Ph.D. Candidate, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech Nareg Seferian defended his dissertation at the School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech in February, 2023. His doctoral research focussed on the province of Siunik in southern Armenia, using it as a case in investigating changes in geographical imaginations and the geopolitical culture of the country following the Second Karabakh War of 2020. From 2013 to 2016, he served on the faculty at the American University of Armenia. Nareg Seferian has conducted research, run courses, and delivered talks in Armenia, Turkey, Austria, and the United States. He holds a master's in international affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and a bachelor's in classical liberal arts from St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His published writings are available at naregseferian.com.
Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria My career brings together practice experience in public health, mental health and post-secondary teaching. I have a BSc in Health Studies, Bachelor and Master degrees in Nursing and a PhD in Educational Technology and Learning Design. My area of research focuses on accessible and inclusive education for students with mental-health-related disabilities who are studying online. I have recently (November 2022) defended my PhD and I hold a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Joseph-Armand Bombardier fellowship (2020-2023).
Project Coordinator, Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, and the Pandemics & Borders Project, Simon Fraser University I am a Project Coordinator with PIPPS and the Pandemics & Borders Project. I hold a BSc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a Certificate in Genomics from SFU. I am passionate about promoting EDI in science and inclusivity, as well as mentoring the youth to consider a career in STEM, which led me to engage in volunteer work with STEMPacts through the Immigrant and International Women in Science (IWS).
Associate Professor of Marine Biology, Swansea University Nicole is a marine ecologist with a focus on tropical coastal ecosystems and 20 years’ experience of working in integrated coastal zone management with NGOs, public and private agencies in the UK, Caribbean, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. She gained practical conservation management experience as a Manager of a Caribbean National Marine Park for eight years whilst producing and coordinating Management Plans, Biodiversity Action Plans and Environmental Impact Assessments, Based at Swansea University, Nicole's research interests lie in improving our understanding of spatial and habitat use by marine fauna, with a focus on sea turtles and fish. Current research projects include increasing our understanding of movement of sea turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, impacts of marine debris on sea turtles and tracking salmonid fish movements using acoustics in the Bristol Channel. Nicole teaches modules on tropical marine ecology and conservation and skills to assess marine biodiversity via a range of tools and applications. Nicole is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Marine Turtle Specialist Group and has been appointed by DEFRA UK to the Western Indian Ocean sea turtle task force. She has an ongoing personal interest in co-management of natural resources, stakeholder engagement within conservation management and communication of conservation and research activities to the wider public.
Associate Professor in Economics, UCL Nikki Shure is Associate Professor in Economics at the UCL Social Research Institute at University College London and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). She completed her PhD in Economics as a Weidenfeld Scholar at the University of Oxford with a focus on labour economics and education economics. Her research interests include non-cognitive skills and educational outcomes, gender and ambition, international comparisons of education systems, and inequalities in access to higher education and the labour market. Nikki’s research has been funded by the ESRC, British Academy, and Nuffield Foundation and featured in The Guardian, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, and The Economist.
Honorary Professor, Centre for Astrophysics, University of Southern Queensland I have had a variety of research directions over my career. During my PhD project on short period variable stars, I developed the theory of least squares frequency analysis for unequally spaced data. This is now a standard method of numerical analysis, called the Lomb or Lomb-Scargle Periodogram, that is used in astronomy and other fields. Later at Sydney Observatory, the focus was on astrometry, that is, the positions and motions of stars and solar system objects. This work culminated in the publication of a star catalogue, of which I was co-author. Then, when the Observatory came under the auspices of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, I became the Museum’s Curator of Astronomy. As such, I planned exhibitions and collected and looked after instruments and other items relating to astronomy. I was also involved with the media and with public education and outreach. On leaving the Observatory and the Museum, my research emphasis became the history of Australian astronomy, with my latest book, with Toner Stevenson, 'Eclipse Chasers', to be released in March 2023. As well, I continue to prepare the annual Australasian Sky Guide for Powerhouse Publishing and maintain my interest in combatting light pollution.
