Past Speakers
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She is a distinguished scholar and industry expert in communication and public relations. She is a Volunteer lecturer and researcher at the University of The Gambia’s School of Journalism and Digital Media and a Visiting Professor at SUPdeCo Global Business School Banjul Campus. With a PhD and BSc in Mass Communication and an MSc in Political Science, she brings over 20 years of industry experience. A Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, her research interests include journalismand digital media, public relations, science communication, business communication, and political communication.
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Dr. Sukawarsini Djelantik is a Professor of International Relations at Parahyangan Catholic University in Indonesia. She received her Ph.D. from Flinders University and Master of International Studies (M.Int.S) from The University of Sydney, both in Australia. Her research interests are international communication, traditional and non-traditional securities issues (terrorism, migration, gender). Her recent books are “The Dynamic and Challenges in Indo-Pacific region” (2024). She teaches at graduate and undergraduate level in the subject of International Relations in Indo-Pacific Region, International Relations in East Asia, International Communication and Media, Diplomacy, International Terrorism and Conflict and Development.
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Shen Yundi graduated in 2024 from the Shanghai Theatre Academy with a degree in Dramatic Literature, specializing in Theatre and Film Studies. Her studies included courses in playwriting and theatre theory, enhancing her creative and analytical skills. For her undergraduate thesis, she conducted an in-depth analysis of Henrik Ibsen’s works, exploring their themes and socio-cultural significance. This research enriched her understanding of dramatic structure and narrative techniques. Shen Yundi’s academic background equips her with a strong foundation for both scholarly research and creative endeavors in the field of dramatic literature.
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Gao Jingtong is an undergraduate student majoring in digital media art at Beijing Film Academy. Her research interests include cultural studies, gender studies, digital media, etc. At 22, her works have received international recognition, including the gold medal at the Busan International Art Festival.
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Marija Gombar is a Science and Development Officer at the Croatian Defense Academy “Dr. Franjo Tuđman”. She is a PhD candidate in Media and Communication Studies, focusing on developing a new media theory through strategic communication in military, corporate, and broader societal contexts.
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William Adebayo Aderanti is the CEO of GLV Communications and a business correspondent at INVICTA FM Kaduna; he is also a visiting lecturer at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji. William canvasses for professionalism in the media, he has presented research papers both locally and internationally and he is a Masters Degree holder from Kaduna State University.
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Research focuses on the use of social media for decolonization efforts in post-Soviet countries. She presented her research at international conferences, including IAMCR 2024 in New Zealand. She is the author of several books in Kazakh and the founder of Kazunite, a company that owns the first Kazakh online newspaper in the USA.
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Bo Yu Zhang is in his last year of a Cinematography bachelor degree at the Beijing Film Academy. His passion for film ignited in high school, and he has been practicing filming techniques since then. His latest work has won several film festival awards, including the Los Angeles Film Festival, the Latitude Film Awards, and the British International Film Festival.
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Danish Shaikh is an award-winning HR leader specializing in Organizational Development, Talent Management, and Inclusion. He holds an MBA in Human Resources from and heads the HR Centre of Excellence at ACG Capsules. Danish has been recognized as Asia HR Director of the Year, a 40 Under 40 honoree, and has received multiple awards for HR, DEI, and OD. Currently pursuing a PhD in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior, he integrates research-driven strategies to enhance organizational effectiveness and workplace inclusion.
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Yujia Zhu is a seasoned social entrepreneur, business strategist, and a trailblazing Woman in STEM with over 12 years of experience in the humanitarian sector. She is the sole founder of For A Safer Space (FASS), a federally registered Canadian nonprofit, and the visionary creator of FASSLING AI Platform (Fassling.ai)—the world’s first comprehensive, all-in-one AI platform for human care services. At just 25, Yujia established a scholarship at University of Toronto in her name to support international students from China, further demonstrating her commitment to education and social impact. Currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Sofia University, Yujia is a strategic disruptor, life explorer, curious student, and resilient survivor. As a multifaceted social entrepreneur, business strategy advisor, executive coach, and philanthropist, she brings a unique blend of experience and insight to her work. She embraces her identity as a perfectly imperfect human being with a deep commitment to innovation, ethics, and social impact. Her areas of interest span religion, spirituality, business ethics, industrial-organizational psychology, socialcybernetics, social entrepreneurship, asexuality, human-centered interaction, psychology, and holistic human care. Yujia’s leadership is guided by a unique fusion of technical expertise, ethical insight, and strategic vision, with a strong commitment to fostering inclusivity, promoting restorative justice, and building sustainable, mission-driven organizations. Through her work, Yujia exemplifies integrity, creativity, and an unwavering dedication to achieving transformative outcomes—challenging the status quo and redefining what is possible in the intersection of technology, ethics, and social innovation.
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A seasoned media and communications specialist with nearly two decades of experience across traditional and digital platforms, she has led some of the most impactful projects in India over the past decade. With a sharp strategic mind and a deep passion for storytelling, she excels in crafting compelling narratives and producing high-quality visual content. Her academic journey reflects her dedication to excellence—earning a university rank in her Master’s program. Beyond her professional pursuits, she is an avid reader with an insatiable curiosity for the world. A true explorer at heart, she has traveled across all continents, immersing herself in diverse cultures and perspectives, always seeking new stories to tell and experiences to share.
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Nikita Nalivko holds an MA in International Relations and is currently a PhD student at The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, conducting research at the Institute of Political Science and Administration. His academic interests include Russia, the post-Soviet space, disinformation, and media. He has presented at international conferences, including on cybersecurity dynamics in the Russia-Ukraine war, and has authored publications on Russia’s relations with de facto states.
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He is a 4th-year PhD student at the University of California San Diego in the United States studying communication. His research focuses on depictions of people of color in American media, and how the depictions influence social aspects such as healthcare, legislation, the labor force, and education. He is currently writing a textbook for the University Press of Mississippi regarding his analyses of popular culture.
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She is a Digital Media Researcher specialising in the intersections of media, technology, and society. She holds a PhD in Digital Media from the University of the Arts London through Falmouth University (2020-2024). Her work investigates the confluence of governance, media technologies, and human rights, focusing on freedom of speech, digital authoritarianism, and the incorporation of AI into global regulatory frameworks. She explores critical issues such as disinformation, the regulation of digital platforms, and information ethics. Her research contributes to global initiatives aimed at tackling systemic challenges in safeguarding freedom of speech.
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She is a researcher with a Master’s degree in International Corporate Communication and Media Management from the University of Applied Sciences Neu-Ulm. She is currently Chief Sales Officer at amoCRM. Her research focuses on the ethical implications of AI in journalism, especially media bias and transparency. Mariia has contributed to various media projects and has been recognised for her strategic insights and work in CRM optimisation. Areas of interest include AI ethics, media and public trust.
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She is a PhD candidate at Charles University, specializing in strategic communication and the role of women in public space. Her research explores the communication strategies of public institutions through discourse analysis, particularly in the context of reproductive rights and social policies. In addition to academia, she is active in municipal politics as a member of the Social Affairs Committee and the Security Commission of Prague 5. She advocates for projects supporting women, families, and access to public services. Lucie is also a mother of four, balancing academic, political, and family life.
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Dr. Nomatter Sande is a Research Associate in Social Anthropology and Migration Studies at the University of Glasgow (United Kingdom) and a Research Fellow in the Research Institute of Religion and Theology (RIIT) at the University of South Africa (South Africa). His research interests are migration, diaspora, disability, gender, and religion.
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He is a Senior Researcher at the Global Convergence Contents Research Center at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea. He holds a Ph.D. from Korea University, with a specialization in new media journalism approached through the framework of cultural studies. His research focuses on journalistic practices across emerging media platforms, with particular attention to YouTube. Dr. Lee is actively involved in academic associations for media and communication studies in South Korea and serves on the Democratic Party’s Special Committee on Media Policy, where he provides policy recommendations in response to the rapidly evolving political and media landscapes.
Dr. Ljupka Naumovska
Assistant professor and at Rennes Business School, France
Topic: The Rise of Native Advertising: perspectives, challenges, and regulations
She is a program director of the MSc Strategic and Digital Marketing Program. She is a respected educator, consultant, and life-long learner. She has spent much of her time making a difference in academia: as an assistant professor and as a visiting lecturer in Universities in Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, France and U.S. Her teaching focus is Digital and Integrated Marketing. Her research focus is Marketing to children: currents states and ethics. She was recently rewarded with Teaching Excellence Award by Rennes School of Business.
A significant portion of her nonacademic work is dedicated to consultancy in the field of digital marketing, institutional communications, political marketing, and PR, working as an expert and consultants for Governments & Governmental institutions, NGO’s and fast-growing businesses. But Ljupka’s impact goes far beyond the classroom. She is enthusiastically supportive of start-ups that constructively ‘move the planet forward’, and she is a consistent voice on the need for women to play a much larger role in all aspects of society. As a proud activist and feminist, and social justice supporter, she is compelled to campaign for global gender equality, inclusion, and social justice.
Session Chair
Jayne Rodgers, PhD, is Associate Professor, Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange, at Teesside University International Business School. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE), she is a communications scholar with a particular interest in the role of digital media in health decision-making. She also has extensive industry experience and has supported many businesses in developing their online presence through her work on the Google Digital Garage project.
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A Senior Lecturer, Head of Journalism & Radio Studies, School of Communication, Ariel University. A Research Fellow at the Institute for New Media Research, Ariel University, and the Media and Society research lab, Reichman University. An expert in developing and implementing innovative and relevant media concepts to the new media.
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He started his schooling at Cathedral Boys Primary School in Freetown. He continued his education at the Bullom Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary School, Lungi and later enrolled at the BlueCrest College Sierra Leone. At present he is waiting for his Diploma degree in Data management.
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Xiaoyi Sun, preferred name Lulu. She currently holds a MA degree in East Asian Studies. Her research interests focus on video games, particularly how they reshape society and culture. She is also engaged in media and film studies, as well as Chinese internet literature
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Nuhu Diraso Gapsiso is a Professor of Journalism and New Media at the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. He holds a PhD in Mass Communication. His research interests are in New Media, Gender, Human rights, Print Media and Journalism. He is a Consultant to many NGOs.
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Jiaxi Liu is a Master’s graduate in Media and Communication from Nanyang Technological
University, specializing in media psychology. With a strong focus on the psychological
impacts of AI and digital media, Jiaxi has conducted significant research on user interaction
and engagement. Experienced as a product manager at leading tech companies like Tencent,
Jiaxi has a proven track record in applying media psychology principles to enhance user
experience and satisfaction.
Assoc. Prof. Gül Esra Atalay
Üskudar University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism, Istanbul Turkey. Director of Ü.Ü. İLİMER
Topic: When Disaster Strikes: A Critical Analysis of the Media's Response to the Turkey Earthquake
Gül Esra Atalay gained her Ph.D. from the Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Journalism, Istanbul University, in 2014. In 2020, she obtained the title “associate professor” in the field of communication studies.
She has been working at Uskudar University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism in Istanbul, Turkey since 2016. At the same time, she is the director of Üskudar University “Human-Oriented Communication Application and Research Center” (ILIMER). She has been lecturing on sociology, sociology of communication, alternative journalism, and new media. Her research interests focus on journalism, new media, social media, and their interaction with society.
He received his PhD from Faculty of mass communication- Cairo University.
He has worked as a journalist for 22 years. He taught as assistant professor in a number of Yemeni universities. He has carried out many research about media and published them in the Arabic academic journals.
She is a teaching assistant at the National University, and a PhD student in West Asia. She worked as a news anchor on Al-Mustaqbal channel for 3 years. She got her master’s degree from the National University.
He is Yemeni researcher and journalist. He completed my bachelor’s degree from Sana’a University. He has worked in the field of journalism for 20 years. He is a member of the International Federation of Journalists. He is a head of the Studies Center at Al-Thawra Press Foundation (the largest Yemeni press institution). He published hundreds of newspaper articles and a number of academic studies. His interests are scientific research and literature.
Nisa Nur Celiktas is pursuing a master’s at SOAS, University of London. She is currently working on her master’s thesis on cultural hegemony and its relation with tv series on Turkish States channels. Her areas of interest lie in cultural anthropology, sociology of religion and especially the relationship between religion and cinema.
Melanie Borrego is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Global. Dr. Borrego is responsible for general education program development and student assessment. She also coordinates the Associate of Arts and BA in Applied Studies Degree programs.
Anastasia Karampela is a research associate at the University of Athens. She holds a master’s degree in Digital Communication Media and Interaction Environments and a bachelor’s in Communication and Media Studies. Her research interests are related to the integration of data science and ΑΙ technologies in the media field, more specifically AI for fake news detection, natural language processing, and data journalism.
Jiayu Chen (UW-Madison, B.S., University of Cambridge, M.Phil.) worked in multiple universities including NYUSH and FDU, also as a freelance designer and education consultant. Chen is currently working in Xiamen Institute of Technology, lecturing on Intercultural Communication. Her research interests focus on creativity, new media, and digitally mediated cultural experiences.
Juan Filipe Stacul is an Assistant Professor at the Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG – Brazil) and Local Representative of International Relations. He holds a Ph.D. in Brazilian Literature from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUC Minas). His areas of interest include feminist criticism, men’s studies, queer theory, contemporary Brazilian writers (such as Caio Fernando Abreu, Rubem Fonseca, and Miguel Maravilla), subjectivity, gender, and alterity.
Dr. Jaqueline Costa Ribeiro
Carrying out a PhD in Communications Science at the University of Coimbra, Portugal
Topic: NeuroNumbers – A volunteer mapping of censored content on social media
Jaqueline Costa Ribeiro is a producer, researcher and journalist who was born in Itapevi (São Paulo/Brazil). She graduated with an Arts degree in Television and Radio from University Bandeirante of São Paulo, where she also completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Television Communications. She moved to Dublin, Ireland in 2014, where she obtained a First-Class Honours Master’s degree in Journalism and Media Communications at Griffith College. While attending Griffith College, she collaborated on a magazine called Footprint that won the “Small Publication of the Year award” at the Irish National Student Media Awards (SMEDIAS), a fantastic achievement. Living in Ireland, she has also worked for The Irish Catholic newspaper. In addition, Jackie has completed extension courses in digital media, esthetics and communications, marketing, TV business and TV administration.
Jackie is currently carrying out a PhD in Communications Science at the University of Coimbra, Portugal where she is also launching a project called NeuroNumbers, which is a volunteer mapping (database) of censored content on social media.
Todd Allen is an Associate Professor at Kansai University, Japan, where he teaches courses in academic writing and intercultural communication. His research interests include sociopragmatics, intercultural education, and academic writing development.
Yixuan Ma is a multimedia practitioner and community activist. She is actively involved in sustainability practices in the public and private sectors as well as interdisciplinary media studies with an emphasis on feminism, anti-ageism, multiculturalism, and public welfare.
He has Masters of Arts (Media production), Coventry University, UK. Assistant Lecturer and website manager Cihan University Erbil. Lecturer at Media department and Director of Statistics & information bank, Erbil polytechnic to university.
She studied at University of Leicester under the guidance of Prof. Athina Karatzogianni and Prof. John Goodwin . Her research interests focus on Saudi women entrepreneurs using social media for empowerment in the workforce in the Saudi Arabia context, documenting Saudi women entrepreneurs’ presence in their work environment through environmental portraits; thesis title is ‘Environmental Portraits of Saudi Women Entrepreneurs: A Digital Ethnography Study on Instagram’. She worked as an educator in Abdul Latif Jameel Academy for women’s education and as a freelancer in the Media industry. Abeer holds a BA in Mass-Comm. Journalism from King Abdulaziz University, as well as an MA in Arts from Kingston University London. She participated in international art exhibitions, and she published two self-publications.
Jiaqi Yao is a student from Ningbo Tech University, China, majoring in Network and New Media. Her research interests include public relations, crisis communication, and media and society.
Maria Júlia Vieira has a Master in Communication, Networks and Technologies and a PhD student in New Media at the University of Aveiro in Portugal. His academic life is based on research within convergence culture, digital media, transmedia storytelling, video games and pop culture. In addition to currently working in the area of Digital Marketing and social media.
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