Zheng Liu | Arts and Humanities | Research Excellence Award

Posted on by Phenomenological Research Awards

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu | Arts and Humanities | Research Excellence Award 

Associate Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University | China

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu is an accomplished scholar whose work stands at the forefront of contemporary philosophical inquiry, particularly in the areas of phenomenology, philosophy of technology, and comparative philosophy. With 7 publications, 2,530 reads, and 10 citations, his research demonstrates a growing international influence and a strong commitment to advancing interdisciplinary dialogue within the Arts and Humanities. Educated in philosophy at Soochow University, where he completed his master’s degree, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu further deepened his theoretical foundation by pursuing doctoral studies in the Department of Philosophy at Peking University, earning his Ph.D.His academic development includes a significant period as a visiting scholar at the University of Bergen in Norway, supported by the Research Council of Norway, which enriched his comparative perspectives and expanded his engagement with global scholarly communities. Professionally, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu has built a strong trajectory at the School of History and Culture of Science at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, serving first as an assistant professor and later advancing to his current role as associate professor, where he contributes to both teaching and research in areas that bridge philosophical traditions and contemporary technological challenges. His research interests encompass the phenomenological philosophy of technology, Merleau Ponty studies, cross-cultural philosophical analysis, ethical implications of emerging technologies, datafied embodiment, and human technology relations within both Western and Eastern intellectual traditions. Across his published works, he critically investigates concepts such as technological mediation, body network theory, digital enhancement, Indra’s Net metaphysics, the Internet of Bodies, and the shifting nature of embodied experience in technologically mediated environments. By integrating phenomenological frameworks with insights from Chinese philosophical thought, he offers innovative perspectives on issues such as moral agency, digital ethics, ecological embodiment, and the transformative impact of data driven technologies on human life. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu’s scholarship contributes meaningfully to global discussions on the ethical, social, and philosophical dimensions of technology, and his work continues to shape emerging debates in modern humanities research. In conclusion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zheng Liu stands as a dedicated and forward-thinking researcher whose contributions enrich philosophical understanding while offering vital insights into the rapidly evolving relationship between humans, culture, and technology.

Profile: Orcid | Researchgate

Featured Publications:

Liu, Z. (2025). When Merleau-Ponty encounters Fazang: Comparing Merleau-Pontian body-network with Fazang’s interpretation of Indra’s Net for a critical techno-ethics. Religions, 16(11), 1425.

Liu, Z. (2025). Toward datafied human enhancement: Concept, functional classifications and ethical issues. Filosofija. Sociologija, 36(1), 85–93.

Liu, Z. (2024). Toward datafied human enhancement: Concept, functional classifications and ethical issues (Preprint).

Liu, Z. (2023). Internet of Bodies, datafied embodiment and our quantified religious future. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 79(1), Article 8398.

Liu, Z. (2022). Flesh, vital energy and illness: A comparative phenomenological study of human–nature relations inspired by the contexts of Later Merleau-Ponty and the Zhuangzi. Religions, 13(7), 637.

Liu, Z. (2022). Technological mediation theory and the moral suspension problem. Human Studies, 46, 375–388.

Liu, Z. (2020).On the technological issues in Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of the body. Universitas Monthly Review of Philosophy and Culture, 47(10), 161–176.

Neal Lester | Arts and Humanities | Best Scholar Award

Posted on by Phenomenological Research Awards

Prof. Dr. Neal Lester | Arts and Humanities | Best Scholar Award

Professor of English at Arizona State University | United States

Prof. Dr. Neal Lester is a distinguished Foundation Professor of English and Founding Director of Project Humanities at Arizona State University, recognized internationally for his transformative contributions to arts, humanities, and cultural studies. He earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in English from Vanderbilt University and his B.A. in English from West Georgia College, graduating as valedictorian. Throughout his extensive academic career, Prof. Dr. Neal Lester has held multiple leadership roles, including Dean of Humanities and Associate Vice President in the Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development at Arizona State University. His research expertise spans African American literature, cultural appropriation, racial and gender identity politics, privilege and bias, diversity, Black masculinities, and representations in children’s literature and popular culture. As the Founding Director of Project Humanities, he has built an influential platform that integrates scholarship, public engagement, and social responsibility creating dialogues that bridge academia and community through empathy, integrity, and social awareness. He is the author and editor of several acclaimed works, including Once Upon a Time in a Different World: Issues and Ideas in African American Children’s Literature, Racialized Politics of Desire in Personal Ads, and Social Justice in Action: Models for Campus and Community. His scholarship has been featured in leading journals such as Humanities, The Journal of Popular Culture, Palimpsest, and Callaloo, contributing to ongoing conversations on equity, identity, and representation. With 22 published documents, 70 citations by 69 sources, and an h-index of 4, Prof. Dr. Neal Lester’s academic influence continues to grow across disciplines. His research and teaching demonstrate an enduring commitment to advancing humanities education and promoting inclusion through both intellectual inquiry and civic engagement. As one of the leading voices in contemporary humanities, Prof. Dr. Neal Lester’s career embodies the power of scholarship to foster understanding, challenge bias, and build bridges across diverse communities, ensuring that the humanities remain a vital force in shaping a more compassionate and informed society.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid

Featured Publications:

  • Lester, N. A., & McNeil, E. (2025). Beyond physical and representational violence: The violence of Black children’s invisibility in public spaces. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 1–19.

  • Lester, N. A. (2024). Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul”: An anthem of courage, resistance, peace, and community. The Journal of Popular Culture, 57(4), 1–16.

  • Lester, N. A. (Ed.). (2024). Social Justice in Action: Models for Campus and Community. New York: Modern Language Association of America.

  • Farrior, C., & Lester, N. A. (2024). Digital blackface: Adultification of Black children in memes and children’s books. Humanities, 13(4), 91.

  • Lester, N. A., & McNeil, E. (2023). Beyond physical and representational violence: Rethinking Black childhood and public space. Public Humanities, 1(1), 12–27.