Magnus Österholm
Curriculum vitae

Publications 
 
CV 
 
Research 
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See me on Research Gate

Degrees

2006-12-08  Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), mathematics education, Linköping University, Sweden
2004-12-16  Licentiate of philosophy, mathematics education, Linköping University, Sweden
2000-05-25  Master of education for the upper secondary school, mathematics and physics, Linköping University, Sweden
2000-05-25  Bachelor of science in mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
 

Education

2010  Postgraduate supervision in practice (2 weeks), Umeå University, Sweden
2007  Teaching in higher education, step 2: Design, evaluation, and organization of learning (6 credits), Linköping University, Sweden
2001--2006  Doctoral studies, mathematics and mathematics education, Linköping University, Sweden
2000  Courses in the physics programme, theoretical physics, Linköping University, Sweden
1995--2000  Teacher programme for the upper secondary school (mathematics and physics), Linköping University, Sweden
1992--1995  Natural science programme, Västerbergslagens utbildningscentrum (upper secondary level), Ludvika, Sweden
 

Employments

2023--  Professor, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden
2021--  Professor, Department of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Education, Mid Sweden University, Sweden
2018--2023  Senior lecturer (Universitetslektor), Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden
2016--2021  Visting professor, Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Mid Sweden University, Sweden
2012  Appointed as Docent (Associate Professor) in Mathematics Education by the Faculty of Science and Technology, Umeå University, Sweden
2014--2018  Researcher, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden
2015--2016  Researcher, Department of Science Education and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sweden
2009  Expert, The Swedish National Agency for Education, Stockholm, Sweden (assignment to develop a model for subject syllabi for the upper secondary school, see a report from the agency (in Swedish), March 23, 2009).
2008--2014  Research fellow, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden
2007--2008  Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
2007  Acting Instructor and Acting Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
2001--2006  Doctoral student, Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
2000--2001  Instructor/Guest teacher, Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
1999--2000  Teaching assistant (amanuens), Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
1996--1999  Teaching assistant, Department of Mathematics, Linköping University, Sweden
 

Teaching experience

Appointed as qualified teacher at Umeå University, 2016-05-01.

Courses in mathematics at the upper secondary level

Preparatory studies for university and as intensive course during the summer.

Courses in mathematics at the university level for teacher, science, engineering, and civil engineering students

Introductory courses, algebra, discrete mathematics, geometry, and calculus in one and several variables.

Teacher programme

Interdisciplinary studies in mathematics, physics, courses about mathematics education and the teaching of mathematics from A to C level, and supervision of numerous degree projects.

 

Postgraduate students

Ongoing supervision

Oskar Segerlund, Umeå University, Sweden (assistant supervisor)
Semiotic forms of representation in the teaching and learning of mathematics

Completed supervision

Malin Norberg, Mid Sweden University, Sweden (assistant supervisor), May 2020
From design to meaning-making: A multimodal study on students' work with mathematics textbooks in year 1 (doctoral thesis)

Sara Engvall, Umeå University, Sweden (main supervisor), November 2019
Opening the black box of mathematics teachers’ professional growth: A study of the process of teacher learning (doctoral thesis)

Birgit Gustafsson, Mid Sweden University, Sweden (main supervisor), October 2019
Algebra difficulties from a student and a teacher perspective: Obstacles in learning situations and challenges in teaching situations (doctoral thesis)

Frithjof Theens, Umeå University, Sweden (assistant supervisor), September 2019
Does language matter? Sources of inequivalence and demand of reading ability of mathematics tasks in different languages (doctoral thesis)

Anneli Dyrvold, Umeå University, Sweden (main supervisor), October 2016
Difficult to read or difficult to solve? The role of natural language and other semiotic resources in mathematics tasks (doctoral thesis)

Jenny Sullivan Hellgren, Umeå University, Sweden (main supervisor), June 2016
Students as scientists: A study of motivation in the science classroom (doctoral thesis)

Catarina Andersson, Umeå University, Sweden (assistant supervisor), May 2015
Professional development in formative assessment: Effects on teacher classroom practice and student achievement (doctoral thesis)

Maria Kenneman, Umeå University, Sweden (assistant supervisor), June 2014
Progression of algebraic discourse in school years 2 to 8 (licentiate thesis)

Doctoral courses

Created and implemented a 5 week course together with Ewa Bergqvist, within a national doctoral programme, spring 2012: A subject didactics perspective on the language of schooling in mathematics and science

Evaluations

Final reading of doctoral thesis by Helén Sterner (at Linnaeus University and Dalarna University, Sweden), August 2024

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Niklas Humble (at Mid Sweden University, Sweden), January 2023

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Sofie Arnell (at Linköping University, Sweden), September 2021

Discussant at 90% seminar for licentiate thesis by Karoline Holmgren (at Umeå University, Sweden), October 2020

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Helena Grundén (at Linnaeus University, Sweden), September 2020

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Kristina Palm Kaplan (at Uppsala University, Sweden), December 2019

Discussant at 90% seminar for doctoral thesis by Daniel Brehmer (at Mälardalen University, Sweden), March 2019

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Elisabet Mellroth (at Karlstad University, Sweden), December 2018

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Erika Boström (at Umeå University, Sweden), June 2017

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Mathias Norqvist (at Umeå University, Sweden), September 2016

Opponent and member of grading committee at licentiate seminar for Jannika Lindvall (at Mälardalen University, Sweden), June 2016

Pre-examiner for doctoral thesis by Laura Tuohilampi (at Helsinki University, Finland), December 2015

Member of grading committee for doctoral thesis by Helena Johansson (at Chalmers University of Technology and University of Gothenburg, Sweden), June 2015

Opponent at licentiate seminar for Laurence Russell (at Mid Sweden University, Sweden), May 2015

Discussant at 50% seminar for doctoral thesis by Ida Bergvall (at Uppsala University, Sweden), April 2015

Discussant at 90% seminar for doctoral thesis by Yvonne Liljekvist (at Karlstad University, Sweden), November 2013

Discussant at 50% seminar for doctoral thesis by Maria Larsson (at Mälardalen University, Sweden), October 2013

Member of Confirmation Review Panel for Deborah Michels (at Monash University, Australia) who proposed to upgrade from MEd Research to PhD, February 2013

Member of Confirmation Review Panel for Bernadette Long (at Monash University, Australia) who proposed to upgrade from MEd Research to PhD, May 2012

 

Conference presentations (without published paper)

2024-07-17--21  PME 47, The 47th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Auckland, New Zealand
Title: Supporting mathematics teachers’ planning of multimodal teaching (together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2024-03-19--20  MADIF 14, The fourteenth research seminar of the Swedish Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Örebro, Sweden
Title #1: Students’ talk about mathematical symbols (together with Ewa Bergqvist, Tomas Bergqvist and Frithjof Theens)
Title #2: Cognitive processing of mathematical symbols (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Bert Jonsson)
Title #3: Cohesion and tension in task design: Students working with multimodal tasks (together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2023-07-16--21  PME 46, The 46th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Haifa, Israel
Title: Interplay between modes in mathematics textbooks (together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2022-07-18--23  PME 45, The 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Alicante, Spain
Title #1: A multimodal perspective on number sense in digital learning resources (together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
Title #2: How textbooks in different school years bring meaning to mathematical symbols (together with Ewa Bergqvist, Lotta Vingsle, Tomas Bergqvist and Ulrika Wikström Hultdin)
2022-03-29--30  MADIF 13, The thirteenth research seminar of the Swedish Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Växjö, Sweden
Title #1: Spatial relations and other text features in the connections between mathematical symbols and written language (together with Ulrika Wikström Hultdin, Ewa Bergqvist, Tomas Bergqvist and Lotta Vingsle)
Title #2: Connections between natural language and mathematical symbols in mathematics textbooks (together with Tomas Bergqvist, Ulrika Wikström Hultdin, Ewa Bergqvist and Lotta Vingsle)
Title #3: How natural language gives meaning to mathematical symbols in textbooks at different school years (together with Ewa Bergqvist, Lotta Vingsle, Tomas Bergqvist and Ulrika Wikström Hultdin)
Title #4: Number sense in the app Vektor: Mathematical progression and use of various modes (together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2021-07-19--23  PME 44, The 44th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Online
Title: Algebra discourse in mathematics and physics textbooks for upper secondary school (together with Helena Johansson)
2020-01-14--15  MADIF 12, The twelfth research seminar of the Swedish Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Växjö, Sweden
Title #1: How mathematical symbols and natural language are integrated in textbooks (together with Ewa Bergqvist, Tomas Bergqvist, Lotta Vingsle and Ulrika Wikström Hultdin)
Title #2: How mathematical symbols and natural language is used in teachers’ presentations (together with Ewa Bergqvist, Tomas Bergqvist, Lotta Vingsle and Ulrika Wikström Hultdin)
Title #3: The processing of mathematical symbols in working memory (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Bert Jonsson)
2018-07-03--08  PME 42, The 42nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Umeå, Sweden
Title: Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the gap between secondary and tertiary mathematics (together with Helena Johansson, Liselott Flodén and Pia Heidtmann)
2018-01-23--24  MADIF 11, The eleventh research seminar of the Swedish Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Karlstad, Sweden
Title #1: Argumentation in university textbooks (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Jenny Sullivan Hellgren)
Title #2: Linguistic Features as Possible Sources for DIF in Mathematics PISA Tasks (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Frithjof Theens)
Title #3: Clash of cultures? Teachers’ and students’ perceptions of differences between secondary and tertiary mathematics education (together with Helena Johansson)
2017-07-17--22  PME 41, The 41st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Singapore
Title #1: Variation of explicit argumentation in mathematics textbooks (together with Ewa Bergqvist)
Title #2: Upper-secondary teachers' objectification of symbols by their use of language (together with Helena Johansson)
2017-06-07--09  NFSUN 2017, Nordic Research Symposium on Science Education, Trondheim, Norway
Title: Argumentation in university textbooks: Comparing biology, chemistry and mathematics (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Jenny Sullivan Hellgren)
2017-05-30--06-02  NORMA 17, The Eighth Nordic Conference on Mathematics Education, Stockholm, Sweden
Title: Linguistic Features in Mathematics PISA Tasks in Different Languages (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Frithjof Theens)
2016-08-03--07  PME 40, The 40th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Szeged, Hungary
Title #1: Comparing mathematics tasks in different languages (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Cris Edmonds-Wathen)
Title #2: Relations between linguistic features and difficulty of PISA tasks in different languages (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Frithjof Theens)
2016-01-26--27  MADIF 10, The tenth research seminar of the Swedish Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Karlstad, Sweden
Title #1: Framework of linguistic properties to compare mathematics tasks in different languages (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Cris Edmonds-Wathen)
Title #2: Linguistic properties of PISA mathematics tasks in different languages (together with Ewa Bergqvist and Frithjof Theens)
2012-12-03--06  AARE-APERA 2012, joint International Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education and the Asia Pacific Educational Research Association, Sydney, Australia
Title: The role of mathematical proficiencies across year levels and content strands in the Australian Curriculum (together with Deborah Michels)
2011-11-24--25  Symposium on Contemporary Approaches to Research in Mathematics, Science, Health and Environmental Education, Melbourne, Australia
Title: Statistical methods when studying the relationship between reading and solving mathematical tasks
2011-07-10--15  PME 35, The 35th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Ankara, Turkey
Title: A framework for studying differences between process- and object-oriented discourses
2010-02-08--09  North Calotte conference in mathematics education, Tromsø, Norway
Title: Empirical analysis and theory when studying relationships between epistemological beliefs and properties of mathematical discourse
2008-01-29--30  MADIF 6, The sixth Swedish Mathematics Education Research Seminar, Stockholm, Sweden
Title: Epistemological beliefs and communication in mathematics education at upper secondary and university levels
2006-10-25--26  Aniversary conference of the Research school in mathematics education, Linköping, Sweden
Title: The role of theory in the research process (together with Andreas Ryve and Johan Lithner)
2006-05-25--28  Workshop on research and development work on mathematics textbooks, Kristiansand, Norway
Title: Reading comprehension and learning by reading
2004-07-04--11  ICME-10, International Congress on Mathematical Education, Copenhagen, Denmark
Title: Reading mathematical texts: Cognitive processes and mental representations (Discussion group 14)
2003-05-09--11  Nordic preconference to ICME-10, Växjö, Sweden
Title: Learning mathematics by reading - a study of students interacting with a text
 

Popular science presentations

2024-03-21--22  Mathematics biennial, Örebro, Sweden (lecture, together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2022-03-31--04-01  Mathematics biennial, Växjö, Sweden (lecture, together with Helena Johansson and Malin Norberg)
2017-11-22--23  Teachers' in-service training in mathematics and science education, Sundsvall and Östersund, Sweden (lectures)
2015-10-28  Teachers' in-service training in technology and science, Umeå, Sweden (lecture, together with Ewa Bergqvist)
2015-09-29  Seminar at The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden (lecture)
2013-10-30  Teachers' in-service training in technology and science, Umeå, Sweden (lecture, together with Ewa Bergqvist)
2012-01-26--27  Mathematics biennial, Umeå, Sweden (2 lectures, together with Ewa Bergqvist)
2011-08-12  The Sixth Nordic Dyslexia Pedagogical Congress, Stockholm, Sweden (lecture)
2009-04-25  Swedish Dyslexia Association, Stockholm, Sweden (lecture)
2008-10-28  Teachers' in-service training in technology and science, Umeå, Sweden (lecture)
2008-02-27  Visit to lower secondary school, Mölndal, Sweden (lecture)
2007-03-23  The publishing house Natur & Kultur's conference for teachers in physics and mathematics, Stockholm, Sweden (lecture)
2006-01-27  Mathematics biennial, Malmö, Sweden (lecture)
2004-11-15--16  Open house at two research schools in mathematics, Uppsala, Sweden (poster)
2004-11-01--03  School forum, Stockholm, Sweden (lecture and poster)
2003-03-01  Open house, Linköping University, Sweden (poster)
2002-10-10  Visit to upper secondary school, Mjölby, Sweden (informal presentation and discussions)
2002-05-15  Teachers from upper secondary schools visiting Linköping University (informal presentation and discussions)
 

Publications

See separate list of publications

 

Grants and awards

2024 - The Swedish Institute for Educational Research (Skolfi)
Project grant (4.5 million kronor): Mathematical problems for enrichment and differentiated teaching (PI: Helena Johansson)

2024 - Umeå School of Education
Project grant (1.4 million kronor): Interplay between words and symbols in mathematics education with a focus on the learning of equality (PI: Malin Norberg)

2022 - The Swedish Research Council (VR)
Project grant (6.0 million kronor): The dual role of process goals when implementing the written curriculum in Sweden and England (PI: Ewa Bergqvist)

2021 - Marcus and Amalia Wallenberg Foundation (MAW)
Project grant (4.0 million kronor): Students' (lack of) comprehension of mathematics texts (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2021 - Faculty of Science and Technology, Umeå University
Funding of mid-range equipment (325,000 kronor): Eye-tracking equipment (PI: Johan Lithner)

2020 - The Swedish Institute for Educational Research (Skolfi)
Project grant (4.5 million kronor): Functional teaching materials in mathematics: How the interplay between different semiotic resources can support students' learning of mathematical concepts (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2020 - Mid Sweden University and Örnsköldsvik Municipality
Project grant (400,000 kronor): A mathematics app for students and teachers (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2019 - Umeå School of Education
Project grant (930,000 kronor): The dual role of the reasoning competency in policy documents and in textbooks (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2018 - Umeå School of Education
Project grant (690,000 kronor): Students’ learning of the symbolic language of mathematics from the perspective of using and learning a second language (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2017 - The Swedish Research Council (VR)
Project grant (6.0 million kronor): The role of natural language when learning the symbolic language of mathematics (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2016 - Umeå School of Education
Planning grant, two occasions (112,000 kronor): The role of natural language when learning the symbolic language of mathematics (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2015 - Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ)
Conference grant (65,000 kronor): Symposium on Languages and Mathematics (SLaM) (Co-chair: Magnus Österholm)

2015 - Umeå School of Education
Project grant (670,000 kronor): Relations between the mathematical symbolic language and natural language in Swedish textbooks (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2014 - Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education (NOMAD)
Best Paper Award during 2011-2013: To translate between different perspectives in belief research: A comparison between two studies

2014 - The Swedish National Agency for Education
Project grant (6.3 million kronor): Evaluation of the results from a national professional development program for mathematics teachers (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2013 - Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ)
Project grant (3.5 million kronor): Effects on the demand of reading ability when translating mathematical tasks between different languages (PI: Ewa Bergqvist)

2013 - The Lars Hierta Memorial Foundation
Project grant (20,000 kronor): What are the reasons to large differences regarding demand of reading ability between English and Spanish versions of the same mathematical tasks? (PI: Magnus Österholm)

2009 - The Swedish Research Council (VR) and Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ)
Conference grant (78,000 kronor): Workshop on Mathematical Beliefs (WoMB) (Chair: Magnus Österholm)

 

Other

Invited as reviewer for:
  • Studies in Educational Evaluation (2020, 2024)
  • International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education (2015, 2018, 2020, 2023)
  • Oxford Review of Education (2023)
  • Education & Learning (2022)
  • Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (2020, 2021)
  • The Journal of Mathematical Behavior (2021)
  • Educational Studies in Mathematics (2011, 2020)
  • Educational Psychology (2020)
  • Learning and Instruction (2020)
  • Journal of Curriculum Studies (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2020)
  • Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education (2019)
  • Nomad, Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018)
  • PME, Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
  • Education Inquiry (2017)
  • The Australian Journal of Teacher Education (consulting editor, 2011--2015)
  • Mathematics Education Research Journal (2012)
  • MERGA, Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (2011)
  • The Mathematics Educator (2007)
  • External evaluator for:
  • Vacant position as professor at Åbo Akademi University, September 2024
  • Promotion to docent (associate professor) at Linköping University, April 2022
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Linköping University, March 2022
  • Vacant position as professor at Mälardalen University, September 2021 & December 2021
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Kristianstad University, June 2021
  • Promotion to senior lecturer at Dalarna University, May 2021
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Jönköping University, November 2020
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at University of Gävle, October 2019
  • Applications to The Swedish Institute for Educational Research, June-September 2019
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Karlstad University, January 2019
  • Applications to The Swedish Institute for Educational Research, June-September 2018
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Dalarna University, August 2018
  • Applications to The Swedish Institute for Educational Research, June-September 2017
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Karlstad University, June 2016
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Malmö University, May 2015
  • Vacant position as senior lecturer at Dalarna University, April 2014
  • Administration and leadership:
  • Member of The Swedish Research Council's Committee for Educational Sciences (2022--)
  • Head of subject for Mathematics and Science Education, Mid Sweden University (2019--)
  • Assistant head of department at The Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden (2018--2024)
  • Director of PhD studies at The Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden (2018--2021)
  • Member of research committee for teacher education, Mid Sweden University (2016--2021)
  • Umeå University Advanced Study Programme: Research Leadership for established researchers (2015--2016)
  • Member of committee for research and research education at The Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden (2013--2016)
  • Evaluation and development of external assignments at The Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Umeå University, Sweden (2015)
  • Member of steering group for National doctoral programme focusing on "The language of schooling in mathematical and science practices" (2013--2015)
  • Conference organization:
  • Member of the program committee for LUMA-NT, the conference for teacher educators in mathematics, science and technology, October 2-4, 2019, Sundsvall, Sweden
  • Member of the international program committee for ICMT3, The Third International Conference of Mathematics Textbook Research and Development, September 16-19, 2019, Paderborn, Germany
  • Co-chair for PME 42, The 42nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, July 3-8, 2018, Umeå, Sweden
  • Co-chair for the Symposium on Languages and Mathematics (SLaM), June 13-14, 2016, Umeå, Sweden
  • Member of the program committee for MADIF 9, The Ninth Mathematics Education Research Seminar, February 4-5, 2014, Umeå, Sweden
  • Chair for the Workshop on Mathematical Beliefs (WoMB), November 4-5, 2009, Umeå, Sweden
  • Member of the program committee and the local organizing committee for the Aniversary conference of the Research school in mathematics education, October 25-26, 2006, Linköping, Sweden
  • Internationalization:
  • Cooperation in research projects with international researchers, from Australia, England, Germany, Israel and South Africa
  • Hosting a guest researcher on sabbatical from Singapore, January--June 2016, Umeå University
  • Hosting a postdoc from Australia, November 2014--October 2016, Umeå University
  • Visiting scholar at the Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, February 2011--January 2013
  • Participation in the Summer school for doctoral students in mathematics education in the Nordic and Baltic countries, June 12-17, 2006, Dömmesmoen, Norway
  • Visiting the Department of Mathematics, Illinois State University, USA, 2005-01-07--02-04
  •  
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    Magnus Österholm
    Main page
    Publications
    CV
    Research

    Umeå University
    Umeå School of Education
    Faculty of Science and
    Technology

    Department of Science
    and Mathematics Education

    Umeå Mathematics
    Education Research Centre


    Mid Sweden University
    Faculty of Science,
    Technology and Media

    Department of Engineering,
    Mathematics and Science
    Education


    Monash University
    Faculty of Education

    Linköping University
    The Institute of Technology
    Department of Mathematics


     
     

    Linje
    Contact for this page: magnus.osterholm@umu.se

     

    See me on Academia.edu
    See me on Google Scholar
    See me on Research Gate