Committee Members

Ziporas Shechtman, Ph.D, Professor (Emerita), Department of Counseling and Human Development, Haifa University, Israel.E-mail: ziporas@edu.haifa.ac.ilDr. Shechtman is a clinician and researcher in Group psychotherapy, focusing on children, adolescents, parents, and teachers.She has published over 130 scientific papers and book chapters and four books.A fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the recipients of the Group Psychologist of the 2015 Year Award from APA.A distinguished fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association.Past associate editor of Group Dynamic: Theory, Research, and Practice (APA journal) and an active reviewer for many journals.

Prof. Julie Cwikel has completed her PhD at University of Michigan Department of Health
Education nand Health Behavior of the School of Public Health. She is the founder and director of
the BGU Center for Women’s Health Studies and Promotion and a social epidemiologist. She has
published more than 130 peer reviewed papers, 6 edited books and the single author textbook:
Social Epidemiology – Strategies for Public Health Activism (Columbia University Press, 2006).
She is a co-founder, together with Dr. Dan Vilenchik of VOXWELL.ai. – an innovative AI-based
triage tool for the early identification of symptoms of depression or anxiety using a short voice
sample.

Emiliano Gonzalez Sanchez is a medical student at Universidad Autónoma de Chiaps
(UNACH), currently in his final years of training. He ha salgo co-authored several abstracts
and posters presented at international conferences, including the Congress of Neurological
Surgeons (CNS). He i salso co-author of one published article and. Continues to expand his
academic potfolio in neuroscience, sleep, and neurodegenerative diseases. He has participated
in research training at the Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía in Mexico City, and
actively contributes to student-led initiatives such as the American Association of Neurological
Surgeons Medical Student Chapter UNACH.

Dr. Lisa Pavinato is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), SwitzeUniversity of Turin, Italyrland. She earned her PhD in Medical Genetics from the University of Turin, where her research focused on the genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Her work uses advanced genomic approaches, CRISPR/Cas9 editing, and iPSC-derived neuronal models to investigate novel genetic variants involved in conditions such as autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability. She has contributed to discoveries of mutations in CAPRIN1 and RPH3A, advancing knowledge of synaptic dysfunction.

Dr. Pavinato has been awarded prestigious fellowships (DAAD, EMBO, CorEUStem) and has received recognition from international societies, including the Italian Society of Human Genetics, the European Society of Human Genetics, and the American Society of Human Genetics.

Dr. Valentina Bandiera is a Research Fellow at the Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University in Rome, and a psychologist-psychotherapiLUMSA University in Romest. She collaborates with the IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, where her research focuses on neuropsychological outcomes following acquired brain injury, particularly the relationship between metacognitive self-awareness, emotional well-being, and functional recovery.

She has co-authored international studies on rehabilitation models for severe brain injury and has contributed to research in psycholinguistics, attention processes, and clinical neuropsychology. In addition to her research, she serves as a tutor in General Psychology at LUMSA University and actively participates in national and international psychology conferences.

Eric Rawls is a neuroscientist with a strong interdisciplinary background in mathematics, psychology, and experimental neuroscience. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree at Tulane University, where he  pursued a double major in Mathematics and Psychology, laying the foundation for a career at the intersection of cognitive science, neuroscience, and quantitative research methods.

Following graduation, Eric Rawls gained two years of valuable research experience working in a computational neuroscience laboratory at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Medical School. This early exposure to translational neuroscience and computational modeling helped solidify his interest in studying the neural mechanisms underlying human cognition and behavior.

In 2014, Eric Rawls began graduate studies in the Biopsychology program at the University of New Orleans under the mentorship of Professor Connie Lamm. During this period, he earned a Master of Science degree in Biopsychology, where  his work focused on bridging experimental psychology with neurophysiological approaches. Building on this foundation, [Your Name] went on to pursue doctoral studies in Experimental Psychology with a neuroscience concentration under Professor Lamm at the University of Arkansas. In August 2019,  he successfully completed the Ph.D., with a dissertation that applied advanced computational and statistical analysis methods to investigate human cortical mechanisms of reinforcement processing using electroencephalography (EEG). This research contributed new insights into how reinforcement signals are processed in the brain, advancing the field’s understanding of adaptive and maladaptive decision-making.

Currently, Eric Rawls is a postdoctoral researcher in the Neuroimaging and Addiction Lab. In this role, he are focused on applying neuroimaging methodologies to examine brain networks and connectivity patterns associated with impaired reinforcement processing in individuals with substance use disorders. By integrating EEG with other neuroimaging and analytic tools, [Your Name] aims to elucidate how disruptions in reinforcement learning and cortical network dynamics contribute to addictive behaviors. The overarching goal of this research is to inform the development of more effective prevention and intervention strategies for substance abuse and related psychiatric conditions.

Throughout  his academic and research career, Eric Rawls has maintained a strong focus on combining rigorous quantitative methods with experimental psychology and neuroscience. He  remain committed to advancing our understanding of the neural underpinnings of reinforcement, cognition, and decision-making, particularly as they relate to mental health and addiction.

Camilo José Cela-Conde (CJCC, Madrid, 1946) is Emeritus Professor at the University of the Balearic Islands (Palma de Mallorca, Spain). Also, he is member of the research group 920283, Cognitive Neuroscience, at the Complutense University (Madrid, Spain).

CJCC has been professor of Anthropology at the UIB until 2016 and research professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California (Irvine) until 2018.

CJCC has published in journals as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, American Journal of Sociology, Biology and Philosophy, Plosone, SCAN, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Brain Research, South African Journal of Science, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Evolutionary Anthropology, Spatial Vision, Syntax, Perceptual & Motor Skills, Biological Theory, Human Evolution, Ludus Vitalis, and Neuroimage Reports.

CJCC has published academic books in Siglo XXI (Spain), Alianza Editorial (Spain), and Oxford University Press (UK). His latest book, with Francisco J. Ayala, is Humanos ¿o no? (Humans or not?), Madrid, Alianza, 2021.

CJCC is Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (Biology Section), a distinction awarded in 1999. He is also member of the Center for Academic Research and Teaching in Anthropogenesis, Salk Institute & University of San Diego, elected in March 2008.

Dr. Zheng Xiaomin is affiliated with Jiangnan University, a prominent research institution located in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. While specific details about her academic background and research focus are not publicly listed, her association with Jiangnan University suggests involvement in higher education and scientific research. With a university email address (9862023245@jiangnan.edu.cn), it is likely that she is engaged in scholarly or administrative work within the institution. Further information may be obtained directly from the university or by contacting Dr. Zheng Xiaomin via email for a detailed biography or curriculum vitae.

Dr. Dafna Sharon Maksimov is a CBT psychotherapist, educational psychologist, and internationally recognized expert in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents. She holds advanced degrees in educational management, educational psychology, and sociology of education, with professional training in cognitive behavioral therapy from the University of Haifa. Dr. Maksimov is the founder of the globally implemented Hibuki Therapy project, a unique, evidence-based intervention using a specially designed therapeutic toy—“Hibuki the Hugging Dog”—to help children cope with trauma. Her innovative work has been adopted in countries including Israel, Japan, Ukraine, and the United States, providing critical psychological support in disaster and conflict zones. She has authored multiple therapeutic books and developed a patented psycho-pedagogical methodology now licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Through her leadership in Kinder Velt rehabilitation centers and extensive practitioner training programs, Dr. Maksimov continues to influence the field of child trauma recovery worldwide.

Candida Castro has completed his PhD from University of Granada in June 2000. She is the director of Thinking, cognition and driving SEJ069, research group.. Her research is centred on Applied Cognitive Psychology, focusing on Road Safety. She studies the cognitive processes related to driving: situation awareness and decision-making.  Across several competitive research grants (17) and research contracts (7) she displayed skills of team leadership, financial planning and project management. Her recent work involved ascertaining the cognitive skills while driving that could be shared by safe drivers regardless of the types of threat specific to each driving context.