Nicholas Evans is Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language (CoEDL) at the Australian National University’s School of Culture, History & Language. His work bridges fieldwork-based language documentation with theoretical questions in typology, cultural evolution, and social cognition. Focus on endangered Australian and Papuan languages Director of ARC Laureate Project on 'The Wellsprings of Linguistic Diversity' Co-leader of SCOPIC (Social Cognition Parallax Corpus) study Collaborator in global linguistic diversity initiatives His research explores how micro-level community multilingualism shapes macro-level linguistic diversity, with fieldwork spanning seven years in remote Indigenous communities. Recent projects include PARABANK (paradigm syncretism analysis) and Southern New Guinea language studies, particularly Nen and Yam family languages. Scientific recognition includes the Ken Hale Award (Linguistic Society of America), Anneliese Maier Forschungspreis, and fellowships in the Australian Academy of Humanities, Australian Social Sciences Academy, and the British Academy.
Bunty Avieson is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She holds a PhD and MPhil from Macquarie University, specializing in media theory and literary analysis. Her research focuses on Bhutanese media development, Wikipedia's societal impact, and the intersection of journalism with literary practices. PhD Thesis: Media development in Bhutan during its democratic transition MPhil: 'The Poetics of Paranoia' exploring self-construction through Derrida and Nagarjuna Research Interests: Her work spans media policy in Bhutan, Wikipedia's role in knowledge equity, and the ethics of memoir writing. She has published extensively on Bhutan's media evolution and co-edited volumes on memory mediation and trauma narratives. Articles Trends: Recent work examines lifestyle journalism identity, Wikipedia's pandemic-era contributions, and Bhutan's unique digital media strategies. Earlier research explored Bhutan's transition from oral traditions to social media under Gross National Happiness principles. Awards: Vice-Chancellor's PhD Commendation (2013), Ned Kelly Awards for crime fiction (2001-2003) Grants & Projects: Principal Investigator in the Bhutan-Wiki Project (DECRA-funded), co-developed the Australian Colonial Narrative Journalism Database. Received grants for Tamil diaspora storytelling and Bhutan media studies. Professional Roles: Wikimedia Australia Vice President, member of journalism education associations, and former editor of Woman's Day.
Lucien Castaing-Taylor is the John Cowles Professor of Art and Anthropology at Harvard University and Director of the Sensory Ethnography Lab (SEL), currently on leave for Fall 2025. His work bridges anthropology and artistic practice through sensory ethnography, engaging critically with ecological crises and political challenges while maintaining an ethnographic commitment to lived experience. His research spans sensory ethnography, phenomenology, media anthropology, and post-human/multi-species relations, with deep engagement in cultural and political ecology across the Franco-Creole Caribbean, Europe, and American West. Castaing-Taylor interrogates intellectual history and reason while developing methodologies that merge artistic negative capability with ethnographic rigor to capture life's flux without imposing conventional narrative structures. Castaing-Taylor's creative output demonstrates a consistent trajectory from early works like In and Out of Africa (1992) to recent projects such as De Humani Corporis Fabrica (2022), evolving from representational ethnography toward immersive sensory experiences. His filmography and installations increasingly address the Anthropocene, human-animal relations, and embodied knowledge through experimental audiovisual techniques that challenge documentary conventions and expand ethnographic possibilities. His major awards include: Alpert Award in the Arts (2013) True Vision Award (2013) Los Angeles Film Critics' Circle Douglas Edwards Independent and Experimental Film Award (2012) FIPRESCI Award (2012) As Director of the SEL, Castaing-Taylor cultivates a collaborative environment where anthropology converges with experimental filmmaking and installation art. The lab functions as an incubator for boundary-pushing audiovisual research that engages with urgent planetary issues through sensory immersion, fostering new modes of ethnographic inquiry that transcend traditional academic publishing.
Reade Davis is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Nipissing University's Faculty of Arts and Science, specializing in environmental anthropology and political economy. Research examines: Fisheries management and aquaculture conflicts Neoliberal impacts on small-scale fisheries Protected area conservation politics Risk construction and commodity chains Historical memory in Eastern North America Publications critically analyze marine conservation in Newfoundland, industrial aquaculture resistance, and the socioeconomic effects of gambling in rural communities. His work employs ethnographic methods to document how coastal communities navigate environmental policy changes and economic restructuring. Regional expertise covers Newfoundland and Labrador and Eastern Ontario. Education includes: PhD and MA, Memorial University BA(Hons) and BA, Queen's University
Tina Dacin is a Professor of Strategy and Organizational Behavior at the Smith School of Business, Queen's University, Canada. She holds the Stephen J.R. Smith Chair and serves as Director of the Community Impact Research Program. Her roles include former Director of the Smith School’s Centre for Social Impact, former University Senate member, and former Chair of the Principal’s Innovation Fund Committee. She co-founded the Community of Social Innovation Chair and holds affiliations with the Academy of Management and Informs. Education: Ph.D. (1993) in Business Administration from the University of Toronto and M.A. in Psychology from the University of New Brunswick. Research focuses on cultural heritage, social innovation/entrepreneurship, strategic alliances, and globalization. Key themes include custodianship, tradition preservation, place-making, and institutional dynamics. Recent work explores craft-based ventures, place-sensitive organizational practices, and institutional renewal in crises like the Detroit water wars. Awards: None explicitly listed, though her chair position reflects academic distinction. Teaching includes courses on global social impact and analytics/ethics policy. Labs/Teams: Leadership in the Community Impact Research Program and the Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics.
Carol Smith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Soil & Physical Sciences at Lincoln University, New Zealand, where she serves as Head of Department since 2017. She has been an elected academic staff member of the Lincoln University Council from 2018-2022. Dr. Smith holds a PhD from the University of Aberdeen, an MSc from the University of Reading, and a BSc(Hons) from the University of Portsmouth, forming the foundation of her expertise in soil science and physical geography. Her research spans both fundamental and applied aspects of pedology. On the fundamental side, she investigates Quaternary pedology and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using loess stratigraphy, geomorphology, and micromorphology, which provides critical data for verifying future climate change predictive models. Applied research focuses on sustainable use of recycled organic matter and rehabilitation of degraded soils. She collaborates internationally on multidisciplinary projects involving paleoclimate reconstruction, paleoliquefaction, Antarctic soils, and viticulture. Dr. Smith is passionate about teaching and science communication, employing experiential learning methods to develop practical field skills in soil science through 'soil judging competitions' in New Zealand and Australia. Her research addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals including Life on Land (15), Climate Action (13), and Quality Education (4). Among her notable recognitions are the Norman H Taylor Memorial award 2020 from the New Zealand Society of Soil Science for outstanding contributions to soil science in New Zealand and Fellowship in the Royal Geographical Society, London. She serves as Associate Editor of Natural Sciences Education and was previously editor of Quaternary Australasia. Dr. Smith has supervised numerous graduate students through research-based supervision, with completed projects covering diverse topics from soil patterns in Southland to Antarctic soil ecology. She teaches advanced courses in field research, soil science, and physical landscapes, and has developed innovative approaches to teaching during the pandemic, including virtual field trips.
Dr. Doyle D. Calhoun serves as University Assistant Professor of Francophone Postcolonial Studies within the Department of French at the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, University of Cambridge, where he is also a Fellow of Peterhouse College. His scholarly profile spans African and Caribbean literary studies, cinema analysis, and historical sociolinguistics with a focus on resistance narratives. His educational trajectory includes a Ph.D. in French from Yale University (2022), an M.A. in Linguistics from KU Leuven, and undergraduate studies in Linguistics and French Literature at Boston College. Additional academic development occurred through residencies at Fondation Camargo (Cassis) and Bibliothèque Marmottan (Paris). Calhoun’s research centers on Francophone postcolonial resistance, particularly suicidal acts against French colonialism as documented in The Suicide Archive (2024). His work excavates silenced histories of Atlantic slavery, abolition movements, and Négritude philosophy through literary and cinematic archives, emphasizing Senegalese and Caribbean contexts. He explores how contemporary writers reconstruct erased narratives of enslaved resistance through transmedia practices. His recent publications reveal a methodological convergence between literary analysis, historical recovery, and decolonial theory. Articles frequently address archival silences in colonial documentation while examining how contemporary artists reimagine resistance through linguistic innovation, cinematic storytelling, and embodied protest. Key thematic clusters include the weaponization of silence, subversive uses of missionary linguistics, and the politics of memory in postcolonial contexts. 2024 Malcolm Bowie Prize (Society for French Studies) 2024 William R. Parker Prize (Modern Language Association) 2021 Ralph Cohen Prize (New Literary History) 2016 Vivien Law Prize (Henry Sweet Society) Calhoun actively mentors graduate students in African/Caribbean literatures and cinema studies, with current projects including Africa after 1848 and Florence . His grant history features academic residencies at Fondation Camargo and Bibliothèque Marmottan, alongside a 2021 scholarship from the latter institution. Public engagement includes the 2025 La Noire de... film symposium and contributions to Los Angeles Review of Books and Salon . He contributes to the Cambridge Language Collective and Polyglossia Magazine while organizing events through Peterhouse. His 2025 podcast appearances on Stegi Radio and New Books Network demonstrate active knowledge dissemination beyond traditional academic channels.
Robyn Fox is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education and Tertiary Access at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Australia, teaching in Bachelor of Education (Secondary)/Bachelor of Recreation and Outdoor Environmental Studies programs with emphasis on foundational outdoor studies and paddling-based engagement methods. Her educational qualifications are: MAIntEd, Endicott College MA, DipEd, LaTrobe University BA, LaTrobe University Her research centers on sustainability integration and ecological literacy in outdoor education, driven by her planned PhD investigating embedded sustainable practices. She champions experiential learning through natural environments to foster environmental consciousness and climate-responsive pedagogy. Analysis of her 2022-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in climate change education within outdoor contexts, featuring innovative approaches like near-peer teaching and nature journaling while addressing eco-anxiety and Indigenous knowledge systems. Her scholarship consistently advocates for curriculum transformation toward ecological stewardship and climate action. Robyn actively involves students in community initiatives: Collaborated with Thai army and Regent’s School students to rebuild tsunami-damaged homes in Thailand (2004) Established sports programs between Khartoum International Community School and local institutions in Sudan Coordinated orphanage library setup with Luanda International School in Angola Current participant in Alexandra Headland Community Association’s foreshore regeneration projects
Sarah Bracke is a Professor in Sociology of Gender and Sexuality at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam . Her work critically examines intersections of gender, sexuality, race, and secularism, particularly in European contexts. She is deeply engaged in analyzing systemic crises—capitalist, nationalist, and ecological—and their impact on marginalized communities. Current Affiliation : University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Research Focus : Gender theory, reproductive rights, anti-LGBTQ+ mobilizations, secularism, and the political dimensions of care economies. Bracke’s research emphasizes the deliberate erosion of gender, reproductive, and LGBTQ+ rights, often highlighting transnational collaborations among far-right and mainstream political forces. She connects these issues to broader crises, including climate change, capitalist precarity, and nationalist rhetoric. Her work advocates for feminist coalitions that transcend traditional boundaries, prioritizing care ethics and collective solidarity over exclusionary frameworks. Her recent publications explore topics like the racialized dimensions of reproductive politics, the secularist underpinnings of European ‘Muslim Question’ discourse, and the role of academia in resisting oppressive systems. Although no specific awards or advisees are mentioned in the text, Bracke’s scholarship consistently bridges feminist theory, critical race analysis, and critiques of neoliberalism, urging transformative responses to global crises.
Chris Darimont is a Professor and Raincoast Research Chair in Applied Conservation Science within the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria's Faculty of Social Sciences. His work bridges natural and social sciences to address urgent conservation challenges, with a geographic focus on British Columbia's Central Coast (Great Bear Rainforest) but designed for global relevance. His research spans three primary domains: landscape ecology at the marine-terrestrial interface, conservation biology of harvest management, and conservation ethics. Darimont maintains deep collaborations with First Nations communities and conservation organizations like the Raincoast Conservation Foundation (where he previously served as Science Director) and Hakai Institute. His work frequently integrates Indigenous Knowledge with scientific methods, exemplified by projects like the Nuxalk Sputc (Eulachon) initiative and Heiltsuk bear monitoring. Darimont's publication record shows consistent focus on human-wildlife interactions, particularly bear-salmon ecosystems, trophy hunting ethics, and Indigenous-led conservation. His highly cited 2009 PNAS paper "Human predators outpace other agents of trait change in the wild" and 2015 Science paper "The unique ecology of human predators" established foundational frameworks in conservation science. Recent work increasingly emphasizes decolonial approaches and Two-Eyed Seeing methodologies. As an educator, he teaches GEOG 391 (Contemporary Topics in Coastal Conservation) and GEOG 353 (Coastal and Marine Resources), prioritizing student mentorship as his "favourite form of outreach." His research is regularly featured in high-profile media including National Geographic and The New York Times, reflecting his commitment to science communication and public engagement.
Tracey Galloway is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), where she conducts critical research on Indigenous health disparities and policy interventions in northern Canada. Her work bridges medical anthropology, public health, and community-based participatory research to address systemic inequities affecting circumpolar populations. Education: PhD, McMaster University, 2008 MA (institution unspecified) BA (institution unspecified) BScN (institution unspecified) Dr. Galloway's research program centers on chronic disease risk assessment and health system improvement in Indigenous communities, with specific expertise in nutrition transition, food security, child growth patterns, and public health policy evaluation. She examines the impact of federal programs like Nutrition North Canada while developing community-led solutions for health equity. Her methodological approach combines quantitative analysis of health outcomes with qualitative community engagement, emphasizing Indigenous research sovereignty and decolonizing methodologies. Her publication record reveals consistent thematic focus across 15 recent articles, demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration between anthropology, epidemiology, and health economics. Key trends include rigorous evaluation of colonial impacts on Indigenous food systems, innovative analysis of subsidy program effectiveness, and centering Indigenous patient experiences in healthcare design. Her work consistently prioritizes community-defined research questions and actionable policy recommendations. Dr. Galloway actively mentors graduate students including Darci Belmore, Carly Checholik, Neda Maki, and Hiliary Monteith, guiding research on Indigenous health determinants and policy interventions. While specific grant details aren't publicly enumerated, her collaborative projects involve partnerships with Indigenous communities across Northern Canada and interdisciplinary teams addressing complex health system challenges. She maintains strong community partnerships for her applied research, particularly in Nunavut and Northwestern Ontario, working directly with Anishinabeck and Inuit communities to translate findings into culturally safe health initiatives and policy reforms that address the root causes of health inequities.
Martin Willis Monroe is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of New Brunswick. His research focuses on the ancient Middle East, particularly cuneiform cultures, with an emphasis on the history of scholarly knowledge in Babylonian and Assyrian societies. He specializes in Mesopotamian astronomy and astrology, as well as quantitative approaches to historical data. Dr. Monroe holds a PhD in Assyriology from Brown University (2016), an MPhil and BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (2008, 2007). Previously, he served as a postdoctoral fellow and research associate at the University of British Columbia (2016–2023). His current projects include the publication of his Hellenistic astrology research under contract with Brill, titled Celestial Schemata: A Series of Astrological Tables from Seleucid Babylonia , and his role as associate director of the Database of Religious History , a global initiative to quantitatively analyze religious and cultural data. He has contributed to excavations at the Neo-Assyrian site of Tušhan in southeastern Turkey and advocates for responsible qualitative-to-quantitative data conversion in historical scholarship. Dr. Monroe’s research bridges traditional philological approaches with digital humanities, focusing on topics such as cuneiform astral diagrams, the intersection of ‘scientific’ and ‘religious’ texts in antiquity, and the application of computational methods to undeciphered scripts. He teaches courses on ancient civilizations, Near Eastern history, and archaeology.
Ann Swidler is a Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research intersects sociology, anthropology, and development studies, focusing on the interplay between culture and institutions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Education: PhD from UC Berkeley, BA from Harvard. Teaching: Sociology of culture, religion, and theory. Research Interests include: Cultural repertoires and institutionalization Religion and collective action in African contexts Responses to HIV/AIDS in Malawi Chieftaincy and local governance Global-local interactions in development Recent publications (2020–2024) explore institutional innovation in Africa, spirituality in rural Malawi, and cultural strategies amid HIV/AIDS. Her work often bridges sociological theory with ethnographic fieldwork. Selected Contributions: A Fraught Embrace: The Romance and Reality of AIDS Altruism in Africa (2017, co-authored with Susan Watkins) Talk of Love: How Culture Matters (2001) Habits of the Heart (1985, co-authored)
Timo Kaartinen serves as Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology and Vice Dean for Research and Doctoral Education at the University of Helsinki 's Faculty of Political Science . Since 1992, he has conducted extensive research in Southeast Asia with a focus on Indonesia, exploring communicative practices, narratives, and cultural responses to uncertainty. His teaching spans social change in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, covering environmental anthropology, political anthropology, cosmologies, religions, and linguistic anthropology. PhD in Anthropology, University of Chicago (2001) Docent (Adjunct Professor), University of Helsinki (2011) Research interests center on ethical discourse in Indonesian Islamic universities, resource politics in oil palm estates, and linguistic anthropology with emphasis on storytelling, folk poetry, and minority language revitalization. His work combines ethnographic focus on Southeast Asia with theoretical contributions to frontier studies and postcolonial anthropology. Recent publications examine frontier temporalities (2020-2025), Islamic transformations (2019), and oral narrative structures (2017-2013). Key projects include ARCTIC Research Centre (2025-2029), Diversity in Society and Life (DIVSOL) (2025-2030), and Religious Movements in Ethical Life (2019-2023). Grants from the Academy of Finland and University Profiling Funding support these initiatives. Academic activities include keynote speeches at international conferences (e.g., Empowering Local Wisdom 2014, Labor Migration in Asia-Pacific 2013) and editorial roles. He has conducted fieldwork in Indonesia since 1992, focusing on Bandanese cultural heritage and Maluku religious dynamics . His methodological approach combines ethnographic fieldwork with historical document analysis .
Michael R. Dove is the Margaret K. Musser Professor of Social Ecology and Professor of Anthropology at Yale University, where he also serves as Curator of Anthropology at the Peabody Museum and Co-Coordinator of the Combined YSE/Anthropology Doctoral Program. With over forty years of research experience, his work focuses on environmental anthropology, particularly the environmental relations of local communities in South and Southeast Asia. Dove earned his B.A. from Northwestern University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. His academic journey has spanned decades of field research in Asia, including more than a dozen years conducting long-term studies on human ecology in Borneo and Java, developing government research capacity in Indonesia, and advising the Pakistan Forest Service on social forestry policies. Professor Dove's research interests encompass the anthropology of climate change, cultural and political aspects of natural hazards and disasters, indigenous environmental knowledge and practice, environmental institutions and movements, history of environment-related sciences, and multispecies ethnography. His work often examines how local environmental systems interact with national and global markets, politics, and ideologies, with a focus on problematizing orthodox approaches to conservation and development. He has made significant contributions to understanding human-environment relations through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Dove's recent scholarly output demonstrates a progression toward more integrated approaches to environmental challenges, blending historical perspectives with contemporary issues. His publications increasingly focus on the intersections of climate change, social justice, and indigenous knowledge systems, while maintaining his longstanding interest in Southeast Asian environmental relations. The work shows a growing emphasis on post-humanist approaches and multispecies ethnography, reflecting broader trends in environmental anthropology while maintaining his distinctive focus on political ecology and institutional analysis. As an educator, Professor Dove has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, many of whom have gone on to win research awards and secure prestigious positions. He organizes separate research labs for doctoral students from Yale School of the Environment and other departments, as well as for joint YSE/Anthropology doctoral students. His advisees typically conduct international research and have excellent records of obtaining research support both within and beyond Yale. The Dove Lab at Yale School of the Environment serves as a hub for environmental anthropology research, focusing on topics including natural resource management, property rights, power struggles, household energy transitions, and human-wildlife interactions. The lab fosters a collaborative environment with 30-50 students working on related issues each year, characterized by supportive peer dynamics rather than competition. It also contributes to policy and social change through its research and the work of its alumni.
