Jacob Nielsen is an Associate Professor at the SDU Metaverse Lab, affiliated with the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute at the University of Southern Denmark. His research spans robotics, audiometry, and educational technology, with a focus on user-centered design and accessibility. Current Role: Associate Professor, SDU Metaverse Lab Key Themes: Modular Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, User-Operated Audiometry His recent work emphasizes democratizing audiometric testing through smartphone applications and self-administered methods, while earlier contributions include educational robotics frameworks for children and rehabilitation systems using industrial robots. Collaborations extend to clinical audiology and STEM engagement projects in Africa. 2024-2025: 5 publications in user-operated audiometry and hearing aid calibration 2017-2020: TEDx talks and youth robotics programs in Denmark Jacob actively contributes to public discourse through 51 media appearances, including discussions on social innovation, robotics in education, and Denmark’s future technologies.
Professor Lisa Scharoun is a multi-award-winning academic, designer, and researcher specializing in Visual Communications and Cross-cultural Design. She holds a PhD from Griffith University and currently leads the School of Design at QUT. Her career spans roles as Program Director at Deakin University, University of Canberra, and visiting professorships in Singapore and Norway. Key research focuses include healthcare design, transdisciplinary education, and cross-cultural design practices. She has pioneered initiatives like the Cross-cultural Design Lab and contributed to global projects such as the Gates Foundation's vaccination monitoring system. Education: PhD, Griffith University (2009) Master of Arts in Design Studies, Central Saint Martins (2003) Research Interests: Professor Scharoun's work bridges design with societal challenges, emphasizing cultural sensitivity in healthcare, transdisciplinary collaboration, and global design education. Her projects often involve co-design methodologies to address real-world issues like vaccination compliance and prison healthcare accessibility. Awards: 6 Vice Chancellor's Excellence Awards, Distinguished Teaching Award, Gates Competition finalist, and multiple photography/design accolades. Labs/Initiatives: Founder of the Cross-cultural Design Lab at University of Canberra and contributor to QUT's design innovation programs.
Steve Szigeti is an Associate Professor in the Teaching Stream and Program Director for Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (CCT) at the Institute for Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (ICCIT), University of Toronto Mississauga. He holds a Ph.D. and Master of Information from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information, an MA in English from Concordia University, and a BA in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto. His research focuses on game design, design thinking, pedagogy, human-computer interaction, data visualization, and academic integrity . He integrates innovative teaching practices with digital design, particularly through educational games and inclusive pedagogical frameworks. The recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary trend combining education, ethics, and technology . His work explores academic integrity through student attitudes, develops inclusive design pedagogy, and applies HCI principles to media analytics and labor education via gamification. Scientific Awards: UTM Teaching Excellence Award for Junior Faculty 2021-22 As a teaching-stream professor and program director, Steve Szigeti is deeply involved in curriculum development and instructional innovation. He teaches courses such as Business Research Methods, Principles in Game Design, Project Management, and UX and Board Game Design. While no formal students are listed, his mentoring role is evident through capstone projects and internship supervision. He leads initiatives in digital pedagogy and academic integrity, contributing to educational reform and inclusive design practices. He is associated with the Open Design Collaboratory and contributes to research on digital equity and ethical technology use in education.
Katja Schwarz serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Intellectual Development at the University of Education Ludwigsburg's School of Education. She holds the civil service rank of Academic Councillor in pedagogy and didactics, focusing on intellectual development. Her office is located at Reuteallee 46, 71634 Ludwigsburg (Room 8,018), with contact via +49 7141 140-2105 or katja.schwarz@ph-ludwigsburg.de. She maintains active appointments by email arrangement and participates in institutional governance as a Member of the Faculty Council. Her research centers on Autism History , Disability Studies , and Inclusive Pedagogy , with specific expertise in supportive communication, post-school support systems, and social-legal classification frameworks (ICF, SGB IX/BTHG). Current investigations examine autism representation in film, psychiatric museum curation, and international acceptance models. Her methodological approach integrates historical analysis with participatory research involving autistic individuals. Recent publications reveal strong thematic concentration on autism historiography and representation, with increasing focus on museum-based educational approaches and cross-cultural perspectives. Her 2020-2025 output demonstrates systematic exploration of autism classification systems, film portrayals, and practical support service implementation across Baden-Württemberg. Member of autismus Deutschland eV Federal Association for the Promotion of People with Autism Member of the scientific advisory board of the Psychiatry Museum Emmendingen Collaboration with Prof. Santoshi Halder on international autism research She supervises extensive student research, particularly through university seminars involving museum excursions and autism film analysis. Her projects frequently translate academic work into practical resources for autism therapy centers, with multiple unpublished implementation concepts for family relief services and preventative care systems across Baden-Württemberg.
Daniel J. Simons is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , with affiliations in the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising and the Center for Social and Behavioral Science . He received his B.A. from Carleton College and Ph.D. from Cornell University , following five years at Harvard University. Research focuses on visual cognition , attention , perception , and metacognition Key discoveries in change blindness and inattentional blindness Develops real-world applications of cognitive research to driving, media, and medical fields His recent publications explore visual cognition through diverse lenses including magic , film editing , and medical diagnostics . Scientific recognition includes: Ig Nobel Award (2004) for intuitive deception research Early Career Award (2003) from American Psychological Association Fellow of Association for Psychological Science and Psychonomic Society As founding editor-in-chief of Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science , he championed open science initiatives. His Visual Cognition Laboratory pioneers research on awareness limits and their real-world implications . Teaching interests span statistics , research practices , and cognitive science for broad audiences.
Felix Gerloff is a junior researcher at the Institute of Experimental Design and Media Cultures (Academy of Art and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland), specializing in programming as a cultural technique and computational thinking in human-machine collaborations. He is also a PhD candidate at Humboldt-University Berlin , where he earned his Masters in Cultural History and Theory in 2013. At the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (MPIWG), he works as a visiting predoctoral fellow in the 'Epistemes of Modern Acoustics' group, focusing on the history of the decibel with Sebastian Schwesinger. Education: Magister Artium (MA), Cultural History & Theory, Humboldt-University Berlin (2013) PhD candidate, Humboldt-University Berlin Gerloff’s research bridges Sound Studies , Digital Cultures , and Media Theory , examining how sound functions as an epistemic tool in urban environments and software engineering. His work on the decibel explores intersections between auditory media, scientific instrumentation, and transnational knowledge exchange. He co-organizes the KlangDenken (Sonic Thinking) colloquium in Berlin since 2011. His publications analyze sonic reasoning , noise as a figure of thought , and creative coding in projects like Sonic Pi. He contributes to academic initiatives such as continent. and the Impact proceedings, emphasizing interdisciplinary and experimental research methods.
Hanno Ehrlicher is Professor of Romance Philology (Literature) at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, where he holds the Chair of Romance Philology with a focus on Iberoromance studies. Previously, he served as Professor of Romance Literature at the University of Augsburg. His academic work spans Hispanic and Latin American literature across historical periods, with particular expertise in cultural magazines, avant-garde movements, and digital humanities methodologies. Professor Ehrlicher's research interests include: Hispanic and Latin American literature from the Spanish Golden Age to contemporary works Cultural magazines and periodicals as sites of transnational exchange and community building Exile literature and post-exile aesthetic configurations Avant-garde movements in Hispanic contexts Digital humanities approaches to literary studies Comics and graphic novels in Hispanic and French contexts Narrative theory, particularly regarding picaresque literature Ehrlicher's recent publications reveal a strong methodological shift toward quantitative and network-based approaches to studying cultural magazines. His work examines how literary and cultural periodicals function both as networks and as media for constructing imagined communities across national borders. He has published extensively on transnational literary networks, particularly during the Modernism and Avant-garde periods (1891-1936), with increasing attention to digital humanities methodologies for analyzing these networks. Professor Ehrlicher serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals including Helix, Políticas de memoria, and the Romanesque Journal of Literary History. He has been involved in significant research projects, including a DFG-funded research group 'TransEXIL' on post-revolutionary Mexico (2023-2027), where he leads a subproject on mythical thinking and transnational community building through cultural magazines. This project includes funding for a postdoc position held by Dr. Claudia Cedeño Báez. As an academic advisor, Ehrlicher has supervised numerous doctoral and habilitation theses on diverse topics within Hispanic literature and culture. His students' work spans from Golden Age studies to contemporary comics and exile literature. His most recent supervisees include Dr. Romana Radlwimmer (Habilitation on 'Lavapiés liegt am Meer. Historische Poetik eines Madrider Stadtviertels') and Claudia Liliana Cedeño Báez (PhD on 'Desafiando la norma. Textos teórico-programáticos de mujeres en las revistas culturales de las vanguardias hispánicas').
Sam Goree is an assistant professor of computer science at Stonehill College, specializing in the intersection of computer vision, human-computer interaction, and digital humanities. His work critically examines how AI systems evaluate aesthetic quality and human-centered aspects of AI, with particular focus on subjectivity in machine learning models and evaluation methodologies. PhD in Informatics from Indiana University's Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering Goree's research explores aesthetic phenomenon problems in computer vision, particularly image aesthetic quality assessment. He investigates how subjective human perceptions of beauty and aesthetics can be modeled and evaluated in AI systems, challenging traditional approaches that assume a universal standard of beauty. His work draws from feminist theory, philosophy of science, and media archaeology to develop more human-centered evaluation methods for AI systems. Goree is particularly interested in how subjectivity manifests in both data and models, and how this affects algorithmic bias. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward human-centered evaluation of AI systems, with increasing focus on subjectivity, personalization, and philosophical foundations of aesthetics in computer vision. Goree's work bridges technical computer vision research with critical humanities perspectives, examining how historical contexts shape current AI practices. He has developed novel evaluation frameworks that incorporate qualitative human feedback, moving beyond traditional quantitative metrics to better understand how AI systems interact with human perception and values. Goree actively engages with teaching challenges in the era of generative AI, developing pedagogical approaches that help students develop critical thinking skills while navigating new AI tools. His teaching philosophy emphasizes maintaining human-centered learning experiences even as AI transforms educational landscapes. He advocates for assignments that require contextual understanding and creativity, which are difficult for AI to replicate. His research is organized around understanding the "aesthetic gap" - the difference between information extractable from image pixels and the feelings images evoke in humans. Goree's lab explores how to build more transparent and accountable AI systems that acknowledge their subjective nature rather than claiming false objectivity.
Colin Ware is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of New Hampshire. He directs the Data Visualization Research Laboratory and has established himself as a leading researcher in data and information visualization with a strong focus on the perceptual and cognitive aspects of visual representation. His work bridges computer science, cognitive psychology, and design principles to create more effective visualization techniques. Ware's primary research interests center around how humans perceive visual information and how this knowledge can be applied to create more effective data visualizations. His work spans several key areas including color theory and colormap design, 3D visualization techniques, flow visualization, uncertainty representation, and the cognitive processes involved in visual thinking. He has made significant contributions to understanding how stereoscopic and motion cues affect depth perception in 3D visualizations, and how to design visual representations that align with human perceptual capabilities. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on colormap design and evaluation, with numerous papers examining how different color mapping approaches affect feature detection and discrimination. His work increasingly incorporates perceptual modeling and crowdsourced evaluation methods to develop evidence-based visualization design guidelines. He has also maintained a consistent research thread on 3D flow visualization techniques, particularly for scientific applications in oceanography and meteorology. Ware has been instrumental in developing the theoretical foundations of information visualization as a discipline that integrates cognitive science with practical design. His influential book 'Information Visualization: Perception for Design' has become a standard reference in the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding human perception when creating effective visual representations of data. Throughout his career, Ware has mentored numerous graduate students who have gone on to become researchers in visualization and human-computer interaction. His collaborative approach is evident in his extensive publication record, which includes work with researchers across multiple disciplines including oceanography, meteorology, and cognitive science. His laboratory has developed several innovative visualization techniques including the 'Hairy Slices' method for 3D flow visualization, various approaches to representing uncertainty in geospatial data, and novel techniques for designing effective colormaps for scientific visualization. His current research continues to push the boundaries of how we understand and apply perceptual principles to visualization design problems.
Claudio Linhares is a Senior Lecturer at Linnaeus University within the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology , Faculty of Technology in Växjö, Sweden. His work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in visualization and human-computer interaction. Teaching: Masters courses in Computational Network Analysis, Information Visualization, and Data Analysis Projects; Bachelor thesis supervision; Industry-focused Visual Analytics training Research: Focuses on information/network visualization, visual analytics, and human-in-the-loop AI with cross-sector applications in forestry and healthcare Projects: Leads the Smart Dat initiative for industrial digitalization and collaborates with the Information and Software Visualization (ISOVIS) research group His recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary applications of visualization techniques, including fairness-aware urban planning tools and temporal network analysis frameworks. Current work explores topological persistence methods and augmented reality training systems for manufacturing SMEs. Linhares contributes to academic collaboration through active involvement in research groups and industry partnerships, while maintaining a teaching-focused role in both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Kristen Snyder is a Professor at Mid Sweden University, affiliated with the Department of Communication, Quality Management and Information Systems (KKI). She serves as Program Coordinator for the Master's in Quality Management and Leadership and focuses on four core research areas: Leadership and Culture (LC), Total Quality Management Systems (QM), Innovation (I), and Quality Services (QS). PhD in Organizational Development (1997, University of South Florida) Specializes in bridging theory-practice gaps in organizational transformation Developed theories on leadership and change based on chaos/complexity theory Conducts cross-sector research in education, healthcare, and manufacturing Her research explores systemic quality development through projects like SIMPLY LEAN (value-based leadership models) and SQMA Measurement Index (collaboration with Chalmers University). She employs methodologies such as storytelling and appreciative inquiry to create sustainable leadership frameworks. Kristen's recent publications focus on educational transformation (2025), arts-based organizational interventions (2025), and preschool quality assurance (2024). Her work consistently emphasizes cross-cultural collaboration and digital innovation in quality management. At Mid Sweden University, she teaches doctoral courses in Scientific Philosophy, Ethics, and Research Writing, while supervising Master's theses in quality management. Her collaborations span public health initiatives and private sector innovation projects across Sweden and international contexts.
Marion Tränkle is an active lecturer at the ArtScience Interfaculty of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), where she coaches students and develops courses on systems thinking and rule-based performance systems. She also serves as a Coach and Industrial Liaison at Eindhoven University of Technology's Department of Industrial Design since 2014, working with Professor Harm van Essen on 'social interactions with shared systems.' Her educational background spans multiple disciplines: PhD from Brunel University London (2012), MSc in Media Technology from Leiden University (2005), BA in Contemporary Dance from Amsterdam School of the Arts (2001), and an Engineer Diploma in Architecture from Technical University Berlin (1993). She has also completed specialized training in Software Engineering (2017/18) and Stage Lighting (2016). Tränkle's research interests center on the intersection of performance art, systems thinking, and technology. She creates work that deliberately negotiates 'the constructive tension between the carefully constructed and generative processes, between risk and responsibility, and between autonomous performance and human intervention.' Her practice integrates computational processes with live-performance, often using electronics, EEG data, and interactive systems to create immersive stage scenarios. She explores how simple rules can generate complex emergent behaviors, drawing from complexity science and computing principles. Her recent creative works demonstrate a consistent exploration of brain-computer interfaces, interactive light systems, and collaborative performance structures. Projects like (un)focussed and BLINK...and sync use EEG data to create real-time visual and auditory experiences, while ON TRACK and TAROT investigate mechanical systems and embodied symbolism through performance. 2nd Prize in the competition for short dance films on Internet 'webdans' (2001) Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture Research/Travel Grant (2010) e-MobiLArt participant, funded EU CULTURE 2007 Programme (2008-09) Brunel University Doctoral Research Scholarship/fee waiver (2007-10) Tränkle actively collaborates with artists, designers, and engineers through collectives like NOW (with Ivo Bol and Roos van Berkel) and previously In Serial. She is a member of the BAU Committee for Amsterdam's independent performance scene. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes that 'making, learning, and teaching are reciprocal processes that flourish best in collaborative, and project-based environments,' which she implements through workshops, seminars, and interdisciplinary courses across multiple institutions in the Netherlands, Germany, and Canada.
Maren Butte is a Professor of Theater and Performance Studies at the Institute for Media and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, where she has taught and researched since 2016. Previously, she held research positions at the University of Bayreuth (2015), Freie University of Berlin (2011-2014), and University of Basel (2006-2009). Professor Butte completed her doctorate on audiovisual aesthetics of melodrama in 2014. Her academic journey demonstrates consistent interdisciplinary engagement with performance, media, and cultural studies, with particular attention to intersections between artistic practices and theoretical frameworks. She holds the title of apl. Professor (außerplanmäßiger Professor), a permanent academic position in the German system that sits outside the standard salary scale. Her research focuses on performative practices between the arts and between art and everyday (media) life, body techniques and digital technologies. Her teaching emphasizes theater history, theory, and aesthetics at the intersection with media cultural studies: communicative and affective processes (staging, representation, performance), body techniques and knowledge, ritual theories (theater anthropology and transculturality), choreography, gender and fashion studies, intermediality, and transmodal perception (sensory studies). Her scholarly output reveals evolving engagement with the ephemeral nature of performance, politics of visibility, and intersection of embodied practices with technological mediation. Recent work shows increasing attention to queer aesthetics, digital materialism, and politics of belonging in contemporary performance. Publications demonstrate sophisticated understanding of how affect operates as a medium in performance art and how artistic practices navigate disciplinary boundaries. Kuratoriumsmitglied: iDas (International Dance Artist Service NRW) Member: Gesellschaft für Theaterwissenschaft (GTW) Member: Gesellschaft für Medienwissenschaft (GfM) Member: International Federation for Theatre Research Reviewer for: DFG, DAAD, Tanzrecherche NRW Professor Butte regularly presents at international conferences and has delivered numerous invited lectures on topics including techno-aisthesis, contact zones of the body, digital materialism, and post-melodramatic experience. Her editorial work includes forthcoming volumes on choreographic procedures and obscene scenes in performative arts.
Peter Schmidt is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of English Literature at Swarthmore College, with cross-appointments in Environmental Studies and Black Studies. He teaches courses in U.S. literature and literary and cultural history, with a particular focus on fiction and poetry in the twentieth century. His research interests span U.S. literature, critical race studies, ecopoetry, and postcolonial theory. Schmidt's current work centers on contemporary fiction and poetry (particularly from the 1960s onward) and their implications for understanding family, nation, and cosmopolitanism. He is completing a book titled Upcycling Ecopoetry , which explores how poetry can contribute to ecological thinking and community-making in the age of climate crisis. Schmidt's publications include Sitting in Darkness: New South Fiction, Education, and the Rise of Jim Crow Colonialism, 1865-1920 (2008), Making and Unmaking Whiteness in Early New South Fiction After the Civil War (2012), and The Heart of the Story: Eudora Welty's Short Fiction (1991), which won the C. Hugh Holman Award for Southern Literary Criticism. His most recent scholarly activity focuses on the intersection of poetry, environmental crisis, and social justice. His teaching portfolio includes regular courses such as English 009H 'Portraits of the Artist,' English 52A 'U.S. Fiction 1900-1950,' English 52B 'U.S. Fiction 1945 to the Present,' and English 53 'Modern American Poetry,' along with occasional offerings like 'The Lyric Poem in English' and 'The Short Story in the U.S.' Schmidt has won recognition for his scholarship, most notably the C. Hugh Holman Award. His recent blog posts and academic writing demonstrate his commitment to exploring how literature, particularly poetry, can address contemporary crises of climate change and social inequality. As an educator at Swarthmore College, Schmidt has taught for over forty years, noting that many of his courses have been cross-listed with Black Studies or Environmental Studies. He has taught numerous first-generation students and students of color, observing how literature classes provide spaces for students to explore new perspectives and challenge dominant narratives.
Brian Curtis is an Associate Professor of Painting at the University of Miami's College of Arts and Sciences, where he serves as Coordinator of Undergraduate Drawing and both Undergraduate Painting and Graduate Painting programs. With a career spanning over three decades at the University, Curtis has established himself as a dedicated educator and practicing artist specializing in representational painting and perceptual drawing. His research interests focus on the intersection of traditional art practices with contemporary challenges, particularly exploring perceptual drawing, sacred geometry, and the relationship between art and technology. Curtis has developed a critical perspective on postmodern approaches to art education, advocating for the continued importance of perceptual skills in artistic development while engaging thoughtfully with digital technologies. Curtis's scholarly work reveals consistent themes examining the cognitive and perceptual foundations of artistic practice. His publications, particularly the widely adopted Drawing from Observation textbook (now in its second edition), demonstrate his commitment to foundational art education. His more recent work delves into neuroscience perspectives on artistic perception, the impact of digital technologies on creative processes, and philosophical examinations of art's purpose in contemporary society. Nominated for Foundations in Art Theory and Education (F.A.T.E.) Master Educator Award (2015, 2011) Dean's Research Leave (2012) Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award (1999) Multiple Merit Awards from national exhibitions (1986-2012) Max Orovitz Summer Research Grants (1987, 1989, 1998) As an educator, Curtis has secured numerous grants supporting technological integration in art education, including funding for computer labs and digital equipment. His extensive exhibition record, with solo shows from 1979 to 2017, demonstrates his active engagement with the artistic community. Curtis has also curated exhibitions and organized professional conferences, contributing significantly to the field beyond his teaching and creative work.
