Sebastian Lang arbeitet als interdisziplinärer Researcher mit Künstler:innen, Wissenschaftler:innen und Philosoph:innen an den Beziehungen zwischen zeitgenössischen Gesellschaften, dem Individuum und digitalen Räumen. Er ist Absolvent des Studiengangs Cross-Disciplinary Strategies (BA) an der Universität für Angewandte Kunst Wien, und studiert aktuell Theorie und Geschichte der Wissenschaft und Technik (MA) an der TU Berlin. Sein besonderes Forschungsinteresse gilt der Frage, wie digitale Technologien unseren Alltag prägen und wie Individuen und Gemeinschaften mit den Anforderungen einer postdigitalen Welt umgehen.

Sebastian Lang arbeitet als interdisziplinärer Researcher mit Künstler:innen, Wissenschaftler:innen und Philosoph:innen an den Beziehungen zwischen zeitgenössischen Gesellschaften, dem Individuum und digitalen Räumen. Er ist Absolvent des Studiengang... Show more

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der Akademie für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an der Technischen Hochschule Köln
B.A. Philosophie-Neurowissenschaften-Kognition
M.A. Philosophie (laufend)

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der Akademie für wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung an der Technischen Hochschule Köln B.A. Philosophie-Neurowissenschaften-Kognition M.A. Philosophie (laufend) Show more

Yasmine Kordjazy is a backend software engineer based in Berlin with a background in linguistics, education, and exam preparation. Before transitioning into tech, she spent years teaching English and training prospective teachers, developing a deep understanding of how people process, misunderstand, and internalize complex information.

Today, she works on backend systems and APIs in B2B environments, where clarity, structured thinking, and effective feedback are as critical as technical implementation. Her unconventional path into engineering shapes her perspective on communication, onboarding, and collaboration within technical teams.

Yasmine is passionate about bridging the gap between humanities and software engineering - and about helping career switchers recognize the hidden technical leverage in their non-CS backgrounds.

Yasmine Kordjazy is a backend software engineer based in Berlin with a background in linguistics, education, and exam preparation. Before transitioning into tech, she spent years teaching English and training prospective teachers, developing a deep u... Show more

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autorica je zbirki "Bajkarice", "Bajkari" i "Bajkarenje" te autorica romana o Frini, kurtizani u usponu.

Srebrenka Peregrin pripovijeda po knjižnicama, školama i vrtićima, na različitim kulturno-turističkim događanjima i SF&F konvencijama. Prevodi beletristku i piše kratke priče, od kojih je nekolicina nagrađena (metaFORA, Fairytalez, Sfera). Su-autoric... Show more

Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti is an Earth Chaplain, poet, and theologian whose work bridges eco-spirituality, African cosmology, and the Musical and Poetic radical traditions of the African Diaspora. As founder and priest of Udja Temple, he has guided communities for over two decades in reclaiming ancestral wisdom, ecological balance, and the sacred presence of the Divine African Feminine.
His voice unites spiritual ecology with the rhythms of resistance found in Black music, ritual, and art. A dynamic and deeply grounded public speaker, Dr. Baruti delivers transformative keynotes, lectures, and workshops that inspire faith leaders, students, and activists to embody spirituality as both ecological practice and political liberation. His oratory carries the soul of a bluesman, the insight of a theologian, and the urgency of a justice worker.

Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti is an Earth Chaplain, poet, and theologian whose work bridges eco-spirituality, African cosmology, and the Musical and Poetic radical traditions of the African Diaspora. As founder and priest of Udja Temple, he has guided commu... Show more

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. Her current research, funded by the Spencer Foundation, examines the implementation of Asian American Studies in K-12 classrooms across the U.S. She has published over fifty peer-reviewed book chapters and articles in scholarly and practitioner journals such as Harvard Educational Review, Curriculum Inquiry, and Journal of Children's Literature, and is co-author of Social Studies for a Better World: An Anti-Oppressive Approach for Elementary Educators with Katy Swalwell and Teaching Asian America in Elementary Classrooms with Sohyun An and Esther Kim. Before becoming an award-winning researcher and teacher educator, Noreen was a bilingual elementary teacher in Austin, Texas for nine years.

Noreen Naseem Rodríguez is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Justice in the Department of Teacher Education and core faculty in the Asian Pacific American Studies and Muslim Studies Programs at Michigan State University. ... Show more

FRANK ABE is co-editor with Floyd Cheung of a new anthology, THE LITERATURE OF JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION, (Penguin Classics). He is lead author of a graphic novel, WE HEREBY REFUSE: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration (Chin Music Press), and with collaborators Tamiko Nimura, Ross Ishikawa, and Matt Sasaki was named a Finalist in Creative Nonfiction for the Washington State Book Award. He won an American Book Award with Cheung and Greg Robinson as co-editor of JOHN OKADA: The Life & Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-No Boy (University of Washington Press), in which he authored the first-ever biography of Okada and traced the origins of his novel. He is currently developing a new stage adaptation of NO-NO BOY in partnership with Seattle Rep.

Abe wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning PBS documentary CONSCIENCE AND THE CONSTITUTION on the largest organized resistance in the camps, and with writer Frank Chin helped organize the first-ever “Day of Remembrance” in Seattle in 1978. He was an original member of Chin’s Asian American Theater Workshop in San Francisco and studied at the American Conservatory Theater.

FRANK ABE is co-editor with Floyd Cheung of a new anthology, THE LITERATURE OF JAPANESE AMERICAN INCARCERATION, (Penguin Classics). He is lead author of a graphic novel, WE HEREBY REFUSE: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration (Chin Mu... Show more

I'm a psychologist & Gestalt psychotherapist that likes to spend her time between the world of business and technology.
I like to get creative about the human element in organisations and create value by boosting the value of others.

I was born by the sea in Croatia and found myself thriving in an international environment from a young age studying in English, working in DACH, Nordic and Central EU markets.

I'm a psychologist & Gestalt psychotherapist that likes to spend her time between the world of business and technology. I like to get creative about the human element in organisations and create value by boosting the value of others. I was born b... Show more

Khadyajah Jenkins, M.A.T is a scholar-practitioner, cultural strategist, and doctoral candidate whose work examines the future of education, leadership, and relational labor in the age of artificial intelligence. Her research centers African-American executives and early-career professionals to understand how cultural conformity, emotional expression, respectability politics, and algorithmic bias shape leadership trajectories and mentorship opportunities in tech and media ecosystems. Through narrative inquiry and critical pedagogy, Jenkins studies how care, love, and cultural memory can serve as legitimate frameworks for leadership development and equitable system design.

Positioned at the intersection of higher education, innovation, and community infrastructure, Jenkins develops programs and pilots that translate academic knowledge into workforce outcomes. Her initiatives include college and career advising systems, city-aligned book fairs and literacy programs, AI literacy pathways for students and families, and archival storytelling series that reframe education as a cultural, relational, and economic project. Her platforms span LinkedIn, TikTok, Substack, and Patreon, where she produces research-informed content on education equity, postsecondary transitions, hidden industries, and love as a leadership practice.

Jenkins partners with civic, philanthropic, and educational stakeholders to design models that increase economic mobility, expand access to labor market information, and prepare communities for AI-mediated professional environments. Her work emphasizes that the future of work requires both technical and emotional infrastructure: knowledge, skills, networks, and care.

Her long-term vision is to build a research and learning firm with three pillars education, leadership , and economic justice—that integrates archival research, AI-enabled instructional design, and culturally situated learning systems. Through this interdisciplinary lens, she aims to reimagine how communities learn, lead, and love, and to create academic, civic, and digital ecosystems where Black intellectual and emotional labor are centered rather than extracted.

Khadyajah Jenkins, M.A.T is a scholar-practitioner, cultural strategist, and doctoral candidate whose work examines the future of education, leadership, and relational labor in the age of artificial intelligence. Her research centers African-American... Show more

Nyla Numan is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focuses on how twenty-first century Asian American fiction experiments with historical representation to imagine alternative temporalities, futures, and inter- & intra-racial relationalities.

Nyla Numan is a doctoral candidate in the English Department at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focuses on how twenty-first century Asian American fiction experiments with historical representation to imagine alternative tempor... Show more

ANTHONY JULIAN TAMBURRI is Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures. He is co-founder and co-director of Bordighera Press, with Fred Gardaphé and Paolo Giordano, which is now an official entity of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute. Tamburri served as president of the Italian American Studies Association and o fthe American Association of Teachers of Italian.
Concentrating on semiotics, the literature and cinema of Italy and its diaspora, and interpretation theory, he has authored twenty-two books, long and short, in both English and Italian, and more than 140 peer-reviewed essays and book chapters. Some of his books of the past thirty-five years include Of Saltimbanchi and Incendiari: Aldo Palazzeschi and Avant-Gardism in Italy. (1990); To Hyphenate or not to Hyphenate: the Italian/American Writer: Or, An Other American? (1991); A Semiotic of Ethnicity: In (Re)cognition of the Italian/American Writer (1998); Italian/American Short Films & Music Videos: A Semiotic Reading (2002); Una semiotica della ri-lettura: Guido Gozzano, Aldo Palazzeschi, e Italo Calvino (2003); Narrare altrove: diverse segnalature letterarie (2007); Re-reading Italian Americana: Generalities and Specificities on Literature and Criticism (2014); Un biculturalismo negato: La letteratura “italiana” negli Stati Uniti (2018); The Columbus Affair: Imperatives for an Italian/American Agenda (2021); Signing Italian/American Cinema: A More Focused Look (2021); A Politics of [Self-]Omission: The Italian/American Challenge in A Post-George Floyd Age (2022); Expanding Diasporic Identity: A Multi-directional Path to the New Italian Writer (2025); and Knowledge, What Is It Good For? Italian/American Leadership in the Twenty-first Century (2025).
Tamburri has been acknowledged by several organizations over the years for his work; some recognitions include Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Southern Connecticut State University (2000); Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (2010); “Frank Stella Person of the Year Award,” ILICA (2010); “The Lehman-LaGuardia Award for Civic Achievement,” OSDIA & B’nai B'rith International (2012); AATI Award for Distinguished Service for Colleges and Universities (2013); The Joseph Coccia Jr. Heritage, Language and Culture Award (2016); Italian American Leadership Award, Italian Charities (2023). In 2025 the A Colorni-Hershman International Institute published a selection of his essays in Italian in its series “Culture Mediterranee,” entitled Gli americani italiani: cultura e società, Nicoletta Stame and Sabrina Vellucci, eds.
When not directing two book series (one in English, “Italian Series” [Fairleigh Dickinson University Press]; the other in Italian, “Americana” [Franco Cesati Editore]), he is executive producer and host of the Calandra Institute’s TV program, Italics.
Tamburri’s degrees are from Southern Connecticut State University (B.S., Italian), Middlebury College (M.A., Italian), and University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D., Italian & Spanish). In addition to teaching at Smith College, Middlebury College, and Auburn University, he spent thirteen years at Purdue University before moving to Florida Atlantic where, from 2000 to 2006, he served as Chair of Languages and Linguistics and, subsequently, Associate Dean for Research, Graduate, and Interdisciplinary Studies, as well as director of the Ph.D. in Comparative Studies.

ANTHONY JULIAN TAMBURRI is Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures. He is co-founder and co-director of Bordighera Press, with Fred Gardaphé and Paolo Giordano, which i... Show more

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led technical bootcamps for researchers at Columbia University. In his free time you can find Patrick swimming in a frozen lake or hanging out with his six-month-old baby.

Dr. Patrick Smyth is Staff Developer Relations Engineer at Chainguard, where he shows developers how to deploy AI and other applications with 0 CVEs using Chainguard Images. Patrick has a PhD in the digital humanities and in a previous life led tech... Show more

Dr. Abbie Maroño is an internationally recognized behavioral and social scientist, acknowledged by the U.S. Department of State as a top 1% expert. She has delivered behavioral analysis training to representatives from 29 U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, as well as to senior leadership at INTERPOL. Dr. Abbie is the creator of The Upper Hand, a proprietary framework for understanding human decision-making and influence. After delivering this training, the U.S. Secret Service recognized her expertise with an award for outstanding contribution to their forensic services. ​

​Earning her PhD in Psychology, Abbie became a Professor of Psychology at 23 and now specializes in behavior analysis. She contributes regularly to Forbes, Court TV, and Apple News and has been featured on BBC News, Fox News, WIRED, Reuters, Forbes Breaking News, and many more. Dr. Abbie is also a highly sought-after expert witness, retained for high-profile cases, including lawsuits involving A-list celebrities.

As an active member of internationally recognized research groups, Abbie was honored as Reviewer of the Year for her significant contribution to the academic community. Additionally, she is an author, expert consultant, coach, and a TEDx speaker.

Dr. Abbie Maroño is an internationally recognized behavioral and social scientist, acknowledged by the U.S. Department of State as a top 1% expert. She has delivered behavioral analysis training to representatives from 29 U.S. federal agencies, inclu... Show more

I am Doleh Usman Khan, and I have been working for over five years in the fields of gender research, youth empowerment, and community development. As a Silver Medalist in Gender Studies from the University of Sindh, I have served with organizations such as FAO, Research and Development Foundation (RDF), HANDS Pakistan, and Community World Service Asia, where my work has focused on vocational training, gender equality, monitoring and evaluation, and humanitarian response.

Through these roles, I have contributed to training more than 1,300 youth and 250 women across Sindh in tailoring, beautician trades, and other livelihood skills, enabling them to achieve decent work and economic independence. My research and advocacy extend to areas such as the Transgender Protection Act (2018), domestic violence case studies, and gender-responsive development policies.

Internationally, I have represented youth voices at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (UNCC Bangkok) and the World Youth Forum, presenting evidence and success stories on gender-inclusive vocational training. I am passionate about data-driven problem solving, participatory research, and policy engagement to create sustainable opportunities for women and youth in the MENA and South Asia region.

I am Doleh Usman Khan, and I have been working for over five years in the fields of gender research, youth empowerment, and community development. As a Silver Medalist in Gender Studies from the University of Sindh, I have served with organizations s... Show more

My research fields are Ethics and AI, Narrative Ethics, Didactics of Philosophy. I had my bachelor's degree in Philosophy in 2018 and I worked in Aix-Marseille University with Carlo Rovelli linking Contemporary Sciences to Philosophical Anthropology. Humankind ontological status has changed because we share a digital and physical identity.
I'm a Phd Student in Learning Sciences and Digital Technologies and I work with Prof.ssa Ines Crispini, Full professor of Ethics.

My research fields are Ethics and AI, Narrative Ethics, Didactics of Philosophy. I had my bachelor's degree in Philosophy in 2018 and I worked in Aix-Marseille University with Carlo Rovelli linking Contemporary Sciences to Philosophical Anthropology.... Show more

Joshua Rumbaoa Jerome Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate at The Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley studying Asian American theologies and religions, specializing in hermeneutics. His dissertation project, entitled "Peril! In the House of Omri: The Asiatic Racial Form and Biblical Hermeneutics," engages critical theory from Asian American literary criticism and cultural studies, to rearticulate an Asian American theology that allies with the material, political, and intellectual commitments of ethnic studies.

Joshua holds master’s degrees in religion and theology from Yale University and Boston University, respectively, as well as dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biblical studies from George Fox University.

Joshua Rumbaoa Jerome Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate at The Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley studying Asian American theologies and religions, specializing in hermeneutics. His dissertation project, entitled "Peril! In the House of Omri: The Asiat... Show more

Hinako Ishikawa is a second-year graduate student in the Department of Sociology & Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University and has been studying racial fetishization of Asian/Japanese women and the ways of reclaiming their sexuality. Hinako is currently working as a Teaching Assistant for Asian American Sexuality course at SFSU. She won Queer Ethnic Studies Endowed Graduate Student Scholarship and Grant A. Larsen Scholarship at SFSU in recognition of her research on Japanese women’s sexuality and the Japanese queer community. As an international student from Japan, Hinako utilizes her own experiences of facing yellow fever and racial fetishization as well as her connections with Japanese queer and feminist communities. Utilizing her multicultural experiences and multilingual ability, Hinako analyzes Japanese erotic comics and animations that are consumed by Western male audience, where she finds out the perpetuation of the traditional Japanese women's stereotype such as geisha and maiko tropes. Hinako presented “Intersectionality in Japanese LGBTQ Community” at the Annual Research Week 2020 at the Akita International University as the only undergraduate student presenter. She is part of a local LGBTQ organization in Akita, Japan, where she helped organize the first pride parade in Akita. She also works as a lecturer who delivers information on gender, sexuality, and feminism-related issues in Japan. She also co-organized the first comprehensive sexual education event at Akita International University in 2020. Utilizing her professional experiences and these community activism, Hinako examines and explores racial objectification of Asian/Japanese women and the ways to reimagine their sexuality.

Hinako Ishikawa is a second-year graduate student in the Department of Sociology & Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University and has been studying racial fetishization of Asian/Japanese women and the ways of reclaiming their sexuality. Hina... Show more

Giselle Fuerte, M.A. is a Forensic AI Researcher, Learning Architect, and the founder of Being Human With AI (BHWAI). With over 20 years of experience designing high-stakes training systems for global organizations like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Paychex, she specializes in the intersection of algorithmic risk and human psychological safety.

Giselle is the creator of the Problem AI Use Severity Index (PAUSI), a first-of-its-kind clinical screening tool used to measure AI dependency and relational harm. Her pioneering research into the "Taxonomy of Algorithmic Coercion" maps more than 50 specific model behaviors—such as sycophancy and "love bombing"—to technical failure modes.

A recognized industry speaker, she has advised audiences at the American Psychological Association (APA) and the SHIELD Global Online Safety Conference on moving from "user error" narratives to product liability in AI safety. Her work has been featured by the BBC and Bloomberg, and her interactive curriculum, "The Spiral: AI Safety Investigation," is a featured partner of Code.org’s Hour of AI.

Giselle Fuerte, M.A. is a Forensic AI Researcher, Learning Architect, and the founder of Being Human With AI (BHWAI). With over 20 years of experience designing high-stakes training systems for global organizations like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Payc... Show more

Hannah Sari ist Sozialarbeiterin, Sexualpädagogin und studiert den Master "Gesellschaftlicher Wandel als Gestaltungsaufgabe" an der Hochschule München. Sie arbeitet vor allem zu den Themen Konsens und Awareness.

Hannah Sari ist Sozialarbeiterin, Sexualpädagogin und studiert den Master "Gesellschaftlicher Wandel als Gestaltungsaufgabe" an der Hochschule München. Sie arbeitet vor allem zu den Themen Konsens und Awareness. Show more

Ji-Yeon Yuh received her Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founding faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program at Northwestern University, where she teaches Asian American history, Asian diasporas, US militarism and war, race and gender, and oral history. Her book, Beyond the Shadow of Camptown: Korean Military Brides in America, was the first substantive work to examine the consequences of U.S. militarism for Korean migration and diaspora. Her current projects include a digital oral history repository focused on Asian diasporas, an oral history project on the Midwest as an Asian American space, a book on Korean diaspora in China, Japan, and the United States, and a study of reunification and Korea peace activism in the Korean diaspora. She has been a consultant for numerous public history, media, and education projects, including Still Presents Pasts, an exhibit on Korean Americans and the Korean War, Crossing East, a radio documentary on Asian Americans, and Pollyanna’s high school racial literacy curriculum. As a longtime advocate for Korea peace and reunification, she occasionally publishes op-eds in places like the Chicago Tribune and the National Interest. She serves as the board chair of Women Cross DMZ, an associate (and former board member) of the Korea Policy Institute, and an advisor for Action for One Korea. She is a co-founder and the emeritus board president of the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago and a former board president of KAN-WIN, an Asian American women’s anti-gender-violence organization. A native of Seoul and Chicago, she is a fan of pungmul, a taekwondo black belt, a science fiction reader, and the mother of three children.

Ji-Yeon Yuh received her Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania and is the founding faculty member of the Asian American Studies Program at Northwestern University, where she teaches Asian American history, Asian diasporas, US militaris... Show more

Maggie Ivanova is pursuing a Ph.D. in Theatre, Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative and World Literature (Drama) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.F.A. in Directing - Asian Performance, from UHM. Maggie is a multi-lingual teaching artist: a dramaturg, theatre director, and researcher, working with the performance traditions of Ireland, Britain, Sweden, Norway, Japan, and Russia. Since 2020, Maggie has been affiliated with the East-West Center as Student Affiliate and Foundation Scholar. Currently, Maggie is serving as a co-dramaturg and stage manager for "Panji and the Last Princess," a Balinese wayang listrik show which opens in April 2026 at Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Maggie Ivanova is pursuing a Ph.D. in Theatre, Hawaiian and Indigenous Performance, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative and World Literature (Drama) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an ... Show more

Hi! My name is Arin Kimmel. I struggled for years to make friends, win over audiences and express myself in conversations. I didn't have the right words or the right mindset and it was continuously sabotaging my life. Before I got to University I knew something had to change. I read as much as I could about Persuasion, Psychology and People. When I walked onto campus I realized with a shock that I'd gone from the worst communicator I knew to the best! I was making friends left and right. People wanted to hear what I had to say and even crazier…people actually liked listening to me (can you believe it)! But, I didn't stop there... I did Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Philosophy and anything else that could improve my communication. I graduated from University of Waterloo with a degree in Speech Communication and today I specialize in helping individuals just like yourself better express themselves. Anyone can become a better communicator, I'm living proof. You have a story to tell and I'm here to help you share it!

Hi! My name is Arin Kimmel. I struggled for years to make friends, win over audiences and express myself in conversations. I didn't have the right words or the right mindset and it was continuously sabotaging my life. Before I got to University I kne... Show more

Diletta Fabiani is a research fellow a one of the largest think tanks in Asia. Her research interests include security-related multilateral frameworks in the Asia-Pacific, cyber security and AI governance developed in international institutions, and AI regulations in Japan. She has a Ph.D. in International Studies from Waseda University and an M.A. in International Relations from Bologna University.

Languages: Italian (native), English (native level), Japanese (business level)

Diletta Fabiani is a research fellow a one of the largest think tanks in Asia. Her research interests include security-related multilateral frameworks in the Asia-Pacific, cyber security and AI governance developed in international institutions, and ... Show more

Dr. La-Toya Scott is a scholar and cultural critic whose work examines African American literature, digital culture, and the political stakes of storytelling. She serves as Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Culture and is the founder of In-House Scholar, a community and digital education initiative that bridges literary craft, cultural theory, and public discourse. Through workshops, talks, writing instruction, and humanities programming, she makes research-driven literary education accessible to broader audiences beyond the university. Her debut book, In Hush to Harbor: Black Sanctuary from Slavery to Trump’s America, will be released by Rutgers University Press in 2026. Dr. Scott’s work centers public humanities, narrative craft, and the creative futures of Black thought.

Dr. La-Toya Scott is a scholar and cultural critic whose work examines African American literature, digital culture, and the political stakes of storytelling. She serves as Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Culture and is the fou... Show more

Nitin Deckha (he/him) holds a PhD in Anthropology from Rice University, Houston, Texas, a Master’s Certificate in Adult Training and Development from the Schulich Executive Education Centre, York University, Toronto, and is a Certified Training Development Professional (CTDP). As Principal of Enliven Learning, Nitin sprouts ideas and strategies to guide learners, clients and organizations  in the areas of leadership development, intercultural competence, and the future of work, including human-AI integration. Nitin has more than 15 years’ experience of postsecondary course development and teaching, including in the areas of anthropology, intercultural communication, and the transformation of work, and has taught at the University of Toronto, McMaster University, University of Guelph-Humber, in Canada, and Hochschule Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, in Germany. He has spoken at a range of conferences and events, including recently at the Human Resources Professional Association (HRPA), Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL), and National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP). Nitin is based in Toronto, Canada, where he is an active volunteer, organizer, and fundraiser.

Nitin Deckha (he/him) holds a PhD in Anthropology from Rice University, Houston, Texas, a Master’s Certificate in Adult Training and Development from the Schulich Executive Education Centre, York University, Toronto, and is a Certified Training Devel... Show more

Jessica Tjiu (She/They) is an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego. Her research interests focus on sex work, human/sex trafficking, and (im)migration.

Jessica Tjiu (She/They) is an Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego. Her research interests focus on sex work, human/sex trafficking, and (im)migration. Show more

Trainer / Teacher (Agile, project management, edutainment), edutainment researcher, designer of specialist serious learning games (analogue, digital, hybrid).
Has been practising Agile since the 90s.

Trainer / Teacher (Agile, project management, edutainment), edutainment researcher, designer of specialist serious learning games (analogue, digital, hybrid). Has been practising Agile since the 90s. Show more

Julie is a dynamic and engaging speaker who brings her combined expertise in business and social science to help leaders understand the power of alignment to deliver on ambitious strategic goals. Her keynotes explore the HOW of leadership - the ways in which leaders can step into enterprise level roles and start to solve problems, set tough priorities, and inspire colleagues to connect to each other in ways that help them to break down silos and unlock the untapped potential of their businesses.

Julie is a best selling author on Amazon, with her book Make HOW Matter topping the list in several categories! Her book is available to support keynotes and workshops, and it comes with many supporting resources for participants to try. Check it out here: www.makehowmatter.com

On her podcast, The Failure Gap, Julie explores leadership journeys and how they align to deliver on ambitious goals. You can see it here: www.thefailuregap.com !

Julie is a dynamic and engaging speaker who brings her combined expertise in business and social science to help leaders understand the power of alignment to deliver on ambitious strategic goals. Her keynotes explore the HOW of leadership - the ways ... Show more

Jenny Bhatt is a writer, literary translator, and book critic. She is a 2025 NEA Translation Fellow. She has taught creative writing at various organizations, including Writing Workshops Dallas and the PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship Program. She was also the founder of Desi Books (March 2020 to January 2023), a global forum for showcasing South Asian literature from the world over. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student of literature at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research areas are Translation Studies, Literary Translation, South Asian Literature, and The Historical Novel.

Her debut story collection, Each of Us Killers: Stories (7.13 Books; Sep 2020), won a 2020 Foreword INDIES award. Her literary translation, Ratno Dholi: Dhumketu’s Best Short Stories (HarperCollins India; Oct 2020), was shortlisted for the 2021 PFC-VoW Book Awards. The US edition of her Dhumketu translation, The Shehnai Virtuoso and Other Stories, was released in July 2022. One of her short stories was included in The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021. Her fiction has appeared in multiple other anthologies, too.

Her nonfiction has been published in various venues, including NPR, The Guardian, The Washington Post, BBC Culture, The Atlantic, Publishers Weekly, Dallas Morning News, Literary Hub, Poets & Writers, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Star Tribune, and more.

She resides in the in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Texas. Find her at https://jennybhattwriter.com.

Jenny Bhatt is a writer, literary translator, and book critic. She is a 2025 NEA Translation Fellow. She has taught creative writing at various organizations, including Writing Workshops Dallas and the PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship Program. ... Show more

Dr Anna Sundermann is a pedagogical psychologist and sustainability scientist at Leuphana University, specializing in learning and communication processes in higher education, particularly within the context of sustainable development. Her research is deeply rooted in exploring how innovative teaching, learning, and communication approaches—such as mindfulness, storytelling or digitalization—can promote competence development and foster engagement with sustainability issues. Her current work at the Graduate School not only advances academic understanding but also aims to create practical solutions for fostering sustainability and improving educational outcomes.

Dr Anna Sundermann is a pedagogical psychologist and sustainability scientist at Leuphana University, specializing in learning and communication processes in higher education, particularly within the context of sustainable development. Her research i... Show more