Editorial Board
At Convergence Journal, our mission is to support young people in their goals to address complex social and
environmental challenges through rigorous research. We believe that experience with the research process is
crucial to building tomorrow’s leaders, ideas, and policies.
Our editorial board is made up of experienced academic researchers from across borders, approaches, and
backgrounds. We have partnered with The New York Academy of Sciences, an independent, not for profit
organization founded in 1817 that is committed to advancing science and technology for the benefit of
society. Together, we are unified in our belief in the importance of empowering young people to build
experience with academic work and the publication process – and providing a platform for voices which are
overwhelmingly ignored.
George Zifkos, PhD
Dr. Zifkos, a lecturer in Economics at the University of Leeds, specializes in Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development. With a background in the cultural sector, he has worked in education, events management, and public policy consulting. His Ph.D. research focused on sustainability within the music events industry. Dr. Zifkos is passionate about applying cultural organizations business models to other sectors and exploring creativity's role in sustainable development and international relations.
Ceyhun Elgin, PhD
Professor Elgin is a faculty member at Columbia University's Economics Department and a Professor of Economics at Bogazici University, Turkey. His research focuses on applied macroeconomics, economic growth, and political economics, particularly in the informal sector. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota and has held visiting positions at the IMF, World Bank, and Boston University.
Kimberly Clark, PhD
Dr. Clark is a lecturer and researcher at Dartmouth, renowned for her expertise in citizen attitudes and behavior, blending psychology and neuroscience. With a PhD from Dartmouth, she leads its pioneering Climate Communications Collaborative, using applied neuroscience to enhance climate messaging for diverse groups. As former Chief Research Officer at Merchant Mechanics, she conducted studies for Coca-Cola, Comedy Central, and the U.S. Department of Defense. She founded Dartmouth's first Consumer Neuroscience course and published in journals like Neuron and The Journal of Advertising Research, solidifying her reputation in both academic and industry research.
Hope McCoy, PhD
Hope K. McCoy is an Assistant Professor of Social Sciences at IIT Madras, Zanzibar, and an Assistant Professor & Program Director of Global Higher Education at Adelphi University in New York. Previously Dr. McCoy was a Lecturer at Stanford University in International Relations and in the Civic, Liberal, and Global Education program. McCoy's research agenda focuses on the sociocultural dimensions of development studies, with an emphasis on international education, global citizenship, and the role of cultural diplomacy in geopolitics. Dr. McCoy's first book (2023) entitled: 'From Congo to GONGO: Higher Education, Critical Geopolitics, and the New Red Scare' was one of the winners of the Peter Lang Emerging Scholars Competition in Black Studies. With a focus on Africa and Russia, this book traces the history of diplomacy between the two regions. A two-time Fulbright recipient (2015 to Russia, and 2025 to the British Virgin Islands) with multidisciplinary expertise, Dr. McCoy earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA.
George Zifkos, PhD
Dr. Zifkos, a lecturer in Economics at the University of Leeds, specializes in Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development. With a background in the cultural sector, he has worked in education, events management, and public policy consulting. His Ph.D. research focused on sustainability within the music events industry. Dr. Zifkos is passionate about applying cultural organizations business models to other sectors and exploring creativity's role in sustainable development and international relations.
Ceyhun Elgin, PhD
Professor Elgin is a faculty member at Columbia University's Economics Department and a Professor of Economics at Bogazici University, Turkey. His research focuses on applied macroeconomics, economic growth, and political economics, particularly in the informal sector. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota and has held visiting positions at the IMF, World Bank, and Boston University.
Kimberly Clark, PhD
Dr. Clark is a lecturer and researcher at Dartmouth, renowned for her expertise in citizen attitudes and behavior, blending psychology and neuroscience. With a PhD from Dartmouth, she leads its pioneering Climate Communications Collaborative, using applied neuroscience to enhance climate messaging for diverse groups. As former Chief Research Officer at Merchant Mechanics, she conducted studies for Coca-Cola, Comedy Central, and the U.S. Department of Defense. She founded Dartmouth's first Consumer Neuroscience course and published in journals like Neuron and The Journal of Advertising Research, solidifying her reputation in both academic and industry research.
Hope McCoy, PhD
Hope K. McCoy is an Assistant Professor of Social Sciences at IIT Madras, Zanzibar, and an Assistant Professor & Program Director of Global Higher Education at Adelphi University in New York. Previously Dr. McCoy was a Lecturer at Stanford University in International Relations and in the Civic, Liberal, and Global Education program. McCoy's research agenda focuses on the sociocultural dimensions of development studies, with an emphasis on international education, global citizenship, and the role of cultural diplomacy in geopolitics. Dr. McCoy's first book (2023) entitled: 'From Congo to GONGO: Higher Education, Critical Geopolitics, and the New Red Scare' was one of the winners of the Peter Lang Emerging Scholars Competition in Black Studies. With a focus on Africa and Russia, this book traces the history of diplomacy between the two regions. A two-time Fulbright recipient (2015 to Russia, and 2025 to the British Virgin Islands) with multidisciplinary expertise, Dr. McCoy earned a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from UCLA.
Jorge A. Avila, PhD
Dr. Avila is Assistant Director at UCLA's Undergraduate Research Centers, leading programs to develop underrepresented STEM researchers. With a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from CUNY, his research spans substance abuse models and technical advances in neuroscience. Dr. Avila is a strong advocate for collaborative research, with several publications and presentations at renowned conferences.
Kathryn Grive, PhD
Professor Grive is an Assistant Professor at Brown University, focusing on ovarian development and fertility preservation. She leads research on the reproductive impacts of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, aiming to improve fertility outcomes for women undergoing cancer treatment. Her work is backed by grants from the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality.
Amy Nguyen, PhD
Dr. Nguyen is a prominent digital health researcher specializing in aged care, general practice, and chronic disease. She leads pioneering work on My Health Record, telehealth, and mobile health apps, emphasizing usability and safe healthcare delivery. Dr. Nguyen is an Associate Editor for BMC Digital Health and BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making and is a key figure in co-design and stakeholder engagement for impactful health technology development.
Laila Shahzad, PhD
Dr. Laila Shahzad is a Climate Research and Policy Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, where she works on climate-resilient development and enabling policy environments across Commonwealth member states. She also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Chester, contributing to a flood-nature nexus research project. Dr. Shahzad has extensive experience working across South Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Americas. Her research on environmental sustainability, climate change, and disaster risk reduction is widely read and referenced in both academic and policy circles. She has over 15 years of experience spanning research, higher education, and international policy, and completed her postdoctoral research at University College London (UCL), UK. Her work is grounded in evidence-based policymaking and a strong commitment to inclusive and resilience-focused climate action.
Yi Wang, PhD
Dr. Y. Wang is a life science entrepreneur and was formerly a tenured Associate Professor at Indiana University. He holds a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Duke University, and did his postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University. His interdisciplinary research integrates health data science and biotechnology to address health deficiencies and disparities. Dr. Wang has extensive editorial experience, serving as a reviewer and an editorial board member for many top peer-reviewed journals. Passionate about mentorship, she has guided numerous emerging scholars from high school to postdoctoral levels, and he is eager to support the next generation of rigorous, young researchers at Convergence Journal.
Sandun Malpriya Silva, PhD
Dr. Silva is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, where he leads the technical development of digital health and informatics tools. He is a statistician and a health informatics researcher with specialised expertise in translational research in digital health and interpretable machine learning. Alongside his aged care innovations, Dr. Silva maintains ongoing research collaborations with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Research Centre by providing statistical expertise on projects examining prognostic biomarkers. Dr. Silva has also made significant contributions to academic teaching across University of Melbourne, Monash University, and Swinburne University of Technology.
Laura Dodds, PhD
Dr. Laura Dodds is a public health researcher specialising in dementia prevention, health equity, accessibility, and health promotion. With frontline experience in aged and disability care, she integrates behavioural and implementation science to improve health outcomes for underserved, under-resourced, and diverse populations. Her research has led the design and evaluation of multidomain interventions to enhance dementia awareness and reduce risk, particularly in rural communities. Laura is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and for empowering emerging researchers to address complex societal challenges through rigorous mixed-methods and consumer-informed research.
Jorge A. Avila, PhD
Dr. Avila is Assistant Director at UCLA's Undergraduate Research Centers, leading programs to develop underrepresented STEM researchers. With a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from CUNY, his research spans substance abuse models and technical advances in neuroscience. Dr. Avila is a strong advocate for collaborative research, with several publications and presentations at renowned conferences.
Kathryn Grive, PhD
Professor Grive is an Assistant Professor at Brown University, focusing on ovarian development and fertility preservation. She leads research on the reproductive impacts of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, aiming to improve fertility outcomes for women undergoing cancer treatment. Her work is backed by grants from the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality.
Amy Nguyen, PhD
Dr. Nguyen is a prominent digital health researcher specializing in aged care, general practice, and chronic disease. She leads pioneering work on My Health Record, telehealth, and mobile health apps, emphasizing usability and safe healthcare delivery. Dr. Nguyen is an Associate Editor for BMC Digital Health and BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making and is a key figure in co-design and stakeholder engagement for impactful health technology development.
Laila Shahzad, PhD
Dr. Laila Shahzad is a Climate Research and Policy Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, where she works on climate-resilient development and enabling policy environments across Commonwealth member states. She also serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Chester, contributing to a flood-nature nexus research project. Dr. Shahzad has extensive experience working across South Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Americas. Her research on environmental sustainability, climate change, and disaster risk reduction is widely read and referenced in both academic and policy circles. She has over 15 years of experience spanning research, higher education, and international policy, and completed her postdoctoral research at University College London (UCL), UK. Her work is grounded in evidence-based policymaking and a strong commitment to inclusive and resilience-focused climate action.
Yi Wang, PhD
Dr. Y. Wang is a life science entrepreneur and was formerly a tenured Associate Professor at Indiana University. He holds a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Duke University, and did his postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University. His interdisciplinary research integrates health data science and biotechnology to address health deficiencies and disparities. Dr. Wang has extensive editorial experience, serving as a reviewer and an editorial board member for many top peer-reviewed journals. Passionate about mentorship, she has guided numerous emerging scholars from high school to postdoctoral levels, and he is eager to support the next generation of rigorous, young researchers at Convergence Journal.
Sandun Malpriya Silva, PhD
Dr. Silva is a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, where he leads the technical development of digital health and informatics tools. He is a statistician and a health informatics researcher with specialised expertise in translational research in digital health and interpretable machine learning. Alongside his aged care innovations, Dr. Silva maintains ongoing research collaborations with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Research Centre by providing statistical expertise on projects examining prognostic biomarkers. Dr. Silva has also made significant contributions to academic teaching across University of Melbourne, Monash University, and Swinburne University of Technology.
Laura Dodds, PhD
Dr. Laura Dodds is a public health researcher specialising in dementia prevention, health equity, accessibility, and health promotion. With frontline experience in aged and disability care, she integrates behavioural and implementation science to improve health outcomes for underserved, under-resourced, and diverse populations. Her research has led the design and evaluation of multidomain interventions to enhance dementia awareness and reduce risk, particularly in rural communities. Laura is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and for empowering emerging researchers to address complex societal challenges through rigorous mixed-methods and consumer-informed research.
Steve Bullock, PhD
Professor Bullock teaches at the University of Bristol and specializes in using drones for humanitarian and conservation purposes. He leads training for the WildDrone consortium and is an advocate for minimizing climate impact. Steve also hosts 'The Cosmic Shed' podcast and enjoys adventure racing.
Nisha Rawindaran, PhD
Dr. Nisha Rawindaran is a pracademic working at the intersection of emerging technologies and cybersecurity. Combining industry experience with academic insight, she lectures and helps develop future-ready cyber professionals. Her work bridges practice and research, focusing on real-world application and innovation. She is the creator of CyberDocWales, an Instagram platform for cybersecurity insights, and the author of the children's cyber book Byte and Firewall, now available on Amazon.
Yannis Delis, PhD
Ioannis Delis is an Assistant Professor at the National Technical University of Athens, where he works at the intersection of engineering and brain sciences. His research focuses on computational cognitive neuroscience and neural engineering, using quantitative methods to model and interpret biological and neural mechanisms. He has worked at the University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, and Columbia University, and is dedicated to mentoring students and supporting interdisciplinary research.
Taweewat Somboonpanyakul, PhD
Taweewat Somboonpanyakul is a lecturer in the Department of Physics at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. His research focuses on observational astrophysics, particularly galaxy clusters and the interactions between brightest cluster galaxies and their surrounding medium. He previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University. He earned a BA in Physics with a specialization in astrophysics from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Physics from MIT. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of astronomers, from high school to graduate students, and is actively involved in public talks and science outreach in astrophysics.
Feiyuan Long, PhD
Dr. Feiyuan Long is a Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Capital City College, London, UK, where she teaches across Higher Education Engineering Degrees and Apprenticeship programmes. She holds a BA from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, an MSc from City University of Hong Kong, and a PhD from Loughborough University (2023), specialising in 3D printing applications for microwave communication systems. Her research spans microwave engineering, leaky-wave antennas, substrate-integrated waveguides, and high-frequency filter design. A member of the Microwave Transmission research team since 2018, she also has served as a reviewer for the Convergence Journal and IJSHR.
Steve Bullock, PhD
Professor Bullock teaches at the University of Bristol and specializes in using drones for humanitarian and conservation purposes. He leads training for the WildDrone consortium and is an advocate for minimizing climate impact. Steve also hosts 'The Cosmic Shed' podcast and enjoys adventure racing.
Nisha Rawindaran, PhD
Dr. Nisha Rawindaran is a pracademic working at the intersection of emerging technologies and cybersecurity. Combining industry experience with academic insight, she lectures and helps develop future-ready cyber professionals. Her work bridges practice and research, focusing on real-world application and innovation. She is the creator of CyberDocWales, an Instagram platform for cybersecurity insights, and the author of the children's cyber book Byte and Firewall, now available on Amazon.
Yannis Delis, PhD
Ioannis Delis is an Assistant Professor at the National Technical University of Athens, where he works at the intersection of engineering and brain sciences. His research focuses on computational cognitive neuroscience and neural engineering, using quantitative methods to model and interpret biological and neural mechanisms. He has worked at the University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, and Columbia University, and is dedicated to mentoring students and supporting interdisciplinary research.
Taweewat Somboonpanyakul, PhD
Taweewat Somboonpanyakul is a lecturer in the Department of Physics at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. His research focuses on observational astrophysics, particularly galaxy clusters and the interactions between brightest cluster galaxies and their surrounding medium. He previously held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) at Stanford University. He earned a BA in Physics with a specialization in astrophysics from the University of Chicago and a PhD in Physics from MIT. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of astronomers, from high school to graduate students, and is actively involved in public talks and science outreach in astrophysics.
Feiyuan Long, PhD
Dr. Feiyuan Long is a Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Capital City College, London, UK, where she teaches across Higher Education Engineering Degrees and Apprenticeship programmes. She holds a BA from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, an MSc from City University of Hong Kong, and a PhD from Loughborough University (2023), specialising in 3D printing applications for microwave communication systems. Her research spans microwave engineering, leaky-wave antennas, substrate-integrated waveguides, and high-frequency filter design. A member of the Microwave Transmission research team since 2018, she also has served as a reviewer for the Convergence Journal and IJSHR.
Benjamin Goldstein
Mr. Goldstein graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University in History and is completing his MPhil at Cambridge. A Fulbright Fellow, he has conducted research in American foreign relations and extensively tutored students in historical writing for prestigious competitions like the Concord Review.
Mathilde Bonvalot
Ms. Bonvalot is a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University, specializing in the History of Art and Architecture. She has taught undergraduate courses in Art History and Architectural History, while conducting research in Boston and Milan. She mentors students worldwide and frequently travels between her native France and Italy.
Benjamin Goldstein
Mr. Goldstein graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University in History and is completing his MPhil at Cambridge. A Fulbright Fellow, he has conducted research in American foreign relations and extensively tutored students in historical writing for prestigious competitions like the Concord Review.
Mathilde Bonvalot
Ms. Bonvalot is a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University, specializing in the History of Art and Architecture. She has taught undergraduate courses in Art History and Architectural History, while conducting research in Boston and Milan. She mentors students worldwide and frequently travels between her native France and Italy.
Jonas Katona
Jonas Katona is a PhD candidate in the Applied Mathematics Program at Yale University. His research lies at the interface between multiple fields of quantitative science—largely scientific computing, uncertainty quantification, applied dynamical systems, and applied statistics in geophysics and engineering. He was an intern for two summers at NASA Langley Research Center and a visiting student researcher for 1.5 years at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He has facilitated, taught, or helped teach several undergraduate courses at UC Berkeley and Yale University, and through Indigo Research and other programs, he mentors K-12 students in various quantitative research projects and programs. He has also actively participated in leadership for multiple service-oriented organizations, such as Cal Rotaract and Berkeley Engineers & Mentors.
Jing Shi, PhD
Dr. Shi is an experienced researcher, educator and clinician in health sciences. Her primary research focuses on digital well-being and video gaming. She has been invited to speak at international panels, including the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions and Tencent's Games and Tech Roundtable, and contributed to several highly cited international publications on video gaming, gambling and problematic behaviors. She has served as an Assistant Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (Rehabilitation Science Institute) and an MSc in occupational therapy from McMaster University.
Yehuda Silverman, PhD
Dr. Silverman teaches at Northwestern University's Civic Education Project. He is also the Peacebuilding Advisor at Acquaint, a global human connection platform, and a Jill Knox Peace Through Humor Fellow with the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. He additionally serves as a Facilitator for World Learning and Civic Synergy and has a certificate in Intercultural Dialogue from the UN Habitat. His Ph.D. is in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, and his research focuses on conflict prevention and transformation, particularly utilizing autoethnography. He is a recipient of numerous fellowships, including three from the United Nations.
Jonas Katona
Jonas Katona is a PhD candidate in the Applied Mathematics Program at Yale University. His research lies at the interface between multiple fields of quantitative science—largely scientific computing, uncertainty quantification, applied dynamical systems, and applied statistics in geophysics and engineering. He was an intern for two summers at NASA Langley Research Center and a visiting student researcher for 1.5 years at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He has facilitated, taught, or helped teach several undergraduate courses at UC Berkeley and Yale University, and through Indigo Research and other programs, he mentors K-12 students in various quantitative research projects and programs. He has also actively participated in leadership for multiple service-oriented organizations, such as Cal Rotaract and Berkeley Engineers & Mentors.
Jing Shi, PhD
Dr. Shi is an experienced researcher, educator and clinician in health sciences. Her primary research focuses on digital well-being and video gaming. She has been invited to speak at international panels, including the International Conference on Behavioral Addictions and Tencent's Games and Tech Roundtable, and contributed to several highly cited international publications on video gaming, gambling and problematic behaviors. She has served as an Assistant Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. She holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (Rehabilitation Science Institute) and an MSc in occupational therapy from McMaster University.
Yehuda Silverman, PhD
Dr. Silverman teaches at Northwestern University's Civic Education Project. He is also the Peacebuilding Advisor at Acquaint, a global human connection platform, and a Jill Knox Peace Through Humor Fellow with the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. He additionally serves as a Facilitator for World Learning and Civic Synergy and has a certificate in Intercultural Dialogue from the UN Habitat. His Ph.D. is in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, and his research focuses on conflict prevention and transformation, particularly utilizing autoethnography. He is a recipient of numerous fellowships, including three from the United Nations.
Convergence Journal 2026