Nicolas Mathevon is a Professor at the University of Saint-Etienne, with a focus on Animal Behavior and Bioacoustics . He currently serves as Director of Studies at Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes and leads the ENES Team . His research explores acoustic communication across diverse species, including crocodiles, seals, penguins, and humans, with particular emphasis on vocal recognition, signal evolution, and neurobiological underpinnings. Major collaborations include Dr. T. Aubin (CNRS), Dr. I. Charrier (marine mammals), Dr. N. Grimault (crocodilian bioacoustics), and Prof. D. Reby (human communication). He also co-edits a new book, The Voices of Nature , published by Princeton University Press. His recent work spans ecoacoustic monitoring for conservation, multi-modal communication in crocodiles, and cross-species analysis of distress signals in bonobos, chimps, and humans. Neurobiological studies include brain activation patterns in response to vocalizations and sound localization mechanisms in reptiles. Scientific Awards include senior membership in the Institut universitaire de France .
Emilia Oddo is an Associate Professor of Greek Archaeology in the Department of Classical Studies at Tulane University. She holds a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Cincinnati (2016), an M.A. in Classics from the University of Cincinnati (2010), and an M.A. from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (2007). Her research focuses on the archaeology of Bronze Age Crete, particularly the Late Bronze Age (Neopalatial period), with a specialization in pottery styles and their social implications. She leads excavations at Knossos, analyzing pottery from Sir Arthur Evans’ early 20th-century excavations to understand ritual practices and architectural functions. In 2024, she will lead a student field trip through the Greek Islands organized by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Her publications include Knossos: The House of the Frescoes (2022) and South by Southeast: The History and Archaeology of Southeast Crete (2022), which explore Minoan social dynamics and regional identity. Her work highlights how pottery styles reflect communal identity and ritual behaviors. Recent research reinterprets Evans’ archival materials to reveal new insights into Knossos’ urban context and ritual spaces. Teaching courses like CLAS-2320 (Greek Religion) and CLAS-3170 (Greek Art and Archaeology), Oddo bridges academic scholarship and pedagogy. Her field projects emphasize interdisciplinary methods, such as ceramic regionalism and contextual analysis, to reconstruct Bronze Age Cretan society. She actively contributes to archaeological discourse through edited volumes and peer-reviewed articles.
Professor Martin Doevenspeck is a distinguished scholar of Political Geography at the University of Bayreuth, where he holds a professorship in the Department of Political Geography within the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry & Earth Sciences. Since 2019, he has served as a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple" and as Spokesperson of the Research Section Mobilities. Previously, he was Managing Director of the Institute of Geography at the University of Bayreuth (2018-2022) and a member of the Executive Board of the Institute of African Studies Bayreuth. Professor Doevenspeck earned his "Diplom" in Geography from the University of Bonn and completed his PhD thesis entitled "Migration in rural Benin – Studies in social geography at an African border" at the University of Bayreuth in 2004. His academic journey includes positions as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the University of Bayreuth (2005-2011), Post-doc at the University of Bonn (2004), and various research and teaching roles focused on African geography and development. At the intersection of migration studies and political geography, Professor Doevenspeck's research focuses on (forced) im/mobilities, conflict, and border studies, with particular emphasis on African contexts. His current work centers on the project "Oil movements: the production and government of petro-(im)mobilities in East Africa" within the Bayreuth Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple," where he serves as Spokesperson of the Research Section Mobilities. His research spans West Africa (particularly Benin), Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda), and East Africa, examining how borders, conflicts, and resource extraction shape human mobility and territorial control. Analysis of Professor Doevenspeck's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on migration, borders, and conflict in African contexts, with increasing attention to environmental factors and resource extraction. His work demonstrates interdisciplinary approaches combining political geography, migration studies, and African studies. Recent publications particularly emphasize petro-mobilities, terrorism impacts on education, and migration control in West African borderlands, reflecting evolving research interests in the interplay between infrastructure development, security concerns, and human mobility. Professor Doevenspeck has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, including Jaana M. Janßen, Fabian Liedl, Clemens Romankiewicz, Morgane Anziani-Vente, Muhire Blaise Mwanga, and Daniela Boß. His academic leadership extends to serving as Vice Dean of the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) from 2012-2021, where he played a significant role in shaping graduate education in African studies. As a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple," Professor Doevenspeck leads research initiatives examining diverse manifestations of "Africa" across the continent and diaspora. His work involves collaboration with researchers from multiple disciplines and institutions, focusing particularly on mobilities as a key research section within the cluster. This collaborative research environment has produced significant insights into migration patterns, border dynamics, and conflict resolution in African contexts.
Ben Livneh is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder , affiliated with both the Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering Department and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) . As Director of the Western Water Assessment , he bridges academic research with regional climate resilience initiatives. Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Hydrology), University of Washington (2012) MESc in Civil Engineering, University of Western Ontario (2006) His research explores hydrologic responses to climate and land-cover changes , focusing on snowpack dynamics, wildfire impacts on water quality, sediment transport, and drought predictability. Key projects include simulations of montane snowpack for wolverine habitat preservation and post-fire landslide susceptibility analysis . Recent publications highlight continental-scale hydraulic geometry datasets , climate-energy nexus challenges , and global lake level reconstructions using satellite data. His work has been recognized by the AGU Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award (2022) and NASA New Investigator Program (2018) . Scientific Awards AGU Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award (2022) NASA New Investigator Award (2018) Symposium Scholar, DISCCRS VIII (2013) CIRES Visiting Fellowship (2012) Ben leads interdisciplinary collaborations with institutions like the University of Alaska Southeast and NOAA , addressing climate-water-energy-food nexus challenges through advanced modeling and remote sensing techniques.
Maren Toft is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Human Geography at the University of Oslo's Faculty of Social Sciences. Her academic career has progressed from Research Assistant (2013-2014) to PhD Candidate (2014-2018), Postdoctoral Fellow (2018-2022), Associate Professor (2022), and now Professor. Her research focuses on: Class theory and theory of elites Social mobility and class structuration Segregation and urban inequality Social capital and networks of power Advanced quantitative methods including social sequence analysis and correspondence analysis Toft's publication record shows a consistent focus on elite formation, wealth accumulation, and class reproduction. Her work frequently employs longitudinal approaches to examine how social origins influence life trajectories, particularly among the upper classes. She has made significant contributions to understanding how class structures persist in Scandinavian welfare states, challenging assumptions about equality in these societies. Her major scientific awards include: His Majesty the King's Gold Medal for her 2018 PhD dissertation 'Biographies of privilege' Norwegian sociological association's award for best international publication in 2020/2021 Norwegian sociological association's award for best international publication in 2017 Kunnskap Oslo's award for best Oslo-related Research in 2015 Norwegian sociological association's award for research dissemination in 2018 Toft actively supervises PhD students including Iselin Hewitt (studying urban planning and gentrification), Marte Lund Saga (examining business-politics networks), and Stian Uvaag (researching sibling similarities in mobility). She serves on the board of both the Department of Sociology and Human Geography and the Norwegian Sociological Association. She is involved in several major research projects including HISTCLASS, The Oslo Register Data Classification (ORDC), The Salmon Elite (SALELITE), and Weaving the fabric of Elite Bonds (WEB), which collectively examine various dimensions of elite formation, power structures, and social inequality in Norway and internationally.
Dr. ONG Ghim Ping Raymond is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore (NUS). He concurrently serves as Director (Operations) at the Coastal Protection and Flood Resilience Institute (CFI) Singapore. His expertise spans sustainable pavements, multimodal transport infrastructure, and urban mobility systems. Dr. Ong holds a B.Eng (Civil) with First Class Honours and a PhD from NUS, followed by postdoctoral research at Purdue University. He has authored/co-authored over 85 peer-reviewed journal articles and 120 conference papers. His research focuses on circular economy applications in infrastructure, car-lite urban design, and mega-projects like Tuas Port and Changi Airport expansions. Dr. Ong actively engages in policy advisory roles, serving on international committees for ASCE, ASTM, and EASTS. He has received prestigious awards including the Alfred Noble Prize (ASCE) and Takeuchi Yoshio Award (OCDI). His teaching accolades include multiple NUS Faculty of Engineering commendations. He advises on critical infrastructure projects for agencies like Changi Airport Group and Defence Science and Technology Agency. Dr. Ong frequently contributes to public discourse on transport and urban planning via media interviews and policy consultations.
Emilio A. Parrado is the Dorothy Swaine Thomas Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences and Director of the Population Studies Center. His research focuses on migration dynamics, particularly Hispanic populations in the U.S., international migration patterns, and social/demographic changes in Latin America. He combines quantitative and qualitative methods, including original survey and ethnographic data. Education: Ph.D. (Sociology, University of Chicago, 1997), M.A. (Sociology, University of Chicago, 1994), B.A. (Sociology, University of Buenos Aires, 1988). Key research areas include: Migrant health risks and transnational mobility (e.g., HIV/STI patterns at the U.S.-Mexico border) Gendered impacts of migration on labor markets and family structures Demographic transitions and social inequality in Latin America, including post-pandemic labor market shifts in Argentina Recent work emphasizes deportation effects on mental health, regional migration trends to Buenos Aires, and the intersection of immigration policy with fertility and urban development. His Migrante Project focuses on Mexico-U.S. border health observatories. Awards: None explicitly listed. Active in grants related to migrant health and labor studies. Labs/Teams: Leads the Population Studies Center and collaborates with the Latin American and Latino Studies Program at UPenn.
Raphaël Fischler is a Full Professor and former Dean of the Faculty of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Montreal. He holds dual expertise in urban planning theory, history, and practice, with a focus on North American urban development, land-use regulation, and governance. His academic roles include teaching at McGill University and serving as Dean from 2018–2023, during which he led strategic initiatives like the Quartier de l’Innovation and addressed urban challenges such as housing affordability and metropolitan governance. **Education:** PhD in Urban Planning, UC Berkeley (1993) Master of City Planning, MIT (1987) Master of Science in Architecture, MIT (1987) Bachelor of Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology (1984) **Research Interests:** Fischler’s work explores urban planning’s historical foundations, particularly zoning’s evolution, and integrates reflective practice into pedagogy. He advises on municipal projects and contributes to policy debates on density, public participation, and sustainable urbanism. His research bridges academia and practice, emphasizing ethical planning and community engagement. **Articles Trends:** His recent publications analyze zoning’s historical role, social justice in urban redevelopment, and governance challenges in Montréal. He critiques systemic issues like housing affordability and advocates for equitable urban policies. **Awards & Recognition:** Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners (2020) Émérite Member, Order of Quebec Urban Planners (2014) McGill Principal’s Excellence in Teaching Award (2013) **Grants & Teams:** He collaborates with institutions like the Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en études montréalaises (CRIEM) and advises public agencies on metropolitan development. His work spans academic leadership, professional practice, and public advocacy, addressing urban challenges through interdisciplinary approaches. **Labs/Teams:** Affiliated with the CRIEM , focusing on Montréal’s urban history and contemporary planning issues. He mentors students in urban policy and design through studio courses and thesis supervision.
Monica Trieu is an Associate Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University, where she focuses on the intersection of race, ethnicity, and immigration with particular emphasis on children of immigrants. Her scholarly work bridges sociology and Asian American studies through critical examination of identity formation and systemic inequalities. Education: Ph.D. in Sociology, University of California, Irvine (Asian American Studies emphasis) Master's in Sociology, University of California, Irvine Research Focus: Professor Trieu's expertise spans International Migration, Post-1960s Immigrants and Refugees, 1.5 and Second-Generation Identity, Transnational Ties, and Historical/Contemporary Asian American Experiences. Her scholarship critically analyzes internalized racism, regional identity formation (particularly in the Midwest), and the psychological impacts of anti-Asian violence during the pandemic. She employs intersectional frameworks to explore how refugee experiences, cultural adaptation, and transnational connections shape ethnic identity among Southeast Asian Americans and other immigrant communities. Publication Trends: Her 2013-2024 publications reveal evolving engagement with contemporary crises—from pandemic-induced mental health challenges and anti-Asian violence to structural invisibility of Midwest Asian American communities. While maintaining core focus on identity negotiation among second-generation immigrants, her recent work expands into comparative analyses of Asian American/Latina/o transnational patterns and refugee resettlement experiences, demonstrating methodological versatility across ethnographic, survey, and media analysis approaches. Professional Impact: As author of Identity Construction among Chinese-Vietnamese Americans: Being, Becoming, and Belonging (2009) and publications in Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies and Journal of Asian American Studies , Trieu has established herself as a key voice in Midwest Asian American scholarship. Her research directly informs institutional responses to rising anti-Asian sentiment and contributes foundational frameworks for understanding regional ethnic identity formation beyond coastal enclaves.
Roles and Affiliations: Professor David Levinson is a Professor of Transport in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney since 2017. He holds adjunct faculty status at the University of Minnesota's Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering (since 1999–2016). He previously directed the Accessibility Observatory and the Networks, Economics, and Urban Systems (NEXUS) research group. He is a member of The Net Zero Institute and leads the TransportLab research group. Education: PhD 1998 in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley. Research Interests: Focuses on transportation networks, urban systems, accessibility analysis, and policy. Key themes include spatial equity, transport economics, and the co-evolution of land use and transport infrastructure. His work emphasizes data-driven approaches to urban mobility challenges, including modeling transport networks and evaluating infrastructure impacts on accessibility and equity. Grants and Projects: Recent grants include Design of micro-decisions in automated transport (2022, ARC) and Reducing pedestrian crashes through better intersection design (2021, Australian Road Safety Innovation). Collaborates internationally on projects like the Accessibility Observatory. Labs and Teams: Leads the TransportLab and collaborates with the NEXUS group. Active in interdisciplinary research, including urban analytics and transport policy.
Jerold S. Kayden is the Frank Backus Williams Professor of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. He holds affiliations with Urban Planning and directs the Master in Real Estate Program. His expertise spans land use law, public space design, climate resilience, and urban disasters. Kayden advises governments, NGOs, and developers globally, with notable work in China, Russia, and Ukraine. He is a legal scholar with Supreme Court amicus brief experience, a Guggenheim Fellow, and recipient of the Harvard GSD 'Teacher of the Year' award. Education: Bachelor's, Law, and City & Regional Planning degrees from Harvard University Research Interests: Kayden focuses on urban legal frameworks, disaster resilience, and public-private space dynamics. His work bridges law, policy, and design, addressing climate adaptation and equitable urban development. Notable books include Privately Owned Public Space: The New York City Experience and Urban Disaster Resilience . Recent Articles: His 2022 Today’s Global contribution explores cross-cultural urban governance, while 2021's America examines legal history and urban resilience. Post-pandemic urban resilience analyses and legal analyses of Midtown Manhattan’s development highlight his recent work. Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship NEA Fellowships ACSP, ABA, ASLA, and EDRA awards Harvard GSD Teaching Excellence Advising & Grants: Principal Investigator for the Harvard-Netherlands Climate Adaptation Project (2009–2011). Advises the National Trust for Historic Preservation and leads the non-profit Advocates for Privately Owned Public Space . Collaborates with World Bank, UNDP, and the Dutch Government on land use policies. Labs/Teams: Leads urban resilience initiatives at Harvard GSD, coordinating interdisciplinary teams on climate adaptation and legal frameworks.
Jenny Ouyang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno , where she also serves as Director of the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology graduate program. She earned her B.S. and B.A. from the University of California, Irvine (2007), followed by M.A. and Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University (2009, 2012). Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of physiological systems , particularly how hormonally regulated traits enable organismal adaptation to environmental changes like urbanization , light pollution , and endocrine stress responses . Education: Ph.D., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University (2012) M.A., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University (2009) B.S., Biology, University of California, Irvine (2007) B.A., French, University of California, Irvine (2007) Her work integrates neuroendocrine mechanisms with ecological contexts to understand phenotypic flexibility and epigenetic adaptation in birds. Recent projects examine how artificial light at night disrupts circadian rhythms, hormonal profiles, and parental behaviors across urban-rural gradients. She has secured major grants including the NSF CAREER award (2022) for studying urbanization and NIH COBRE funding (2017) as part of a neuroscience team. Key collaborations include Dr. Maria Echeverry at Universidad Pontificia Javeriana in Colombia through her 2023 Fulbright award . The Ouyang Lab combines natural and laboratory experiments to investigate stress physiology, with recent papers analyzing glucocorticoid responses to urbanization, gene expression patterns under light pollution, and epigenetic reorganization in response to environmental stressors. Her publications span top journals like Proceedings of the Royal Society B , Biology Letters , and Ecology Applications , where her 2022 paper on lead pollution and reproduction was highlighted by ESA and Swedish Radio. Scientific Awards & Recognition: US Fulbright Scholars Award (2023) NSF CAREER grant (2022) NIH COBRE grant (2017) as team member Advising students like Valentina Alaasam (NSF GRFP awardee) and Ivan Celso Carvalho Provinciato (Dean's Merit Fellowship)
Joanne Lee is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Warwick. She holds a PhD from the University of Bristol and has taught at Cardiff University and Bristol University prior to joining Warwick in 2008. Her administrative roles include Head of Italian Studies until September 2024 and Co-head of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (SMLC) starting January 2025. BA in Italian and Language Studies (Cardiff University, 1999) MA in Literature in European Cultures (Cardiff University, 2003) PhD (University of Bristol, 2008) Her research spans travel writing , Italian emigration/immigration , post-war women writers , and Italy's colonial memory . Recent work examines decolonizing urban spaces through Igiaba Scego's works and sustainable travel in Paolo Rumiz's pedestrian journeys. She explores ethical dimensions of travel writing, including sustainability and cosmopolitan ethics, with a focus on globalization's impact on migration narratives. Selected publications include analyses of Laura Pariani's migration novels, Soviet-Italian Cold War travel discourses, and postcolonial memory in Italian literature. She has collaborated on interdisciplinary projects addressing slow travel , virtual tourism , and post-pandemic tourism patterns. Awards include Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and Fellowship of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy.
Theo Damoulas is a Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Warwick with a joint appointment in the Department of Computer Science and Statistics. He is a Turing AI Fellow (2021-2026) through UK Research and Innovation, an ELLIS member, and a Visiting Professor at New York University's Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP). He founded and leads the Warwick Machine Learning Group and has directed major projects at The Alan Turing Institute including Project Odysseus and the London Air Quality project. Education includes: PhD in Probabilistic Multiple Kernel Learning (University of Glasgow, 2009) MSc in Informatics (Distinction, University of Edinburgh, 2004) MEng in Mechanical Engineering (1st Class, University of Manchester, 2003) His research focuses on probabilistic machine learning and Bayesian statistics, emphasizing the integration of structural priors, spatiotemporal dependencies, physical laws, and causal relationships. Key applications include Digital Twins, urban science, and computational sustainability. His work advances robust and scalable inference methodologies for complex real-world systems. Publications demonstrate strong emphasis on Bayesian methods, spatiotemporal modeling, and uncertainty quantification, with applications spanning battery modeling, urban mobility, federated learning, and causal inference. Recent work shows increased focus on physics-informed models, federated learning frameworks, and causal abstraction techniques. Major scientific awards: Turing AI Acceleration Fellowship (2021-2026) Best Paper Awards (Wilkes 2024, AISTATS 2022, IEEE ICMLA 2010) ACM SIGMOD Most Reproducible Paper (2017) Dissertation Award (Classification Society 2012) Teaching Excellence nominations (Warwick 2015-2017) He actively advises PhD students and secured significant grants including the £multi-million Turing AI Fellowship. Current doctoral researchers investigate federated learning, causal inference, and spatiotemporal modeling. He leads the Warwick Machine Learning Group, a cross-departmental team developing foundational ML methods for scientific and societal challenges.
Holly J. Benjamin, MD is a distinguished sports medicine specialist at the University of Chicago, serving as the inaugural Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Program at UChicago Medicine Student Wellness Center. She holds leadership positions including Chair of the Committee on Sports Medicine & Fitness for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and serves as Head Medical Team Physician for the WNBA Chicago Sky and medical officer for major events including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, US Soccer, and USA Triathlon. Her educational background includes: B.S. in Integrated Life Sciences, Kent State University (1994) Combined BS/MD, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (1994) MD, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (1994) Residency in Pediatrics, The University of Chicago Children's Hospital (1997) Fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine, Lutheran General Hospital (1998) Dr. Benjamin specializes in sports medicine with particular expertise in youth, adolescent, and collegiate athletes. Her research spans acute and overuse sports injuries, concussion management, sport biomechanics, and musculoskeletal ultrasound. She has made significant contributions to understanding injury prevention strategies, safe return-to-play protocols, and the psychological aspects of sports injuries. Her work frequently addresses female athletes and elite/professional athletes, with emphasis on evidence-based approaches to optimize performance while minimizing injury risk. Recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on concussion research, with multiple studies examining diagnostic approaches, recovery trajectories, and factors influencing outcomes. Her work spans biomechanics, mental health considerations in sports injuries, and innovative approaches to injury prevention across various athletic populations. Her scientific recognition includes: Election as Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (2003), becoming the second female pediatrician ever elected Election as Fellow of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award from The New Aurora High School Alumni (1999) Invitation to serve as volunteer physician for the Olympic Training Center (2008) Multiple expert contributions to national media including Runner's World and the Naperville Sun Dr. Benjamin actively mentors through her coaching roles at high school and collegiate levels, emphasizing safe return-to-play post-injury and injury prevention. She has developed educational content through video productions for the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves as head team physician for the University of Chicago Lab School and the NCAA Division III UChicago Maroons. Notably, she is one of only a few sports medicine specialists in the country offering diagnostic and procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound in her office, demonstrating her commitment to advanced diagnostic capabilities for patient care.
