Assist. Prof. Dr. Oleksii Kostenko | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

State Scientific Institution, Institute of Information, Security and Law of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine

Assist. Prof. Dr. Oleksii Vladimirovich Kostenko is a distinguished Ukrainian legal scholar and technology policy expert whose work bridges the intersection of law, digital transformation, and emerging technologies. With a Ph.D. in Law and extensive experience as a senior researcher, he has established himself as a leading authority on the legal foundations of artificial intelligence (AI), the Metaverse, and digital governance. Currently serving as Head of the Scientific Laboratory of Industrial Technologies and Law at the State Scientific Institution “Institute of Information, Security and Law” of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Dr. Kostenko’s research focuses on developing adaptive legal frameworks for the digital era. His expertise spans organizational and legal support for digital systems, cryptography, electronic trust services, biometric identification, Internet of Things (IoT), open data, AI ethics, and digital currencies. Dr. Kostenko’s scientific contributions include over 7 peer-reviewed publications across national and international journals and conferences. His research output has garnered 1 Scopus-indexed papers, 17 citations, and an H-index of 1, reflecting his strong academic influence. He is the author of pioneering legal theories and models such as the electronic jurisdiction of the Metaverse, the Grand Charter of Laws Metaverse (GLM), and frameworks for e-justice and digital identity. His theoretical work is complemented by his practical involvement in shaping Ukraine’s digital legislation, including as co-author of the Law of Ukraine “On Electronic Trust Services” and contributor to key national acts on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure. Beyond academia, Dr. Kostenko actively contributes to international policy development as an official member of the IEEE AI Ethics Oversight Working Group and as President of the NGO “Metaverse-Ukraine”. His vision integrates scientific foresight with ethical governance, fostering a responsible digital ecosystem. Through his leadership, publications, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, Dr. Kostenko continues to advance the global discourse on digital law, ensuring that innovation aligns with the protection of human rights, transparency, and sustainable technological progress.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Kostenko, O. D., Furashev, V., & Zhuravlov, D. (2022). Genesis of legal regulation Web 3.0 (Metaverse) and the model of the electronic jurisdiction of metaspace. Bratislava Law Review, 21–36.
Kostenko, O. V. (2022). Electronic jurisdiction, metaverse, artificial intelligence, digital personality, digital avatar, neural networks: Theory, practice, perspective. World Science, 25–37.
Kostenko, O., Zhuravlov, D., Dniprov, O., & Korotiuk, O. (2023). Metaverse: Model criminal code. Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, 9(4), 134–147.
Kostenko, O. V. K. (2020). Legal responsibility and identification of subjects and objects with artificial intelligence (IoT). Legal Scientific Electronic Journal, 158–162.
Kostenko, O. V. (2022). Analysis of national strategies for the development of artificial intelligence. Information and Law, 58–69.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Oleksii Kostenko envisions a future where law and technology evolve together to create a secure, transparent, and ethical digital society. His pioneering research in digital governance, AI ethics, and Metaverse law bridges science, society, and policy—shaping adaptive legal systems that foster innovation while safeguarding human rights in the global digital era.

Dr. Jana Hirschtick | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award

Advocate Health, United States

Dr. Jana Hirschtick is an accomplished public health researcher and epidemiologist whose work spans infectious disease epidemiology, population health, and health equity. She earned her advanced degrees in public health and epidemiology, equipping her with strong methodological and analytical expertise that underpins her research excellence. Over her career, she has held key professional roles in academia and public health institutions, leading large-scale, federally funded studies and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to address pressing health challenges. Her research interests focus on understanding social determinants of health, tobacco use, COVID-19 outcomes, and chronic disease prevention, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable and underserved populations. Dr. Hirschtick possesses a diverse set of research skills, including epidemiologic study design, longitudinal and cross-sectional data analysis, biostatistics, computational modeling, and translating research findings into policy-relevant insights. She has been recognized for her scholarly contributions with multiple awards and honors that reflect her leadership, innovation, and impact in public health research, including commendations for mentoring emerging scientists and advancing health equity initiatives. Her strengths lie in rigorous methodology, interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and the ability to generate actionable, evidence-based solutions to complex health challenges. While expanding her global research collaborations and further integrating advanced computational approaches could enhance the scope of her work, her future research potential is exceptional, with opportunities to advance understanding of post-acute sequelae of infectious diseases, chronic disease prevention, and the intersection of social factors with health outcomes. Overall, Dr. Hirschtick exemplifies the qualities of a visionary public health leader whose dedication, expertise, and forward-looking research agenda position her to make transformative contributions to population health, health equity, and the training of future epidemiologists, making her highly deserving of recognition and accolades in her field.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

Muehlenbein, M. P., Hirschtick, J. L., Bonner, J. Z., & Swartz, A. M. (2010). Toward quantifying the usage costs of human immunity: Altered metabolic rates and hormone levels during acute immune activation in men. American Journal of Human Biology: The Official Journal of the Human Biology Association, 22(4), 546–556.
Hirschtick, J. L., Titus, A. R., Slocum, E., Power, L. E., Hirschtick, R. E., Elliott, M. R., … & Cadham, C. J. (2021). Population-based estimates of post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) prevalence and characteristics. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73(11), 2055–2064.
Cadham, C. J., Sanchez-Romero, L. M., Fleischer, N. L., Mistry, R., Hirschtick, J. L., … & Brouwer, A. F. (2020). The actual and anticipated effects of a menthol cigarette ban: A scoping review. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1055.
Brouwer, A. F., Jeon, J., Hirschtick, J. L., Jimenez-Mendoza, E., Mistry, R., … & Cadham, C. J. (2022). Transitions between cigarette, ENDS and dual use in adults in the PATH study (waves 1–4): Multistate transition modelling accounting for complex survey design. Tobacco Control, 31(3), 424–431.
Needham, B. L., Ali, T., Allgood, K. L., Ro, A., Hirschtick, J. L., Fleischer, N. L. (2023). Institutional racism and health: A framework for conceptualization, measurement, and analysis. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10(4), 1997–2019.

Dr. Jana Hirschtick’s work advances public health by uncovering the social and biological determinants of disease, informing evidence-based policies, and promoting health equity. Her research not only strengthens scientific understanding of population health but also drives actionable solutions with global societal impact.

Tag: social leadership award

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