Professor of Public Policy and Saul L. Stern Professor of Civic Engagement, University of Maryland Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz is a professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland College Park. She joined the School in 2021 after spending 12 years at the University of Rhode Island, where she was a professor of political science and director of the Social Science Institute for Research, Education and Policy. Pearson-Merkowitz’s research and teaching interests focus on political polarization, voting, land use and housing policy, public opinion, and state and local government. She greatly enjoys involving students in the research process and has developed programs in which students help public officials understand the policy environment of social issues and the drawbacks and benefits of different policy choices. She also has run several election exit polls, as well as polling projects in which hundreds of students engage the community to gauge community preferences. Her research has been funded by the Russell Sage Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Rhode Island Foundation, and the Rhode Island State Government. Pearson-Merkowitz's co-authored a new book, "The Power of Partisanship," which uncovers the negative consequences of partisanship on various aspects of American life and how political polarization seeps into personal decisions, social interactions and attitudes toward public policies.
Professor of Law, Swansea University Stuart Macdonald is Professor of Law at Swansea University. He completed his BA at the University of Cambridge (2000) and his PhD at the University of Southampton (2005). He is Co-Director of the Cyber Threats Research Centre (CYTREC) and Coordinator of the VOX-Pol Network. Stuart’s research focuses on terrorist’s use of the internet. Most recently, he has examined jihadist narratives, the strategies used to disseminate terrorist propaganda online, and regulatory responses. He has received research funding from the British Academy, Welsh Government, US Government, NATO and the EU, among others. He is the lead organiser of the biennial Terrorism and Social Media (TASM) conference, a member of Europol’s Advisory Network on terrorism and propaganda and a Senior Fellow at Hedayah. In 2016/17 he was also the holder of a Fulbright Cyber Security Award.
Research Fellow, Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide I research the plant-fungal symbiosis known as arbuscular mycorrhizas, especially investigating how they can improve plant zinc and phosphorus nutrition on nutrient-depleted soils. I am particularly interested in the potential agricultural applications of arbuscular mycorrhizas, and use important crops as model species in my research. I am an ARC DECRA and Future Making Fellow, based at The University of Adelaide's Waite Research Institute.
Professor of Organisational Behaviour, University of Canterbury Sanna Malinen is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour and works at University of Canterbury’s Business School. She draws from social and organisational psychological principles to support workplaces and communities where people can thrive. Some of her current research projects focus on workplace wellbeing, disaster management, and organisational resilience.
Associate Professor of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; Co-Founder of CODE, University of Tennessee Dr. Stefanie Benjamin (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE and Associate Professor in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management Department at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research seeks to challenge existing paradigms and traditional perspectives, offering fresh insights and transformative perspectives to the tourism field. With an extensive publication record, Dr. B has published numerous academic journal articles amplifying counter-narratives and disseminating this research within popular press pieces inclusive of AFAR Travel Magazine, the Conversation, and Conde Nast Traveler. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. B actively engages in community outreach and collaboration with industry leaders and organizations striving to bridge the gap between academia and the tourism industry. Driven by a deep-rooted commitment to disrupting dominant ideologies, Dr. B continues to make ‘good trouble’ through her research, teaching, and service. Her critical scholarship serves as a pedagogical framework, shedding light on how oppressive systems must be dismantled in order to reimagine a more inclusive and sustainable academic and touristic world.
Lecturer in International Development, University of Birmingham Sameen’s research focuses on the impact of bureaucratic politics on state capacity and service delivery. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of bureaucratic reform, the implementation and impact of donor programs, and the intersection of party politics, citizens’ interests, and bureaucratic incentives. In published work, she centres bureaucratic politics in understanding the distribution of public goods, the success or failure of donor-led reform packages, the ups and downs of party politics, and in citizens’ experience of state services such as immunization.
