Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand Busani Ngcaweni Bio Busani Ngcaweni is the Director-General of the National School of Government since March 2020. Before that he was the Head of Policy and Research in The Presidency. He was previously Chief of Staff (Deputy Director-General) to President and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa since 2014. He also served as Chief of Staff to Deputy Presidents Kgalema Motlanthe, Baleka Mbete and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. He joined the Policy Unit in The Presidency in 2005 as Senior Policy Analyst, having been Divisional Director at Umsobomvu Youth Fund. He has balanced policy development, programme implementation, institution building and scholarly research to shape his application of state craft. Ngcaweni is a graduate of the University of Durban-Westville, the University of Natal, University of South Africa and Wits University. He is DPhil Research Fellow in Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He is Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg and Visiting Adjunct Professor at Wits School of Governance. His latest publications include: Ngcaweni, B. (2024). Statecraft and National Development: Critical Insights from South Africa and Beyond. Jacana Media. Johannesburg. Forthcoming in March 2024. Ngcaweni, B. (eds.), (2024). Liberation Diaries Volume 2: Reflections on 30 Years of Democracy in South Africa. Jacana Media. Johannesburg. Forthcoming in May 2024. Ngoma, A. and Ngcaweni, B. (2023). Binding Constraints to Decision Making on Growth: Perspectives from Heads of Departments. In Mohamed, S., Ngoma, A. and Baloyi B. (eds.). The Evolving Structure of the South Africa’s Economy: Faultlines and Futures. Mapungubwe Institute. Johannesburg. Ngcaweni, B. (2023). Young People, Social Media and Exposure to STIs: A Semi-ethnographic Experiment. In Maja, B. and Ngcaweni, B. (eds.). Youth Development in South Africa: Harnessing the Demographic Dividend: Diverse Perspectives on Creating a Fairer Society. Emerald Publishing Limited. Bingley. Ngcaweni, B. and Mayimele, B. (2022). BRICS: Building Blocks Towards a Pluriversal World. Journal of Latin American Studies. Vol. 44(5). Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S.J. and Ngcaweni, B. (eds.), (2022). The Contested Idea of South Africa. Routledge. London. Qobo, M. and Ngcaweni, B. (2021). Professionalising the South African Civil Service: in Retrospect and the Road Ahead. New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy. Issue 82. Ngcaweni, B. and Nkate, J. (2021). An Appraisal of China-Africa Cooperation for Economic Development and Poverty Reduction. In Poverty Reduction in China: Achievements, Experience and International Cooperation, Wei, H. and Wang, L. (eds.). Social Sciences Academic Press. Beijing. Ngcaweni, B. (2020). Leaping Forward: Preliminary Thoughts on COVID-19 and Shifts in Public Administration. Journal of Public Administration. Vol. 55(4). Ngcaweni, B. and Ndlovu-Gatsheni, S.J. (eds.), (2018). Nelson R. Mandela: Decolonial Ethics of Liberation and Servant Leadership. Africa World Press. New Jersey. Ngcaweni, W.M. and Ngcaweni, B. (eds.), (2018). We Are No Longer at Ease: The Struggle for #FeesMustFall. Jacana Media. Johannesburg. Qobo, M., and Ngcaweni, B. (2021), Professionalising the South African Civil Service: in Retrospect and the Road Ahead, New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, Issue 82
Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of Renewable Energy and Carbon Removal, University of Hull Ben is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in renewable energy and carbon removal at the Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull (UK). He holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Leeds and has held prestigious research appointments in the United Kingdom and the United States. He is a former member of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania (U.S.). His work seeks to understand the dynamics and quantification of environmental emissions and energy needs of technological systems. His research also aims to anticipate the impact of new technologies and their infrastructure, and to develop practical modelling strategies for avoiding negative impacts, as well as the societal consequences of using such technologies on local and global communities. Research interests include geospatial integration strategies for carbon dioxide removal technologies coupled with renewable energy, sustainable fuels as well as low carbon mine remediation using waste carbon and geothermal energy supply from mine wastewater. His methods to accomplish this work include but are not limited to Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Research interests: Renewable Energy Carbon Dioxide Removal Life Cycle Analysis Data Science Sustainable Transport
Associate Professor, University of Bath I am an interdisciplinary social researcher and specialise in the sociology of Chinese diasporas and qualitative research methods as they pertain to diversity and inclusion in sport and health.
Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Texas at Arlington I'm an Associate Professor and Graduate Advisor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. I study and teach the politics of the Middle East and of Israel; the nature of identity formation; and decision-making processes. I find the interplay between emotional states, language, images, and policymaking to be most fascinating.
Professor of Media, Journalism and Film, Miami University Bruce Drushel is a Professor in the Department of Media, Journalism and Film at Miami University. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of media policy and economics, media audiences, media history, and queer representation in electronic media and film. He currently serves as Vice-President for Programming and Area Chairs of the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association and chairs its Gay, Lesbian & Queer Studies interest group. He has received its David M. Sokol Award (2012) and Presidential Award (2013) for his service to the organization. He is editor of the book Fan Phenomenon: Star Trek and was co-editor (with Kathy German) of the books Queer Identities/Political Realities and Ethics of Emerging Media. His work also has appeared in Journal of Homosexuality, Journal of Media Economics, European Financial Journal, and FemSpec, and in books addressing free speech and social networks, free speech and 9/11, media in the Caribbean, C-SPAN as a pedagogical tool, LGBT persons and on-line media, minority sexualities and non-western cultures, and AIDS and popular culture. He recently edited a special issue of Journal of Homosexuality on AIDS and Culture, co-edited (with Michael Johnson, Jr.) a special issue of Reconstruction: Studies in Contemporary Culture, and currently is co-editing (with Joseph Hancock) a special issue of Journal of American Culture.
Director of Master of Science in Public Policy Program & Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology Brian Y. An, PhD, is an assistant professor and Director of Master of Science in Public Policy (MSPP) program in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology. His research examines how institutional and policy design affect management processes and policy outcomes at all levels, from local and regional organizations to national governments across the globe. His policy research area spans housing, energy, and environment, and the role of AI and technology. Dr. An has consulted or worked for international and US organizations, including the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, International Finance Corporation (the World Bank Group), the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Enterprise Community Partners, Brookings Institution, Fulton County Government, and Atlanta Mayor’s Office among others. He has a PhD in Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California, Master of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University, and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies from the Yonsei University.
