Myria Georgiou is a Professor of Media and Communications and Head of the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her work bridges critical media studies, urban sociology, and migration studies, focusing on mediated identities, digital cities, and transnational communities. She has authored/co-authored seven books and over sixty peer-reviewed publications, including the recent Being Human in Digital Cities (2023), which explores how digital technologies reshape urban social orders. Her expertise includes migration and media, urban communication, identity politics, and everyday media practices. Georgiou has advised international organizations like the Council of Europe and contributed to media debates through interviews and op-eds. Prior to academia, she worked as a journalist for BBC World Service and Greek media outlets. Georgiou’s research emphasizes the intersection of digitization, urban life, and human rights, advocating for socially just digital urban policies. Her work spans theoretical contributions on digital humanism to empirical studies on refugee crises and pandemic responses, consistently centering marginalized voices in media and technology discourse.
Luis Emilio Bruni is an Associate Professor at Aalborg University’s Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, within The Technical Faculty of IT and Design. He leads the Media Cognition and Interactive Systems (MeCIS) research group and coordinates the Master of Science in Medialogy. Bruni is also the founder and director of the Augmented Cognition Lab, focusing on perception, cognition, and immersive technologies. His academic roles include PI on multiple interdisciplinary projects and board memberships in international associations like the Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (2011–2017) and the International Society for Biosemiotic Studies (founding member, 2005). Academically, Bruni holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Theory of Science (University of Copenhagen), M.Sc. in International and Global Relations (Universidad Central de Venezuela), and B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering (Pennsylvania State University). His research spans narrative cognition, extended reality, biosemiotics, and the interplay between technology, cognition, and culture. He has conducted projects on neurocinematic analysis, interactive storytelling, and the psychological impact of digital media. Key research contributions include studies on EEG responses to branded advertising, functional connectivity in psychiatric disorders, and the role of narrative in immersive technologies. Bruni’s work bridges cognitive science, computer science, and semiotics, with applications in healthcare (e.g., pediatric counseling tools) and cultural engagement (e.g., citizen curation systems). Over 80+ publications and active participation in conferences and media discussions highlight his interdisciplinary impact.
Professor Carl Thompson is a leading academic in applied health research at the University of Leeds' School of Healthcare within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. His roles include being a registered nurse with extensive NHS experience, from nursing assistant to NHS Trust non-executive director. Previously, he held a personal chair in health sciences at the University of York. His expertise spans clinical decision making, implementation science, and evidence-based healthcare. Research focuses include care home quality improvement, wearable technology applications, and computerised decision support systems. Notable projects include the £2m CONTACT study on Bluetooth wearables for contact tracing in care homes and the STaRQ study examining nurse staffing impacts on care quality. He collaborates internationally with institutions in Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, and the US. Education: DPhil in Social Policy (University of York, 1996), BSc Hons in Social Policy (1st class, 1993), RN qualification (York College of Nursing, 1989). Grants: Secured or collaborated on £20m+ projects from NIHR, MRC, and ESRC. Teaching: Covers medical informatics, decision making, and leadership in healthcare education. Awards: No specific awards listed, though his extensive funding and leadership roles reflect professional recognition. Leadership: Former Director of Research in the School of Healthcare and Pro Dean for Applied Health Research. His research emphasizes 'how people use information in clinical practice and policy making,' with a focus on translating evidence into practice. He advises on national funding panels (NIHR HSDR, Irish Health Research Board) and mentors PhD students in decision science and implementation research. Current initiatives include the Nurturing Innovation in Care Homes (NiCHE Leeds) collaboration and membership in the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber CLAHRC's Improvement Science theme. He actively supports implementation science through visiting professorships at the Universities of Alberta and East Anglia.
Professor Elena Giovannoni is a full-time faculty member at the University of Birmingham , where she holds the position of Professor of Accounting and serves as Head of the Department of Accounting within the Birmingham Business School . She is an active researcher and academic leader with a strong international presence. Research Interests: Elena Giovannoni's research bridges critical and historical perspectives in accounting and organization studies. She investigates performance measurement and management control systems across diverse sectors—including the space industry, food industry, knowledge-intensive organizations, and the arts—with a focus on organizational change and sustainable development. Her work explores how calculative practices shape responses to climate change, often through a temporal lens. Methodologically, she employs case studies , archival research , and multimodal approaches . Recent Publications Trends: Her recent scholarly output (2018–2025) reveals a consistent focus on the interplay between accounting, history, and visuality. She examines accountability in cultural contexts (e.g., music, art), the materiality of organizational objects, and the future of sustainability reporting. Her editorial work on the Handbook of Historical Methods for Management underscores her leadership in advancing historical methodologies in management research. Scientific Recognition: Higher Education Academy Fellowship (2017) Editorial Board Member, Accounting Forum Editorial Board Member, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal Editorial Board Member, Accounting History Editorial Board Member, Family Business Review Editorial Board Member, Organization Studies Advising and Grants: She has led multiple projects funded by international bodies, resulting in publications in top-tier journals. While no specific advisees are listed, her role as department head and PhD supervisor implies significant mentoring responsibilities. She contributes to academic knowledge dissemination through editorial leadership and collaborative research. Labs and Research Groups: While no formal lab is mentioned, her research is closely tied to the Department of Accounting and its research clusters, particularly those focused on critical accounting, sustainability, and historical methods. Her collaborative work with scholars across Europe indicates strong international research networks.
Evelyn Ng is a Lecturer at the Business School of The University of Sydney , where she teaches courses such as INFS1000 Digital Business Innovation and INFS6004 Digital Business Transformation . She holds a PhD and a Master of Management from the University of Sydney, along with a Bachelor of Commerce , and is a CPA affiliate. Research Interests : Evelyn’s work focuses on Fintech , Digital platforms and ecosystems , Chinese IT management , Qualitative IS research , and IT-enabled social innovation , with recent studies exploring social media’s role in digital guanxi development, ethical challenges in real-time volunteer apps, and competitive strategies for Fintech platforms. Key Themes : Her publications since 2017 highlight trends in platform ecosystems , sharing economy dynamics , digital transformation , and social justice in technology . Recent Work (2024): Investigated the virality of IoT platforms , integrated superapp development , and BNPL platforms ’ impact on consumer behavior. Scientific Awards : Recognized for excellence in teaching and tutoring through multiple Dean’s Citations and Feedback for Teaching (FFT) Student Survey Awards at the University of Sydney Business School (2015–2021). Grants and Supervision : Supervised honours student Andrew Andrew (2023), and currently advises PhD candidates Dongdi CHEN (Ambidexterity in Digital Platforms) and Essie HONG (Digital Transformation). She is involved in the 2023 Early Career Research Scheme grant on digital transformation strategies in China.
Nahum Welang is an Associate Professor of English Literature/Culture and Didactics at Nord University, Norway. His work bridges literary studies with cultural analysis, focusing on American literature, pandemic narratives, and transnational identities. He teaches courses including British Literature and Culture , American Literature and Culture , and Language, Text and Culture in the English-speaking World . His research explores intersections between Black female authorship, pandemic representation, and popular culture. Notable works include The Affirmative Discomforts of Black Female Authorship (2023) and Cultural Appropriation or Cultural Appreciation? (2022). His recent publications analyze Zora Neale Hurston's Barracoon , Claude McKay's works, and Beyoncé's visual albums. He frequently examines how literary and visual art forms reinterpret historical traumas and contemporary social issues. Welang's articles often blend textual analysis with cultural theory, addressing themes like transnationalism, critical media literacy, and masculine identity. He maintains active research collaborations through membership in Nord University's Humanities, Education and Culture Research Group and the University of Bergen's Aesthetic and Cultural Studies group. His scholarly output spans monographs, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Popular Culture and Open Cultural Studies . Current research trends emphasize pandemic narratives' role in shaping modern cultural discourse and reinterpreting marginalized histories through literary frameworks.
Silvia Donzelli is a Researcher and doctoral student at the Chair of Practical Philosophy at the University of Regensburg. Her roles include serving as the Second Deputy Commissioner for Equal Opportunities for Women in Science and Art at the Faculty of Philosophy, Arts, History and Social Sciences. She holds a Magistra Artium (Philosophy and Art History) from Humboldt University Berlin, with studies at the University of Milan and Humboldt University Berlin. Her research focuses on responsibility ethics, legal philosophy, African and intercultural philosophy, environmental ethics, and Renaissance art history. She critiques colonial legacies in European thought and explores complicity in business practices and digital discourse. Teaching & Academic Contributions: Recent courses include "Language and Violence," "Racism," and "Human Rights" at the University of Regensburg. Publications span philosophy of responsibility, counter-speech strategies, and African environmental ethics. Active in conferences on complicity, democratic debate culture, and decolonizing philosophy. Research Interests: Ethics of complicity in business and digital contexts African critiques of European philosophical history Environmental ethics through an intercultural lens Renaissance portraiture and material culture Grants & Awards: None explicitly listed, but her work is supported through institutional affiliations. Labs/Teams: Engaged with the Chair of Practical Philosophy and interdisciplinary networks on complicity ethics and decolonial thought.
Professor Beat Kümin is a leading scholar in early modern European history at the Department of History, University of Warwick, where he also serves as Director of Postgraduate Research. His work bridges social, cultural, and religious history with a focus on local communities in German-speaking Europe and England (c.1400–1800). He has held visiting positions at Bielefeld, Greifswald, Konstanz, McGill, Brussels, and Frankfurt, and is deeply engaged in interdisciplinary collaboration. University of Bern (History and English) Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (PhD) Habilitation, University of Bern (2005) His research explores parish communities , food and drink cultures , public houses , and local memory practices , notably through the innovative Tower Capsules project, which examines the deposition of chronicles and objects in building structures. He investigates rural self-government in the Holy Roman Empire, particularly in imperial villages like Gersau, and the cultural dimensions of taverns and communal life. The 15 most recent publications reflect a sustained engagement with themes of local governance , memory , alcohol , migration , and religious practice . His work spans monographs, edited collections, and journal articles, often combining archival depth with broad cultural analysis. Scientific honors include: Fellow of the Royal Historical Society Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Member of the conseil scientifique, European Institute for the History and Cultures of Food Gerda Henkel Foundation funding Swiss National Science Foundation fellowship Alfried Krupp Wissenschaftskolleg fellowship Kümin has supervised numerous PhD and MA students on topics ranging from almshouses to witchcraft and the cultural history of the tomato. He has been involved in major research grants and collaborative projects, including ERC-funded initiatives and international summer schools. He co-edits the Bloomsbury series Cultures of Early Modern Europe and serves on the editorial boards of Food & History , Brewery History , and Food and Drink in History . He is a key figure in the Drinking Studies Network and the Warwick Network for Parish Research , and has directed Warwick’s Food & Drink Cultures research strand (2020–2023) and the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance (2014). His lab-like structures include the My-Parish digital platform, the annual Warwick Symposium on Parish Research, and the Summer Universities in Tours on food and drink history. He is also involved in the HOLYLAB and ALPINNKONNECT ERC projects, and the PASSION workshop series.
Federico Becattini is a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor at the Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics (DIISM), University of Siena, Italy. He is an active member of the Siena Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAILab), where he contributes to cutting-edge research in computer vision, deep learning, and artificial intelligence. His work spans multiple interdisciplinary domains, including autonomous driving, human behavior understanding, cultural heritage, neuromorphic vision, and fashion recommendation. His research interests center on memory-based neural networks , which he has applied in numerous publications at top-tier venues such as CVPR, ECCV, IEEE TPAMI, and ACM TOMM. He has also delivered tutorials on this topic at international conferences including ICIAP 2022 and ACM MM 2022, and taught a Ph.D. course at the University of Florence. His recent work is aligned with the Collectionless AI paradigm, which emphasizes continual learning and interaction with dynamic environments. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in human-centric AI , focusing on understanding people through multimodal analysis of face, body, and clothing, as well as generating 3D virtual avatars. There is also a clear emphasis on memory-augmented architectures for temporal reasoning, explainability, and adaptive learning. His editorial role as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval further underscores his standing in the research community. Associate Editor, International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval (IJMIR) Organizer, Workshop on Facial and Body Expressions (ICPR2020) Co-organizer, T-CAP Workshop (ICIAP2021, ICPR2022) Co-organizer, MCFR Workshop (ACM MM 2022) Co-organizer, WCPA Workshop and Challenge (ECCV 2022) Federico Becattini actively advises students and researchers within SAILab, particularly in the context of Ph.D. theses and research projects related to Collectionless AI and memory-based models. While specific grants are not mentioned, his extensive publication record and leadership in workshops and editorial roles suggest involvement in funded research initiatives. He collaborates with both academic and international research communities, serving as a reviewer for top-tier conferences and journals. He is a core member of the SAILab research group, which is pioneering the Collectionless AI initiative—a framework for continual learning over time, interacting with humans and agents without relying on pre-built static datasets. This lab serves as a hub for innovation in adaptive and sustainable AI systems.
Dr. Panagiotis Andriotis is a Lecturer in Computer Science at the School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. He is also a GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE, GASF) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). His interdisciplinary research spans Cyber Security, Human Factors, and Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing. He teaches courses in Computer Science, Cyber Security, and Digital Forensics. His educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Bristol (2016), an MSc with Distinction in Computer Science from the same institution (2011), and a BSc in Mathematics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2004). Dr. Andriotis’s research interests focus on user-centered security, particularly in mobile environments. He investigates how users interact with Android’s permission systems, develops novel authentication mechanisms like Bu-Dash, and explores adversarial machine learning in cybersecurity. His work bridges technical and human aspects, aiming to improve both system robustness and user experience. His recent publications reflect a strong trend in adversarial machine learning, mobile malware detection, usable privacy, and the societal implications of AI in education. He has contributed to high-impact journals such as IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, ACM Transactions on Privacy and Security, and Elsevier’s Journal of Information Security and Applications. Best Paper Award at HCI International 2020 Impact Award, UWE Bristol Student Union GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE) GIAC Advanced Smartphone Forensics (GASF) SANS Lethal Forensicator Coin Dr. Andriotis has advised PhD students, including Andrew McCarthy, and has been involved in funded research projects such as those related to fuzzing, software security, and critical infrastructure protection in collaboration with Airbus. He has served as an External Examiner at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is currently on the editorial boards of Digital Threats: Research and Practice (ACM) and the Journal of Responsible Technology (Elsevier). He has held visiting roles at the National Institute of Informatics in Tokyo, including as a JSPS Fellow and Toshiba Fellow. He leads research in digital forensics and security, with a lab focus on mobile ecosystems, behavioral modeling, and AI-driven threat detection. His team explores both technical and human dimensions of cybersecurity, contributing to tools and frameworks that enhance mobile security and user awareness.
Isabella Di Lenardo is a Lecturer and Scientist at the Digital Humanities Institute (DHI) at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where she also serves as the coordinator of the EPFL Time Machine Unit and the European Local Time Machines. She holds affiliations across multiple departments, including DHI-GE, SAR-ENS, SHS-ENS, and EDDH-ENS, reflecting her interdisciplinary role in teaching and research. Her educational background includes a PhD in Theories and Art History, with postdoctoral and faculty experience at institutions such as INHA (Paris), EPFL, and IUAV (Venice). Her research spans Digital Humanities, Art History, Urban History, and GIS , with a focus on digital urban reconstruction, historical cadastres, and AI applications in cultural heritage. She employs advanced computational methods including machine learning, 4D modeling, and semantic segmentation to analyze historical maps, cadastral records, and art archives. Her work bridges humanities scholarship with computer science, particularly in reconstructing urban evolution and analyzing visual patterns. The recent publications reveal a consistent trend in AI-powered historical data analysis , especially in processing non-standardized historical documents, reconstructing urban spaces, and developing open-source tools for digital heritage. Her work frequently involves large-scale datasets from Venice, Lausanne, Paris, and Jerusalem, demonstrating a transnational and interdisciplinary approach. She has contributed to significant collaborative projects such as the Venice Time Machine , Parcels of Venice , and Time Machine Organization , often acting as a principal investigator or project leader. Her role involves coordinating diverse teams of researchers, engineers, and cultural institutions. Scientific contributions include: Development of the Morphograph tool for visual pattern recognition in art archives Automatic vectorization and analysis of Napoleonic cadastres Creation of 4D models for historical cities AI-driven text and pattern extraction from historical maps Building discovery engines for digital art history She actively teaches ex cathedra courses in Digital Urban History and Art History at EPFL and internationally. Her work in grants and projects emphasizes open data, reproducibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She has led research funded by organizations supporting digital heritage innovation. She is a key member of the Digital Humanities Laboratory at EPFL and the Time Machine Organization , where she fosters collaboration between computer scientists, historians, and cultural institutions. Her work in the Replica Project and ARCHiVe center highlights her leadership in digitizing and making accessible large art historical archives.
Steven Vertovec is Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen, Honorary Joint Professor of Sociology and Ethnology at the University of Göttingen, and Supernumerary Fellow at Linacre College, Oxford. Previously, he was Professor of Transnational Anthropology at the University of Oxford and Founding Director of COMPAS. He remains an active academic leader in migration and diversity studies. Research Interests: His work centers on globalization, transnational social formations, international migration, ethnic diasporas, and urban diversity. He is best known for pioneering the concept of super-diversity , which examines the increasing complexity of migration patterns and urban populations. His research integrates sociological, anthropological, and policy-oriented perspectives. Recent Publications Trends: His most recent articles focus on super-diversity, complexity thinking in migration studies, visualization of urban diversity, public attitudes toward diversity and refugees, and the societal impacts of the pandemic on transnationalism. These works emphasize interdisciplinary and systemic approaches to understanding migration and integration. Scientific Awards: Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences, Université de Liège (2018) Advising and Grants: While no direct students are listed, Vertovec has led major research projects funded by foundations and public agencies. He has advised the Volkswagen Foundation, UK government departments, the European Commission, UNESCO, the World Bank, and the G8. His leadership in COMPAS and the Max Planck Institute reflects extensive grant management and team supervision. Labs and Teams: He leads the GlobaldiverCities (GloDiv) project and the ProDiv initiative on diversity assent in urban Germany. His teams include researchers from multiple institutions and countries, working on topics such as asylum seekers’ needs, intergroup contact, and urban integration. The Max Planck Institute serves as a hub for interdisciplinary migration research in Europe.
Dr. Ivan Duric is a Research Fellow at the Department of Agricultural Markets, Agricultural Marketing and World Agricultural Trade, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Halle (Saale), Germany. Since October 2008 he has led and contributed to numerous international research projects focusing on digital transformation, trade policy, and value-chain analysis in agriculture and food systems. Education: Doctorate (Dr.) “summa cum laude” in Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. Research Interests: Dr. Duric’s core expertise lies at the intersection of digital technologies and agri-food economics . His work explores how machine learning, blockchain, and immersive analytics reshape agricultural value chains, enhance transparency, and improve competitiveness. He continually investigates price transmission mechanisms , the impact of trade policy shocks (e.g., export bans, import restrictions), and pathways to strengthen food security in transition and emerging economies. Across more than forty peer-reviewed articles and policy briefs, a clear trend emerges: rigorous empirical assessment of how policy interventions and digital innovations jointly determine market outcomes—from wheat-to-bread chains in Serbia to salmon value networks spanning Norway, France and Poland. Awards & Recognition: Doctoral degree awarded “summa cum laude” (highest distinction), Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. Grants & Collaborative Projects: Dr. Duric has co-ordinated or served as senior researcher in major EU and German-funded initiatives including AGRICISTRADE, AgriDigital, AGRIIMMERSE, VALUMICS, SecureFood, GERUKA, eTrust-Food, DITAC, GTRS, STARLAP, TAAST, UaFoodTrade , and the IAMO XR Lab . These projects investigate global grain trade, digital platform adoption, consumer trust, resilience of food systems, and immersive data analytics. Labs & Teams: He is a founding member and scientific lead of the IAMO XR Lab , where virtual-reality and immersive analytics are leveraged to visualize and interpret complex agricultural market data, creating new avenues for stakeholder engagement and policy dialogue.
Roger Keil is Distinguished Research Professor at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto. A political scientist by training, he has anchored his career in urban geography and urban studies, leading major international research initiatives and publishing extensively on global suburbanization, urban political ecology, and the intersection of cities and infectious disease. Education: Dr.Phil. (Political Science), Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Research Interests: Keil’s work spans three core areas: global suburbanization , examining governance, land, and infrastructure in 21st-century suburban growth; cities and infectious disease , tracing the socio-ecological dimensions of pandemics from SARS to COVID-19; and urban political ecology , investigating how urban societies govern their relationships with nature, health, and mobility. His research keywords include Sub/urbanization, infectious disease, and urban political ecology. Scientific Awards: 2024 York University Research Award: Outstanding Knowledge Mobilization & Impact 2023–28 CIFAR Fellowship, Humanity’s Urban Future 2013 York University President’s Research Excellence Award Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator, CIFAR SNSF Catalyst Grant (2024–25): Future-Proofing “Climate Boomtowns” ($75,000) Co-Investigator, CIFAR Catalyst Grant (2024–25): Visualizing the Urban Future ($30,000) Principal Investigator, Global Suburbanisms MCRI (2010–19): $2.5 million Co-Applicant, SSHRC Partnership Development Grant (2018–21): StudentMoveTO ($199,934) Co-Applicant, IDRC Rapid Research Fund (2018–20): Ebola community-based initiatives ($359,989.75) Labs & Teams: Keil was founding director of York University’s City Institute (CITY) (2006–13) and has held the York Research Chair in Global Sub/Urban Studies (2015–19). He is currently a Faculty Fellow of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, co-leading projects on pandemic urbanism and planetary health.
Luis Merino Cabañas is a Professor at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide , affiliated with the Deporte e Informática department and leading the SRL Service Robotics Laboratory . His research focuses on robotics, systems engineering, and automation, with a specialization in human-robot interaction and path planning. Education : PhD in Systems Engineering from the Universidad de Sevilla (2007), where his thesis explored cooperative perception techniques for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles in forest fire detection. Research Trends : Recent work (2023–2025) emphasizes 3D path planning, sensor fusion (LiDAR, radar, inertial systems), neural distance fields for safe navigation, and socially aware robotics. His studies integrate AI, genetic programming, and multi-modal perception for applications in construction, healthcare, and GNSS-denied environments. Labs & Teams : He leads the SRL Service Robotics Laboratory , contributing to projects like the Skyeye team and BIM2ROS integration for construction robotics.
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