911吃瓜

Michael is conducting a PhD in the Philosophy of Education, which explores the intersections between aesthetics and education, at the University of Glasgow. These research interests emerged from Michael’s previous academic experiences, having completed a Masters in Fantasy Literature as well as a Joint Honours, undergraduate degree, in English Literature and Philosophy. Michael also has a strong passion for education, having taught Literature in secondary schools in Scotland, Spain and Australia for almost a decade. 

Since 2023, Michael has been researching the potential to engage philosophically with film and literature. For example, Michael has published on how philosophical topics, such as attention, AI engagement and extended cognition, can be effectively explored through film. While at TC, Michael will be continuing to explore similar themes but with a more intentional focus on attention and literature, drawing especially from the works of Iris Murdoch. Megan Laverty and David Hansen will be on Michael’s dissertation committee for the duration of his stay. This research visit will provide Michael with wider opportunities to engage in developing novel approaches to AI and exploring aesthetic injustice. 

Outside of academia, Michael is an avid music, film and sports fan and will be making the most of New York’s vibrant cultural communities. He looks forward to visiting the MSG and US Open (and many more places!).

Álvaro Balaguer is Associate Professor of Education at the University of Navarra (Spain), where he teaches and conducts research in the fields of educational theory and character development. He has been an Academic Visitor at the University of Oxford and a Visiting Scholar at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. As a member of the Research Group on Education, Citizenship and Character, his research focuses on education for human flourishing, character education, virtue development, and positive youth development. He has participated in numerous national and international research projects and has published in leading journals in education and psychology.

Yanjun Shao is a Ph.D. candidate in the History of Education at Beijing Normal University, China, and a visiting doctoral student at 911吃瓜. Her research brings together the history of education and American studies. Yanjun’s dissertation examines how nineteenth-century American writers function as public educators beyond formal schooling through literary writing, public lecturing, and print culture. More broadly, her work considers how educational ideas and cultural practices shape civic formation, public judgment, and democratic citizenship. Her interests include the history of educational thought, American studies, public pedagogy, and civic and democratic education.

Wenjing Zhou is a Ph.D. candidate in Education at Hunan Normal University, in China. Before entering academia, she taught English for five years at both the middle- and high-school levels. These experiences offered her direct insights into educational practice and inspired her to explore deeper philosophical and ethical questions about teaching, learning, and human agency. Wenjing’s research centers on educational philosophy, particularly the concept of learning will and the ethical dimensions of learning in the age of digital intelligence. She is especially interested in how judgment, action, and meaning intersect in educational life.