Plamen Akaliyski holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Oslo and an MA from Free University Berlin. Prior to joining Lingnan University in August 2023, he was a postdoctoral researcher at University Carlos III of Madrid and Keio University in Tokyo. His research focuses on understanding cultural differences between contemporary societies, considering the role of historical legacies and socio-economic modernization. Having lived in nine countries over the past 17 years and traveled through many others, he draws on direct experience with everyday cultural differences—not just abstract theory and big data. Growing up in a post-communist society has also shaped his intellectual outlook, characterized by a healthy dose of skepticism toward established authority and a strong commitment to independent thinking. He serves as an Associate Editor in European Societies and an Early Career Representative for the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology.

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Research Assistant

Regina is a psychology graduate with a Master's in Applied Psychology from the University of Melbourne. She is involved in both academic and applied research, with a strong interest in cross-cultural and behavioral psychology. She is assisting on the project of the relationship between individualism-collectivism and cooperation/prosociality.

Research Assistant

 Shannon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science. Her interests lie in gender equality and the role of technology in promoting literacy. She has experience writing about the impact of the IISMA scholarship and is currently assisting with literature reviews for ongoing research projects.

YE Chengyu is currently an undergraduate student at Lingnan University, majoring in Translation with minors in Economics and Political Science. His interests encompass exploring cultural differences through the lens of linguistic nuances, both theoretically and empirically.