Joel Andreas is a Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University since 2003, serving as Program Director of the East Asian Studies Program. His research focuses on political contention, social inequality, and social change in contemporary China. He holds a PhD in Sociology from UCLA and teaches social theory, political sociology, and courses on Chinese society. He has held visiting positions at universities including the University of Sydney, Hong Kong University, and Ningxia University. His work examines labor movements, rural land policies, and class dynamics in China. Recent research includes analyses of staff-worker congresses, rural land dispossession, and the persistence of militarism in U.S. policy. He critiques market reforms and explores the legacy of the Cultural Revolution. Andreas has contributed to debates on China’s transition to capitalism and the decline of socialist systems. His publications span topics from urbanization to state coercion in rural development. He maintains an active role in academic exchanges and policy-relevant research on China’s socio-political landscape.
Haiyan Lee serves as the Walter A. Haas Professor of the Humanities and Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and of Comparative Literature at Stanford University. She has held these positions since joining Stanford in 2009, and currently serves as Chair of the East Asian Languages and Cultures department (2020-present). Her academic journey includes previous teaching appointments at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Hong Kong, along with post-doctoral fellowships at Cornell University and Harvard University. Lee's research spans multiple interdisciplinary fields with particular focus on modern Chinese literature and cultural production. Her work bridges literary studies with law, philosophy, cognitive science, affect theory, gender studies, and environmental humanities. She has developed influential theoretical frameworks including the concept of "high justice" and "low justice" in Chinese legal imagination. Her current research explores animism, cognition, and the Chinese environmental imagination, extending her longstanding interest in human-animal relations. Lee's publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining Chinese cultural production through innovative theoretical lenses. Her recent work shows increasing engagement with legal theory, environmental humanities, and cognitive approaches to literature. She has produced significant scholarship on Chinese concepts of justice, love, and the stranger, moving across historical periods from early 20th century to contemporary China. Biennial Book Prize, Honorable Mention, International Society for Chinese Law and History (ISCLH) (2024) Humanities Seed Grant, Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences (2023-2025) Bass Fellowship in Undergraduate Education, Stanford University (2022-2027) Joseph Levenson Book Prize, The Association for Asian Studies (2009) Professor Lee actively mentors doctoral students across multiple disciplines, serving as dissertation advisor, co-advisor, and committee member for students working at the intersection of Chinese studies, law, literature, and cultural theory. Her teaching includes courses across East Asian humanities, comparative literature, and interdisciplinary environmental studies. She has received significant research support including the Frederick Burkhardt Residential Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies and a residency at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.
LK Bertram is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Toronto, specializing in 19th-century North American history with a focus on migration, gender, sexuality, and colonialism. Her work bridges academic research and public engagement, particularly through social media algorithms (TikTok, Instagram) for combating digital disinformation. Clio Prize-winning author (2020) 2022 SSHRC Insight Grant recipient Public history campaign curator (9 million+ views) Her research spans colonial institutions, sex work economies, and material culture, with publications on Icelandic diaspora, Arctic militarization, and immigrant food traditions. She teaches courses like HIS199 History and Social Media and HIS417 Histories of Sex Work , emphasizing hands-on learning via exhibitions and artifact workshops. Recent projects explore how social media algorithms can amplify quality historical data, including the viral @socialforscholars initiative. Her work connects historical narratives to contemporary debates on disinformation, cultural appropriation, and legal frameworks.
Gretchen A. Macht is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Rhode Island, College of Engineering. She specializes in Human Systems Engineering, with research emphasizing team performance, sustainability, electric vehicles, solar energy systems, and voting systems. Her work bridges engineering, ergonomics, and public policy. Her research interests focus on understanding and optimizing human-centered systems. She investigates team communication and performance through fuzzy cognitive maps and entropy modeling, develops sustainable design practices for products and energy systems, and analyzes user behavior in electric vehicles and solar installations. A significant portion of her research is dedicated to election systems, where she uses simulation to improve accessibility, safety, and efficiency of in-person voting, particularly during public health crises. Her recent publications span topics such as EV charging behavior, solar installation safety, voting simulation, and team dynamics. These works reflect interdisciplinary trends combining systems engineering, data analytics, ergonomics, and sustainability science. She frequently employs simulation, naturalistic data analysis, and human factors methodologies. Dr. Macht has secured substantial grant funding from organizations including the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Science Foundation, MIT, and Democracy Fund. She serves as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on projects related to election systems (e.g., SMILE, URI VOTES), ergonomic redesign of protective gear, and community solar development. She leads the SIS Lab and the URI VOTES initiative, fostering collaborative research on simulation and system design. Her lab supports graduate students in conducting impactful research at the intersection of engineering and societal challenges. Notable grants include: PI, MIT: “Voting in Person - White Paper” (2023) PI, US EAC: “SMILE 2.0” (2022) PI, Democracy Fund: “URI VOTES Pocket Guide Tool” (2022) Co-PI, NSF: “Election Science: Convergence Accelerator Workshop Proposal” (2021) PI, US EAC: “SMILE: Simulation Models for an Immersive Learning Environment” (2021) She has advised several graduate students, including Mehrsa Khaleghikarahrodi, Nicholas D. Bernardo Jr., and Tim Jonas, whose research aligns closely with her focus areas in EVs, elections, and team performance.
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.
Peter Nilsson is a Professor of Economics at the Institute for International Economic Studies (IIES) , Stockholm University. He also holds a guest professorship at Linnaeus University and serves as a research fellow at IFAU , Uppsala Center for Labor Studies , CESifo , and CEPR . Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University and obtained his PhD from Uppsala University (2010). Research Focus: His work bridges Labor Economics , Health Economics , and Environmental Economics , analyzing how early-life exposures (alcohol, lead), workplace dynamics, and policy interventions (unemployment insurance, congestion pricing) shape long-term socioeconomic outcomes. Key themes include Environmental Health Impacts on Cognition and Crime Labor Market Responses to Insurance Policies Peer Effects in Workplace Behavior Policy Design for Social Equity Scientific Awards: Nilsson has been recognized through research fellowships at leading institutions and editorial roles, including Associate Editor at The Economic Journal since 2021. His work has been featured in American Economic Review , Journal of Political Economy , and NBER platforms. Key Contributions: He provided testimony for Connecticut’s HB-5045 to reduce childhood lead exposure and contributed to Sweden’s Corona Commission report on pandemic responses. His empirical methods combine natural experiments with administrative datasets to identify causal relationships in health, labor, and environmental economics.
Kyle Bellucci Johanson serves as a Visiting Critic in Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Department of Art. Holding an MFA from California Institute of the Arts and a BA in Art and Reconciliation Studies from Bethel University, he merges artistic practice with critical theory through performance architecture and collaborative media. Whitney Independent Study Program (2022–23) Founding fellow at land's edge free school (Los Angeles) Teaching experience at SAIC, UIC, CUNY, and Cooper Union His research investigates: Power structures through spatial interventions Critical theory applications in art practice Post-capitalist imaginaries Hauntology and historical materialism Transdisciplinary approaches to social critique Project trends reveal: Reinterpretation of Soviet design principles Investigation of worker identity in post-industrial contexts Temporal and spatial dislocation in artistic practice Monument critique through performative methods Quantum theory-inspired architectural concepts Reimagining of common spaces as political sites Scientific awards include: Creative Research Grant (2025) Whitney ISP participation (2022–23) Automata Studio Residency (2022) Artists Run Chicago Grant (2021) BOLT Residency (2020–21) Through projects like KLUB WRKR —a nomadic workers' club reimagined for the gig economy—and table (2018–2022), a Chicago-based experimental space for artistic practice, he interrogates institutional frameworks while fostering community through discursive meals and collaborative exhibitions.
Todd McCallum is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Dalhousie University . His research focuses on North American social and cultural history , particularly intersections with Marxism, anarchism, and working-class movements . He also explores themes of gender and sexuality within historical contexts. PhD in History from Queen’s University MA in History from Simon Fraser University BA in History from Queen’s University McCallum’s recent publications analyze transient worker communities, labor activism, and spatial marginalization during economic crises. His work critically examines how categories like “tramp” evolved alongside industrial capitalism and social policy, often incorporating interdisciplinary lenses such as eugenics, documentary photography, and urban sociology. Key trends in his research include the dialectic of mobility and marginality, gendered interpretations of transient life, and the role of radical ideologies in shaping worker identities. He has contributed extensively to journals like Labor/Le Travail and BC Studies , with a particular focus on Vancouver’s Depression-era hobo communities. His teaching portfolio includes courses on the history of the future , conspiracy theories , and gender formation in North America . Office hours are held in the Marion McCain Building, Halifax.
Jeffrey Rossman is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia , affiliated with the Department of History and serving as Director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies . His work bridges historical analysis with cultural and literary studies, focusing on Russia/USSR, Modern Europe, Communism, Genocide, Espionage, and Jewish Cultural Studies. Education: Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1997 A.B., Harvard University, 1989 His research explores worker resistance under Stalin, the intersection of Jewish identity and German literature, and the role of translation in cultural exchange. He has authored key works on Soviet labor movements and Holocaust memory, blending historical narratives with literary theory. Jeffrey’s recent publications and Google Scholar contributions highlight trends in 20th-century European history , Yiddish-German literary dynamics , and translation as a tool for identity formation . His work spans comparative literature, cultural memory, and diaspora studies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Scientific Awards: ACLS Collaborative Research Fellowship (2013-15) Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Research Grant (2013-15) Multiple grants from the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences and Faculty Summer Research Grant program Fulbright-Hays and IREX fellowships for international research As an educator, Rossman has taught courses such as Genocide: A Global History and Stalinism , mentoring students in historical and literary analysis. His lab, the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, fosters research on Soviet history, Jewish cultural studies, and transnational literary exchange.
Elaine M. Huang is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at the Department of Informatics, University of Zurich, where she has served since 2010. She also leads the People and Computing Lab, focusing on the dynamic interplay between human practices and technological advancements. Her academic background includes: PhD in Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology (2006) Dr. Huang's research centers on human-computer interaction, examining the bidirectional relationship between technology and human practices. She is particularly known for her work on gender equality in technology, challenging assumptions about innate gender differences and investigating how AI systems may perpetuate biases. Her research also spans sustainable interaction design, mental health technologies, and chronic disease management, always emphasizing empirical data over intuition. Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong trajectory toward socially impactful HCI, with significant focus on health technologies (diabetes management, mental health), cultural sensitivity in design, and the ethical challenges of AI. Her methodology often involves field studies to understand real-world technology use, countering the industry's reliance on intuition. As head of the People and Computing Lab, Dr. Huang oversees a research group dedicated to designing and evaluating technologies that address complex human needs. The lab's work frequently involves co-design with diverse user communities to ensure relevance and inclusivity in technological solutions.
Rebecca Dyer is a **Professor of English** at **Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology**, where she has been affiliated since 2002. Her academic career includes teaching Technical and Professional Communications, film, and literature courses, with a focus on transnational, postcolonial, and British studies. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Texas at Austin (2002), an MA from the University of Tulsa (1995), and a BS in Journalism from Oklahoma State University (1989). Her research explores class, power, and anticolonial dynamics in literature and film. Notable projects include analyses of works by Graham Greene, Harold Pinter, Mahmoud Darwish, and filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard. She conducted Fulbright-funded research in Lebanon (2007–08), producing scholarship on servant narratives and Lebanese cultural studies. Her work frequently intersects with migration, displacement, and transnational identities. Dr. Dyer’s awards include the **Fulbright Traditional Scholars Award** (Lebanon) and **Rose-Hulman’s Scholar of the Year Award** (2007). Her teaching and research span global literatures, with a particular emphasis on British and Arabic texts. She has also taught at France’s Université d’Orléans (2015–16) and contributed to cultural studies courses abroad. Her publications address themes like servant-worker depictions, postcolonial cinema, and memorialization of conflicts. Current research includes forthcoming analyses of Bong Joon Ho’s *Parasite* and Steven Zaillian’s *Ripley* series, exploring parasitic power dynamics.
Richard McKay is a part-time Research Fellow in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and serves as Director of Studies for History and Philosophy of Science at Magdalene College. He has held prestigious fellowships from the Wellcome Trust and the ESRC, and he divides his professional life between academic research and private practice as an International Coach Federation-certified career, academic and life coach. Research Interests: Twentieth-century history of medicine and public health History of sexuality and sexually transmitted infections History of HIV/AIDS Use of visual sources in medical history His current Wellcome-supported project, ‘Before HIV: Homosex and Venereal Disease, c.1939–1984’ , explores how healthcare workers and gay men in Canada, the United States and England came to understand the role of men who have sex with men in STI transmission during the mid-twentieth century. Publications & Scholarly Impact: Across monographs, peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, McKay interrogates the social construction of the “Patient Zero” myth, the pre-history of HIV, and the visual cultures surrounding AIDS-related illnesses such as Kaposi’s sarcoma. His 2017 monograph Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic has become a key reference in HIV historiography. Awards & Fellowships: Wellcome Trust Research Fellowship (current) ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, King’s College London Teaching & Advising: As Director of Studies at Magdalene College, McKay guides undergraduate students in History and Philosophy of Science. He has also contributed pedagogical modules to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s online exhibition Surviving and Thriving: AIDS, Politics, and Culture . Professional Activities: Aside from his academic appointments, McKay maintains an active coaching practice accredited by the International Coach Federation, supporting academic and professional clients worldwide.
Sarah A. Soule is the Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business and Morgridge Professor of Organizational Behavior. She has been a faculty member at Stanford since 2008 and previously taught at the University of Arizona and Cornell University. As of June 2025, she serves as the first woman dean of Stanford GSB, marking the school's centennial year. Her educational background includes a PhD and MA in Sociology from Cornell University (1995, 1991) and a BA in Sociology from the University of Vermont (1989). She has held significant leadership roles including Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (2016-2023) and Director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (2023-2025). Soule's research focuses on organizational theory, social movements, and political sociology, examining how social movements impact organizational and policy change. Her work bridges sociology and business, analyzing how protest influences corporate decisions and how organizations respond to social movement pressures. She has made significant contributions to understanding tactical innovation in social movements and the diffusion of protest strategies. Her scholarly output shows a consistent trajectory examining the intersection of social movements with business and policy. Early work focused on protest policing and movement tactics, while more recent research explores corporate activism, DEI initiatives, and the role of design thinking in organizational contexts. Her publications span top sociology and management journals, demonstrating interdisciplinary impact. Hank McKinnell-Pfizer Inc. Faculty Fellow, Stanford GSB, 2014 James and Doris McNamara Faculty Fellow, Stanford GSB, 2011 GSB Trust Faculty Fellow, Stanford GSB, 2010 Member, Sociological Research Association, 2009 Fellow, Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research, 2009 Magellan Circle Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching, University of Arizona, 2006 Soule has served on multiple editorial boards including Sociological Science (founding team), Stanford University Press, and Cambridge University Press. She has advised numerous PhD students and has been actively involved in curriculum development, particularly in diversity, equity, and inclusion education. Her leadership extends to nonprofit boards including the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (Stanford d.school) and the international advisory board to the president of the Stockholm School of Economics. She co-directs the Stanford LEAD Online Business Program and has developed executive education programs focused on coaching skills and diversity leadership.
Elena Simperl is a Professor of Computer Science and Deputy Head of Department for Enterprise and Engagement at King's College London's Department of Informatics. She co-directs the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence and serves as Director of Research for the Open Data Institute. As a Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at the Technical University of Munich's Institute for Advanced Study, she leads the Trustworthy Knowledge Graphs focus group and contributes to advancing human-centric AI research across European institutions. Professor Simperl obtained her doctoral degree in Computer Science from the Free University of Berlin and her diploma from the Technical University of Munich. Prior to joining King's, she held academic positions in Germany, Austria, and at the University of Southampton, and was a Turing Fellow. Her career trajectory demonstrates consistent leadership in bridging academic research with practical applications in data ecosystems. Her research sits at the critical intersection of AI and social computing, focusing on human-centric approaches to building sociotechnical systems that integrate data, algorithms, and human capabilities. She investigates how to make knowledge engineering more accessible, how to leverage collective intelligence for data quality improvement, and how to design participatory AI systems that address societal challenges like misinformation. Her work spans knowledge graphs, semantic technologies, crowdsourcing, and open data, with particular emphasis on the social dimensions of data-intensive systems and the governance frameworks needed for trustworthy AI deployment. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong evolution toward integrating large language models with traditional knowledge engineering practices while maintaining human oversight. There's a clear trajectory from foundational work on knowledge representation toward increasingly applied research addressing real-world challenges in media ecosystems, citizen science, and data governance, with growing attention to policy implications of AI technologies. Fellow of the British Computer Society Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts Hans Fischer Senior Fellow at TUM-IAS (2023) Ranked among top 100 most influential scholars in knowledge engineering of the last decade Included in Women in AI 2000 ranking Professor Simperl has led 14 major European and national research projects totaling millions in funding, including MediaFutures (a Horizon 2020 program tackling online misinformation), QROWD, ODINE, Data Pitch, and ACTION. She currently co-chairs the Croissant working group in ML Commons developing data standards for AI, and serves as president of the Semantic Web Science Association. Her research has directly influenced the development of data ecosystems supporting startups and citizen science initiatives across Europe, demonstrating exceptional ability to translate theoretical advances into practical impact. As Director of Research at the Open Data Institute, she oversees initiatives connecting data entrepreneurs with artists and civic organizations. Her leadership in the MediaFutures project established a data-driven innovation hub that supported 51 startups/SMEs and 43 artists through three open calls, creating a sustainable model for arts-technology collaborations addressing media challenges. Her work with the ODINE project helped create a European ecosystem for data-driven startups, demonstrating her commitment to building practical applications of open data principles.
Benjamin Schoefer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at UC Berkeley , where he teaches courses in macroeconomic theory and labor economics. He serves as Director of the Macro Labor Center for the Study on Aggregate Labor Markets, Policies, and Institutions, collaborating with the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) . Editorial Roles: Associate Editor, Journal of Monetary Economics Affiliated Institutions: NBER (Research Associate), IWH Halle (Senior Research Fellow), Bundesbank (Research Professor), CEPR (Research Affiliate), IZA (Research Fellow), CESifo (Affiliate Member) His research focuses on Labor Economics , Macroeconomics , and Public Economics , with recent work examining: Wage rigidity and efficiency wage models Labor market effects of employer subsidies Collective bargaining institutions across countries Firm growth through input substitution Employment protection policies Financial constraints in wage setting Key findings include documenting how market power and monopsony influence labor shares, and how decentralized wage setting affects employment dynamics. His collaborative work spans institutions in Norway , Finland , and Italy . As a NBER Working Paper author, he has published on topics like: Minimum wage impacts and misallocation Congestion theory in unemployment German industrial relations models Employer subsidies and hysteresis Payroll tax effects in Sweden
