market discrimination as a competitive tool. Professor Siegel’s research has been published in top-tier journals such as Management Science , Administrative Science Quarterly , and Strategic Management Journal . He is affiliated with the William Davidson Institute and Harvard Korea Institute, contributing to interdisciplinary studies on global business strategy and institutional dynamics.
Mohammad T. Alhawary is Professor of Arabic Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition at the University of Michigan's Middle East Studies department within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He serves as Director of both the MA Program in Arabic for Professional Purposes (APP) and the MA Program in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL). His educational background includes a Ph.D. from Georgetown University (1999). Prior to joining the University of Michigan, he contributed to developing Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies programs at various US institutions. Professor Alhawary's research spans both theoretical and applied Arabic linguistics, with particular focus on second language acquisition processes. His work examines how factors like age, input quality, output practice, and first language transfer affect Arabic language learning. He has made significant contributions to understanding Arabic language pedagogy, curriculum design, proficiency testing, and the application of technology in language learning. His research also extends to bilingualism, multilingualism, language impairment, and Arabic medieval grammatical traditions. His publications reflect a strong trajectory in Arabic linguistics research, with recent works focusing on practical language teaching applications, reading comprehension mechanisms, code-switching patterns in digital communication, and multilingual acquisition processes. The 2023 publication 'Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language' represents his latest contribution to language pedagogy methodology. 2019 AATA Book Award for 'Arabic Second Language Learning and Effects of Input, Transfer, and Typology' As an academic leader, Professor Alhawary serves as Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic and edits both the Journal of Arabic Linguistics Tradition and Al-'Arabiyya journal. He continues to develop empirical research on Arabic second language acquisition to inform teaching practices both in America and globally.
Alis Oancea is Professor of Philosophy of Education and Research Policy at the University of Oxford's Department of Education, part of the Social Sciences Division. She holds additional roles including ESRC Centre for Global Higher Education Deputy Director and Social Sciences Division Advocate for Responsible Engagement. With dual doctoral degrees (DPhil from Oxford and PhD from Bucharest), she also received a Doctor Honoris Causa from University of the West Timisoara. Her research focuses on meta-research, research policy, and higher education governance. Key areas include research assessment frameworks, impact measurement, ethics, open knowledge practices, and teacher education. She co-edited the 2024 Handbook of Meta-Research and leads international studies on research cultures and policies. Education: DPhil (Oxford), PhD (Buc), DipLATHE (Oxford), Dhc (UWT) Roles: Director of Research (2016-20), REF2021 Coordinator, ESRC CGHE Deputy Director Leadership: Over 30 funded projects including the RKEEI initiative and BERA Observatory Her 150+ publications span research policy, impact evaluation, and education systems. Awards include FAcSS Fellowship and numerous international advisory roles across Europe and Norway. Advises on global education reforms and chairs panels for EU, UK, and Nordic research councils. Current doctoral supervision focuses on research policy, higher education systems, and teacher education innovations. Active in editorial roles for Oxford Review of Education and Review of Education .
Sascha Struwe serves as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Aalborg University Business School within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, actively contributing to the International Business Research Group. Based at Fibigerstræde 11 in Aalborg Øst, Denmark, Struwe operates at the intersection of service innovation theory and business practice with international focus. Research expertise centers on service innovation , value co-creation , and digital servitization , particularly examining B2B contexts and open banking ecosystems. Work consistently explores institutional influences through German-Chinese case studies, addressing how cultural and regulatory frameworks shape service design. Recent trajectories reveal evolution from foundational service design challenges (2019-2021) toward digital transformation implications (2022-2023), with emphasis on value co-destruction mechanisms in financial ecosystems. Struwe led the PhD project Innovating the Invisible and Intangible: Value Creation in B2B service (2018-2021) investigating co-creation capabilities across industrial sectors. Academic engagement includes conference participation at EIBA and CICALICS events, plus a visiting researcher appointment at Fudan University's Nordic Centre (2019-2020). Current work continues through the International Business Research Group, focusing on digital literacies and service ecosystem resilience.
Anna Grigolon is an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente , Netherlands, affiliated with the Transport Engineering and Management Research Group . Her research focuses on sustainable urban mobility , user-centric transport solutions , and travel behavior analysis using tools like discrete choice modeling , spatial analysis , and social psychology theories . Research Interests : Sustainable Urban Mobility Accessibility Modeling Travel Behavior Discrete Choice and Latent Class Modeling Spatial Analysis and GIS Shared Micromobility and Mobility Hubs Equity in Transport Planning Article Trends : Anna’s recent work (2025–2024) emphasizes mobility justice , 15-minute city transitions, and equity in transport access , particularly for marginalized communities like São Paulo favelas. She integrates digital tools (e.g., serious games, kiosks) and space-time metrics to evaluate mobility solutions. Projects : She currently leads the SmartHubs project and contributes to DREAMS and R-map , focusing on smart, equitable mobility systems in Europe and Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Steven Kemp is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Law at the University of Girona, Spain. His research focuses on the intersection of criminal law, cybercrime, and criminological analysis, with affiliations to institutions like UNICRI, Open University of Catalonia, and the Institute of Public Security of Catalonia. His work spans digital security, fraud victimization, and sentencing disparities. Current roles: Serra Hunter Fellow, University of Girona (2023–present); Collaborating Teacher, UNICRI (2024–present) Previous roles: Associate Professor, University of Girona (2015–2021); Postdoctoral Researcher, Pompeu Fabra University (2021–2023) and University of Manchester (2021) His research interests include: Cybercrime dynamics during global crises (e.g., pandemic-related fraud trends) Victimization patterns in digital societies, particularly among older adults Legal implications of smart technologies and cybersecurity frameworks Comparative criminal justice systems, especially plea bargaining and sentencing disparities Key trends in his recent publications (2025–2019) highlight: Rising cyberfraud incidents and their societal impacts Interdisciplinary approaches to digital security and legal systems Statistical modeling of crime trends post-COVID-19 Behavioral responses to cybercrime risks Scientific recognition includes: Serra Hunter Fellow He actively collaborates with research groups like the Research Group in the Seminar of Criminal and Criminological Sciences and contributes to public policy initiatives in cybersecurity and fraud prevention.
