Lillie Padilla is an Assistant Professor of Spanish Linguistics at Sam Houston State University's Department of World Languages and Cultures. Holding a Ph.D. and M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from Arizona State University alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Ghana, her research explores interdisciplinary connections between: Afro-Latinx representation in educational materials Discourse analysis and language ideologies Sociolinguistic studies in Equatorial Guinea Critical race theory applications in language teaching Her work focuses on Spanish subject pronoun expression patterns in multilingual contexts and curriculum development for inclusive pedagogy. Recent publications examine: Representation gaps in Spanish language textbooks Methodological challenges in Equatorial Guinea research Critical discourse analysis of Netflix's Elite series Intersectional representation of Afro-Latinx women Scientific achievements include: Finalist for American Association of Linguistics 2025 award for co-edited volume Representation, Inclusion and Social Justice in World Language Teaching Padilla's research continues to shape conversations about linguistic diversity and marginalized voices in language education through both empirical studies and theoretical frameworks.
Dr Peninah Murage is an Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the Department of Public Health, Environments and Society under the Faculty of Public Health and Policy. She specializes in environmental epidemiology with a PhD in Health Geography and focuses on health impacts of environmental changes, particularly climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Affiliation: Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health Her research explores climate change effects on health outcomes like heat-related mortality, cardiovascular diseases, and cognitive development in children. She integrates GIS/spatial analysis with public health and policy frameworks to identify nature-based solutions for sustainable development. Current work examines systemic inequalities in heat risk exposure and interventions such as tree-based strategies in low-income settings. Key grants include: Health Protection Research Unit on Climate Change and Health Security (2025-2030, NIHR) Climate Change and Non-Communicable Diseases in Senegal (2024-2027) Pathfinder 2: Accelerating Climate Action for Health (2023-2026) She actively contributes to the Lancet Pathfinder Commission and serves on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (African Chapter).
Dr. Elaine T. Jurkowski serves as Professor in Social Work at Southern Illinois University's College of Health and Human Sciences, holding multiple leadership roles including Graduate Program Director (2021-present) and Program Director for Gerontology Programs (2020-present). She maintains cross-appointments as Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine's Family Practice Residency Program and Professor in the Department of Health Education, demonstrating her interdisciplinary impact. B.S.W. (Industrial Social Work), University of Manitoba, Canada M.S.W. (Policy and Administration), University of Manitoba, Canada Ph.D., Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago M.B.A., Southern Illinois University Carbondale (2022) Dr. Jurkowski's research program centers on health disparities, access to mental health services, aging, and disability issues, with particular focus on rural populations. Her work bridges public health, social work, and gerontology through innovative approaches to program evaluation, technology-enhanced teaching, and culture change in long-term care settings. She has developed expertise in international health planning and inter-professional collaboration across diverse cultural contexts. Her publication portfolio shows consistent thematic development across decades, with recent work focusing on medical tourism during the pandemic, rural-urban health disparities, and technology applications in gerontology education. These publications reflect her commitment to addressing healthcare access challenges for vulnerable populations through both scholarly inquiry and practical interventions. Great Cities Research Fellow in Health Provost Faculty Fellow (2018) Provost Assessment Fellow (2016) Student Hotspotting certification (2018-present) A.P.M. Assessment Academy certification (2016, 2017) Dr. Jurkowski has successfully secured over $1 million in research funding from agencies including Health Resources and Services Administration, The Hartford Foundation, and Administration on Aging. Her grant portfolio demonstrates sustained commitment to improving services for older adults and people with disabilities, particularly in rural settings. She has served as Graduate Program Director twice (2003-2014, 2021-present), mentoring numerous social work students through their academic and professional development. Her professional activities extend beyond campus through international consulting in West Africa, Hong Kong, India, China, Russia, and Egypt, and community engagement via the "Dare to Care" radio show and board service with Caring Counseling Ministries, Supporting People in Need, and UNA/USA Southern Illinois Chapter.
Dr. K. Max Zhang is a Professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University. He is the director of the Energy and the Environment Research Laboratory (EERL) and a fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. His research is deeply interdisciplinary, focusing on sustainable energy systems, air quality, and environmental justice, with significant impacts on policy and community development in New York and beyond. Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of California-Davis, 2004 B.S., Thermal Engineering, Tianjin University, 1998 B.A., English Language, Tianjin University, 1998 Dr. Zhang’s research centers on the integration of energy and environmental systems. He investigates air pollution dynamics using advanced numerical models like CTAG, with applications in near-source pollution, indoor air quality, and environmental justice. His work on renewable energy systems includes designing sustainable solar farms and managing distributed energy resources such as heat pumps to enhance grid flexibility. He also leads a pioneering initiative to create the first statewide public IoT network in the U.S., enabling hyperlocal weather forecasting and microclimate monitoring. His recent publications reflect a strong trend toward agrivoltaics, peer-to-peer energy markets, and IoT-based environmental monitoring. These works demonstrate a consistent focus on data-driven modeling, community-scale energy solutions, and the integration of social considerations into technical systems. The keywords across his articles highlight expertise in sustainability, machine learning, air quality, and energy transition. Cornell Town-Gown Achievement Award (2022) Engaged Scholar Prize, Cornell University (2017) People's Choice Sign of Sustainability Award, Sustainable Tompkins (2016) Scientific and Technological Achievement Award, Environmental Protection Agency (2015) Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Dr. Zhang is actively involved in mentoring students and securing research grants from agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). His projects often involve interdisciplinary collaboration across eight Cornell colleges and 16 academic departments. He has led initiatives such as the Cornell Atkinson Academic Venture Fund projects and the development of a county-level energy roadmap for Tompkins County. He also teaches courses in engineering thermodynamics, future energy systems, and air quality, emphasizing experiential and community-based learning. Dr. Zhang leads the Energy and the Environment Research Laboratory (EERL) and collaborates with the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. His lab functions as a hub for innovation in sustainable communities, combining advanced modeling with real-world applications. Through partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and industry, his team develops science-driven solutions to urban and rural sustainability challenges.
Dr. Enrica Dall'Ara serves as the Associate Dean of Planning and Landscape Architecture and an Associate Professor at the University of Calgary's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. Her work bridges academic research and professional practice, exemplified through her firm PARC, which specializes in public space design, urban renewal, and the rehabilitation of industrial sites. She emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating fields like environmental engineering and biology into landscape architecture. Education: Laurea in Architettura (Master Degree equivalent in Architecture), University of Ferrara, Italy Master in Landscape Architecture, ETSAB, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain PhD in Landscape Design, University of Florence, Italy Research Interests: Dr. Dall'Ara focuses on practice-based research, public space design, service landscapes, and the integration of cultural advocacy into landscape architecture. Her work explores site-specific design solutions, the role of agriculture in urban-rural dynamics, and the preservation of traditional rural landscapes. She advocates for designs that serve life through poetic, functional, and culturally sensitive approaches. Contributions: Through her teaching, Dall'Ara encourages students to view design as research, fostering critical thinking and interdisciplinary dialogue. Her firm’s projects, such as the roundabout gardens in Imola, Italy, demonstrate her commitment to merging ecological, functional, and aesthetic considerations in landscape interventions. Professional Affiliations: Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) Alberta Association of Landscape Architects (AALA) Associazione Italiana di Architettura del Paesaggio (AIAPP) Ordine degli Architetti, Pianificatori, Paesaggisti e Conservatori (Province of Forlì-Cesena, Italy)
Ronald McGarvey is a Full Professor at IÉSEG School of Management since 2022, with prior roles including Associate Professor with Tenure at the University of Missouri (2013-2022) and Senior Operations Researcher at RAND Corporation (2002-2022). He holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Pennsylvania State University and an H.D.R. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Paul Sabatier, France. Education : H.D.R. (2024), Industrial Engineering, University of Paul Sabatier Ph.D. (2002), Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Pennsylvania State University His research focuses on Operations Research and Robust Optimization applied to diverse domains: Healthcare Logistics : Modeling access disparities in rural obstetric care for American Indian populations Environmental Sustainability : Analyzing biomass energy systems, forest carbon impacts, and waste management frameworks Network Design : Developing optimization models for supply chain resilience, military logistics, and urban transit safety Policy Analysis : Evaluating multi-state environmental collaborations and localized food systems His publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary applications of mathematical programming and spatial optimization to real-world challenges in healthcare access, energy sustainability, and transportation systems. Key Collaborations : Working with researchers in public health (Thorsen, Noble), environmental science (Aguilar), and engineering (Mirzaee, Gutierrez-Lopez)
David Means is a Visiting Associate Professor of English at Vassar College, where he has taught since 2001. He holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MFA in poetry from Columbia University. His academic work centers on creative writing, modern and contemporary fiction and poetry, and American culture. Education: BA, The College of Wooster MFA, Columbia University in the City of New York Means is a celebrated author of short fiction and novels, known for his lyrical prose, experimental narrative structures, and deep exploration of trauma, memory, and redemption. His work frequently appears in The New Yorker , Harper’s , The Paris Review , and other prestigious literary journals. His writing often returns to themes of violence, loss, and the quiet grace that emerges in their aftermath, drawing comparisons to Flannery O’Connor and Denis Johnson. His stories are marked by a nonlinear sense of time and a profound empathy for marginalized or broken characters. His recent publications include the story collection Instructions for a Funeral (2019) and Two Nurses, Smoking , with his novel Hystopia longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. His forthcoming non-fiction book, Pivot: Ruminations in the Shadow of Death , reflects on mortality and personal reflection. Selected Awards and Honors: Guggenheim Fellowship (2013) Three O. Henry Prizes Three Pushcart Prizes Los Angeles Book Prize for Fiction Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist, Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize Longlisted, Man Booker Prize Means has advised and influenced many emerging writers through his teaching and public readings. While specific students are not named in the sources, his role as a mentor is evident in his sustained presence in creative writing programs. He has no known research grants or lab affiliations, as his work is primarily literary and individual. He continues to publish and engage in public discourse on the nature of storytelling, including critiques of AI-generated fiction.
Jean C. Oi serves as the William Haas Professor of Chinese Politics in Stanford University's Department of Political Science and holds multiple leadership positions including Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Director of the China Program, and Lee Shau Kee Director of the Stanford Center at Peking University. Professor Oi earned her PhD from the University of Michigan and previously taught at Lehigh University and Harvard University before joining Stanford in 1997. Her research centers on comparative politics with specialized expertise in Chinese political economy and reform processes in transitional systems. She has made seminal contributions to understanding rural politics in China, introducing the influential concept of 'local state corporatism' to describe China's development model in her award-winning book Rural China Takes Off (1999). Her current research examines China's Belt and Road Initiative, fiscal politics and central-local relations, and structural change in China. Professor Oi maintains an active publication record with works spanning four decades, including her most recent 2025 article 'A Perfect Storm: Fiscal Discipline, COVID, and Local Government Debt in China' which analyzes how pandemic-era policies exposed China's fiscal vulnerabilities. Choice Outstanding Academic Title (1999) for Rural China Takes Off Professor Oi leads significant collaborative research initiatives, including directing the Stanford China Program at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center. Her fieldwork with Chinese scholars has examined rural community organization, public goods provision, and fiscal pressures from rapid urbanization, culminating in works like Challenges in the Process of China's Urbanization (2017).
Eduardo Araral is an Associate Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. With over 30 years of experience in academia and government, he holds a PhD in Public Policy from Indiana University-Bloomington under Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom. His research focuses on collective action, institutions, and water governance, with publications in Nature Human Behaviour , Public Administration Review , and World Development . He has held fellowships at Stanford University and centers associated with Coase, Ostrom, and Stigler. Research Interests : Collective action, institutional analysis, water governance, digital technologies in public policy, political economy, and socio-ecological systems. Scientific Awards : Ostrom Prize for the Governance of the Commons, Fulbright PhD Scholarship, and Presidential Award for Outstanding Overseas Filipinos. Leadership Roles : Vice Dean for Research, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, and Co-Director of the Institute of Water Policy (2016-2022) at LKYSPP. Global Engagement : Advised 20+ international organizations including ADB, World Bank, UNDP, and Fortune 500 companies, while lecturing to 7,000+ government officials across 50+ countries.
Ram Cnaan is a Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with The Weitzman School of Design. He chairs the Doctoral Program in Social Welfare and directs the Program for Religion and Social Policy Research. His work focuses on faith-based social services, congregational welfare provision, and nonprofit management. Cnaan has authored influential books like The Invisible Caring Hand and serves on seven academic journal editorial boards. His research explores volunteerism dynamics, including pandemic impacts on donor retention, cross-national civic participation, and episodic volunteering at religious events. He investigates social entrepreneurship in public sectors and evaluates faith-based organizations' roles in reentry programs for ex-prisoners. Cnaan's recent studies address CSR innovations, donor-advised funds strategies, and prosocial behavior in diverse cultural contexts. Notable contributions include pioneering national studies on congregational social service provision and analyzing Israeli-Palestinian Muslim collaboration in aid work. His work bridges academic research with practical policy solutions for urban quality-of-life challenges.
Brad D. Jokisch is a Professor and Undergraduate Chair in the Department of Geography at Ohio University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He is affiliated with International Studies and Latin American Studies, and his research focuses on population, environment, and development, particularly in Latin America. His work explores transnational migration, land-use change, and livelihoods in the Ecuadoran Andes. Education: Ph.D., Clark University, 1998 B.A., Augustana College, 1989 His research interests lie at the intersection of cultural/political ecology, population dynamics, agriculture, and development. He investigates how migration influences environmental change and how development shapes population movements, with a regional focus on Latin America. His fieldwork in the Ecuadoran Andes examines the impact of remittances and emigration on landscapes and rural communities. Recent publications highlight trends in transnational migration, land-use change, and development policy. His work spans interdisciplinary journals in geography, anthropology, and development studies, reflecting a strong emphasis on human-environment systems and migration. Key themes include remittances, land cover change, indigenous urbanization, and migration policy in South America. Scientific Awards: Fulbright Scholarship (2023–2024) for research on family emigration in southern Ecuador Dr. Jokisch advises undergraduate students as chair and teaches core courses such as Population Geography, Geography of Latin America, and Agricultural Ecosystems. While specific grant details and advisees are not listed, his sustained research output and leadership in the department suggest active mentorship and scholarly engagement. He is currently conducting research in Ecuador under a Fulbright award, indicating ongoing international collaboration and field-based inquiry. He is a key contributor to human-environment geography and migration studies, with a long-standing commitment to theoretical and empirical research in Latin America.
Angelika Sjöstedt serves as Professor and Chair of Gender Studies within the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at Mid Sweden University. Her academic leadership spans teaching across Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD programs in Gender Studies and Sociology, while actively contributing to institutional discourse through roles such as delivering the 2024 academic celebration lecture. She maintains significant engagement with contemporary academic freedom debates, notably co-organizing the 2024 seminar series addressing responsible internationalization amid the Gaza conflict. Her research profile reveals deep expertise in intersectional analysis of gender, settler colonialism, and labor precarity, particularly examining how chronic crises manifest in peripheralized regions. Recent work demonstrates acute responsiveness to geopolitical emergencies, with 2024 publications directly confronting academic complicity in genocide. Her methodological approach bridges ethnographic rigor with activist scholarship, evident in long-term collaborations like the Båskoes Sámi research network and Forum for Gender Research. Sjöstedt's scholarly trajectory shows consistent thematic development from early work on flexible knowledge-work subjectivity (2012) through nuanced examinations of rural resilience (2017-2020) to current urgent interventions in academic freedom. Her publications reveal distinctive geographic focus on Norrland's inland regions while maintaining transnational theoretical relevance, particularly regarding mining resistance movements and crisis management frameworks. The 2021-2024 output demonstrates accelerated engagement with acute political emergencies, signaling scholarly adaptation to escalating global crises. Professional networks constitute a critical dimension of her work, with sustained involvement in the Forum for Gender Research since at least 2015 and leadership in the Båskoes network advancing Indigenous research methodologies. Her editorial work on critical anthologies like Aktivism: En antologi om arbete för social och politisk förändring (2022) demonstrates commitment to bridging academic and activist knowledge production.
Professor Nguyen Van Chinh is a distinguished scholar in anthropology at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University (VNU-USSH), specializing in the Department of Anthropology and Religious Studies. With a PhD from the University of Amsterdam and extensive international research experience including a postdoctoral fellowship at the National University of Singapore, he has established himself as a leading expert in Southeast Asian anthropology, migration studies, and ethnic relations. His academic career spanning over four decades includes numerous visiting professorships at prestigious institutions worldwide. Professor Chinh's research interests encompass Anthropology Research Methods , History of Anthropology , Migration and Poverty Studies , Ethnic Identity , and Cross-border Ethnic Groups in Southeast Asia. His scholarly work demonstrates a particular focus on the intersection of economic development, cultural preservation, and social transformation in Vietnamese and Southeast Asian contexts. Through extensive fieldwork and theoretical contributions, he has shaped contemporary understanding of ethnic minorities, migration patterns, and socio-economic changes in the region. His extensive publication record shows a clear evolution toward contemporary issues including China's growing influence in the Mekong region, ethnic Chinese migration, and the challenges of poverty reduction in Vietnam. The research demonstrates increasing engagement with transnational phenomena, border studies, and the impact of China's economic expansion on Southeast Asian societies. His most recent work addresses pressing contemporary issues such as disability rights, academic publishing challenges, and urban migration dynamics. Distinguished PhD dissertation awarded by NVMC (Netherlands Association of Social Sciences and Cultural Sciences), 2000 Certificate of Merit from the President of National University for outstanding achievements, 2007 Asian Leadership Fellow (ALFP) awarded by the Japan Foundation, 2004 Asian Public Intellectual Fellow (API) awarded by the Nippon Foundation, 2010 Multiple research grants from prestigious foundations including Toyota, Rockefeller, and Japan Foundation Professor Chinh has served as an independent consultant for numerous national and international development projects implemented in Vietnam. His advisory work spans multiple sectors including labor, health, agriculture, and ethnic minority affairs, working with organizations such as WHO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, DFID, IUCN, UNICEF, and UNESCO. His expertise in ethnographic research methods and understanding of Vietnamese society has made him a valuable resource for policy development and implementation across multiple domains.
Dr. Yawei Zhao is a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Manchester. She specializes in digital technologies, urbanization, and lifestyle migration. Her research explores data centers, PropTech, and the intersection of lifestyle migration with small city urbanization. Funded by the British Academy, IJURR Foundation, and Mitacs Canada, her work appears in journals like Urban Geography and Housing Studies . Prior to Manchester, she was a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary, where she earned her PhD in Geography. She holds degrees from McGill University, City University of Hong Kong, and National University of Singapore. Her research interests include urban governance, ecological civilization, and China's urban dynamics. Notable projects examine the Belt and Road Initiative's AI governance platforms and the impact of virtual tourism on cultural heritage sites. She co-leads PhD supervision on topics such as internal migration in China and animal rights in urban governance. Dr. Zhao actively contributes to interdisciplinary platforms like Digital Futures, Manchester China Institute, and Manchester Urban Institute. She organized the 2022–2023 conference ‘Making Rent: Generational Inequality and the Housing Crisis.’
Pawan Adhikari is a Professor of Accounting at Essex Business School, University of Essex , where he serves as Director of Impact and Enterprise and Director of Essex Accounting Centre . He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management and a Executive Board Member of the Comparative International Governmental Accounting Research Network (CIGAR) . Previously, he led accounting reforms at Nepal’s Accounting and Auditing Standards Board and lectured at Nord University, Norway. PhD, Nord University Business School Fellow of the Higher Education Academy His research focuses on public sector accounting in developing countries, particularly accounting reforms , public value creation , and climate accountability . He explores how accrual accounting and participatory budgeting can enhance transparency in South Asian and African contexts. His work has influenced policy-making in Nepal and is recognized with the 2023 Best International Research Impact award by the University of Essex. Recent publications analyze wellbeing economies (2025), NGO accountability in disasters (2024), and climate budgeting (2023). He collaborates with institutions like the World Bank , European Commission , and British Academy , focusing on projects related to financial resilience , circular economy , and health sector accountability . Supervising 8 current PhD students, his advisees have produced work on topics like accrual accounting in Bangladesh and NGO accountability in Palestine . World Bank/PEFA Research Award African Accounting and Financial Association (AAFA) Award ESRC IIA Impact Fund GCRF and SeNSS Grants 2019 Best Postgraduate Supervisor (Essex)
