Flavio Vasconcellos Comim is a Full Professor at IQS School of Management in Barcelona, Spain, holding the Chair of Ethics and Christian Thought (intercenter). His research focuses on the intersections of Sustainability, Economics, and Ethics. Fields of Interest : Human Development, Capability Approach, Social Exclusion, Regional Development, AI Ethics, Poverty Stigma (Aporophobia), Sustainable Development, Social Welfare, Justice, and Happiness. Recent research includes publications on youth HDI in Spain (2025), AI bias against the poor (2024), and critiques of Sen's social choice theory (2024). He leads projects like Big data applied to the study of aporophobia and Population Medicine and Sustainable Development collaborations with China. His academic output spans journals like Regional Studies , AI and Society , and Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society , with keywords spanning Economics, Machine Learning, Human Development, and Social Justice. No formal students or awards are listed in available records.
Chang-Tai Hsieh is the Phyllis and Irwin Winkelried Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is also a PCL Faculty Scholar with the university. His academic appointments include being a Research Associate for the National Bureau of Economic Research, a Senior Fellow at the Bureau for Research in Economic Analysis of Development, and a member of the Steering Group of the International Growth Center in London. His research interests focus on economic development, growth in Asia and Latin America, and applied economics, with particular expertise in macroeconomics. He has conducted extensive research on growth and development patterns across different regions, with special attention to China's economic transformation. His work examines resource allocation, innovation dynamics, trade policy impacts, and structural economic changes. Hsieh's recent publications reveal a strong focus on US-China economic relations, Chinese economic development, and the dynamics of innovation and growth. His research spans multiple subfields including trade policy, resource allocation, economic measurement, and the political economy of development. He has made significant contributions to understanding the economic transformation in East Asia, particularly regarding China's growth model and its implications for global trade. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship Elected Member of Academia Sinica Two-time recipient of the Sun Ye-Fang Prize Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow of the Econometric Society Hsieh has been a visiting scholar at multiple Federal Reserve Banks (San Francisco, New York, and Minneapolis), the World Bank's Development Economics Group, and the Economic Planning Agency in Japan. He is also an active commentator on economic policy, with numerous opinion pieces published in Commonwealth Magazine, Project Syndicate, and other major outlets, particularly focusing on US-Taiwan-China economic relations and trade policy.
Jan Eeckhout is an ICREA Research Professor at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, specializing in macroeconomic theory, labor markets, and urban economics. His work focuses on market power dynamics, wage inequality, and technological impacts on labor and urban systems. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics (LSE). Eeckhout has received a prestigious ERC Advanced Grant (€2.45M) for research on 'Macro Market Power and Distribution.' He authored the influential book The Profit Paradox (2021), exploring how dominant firms reshape labor markets and economies, translated into multiple languages. His research frequently appears in top journals like the Quarterly Journal of Economics and Review of Economic Studies. Research Interests: Macro-Labor Theory, Labor Markets, Urban Economics, Market Power, and Economic Inequality. Recent work examines technological origins of labor market stagnation, IT-driven urban polarization, and wealth effects on worker productivity. Advising and Grants: Supervises PhD students (e.g., Milena Djourelova, David Puig) and collaborates with institutions globally (CEMFI, EUI, Sciences Po). His team includes co-authors like Jan De Loecker and Philipp Kircher. Active in policy discussions via think tanks and media outlets like VoxEU and the NYT. Labs/Teams: Leads a diverse research group at UPF, with projects on market power, urban economics, and labor dynamics.
Richard Hornbeck is the V. Duane Rath Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is an economic historian and applied-micro economist whose research focuses on the historical development of the American economy, examining why some places and people have become wealthier while others have remained poorer. Hornbeck is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, affiliated with programs on the Development of the American Economy, Development Economics, and Environmental and Energy Economics. Hornbeck's research spans multiple critical areas of economic history, with particular emphasis on slavery and emancipation economics, environmental history (especially the Dust Bowl migration), gender dynamics in 19th-century manufacturing, railroad development, and agricultural economics related to the Ogallala Aquifer. His work frequently utilizes newly digitized historical data to provide fresh insights into longstanding economic questions, connecting historical events to contemporary economic issues of wealth distribution and regional disparities. His publication record shows strong trends in American economic development research, with recent work focusing on the economic impacts of emancipation, historical manufacturing patterns by gender, and urban economic development. Many of his papers have been published as lead articles in top journals including the Journal of Political Economy, American Economic Review, and Review of Economics and Statistics. Hornbeck has received several prestigious honors including the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in 2014 and selection for the 2009 Review of Economic Studies Tour. His NBER affiliations demonstrate his standing in multiple subfields of economics research. Prior to joining Chicago Booth in 2015, Hornbeck was the Dunwalke Associate Professor of American History in the Economics Department at Harvard University. He received his PhD in economics from MIT in 2009 and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Chicago in 2004. His teaching includes courses on applied microeconomics in economic history and business in historical perspective, with course schedules extending through 2026.
Jordi Perelló Muntan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Architecture at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona, Spain, where he is also affiliated with the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de Telecomunicació de Barcelona (ETSETB). He is a member of the Broadband Communications Systems and Architectures (CBA) and IDEAI-UPC research groups, focusing on advanced optical and future internet networking technologies. Research Interests: His research spans telecommunications networks, optical fiber and optical networking, resource optimization, network architectures, and the Future Internet. He investigates performance optimization in 5G transport networks, Spatial Division Multiplexing (SDM), Recursive Inter-Network Architecture (RINA), elastic optical networks, and cognitive networking. His work integrates SDN, network virtualization, and green networking principles for scalable and efficient infrastructures. Publication Trends: His recent publications focus on probabilistic constellation shaping in multicore fiber networks, cognitive strategies for optical margin reduction, RINA-based QoS assurance, and migration planning toward spectrally-spatially flexible optical networks. These reflect a strong trend toward intelligent, adaptive, and energy-efficient network design for future communication systems. Scientific Awards: Co-recipient of the 2020 Fabio Neri Best Paper Award Runner-up (Elsevier Journal of Optical Switching and Networking) Co-recipient of the ONDM 2021 Best Paper Award Co-recipient of the 2019 IEEE Communications Society Charles Kao Award Co-recipient of the ONDM 2012 Best Student Paper Award Advising and Grants: He has advised multiple PhD students on topics including RINA, optical network planning, and virtual provisioning. He has led or participated in major European (H2020, FP7) and national (PID, TEC) research projects such as SLICENET, PRISTINE, TRAINER, and ALLIANCE, focusing on 5G, RINA, and sustainable network infrastructures. Labs and Teams: He is an active member of the CBA research group at UPC, contributing to experimental and theoretical advancements in optical and programmable networks. His team collaborates internationally on testbed development and standardization efforts in next-generation networking.
Seth Blumsack is a Professor at the Pennsylvania State University in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering and serves as Director of the Center for Energy Law and Policy . He holds an Adjunct Research Professor position at the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center and is affiliated with the Santa Fe Institute as an External Faculty member. His research spans energy economics , power grid reliability , and complex infrastructure networks . Key projects include: Interdependent natural gas and electricity systems analysis Governance of regional transmission organizations Smart grid consumer behavior studies Power grid reliability tools development He has secured funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation , Department of Energy , Environmental Protection Agency , and private industry. His Best paper award at Hawai’i International Conference on System Sciences (2011) and John T. Ryan, Jr. Fellowship (2011-17) highlight his scientific recognition. Publications emphasize electricity market deregulation , energy infrastructure resilience , and consumer response to smart grid technologies . His work has been cited in major media outlets like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times , and he has consulted for National Renewable Energy Laboratory , U.S. Department of Energy , and other industry stakeholders.
Francisco Jose Garcia Garcia is a Professor at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide, affiliated with the Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems. His research focuses on Zoology, Marine Biology, and Benthic Ecology, with a specialization in Mollusks (particularly Opisthobranchia) and Antarctic Biodiversity. He leads the ORGSIS Organisms and Systems research group and contributes to the Doctoral Programs in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. PhD in Zoology (1987) from the University of Seville His research spans marine taxonomy, ecological impacts of human activity, and biogeographical patterns of mollusks and arthropods in coastal environments. Recent studies examine invasive species effects (e.g., Amathia verticillata) and wrack dynamics in Atlantic and Mediterranean ecosystems. His publications from 1984–2024 reflect long-term contributions to Antarctic benthos studies (BENTART projects) and nudibranch systematics. Articles highlight expertise in Invasive Species Ecology, Benthic Ecology, and Environmental Impact Assessment, with a focus on mollusk physiology, taxonomy, and habitat interactions. Notable collaborations include Antarctic research campaigns and cross-regional studies comparing Brazil and Spain. As part of the ORGSIS group, he investigates coastal ecosystem functioning, emphasizing sandy beach macrofauna and supralittoral arthropods. His work integrates field experiments (e.g., wrack removal, trampling effects) and laboratory assays on reproductive biology.
Andrés Baselga Fraga is a Professor at the University of Santiago de Compostela, affiliated with the Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology within the Faculty of Biology. He leads the BiBiCI research group (Biodiversity, Biogeography and Integrative Conservation) and is associated with the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Technologies (CRETUS). His doctoral work (2002) focused on Chrysomelidae beetles in Galicia, supervised by Dr. Francisco Novoa Docet. Education: PhD in Biology, University of Santiago de Compostela (2002) Thesis: 'Study of the Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) of Galicia' Research Interests: His work centers on biodiversity patterns, biogeographical processes, and community ecology, with a focus on spatial scaling of phylogenetic diversity, climate change impacts, and dispersal limitation effects. He explores these through macroecological approaches, integrating genetic, taxonomic, and environmental data. His studies often address beetle communities, particularly Chrysomelidae, and their responses to environmental changes. Article Trends: Recent publications analyze biodiversity value through phylogenetic uniqueness, climate stability's role in species abundance-genetic diversity congruence, and dispersal mechanisms shaping community turnover. He also examines spatial and temporal shifts in montane ecosystems and develops novel statistical methods for assessing distance-decay relationships. Awards: No specific academic awards noted in the provided texts. Grants & Advising: No grant details or student advisees explicitly listed. His research has been supported through institutional affiliations like CRETUS. Labs/Teams: Leads the BiBiCI group and collaborates with CRETUS, focusing on interdisciplinary environmental research.
Xavier Bonal is a Professor of Sociology at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Special Professor of Education and International Development at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). He directs the Globalisation, Education and Social Policies (GEPS) research group at UAB and coordinates the GLOBED Erasmus Mundus Master on Education Policies for Global Development. His work focuses on comparative social policy, welfare state dynamics, education equity, and globalization's impact on education systems. Bonal has coordinated major projects such as ECASS (European Cities Against School Segregation) and contributed to UNESCO, UNICEF, and the European Commission. His research emphasizes school segregation mechanisms, educational markets, and policy responses to inequality. Over 200 scholarly outputs include books on education policy and globalisation, with a focus on spatial disparities and policy implementation. His recent publications analyze post-pandemic educational inequities, digital divides, and the role of private actors in education. Bonal’s work bridges academic research with policy advocacy, addressing systemic challenges in education systems globally.
Francesc Xavier Marín Torné serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Sports, Blanquerna, Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona, Spain. His academic profile demonstrates extensive engagement with religious education, particularly Islamic studies within Catalan public schools, and the educational potential of sacred architecture. His research bridges educational theory, religious studies, and architectural analysis, with a distinctive focus on the Sagrada Familia basilica as a paradigmatic educational space. His primary research interests include: Religious education in pluralistic societies, with particular emphasis on Islamic education in Catalan public schools The pedagogical potential of sacred architecture and worship spaces as educational environments Intercultural and interreligious dialogue in educational contexts Educational approaches to social inclusion and coexistence with Maghrebi students The psychological dimensions of religious education and misinformation Peace education through religious understanding and architectural spaces Dr. Marín Torné's scholarly output reveals a cohesive trajectory examining worship spaces through multiple lenses - theological, architectural, and pedagogical - with the Sagrada Familia serving as his central case study. His research also addresses contemporary societal challenges including the psychological effects of pandemic misinformation and the integration of religious minorities in educational settings. This work contributes significantly to understanding how religious diversity can be accommodated within secular educational frameworks while maintaining social cohesion. He currently leads the GREDA (Research Group in Education, Didactics and Learning) project (2022-2025) funded by AGAUR, and previously directed the EDUISLAM project (2023-2024) analyzing Catalonia's pilot plan for Islamic religious education. His earlier work includes the 2007-2008 project developing guidelines for secondary school teachers working with Maghrebi students and the 2015 Ramon Llull legacy project commemorating the 700th anniversary of Llull's death. Dr. Marín Torné maintains active research collaborations across multiple disciplines and institutions, contributing to both theoretical scholarship and practical applications in teacher training and educational policy development. His work demonstrates consistent scholarly productivity with numerous publications appearing through 2024.
Sonia Machause López is a Lecturer in the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology at the Faculty of Geography and History, University of Valencia. She is a member of the GRAM Archaeological Research Group on the Mediterranean and holds a PhD from the University of Valencia (2017) on ritual caves in the Iberian Iron Age. Her work bridges archaeological theory, landscape analysis, and sensory studies, focusing on ritual practices in natural spaces. PhD in Mediterranean Prehistory and Archaeology, University of Valencia (2017) Thesis: Caves as ritual spaces in Iberian Iron Ages: the cases of Kelin, Edeta and Arse Supervisors: Dr. Consuelo Mata Parreño, Dr. Carmen Aranegui Gascó Her research centers on Iberian Iron Age ritual practices, particularly the use of caves as sacred spaces. She integrates GIS, archaeoastronomy, and sensory archaeology to explore ritual landscapes, territoriality, and embodied experiences. Her work emphasizes multisensory dimensions, ritual journeys, and the symbolic role of water and darkness in underground spaces. She has published extensively on sites such as Cueva del Sapo, Sima de l'Aigua, and Cova de les Dones. Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward interdisciplinary methodologies, combining material analysis with spatial and sensory modeling. She frequently collaborates with experts in archaeozoology, geophysics, and ethnography. Her work challenges elite-centric models of ritual, emphasizing community participation and variability in religious experiences. Enduring Sacred Places: The Astronomical Orientation of the Iberian Cave-Sanctuary of Cueva Santa del Cabriel in Spain (2019) Caves, Senses, and Ritual Flows in the Iberian Iron Age: The Territory of Edeta (2022) Delving into the Iberian rituality of the Sima de l'Aigua (2024) Sonia Machause López actively mentors early-career researchers and participates in academic dissemination, including public talks and gender studies in archaeology. She has contributed to projects on women in universities and archaeological outreach. While no specific grants are listed, her sustained research output suggests active funding support. She is affiliated with the GRAM research group, which focuses on Mediterranean archaeological dynamics, ritual landscapes, and material culture. Her work often involves field prospection, laboratory analysis, and collaborative interpretation across disciplines.
Rafael Villena Taranilla is a Professor at Camilo José Cela University (UCJC) and the International University of La Rioja (UNIR), teaching in master's programs on advanced teaching competencies, digital technology in teaching, and inclusive education. He concurrently serves as a primary school teacher, integrating practical classroom experience with academic research in educational technology. His academic credentials include: PhD in Education from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Outstanding Cum Laude), focusing on Virtual Reality for Social Studies in Primary Education Master's degree in Educational Research and Innovation from the University of Castilla-La Mancha Bachelor's degree in Primary Education with specialization in History, Culture, and Heritage Villena Taranilla's research centers on emerging technologies in education, particularly virtual reality, augmented reality, educational robotics, and artificial intelligence applications for primary education. He investigates their impact on learning outcomes, historical thinking development, and teacher digital competence, with significant contributions to motivation studies and technology acceptance models in educational contexts. His recent publications (2022-2025) demonstrate a concentrated focus on virtual reality for history and social sciences education in primary schools, supported by rigorous meta-analyses and technology acceptance frameworks. The work shows progressive expansion into gamification for historical thinking, augmented reality for geometry instruction, and robotics for computational thinking, reflecting a cohesive interdisciplinary approach bridging education, cognitive science, and technology innovation. His scientific recognition includes: Second prize in the 'Thesis in three minutes' contest (UCLM, 2020) National finalist in the #HiloTesis contest (CRUE Universidades) Villena Taranilla has supervised numerous Master's theses and academic internships across educational innovation programs. He has secured research funding from prestigious entities including FECYT, La Caixa Foundation, and the University of Valencia, while contributing to teacher training initiatives as a digital competence tutor with Castilla-La Mancha's Regional Teacher Training Center. He is an active member of the Labintic research group at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, dedicated to critical ICT integration in teaching. His collaborative research extends to the University of Valencia, where he completed a 2024 research stay and has scheduled another for June-September 2025 under Dr. Pascual D. Diago Nebot's supervision.
Carlos Manuel Gradin Lago is a Full Professor at the Department of Applied Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Vigo (Spain). His research focuses on the economics of inequality, poverty, and polarization, with a particular emphasis on poverty dynamics, income mobility, gender and ethnic economics, and issues related to developing countries. His recent publications analyze inequality of opportunity in Chile, spatial consumption inequality in Mozambique, and the role of the middle class in income distribution. He has contributed to global inequality debates through work with institutions like UNU-WIDER and Oxford University Press. His research is characterized by innovative methodological approaches such as Shapley decomposition and recentered influence function techniques. Economics of Inequality Poverty Dynamics Gender and Ethnic Economics Developing Countries His work spans comparative studies in China, India, South Africa, and Spain, addressing issues like racial income distribution, occupational segregation, and welfare policy. A notable award includes the IPUMS-International Research Award (2012). His research is disseminated through open-access publications in journals like World Development , Feminist Economics , and Journal of Economic Inequality .
Victoria Veguilla Del Moral is an Associate Professor in Public Law at Universidad Pablo de Olavide, specializing in Political and Administrative Science with a focus on Western Sahara politics. Her research examines the complex interplay between territorial administration, political mobilization, and identity in contested spaces, particularly in Dakhla, Western Sahara. She earned her PhD from the University of Granada in 2011 with a thesis titled Policies of the Octopus in Dakhla: Public Action, Halieutic Resources and Social Dynamics , supervised by Dr. Bernard Botiveau and Dr. Juan Montabes Pereira. Her academic journey reflects deep engagement with both theoretical political science frameworks and extensive fieldwork in North Africa. Veguilla Del Moral's research interests span International Politics of the Middle East, MENA region studies, political ethnography, and electoral processes in occupied territories. Her work particularly focuses on Sahrawi youth movements, Moroccan territorial policies in Western Sahara, and the dynamics of political mobilization in contested spaces. She approaches these topics through a lens that combines political science, anthropology, and postcolonial studies, revealing the complex ways local populations navigate occupation and political control. Her publication record shows consistent scholarly output with significant recent contributions including Regionalization under Occupation: Western Saharan Parliamentary Elites and the Moroccan Regionalization Strategy (2011-16) (2024) and Do Electoral Processes in Western Sahara Produce Representation Beyond the Context of Occupation? (2023). These works demonstrate her ongoing commitment to analyzing the political realities of Western Sahara through empirical research on governance structures, electoral participation, and resistance movements. While no specific scientific awards are mentioned in the available materials, her extensive publication record in reputable academic venues and her contributions to edited volumes like Arab Youths: From Morocco to Yemen: Leisure, Cultures and Politics indicate significant scholarly recognition. Her research methodology combines political ethnography with institutional analysis, often working across linguistic boundaries (publishing in English, French, and Spanish). She has established herself as a leading expert on Western Sahara politics, with particular expertise in the social dynamics of Dakhla and the political mobilization of Sahrawi youth. Her work contributes to broader discussions about governance in contested territories and the relationship between state administration and local populations in postcolonial contexts.
Juan Medina Contreras is a faculty member at the Faculty of Communication, University of Salamanca . He holds a Doctorate in Communication , a Degree in Journalism , an Expert in Gender and Communication , and a Master in Screenwriting and Political Image Consulting . His career spans academic research, teaching, and professional training in communication. His research focuses on film studies , political communication , gender representation , and visual rhetoric . Notable contributions include analyzing female archetypes in the [REC] saga, the portrayal of defense organizations in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the role of cinematic editing in shaping political and cultural narratives. His 15 most recent publications span 2014–2021 , with recurring themes in Spanish cinema , gender dynamics , political advertising , and historical memory . He has also explored digital photography ethics and citizen journalism challenges. While no scientific awards are explicitly mentioned, his work includes a research study on quality of life for disabled women in Palencia (2014). He has supervised theses and contributed to books like Género negro sin límites (2019) and La estética televisiva en las series contemporáneas (2018).
