Alexandra Brausmann is an Associate Professor in Environmental and Resource Economics at the Department of Economics, University of Vienna, and a member of the Environment and Climate Research Hub. She holds a Master's in International Economics (MIS) from The Graduate Institute (Geneva) and a PhD in Economics/Resource Economics from ETH Zürich. Research Focus: Climate change impacts (macro/micro), environmental migration, resource management, climate policy, agricultural economics, growth and sustainability. Recent Publications: Co-authored works on endogenous climate shocks, undocumented migration economics, and climate policy effectiveness, published in journals like Journal of Environmental Economics and Management and Environmental and Resource Economics . Teaching: Offers courses in Environmental Economics (MA) and Resource and Environmental Economics (BA) at the University of Vienna. News: Co-organizing a workshop on the Political Economy of the Environment in February 2025 at the University of Vienna.
Gerard Francisco Sandoval is a Professor in the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies. He actively contributes to Oregon's public policy landscape as a Commissioner on the Land Conservation and Development Commission (term 2019-2023) and as a councilmember on the State's Housing Stability Council. Dr. Sandoval's educational background includes: PhD in City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley (2007) MCP in City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley (2002) BS in Community and Regional Development, University of California, Davis (2000) His scholarly research focuses on the intersection of city planning, immigration, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization. Sandoval employs detailed narrative case studies to explore ethnic identity, equity, and bioregionalism, with particular attention to how planning can achieve equitable outcomes through environmental ethics, affordable housing access, inclusive land-use policies, and transparent public participation mechanisms. His work often centers on immigrant communities, examining gentrification, displacement, infrastructure, and the socio-economic implications of development in marginalized neighborhoods. Born in Guatemala, Sandoval's personal connection to immigration issues stems from his family's experience leaving Guatemala during its civil war. Analysis of Sandoval's publications reveals a consistent focus on urban equity, with particular emphasis on how immigrant communities navigate and shape urban spaces. His research trajectory shows an evolution from studying transnational networks of undocumented workers to broader examinations of racial equity in planning, gentrification, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization. The geographic scope of his work spans from specific case studies in places like MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and Postville, Iowa, to theoretical explorations of planning ethics and practices across the Galápagos Islands and Oregon's forest communities. Dr. Sandoval's significant contributions to the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards: Chester Rapkin Award (2014) for best planning article Paul Davidoff Book Award honorable mention (2013) Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for best dissertation in planning (2009) Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the University of Oregon for promoting diversity, social justice, and equity As an academic leader, Sandoval serves as the Dean's Fellow for Diversity at the College of Design and leads the college's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. His public service extends beyond academia through his appointments to state commissions where he applies his expertise to address Oregon's housing and land use challenges. His research has attracted media attention, with coverage in Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, and Oregon Quarterly. Sandoval's work bridges academic research with practical planning applications, particularly in the context of immigrant integration and sustainable community development. Dr. Sandoval maintains active research connections with communities in Oregon, Guatemala, and the Galápagos Islands, where he studies bioregional revitalization. His current research examines equitable planning outcomes achieved through integrating environmental ethics, providing access to affordable housing, supporting inclusive land-use policies, recognizing generative economic development, and designing transparent public participation mechanisms to revitalize urban cities and rural towns.
Serde Atalay is a Doctoral student and Researcher at Lund University's Faculty of Law, specializing in Human Rights Law, Migration Law, and Public International Law. She holds an LL.M. in International Human Rights Law from Lund University and an M.A. in Labour and Social Security Law from Ankara University. Her PhD project examines migrants' and refugees' right to housing without discrimination, supported by the 'The Borders Within' research initiative led by Dr. Vladislava Stoyanova. Her research focuses on socio-economic rights, discrimination law, and the intersection of migration with housing rights. She has contributed case notes to the Oxford Reports on International Law and co-edited special issues on socio-economic rights and migration law in European Papers and International Journal of Discrimination and the Law . Teaching roles include instructing courses on international law, migration law, and housing rights at Lund University. She actively participates in academic networks like the Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Group and the Working Group on Socio-Economic Inequalities. Notable achievements include the Elsa Eschelsson Scholarship (2024) and research collaborations with institutions like the University of Oxford and UC Berkeley. She co-founded The Lotus Project , exploring borders and human rights, and organizes seminars on law, theology, and culture at Lund University.
Haque Shahzaman is an HDR lecturer specializing in Urdu language at the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris, France. He serves as Program Director for Master and Bachelor programs in Urdu and is Co-Head of AXIS 1 "Linguistic policies, representation, multilingualism" within the PLIDAM research team. Previously, he held leadership positions including Co-Director of the South Asia and Himalayan Department (2019-2022), Deputy Director (2016-2019), and Head of International Relations (2016-2020). His research focuses on family language policies, sociolinguistics of Urdu, Urdu-speaking diaspora in Europe, and Urdu as a language of Islam in the Indian subcontinent. He has conducted extensive research on language transmission in immigrant families, particularly examining how Urdu-speaking communities maintain their linguistic heritage in European contexts. His work also explores linguistic landscapes in refugee camps, Urdu journalism in France, and the sociopolitical context of Urdu in India. Dr. Shahzaman's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on the intersection of language, migration, and identity. His research reveals how emotional factors, religious practices, and spatial contexts shape family language decisions among Urdu-speaking immigrants. He has documented the challenges of Urdu language maintenance in France, analyzed linguistic invisibility in multilingual environments, and examined the role of Urdu in clandestine labor markets. His scholarly work consistently addresses the tension between language preservation and adaptation in diaspora communities. As an active academic, Shahzaman participates in numerous international conferences, regularly publishes in peer-reviewed journals, and has edited significant volumes on family language policy. He serves on the Inalco Press Committee and has contributed to the ANR LIMINAL research project on linguistic and intercultural mediations in international migration contexts. His work bridges theoretical linguistics with practical applications for language education and policy.
Megan Reynolds is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Utah, where she has served since 2014, first as an Instructor, then as Assistant Professor (2014-2022), and currently as Associate Professor (2022-present). Her academic work spans sociology, public health, demography, and policy analysis, with a focus on understanding how social structures, power relations, and policy environments shape population health outcomes and health disparities. Dr. Reynolds' educational background includes: PhD in Sociology from Duke University (2014) MA in Applied Sociology from University of Massachusetts-Boston (2005) BA in Political Science from Johnson State College (2001) Her research primarily focuses on the political economy of health, examining how social policies, welfare state arrangements, and power relations influence health outcomes across populations. She has made significant contributions to understanding the relationship between social safety nets and health outcomes, the health of immigrant populations, and the theoretical frameworks connecting power to health inequalities. Her work integrates perspectives from sociology, public health, political science, and epidemiology to address critical questions about health disparities and the social determinants of health. Dr. Reynolds' scholarly output reveals consistent focus on the intersection of social policy and population health, with particular attention to how welfare state arrangements, labor market conditions, and social safety nets affect health outcomes. Her recent work has increasingly emphasized theoretical development, particularly through her Health Power Resources Theory, which provides a framework for understanding how power relations shape health inequalities. She has also made substantial contributions to understanding immigrant health, particularly the 'healthy migrant effect' and how it varies across different immigrant populations and over time in the United States. Among her notable recognitions is the Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research award from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). She has served in leadership roles within the American Sociological Association, including on the Medical Sociology Section Council and as a member of the Dissertation Award Selection Committee. Dr. Reynolds has secured multiple research grants examining topics such as the relationship between economic security policies and birth outcomes, health of aging Mexicans on both sides of the border, and the effects of social safety net generosity on birth weight. Her research portfolio demonstrates a commitment to understanding how policy interventions can address health disparities and improve population health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Piera Rossetto is a Researcher at the Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Her work bridges Jewish studies, migration, memory, and creative methodologies, with a focus on postcolonial North African and Middle Eastern Jewish communities, especially from Libya. She leads major research projects and teaches Hebrew language and social research methods. PhD in Languages and Civilizations of Asia and the Mediterranean Africa, Ca' Foscari University and EHESS Toulouse (2015) MA in South and Western Asia: Languages, Cultures, and Institutions, Ca' Foscari University (2011) Her research explores memory, identity, and belonging through narrative cartography and co-creative methods. She investigates Jewish Mediterranean migrations, particularly of Libyan Jews, using oral histories, literary sources, and digital tools. Her work emphasizes marginalized voices and interdisciplinary, artistic approaches to research. The recent articles highlight a strong trend in narrative and creative cartography, Jewish postcolonial memory, and interdisciplinary research-creation. Themes include the poetics of identity, mapping invisible migrations, and digital documentation of diasporic memories. Her publications span monographs, journal articles, book chapters, and multimedia outputs. Scientific awards and fellowships include: Rita Levi Montalcini Program for Young Researchers (Principal Investigator) FWF Hertha Firnberg Postdoctoral Fellowship Fondazione Rothschild Doctoral Fellowship Fondazione CDEC Research Fellow She has secured competitive grants, including the FWF-funded "Europe's (In)Visible Jewish Migrants" and the ongoing Rita Levi Montalcini project on gender, aging, and migration. She has advised collaborative, interdisciplinary research teams and supervised creative digital projects. Her work often involves partnerships across Europe and digital humanities platforms. She leads the research project "Genere, invecchiamento e migrazioni: memorie e mascolinità ebraiche del Nord Africa e del Medio Oriente" and previously led an FWF-funded project at the University of Graz. She also contributes to digital initiatives like the World Jewish Congress’s MENA Jewish legacy project and co-developed interactive visualizations and audio-documentaries.
David K. Seitz is Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (HSA) at Harvey Mudd College. He is affiliated faculty in the Cultural Studies Department at Claremont Graduate University and core faculty in the American Studies Program at The Claremont Colleges. His research bridges cultural geography, queer theory, critical race theory, and psychoanalysis, with a focus on affect, citizenship, and popular culture. His scholarly work explores the affective dimensions of political life, particularly through ethnographic and textual analysis. Key themes include queer citizenship, migrant justice, gentrification, and the politics of emotion. His two major books— A Different Trek: Radical Geographies of Deep Space Nine and A House of Prayer for All People: Contesting Citizenship in a Queer Church —exemplify his innovative use of cultural texts and ethnographic fieldwork to interrogate power, identity, and belonging. His recent publications span journals such as Environment and Planning D , ACME , Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , and Antipode . He frequently draws on psychoanalytic theory, especially the work of Melanie Klein, to analyze collective affects like guilt, hope, and disappointment in social movements and urban politics. His work on Paddington Bear and Star Trek reveals how popular culture both reflects and challenges colonial and neoliberal ideologies. He teaches courses in critical and emotional geographies, urban studies, political ecology, and queer theory. In 2023, he joined the editorial collective of ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies , underscoring his active role in shaping critical geographic scholarship. Assistant Professor, HSA, Harvey Mudd College Affiliated Faculty, Cultural Studies, Claremont Graduate University Core Faculty, American Studies Program, The Claremont Colleges Seitz has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards in the provided text. He advises no named students in the materials. His research is supported through academic affiliation and publication rather than listed grants. He is involved in editorial and academic community work, particularly in critical geography and queer studies. He leads and participates in courses and seminars on topics including political ecologies, the city as a structure of feeling, queer pedagogy, and the geographies of education, reflecting his interdisciplinary and affect-sensitive approach to teaching and scholarship.
Tobias Higbie is Professor of History and Labor Studies at UCLA, researching U.S. labor history, migration, and social movements. As director of UCLA's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (2022-2025), he leads initiatives on labor policy. His publications examine working-class intellectual life, immigrant labor, and digital labor history methods. Education includes Ph.D. from University of Illinois. Awards include Philip Taft Labor History Book Award (2004) and Best Article Prize (2014). He directs public history projects like Memory Work Los Angeles and Networks of Economic Justice , combining archival research with digital methodologies.
Emiliano Aguilar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Notre Dame, where he became a Kellogg Institute faculty fellow in 2024. His academic credentials include a PhD in History from Northwestern University (2022), an MA in History from Purdue University Northwest (2017), and an AB in History & English from Wabash College (2015). Dr. Aguilar specializes in political and labor history of the United States with particular focus on the Latina/o Midwest. His research centers on migration, labor, and politics with an eye toward understanding the human development and democratic participation of newcomers to the United States. While his work has primarily centered on the US Midwest, he is increasingly exploring comparative global perspectives. His research interests encompass: Latina/o labor history and political participation Migration patterns and community impact Political machine dynamics in urban settings Democratic inclusion and representation Race and ethnicity in American political history Urban renewal and deindustrialization effects Dr. Aguilar is currently working on his first book manuscript titled "Building a Latino Machine: Caught Between Corrupt Political Machines and Good Government Reform," which examines how East Chicago's ethnic Mexican and Puerto Rican communities navigated political systems to secure representation. His analysis reveals the complex costs and paradoxes of political inclusion for residents and reformers. His scholarly work has appeared in The Metropole, Belt Magazine, the Immigration and Ethnic History Society's Blog, the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of American History, and the Indiana Historical Society Blog. His publications consistently analyze the historical role of Latinas and Latinos in the U.S. workforce across multiple economic sectors while highlighting their contributions to labor movements despite facing workplace marginalization. As a Kellogg Institute faculty fellow, Dr. Aguilar contributes to research on democracy and human development with implications that extend beyond U.S. borders to broader global questions of democratic participation.
Christine Crudo Blackburn, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University's School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management. Her work intersects public health, emergency management, and border security, with a focus on rural and underserved populations. PhD in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (2015), Washington State University MA in Political Science, Global Justice and Security Studies (2009) BA in Political Science, Global Politics (2008) Blackburn's research explores health access disparities, public health emergency preparedness, and migration-related health security challenges. She employs qualitative methods to address border health issues, pandemic response, and structural inequities in care delivery. Recent publications highlight trends in US-Mexico border health, Medicaid payment models, and the interplay between migration, disasters, and health system resilience. Her work often integrates case studies from Texas and global contexts like Kenya and Costa Rica. Her contact information includes email ccblackburn@tamu.edu and phone (979) 862-3469. She is based in College Station, TX.
Rita E. Urquijo-Ruiz is a Professor at Trinity University in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. She is the first Latina faculty member to achieve full professorship at Trinity, specializing in Chicanx/Latinx and LGBTQ+ studies. Her work bridges Mexican, Chicanx, and Latinx literatures, theater, and gender studies. Ph.D. in Literature from UC San Diego Advocate for marginalized communities through interdisciplinary teaching Founder of Global Latinx Studies major and Latinx Leadership Institute Her research focuses on borderlands culture , queer narratives , and transnational Mexican studies . She has received Trinity’s highest service award and multiple Mellon research grants. Her publications and conferences emphasize LGBTQ+ Chicanx identity , undocumented experiences , and performance as activism . She mentors under McNair Scholars and Alvarez Internship programs, while leading committees for MALCS and AJAAS conferences. Key community roles include Board of Directors at Jump-Start Performance Company and Esperanza Peace Center collaborations.
Amanda R. Cheong is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia, specializing in legal status, documentation, and their sociopolitical implications for marginalized communities. She holds a Ph.D. (2019) and M.A. (2016) from Princeton University and a B.A. (2012) from UBC. Her research examines how states use civil registration systems to exclude populations, focusing on Southeast Asia and North America. Key works include Omitted Lives , an ethnography of Malaysian statelessness, and peer-reviewed articles on bureaucratic exclusion and statelessness. Education: Ph.D. Sociology & Social Policy, Princeton (2019); M.A. Sociology & Social Policy, Princeton (2016); B.A. (Hons) Sociology, UBC (2012) Affiliations: UBC Centre for Migration Studies, Asian Canadian and Asian Migration Studies, and Centre for Asian Canadian Research and Engagement Her research interests intersect race, migration, and legal personhood, driven by her family’s statelessness in Brunei. Awards include Mellon/ACLS Fellowship and grants from SSHRC and the American Sociological Association.
Didier Fassin is the James D. Wolfensohn Professor of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton) and holds a permanent chair in Moral Questions and Social Issues at the Collège de France. His roles include Director of Studies at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris since 1999. He previously served as Visiting Professor at Princeton University and the University of Hong Kong, and held the Annual Chair in Public Health at the Collège de France (2019–2020). Education includes a Doctorate in Medicine (1982), Master in Public Health (1986), PhD in Social Science (1988), and accreditations in Public Health and Social Sciences. His research focuses on political anthropology, public health, humanitarianism, migration, and the intersection of ethics with social institutions. Key research programs include studies on undocumented immigrants, AIDS in South Africa, and the biopolitics of crises. He coordinates global inquiries like the Nomis Foundation’s Crisis project (2018–2023). His awards include the Nomis Distinguished Scientist Award (2018), Gold Medal in Anthropology (2016), and Victor Turner Prize (2019). He frequently engages in public discourse through media and institutions, advocating for the social sciences’ role in addressing contemporary societal challenges. Advising and grants highlight his leadership in interdisciplinary projects, including the ERC-funded ‘Critical Moral Anthropology’ (2009–2012) and Mellon-funded asylum studies in South Africa. His work spans academic and applied spheres, influencing policy and public understanding of inequality, justice, and human rights.
Ilyan Ferrer is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work , Carleton University . With a PhD in Social Work and MSW from McGill University , their work focuses on aging within racialized immigrant communities, digital storytelling methodologies, and transformative education. They are currently on sabbatical from July 2025 to June 2026. Education : MSW, McGill University PhD in Social Work, McGill University Their research integrates intersectional life course perspectives to examine how immigration, precarious labor, and systemic racism shape aging experiences. They have pioneered podcasting as a pedagogical tool for community engagement and social justice, including the Critical Issues in Social Work Podcast and Filipino Canadian Social and Community Workers Network . Recent research trends include digital storytelling , financial inequality among older immigrants , and anti-oppressive practices in gerontological social work. Their publications span journals like Journal of Gerontological Social Work , Journal of Aging Studies , and Canadian Ethnic Studies . Selected projects include SSHRC-funded initiatives such as Kwentuhan (storytelling) with Filipino/a/x Canadian social work practitioners (2022-2023) and Multidirectional (im)migration, aging and care (2020-2022). They have also received teaching grants like the UCalgary Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant (2017-2019).
Marta Caminero-Santangelo is a Professor in the Department of English at the University of Kansas. Her work bridges literary criticism with social justice activism, focusing on U.S. Latinx literature, trauma narratives, and the role of storytelling in immigrant rights movements. Research: Literature’s role in social change, especially for marginalized communities Teaching: Courses on Latinx literature, social justice, and 20th-century American literature Service: Community engagement with immigrant rights organizations Her scholarship analyzes how narratives by undocumented immigrants, DREAMers, and Afro-Cubans challenge power structures and foster solidarity. She has published extensively on topics including testimonio, border-crossing trauma, and panethnic identity construction. Recent publications examine life-writing by undocumented youth, the evolution of the Sanctuary Movement, and intersections of religion with migration activism. Her work combines literary theory with empirical engagement, emphasizing the relevance of cultural analysis to real-world social struggles.
