Jo-Anne Dillabough is Professor of Sociology, Sociology of Education, and Sociology of Young People and Global Cultures at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge. She holds a PhD from McGill University and serves as Deputy Director of Research (Education) and ESRC LEAD PI for the Universities and Crises project. Her research examines youth cultures in global cities, transnational urban change, higher education in conflict zones, and sociologies of displacement. She uses ethnographic and visual methodologies to study inequalities, particularly in relation to colonial legacies. Her publications focus on political crises in higher education, youth activism under authoritarian regimes, and post-colonial scholarship. As co-editor of Gender and Education, she advances feminist approaches to citizenship and social justice.
Ajay Pillarisetti is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences. His research focuses on the interplay between household energy use, air pollution exposure, health outcomes, and climate change in low- and middle-income countries. A graduate of UC Berkeley (PhD) and Emory University (MPH, BS), he has led global projects in India, Mongolia, Nepal, Guatemala, Peru, and Rwanda. PhD – Environmental Health Sciences, UC Berkeley MPH – Global Environmental Health, Emory University BS – Biology, Emory College His work employs low-cost air quality sensors, longitudinal surveys, and randomized controlled trials like the HAPIN study to assess health impacts of clean fuel interventions. Key subfields include exposure assessment, implementation science, pollution's metabolic effects, and policy-driven energy transitions. He collaborates with teams across four continents and has published extensively on household air pollution's multi-scale health burdens. Recent articles (2023–2025) highlight trends in quantifying PM2.5's health effects, optimizing sensor networks, and evaluating LPG interventions for maternal/child health. His studies span Guatemala's RESPIRE cohort, Rwanda's HAPIN trial, and India's community monitoring systems, addressing gaps in exposure-response modeling, biomarker analysis, and policy advocacy.
Adrienne Brown is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Chicago, specializing in Race, Diaspora and Indigeneity. Teaching since 2011, she also serves as Faculty Director of Arts + Public Life, a South Side Chicago initiative fostering neighborhood vibrancy through arts and community engagement. Her educational background includes: Ph.D., Princeton University, 2011 Professor Brown's research centers on Critical Race Studies, African American Literature, and Urban Studies, with a focus on the twentieth century. She examines how architecture and spatial environments shape racial perception, drawing on Harlem and Chicago Renaissances, Modernism, and Post-45 literature. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates cultural studies, visual culture, sound studies, and the history of property to analyze the racial sensorium in American cultural production. Her publications reveal a trajectory from skyscrapers ( The Black Skyscraper , 2017) to mass homeownership ( The Residential is Racial , 2024), investigating how built environments mediate race. Articles like "Appraisal Narratives" and "The Architecture of Racial Phenomena" dissect midcentury racial dynamics in urban spaces. She employs literary and bureaucratic archives to trace race's evolving definition, value, and perception, contributing to fields of American Studies, Critical Race Theory, and Architectural History. Awards: Modernist Studies Association’s 2018 First Book Prize for The Black Skyscraper While specific graduate students are unlisted, Brown has mentored through her courses and co-edited volumes. Her leadership in Arts + Public Life suggests significant community grants, though detailed funding sources are not specified in the provided text. As Faculty Director of Arts + Public Life, she spearheads a dynamic hub on Chicago's South Side that cultivates neighborhood vibrancy through arts programming, community partnerships, and public space activation.
Jonathan Rodden is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. His research focuses on the comparative political economy of institutions, particularly federalism and fiscal decentralization, with significant contributions to understanding the urban-rural political divide and its implications for representation and policy. PhD from Yale University BA from the University of Michigan Fulbright student at University of Leipzig His research spans several domains: Comparative Federalism: Analyzed fiscal decentralization mechanisms, budgetary transfers, and institutional design in federations globally. Political Geography: Developed computational methods for redistricting analysis and demonstrated how geographic voter distribution creates inherent electoral biases. Policy Uncertainty: Co-authored foundational work linking economic uncertainty to political polarization and fiscal cycles. Public Health: Conducted epidemiological studies on firearm-related mortality and suicide patterns in California. Scientific awards include: Gregory Luebbert Prize for best book in comparative politics (2007) Michael Wallerstein Award for best paper in political economy (2015) He has advised PhD students like Jowei Chen and directed policy projects with international institutions including the World Bank, IMF, and OECD. His work on redistricting simulations has been cited in U.S. Supreme Court amicus briefs and congressional testimony.
Andrew M. Ibrahim, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Surgery at the University of Michigan, holding dual appointments in the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the Department of Surgery. He serves as Chief Medical Officer at HOK, a global design firm, and as an editorial board member for the Annals of Surgery and JAMA Network. His work bridges healthcare, policy, and architectural design, focusing on 'Health in All Design' principles applied across aviation, sports, and civic sectors. He completed medical training at Case Western Reserve University with additional policy fellowships at Princeton and Johns Hopkins. His research examines healthcare system impacts, surgical outcomes, and architectural design's clinical effects. Education: Case Western Reserve University (MD, Honors), University College London (architecture coursework), University of Michigan (MSc via Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program) Policy Training: Crile Fellow (Princeton), Doris Duke Fellow (Johns Hopkins) Research interests emphasize healthcare policy evaluation, surgical quality improvement, and the interplay between hospital design and clinical outcomes. Over 50 peer-reviewed articles address topics like private equity hospital acquisitions, rural healthcare access, and trauma center utilization. His work has been highlighted in Fast Company and U-M news features. Notable projects include a >$2 billion academic health center master plan as an HOK Innovation Principal. Advocacy focuses on equitable design principles and reducing geographic barriers to care. Current initiatives explore price transparency in healthcare and the impact of social vulnerability on surgical outcomes.
Professor Oscar Odena is a leading academic in music education and social inclusion at the University of Glasgow, holding dual appointments in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies Administration and the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy. He joined Glasgow in 2013 after roles at institutions including the University of Hertfordshire (Reader), University of Brighton (Senior Lecturer), and Queen’s University Belfast (Postdoc). His research focuses on leveraging music and creativity for social inclusion, particularly in post-conflict regions like Northern Ireland and Colombia. Notable grants include funding from the UK ESRC and AHRC. He leads The Arts of Inclusion (TAI) network, promoting global social arts initiatives. Educations: PhD in Education (UCL), postdoc at Queen’s University Belfast, extensive international collaborations. Research: Explores music’s role in social cohesion, qualitative methodologies, and arts-based policy. Key themes include cross-community education, refugee integration, and post-conflict reconstruction. His 2023 book Music and Social Inclusion synthesizes global case studies. Recent work includes studies on China’s music education reforms and Malawi’s school performance reviews. He serves on editorial boards of five leading journals and reviews grants for the UK AHRC and Irish Research Council. Grants & Impact: Over £2M secured from international funders; TAI network’s research has influenced UK and Scottish policy. His 2025 study in China demonstrates Orff-based methods’ inclusionary potential. He directs postgraduate research in Glasgow’s School of Education and advises doctoral candidates globally. Active in international development via Atlantic Philanthropies and British Council projects.
Janet McGaw is an Associate Professor in Architectural Design at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. She holds dual expertise as a registered architect and visual artist, with a PhD by Creative Works. Her research focuses on equitable, sustainable urban spaces and the intersection of place, identity, and health. Key projects include the Million Minds Program (2019–2024), co-leading investigations into Indigenous cultural practices’ impact on youth well-being, and the Yalinguth audio app project (2014–present). She has led major grants like the ARC Linkage Grant on Indigenous Placemaking (2010–2014) and pioneered creative collaborations in bio-materials research. Education includes a PhD by Creative Works and prior degrees from the University of Melbourne. She coordinates the Master of Architecture’s core design studio, emphasizing culturally sensitive design. Leadership roles include Chairing the Architecture Design Studios review (2022), co-chairing decolonization curriculum reforms, and Pathway coordination in Bachelor programs (2015–2019). Research interests span decolonial design, Indigenous health, and creative methodologies. Recent publications (2023–2025) explore cultural therapy models for Indigenous youth mental health, bioinformed materials, and community-driven placemaking. Her work bridges art, architecture, and public health, advocating for marginalized voices in urban spaces. Awards include the 2007 Dean’s Prize for Research and RAIA Vic Chapter recognition. She actively collaborates with First Nations Elders and interdisciplinary teams on projects like the Mycelium Matters Webinar and spatial design interventions in Melbourne.
Johan Schimanski is a Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Oslo, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and the Department of Literature, Area Studies and European Languages. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Oslo (1997) and has held academic positions at institutions including the University of Tromsø and the University of Eastern Finland as a visiting professor. His research focuses on borders in literature, postcolonialism, Arctic discourses, and migration narratives, with notable contributions to border aesthetics and cultural encounters. Education: Magister in Comparative Literature (University of Oslo, 1990), Ph.D. (1997). Key professional milestones include leadership roles such as Head of Research at ILOS (2017–2020) and co-leadership of the TRAUM project on author museums (2016–2019). He has authored or edited over 20 books and numerous articles, exploring themes like migration literature, Arctic studies, and the political aesthetics of borders. Research interests span borders and national identity, postcolonialism, science fiction, and literary museums. He co-leads initiatives like the Temporalities and Subjectivities workshop series (2019–2021) and serves on editorial boards for journals such as Journal of Borderlands Studies . His work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary approaches to contemporary global issues, emphasizing the role of aesthetics in understanding border dynamics.
Dr. Jia Wu is an Associate Professor and Research Director of the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence at Macquarie University. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Technology Sydney (2009) and is an IEEE Senior Member. His research focuses on artificial intelligence, data mining, graph neural networks, and anomaly detection, with over 200 publications in top-tier journals/conferences like IEEE TPAMI, TKDE, and conferences like KDD, IJCAI, and NeurIPS. He has received awards including the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Fellowship (2019) and multiple best paper awards. Education: PhD in Computer Science (UTS, 2009). Current roles include Director of HDR (Higher Degree Research) and Associate Editor for IEEE TNNLS and ACM TKDD. He leads projects in AI-driven cybersecurity, personalized banking solutions, and disaster response systems. Research interests emphasize graph-based learning, fake news detection, and deep learning applications. His recent work explores hypergraph neural networks for fraud detection and brain graph analysis for neurological disorders. He has pioneered scalable semi-supervised clustering techniques and transformer-based hypergraph models for anomaly detection. Awards include CIKM'22 Best Paper Runner-Up, ICDM'21 Best Student Paper, and the 2023 Faculty of Science and Engineering Collaboration Award. His work spans 13 active research projects, including mitigating AI deepfakes in identity systems and enhancing disaster response networks through graph-based simulations. Labs/Teams: Leads teams in the Data Horizons Research Centre, Future Communications Research Centre, and Hearing Research Centre. Collaborates internationally in AI, data mining, and social network analysis.
Christian Jacob is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science within the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary . He holds a B.S. in Computer Science and a Doctor of Engineering Science from Erlangen University . His research focuses on nature-inspired algorithms, biocomputing, and agent-based simulations applied to biological systems and education. Key initiatives include the LINDSAY Virtual Human Project , which uses immersive virtual reality to explore human anatomy and physiology. He contributes to the university's strategic priorities in Digital Worlds and Health and Life initiatives. His work integrates evolutionary algorithms, cellular automata, and swarm intelligence into creative and medical applications. Notable achievements include the ASTech Award (2015) from Alberta Science and Technology. His projects emphasize interactive education through tools like LeukemiaSIM , Eukaryo , and the Giant Walkthrough Gut . Jacob also explores visualization techniques, such as evoVision3D and LifeBrush , to enhance scientific understanding. His research bridges computational methods with real-world applications in healthcare, architecture, and game design. Collaborative efforts include developing agent-based models for immune systems, nervous responses, and crowd behavior. Jacob's work spans interdisciplinary fields, blending computer science with biology, engineering, and the arts.
Daniel Beat Müller serves as Professor at the Industrial Ecology Programme within the Department of Energy and Process Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim. His office is located at Realfagbygget Gløshaugen (E4-120) with contact details daniel.mueller@ntnu.no and +4791897755. His research centers on analyzing human needs in relation to material/energy flows and environmental impacts, with two primary focus areas: (i) urban evolution and associated material flows for managing building/infrastructure stocks, and (ii) national/global metal cycles to identify supply constraint reduction strategies. His methodology integrates design, modeling, and decision-making through transdisciplinary stakeholder engagement. Müller teaches Material Flow Analysis and Systems Analysis of the Built Environment for Industrial Ecology and Civil Engineering Master's students. His research outputs demonstrate strong trends in circular cities, critical mineral management, and urban metabolism, with recent publications emphasizing building information modeling, electric vehicle battery systems, and phosphorus cycling. His work consistently addresses resource criticality within energy transition contexts. As (ad interim) chair of the International Society of Industrial Ecology’s MFA-ConAccount section, he contributes to methodological standardization. He previously served on the U.S. National Research Council’s Committee on Defense Stockpiles and remains active in Switzerland's National Research Programme 65 "New Urban Quality". Müller supervises numerous Master's and doctoral students, with thesis topics spanning lithium-ion battery recycling, building stock dynamics, and urban resource flows. His projects frequently involve industry collaboration for practical implementation of material stewardship strategies.
Laura Knoppers is the George N. Shuster Professor of English Literature and Department Chair at the University of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters. She specializes in seventeenth-century British literature, with a focus on John Milton, early modern women writers (e.g., Margaret Cavendish), and the intersections of gender, politics, and religion. Her research bridges literary criticism, cultural history, and book history. Education: PhD and M.A. in English Literature from Harvard University; B.A. in English Literature from Calvin College. Research Interests: Milton’s works and context, early modern women’s authorship, the English Revolution, luxury culture, and political iconography. Her notable works include Politicizing Domesticity (2011), Constructing Cromwell (2000), and the award-winning Complete Works of John Milton (2008 edition). Publications: Over 20 authored/edited books and 40+ journal articles/chapters. Recent work includes the Oxford History of Poetry in English (2024) and studies on Margaret Cavendish’s medical writings. Awards: Milton Society’s John T. Shawcross Award (2008), NEH grants, and the 2016 Honored Scholar distinction. She edited Milton Studies (2009–2018) and currently chairs the English Department at Notre Dame. Grants & Service: Secured $500K NEH Challenge Grant for Penn State’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities. Active in professional organizations like the Milton Society of America and Renaissance Society of America. Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary projects on early modern literature and culture. Collaborates with institutions like the Folger Shakespeare Library and international scholars on luxury studies and Cromwellian representation.
Aleksandra Raonic is an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), affiliated with the Department of Architecture and Technology under the Faculty of Architecture and Design. She previously held an Associate Professorship at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China from 2014 to 2020, where she led Year 3 architecture programs and collaborated with the University of Liverpool. Raonic is also the founder and principal architect of RAUM, an award-winning architectural studio known for research-driven design projects. Her work spans architectural education, urban design, and innovative residential/commercial projects, with a focus on sustainability and community engagement. Her research emphasizes experimental pedagogy and the integration of design practice with academic teaching. Notable projects include the Stubline Kindergarten (2017 S.ARCH Award) and the Central Greenmarket in Negotin (2019 DANS International Award). Raonic has received over 25 design and teaching awards, including the Jiangsu Province Tutor Award (2018) and the Suzhou Excellent Educator Award (2016). She has supervised numerous student projects recognized at national and international levels. Raonic’s teaching philosophy combines theoretical rigor with hands-on practice, evident in her co-authored publications like Framing Indeterminacy (2019). Her recent exhibitions, including Barnas Katedral (2023) and Work in Progress (2023), highlight her commitment to experimental design and public space innovation. She actively collaborates across institutions, such as the Threads of Innovation project with CEPT University in India (2021). Education Background: Professional journey began with early architectural competitions (e.g., 1998 student award for urban design in Pancevo). Formal training includes studies at the Städelschule in Frankfurt, influencing her experimental design ethos. Awards Overview: Over 25 awards spanning teaching excellence, design competitions, and architectural innovation, including Grand Prix (Leonardo 2005) and multiple jury-selected projects. Grants & Projects: Leads applied research initiatives like NTNU’s Threads of Innovation , focusing on space interventions and cross-cultural academic partnerships. Raonic’s architectural practice and academic roles are deeply intertwined, reflecting her belief in education as a platform for advancing architectural discourse and societal impact.
Victoria J. Gallagher is a Distinguished University Professor of Communication at North Carolina State University (NC State), affiliated with the Department of Communication within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She has been a faculty member since 1990 and previously served as Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Academic Affairs (2008–2015). Her research focuses on rhetorical theory and criticism, communication ethics, civil rights discourse, and digital humanities. Notably, she leads the Virtual Martin Luther King Project, a major digital humanities initiative supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. She has also contributed to projects on gender and communication in engineering teams and authored/co-edited works such as Communicative Cities in the 21st Century . Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Communication Studies from Northwestern University (1990 and 1989), B.A. in Communication from Michigan State University (1983). Her research interests emphasize the intersection of rhetoric, materiality, and public spaces, particularly museums, memorials, and urban parks. She explores how these sites mediate public memory and civic engagement, blending rhetorical analysis with technology and community collaboration. Her work on public art and urban communication aims to enhance public life through communicative spaces and ethical discourse. Dr. Gallagher’s funded research exceeds $450,000, including grants from the NEH and Engineering Information Foundation. Her recent articles highlight themes like virtual reality in education, sonic rhetoric in digital projects, and the role of visual imagery in social movements. She is a sought-after speaker, delivering lectures at institutions like DePaul University and the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and has been featured in media outlets such as the Washington Post and WUNC/NPR’s The State of Things . Awards: Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal of Excellence (NC State’s highest honor), Robert M. Entman award, Graduate Mentorship Award, and others. As a mentor, she has advised over 70 graduate students and received multiple teaching accolades. Her leadership roles include serving as president of the Southern States Communication Association (2017–2018) and on the Rhetoric Society of America’s Career Development Taskforce. She actively engages with community organizations, including the North Carolina Freedom Park Advisory Board and the former Exploris Children’s Museum. Her projects integrate digital technologies to recover historical narratives and foster civic engagement, such as the Virtual MLK Project and analyses of urban parks as communicative spaces. She also advocates for ethical communication practices in academia and urban development.
Myria Georgiou is a Professor of Media and Communications and Head of the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her work bridges critical media studies, urban sociology, and migration studies, focusing on mediated identities, digital cities, and transnational communities. She has authored/co-authored seven books and over sixty peer-reviewed publications, including the recent Being Human in Digital Cities (2023), which explores how digital technologies reshape urban social orders. Her expertise includes migration and media, urban communication, identity politics, and everyday media practices. Georgiou has advised international organizations like the Council of Europe and contributed to media debates through interviews and op-eds. Prior to academia, she worked as a journalist for BBC World Service and Greek media outlets. Georgiou’s research emphasizes the intersection of digitization, urban life, and human rights, advocating for socially just digital urban policies. Her work spans theoretical contributions on digital humanism to empirical studies on refugee crises and pandemic responses, consistently centering marginalized voices in media and technology discourse.
