Professor Cristina Atance is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University, specializing in cognitive development, future thinking in children, theory of mind, and executive functioning. Her research explores how children conceptualize and plan for future events, integrating insights from developmental psychology and cognitive science. Education: Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Waterloo (2001) B.Sc. (Honours) in Psychology, University of Toronto (1996) Research Interests: Professor Atance investigates the development of future-oriented reasoning in children, including the interplay between memory, theory of mind, and decision-making. Her work examines how psychological distance (e.g., temporal, social) influences children’s predictions and choices, with a focus on episodic foresight and saving behaviors. Publications: Her recent work spans topics like children’s saving frameworks, the impact of temporal distance on emotional judgments, and methodological advances in measuring episodic future thinking. She emphasizes translational research, linking cognitive findings to real-world interventions. Teaching: She teaches courses on developmental psychology and perspective-taking across the lifespan, including PSY6191 , PSY5114 , and bilingual versions of foundational developmental psychology modules.
Theodore Nik is a UIC Distinguished Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), where he also serves as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research and Director of the Center for Urban Economic Development. His academic leadership spans critical urban scholarship, labor studies, and policy advocacy, with appointments in UIC's College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA). Nik's research centers on urban political economy, labor markets and labor standards, urban informality and informal economies, and policy mobilities. He investigates how global economic processes shape urban spaces and labor conditions, particularly focusing on marginalized workers including immigrant day laborers, domestic workers, and informal sector participants. His work bridges academic theory with community-based action, emphasizing the agency of workers in shaping urban futures through worker centers and mutual aid networks. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2020-2025) reveals three dominant trends: 1) The impact of e-commerce and technology on labor (especially in warehousing and domestic work), 2) Cross-continental studies of informal economies (from South African townships to U.S. cities), and 3) Critical examinations of urban policy responses to crises including pandemics, climate disasters, and migration emergencies. His scholarship consistently engages with racial capitalism, neoliberal governance, and the spatial dimensions of labor exploitation. Dr. Nik has received significant recognition including: 2021 Highly Cited Researcher (2010-2020) by Clarivate 2016 University Scholar (2016-2018) at University of Illinois Chicago 2015 Researcher of the Year at University of Illinois Chicago 2014 Highly Cited Researcher (2002-2012) by Thompson Reuters/Clarivate As Principal Investigator, he has secured major grants from the Ford Foundation (Labor Standards and the Future of Work), Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (Third-Party Logistics Outsourcing), and Hispanics in Philanthropy (Mutual Aid during COVID-19), directing research that informs worker advocacy and policy interventions. His editorial leadership includes serving as Editor of the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research since 2021. Through the Center for Urban Economic Development, he produces actionable research on wage theft, disaster recovery, and immigrant worker safety that directly supports labor organizations and community groups.
Professor Daniel Hemel is a full-time faculty member at New York University School of Law, where he joined as a Professor of Law in June 2022. His research spans taxation, intellectual property, administrative/constitutional law, and nonprofit organizations. He holds a JD from Yale Law School, an M.Phil from Oxford (as a Marshall Scholar), and a Harvard AB summa cum laude. Hemel has authored over 50 scholarly articles in top journals like Columbia Law Review and Yale Law Journal, with work cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts. He also publishes op-eds in major newspapers and advises lawmakers on tax policy. His current roles include co-editing the Journal of Legal Analysis and serving on boards of the National Tax Association and Environmental Law Institute. Education highlights: JD, Yale Law School (2012), Editor-in-Chief of Yale Law Journal M.Phil (International Relations), University of Oxford (2009, distinction) AB (Social Studies), Harvard College (2007, summa cum laude) Research focuses on tax policy design, dynamic public finance, and the interplay between law and behavioral economics. Notable projects include analyzing capital taxation's impact on inequality and designing basic income pilot programs through NYU's 4-CT partnership. He teaches courses like 'Basic Income Lab Seminar' and 'Income Taxation,' emphasizing practical policy implementation and distributive justice. Professional service includes congressional testimony, judicial clerkships (including at the U.S. Supreme Court under Justice Kagan), and visiting professorships at Harvard, Stanford, and Yale. His work bridges academia and policy, with a focus on evidence-based solutions to economic and public governance challenges.
Simon John Duffy is a Visiting Fellow at Northumbria University and Director of Citizen Network, a global non-profit cooperative movement. His work bridges philosophy and activism, focusing on social justice, welfare reform, and citizenship. He holds a PhD in meta-ethics from the University of Edinburgh and has authored over 500 publications. Key achievements include pioneering personalized social care models like individual funding and supported living, co-founding in Control and the Centre for Welfare Reform, and advocating for basic income policies. He advises governments globally on disability rights and social policy. Research interests emphasize ethics, citizenship, and systemic change. His awards include the Prince Albert Medal (2008) and the Social Policy Association’s Outstanding Contribution Award (2011).
Sabine Klocke-Daffa is an Adjunct Professor of Ethnology at the Department of Ethnology, Asia-Orient Institute, Faculty of Humanities, University of Tübingen, Germany. She has been an academic associate at the university since 2010 and holds a habilitation in ethnology from the same institution, awarded in 2016. Her academic work spans teaching, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration, with a strong focus on applied ethnology and cultural anthropology. PhD in Ethnology, University of Münster (1998) Habilitation, University of Tübingen (2016) State Examination in Teacher Training, University of Münster (1987) Master's Degree in Ethnology, Sociology, and Romance Philology, University of Münster (1981) Sabine Klocke-Daffa’s research centers on social and cultural anthropology, particularly in southern Africa (Namibia), Madagascar, and Iran. Her key interests include social security systems, exchange relations, cultural dynamics of resources, religion, applied ethnology, and the integration of ethnology into education. She explores how traditional systems of care and solidarity adapt in modern contexts, especially through funeral insurances and basic income grants. Her work critically examines the interplay between local practices and globalized systems, emphasizing cultural appropriation and identity. Her recent publications (2016–2024) reveal a consistent thematic focus on security, trust, time, and resource valuation. Articles analyze life and funeral insurances in Namibia, mineral resource valuation in Iran, and the Sambatra ritual in Madagascar. These works highlight her anthropological approach to understanding how communities navigate risk, modernity, and social change. The keywords across her research include social insurance, cultural heritage, resource complexes, and transformative education. Challenging Authorities. Ethnographies of Legitimacy and Power in Eastern and Southern Africa (2021) Applied Ethnology. Perspectives of an application-oriented science (2019) The curse and blessing of resources (2016) Career orientation for cultural scientists (2009) Klocke-Daffa has supervised multiple PhD students whose work spans gender, cultural heritage, integration, and governance in diverse regions including Botswana, Namibia, Turkey, and Guatemala. She has been involved in significant research projects such as SFB 1070 'Resource Cultures' (co-leading 'Stones from the South' on Iranian gemstones) and the WILLE project on teaching ethnology. She is a founding member of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Global South Studies and the Center for Religion, Culture and Society at the University of Tübingen, and an associate member of the ELISA ethics project on IT exports to Sub-Saharan Africa. She is actively engaged in academic communities, including the International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences (IUAES) and the German Society for Cultural and Social Anthropology (DGSKA). She serves on the scientific advisory board and board of trustees of the Frobenius Institute Frankfurt. Her professional activities include organizing workshops, presenting at international conferences (EASA, IUAES, EAA), and promoting public anthropology through accessible writing and teaching.
Michal Kozák is a Postdoctoral Fellow affiliated with the University of Bergen's Department of Sociology and PROMENTA's research projects focusing on marginalization pathways and mental health gradients. His academic background includes a PhD from the University of Bergen (2020) and a visiting Fulbright fellowship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2019-2020). He specializes in sociological analyses of work values, labor market dynamics, and quantitative methodologies. His research incorporates panel data, multilevel modeling, and comparative surveys to explore topics such as adolescent work attitudes, pandemic impacts on mental health, and the political economy of labor policies. Notable projects include analyzing how early-life work values influence adult socioeconomic outcomes and investigating automation-related job insecurity across Europe. Methodologically, he emphasizes rigorous statistical techniques and large-scale cross-national data. Key awards include the Fulbright Scholarship (2018) and the Utrecht Network Young Researchers Grant (2019). His work has been published in venues like Nature Mental Health , Journal of Education and Work , and European Societies . Current research leverages Norway’s 'Young in Norway' survey panel to study how adolescent aspirations shape adult trajectories in employment, well-being, and social status. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on projects addressing mental health disparities and healthcare accessibility, such as analyzing geographic disparities in psychologist coverage within Norway's public health system.
Marcel Fratzscher is President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) and Professor of Macroeconomics at Humboldt University Berlin. He serves on the Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and is a member of the Euro50 Group. As a prominent scholar and public intellectual, he regularly contributes to German and international media including DIE ZEIT, Financial Times, and Project Syndicate. His research focuses on macroeconomics and financial markets, inequality, globalization, and European integration. Fratzscher has authored several influential books including "After Us, the Future" (2025), "Money or Life - How Our Irrational Relationship to Money Divides Our Society" (2022), and "The Germany Illusion." His work consistently addresses the transformation of economy and society, with particular emphasis on Germany's role in Europe and the world. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on intergenerational equity, with numerous articles addressing youth concerns, social mobility, and the sustainability of social contracts. His research increasingly examines the intersection of economic policy with climate challenges, demographic change, and technological transformation, reflecting contemporary economic debates in Germany and Europe. Fratzscher maintains an active public presence through media contributions, lectures, and participation in policy discussions. His recent engagements include addressing the 100th anniversary of DIW Berlin, speaking at events on economic sovereignty, and participating in debates about Germany's future economic direction.
Dr. Sara Manganelli is a Tenure Track Researcher in Psychometrics (PSIC-01/C) at the Department of Psychology of Developmental and Socialization Processes at Sapienza University of Rome since 2024. She holds a National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor in Psychology (2020) and has worked at the National Institute for the Evaluation of the Educational System (INVALSI), and as a lecturer at the Telematica eCampus University. Research Focus: Her work centers on psychological well-being, academic motivation, self-regulation, and socio-economic-cultural impacts on youth development. She specializes in psychometric tool development and formal models to explore relationships between constructs, using advanced quantitative methods. Recent Themes: Key areas include immigrant integration in schools, socio-economic disparities in education, and resilience mechanisms among disadvantaged students. Her studies often involve large-scale national datasets and mixed-methods approaches. Professional Activities: Active in educational policy research, she has contributed to national evaluation frameworks and media literacy interventions to combat substance abuse among adolescents.
Luiz De Andrade Alonso is a Visiting Researcher at the Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University. His research focuses on public administration, social policy, and digital transformation in welfare systems. He examines topics like administrative burdens in digital services, distributive justice, and professional logics among bureaucrats and managers. Key research themes include: Interactions between digital self-services and citizen vulnerability Cross-national comparisons of welfare service delivery (Norway/Brazil) EdTech platforms' impact on higher education Street-level management dynamics His work critically analyzes modern welfare systems' structural challenges, particularly how digitalization affects marginalized groups and organizational decision-making patterns. Recent studies emphasize the hidden costs of automation in public services and the role of interpersonal aid in mitigating administrative burdens. No formal advising relationships or grants are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. His research is institutionally affiliated with Tampere University's management school without reference to specific labs or collaborative teams.
George Zuo is an economist and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy, RAND Corporation. He is also a faculty affiliate at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunity at the University of Notre Dame, reflecting his deep engagement with research on economic mobility and inequality. Ph.D. in Economics, University of Maryland (2021) B.A. in Economics, Harvard University (2013) As an applied microeconomist, Zuo employs causal inference methods and large-scale data to evaluate policies aimed at reducing disparities in economic opportunity, education, and health in the United States. His research spans workforce development, housing affordability, digital equity, and human capital investment. He frequently analyzes policy impacts using administrative data, surveys, and public disclosures, including SEC filings. Zuo’s recent publications reveal a strong focus on labor market dynamics, educational practices, and urban policy. He investigates how digital literacy training affects employment outcomes, how housing supply influences affordability, and how corporate investments in employees correlate with stock performance. His work often combines rigorous empirical methods with practical policy implications, particularly in urban centers like Los Angeles and New York City. Notable scientific awards include the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. His commentary appears in major outlets, and he is an active voice on issues of economic justice and policy design. Zuo advises on policy through RAND and collaborates with national surveys such as the American Educator Panels. While no formal students are listed, his role as a professor and researcher suggests mentorship within RAND and affiliated institutions. He has not received explicit mention of grant funding, though his work is institutionally supported by RAND and external partnerships. His research is conducted through RAND’s policy analysis framework and supported by data from the American Instructional Resources Survey and Learn Together Surveys. These platforms enable large-scale, nationally representative studies on education and workforce issues.
Craig Gundersen is the Snee Family Endowed Chair at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and a Professor in the Department of Economics at Baylor University. He previously served as ACES Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois and held positions at Iowa State University and the USDA Economic Research Service. He is a Faculty Affiliate at the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at the University of Notre Dame and a Round Table Fellow of the Farm Foundation. Gundersen is also a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economic Association (AAEA). Education: Ph.D. in Economics, University of California, Riverside, 1996 B.A. in Economics, University of Notre Dame, 1990 Gundersen’s research focuses on food insecurity, food assistance programs, and public policy evaluation. His work examines the causes and consequences of food insecurity, with a strong emphasis on SNAP. He invented Map the Meal Gap , the standard tool for measuring local food insecurity in the U.S. His research dispels myths about food insecurity and obesity and highlights the health and economic costs of food insecurity, especially among seniors. He has authored highly cited review papers on both causes and consequences of food insecurity. His work bridges economics, nutrition, public health, and statistics. His recent publications reveal a trend toward policy innovation and reform, especially in reimagining SNAP and school meal programs. He analyzes measurement accuracy in eligibility, proposes structural changes like food-based universal basic income, and evaluates long-term trends in food insecurity. His interdisciplinary approach is reflected in publications across economics, medicine, and nutrition journals. Scientific Awards and Honors: Fellow, Agricultural and Applied Economic Association (AAEA) Round Table Fellow, Farm Foundation Outstanding Paper, Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy (2011) Gundersen has secured over $25 million in external funding from more than 30 grants. Major funders include the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Economic Research Service (ERS), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), and Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). He has advised numerous policy bodies and frequently presents to lawmakers and program administrators. Though specific students are not listed, his mentorship is evident through collaborative research and leadership in the field. He leads research through the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty , where he directs major initiatives like Map the Meal Gap . His team works at the intersection of data science, public policy, and community engagement to inform national and local responses to hunger.
Matthew Adam Bruckner is a Professor of Law at Howard University School of Law, specializing in bankruptcy, consumer protection, and fintech regulation. He holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a B.A. from Binghamton University. Previously, he taught at George Washington University, St. John’s University, and Cleveland State University. His research examines bankruptcy law’s intersection with social equity, fintech innovation, and student debt. Key domains include: Racial disparities in bankruptcy exemptions Algorithmic bias in lending Student loan discharge reforms Consumer fintech regulation Recent publications (2022–2025) predominantly address empirical analyses of bankruptcy disparities, fintech regulatory frameworks, and student loan policy. Over 80% of articles focus on consumer finance law, with emerging emphasis on AI ethics in lending. No awards, research grants, or student advising roles are documented. Professional background includes litigation at Allen & Overy and clerkship with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court (Southern District of New York).
Prof. Paolo Andrei is a Full Professor in Business Economics at the University of Parma's Department of Economics and Business Sciences. He served as Rector of the University (2017–2023), Vice President of the Conference of Italian Universities Rectors (2023), and held multiple leadership roles including Director of the Economics Department and Pro-Rector for Teaching Affairs. He graduated in Economics and Business from the University of Parma in 1987. His research focuses on: Corporate financial communication in Italian and international contexts Accounting history and the evolution of business administration Corporate social responsibility with emphasis on social reporting frameworks His publications demonstrate consistent focus on financial reporting innovations, historical accounting analysis, and governance models. Recent work explores food security economics, institutional governance reforms, and 19th-century banking history. Awards: Thomas J. Burns Biographical Research Award (2014) for pioneering work on accounting historian Fabio Besta He holds leadership positions in academic associations including the Italian Academy of Business Economics (President 2015–2017) and the Italian Society of Accounting History (Vice President 2011–2013).
Ofer Setty is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, Tel Aviv University, and a Visiting Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School (2022–2024). His research focuses on household finance, public finance, and macroeconomics. He holds a Ph.D. from NYU (2010), complemented by advanced degrees in economics and industrial engineering from Tel Aviv University. His work explores topics like pension plan design, unemployment insurance systems, and universal basic income mechanisms. He has received grants from the Israeli Science Foundation, Marie Curie, and the NBER Household Finance Working Group, among others. His recent publications address pension fund asset allocation, optimal welfare program design, and labor market impacts of savings policies. He also contributes to public discourse through a column in Haaretz.
Yonhyok Choe is a Professor at Linnaeus University's Department of Political Science within the Faculty of Social Sciences. His work focuses on political leadership, electoral systems, and democratic institutions. He holds a doctoral degree from the University of Gothenburg (1997) and has published extensively on topics like electoral management, Nordic welfare regimes, and political recruitment. Choe is affiliated with research groups Governance, Ethics, and Corruption (GEC) and LNU-POP, exploring governance challenges and political behavior. His recent studies include cross-national analyses of Universal Basic Income attitudes and electoral turnout dynamics in Sweden. He teaches courses in political analysis, comparative politics, and public administration, emphasizing methodological rigor and practical policy relevance. Research interests include youth political education, opposition leadership formation, and institutional mechanisms for democratic stability. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical studies, often utilizing comparative methodologies across Sweden, South Korea, and other nations. Publications span peer-reviewed journals, books, and policy reports analyzing electoral integrity, political trust, and representative democracy.
