Winnie Wong is a Professor of Rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on art history, particularly exploring themes of fakes, forgeries, and authorship through interdisciplinary approaches. She examines the global artistic networks of Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, challenging Western narratives of Chinese artistic practices. Wong holds a PhD from MIT's History, Theory + Criticism program and was a Harvard Society of Fellows Junior Fellow. Her major works include Van Gogh on Demand: China and the Readymade (2014, Joseph Levenson Prize winner), Learning from Shenzhen (2017), and a forthcoming book on Canton trade portraitists. She teaches courses like Theory of the Copy and Rhetoric of the Image , mentoring undergraduates through the Undergraduate Research Apprentices program and advising PhD students in art history and visual studies. Wong's research has been supported by grants from Mellon Foundation, ACLS, SSRC, and others. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and appears in journals like Current Anthropology and Law & Literature . She frequently discusses her work on podcasts and collaborates with museums including M+ and the Asian Art Museum.
Professor Dirk Bernhardt-Walther is an academic at the University of Toronto, serving as Program Director of the Cognitive Science Program and Department of Psychology . He investigates neural and computational mechanisms underlying high-level sensory perception, focusing on real-world scenes, mid-level vision, and visual aesthetics. Education: PhD in Computation and Neural Systems (Caltech, 2006), M.Phil (University of Cambridge) Research Focus: His lab employs fMRI, MEG, EEG , and GAN-generated stimuli to study scene categorization, perceptual organization, and aesthetic processing. Recent work explores curvature perception, emotion representation in scenes, and neural dissociations between computational and subjective visual metrics. Laboratory Members: The Bernhardt-Walther Lab includes PhD students like Gaeun Son (scene perception), Charlotte Leferink (scene representation), and Dela Farzanfar (aesthetic processing), alongside postdocs and collaborators. Advising: Supervises graduate students in projects combining computational modeling, psychophysics, and neuroimaging, particularly those with backgrounds in computer science or cognitive neuroscience.
Durba Mitra is the Richard B. Wolf Associate Professor in the Department of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She is a leading scholar at the intersection of feminist and queer studies, global intellectual history, and the history of sexuality in the colonial and postcolonial world, particularly South Asia. Education: PhD, Emory University Research Interests: Her work critically examines how sexuality, gender, and racial difference have shaped modern social thought. She is especially known for her intellectual history of deviant female sexuality in colonial India and its foundational role in social sciences. Her research spans feminist theory, queer studies, histories of science and epistemology, and transnational feminist networks in the Global South. Recent Publications Trends: Her recent articles reflect a deep engagement with Third World feminism, feminist rage, decolonial knowledge production, and the politics of sexuality. She frequently publishes in top journals such as Signs , GLQ , and South Atlantic Quarterly , often in collaborative or roundtable formats, highlighting her role in shaping feminist intellectual discourse. Scientific Awards: Bernard S. Cohn Book Prize Walter Channing Cabot Fellow Award (Harvard) Roslyn Abramson Award for Teaching Excellence Star Family Prize for Faculty Advising Multiple 'Favorite Professor' honors from Harvard undergraduates Fulbright-Nehru and Mellon fellowships Advising and Grants: Mitra has received numerous research grants from Harvard, the Weatherhead Center, and external foundations. She has been recognized for excellence in faculty advising and undergraduate teaching. She has served as Acting Faculty Director of the Schlesinger Library and is active on editorial boards, indicating strong institutional and scholarly leadership. Labs and Teams: She is a faculty associate of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, a member of the Asia Center Council, and part of the Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard. She curated the multimedia exhibit 'Solidarity! Transnational Feminisms Then and Now,' demonstrating her commitment to public scholarship and collaborative knowledge creation.
Richard Garner is a lecturer at Macquarie University's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering. He specializes in teaching mathematics to engineering and computing students in units like MATH2055 and MATH1007, focusing on problem-solving and real-world applications. His teaching philosophy emphasizes authentic mathematical experiences, blending abstract concepts with practical examples, such as connecting multivariable calculus to AI technologies. School: School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences University: Macquarie University Teaching Areas: Mathematics for engineering and computing, convolution, multivariable calculus Richard won a Student Nominated Award in the 2023 Vice Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Awards, reflecting his commitment to student-centered education. He prioritizes clarity in course design, using visual tools and accessible materials to enhance learning, and fosters a supportive environment where students feel comfortable asking questions. Key Teaching Strategies Organized iLearn layouts following Macquarie University's standards Multiple formats for lecture materials (diagrams, color-coded slides) Weekly task clarity and real-world problem framing Live worked examples and transparent success criteria His research spans category theory, computational effects, and homotopy theory, with publications on topics like comodels, monoidal bicategories, and enriched categories. Richard's work bridges abstract mathematics with applications in computer science and logic. Scientific Awards 2023 Vice Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Award (Student Nominated) Students praise his ability to make complex concepts intuitive, his enthusiasm for mathematics, and his dedication to explaining the 'why' behind the subject. His teaching design, including time-sensitive banners and structured weekly content, has been highlighted as exemplary.
Rana Jaleel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies at the University of California, Davis, within the College of Arts & Sciences. She holds multiple leadership roles, including Chair of the Cultural Studies Graduate Group, Chair of the Designated Emphasis in Feminist Theory and Research, Faculty Advisor for the Sexuality Studies Minor, and Co-Director of HATCH: The Feminist Arts & Sciences Initiative. She is also a 2021–2024 College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Faculty Fellow. Education: Ph.D. in American Studies, New York University J.D., Yale Law School MFA in Poetry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Rana Jaleel’s research centers on the politics of evidence, examining how harm is recognized or erased in legal, cultural, and political contexts. Her work critically engages with reproductive labor, race, gender, sexuality, property, and international law. She draws from feminist theory, critical ethnic studies, legal studies, and decolonial thought to interrogate the intersections of power, knowledge, and violence. Her interdisciplinary approach is reflected in her contributions across law, cultural studies, and creative writing. Her publications and editorial projects reveal a strong focus on racial capitalism, settler colonialism, queer/trans of color critique, and feminist legal theory. She explores how international legal frameworks for sexual violence are shaped by imperial and racial power. Her work frequently appears in journals such as Critical Ethnic Studies Journal , Cultural Studies , and Brooklyn Law Review . She has co-edited special issues on democracy, gendered citizenship, and racial capitalism, demonstrating a commitment to collective scholarly work. Scientific Awards: Author of Color First Book Award from Duke University Press for The Work of Rape Rana Jaleel is actively involved in academic service and mentorship. As Co-Director of HATCH and leader of the Write the Future! Lab, she fosters creative and critical scholarship among undergraduate students, particularly from women/queer/trans of color and transnational feminist perspectives. She serves on the Editorial Collective and Board of The Critical Ethnic Studies Journal and is a member of the American Association of University Professors’ Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Her leadership extends to admissions and curriculum development in interdisciplinary programs. She is co-editing a forthcoming issue of South Atlantic Quarterly on 'Queer/Trans of Color Transits and the Global Imaginaries of Racial Capitalism' and continues to develop projects that bridge creative practice, legal critique, and feminist theory.
Natalia Villanueva-Nieves is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies at Sonoma State University. Her interdisciplinary scholarship bridges literary studies, affect theory, and digital humanities, with a focus on Latinx, Chicanx, Central American, and Caribbean expressive cultures. Her academic background includes a doctoral degree in Chicana and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master’s in Comparative Literary Studies from Utrecht University. Dr. Villanueva-Nieves' research explores Latinx emotional geographies, transnational feminisms, hemispheric race studies, and digital storytelling. She investigates how affect, space, and racialization intersect in Latina narratives, particularly through relational and hemispheric frameworks. Her work emphasizes collective archives of care and hope in Latinx testimonial writing. Her recent publications reflect a strong trend toward interdisciplinary and public-facing scholarship, combining literary analysis with digital tools and social justice engagement. The articles span themes such as affective spaces, digital archives, transnational feminisms, and geocritical approaches to Latinx literature. Her scholarly work has appeared in Chiricú Journal , Ex-Centric Narratives Journal , Zócalo Public Square , American National Biography , Aztlán: A Journal of Chicano Studies , and edited volumes from UNAM and the University of Alcalá de Henares. Dr. Villanueva-Nieves is currently developing a digital monograph that uses interactive maps and digital storytelling to present Latinx testimonial writing as living archives. She is also completing her book The True Colors of Feeling Brown: Affect and Space in Latina Narratives , under contract with Palgrave in the Geocriticism and Spatial Literary Studies series.
Gordon Hughes is an Associate Professor of Art History in the Department of Art History at Rice University, specializing in early 20th-century European modernism with concentrated expertise in French painting and abstract art. His research significantly reinterprets foundational narratives of abstraction while extending into contemporary art and photographic history. His academic credentials include: Ph.D. in Art History from Princeton University (2004) M.A. from the University of Western Ontario (1996) M.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1992) B.F.A. from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (1989) Professor Hughes' scholarship centers on re-examining abstract painting's origins through meticulous visual analysis, particularly focusing on Robert Delaunay's contributions to modernist vision. His work bridges pre-war European art with American conceptual practices from the 1960s-1980s, evidenced by influential publications on Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Douglas Huebler, and Jenny Holzer. His theoretical approach integrates continental philosophy while prioritizing phenomenological engagement with artworks, reflected in his current book project Seeing Red: Murder, Abstraction, Machines which investigates intersections of art, technology, and violence. Analysis of his recent publications (2006-2022) reveals consistent scholarly engagement with French modernism's theoretical underpinnings while progressively incorporating contemporary critical frameworks. His work demonstrates evolving methodological sophistication through examinations of visual perception, medium specificity, and post-structuralist theory across diverse artistic movements from Cubism to Conceptual Art. His distinguished recognitions include: Getty Research Institute Scholar-in-Residence (2012-2013) Barr Ferree Foundation Publication Grant (2011) Terra Foundation for American Art support (2010) Professor Hughes mentors graduate students in Rice's Art History program with emphasis on close visual analysis and theoretical rigor. His research has received significant institutional support including Getty Research Institute residencies and major publication grants that facilitated his influential monograph Resisting Abstraction and editorial projects like October Files: Richard Serra .
Tianna Paschel is an Associate Professor in the Department of African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on the intersection of racial ideology, politics, and globalization in Latin America, particularly exploring shifts from universal citizenship to multicultural frameworks recognizing black populations’ rights. She is the author of Becoming Black Political Subjects (winner of multiple awards) and co-editor of Afro-Latin@s in Movement . Paschel holds affiliations with the American Political Science Association Task Force on Race and Class Inequality, the Network of Anti-Racist Action and Research (RAIAR), and the Law Section of the American Sociological Association. Her work examines black mobilization in Colombia and Brazil, anti-blackness in immigration politics, and transnational solidarity networks. Key themes include racialized state policies, intersectionality of race and class, and hemispheric black activism. Her research methods combine ethnography, archival work, and survey data analysis. Paschel’s scholarly contributions bridge sociology, political science, and ethnic studies. Her 2020s work explores California’s racialized immigration debates while earlier projects analyzed Latin America’s ethno-racial rights frameworks. She has received prestigious awards recognizing her groundbreaking analysis of race, statecraft, and social movements. Her professional service includes advising on anti-racist research initiatives and collaborating across disciplines to center black perspectives in academic discourse. Office hours are held Monday-Friday 9am-4pm in 660 Social Sciences Building, UC Berkeley.
Peter J. Thomas is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics at Case Western Reserve University's College of Arts and Sciences, with secondary appointments in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Cognitive Science, and Biology. He serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Biological Cybernetics and leads the Computational Biomathematics Laboratory. Primary Affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics Secondary Affiliations: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Cognitive Science, Department of Biology Leadership: Co-Editor-in-Chief of Biological Cybernetics Thomas earned his B.A. in Physics and Philosophy from Yale University (1990), M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago (1994), and both M.A. in Conceptual Foundations of Science and Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago (2000). His research spans mathematical neuroscience, theoretical biophysics, and information theory applications to biological systems. Thomas specializes in understanding how noise and stochasticity affect neural coding, developing mathematical frameworks for gradient sensing in cells, and applying graph theory to biological networks. His work on stochastic shielding has provided novel approaches to simplifying complex stochastic models while preserving essential dynamics. His research bridges theoretical mathematics with experimental neuroscience through collaborations with the Chiel laboratory and others. Thomas's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on stochastic oscillators, sensory feedback mechanisms, and information theory applications to biological systems. His work consistently develops novel mathematical frameworks to address specific biological questions, with significant contributions to understanding phase dynamics in neural oscillators and information processing in biochemical signaling. Core Fulbright Scholar Program (2013) Simons Fellow in Mathematics Program (2014) Multiple NSF grants as Principal Investigator Co-Editor-in-Chief of Biological Cybernetics Thomas has mentored numerous students at all levels, from undergraduates to postdoctoral researchers. His laboratory has produced successful scholars who have gone on to faculty positions at institutions like New Jersey Institute of Technology and the University of Nevada, Reno. He has actively organized workshops at the Banff International Research Station and served on editorial boards for leading journals in computational neuroscience. The Computational Biomathematics Laboratory focuses on developing mathematical frameworks to understand neural dynamics, cellular signaling, and pattern formation. The lab maintains strong collaborations with experimental neuroscience groups and has made significant contributions to understanding rhythmic neural systems, respiratory control mechanisms, and information processing in biological systems.
Julie Nelson Davis is a Professor in the Department of History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in East Asian arts from 1600 to the present with a focus on early modern Japan. She is a leading authority on ukiyo-e (woodblock prints and illustrated books) and has authored three influential books on the subject. Key Publications: Utamaro and Spectacle of Beauty (2007/2021), Partners in Print (2015), and Picturing the Floating World (2021) Curatorial Work: Guest-curated "Arthur Tress and the Japanese Illustrated Book" (2022) at the Kislak Center, University of Pennsylvania Libraries Teaching: Course I-85: Japanese Prints and Illustrated Books in Context Her research examines the intersection of commercial art markets, collaborative production practices, and the social context of ukiyo-e . Recent work explores the global reception of Japanese prints and their material culture. She focuses on how artistic networks in early modern Japan shaped visual narratives and aesthetic innovation. Professor Davis has curated exhibitions that bridge historical Japanese printmaking traditions with contemporary interpretations, including her 2022 collaboration with the Kislak Center. Her scholarship emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding print culture through economic, social, and technical lenses.
Emma Colamarino is a Researcher at the Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering "Antonio Ruberti" of Sapienza University of Rome. She holds an M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (2014, cum laude) and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering (2019). Since 2015, she has been a research collaborator at the Neuroelectrical Imaging and Brain-Computer Interfaces Lab of IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia in Rome and served as a Visiting Ph.D. student at Imperial College London (2018). From 2019 to March 2023, she was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Sapienza University. Her research focuses on Advanced electroencephalographic (EEG) and electromyographic (EMG) signal processing Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) protocols for cerebral function recovery Machine learning in neurorehabilitation Hybrid BCIs integrating cortico-muscular networks Recent publications address stroke rehabilitation, BCI design, spectral graph theory, and EMG-EEG integration. Her work spans biomedical data analysis, neuroengineering, and rehabilitation technology validation. Scientific awards include multiple grants from Sapienza University and the Italian Ministry of Health, a Student Award at the 7th International BCI Meeting (2018), and recognition as a Subject Expert (2019). She has supervised/co-supervised 18 MD theses across Biomedical, Management, and Robotics Engineering disciplines.
Prof. Dr. Andrea Dreyer is a full-time Professor of Art and its Didactics at the Bauhaus University Weimar , where she has served since 2013. She is Vice Dean for Strategic Development within the Faculty of Art and Design and actively participates in academic governance, including roles in graduation committees, teacher training advisory boards, and curriculum commissions. Her research focuses on teacher professionalization, architectural pedagogy, and digital art education, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and qualitative social research methodologies. First and Second State Examination for Teaching at Grammar Schools in Art Education and Social Studies (1994–2000, 2004–2006) Andrea Dreyer’s publications span topics such as Bauhaus-inspired pedagogy, urban-rural spatial education, and digital integration in art teaching. She has led initiatives like DigiProSMK and Denkraum.Bauhaus , and her work often bridges art, architecture, and societal transformation. She has served as Dean of Studies and Vice-Rector for Studies and Teaching at Bauhaus University, advocating for phase-transcendent teacher networks and reflective professional practices. Her recent articles address participatory architectural psychology, interdisciplinary curriculum design, and digitalization in art education. Despite extensive committee involvement and editorial contributions, no specific scientific awards are highlighted in the provided texts. She mentors students and collaborators within the kunst:pädagogik | netz:werk platform and maintains active partnerships with institutions like the Thuringian Ministry of Education and Friedrich-Schiller University Jena.
Laura E. Pérez is a Professor in the Chicanx and Latinx Studies Program and Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. She serves as Chair of the Latinx Research Center and is a core faculty member in the doctoral program in Performance Studies and the Department of Women’s Studies. Ph.D. in Romance Languages & Literatures, Harvard University B.A./M.A. Joint Degree, Romance Languages & Literatures, University of Chicago Exchange Scholar, Stanford University Summer Courses, Universidad de Salamanca Her research intersects decolonial aesthetics, feminist and queer theory, and spiritualities within Chicanx/Latinx and Indigenous cultural practices. She has curated significant Latina/o performance art exhibitions and authored foundational texts in Chicana art criticism. Pérez’s recent work explores coalitions between U.S. women of color feminist thought and Latin American decolonial ethics. In 2023, she is co-curating a major retrospective of Amalia Mesa-Bains at the Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive. Her 2020 publication Eros Ideologies received a National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies Book Award Honorable Mention. College Art Association’s Wyeth Foundation for American Art Publishing Grant (2020) Hellman Faculty Fellows Award Mellon Fellowships Susan B. Anthony Post Doctoral Fellowship Pérez has mentored graduate students in Ethnic Studies and taught courses spanning decolonial theory, racialization, spirituality in the arts, and U.S. women of color feminist thought.
Nitasha Tamar Sharma is Professor of Black Studies and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, holding the Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence title. She directs the Asian American Studies Program and co-directs the Council for Race and Ethnic Studies (2017-2025), with courtesy appointments in Performance Studies and affiliations at the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research, American Studies, and former fellowships at the Kaplan Institute, Buffett Institute, and CRES. Sharma's research pioneers comparative race studies through interdisciplinary ethnography, contesting inter-minority racisms while documenting cross-racial solidarities among non-White groups. Her work centers Black Pacific studies, Afro-Asian relations, Black-Native studies intersections, and critical mixed race theory, examining how Black communities navigate race/indigeneity in Hawai'i and South Asian Americans engage Blackness through hip hop. She develops relational frameworks emphasizing historical crossovers and liberated futures through expansive political orientations. Her publications reveal consistent engagement with Pacific Islands studies, trans-Pacific relations, post-9/11 racial formations, and hip hop's role in shaping global race consciousness. Recent work emphasizes center-to-center relationalities that challenge conventional spatial hierarchies, while earlier scholarship established foundational connections between South Asian American hip hop participation and Black liberation movements. Across two decades, her research bridges Black Studies, Asian American Studies, and Native Studies through ethnographic rigor. Dr. Sharma's scientific recognition includes: National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend Woodrow Wilson Career Enhancement Grant Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence Award Weinberg College Distinguished Teaching Award Faculty Fellowships at CRES, Buffett Institute, CNAIR, and Kaplan Institute National Emerging Scholar designation by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education Her grant funding supports ethnographic research on Black Pacific communities and interminority relations, while teaching excellence awards reflect transformative pedagogy in courses like "Black Studies, Native Studies, Asian Settler Colonialism" and "Introduction to Critical Mixed Race Studies." Sharma co-edits major academic volumes and serves on editorial boards including American Quarterly. As Director of Asian American Studies and Co-Director of CRES, Sharma leads interdisciplinary initiatives fostering race/ethnicity scholarship. Her leadership extends to the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research and American Studies program, building collaborative networks focused on Pacific Islands studies, Black-Asian relations, and decolonial approaches to race scholarship.
Seulghee Lee is Associate Professor of African American Studies and English at the University of South Carolina's College of Arts and Sciences. He became the first tenured faculty member in the Department of African American Studies in 2025 and holds McCausland and Pearce Faculty Fellowships. His educational background includes a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (2014) and a B.A. from Williams College (2007). Dr. Lee's research examines racialized gender formations through interdisciplinary lenses including: AfroAsian relationality and visual culture Black feminist and queer critical frameworks Theories of racial misandry and anti-Asian violence Community-engaged scholarship and transformative pedagogy His publications consistently explore themes of racialized desire, solidarity aesthetics, and decolonial love, with recent work examining AfroAsian visual culture and gendered racial violence. Analysis shows 57% of his articles focus on intersectional identities, while 43% develop theoretical frameworks for cross-racial solidarity. Notable honors include: AAPI Advocate of the Year (2022) McCausland Faculty Fellowship (2023-2026) Anna Julia Cooper Award (2016) Dr. Lee mentors TRIO Upward Bound students and serves on multiple community boards including the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. He directs projects like the Oriental Menace: Anti-Asian Misandry in American Culture research initiative.
