Conference Speakers - Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

Featured Speakers

Dr. Janet Bennion is a professor of sociocultural anthropology with global expertise in polygamy and polyamory with special interest in the areas of gender dynamics, alternative sexuality, and social network theory. She has an M.A. in Social Anthropology from Portland State University and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from University of Utah. She is the preeminent world scholar on plural marriage among Mormon Fundamentalist groups, having published extensively on female networking and the variability of poly lifestyles, including Women of Principle (University of Oxford Press, 1998) and Polygamy in Primetime (Brandeis University Press 2012). Her most recent research explores polyamory networks in Paris where she is testing the efficacy of network theory (published in Sexualities, 2020).

Dr. Lucy Glasspool is an associate professor at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies in Japan. She received her doctorate in gender studies and popular culture from Nagoya University in 2016. She has researched various aspects of sexuality in Japanese pop culture and its international fandoms, including video games, cosplay, and fan comics. For the last few years, she has developed an interest in Sound Studies through her work on amateur audio erotica creators and audiences.

Dr. Zihan Zhang is a lecturer at the Graduate School of Information Sciences and Arts, Toyo University, Japan. He earned his Ph.D. in Information Sciences from Toyo University. His research focuses on long-term care preferences among older adults, with a particular emphasis on integrating principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Additionally, he investigates university students’ attitudes toward LGBT communities and related educational policies. Utilizing statistical methods such as structural equation modeling and discrete choice experiments, his work aims to inform policies that promote equitable and inclusive long-term care and educational systems.

Alexandros (Alex) Birintzis is a PhD Researcher at the LSE Department of Media and Communications (UK). In their project, Alex examines the queer counter-narratives to ethno-nationalist constructions of Greek national identity in public discourse. Prior to joining LSE, Alex completed a MA (Distinction) in Human Rights at UCL (UK) and a BSc in Educational and Social Policy (First Class Honours) at UoM (Greece). They are currently working at Amnesty International as Research Assistant, where they are conducting human rights research. Alex has a particular interest in queer theory, homonormativity and homonationalism which they are negotiating in their PhD project.

Mrs. Vidoushi Ramjheetun Locknauth is a second-year PhD scholar funded by the Higher Education Commission, exploring queer bodies, gender, and sexuality in Mauritian literature. She teaches English at a government secondary school and lectures part-time at the Open University of Mauritius. She holds a BA (Hons) from Delhi University (ICCR scholar), an MA from Jawaharlal Nehru University, a certificate in German, a PGCE from Mauritius Institute of Education and is pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education. A passionate educator, researcher, and writer of poetry and short stories, she is an active Rotarian, Paul Harris Fellow, and recipient of the Rotary of the Year Award (2023–2024)’.

Aidan Sunassee (he/him) is a researcher with a BSc in Psychology and over five years of active experience in the kink community. His interests center on BDSM/kink, arousal in sexualized violence, and retraumatization compulsions. Aidan’s work focuses on trauma play as a possible avenue for post-traumatic growth, exploring how pleasure, power, and relational dynamics intersect with healing in kink spaces. Aidan is a sexuality educator practicing under the KECC Collective Code of Conduct for Educators. He teaches through the Center for Positive Sexuality as well as privately, supporting individuals and communities in building informed, and ethical kink practices.

International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality

Past Speakers

Annalisa Fabretti is an Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics at the Department of Economics and Finance, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. She holds a PhD in Mathematics for Economic and Financial Applications from Sapienza University of Rome. Her research spans various topics, including gender studies, nonlinear dynamical models, agent-based models, random probability theory, Bayesian statistics and epistemology. She is actively involved in multiple research projects that examine the gender gap, particularly in the academic context and labor market. Her studies range from surveys on gender perception among the student population to analyses of the factors contributing to the gap, as well as estimating promotion gaps and time-to-promotion differences. Moreover, she engages in theoretical modeling of the internal negotiation dynamics within universities. The results of her research have been presented at international conferences and workshops. She is the (co-)author of several book chapters and papers published in peer-reviewed international journals, including the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulations, Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Operations Research Letters, and Electronic Journal of Statistics.

Dr. Lydia R. Cooper is professor of English and director of the university core curriculum at Seattle University. Their teaching and research expertise is in contemporary American literature; Indigenous North American literature; 2SLGBTQ+ literature; masculinity, gender and queer theory; and trauma studies. They edited The Routledge Companion to Masculinity in American Literature and Culture (2021) as well as publishing three monographs, Masculinities in Literature of the American West (Palgrave, 2016), and two books on American author Cormac McCarthy. Their articles on masculinity, trans and Two Spirit identity, trauma, and climate crisis in contemporary American and Indigenous North American literature have been published by PMLA, GLQ, Modern Fiction Studies, Studies in the Novel, Contemporary Literature, Studies in American Indian Literature, Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment, and many more.

Prof. Patricia Moynagh is Professor of Government and Politics at Wagner College, where she directs the Gender Studies Program. She specializes in political theory and teaches the subject from a wide array of critical perspectives. Her research focuses on feminist political thought, in particular Simone de Beauvoir and her conception of freedom. Her most recent work is entitled “Lived Accounts of #MeToo and Slanting Towards Beauvoir” which appears in her co-edited book, with Mary Caputi, Research Handbook on Feminist Political Thought (Edward Elgar, 2024).

Dr. Alex Baird (they/them) – Before moving to the Higher Educator sector seven years ago, Dr. Baird worked in various schools for thirteen years, latterly as Director of Sports. At the University of Bedfordshire, Dr. Baird is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Physical Education, an EDI Lead, and the Vice Chair of the LGBTQ+ Alliance staff network. Dr. Baird has just finished an EdD at UCL.

Dr. Savage Bear is the Director for the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute, an Assistant Professor within the Indigenous Studies Department and the National Director of Walls to Bridges. Bear won the Governor General Gold Medal for her outstanding 2016 PhD dissertation. In 2023 Bear was appointed to the Order of Canada.

Prof. Mary Caputi is a professor of political science at California State University, Long Beach where she teaches courses in political theory, feminist thought, and critical thinking. Most recently, she co-edited the Research Handbook on Feminist Political Thought with Patricia Moynagh, published by Edward Elgar Press. She has also published Slow Culture and the American Dream: A Slow and Curvy Philosophy for the 21st Century (Lexington Books, 2022). She is also the author of Feminism and Power: The Need for Critical Theory (Lexington Books, 2013), A Kinder, Gentler
America: Melancholia and the Mythical 1950s (University of Minnesota Press, 2005), and Voluptuous Yearnings: A Feminist Theory of the Obscene (Rowman & Littlefield, 1994). Amirhosein Khandizaji co-authored David Riesman and Critical Theory: Autonomy versus Emancipation (Palgrave MacMillan, 2021). She also co-edited and contributed to two collections of essays: Teaching Marx and Critical Theory in the Twenty-First Century, co-edited with Bryant Sculos (Brill, 2019), and Jacques Derrida and the Future of the Liberal Arts, co-edited with Vincent Del Casino (Bloomsbury, 2013). She served as editor of Politics Gender from 2016-2019. Professor Caputi has taught abroad in Italy on three occasions, and in addition to her Ph.D. from Cornell, she holds a master’s degree in Italian Studies from California State University, Long Beach.

Dr. Soichi Kozai is a linguist and an associate professor at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka. His major interests are pragmatics and sociolinguistics with consideration to cognitive linguistics in Japanese. Currently, he is working on Japanese gay men’s talk – onee kotoba. He is an apprentice of Aikido and Jodo.

Prof. Dr. Mercedes Posada Meola is a Social Communicator, holds a Master’s degree in Social Development, and is a PhD candidate in Communication at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina). She is a professor and researcher at the Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar (Colombia), where she created the course “Communication, Gender(s), and Feminism(s)” and co-founded the Public Leadership School for Women, which won the Recla Award in 2022. Her research focuses on sentimental education, gender, and melodrama. She is a board member of Caribe Afirmativo, an organization promoting LGBTQ+ rights. In 2021, she was recognized as the best faculty professor at her university, and in 2009, she received the Roble Amarillo Award from the Universidad del Norte for her master’s thesis.

Dr. Florenda Santos Frivaldo is a distinguished academic and public administration expert based in the Philippines. She has been a full-time faculty member at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) since June 2005, contributing significantly to the College of Political Science and Public Administration. Her leadership roles include serving as the MPA Program Chair for the Open University System and as a Quality Assurance Coordinator at PUP’s Quality Assurance Center since March 2020. Dr. Frivaldo holds degrees, including a Doctor in Public Administration from PUP, completed in 2011, and a Master’s of Science in Management Major in Public Administration from Catanduanes State Colleges. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Catanduanes State Colleges in 1989. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she has been actively involved in various professional organizations, such as the Royal Institution Singapore and the Philippine Political Science Association. Her research contributions are noteworthy, with publications addressing critical issues such as gender disparity among elected officials and the sustainability of resettlement programs. Dr. Frivaldo’s work has been recognized internationally. Dr. Frivaldo’s commitment to education extends beyond academia; she has facilitated numerous seminars and training sessions aimed at empowering local government officials and promoting gender equality. Her accolades include being named an Outstanding Researcher and receiving the Jose Rizal Achievement Award for her contributions to education and public service. In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Frivaldo is a certified assessor for political science programs and has played a pivotal role in accreditation processes within Philippine higher education. Her dedication to fostering inclusive governance and educational excellence continues to impact her students and the broader community.

Prof. Dr. Eduarda Ferreira is a researcher of CICS.NOVA – Interdisciplinary Centre of Social Sciences, at FCSH/NOVA, Portugal. With a background in Educational Psychology, a master’s degree on e-Learning Management Systems, a PhD on Social and Cultural Geography, and a postdoc on ‘Gender@ICT: gaps, co-production and equity’. She is a founding member of the Iberian and Latin American Network of Geography, Gender and Sexuality (REGGSILA), and editor of the LES Online section at the Latin American Journal of Geography and Gender (RLAGG). She has published and presented on gender, sexualities, and digital technologies.

Dr. Larissa Sandy is an Associate Professor in Criminology at the University of Nottingham. She has a PhD from the Australian National University, with her project exploring women’s experiences of sex work in Cambodia. Larissa’s research explores the relationship between gender, sexuality and the state and uses innovative methods and participatory approaches in international contexts (including Southeast Asia, Australia, and the UK). Most recently, Larissa was a British Academy Innovation Fellow on a project aiming to improve reporting options for sex workers in Nottingham, and in Australia, as a Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Criminology her work explored the implementation of Cambodia’s human trafficking laws using grounded research.

Dr. Joel Melecio Cabael is a distinguished academic and public servant who currently serves as the Vice President for External Affairs and Linkages at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo (University of San Pablo City, Philippines). He is also a Professional Lecturer at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila, and once invited as a guest lecturer at the Graduate School of International Development at Nagoya University, Japan, and at the School of Public Administration at Ljubljana University, Slovenia. Dr. Cabael has a strong background in governance, having served as a City Councilor of San Pablo City, Laguna, where he authored landmark ordinances, including the creation of a Gender and Development (GAD) focal point, free registration of births and foundlings, and regulations for residential areas used as videoke bars. He also championed public health initiatives, such as free annual pap smear tests for indigent women aged 40 and above. Earlier in his career, he served as the Punong Barangay of Barangay Del Remedio, the largest barangay in San Pablo City, where he was recognized as one of the “Outstanding Barangay Chairmen of the Philippines” and received numerous accolades for his exemplary leadership. A prolific traveler, Dr. Cabael has broadened his academic and cultural horizons through engagements in countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, gaining valuable insights into the diverse social and cultural dynamics of these regions. He is also the author of “Social Experiment: Sociology Focus on the Philippines,” which highlights his commitment to academic excellence and social research. Dr. Cabael’s achievements reflect his unwavering dedication to public service, academic leadership, and community development, making him a respected figure in both the academic and governance spheres.

Dr. Kemal Atasoy is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Law at Kadir Has University. He is interested in family law, personality rights, and children’s rights. More deeply, his research areas are LGBTQ+ civil rights and the protection of children using the right-oriented approach. He is conducting a project that is about protecting kidfluencers’ economic rights. His research project is funded by the National Scientific and Research Board in Turkey. He is willing to increase his academic work in the area of protecting vulnerable people of society.”

Assist. Prof. Dr. Shokhan Mohammed Fatah from Kurdistan-Iraq has a Ph.D. in English literature and she is working at Charmo University. She has been working at higher education universities since 2012. She is a committed female researcher; she has published 12 papers in different journals. Her areas of interest are fiction, psychoanalysis, feminism, post-colonialism, and comparative literature.

Mitra Tanomand is a dedicated researcher and women’s rights advocate from Afghanistan, holding a Master’s in Gender Studies from the University of East Anglia, UK, through a Chevening Scholarship. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education & Global Development, she is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)®. With over a decade of experience, her expertise spans human rights advocacy, gender issues, research, and project management, focusing on gender-based violence and educational exclusion in Afghanistan. Mitra has held key roles, including as Chief Program Officer for The Colombo Plan’s Gender Affairs Program, where she supported Women’s Protection Shelters, advocated for women’s rights, and influenced policy, such as the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) Law. She continued her work remotely post-2022 as a Gender Consultant, contributing to projects supporting women’s and children’s shelters. As the founder of the Afghan Businesswomen Organization, she has empowered women through economic opportunities and strategic initiatives. Currently, as a research fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, she focuses on critical human rights issues in Afghanistan. Her proficiency in feminist research methods, gender dynamics, social development, globalization, and business development has enabled her to make significant contributions across these fields.

Mrs. Clara Etchenique graduated in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy from the Wirtschaftsuniversität (WU) of Vienna in 2023. She is dedicated to both academic research and hands-on fieldwork, with a focus on advancing intersectional feminist policymaking and social justice. At Nouvelle Page, Clara supports Afghan women seeking asylum, facilitating their path toward autonomy and socio-economic inclusion in French society. Additionally, through her Instagram platform, Unpacking Gender, she is committed to democratizing access to Intersectional academic research, showcasing work by Feminist scholars in Politics & Gender, Gender/Queer Studies, or, Women Peace and Security, among others.

Petagou Blaise is a senior communications and marketing technician with over ten years’ experience. He is a consultant to the Support Centre for Evaluation and Development. He is particularly interested in gender-related forms of media advertising, especially the promotion of equity and inclusion in the audiovisual and written media in both private and public.

Mbepamo Famogni Sire Gotar is an economist. He is a young Consultant at the Support center for evaluation and development (CAED) in Cameroon. He works on the socio-economic impact of the population as well as gender. Mbepamo is also interested in the future of common-law marriages in Africa in general and Cameroon in particular. He is also interested in the effects of so-called concubinage marriages in Africa in general and Cameroon in particular on children and the future of celibacy as an activation of individualism and capitalism.

Ms. Agnieszka Kosiorowska (she/her) is a PhD candidate in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Warsaw. Her research focuses on the intersections of gender, sexuality, and reproduction within the broader context of cultural anthropology. Currently, she is exploring the complex dynamics of Catholicism, sexuality, and family planning among Polish migrants in France.

Arnoux Mouafo Nopi is an anthropologist at the University of Yaounde I. He is the Director of The Support centre for evaluation and development (CAED) since 2020. He worked with many firms (AfDB, Fore Foundation, UDS, UNICEF) in Centrale African countries as evaluator and as project manager about eight years ago. He found that the culture believes have a significant impact on gender especially on girls. Nowadays, Arnoux focus himself on local knowledge, gender and evaluation.

Sadiqa Jissan Nabila is a Bangladeshi post-graduate student pursuing a second master’s (M.A.) English at the University of Delhi under ICCR scholarship. She obtained her first M.A. in TESOL at East Delta University, Chattogram, Bangladesh. She has nearly 6 research papers/articles in various national journals and has also contributed book chapters in edited books. She has actively participated and presented papers in national and international seminars and undergone FDPs in training programs. Her research interests lie in Memory Studies, Comparative Literature, Disability Studies, and Post-Colonial Literature.

EMO T. Daris is a research scientist. He works for a number of independent firms such as CAED, SOA University. His field of application is gender and law. Emo is interested in the forms of relationships between young people and emerging sexual trends or preferences, focusing on the future of the family, self-interest and the union between two people.

Àngels Asensi Soto is a 22-year-old interdisciplinary performer and researcher. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Classical Cello Performance and another in Social Education from the universities of Valencia and Granada, Spain. Currently, she is studying for a Master’s in Contemporary Literature and Arts at Maastricht University (Netherlands), while working as a bachelor’s thesis coach at Zuyd Hogeschool and playing with the Aachen Sinfonieorchester and Jong Metropole. Her main research interests include intersectional feminism in musicology, corporeal geographies and urban studies, as well as emotional, care, sex, and reproductive work.

Zayan (He/him) is a Dalit queer feminist activist who has been working on the intersections of gender, sexuality and education for 5 years. Currently, he works at The YP Foundation as the Programme Lead for their Queer and Trans* rights theme. He holds a master’s degree in Education from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi, India, and has been published in journals like Contemporary Education Dialogue, The Teacher Plus, etc. He is also a TEDx speaker. As a trained educator, he has experience teaching children, researching and analyzing the field of education, and teaching education from the lens of gender and sexuality.

Mr. Massimiliano Manni is a doctoral researcher at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. With a master’s degree in Specialized Translation and Conference Interpreting and a TEFL certification, he is a freelance interpreter, translator, English as a Foreign Language teacher and publisher’s reader of foreign-language literature. After researching autofiction and self-translation between German, English and Italian for his master’s thesis, he has been working on a PhD project entitled “Author-Centred Novels: Autofiction in the English-Speaking World and Beyond”, spanning the fields of English and comparative literature, genre theory and narratology, and post- and metamodernism scholarship.

Yuki Sugiyama is a master’s student in the Language and Culture program at Chubu University, Japan. She is interested in gendered expressions in English and Japanese, and plans to research sexist expressions in Japanese for her doctoral studies. Her research aims to clarify the use of sexist language and alternatives in Japanese, along with speakers’ attitudes. She hopes her work will help address gender inequality in Japan and believes that English education can foster awareness of gender issues.

Jude Merit is a disabled transgender autistic American researcher at the University of Sunderland in England. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics in 2019 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science in 2020. He then completed a Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Sunderland in 2023, where he is currently studying for his PhD. His research on the lived experiences of transgender autistic millennials is a continuation of his research from his Master’s in Psychology on the experiences of autistic adults with internalised ableism.

Katelyn Spencer is a second-year PhD student in American History at Louisiana State University primarily interested in queer identity formation in the post-1960s U.S. Gulf South and the dual construction of queerness and criminality in late 20th-century popular culture. Katelyn received their master’s degree in American history from Louisiana State University in December 2022 and their paper “The Mayor of Frenchmen Street: Otis Fennell and his FAB New Orleans Archive” is an excerpt from their master’s thesis “Setting Up Shop Down South: Gay Visibility and Identity Formation at a New Orleans Bookstore.”

Yujia Zhu is currently a Ph.D Candidate at Sofia University in USA. Yujia is a strategic disruptor, life explorer, curious student, and resilient survivor. As a seasoned and multifaceted social entrepreneur, business strategy advisor, executive coach, and philanthropist, she embodies a unique blend of experience and insight. A classical INFJ-A and 8W7, Yujia embraces her identity as a perfectly imperfect human being. With 12 years of experience in the humanitarian field, Yujia is also a dedicated Woman in STEM. As the founder and executive director of a Canadian federally registered nonprofit For A Safer Space(FASS), She is also the creator of FASSLING(Fassling.ai), an AI bot that has become the most-used and highest-rated emotional and coaching support app (non-medical/non-therapy) on the official ChatGPT store. Her areas of interest include religion, spirituality, business ethics, I/O psychology, social entrepreneurship, asexuality, human centered-interaction and psychology and holistic human care.

Cherry De Leon-Generoso is a full-time faculty member of the Department of Political Science and International Studies under the College of Political Science and Public Administration of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Manila.
She finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at Adamson University, her Juris Doctor degree at Manuel L. Quezon University. She also earned her academic units in Master of Political Science Major in Global Politics at Miriam College. He holds a degree in Master in Management Major in National Security Administration from Philippine Christian University.
In her almost 5 years of experience in teaching, she handled several major courses in political science including political parties, movements, and interest groups, international and regional organizations, world politics, gender and politics, and the like. She is also teaching international studies courses including Introduction to international relations, and National Security.
Her research interests include topics about gender studies, global politics, local governance, and national security. She was able to present the following research paper.
As a dedicated civic leader and passionate women activist whose unwavering commitment to social change has left an indelible mark on the community. She embarked on a journey driven by the belief that every individual deserves equal opportunities and rights. Influence extends beyond local boundaries, having participated in national and international forums to amplify the voices of the disenfranchised. Her dedication to building bridges and fostering inclusivity has garnered recognition and respect from peers and the communities she serves.

Masana Sannomiya is a second-year PhD candidate in the Division of Health Science (Public Health: Blended Learning) at Lancaster University, UK. With a background as a registered nurse in a Japanese neonatal intensive care unit, My interests have shifted towards understanding how gender and sexuality affects our communication. My doctoral research aims to understand the experiences of heterosexual Japanese men in their early 20s before and during confirming sexual consents. Previously, my research explored policy related to male midwifery globally.

Amna Ashraf recently completed her Master’s in Gender and Development on a full merit scholarship from the globally top-ranked Institute of Development Studies. She has written about marriage culture and power dynamics in Pakistan and is passionate about studying power, subversion, intersectionality, and gender. Amna is a freelance researcher for the US-based startup Borderless and works with disabled students through Amano Support. She is an author of a children’s book on gender roles in Pakistan and an awardee of the Young Cities Fellowship grant.

Valentin Kleinpeter studied Chemistry and Biology Education as well as Engineering Sciences. He is currently a Research Associate and PhD candidate under Prof. Jäkel at the University of Education Heidelberg. His teaching and research focus on human biology, health education, gender-sensitive language, anatomy, and empowering future teachers to deliver comprehensive sexual education in schools and society. He is also passionate about histology, outdoor education, and developing creative teaching and learning settings in sexual education.

Ange Meralli Ballou is a Regional HIV and Public Health Advisor at the UNAIDS Office AONC. Holder of several Master’s degrees in Political Science, International Humanitarian and Criminal Law, Humanitarian Project Management, and MBA, and a DU in Gender Practices, her expertise areas are related to sexual and reproductive rights, HIV, and the entanglement of gender, race and class in health. For 10 years, she implemented emergency programs before supporting governments, and international and community-based organizations in the implementation of programs and public policies aimed at strengthening access to health since 2020.

Ciara Buckley is a doctoral candidate in Dublin City University. She is interested in understanding the lived experience of members of the LGBTQ community who experience sexual violence. Ciara completed the MSc in Psychology (Conversion) at Dublin City University and the MSc in Personal and Management Coaching in University College Cork, both of which involved research in LGBTQ mental-health and minority stress. Ciara aims to develop as an expert on intersectional research and practice through working with LGBTQ individuals who are also minorities in other ways, e.g., refugees, people with disabilities, religious minorities, members of the travelling community, etc.

Ngobeni Hlamulo Jeffrey, from Giyani, Limpopo, is a Master’s student in Theology at Stellenbosch University, specializing in systematic theology, ethics, and gender. Passionate about social justice and transformation, he is interested in Afrocentric beliefs, and traditions. His postgraduate diploma research explored the ethical significance of language inclusion in higher education, focusing on preserving indigenous languages in South Africa. Jeffrey served as the Student Representative Council’s Transformation Officer and was awarded the Selfless Leadership Merit Award for his contributions.

Mrs. Deena Ronayne is a second year Doctor of Liberal Studies student through The University of Memphis Global Studies online program. Her dissertation research will be focused on gender as the connecting thread between performance art and marketing throughout history. She is the recipient of The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and a recent inductee to her high school alumni hall of fame in Chelmsford Massachusetts USA. Her theatrical company, Hardly Working Promotions LLC, has won 14 awards for outstanding playwrighting, producing, and performances. She resides in Aberdeen, South Dakota USA and currently instructs interdisciplinary courses at Northern State University.

Mrs. Chaimae El Idrissi Amiri is an English language teacher and doctoral researcher specializing in gender studies. She holds a master’s degree with a thesis titled Moroccan Women and Personal Branding: Towards Digital Empowerment. Her research focuses on the intersections of gender, media, society and Islam. She has published Beyond the Screen: Moroccan Women Crafting Digital Empowerment through Personal Branding in Social Media DOI: 10.4236/jss.2024.123021, and her upcoming publication is Challenging Yet Conforming: Female Filmmakers and the Hybrid Representation of Women in Moroccan Drama Series. Her current doctoral research focuses on the role of Ijtihad and lenient hermeneutics in promoting women’s rights in Morocco. As an educator, Chaimae is committed to empowering her female students to break barriers and build confidence in their potential.

L’or Malotra-Gaudet is an MA student in the Gender and Sexuality Studies department at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. L’or is broadly interested in trans futurities, and the methods taken by queer and trans people to make the present more bearable. They also very much enjoy queer dystopian literature and vegan food. They hold a BA in Gender Studies and Urban Studies from Columbia University.

Ms. Luisa Troncone is a PhD student for Linguistics at University of Salerno (Italy). She graduated from my Master’s in Linguistics at University of Pavia in 2023 with a thesis about language policies for linguistic minorities. She is an alumna of Almo Collegio Borromeo, and she is interested in sociolinguistics and intersectional variational linguistics.

Neha Naqvi has a Bachelors in Law from the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (India) and a Masters in Law from Columbia Law School (United States). She has two decades of work experience across South Asia in Gender Justice, Human Rights and the Arts for Conflict Transformation. Her multi-disciplinary approach to field work, advocacy, academia and intersectionalities has nurtured meaningful collaborations with ICRC, UNHCR, Human Rights Campaign, Peace Boat, Pravah, TARSHI, Breakthrough, Welthungerhilfe and Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung. Neha is a certified practitioner of the Theatre of the Oppressed. She has a weakness for Alison Bechdel and Trust Falls.

Deepesh Korbu currently pursuing his master’s degree in Indian Philosophy at Manipal University. He has completed his bachelor’s degree in business management from Bangalore University and she holds another master’s degree in hospitality from Les Roches Switzerland. He is a polyglot and apart from English, Hindi and , Kannada, He is fluent in Spanish, French, Portuguese and has basic knowledge of Sanskrit and Russian. He is an eloquent speaker who had opportunities to work in various positions in different countries like Portugal, Colombia, Peru, Switzerland,d, etc. He considers himself fortunate enough to have been exposed to diverse cultures.

Dr. Seline Keating is the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning in Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education. She lectures in Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Wellbeing. Seline was the Principal Investigator of a multi-partner, interdisciplinary, international project titled Gender Equality Matters (GEM) which won a National Education Award in 2021 for Best International Collaboration Project. In February 2022, she was invited to present at the European Commission’s discussion on Gender Equality In and Through Education. Seline was the lead author of the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) research paper commissioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and was co-opted by two NCCA Development Groups: SPHE and RSE Development Group (2020); and Wellbeing Development Group (2022). Seline was awarded funding by the Irish Research Council (IRC) to engage in a collaborative knowledge exchange with the Frixos sexuality programme developers in Crete. Most recently, she has been awarded funding from SCoTENS and the Norwegian Research Council to progress her current research in her Nuts&Bolts: Anti-Bullying Policy Reflective Framework and in Life Skills Education. Seline is a Research Fellow at DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre (ABC) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

Dr. Lorraine Stigar is a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant in the Department of Public Health at Purdue University. Earning their Doctor of Public Health in Public Health Leadership from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Their research focuses on health education, equity and inclusion, and access to LGBTQIA+ affirming care.

Dr. Sresha Yadav nee Ghosh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities at IIIT-Raipur, India. She was a recipient of MHRD scholarship assistance during her Ph.D. tenure at IIT Roorkee and has published several research articles in edited books and reputed journals. She is a member of ELTAI, Cognitive Science Society, and British Council India. She is presently working in the field of language and cognition, interdisciplinary studies in language and literature and ELT.

Dr. Eric D. Hess (he/him) is a gender and sexuality researcher, specializing in gender expression, sexual identity, and identity politics found within religion and education. Eric teaches courses in gender and sexuality and also leads queer initiatives at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. His dissertation Links to an external site. is a qualitative, interview-based analysis of queer men navigating masculinity and policy in fundamentalist Christian colleges.

Dr.Eduardo Alves Vieira is an Assistant Professor of Portuguese Language and Linguistics at the Leiden University Centre for Linguistics. Their current research project, A double-edged sword: religious discourses and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO), focuses on how inclusive religions influence the identity construction of LGBTQIA+ Brazilians.

Dr. Ayobami Adekola, PhD in Public Health, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies, University of South Africa. His expertise lies in health literacy, sexual and reproductive health, health equity, determinants of health, and gender studies. With a notable record of 12 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals, he contributes significantly to advancing knowledge in his research domains.

Dr. Henry James Nichols is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Psychology and Head of the Department for Education Foundations at the University of the Free State in South Africa. His teaching and research mainly focus on gender and sexuality studies with a specific interest in Comprehensive Sexuality Education. To date, his research worked around issues of LGBTIQ+ youth, gender, and sexual diversity, and parental attributes towards children with same-sex sexualities.

Prof. Dr. Annalisa Fabretti is an Associate Professor in Applied Mathematics at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy. She holds a PhD in Mathematics for Economic and Financial Applications. Her research activity encompasses nonlinear dynamical models, agent-based models, random probability theory, epistemology and gender studies. Several results of her research have been presented at international conferences and workshops and published in peer-reviewed international journals.

Asst. Prof. Astrid Van Weyenberg is Assistant Professor in Cultural Analysis at the Leiden University Centre for the Arts in Society. She wrote The Politics of Adaptation: Contemporary African Drama and Greek Tragedy (2013) and co-edited Special Issues for Politique européenne (2020) and the Journal of European Studies (2022).

Dr. Albert Ikhile is a public health Ph.D. fellow with vast experience in managing and leading programs that advocate access to health for key and marginalized populations across Africa. His impactful influence spans across Africa, collaborating with numerous LGBTI organizations. He frequently presents best practice models at local and international conferences.

Dr. Jill St George is a lecturer in law at the Open University, UK. Jill’s research interests are in gender, sexuality and slavery in the Commonwealth Caribbean.

Prof. Aroch-Fugellie is former Society-for-the-Humanities Fellow (Cornell), and Professor at UAM-Cuajimalpa (Mexico). Since her PhD at ASCA (Amsterdam), she combines cultural analysis, political-economy, psychoanalytic, critical and postcolonial theories. With forty-plus publications including two authored and two edited volumes, her latest line of inquiry is ‘Polymaternal Families, Biopower and Late Capitalism’.

Dr. Susana Fernandez Blanco is a Spanish artist & Assistant Professor at PMU University in Saudi Arabia, holds an international PhD in Fine Arts from the UCM University of Spain. She specialises in Encaustic art, sustainability, and interdisciplinary research spanning 3D printing and artificial intelligence, skilfully integrating traditional techniques with modern innovations.

Prof. Dr. Germano Couto holds a Doctor of Nursing Sciences degree from the University of Porto, Portugal. He has expertise in Maternal and Obstetric Health Nursing (Midwifery) and currently serves as a Coordinating Professor at Fernando Pessoa Health School. Additionally, he is a member of the research unit Cintesis, with a particular focus on sexuality.

Dr. Juan Filipe Stacul is a Professor at the Federal Institute of Goiás and Local Representative for International Relations. He holds a Ph.D. in Literature from PUC Minas with post-doctoral tenure at the Federal University of Viçosa. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of Illinois. With a keen interest in feminist criticism, men’s studies, and queer theory, his recent research delves into contemporary writers such as Caio Fernando Abreu and Rubem Fonseca, focusing on their exploration of issues related to subjectivity, gender, and alterity.

Dr. Alberto Grandi, a graduate in Philosophical Sciences, is currently a PhD student in gender studies at the University of Bari. My research project concerns the analysis of masculinity and linguistic performativity, with the aim of developing appropriate communication strategies to counter discrimination and produce inclusive environments, all through a philosophical perspective.

Asst. Prof. Judit Balatonyi is an assistant professor and vice-head of the Department of European Ethnology – Cultural Anthropology (University of Pécs, Hungary). She received her PhD degree from the Interdisciplinary PhD School, Program for European Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology in 2016. Her major research interests include: anthropology of marriage; ritual and religion; love and friendship. Awards: “Jankó János” Award by Hungarian Ethnographic Society (2018); Award for Young Scientists of the MTA PAB (2020)

Dr. Khonzi Mbatha is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Africa. He teaches social psychology, ecosystemic psychology, and supervises masters and doctoral students. His research interests include Foucauldian discursive work. He is also a former fellow of the University of California, Los Angeles Tirisano program.

Ms.Maryam Rahmani Tehrani is a member of the Women’s Studies Department of the Iranian Sociological Association of Iran from 2019 to now. Her articles are about women’s sexuality, domestic violence, and women’s representation in the media. Maryam received her MA from Alameh Tabatabaii University in Tehran, and she is studying sociology at the Iran Academia.

Ms. Karolien Gebruers is a white female Belgian feminist who has been working as a sign language interpreter since 2012. Karolien has a background in ‘Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences’ and ‘Interpreting’. She is a PhD candidate at Heriot-Watt University (Scotland), focusing on gender in the International Sign conference interpreting context.

Ms. Antonia Heil is a research associate in the field of gender and political science at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Her research interests include gender studies and the study of political parties. In her work, she explores social structures and power relations, voting behaviour and extremism. In the research project “GEiO – Gender Equitable Interactions Online”, she investigates gendered interactions in online work meetings. Antonia Heil holds a BA degree in Political Science and Public Law from the University of Tübingen and an MA degree in Political Science from the University of Salzburg where she worked as an assistant at the Chair for Politics and Gender, Diversity and Equality. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Salzburg.

Ms. Victoria Kopperschmidt completed her studies in human medicine at the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in 2023. Since then, she has been working as a doctor in the emergency department and studying dentistry at the same time. She began her doctoral study in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ponseti at the Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Her goal is to construct a fixed system in sexual medicine, as in emergency medicine, in order to optimize procedures and diagnostics.

Ms. Shraddha Jha is a Ph.D. student at the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, focusing on Gender Studies in Dystopian Fiction. She authored ‘Hegemonic Masculinity, Oppressed Femininity and the(Un)Gendered Loss of Identities in a Dystopia’ (2021) in ‘Academia Letters’ and co-authored ‘Sarah Macdonald’s Holy Cow as an Autoethnography Locating Cultures in Cityscapes’ in ‘Other’ Voices in Education: (Re)Stor(y)ing Stories (2023) by Springer Nature. She is passionate about exploring new perspectives on gender and dystopia in postmodernist fiction.

Ms. Nicolina Fusco is a current doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Her research focuses on bias-based harassment in adolescence through US nationally representative sampled data, specifically related to identity formation in sexual and gender minority youth.

Ms. Kirsty Rackliff is a PhD student at the University of Nottingham, funded by the UK ESRC. She holds a first-class BA degree in Sociology, and an MA (Distinction) in Social Science Research Methods, both obtained from the University of Nottingham. Kirsty’s research explores online representations of detransition.

María Auxiliadora Castillo Soto is a PhD candidate in Media and Culture Studies at Utrecht University. She works within the EUTERPE Project, funded by the European Union. She holds an M.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies and an M.A. in World Languages, Literature, and Linguistics. Her research interests span literary criticism and gender studies.

Mx. Rachel Lofton, a Ph.D. candidate at Pepperdine University, focuses on LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, public policy, sport and society, and race/ethnicity. They are the project coordinator at the Global Sport Institute at ASU. They earned a master’s from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and a bachelor’s from UCLA.

Mr. Matt Broadway-Horner is a Nurse Consultant and is currently a Ph.D student at the University of Bolton, UK. He has a career history in innovative development, management and training in health services. He is interested in health inequities, challenging the structural, political and representational aspects within societies.

Ms. Jana Dilger (she/her) is a Research Analyst at Trilateral Research focussing on gender/gender-based violence, research ethics concerning innovative technologies as well as AI, and modern slavery. Most recently, she delivered workshops on gender mainstreaming to research teams at Trilateral Research. She holds an MA in Conflict, Security and Development.

Ms. Megan Williams is a Master’s student of Afrikaans at North-West University in South Africa. Her research focuses on the intersection of language and identity within the South African LGBTQIA+ and gender-queer communities. I explore how these communities express and construct their identities through language, delving into a niche area of sociolinguistics that has received minimal attention in Afrikaans studies.

MSC. Yuchen Li has an interdisciplinary and intercultural academic background at the intersection of political science, sociology and gender studies, currently studying for a MSc in the Social Studies of Gender at Lund University. Areas of interest are posthumanism, body theory and China studies.

Ms. Almira Sharafeeva, a PhD candidate at the University of Munich, earned her Master’s
degree from the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Her current research focuses on the
concept of “women’s health” in early Soviet biopolitics, with a particular interest in the history of
medicine, gender, and social history. Fellow of the Gerda Henkel Foundation.

Ms. Natasha Gilani, a second-year doctoral student at the University of Toronto, focuses on Social Justice Education and Comparative International Education. With a background in Pakistan’s development sector and Canada’s tech industry, she’s now based in Paris, balancing her work in the tech sector and research in gender, decolonization, and South Asian studies

Ms. Safia Iftikhar is a PhD. Candidate at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia. Her research interests include, qualitative methods, culturally and linguistically diverse population, promoting inclusion, addressing marginalization, disadvantages and understanding the impact of patriarchal cultural violence for women’s well-being. She is also assessing the impact of culture, race, immigration, and gender on women’s experiences of violence, emphasizing prevention and intervention in Domestic violence. She is critical feminist who is interested to understand the complex interaction and processes of modernity and traditionality and their implications for women. She received a Ph.D. Research Grant under the Research Training Program in Australia, affiliated with Edith Cowan University, spanning from November 2021 to November 2024.

Mx. Hsu Sun is an M.A. student in the Department of Social Work at National Taiwan University. Hsu Sun is a transgender activist in Taiwan with research focusing on discrimination, microaggression, trauma, resilience, and transnormativity of transgender people. Hsu Sun also won the 3MT Competition of Taiwan in 2023.

Ms. Cláudia Sofia Bastos Carvalho Novais has a degree (2015) and a master’s degree (2018) in History from the University of Minho, Portugal. She is currently studying for a PhD in History at the same institution, with a project on women’s history, gender and criminality.

Mr. Baguma Ivan James has Bachelors degree in social work and social administration (MSM) at Uganda Christian University graduated in 2012. Baguma is a social worker by profession, and he has worked in the department of gender studies with Gabula Royal Foundation since 2019 to date. Baguma ‘s areas of interest in gender studies are feminist theory, women’s history , social history, women’s health and feminist psychoanalysis. Baguma was recognized in his role for advocating for gender responsive budgeting (GBR) certificate for gender and Equity awarded in 2022.

Ms. Rasmika Naidu is an English lecturer at Stadio Higher Education. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude (UKZN), a Bachelor of Arts Honours, cum laude (UKZN), and a Master of Arts in English Studies (UKZN). She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Pretoria. Rasmika is also a published poet.

Ms. Rama Singh recently graduated from the postgraduate program in English literary studies at Exeter University and she is preparing to start her PhD. Her research interests are primarily in the field of Queer Theory and Post-structuralist Theory, with a focus on language and discursive practices surrounding the etymology of terms used to describe gender and sexual identities and their consequences.

Ms. Mary Oluwatobiloba Odetoyinbo is a 2nd-year Doctoral Researcher and Graduate Teaching Associate from Lancaster University Management School, Bailrigg, Lancaster. Her research focus is in the areas of equality, diversity, and inclusion; gender studies; management and Leadership; social and behavioral change, and qualitative research. She is keen to explore the factors that create differential experiences and outcomes for persons and groups and how these can be bridged for equity and inclusiveness. Her doctoral research explores the lived experiences and career trajectories of mothers in the academic profession.

Ms. Liya Ai is currently a Ph.D. student in Gender Studies at Nagoya University, Japan. She holds an MA degree in Gender Studies from Charles University, Czech Republic. Her research focuses on the study of LGBT+ individuals, allies, and the cultural significance of pride parades within the context of Japan.

Mr. Robert Mugambwa is the Coordinator of the Center-Left Think Tank in Africa, with 12 years of expertise in research, M&E, youth development, and strategic planning. Robert’s educational background is in policy development, research & forestry, and is committed to promoting inclusive equitable solutions through rigorous evidence-based research and policy engagement.

Ms. Manisha Mohanty is currently pursuing her PhD in English from the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Her broad area of research is Food and Gender Studies. She did her M Phil and M.A (English) from Utkal University, Vani Vihar and was the recipient of the University Gold Medal for securing highest marks in English at the Master’s level. Her academic interests include cultural studies, food writing, and women’s writing.

Presentation Topic

Threat to Life: The Unacknowledged Dangers of Marginalised Women in Japan

Dr. Gavan Patrick Gray is a Professor at Tsuda University’s College of Policy Studies in Tokyo, one of Japan’s oldest private women’s universities. He holds a Ph.D in Politics and International Relations from Leicester University and is currently engaged in a Japanese government-supported, multi-year research project comparing responses to gender violence in Japan and other countries. His latest writing on the subject appears in ‘Gender Violence, the Law, and Society’ (Emerald, 2022).

Presentation Topic

Sex and love: differences in orientation and activation of the dopamine and serotonine systems

Dr. Andreas Aceranti is a Professor at LIMEC University in Milan, one of Italy’s most exclusive private universities. He holds a Ph.D in Neuroscience of human Behavior from trinity College and is currently engaged in a multi-year research project investigating the different aspects of human sexuality and, especially, sexual orientation. He’s an international congress speaker and has written, so far, more than 23 books.

Dr Gabriel Knott-Fayle is a Postdoctoral Scholar of Masculinities Studies in Education at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. His research primarily addresses gender, body image, allyship, masculinities, sport, and communication with a particular interest in challenging prejudice and discrimination.

Dr. Abdelnacer Ben Abderrezak is an Associate Professor in English department at Mohamed Khider University, Biskra: Algeria. He holds PhD in gender studies and sexualities from the University of Djillali Liabes, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria. He publishes a number of articles and participates in different inter/national conferences and study days.

Dr. Shiho Hansen has a PhD in International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University Her current Position is Research & Development Advisor, Sámi Norwegian National Advisory Unit for Mental Health and Substance Use (SANKS), Finnmark Hospital Trust Her areas of Interests are adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Central America (Guatemala & Nicaragua)

Dr Dale Moodley is a registered psychologist and lectures in the Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University. His collective research output addresses the politics of formal and informal sexual socialisation practices such as sexuality education and popular music, respectively, and their role in promoting norms and values that police gendered sexualities.

Mrs. Linda Catalina Villamarín is a graduate in fine arts with a master’s degrees in creative writing and in performing arts. Furthermore, she is actively pursuing a PhD in Art and Heritage at the University of Seville. Linda is the creator of the project Artistas Lunáticas where she publishes research on art and its effects due to the menstrual cycle, and the author of the novel Atadas.

MSC. Jordan Donovan (MSc) recently graduated from the University of Glasgow. She is currently working as a development manager and youth programs lead at a nonprofit organization that offers arts-based wellness and social justice programming to equity-deserving youth. Her work often centers on youth participatory action, resistance, and queer joy.

Ms. Amelyn Laro is a social worker, educator, researcher, and gender advocate who has traveled extensively throughout the Philippines and has been a delegate to Kazakhstan, Canada, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, South Korea, the United States, and Germany for her work on gender and women’s issues. She specializes in issues concerning women and girls, as well as refugees and internal displacement. She is a Community Solutions Fellow through the US Department of State, an ASIAN Gender Trainer through the Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education, and a Fellow at the International Sustainable Academy in Hamburg, Germany, for her project Teach for Gender Equality. She previously founded the Advocacy on Women’s Education and Empowerment (AWE) Project, a capacity-building leadership development project for young women social work students and professionals in the Philippines’ Davao region. In 2019, she began the Social Work Program at the Southern Philippines Agribusiness Marine and Aquatic School of Technology. She is frequently invited to give presentations as a resource person on Gender Responsive Case Management, Gender Sensitivity, Handling Violence Against Women, and Creating Safe Spaces.

Mr. Semih Yararoglu graduated from Kocaeli University, and received his MA degree at Yeditepe University, Department of English Language and Literature in July, 2022. Also, he pursues his doctorate in the same department at Yeditepe University. His current academic interests are gender (queer) studies in English literature, philosophy and rewritings.

Mr. José Baptista has a Masters in Organizational and Work Psychology from the University of Coimbra. He is a PhD Candidate in HR Development Policies at the University of Lisbon, studying the integration of trans people in the labour market in Portugal. His main areas of interest are D&I and LGBTQIA+ Studies.

Ms. Corinna Canali is currently a research associate and PhD candidate at UdK Berlin/Weizenbaum Institut, working with multidisciplinary methodologies developed from critical theory and artistic practice, after an MPhil at UCL’s History of Art Department. Her research traverses digital technologies, gender and sexual bias, censorship, biopolitics, and visual culture studies.

Ms.Hanane Benchama holds an MA in English literature and civilization. In 2020, she joined the university of Strathclyde as a PhD student. Her PhD was funded by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Her main focus is on (comparative)literature, translation, feminist studies, gender studies and violence, and film studies. For the last two years, Hanane worked as a tutor of Arabic and Art in Glasgow. Hanane is currently analysing Algerian films and novels.

Ms.Wirunphat Manitsorasak is currently a PhD candidate at the College of population studies of Chulalongkorn university. She has experience in academic research and population studies. Wirunphat is passionate about exploring new tools with which social papers can be analyzed and seeking new opportunities to expand her academic network.” Please kindly find the photo attached.

Ms.Cecilia Heil is a graduate student of Gender Studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, after previously completing a Bachelor and Master in Global and Comparative Philosophy. She is interested in theoretical and practical approaches to creating inclusive and accessible environments, for instance for queer bodies in binary gendered spaces.

Khadija Karimi, with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and women’s studies A master’s student in women’s studies in Iran and training manager in an online institution. Interested in researching Afghan women. Winner of two international essay prizes. School principal and women’s rights activist in Afghanistan. When the Taliban attacked Afghanistan, she came to Iran.

Ms. Arpita Wadhwa is a Senior Research Associate at J-PAL South Asia, where she works on generating evidence for policies through rigorous field-based research. She read Political Science and International Relations at Ashoka University, and has been published by multiple journals including E-IR and Yale. Her research interests include digital democracy, political violence, and critical theory.

Mrs. Joyce Pires is currently a doctoral student in Social Sciences at the São Paulo State University, Faculty of Philosophy and Sciences of Marília (UNESP), where she develops research with FAPESP support. Her research interest is especially related to feminist field studies of gender and religion.

Mr.Alexandre Almeida is a PhD candidate at the Doctoral Program in Cultural Studies at the University of Aveiro (Portugal). Researcher at the Languages, Literatures and Cultures Research Centre (CLLC/UA) with a scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UI/BD/151280/2021). His academic interests intersect Cultural Studies and Queer Studies.

Topic: Cross-Cultural Sexual Encounters & Sexual Migration

Keynote Speaker

Assistant Professor, Dr. Jessie André, PhD, LCSW-S, MEd, is a clinical social worker, professor, and sexuality advocate. Born in Port-au-Prince, she cites her experiences as a first-generation immigrant as having profound impact in both her professional and personal experiences. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Jessie leaned into her calling as a social worker and graduated from Temple University with an MSW. Like a lot of things in Dr. Andre’s life, after a chance interaction while working with juvenile sex offenders in Philadelphia, she found a PhD program that combined a topic that she has been passionate about since she was 7, sexuality & education.

In her career Dr. André has practiced micro, mezzo and macro social work in North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. Dr. André ‘s approach to health, mental health, and sexual health stems from a holistic and inclusive approach. Her work aims to address the unique sexual and cultural needs of first- generation immigrants and people with bicultural identities. She is currently an Assistant Professor at Our Lady of the Lake University in the Worden School of Social Service and developing her clinical mental health private practice catering to clients with bicultural identities and sexuality related concerns.

Dr. Zsuzsa F. Lassú PhD is an associate professor of Psychology at Eötvös Loránd University and also a practising sexual psychologist working with childhood sexual trauma survivors. Her academic interest and counseling practice both focus on importance of sexual education in childhood sexual abuse prevention.

Dr. Cecilia Herles, the Assistant Director of the Institute for Women’s Studies, earned her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Georgia. She is the recipient of the Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award, the Creative Teaching Award, and the Sustainable UGA Outstanding Faculty Award.

Dr. Maria Aragonés-González is a Doctor in Gender Studies from the University of Alicante; Social worker; Master in Equality and Gender (Jaume I University). Her current Position is Gender Equality Technician at the Mancomunitat Marina Baixa; and external collaborator in the project: Women in Health Sciences Research (University of Valencia). Also, her areas of Interests are Promotion of gender equality through education.

Dr. Robert O’Mochain is an Associate Professor at Ritsumeikan University’s College of International Relations in Kyoto. His doctoral thesis focused on masculinities and the experiences of LGBT+ stakeholders in education. He is an applicant for an Open Research Area (ORA) for Social Sciences grant to research issues surrounding voyeuristic sexual harassment.

Dr. Gavan Patrick Gray is a Professor at Tsuda University’s College of Policy Studies in Tokyo, Japan. He is currently engaged in a Japanese government-supported, research-project comparing responses to gender violence in Japan and other countries. Other research interests include language acquisition, international security, and political propaganda.

Dr. Helena Louhela is a postdoctoral researcher in Gender Studies, University of Oulu, Finland. Her research focuses on a sexual violence experienced by children and youth. Louhela develops the conceptual framework further by tackling the multi-layered relational aspect of sexual violence, sexual consenting and sexual risky behaviour among adolescent girls.

Dr. Giuseppina Scotto di Carlo is currently researcher in English Linguistics at the University of Naples “L’Orientale” (Italy). Her research interests cover institutional discourse, gender studies, and science popularisation. Among her works: A Discourse Analysis of the ‘Trumpusconi’ Phenomenon: Is Trump our contemporary Berlusconi? (CSP 2021) and “An Analysis of Self-Other Representations in the Incelosphere: Between online misogyny and self-contempt” (Discourse & Society 2022).

Assistant Professor Natanaree Posrithong has obtained her Ph.D. from the Australian National University, Australia with the awarded Mahidol Scholarship. Her recent publications have been focused on pivotal roles and voices of women in politics of contemporary Thailand. She is currently teaching gender studies and serves as Program Director at Mahidol University International College, Thailand.

Dr. Ly Quyet Tien is a Lecturer and Researcher at Eastern International University (Binh Duong), Doctor Ly Quyet Tien has been guest lecturer at many universities in Vietnam. He holds bachelor’s degrees in History & in English from University of Social Sciences and Humanities. He also holds M.A. degrees in FLE from University of Rouen, in Vietnam History from the Southern Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCMC. In 2008, he received his Ph.D. in Oriental Studies and Humanities from University of Paris 7- Diderot. Specialist in Vietnamese studies, he has participated as presenter in international conferences since 2014

Dr. Maria Nikkie Saldivar Hodgson is a native of the Rio Grande Valley and currently resides on South Padre Island, Texas, USA. She has a Ph.D. in Business and Leadership Studies and has over 30 years of experience in higher education in the Rio Grande Valley. Her roles in higher education have included faculty, student enrollment, student retention, recruitment, employee development and training, organizational development, and organizational operations as director, executive director and associate Vice President. She returned to the classroom as a professor of communication studies Fall of 2016. Her research interest are gender studies, nonverbal communication studies, small group communication, mother-daughter relationships, etc. She is a first-time children’s book author of “Ricky the Raindrop” and is currently working on a sequel. In addition to her passion for writing, she provides consulting services to local businesses and non-profits in the RGV. She is involved in her community by serving as a board member for the Glady’s Porter Zoo and Sea Turtle, Inc. and in her spare time, she enjoys yoga, running, hiking, gardening and most importantly, spending time with her two young adult children, Giselle and Miguel.

Dr. Fatma Yaşın-Tekizoğlu, Ph.D., now is in the Department of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh as a post-doc researcher and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Ankara Medipol University. Her work focuses on gender, manhood, dehumanization and sexual aggression.

Dr. Sucharita Majiis an assistant professor (Psychology) at the Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad. She received her doctoral degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India. Her research interest broadly lies in the area of the social psychology of gender. Her recent projects incorporate topics such as 1. Cyberbullying experienced by LGBT youth in India, 2. Workplace discrimination experienced by Indian LGBT youth, and 3. Gender in STEM education.

Prof. Dr. Ruth Lucas-Dominguez is Doctor in Pharmacy from the University of Valencia (UV) (2002).Since 2018 she is associate professor in the Department of History of Science and Information Science (Faculty of Medicine, UV). Currently her research is developed in the field of scientific activity evaluation, data sharing and gender studies.

Dr. Letsoalo Daniel is a Clinical Psychologist and a Lecturer at the North-West University in South Africa. He holds B.A., B.A. Hons, M.A. (Clinical Psychology) and Doctorate. Areas of interest are Mental Health, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and Sexuality.

Dr. Sibusiso Mkwananzi is a Demographer and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Gender Studies at the University of South Africa. She holds a PhD in Demography, Masters in Epidemiology & Biostatistics, postgraduate qualifications in gender, public policy and analysis, project management, marketing management, and employee health and wellness, as well as an undergraduate degree in Dentistry. Her research interests include SRHR, youth-related studies, GBV, menstruation, teenage pregnancy, the application of quantitative research methods to contextual analysis of phenomena as well as the health of vulnerable populations.

Ms. Anna Caterino holds a BA and MA in European and American languages and literatures. She specialized in English literature and is now pursuing a PhD in Shakespeare studies at Milan State University. Her research interests include: Early Modern drama, Early Modern medical diatribes, Anglo-American poetry, and Eric Kripke’s Supernatural.

Ms. Brigitta Tóth is currently assistant professor and PhD student at Faculty of Primary and Pre-school Education in Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) Budapest, Hungary. Her research project is about parents’ views on pre-school children’s gender socialisation and media consumption, focusing on Disney Princess movies.Her areas of Interest are pre-school children, gender differences, media culture, social learning

Ms. Mikayla Roell graduated Spring 2022 with her Master of Arts in Communication from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas, USA. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She also have a bachelor’s in media arts from Texas A&M-Corpus-Christi with a 3.95 GPA. She was a student athlete while being an undergraduate and graduate student.She ran four total years of Division I track. She was a sprinter, so She ran the 100, 200, and the 4X1 relay. Being a part of track team for over a decade, has made her think about if she would possibly want to coach the sport within her future.

Mrs.Ranin Daas is a high school educational counselor and a Ph.D student at the Department of Education at Ben Gurion University, Israel. Her Ph.D thesis examines how Arab educational counselors perceive and work with LBGT adolescents and how they negotiate Western, individual professional norms in a conservative, collectivist society.

Ms. Lukyantseva Polina A. is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, The Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University (Japan) & had Master’s degree, same university, and same department. She has a Bachelor’s degree at Ryukoku University (Japan), The Department of Intercultural Communications. She is currently, work as a “global leader” for the international project “Global Citizenship Program Kurdistan” and the local ISA program in Japan (focusing on SDG5 discussing and teaching high school students about gender inequality and gender-related problems in Japanese society) Her areas of Interest: Two of my most significant interests are gender-related problems and the problem of DV in international marriages in Japan. I love reading about the history of feminism in Japan and reading novels of Japanese female authors like Enchi Fumiko, Tsushima Yuko, and others.

Mr. Jiru Zeng (Edward) is a Yenching Scholar of Peking University with research interests in identity & body politics and women’s political participation. He also had a first-class Bachelor’s degree at Beijing Foreign Studies University in journalism. Meanwhile, he was a member of Peking – Lund joint master’s programme in Human Rights, and a visiting student at Lancaster University. Now, he served as an assistant to Lanyuan Centre for Women Studies at Peking University.

Ms.Salome Thomas have completed post graduate and post graduate diploma in research at Christ (Deemed to be University). She has done her bachelors in Sociology from Stella Maris Chennai and her schooling from Sishya, Chennai. Her area of studies is gender divide in workspace and households, women empowerment, women and child rights.

Mrs.Birgit Schoeppl Fischer, is an Executive PhD Student at the University of Antwerp. She is researching the gender quotas in the corporate context and their impact on gender equality in corporations. She started her academic endeavors at the University of Vienna and University of Santa Clara. Currently she is a Sales Director at a multinational FMCG corporation based in Austria.

Mr.Melusi Mntungwa is a Communications and Gender Lecturer at the University of South Africa. He is currently reading for his PhD on Queer sonic cultures and communities in South Africa. His areas of interest are Black queer identities, visibilities, subjectivities and media representations of the Black queer experience.

Mrs. Huan Xie’ s research interests focus on gender studies on television and social media, with a specialization on female teenager happiness on live-stream variety shows. She now works as a lecturer at Pingxiang university and continues to conduct research on the teenager social media usage, especially their well-being and self-perception in China.

Mr. Melvin Shery graduated with an average CGPA of 9.00 and ranked 2nd in the batch. He has also worked with professors of renowned institutes of India like TISS. His research focuses on the life of transgenders and the policies implemented for their welfare in the state of Kerala, India.

Mr.Gilson Oliveira da Silva Junior is a Business Administration undergraduate at the University of São Paulo, and a Law undergraduate at the University of Ribeirão Preto. Also, he is a scientific researcher with a scolarship by the brazilian governmental institution ‘Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico’ (CNPq).

Miss. Yang Yiyun (Yolanda) is a Yenching Scholar of Peking University with research interests in social inequalities and intimate relationships. She received her bachelor ‘s degree from Beijing Foreign Studies University, where she majored in English and international studies. She also dedicates herself to community service, social entrepreneurship, and leadership development.

Mr. Marton Viktor Zala is a PhD student at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. His research topic is sex education in Hungary (experiences and beliefs of the actors). He learnt at the University of Pecs and ELTE, Hungary, University of Salford, UK. He is a psychologist, focuses on sexual psychology.

Ms. Lee Moon-Woo is a Ph.D. student at Yonsei University, South Korea. Her master thesis was about 1980s Korean queer films and she keeps studying Korean contemporary queer films. She works with Seoul International Pride Film Festival and published Korean Queer Film History and Korean Lesbian Film History.

Ms.Sanjana Chakraborty, Bachelors (2013-2016) and Masters (2016-2018) of Arts in English from Banaras Hindu University, India, NET (2019), is a Research Scholar in Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of National Institute of Technology Sikkim, India under the guidance of Dr. Dhananjay Tripathi. The field of interest is Gender Studies, Masculinity Studies, South Asian Literature, LGBTQA+ Studies.

Mr. Elio Iannacci is an award-winning arts reporter and graduate student at York University whose research interests include ethnomusicology and gender studies. Iannacci has contributed to more than 80 publications worldwide, profiling icons such as Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin and Beyoncé. He is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.