Niels Faber is an Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen, affiliated with the Transition Towards a Circular Economy Research Centre Biobased Economy. His research focuses on circular business models, sustainability, and socio-economic trends. He holds a Master's in Management of Technology and Innovation from the University of Groningen (2002) and a Master's in Computer Science from the University of Twente (1999). Research interests include circular economy frameworks, value creation in sustainable systems, and policy development for inclusivity. Notable projects include 'WEEEWaste - Improving policies for Waste management of Electrical and Electronic Equipment' (2023–2026) and 'Game-based Innovation for Circular Textile' (2025). Publications emphasize business model innovation, socio-economic trends, and circular value retention. Collaborations include the Radboud University Institute for Management Research (2016–2020) and the Frisian Academy (2010–2012).
Diego Sevilla Ruiz is an Associate Professor at the University of Murcia's Faculty of Informatics, Department of Computer Engineering and Technology, where he leads initiatives in Software Engineering research. He completed his PhD in 2008 on distributed component models (CORBA-LC). His research focuses on database technologies, particularly schema evolution in NoSQL and relational databases, model-driven engineering approaches, and unified metamodeling. Recent work develops Skiql (a schema query language), Athena (schema definition language), and methodologies for referential integrity in graph databases. His publications advance database abstraction techniques, schema migration frameworks, and automated tools for database management and modernization.
Sirpa Kärkkäinen is a Senior University Lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland's School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education, part of the Philosophical Faculty. Her work focuses on science education, environmental education, and teacher training, with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning and technology integration. She leads projects like FINSCI, which explores science capital and educational practices. Research interests include student attitudes toward socio-scientific issues, biodiversity education, and the use of technology in outdoor learning. Her studies often involve collaborative processes and pedagogical decision-making in educational settings. Publications highlight her exploration of topics such as climate change education, primary and secondary science learning, and teacher professional development. She has contributed to international journals like International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology , Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education , and Studies in Science Education . Her work is supported by grants and collaborations, including ventures like 'Ventures for Learning Environments' and the PROFILES project, which promoted inquiry-based science education across Europe.
Sandeep Prasada is a Professor and Director of the General Psychology MA Program at Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY). He holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research focuses on the mechanisms underlying lexical and conceptual representation and their development, addressing questions about how humans form concepts across diverse domains and the interplay between conceptual, perceptual, and linguistic representations. His work employs experimental methods to investigate conceptual development in children and adults, emphasizing formal explanations of cognitive processes. Key areas include kind representations, principled connections, and the neural basis of conceptual structures. Prasada has published extensively in journals like Cognition and Cognitive Science , contributing to theoretical frameworks in cognitive and developmental psychology. Prasada’s research trends highlight interdisciplinary approaches blending cognitive science, linguistics, and philosophy. Recent studies explore polysemy, formal explanation’s role in conceptual systems, and atypical exemplar processing. His work underscores the importance of understanding how abstract principles shape everyday cognition. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned. His professional roles include directing academic programs and advising the MA program, though no specific advisees are listed. He is affiliated with Hunter College’s Psychology Department within the School of Arts and Sciences.
Radu-Daniel Vatavu is Professor of Computer Science at Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania, where he directs the Machine Intelligence and Information Visualization Lab (MintViz). His research focuses on human-computer interaction, gesture recognition, ambient intelligence, and accessible computing. Education includes PhD in Computer Science. He develops gesture recognition algorithms including $P and $Q recognizers used widely in HCI research. Awards include Mihai Draganescu Award of the Romanian Academy (2019), Ten-Year Technical Impact Award from ACM ICMI (2022), and multiple ACM CHI Best Paper Awards (2023, 2016, 2015). Research develops new interaction techniques for touchscreens, wearables, and smart environments. Creates open-source tools like Agreement Analysis Toolkit (AGATe) and Gesture Heatmaps Toolkit (GHoST).
Frank Stewart is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology at Montana State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture. His research focuses on aquatic microbiology, symbiosis, and genomics, particularly in marine low-oxygen zones and host-associated microbiomes. Stewart leads the Stewart Lab, which investigates microbial processes in oxygen-deficient environments and coral-algal interactions. Education: B.S. Biology, Middlebury College (2000) M.S. Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno (2002) Ph.D. Biology, Harvard University (2008) Research Interests: Dr. Stewart’s work examines microbial ecology in extreme environments such as oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) and coral reefs. Key areas include microbial nitrogen cycling, symbiotic relationships, and the impacts of environmental changes on microbial communities. His lab combines field studies, metagenomics, and meta-omics to understand microbial adaptations and ecosystem functions. Grants & Engagement: Stewart has secured funding from NSF, DOE, and the Simons Foundation for projects on microbial nitrogen dynamics, methane cycling, and coral microbiome resilience. He co-leads the MLOxE REU program, training students in low-oxygen ecosystem microbiology. He also serves as an editor for The ISME Journal and Environmental Microbiology . Labs & Teams: The Stewart Lab at MSU collaborates with institutions like Georgia Tech and the Marine Megafauna Foundation. Current projects include studying microbial roles in coral health, ocean deoxygenation impacts, and viral dynamics in OMZs.
Matt Groh is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, with a courtesy appointment in the McCormick School of Engineering's Computer Science department. He serves as Principal Investigator of the Human-AI Collaboration Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary research bridging social science and machine learning. His work investigates human-AI collaboration dynamics, particularly in domains like deepfake detection, medical diagnosis, and empathic communication. Research Interests: Groh's research integrates computational methods with social science to address challenges in human-AI partnerships. Key areas include: Deepfake detection across modalities (text, audio, video) AI ethics and transparency in healthcare applications Human perception of AI-generated media Computational empathy and emotional AI Lab & Collaborations: The Human-AI Collaboration Lab (HAIC) develops large-scale digital experiments to study hybrid human-machine systems. Recent work includes analyzing photorealism in AI-generated images and evaluating LLM reliability in subjective tasks. Groh collaborates with experts in dermatology, computer vision, and social computing. Teaching & Mentorship: He teaches Human and Machine Intelligence at Kellogg, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to AI's societal impact. Current openings include a postdoc fellowship with Dashun Wang exploring Human-AI Collaboration and Science of Science.
Olivier Sartenaer is a Lecturer at the University of Namur, affiliated with the Department of Science and Philosophy. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from UCLouvain (2013), focusing on 'Emergence and reduction: an epistemological analysis of the dynamics of natural systems'. His research emphasizes emergentism, metaphysics, and the philosophy of science, particularly addressing topics like non-reductive physicalism and scientific demarcation. He leads the 'Re-engineering Non-reductive Physicalism for the 21st Century' project (2023–2025), exploring interdisciplinary dimensions in biology and physics. Sartenaer has received prestigious fellowships including the Alexander von Humboldt (2017) and BAEF Francqui (2013). He actively engages in public discourse through media contributions (e.g., RTBF, podcasts) and academic activities, including over 150 participations in conferences, seminars, and lectures. His work contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) through science communication initiatives. Education: PhD in Philosophy from UCLouvain (2013) Key Research Areas: Emergentism, philosophy of science, epistemology, metaphysics Awards: 13 fellowships including Alexander von Humboldt, BAEF/ Francqui, and FNRS Research Interests: Sartenaer’s work bridges philosophy with empirical sciences, focusing on emergence theory, scientific pluralism, and the critique of pseudoscience. His recent projects analyze the demarcation problem, the nature of scientific evidence, and the societal implications of AI like ChatGPT. He advocates for clear communication to counter anti-scientific narratives, as seen in his media engagements addressing topics like conspiracy theories and science literacy. Recent Article Trends: His 2024 publications address epistemic contextualism in demarcation, spatial philosophy, and science-antiscience dynamics. Earlier works (2019–2023) explore technological emergence, causal exclusion, and non-standard metaphysical frameworks. These contributions underscore his commitment to integrating philosophical rigor with contemporary scientific challenges. Grants & Projects: PI of the 2023–2025 project on non-reductive physicalism Public Engagement: Over 19 media contributions, including expert commentary on kinésiologie, AI ethics, and scientific communication Labs/Teams: Collaborates through the Namur Centre de Recherche Science & Philosophy and interdisciplinary networks like the Rome-Namur Workshop on Emergence. His work frequently intersects with institutions like the Archives Poincaré (University of Lorraine) and the Belgian Royal Academy.
Nico Cellinese is a Professor of Biology and Curator of the Herbarium & Informatics at the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. He holds joint appointments in the School of Natural Resources and Environment and the Genetics Institute. His research focuses on plant systematics, evolution, biogeography, and informatics, with expertise in phylogenomics and biodiversity data integration. Education : Ph.D. in Natural History Museum and University of Reading, UK. Affiliations : Cellinese Lab, Florida Museum Herbarium (FLAS), and collaborations with global institutions. Research interests include the evolutionary history of plant groups like Campanulaceae, Melastomataceae, and Ledebouria. Key projects involve NSF-funded studies on plant coexistence mechanisms, Melastomataceae phylogenomics, and biodiversity informatics. He develops tools like RegNum and Phyloref.org to enhance phyloinformatics and taxonomic data accessibility. Notable grants include a $1.5M study on Lobelia species coexistence and a $3.6M project digitizing lichen and bryophyte collections. Teaching includes courses on phylogenetic systematics, evolutionary biogeography, and plant taxonomy. Cellinese has conducted fieldwork across Asia, Australasia, South America, and Europe, emphasizing global biodiversity conservation and the impacts of climate change. His work bridges systematics, informatics, and conservation to address pressing ecological and evolutionary questions.
Milton A. Fuentes is Professor of Psychology at Montclair State University and Interim Chairperson of Social Work and Child Advocacy. His research examines child maltreatment prevention through culturally responsive frameworks and advances equity in psychological science and education. Education: Psy.D. Clinical Psychology, Rutgers University Psy.M. Rutgers University M.A. Psychology, Montclair State University B.A. Saint Peters College Research focuses on multicultural psychology and child/family wellbeing: Child maltreatment prevention across cultural communities Latinx psychology and mental health disparities Diversity science and cultural humility Equity-focused pedagogy in psychology education Recent publications include the book series 'Preventing Child Maltreatment across Cultures' examining child protection through feminist, multicultural, and social justice frameworks. This work has been recognized by leading experts in child welfare and cultural psychology. Honors include the 2023 Society for Teaching of Psychology Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award and Fellow status in the American Psychological Association. Serves as consultant to academic institutions and agencies on DEI strategic planning.
Elizabeth Sanna Barron is a Professor at the Department of Geography and Social Anthropology , Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Her research intersects with political ecology, conservation social science, and critical physical geography, focusing on emplacement theory and its applications to sustainability. Co-PI for EMBAST (2022-2026) - NSF-funded algal bloom sustainability research Research Team Leader for Mission Mjøsa (2022-2027) - multidisciplinary freshwater management project Senior Researcher in Arctic Auditories (2021-2025) - Norwegian Research Council-funded hydrosphere study Her academic contributions include chairing IUCN's Fungal Use Specialty Group and serving as IPBES coordinating lead author. Current teaching includes advanced geography courses like GEOG8001 Theoretical Perspectives in Geography . Research spans fungal conservation epistemology, Arctic auditory ecology, and decolonial environmental frameworks. Key publication themes include: Emplacement theory development across 15+ years Water sustainability Intergovernmental biodiversity assessments Non-human agency Post-capitalist environmental models Alternative economic metrics
Professor Bob Smith is a leading conservation scientist and Director of the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) at the University of Kent. He specializes in conservation science, focusing on nature recovery networks, Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), and mitigating human-wildlife conflict. His work spans global projects, including the £8.3M 'Sharing Space for Nature' initiative in East Kent and research in Southern Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. He is an Honorary Senior Fellow at UNEP-WCMC and founder of the Izele conservation network. Research interests include wilding, rewilding strategies, conservation management effectiveness, and the role of marketing in conservation. He leads projects on protected area networks, biodiversity policy, and conservation area targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Professor Smith supervises multiple PhD students addressing topics like woodland expansion, rewilding, and conservation area effectiveness. Key awards include his Honorary Senior Fellowship. His articles emphasize spatial planning, biodiversity policy, and conservation strategies, reflecting his global impact in advancing ecological recovery and sustainable conservation practices.
Jeffrey A. Graham is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies (KRSS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is affiliated with the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, and contributes to the Applied Sport Psychology Laboratory and other research units within KRSS. Graham teaches courses such as RSM 340 (Financial Aspects of Sport) and RSM 460 (Strategic Management). His research focuses on work-family balance among sport professionals, organizational behavior in sport organizations, and environmental sustainability in the sport industry. He explores how coaches and athletes manage dual roles as parents and professionals, and advocates for sustainable practices in sports events and education. Graham's work also addresses youth sport policies, parent involvement, and financial strategies in sport management. Recent publications highlight themes such as Olympic sustainability, ethical leadership dilemmas, and work-life interface challenges in collegiate athletics. His interdisciplinary approach bridges management theory with sport-specific contexts, emphasizing practical managerial implications.
Ibtissem BEN FEKIH serves as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Liège within the Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech faculty. She is embedded in the GxABT department and the Sustainable Management of Bio-aggressors research group, operating under the TERRA research unit—a specialized entity focused on biological engineering applications in agronomy, biotechnology, and environmental science. Her position falls under the academic rank of Research Fellow, reflecting her active role in advancing sustainable pest management solutions. Her research centers on biological control methodologies as alternatives to chemical pesticides, with particular emphasis on entomopathogenic fungi for managing aphids, fall armyworm, and other agricultural pests. She investigates integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to replace neonicotinoids in crops like sugar beet, examines multitrophic interactions involving natural enemies, and explores how biodiversity loss impacts pest regulation. Her work spans laboratory validation, field application techniques (including dropleg spraying), and ecological assessments across diverse agroecosystems. Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023–2025) reveals a cohesive research trajectory targeting vector-borne pathogen mitigation through biological control agents. Key themes include the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana isolates against aphids and fall armyworm, intraguild predator dynamics mediated by aphid honeydew, and global assessments of biological control shortfalls. Her field studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo highlight practical applications in resource-limited settings, while genomic analyses of resistant bacteria demonstrate interdisciplinary reach into environmental microbiology. Dr. BEN FEKIH contributes to the Sustainable Management of Bio-aggressors team based at Passage des déportés 2, Gembloux, where the group develops eco-friendly pest control frameworks aligned with TERRA's mission to guarantee high-quality agricultural production that respects environmental boundaries. Her work directly supports the University of Liège's strategic focus on sustainable food systems and biological engineering innovation.
Markku Keinänen is an **Adjunct Professor** at the **Department of History, Philosophy and Literary Studies** within the **Faculty of Social Sciences** at Tampere University. His research focuses on **metaphysics, formal ontology, trope theory, and the metaphysics of science**, with particular emphasis on issues like relational inherence, natural kinds, and the ontology of causal processes. He collaborates extensively with Dr. Jani Hakkarainen on foundational projects, including a forthcoming book *Tropes, Causal Processes and Natural Kinds*. Key research interests include: Analysis of trope theories and their application to substance and relation ontology Critique of E.J. Lowe's four-category ontology Formal ontological systems addressing modality and causality Keinänen has been funded by the **Finnish Cultural Foundation**, **Emil Aaltonen Foundation**, and **Kone Foundation**. His recent work critiques relation regress problems and develops trope-based solutions to ontological challenges. He teaches metaphysics courses, including an upcoming 2026 meta-ontology course. Publications span **23 articles** in leading journals like *Synthese*, *Erkenntnis*, and *Philosophical Quarterly*, co-authored with prominent philosophers like Jani Hakkarainen and Tuomas Tahko. His work bridges analytic metaphysics with scientific realism.
