Andrew Motion is the Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University’s Krieger School of Arts & Sciences. He previously held the position of Professor of Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London, from which he moved to his current role in 2015. Motion is a celebrated poet, biographer, and essayist, having served as the UK Poet Laureate from 1999 to 2009. He was knighted in 2009 for his contributions to poetry. His research interests span poetry, literary biography, and creative writing. He has authored biographies of prominent figures like Philip Larkin and John Keats, as well as two volumes of autobiography and a collection of essays. Motion co-edited *The Penguin Book of Elegy* with Stephen Regan, reflecting his engagement with elegiac literature. Motion’s publications include recent works such as *New and Selected Poems 1977-2023* (2023) and *Waders* (2024). His earlier notable works include *In the Blood* (2006) and *Sleeping on Islands* (2023). He has co-founded initiatives like the Poetry Archive and Poetry by Heart, demonstrating his commitment to preserving and promoting poetry. No formal advisees or grants are explicitly documented in the provided text.
Celestine Mendler-Dünner is a Principal Investigator at the ELLIS Institute in Tübingen, co-affiliated with the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and the Tübingen AI Center. She leads the Algorithms and Society research group, focusing on machine learning in social contexts and the role of prediction in digital economies. Her work bridges theoretical machine learning with practical societal impact, developing tools for safe, reliable, and equitable AI ecosystems. Her educational background includes a PhD from ETH Zurich in collaboration with IBM Research, followed by an SNSF postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley hosted by Moritz Hardt. She was previously a group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems before joining the ELLIS Institute. Mendler-Dünner's research spans several interconnected themes including performative prediction (where predictions change the behavior they aim to predict), algorithmic collective action (how participants can steer AI systems toward common goals), and the role of LLMs in social science research. Her work combines theoretical foundations with practical implementations, addressing challenges in interactive machine learning, optimization in dynamic environments, and context-specific evaluation of AI systems. She particularly examines how algorithmic predictions mediate services and platforms at societal scale, exploring concepts of economic power in digital markets. Her publication record shows a clear evolution from system-aware machine learning algorithms (including foundational work on IBM Snap ML) toward increasingly sociotechnical questions at the intersection of machine learning, economics, and policy. Recent work focuses on measuring performative power in digital economies, evaluating LLMs as risk scores, and developing frameworks for algorithmic collective action in recommender systems and labor markets. Among her notable recognitions are the ETH Medal for her dissertation, the IBM Research Division Award, the Fritz Kutter Award, and the IBM Eminence and Excellence Award. She is an ELLIS Scholar, a fellow of the Elisabeth-Schiemann-Kolleg, and affiliated with several prestigious research programs including the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems and the Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems. ETH Medal (dissertation award) IBM Research Division Award Fritz Kutter Award IBM Eminence and Excellence Award SNSF Early Postdoc Mobility Fellowship Mendler-Dünner actively mentors the next generation of researchers, advising PhD student Patrik Wolf and supervising research interns including Joachim Baumann, Haiqing Zhu, and Anna Badalyan, as well as Master's student Dorothee Sigg. She serves as core faculty for the International Max Planck Research School and associated faculty for the Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems. Her group has secured significant research funding through fellowships and institutional support, enabling work on projects like Powermeter (measuring search engine influence) and Snap ML (resource-efficient machine learning library with over 1 million PyPI downloads). She leads the Algorithms and Society research group, which examines machine learning as part of broader sociotechnical ecosystems. The group explores human-population interactions with algorithmic systems and incorporates these insights into learning system fundamentals. Current projects include investigating economic incentives in digital platforms, developing tools for systematic LLM evaluation in social science contexts, and creating frameworks for collective action in algorithmic systems. Mendler-Dünner also co-organizes the Algorithmic Collective Action workshop at NeurIPS 2025, demonstrating her leadership in emerging research directions at the AI-society interface.
Brett Welch is an Assistant Professor and Biostatistician at the University of Houston with dual appointments in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences within the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. Welch's educational background includes: Ph.D. in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Pittsburgh M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley B.S. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders – Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Texas at Austin Dr. Welch's research sits at the intersection of psychology and communication. He seeks to understand how psychological processes like personality and psychopathology influence communication behaviors, and conversely, how communication behaviors impact psycho-social well-being. His work leverages quantitative methods, cross-sectional studies, and intensive longitudinal designs to interrogate the dynamic interplay between psychological processes and voice and communication behaviors. This research aims to advance understanding of functional voice disorders, improve assessment of psychopathology, and promote well-being for people with and without communication disorders. Dr. Welch has received several notable awards: Honors Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders PhD Scholarship (2024) New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (2023) New Investigator Forum from The Voice Foundation (2021) As an academic, Dr. Welch serves as an ad hoc peer reviewer for various scientific journals in speech-language pathology and psychology. He is also a mentor in the Students to Empowered Professional Mentoring Program and a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. His teaching includes Special Problems: Introduction to Quantitative Modeling (COMD 8398). Dr. Welch maintains an active research program focused on the intersection of psychology and communication, with particular emphasis on voice disorders and their psychological correlates. His work combines biostatistical approaches with clinical insights to advance understanding in this specialized field.
Jose Apesteguia is an ICREA Research Professor at the Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. His research focuses on behavioral economics, decision theory, experimental economics, and game theory, with particular emphasis on topics such as behavioral heterogeneity, rationality measures, stochastic choice models, and social preferences. Apesteguia has collaborated extensively with scholars like Miguel A. Ballester and Jörg Oechssler, producing influential work on topics ranging from imitation dynamics to the impact of language on moral decisions. His research integrates theoretical frameworks with experimental methods, exploring how individuals make decisions under uncertainty, time preferences, and social contexts. Key contributions include the development of measures of rationality and welfare, as well as analyses of behavioral adaptation and the role of information in competitive environments. His work frequently bridges economic theory with empirical validation, addressing real-world issues such as rule compliance in public institutions and team performance in organizations. Apesteguia’s publications span top journals including the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics , Journal of Economic Theory , and Econometrica . He teaches advanced courses on bounded rationality and behavioral decision theory at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research has been applied to fields like finance (e.g., copy trading behavior) and public policy (e.g., promoting compliance in libraries).
Colleen Conley is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Chicago, specializing in clinical psychology with a focus on adolescent and emerging adult mental health. She directs the IMPACT (Improving Mental-health and Promoting Adjustment through Critical Transitions) Lab, which conducts research on psychological well-being during developmental transition periods. Dr. Conley earned her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her B.A. from Lawrence University. Her research program blends observational studies, meta-analyses, and intervention development to improve well-being, particularly during critical life transitions like the college years. Her work examines psychological trajectories in adolescence and emerging adulthood, with special attention to gender issues and LGBTQIA+ well-being. Her research interests center on developmental psychopathology, examining the interplay between individuals and their contexts over time. She investigates how biological, psychological, cognitive, and social factors interact to influence psychological distress and well-being. Much of her work focuses on college student mental health, including trajectories of well-being during the transition to college and interventions to address mental health challenges. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on college student mental health, with emphasis on developmental trajectories, intervention effectiveness (particularly peer-led and technology-delivered approaches), and the impact of transition periods on psychological functioning. Her work increasingly incorporates digital interventions and examines moderators of intervention effectiveness across diverse student populations. Research Mentoring Award Program recognition for mentoring award-winning students Heckler Summer Research Fellowship recognition for mentoring fellowship recipients Dr. Conley mentors numerous graduate students in the clinical psychology program, with many completing dissertations on topics related to mental health interventions, student well-being, and developmental transitions. Her IMPACT Lab collaborates with university staff, administrators, and other researchers to develop practical interventions that address student mental health needs. Current projects include Honest, Open, Proud (HOP) for stigma reduction, Wellness Advising with Motivational Interviewing (WAMI), Students Taking on Effective Post-Graduate Skills (STEPS), and Supportive Accountability Methods for Mentoring Young Adults (SAMMY-A). The lab also partners with commercial entities like Headspace for mindfulness research.
Melvyn R.W. Hamstra is a Full Professor at IÉSEG School of Management in France since 2023. His academic career includes roles as Associate Professor (2021–2023) and Assistant Professor (2020–2021) at IÉSEG, as well as Assistant Professor positions at the University of Maastricht (2015–2020) and the University of Amsterdam (2013–2015). He holds a Ph.D. in Behavioural and Social Sciences from the University of Groningen (2013), preceded by a Master’s (2009) and Bachelor’s (2007) in Psychology from the same institution. Research Interests : His work centers on organizational behavior, leadership, and employee motivation, with a strong emphasis on regulatory focus theory, employee voice dynamics, and knowledge management. Key themes include how leadership styles (e.g., promotion vs. prevention focus) influence team innovation, conflict resolution, and workplace morale. Publication Trends : Recent publications (2025–2024) explore topics such as gender bias in leadership evaluation, financial stress and counterproductive behavior, ethical conflict in teams, and the dual-edged role of humor in workplace negotiations. His longitudinal studies on religious engagement and life satisfaction, as well as theoretical models on knowledge withholding, highlight interdisciplinary breadth. Teaching : He contributes to bachelor and master’s programs at IÉSEG, focusing on leadership development, positive leadership, and organizational learning.
Ceren Budak is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information and holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the College of Engineering. Her work bridges computer science, statistics, and social sciences through computational social science approaches. Her educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara (2012) and a Bachelors degree in Computer Science from Bilkent University in Turkey (2007). Prior to joining the University of Michigan faculty, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at Microsoft Research New York. Professor Budak's research centers on computational social science, with particular emphasis on analyzing large-scale datasets to address questions with social, political, and policy implications. Her work spans several interconnected domains: News Media Production & Consumption (examining bias in news outlets and reader preferences), Social Movements & Media (using social media data to study collective action), Social Networks (understanding information diffusion processes), and Measuring and Promoting the Quality of Online Discussions (developing tools to improve online conversations). She teaches SI 608 (Networks) and SI 618 (Data Manipulation and Analysis) at the School of Information. Her publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to understanding how online information ecosystems operate, with recent work focusing on AI-human collaboration, misinformation dynamics, social movement framing, and the application of computational methods to political communication. Her research shows a clear trajectory from foundational work on social network diffusion to increasingly sophisticated analyses of contemporary information challenges. Among her service activities, she has served as Registration chair for COSN (ACM Conference on Online Social Networks) 2015 and as Program Committee Member for numerous prestigious conferences including WWW, ICWSM, WebSci, AAAI, and others. She has also been involved in organizing the MSR NYC Data Science Seminar Series and instructing the Microsoft Research Data Science Summer School.
Sabrina Furtado is a Lecturer in Sport Management and Dean’s Associate Fellow at Loughborough University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. She holds a BSc, MSc, and PhD. Previously, she taught at the Federal University of Paraná and State University of Santa Catarina in Brazil, focusing on sport management, sports law, and entrepreneurship in the sports sector. Her research focuses on sports governance, strategic planning, and policy development in public and private sports entities. Key areas include Olympic and Paralympic federations, sports financing, and the impact of media representation on disability inclusion. She contributes to the Sport, Business and Society and Lifestyle for Health and Wellbeing research groups, as well as the Inteligência Esportiva Research Institute . Recent work analyzes governance structures in Santa Catarina municipalities, business intelligence applications in sports management, and modernization processes in Brazilian Olympic federations. Her publications span topics like Paralympic organizational roles, media stigma in disability sports reporting, and funding mechanisms for sports initiatives. No scientific awards are mentioned. Sabrina advises master’s students on sport management and policy but no grant details are provided. Her current projects aim to strengthen sports policies and enhance stakeholders’ engagement in the sport system.
Dr. Rebecca Pratt is a tenured Professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB), where she has been a faculty member since January 2018. She previously held professorial roles at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), where she taught anatomy, embryology, neuroanatomy, physiology, and histology, and served as Associate Professor and Director of Histology at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. She also held appointments at Grand Valley State University and completed postdoctoral training at Purdue University. Ph.D., Cell Biology and Oncology, Purdue University B.S., Zoology and Botany/Plant Pathology, Michigan State University Dr. Pratt's research focuses on the fascial system and its role in whole-body health, including fascial continuity, muscle attachment, somatic pain transmission, and biochemical communication. She integrates radiology into anatomy education and advocates for evidence-based medical curricula. Her work bridges clinical anatomy, histology, embryology, and physiology with modern educational practices. Her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on fascial anatomy, medical education innovation, and the integration of imaging in teaching. Themes include plastination, generational learning trends, and fascia’s role in women's health and athletic performance, published in journals like Clinical Anatomy and Anatomical Sciences Education , as well as in Women and Men’s Health and NIKE magazines. Scientific awards and honors include: Basmajian Award (American Association of Anatomy) Keith and Marion Moore Award (AAA) Five consecutive Golden Apple Teaching Awards at MSUCOM Golden Apple Award at OUWB Dr. Pratt has served in major leadership roles, including President of the International Fascia Research Society, Board Member of the American Association of Anatomy (AAA) and the American Association of Clinical Anatomy (AACA), and Chair of multiple AAA committees. She is a Visiting Anatomy Professor at Weill Cornell and St. George’s University School of Medicine, and faculty advisor for the Docapellas at OUWB. She has been an invited speaker internationally and contributed to high-impact projects like the BodyWorlds Fascial Net Plastination Project. She actively serves on OUWB’s Admissions and Student Promotion and Retention Committees. Dr. Pratt leads and organizes major international initiatives, including the Women's Clinical Health Summit in Rio de Janeiro (2024) and the Fascia Research Congress in New Orleans (2025), fostering global collaboration in fascial science. Her lab and research team focus on fascial anatomy and medical education, working closely with institutions in Italy (University of Padova) and Germany (BodyWorlds project).
Marie Sandberg is an Associate Professor in the Promotion Programme at the Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen. She is affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and participates in HUM:Global initiatives focused on interdisciplinary global studies. Her research emphasizes ethnological analyses of migration, borders, and refugee policies, particularly exploring temporal governance, state-civil society interactions, and the paradoxes of welfare-state frameworks. Her work examines the everyday practices of refugees and volunteers in contexts of temporary protection status, as well as the ethical challenges in digital migration studies. She contributes to debates on deterrence policies, repatriation agendas, and the precarity of academic labor. Sandberg’s research methodologies often combine ethnography with critical analysis of policy frameworks. Key Research Themes: Refugee temporariness, border studies, humanitarianism, and academic precarity Professional Roles: Member of the Professional Project Group (PPG) in HUM:Global, coordinating interdisciplinary projects Geographic Focus: Europe, with emphasis on Denmark, Poland, and Germany Recent publications highlight her focus on the interplay between state policies and grassroots efforts, as well as the temporal dimensions of displacement. She has co-edited special issues on migration and authored studies on volunteerism in refugee relief work.
Dr. Louise Alexander is an Associate Professor in Mental Health Nursing at Deakin University's School of Nursing & Midwifery (Faculty of Health). She holds prior academic roles including Senior Lecturer (ACU, 2018–2023) and Lecturer positions (ACU and Holmesglen Institute). Her research focuses on mental health nursing workforce sustainability, stigma reduction, simulation-based education, and curriculum development. Key interests include nurse resilience, pandemic impacts on healthcare workers, and improving student attitudes towards mental illness. Education: PhD from Deakin University; GCHE qualification Certifications: University of Melbourne's Emerging Leaders & Management Program (2021–2022) Teaching: Leads courses in forensic mental health, therapeutic communication, and health promotion Research Highlights: Recent work examines pandemic trauma among nurses, alcohol consumption trends post-COVID, and leadership's role in workforce retention. Her studies emphasize qualitative methods and integrative reviews to address systemic challenges in mental health nursing education and practice. Awards/Grants: No explicit awards listed; research supported by institutional collaborations. Active in developing transition-to-practice programs and evaluating simulation-based training efficacy. Labs/Teams: Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on mental health workforce resilience and stigma reduction initiatives. Engages in national and international nursing education networks.
Dr. Wei Peng is a Professor in the Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University, specializing in health communication technology design and human-computer interaction. Her research explores behavior change mechanisms through interactive media. Ph.D. in Communication from University of Southern California (2006) Key research areas include: Psychological and social effects of interactive media AI-driven health promotion systems Conversational agents for wellness Digital games for physical activity Mobile health applications Combating health misinformation through technology Her 2024-2021 publications demonstrate expertise in AI ethics, health gamification, and technology-based behavior change. Grant collaborations include: National Science Foundation (NSF) - Sensor-enabled family routines for child obesity prevention Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) - Exergame development Scientific recognition includes multiple ICA Top Paper Awards and MSU Teacher-Scholar honors. She actively serves on editorial boards of: Journal of Communication Health Communication Games for Health Journal BMC Public Health Currently advising in AI applications for health misinformation and persuasive technology research.
Anastasia Semykina is a Professor of Economics and Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) at RMIT University's School of Economics, Finance & Marketing. She holds a PhD from Michigan State University (2006) and previously served as Charles and Joan Haworth Professor of Economics at Florida State University. Her expertise spans theoretical and applied econometrics, with a focus on panel data models, missing data estimation, and their application in labor economics, education economics, transition economies, and economic psychology. She teaches advanced econometrics and microeconomics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Research Interests: Theoretical and Applied Econometrics Labor Economics Economics of Education Transition Economies Economics and Psychology Health Economics Her recent publications address topics such as panel data methodologies, healthcare cost-effectiveness analysis, and educational policy evaluation. She is actively involved in supervising PhD and Master's research students in econometrics and applied economics.
Juliana Cohen is a Professor in Nutrition and Public Health at Merrimack College’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her research focuses on school nutrition policies, health disparities, and dietary interventions to improve child health outcomes. She founded the NOURISH Lab , which evaluates policies to reduce diet-related disparities in children, funded by NIH and foundations. Her work has influenced USDA school meal standards and the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Education : Sc.D. in Nutrition (Harvard), M.Sc. in Human Development and Health (Harvard), B.A. in Italian Studies (Emory) Research Areas : School nutrition, behavioral economics, health disparities, diet-cognition links Her recent publications analyze universal free school meals, chemical exposure in meals, and pandemic impacts on food programs. Awards include NIH K01 funding and Obesity Society fellowship.
Dr. Qing Zhou is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Culture and Family Study Lab. He received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University and specializes in understanding how cultural context, family dynamics, and temperament influence children's socio-emotional, academic, and executive function development, with a focus on immigrant families. Key research interests include: Developmental psychopathology Temperament and emotion regulation Family socialization and parenting Impact of bilingualism on child development Cultural values and migration effects on adjustment His work employs multi-method approaches, including questionnaires, behavioral observations, and neuropsychological testing, with ongoing projects like the NICHD-funded longitudinal study on dual language learners and the Chau Hoi Shuen Foundation-supported grandparent involvement research. Collaborations include scholars at UC-Davis, UC-Merced, Wellesley College, and institutions in France and Taiwan. Dr. Zhou has trained numerous students, including current doctoral candidates Xinyi Chen, Erika Roach, and Christopher Gys, as well as alumni at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UCSF. His lab's publications emphasize cross-cultural comparisons, longitudinal designs, and intervention implications for immigrant youth.
