Leadership
Kristin Kopp
Director of IMSI and Associate Professor of German
Bio: Cultural historian studying histories of migration into and out of German-speaking lands.
Don Joseph
Associate Director of IMSI and PFFIE Postdoctoral Fellow
Bio: Literary and cultural studies scholar investigating questions of migration, masculinity, identity and subjectivity in contemporary queer Mediterranean literature, film, and sociopolitical movements.
Steering Committee
Sean Franzel
Professor of German and William H. Byler Distinguished Chair in the Humanities
Research: My research examines migrations to and from German-speaking Central Europe, including German and Austrian colonial and imperial discourses. It also focuses on strategies to address and overcome their enduring legacies today.
Melissa Hauber-Özer
Assistant Professor of Qualitative Inquiry
Bio: Qualitative methodologist and applied linguist specializing in community-based, participatory approaches to research on migration and second language acquisition.
Faculty and Student Fellows
Aída Guhlincozzi
Assistant Professor of Geography and Women’s and Gender Studies
Bio: Community and health geographer researching health care access issues for vulnerable populations, including Latina immigrant women, and autistic children in the state of Missouri.
Rasha Abousalem
Adjunct Instructor in Peace Studies; Humanitarian Aid Worker
Bio: Research includes: the sexual exploitation of unaccompanied boys in refugee camps; Humanitarian challenges in Gaza; human rights; International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
Omotayo Jemiluyi
Graduate Fellow
Bio: With a focus on the Nigerian diaspora, I explore how migration reshapes masculinities, intersects with (post)colonialism, and drives cultural survival and adaptation.
Affiliated Scholars
Haley Kranstuber Horstman
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Bio: Family communication scholar studying how romantic partners and families navigate adversity. Currently researching intergenerational storytelling in global families and communicated sense-making around miscarriage and adoption.
Lisa M. Dorner
Director of Cambio Center and Professor of Education
Bio: Currently researching intergenerational storytelling in global families and communicated sense-making around miscarriage and adoption.
Emily Crawford-Rossi
Associate Professor of Education
Bio: K-12 education immigration policy, and school leadership expert studying educational opportunities for newcomer and immigrant-background students and families
Natalia Filimonova
Visiting Professor and Economic Researcher
Bio: Development economist specializing in regional economic analysis and visualization. Currently working on creating a County Prosperity Index for Missouri, focusing on key economic and social indicators to support decision-making.
Jambul Akkaziev
Visiting Assistant Professor
Bio: Linguist teaching Russian language courses and student of US higher education policy. Currently studying the experiences of foreign-born educators in US academia.