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Armelle Choplin is an Associate Professor at the University of Geneva's Department of Geography and Environment within the Geneva School of Social Sciences, and affiliated with the Global Studies Institute since 2019. She serves as Director of the Institute of Environmental Governance and Territorial Development (IGEDT), leading research on urban transformations in the Global South. Research Focus Her research examines urban policies, social transformations, and development challenges in African cities and the Global South. Core interests include: urban planning dynamics, governance frameworks, construction industry impacts, poverty alleviation, sustainable development pathways, globalization effects, digital innovation in urban contexts, and postcolonial urban studies. Her geographical specialization focuses on West Africa and MENA regions. Publication Analysis Recent publications (2017-2024) demonstrate consistent focus on material urbanism, governance innovations, and spatial justice in African cities. Key thematic clusters include: urban material flows (concrete, energy), participatory planning methods, transnational urban corridors, and postcolonial urban theory. Methodologically, her work combines spatial analysis with political economy and ethnographic approaches. Research Leadership She directs multiple international projects including: Global Urb: Global Urbanism from the South MatéRhône: Construction materials in Rhone Valley West African Coastal Corridor study (Accra-Lagos axis) URBACOT: West African Coastal Urban Dynamics Observatory Map&Jerry: Participatory mapping in Cotonou Student Advising Currently supervising eight doctoral candidates researching urban development topics across Africa. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on urban globalization, metropolitan governance, spatial justice, and regional project development at both bachelor's and master's levels.

• Urban Planning
• Governance
• Construction Sector
• +7 more

Claudia R. Binder is Full Professor at EPFL's School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, leading the Laboratory for Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS) since 2016. Previously, she held professorships at the University of Munich (2011-2016), University of Graz (2009-2011), and University of Zurich (2006-2009). She served as Dean of EPFL's ENAC School from 2020-2023 and holds advisory roles with Swiss federal institutions including the Mercator Foundation since 2024. Her academic foundation includes a Biochemistry degree and PhD in Environmental Sciences from ETH Zurich, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland. This interdisciplinary background underpins her research approach spanning natural and social sciences. Professor Binder's work centers on urban sustainability transitions, examining urban metabolism dynamics through systems science frameworks. She investigates energy-food-transport interdependencies in cities using transdisciplinary methods that integrate material flow analysis, spatial modeling, and socio-technical assessments. Her research particularly emphasizes regulatory mechanisms and transformation drivers in human-environment systems, with case studies across Swiss and global urban contexts. Recent publications reveal evolving focus from foundational urban metabolism studies toward actionable transition strategies. Her 2024-2025 work increasingly addresses social tipping dynamics, circular decarbonization, and spatially explicit waste management, demonstrating methodological innovation through geo-referenced material flow analysis and participatory backcasting frameworks. Key thematic clusters include energy innovation diffusion, plastic waste governance, and demand-side flexibility in residential systems. She actively mentors 7 current PhD candidates while supervising 11 graduates since 2018, with research spanning urban metabolism modeling, sustainability assessment, and transition governance. Her leadership extends to Swiss National Science Foundation committees and National Research Program 71 on energy consumption management. At EPFL, she directs the HERUS laboratory which develops the Sustainability Solution Space methodology for urban assessment. The lab operates at the intersection of data science, environmental engineering, and social theory, maintaining strong field connections in Switzerland, Indonesia, and Germany for empirical validation of transition models.

• Urban Sustainability
• Transition Research
• Urban Metabolism
• +5 more

Patricia Spyer is a Professor of Anthropology & Sociology at The Graduate Institute Geneva since 2016. She holds affiliate positions at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy. Her expertise spans cultural anthropology of Indonesia, visual media studies, and material culture. She has held prestigious roles including Chair of Cultural Anthropology at Leiden University (2001–2015) and Global Distinguished Professor at NYU (2009–2012). Her research focuses on violence, visuality, religion, and urban-rural dynamics in Southeast Asia. Education: PhD in Anthropology from the University of Chicago. Earlier positions included Visiting Fellowships at ANU (2014), NYU Shanghai (2017), and Cambridge University (2020). Research interests include: Visual anthropology and media representations Conflict dynamics and post-war societies Religion-politics intersections Urban and rural sociocultural landscapes Her publications include Orphaned Landscapes: Violence, Visuality, and Appearance in Indonesia (2021), The Memory of Trade (2000), and co-edited volumes like Images That Move (2013) and Handbook of Material Culture (2013). Editorial roles: Vice-chair of the Prince Claus Fund, member of Wenner-Gren Foundation Advisory Council, and editorial boards for Annual Review of Anthropology and Positions: Asia Critique . Her work bridges academic research with public engagement through museum collaborations and policy advisory roles.

• Cultural Anthropology
• Southeast Asian Studies
• Visual Anthropology
• +6 more

Dolorès Bertrais is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Geneva's Department of Geography and Environment (UNIGE, Switzerland). Her work focuses on the political ontology of the living in urban contexts, materiality of cities (especially sand and aggregates), and environmental/socio-spatial justice across Southeast Asia and East Africa (Rwanda). After defending her 2024 thesis on Green City models in Phnom Penh and Kigali, she continues researching urban dynamics and production of space. Teaching: Courses on urban history, territorial projects, and globalization in the Global South Key Conferences: Presented at Geneva, Montreal, Mexico City, and Málaga events on Green City discourse and urban materiality Publications: 15+ works on urban ecology, including 2024 article on Phnom Penh policy analysis and 2025 book chapter on graphical ethnography

• Urban Planning
• Environmental Justice
• Socio-spatial Justice
• +6 more

Bernard Z. Keo is an Assistant Professor specializing in modern Southeast Asian history, focusing on decolonization, nation-making, and transnational networks. His research bridges historical analysis with digital humanities, notably through projects like Virtual Angkor, which earned prestigious awards. He holds a PhD in Southeast Asian History from Monash University. His thematic expertise spans nationalism, urban-rural dynamics, state-building, and identity politics, with geographical focus on China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Keo's work explores intersections of race, class, gender, and migration in post-WWII contexts, particularly in port-cities like George Town. He also contributes to digital pedagogy, using courtroom simulations to engage students in humanities education. Keo serves on editorial boards for journals like Asian Studies Review and History Australia , and advises Channel News Asia on historical matters. His recent publications include a forthcoming book on Peranakan cosmopolitanism (Oxford UP, 2025) and articles on colonial urban networks, diasporic identities, and Malayan Emergency historiography. Awards: Roy N. Rosenzweig Prize (2018), Medieval Society's Digital Humanities Prize (2021) Key Projects: Virtual Angkor (2018–present), Norris Embassy digital project (2018–2019)

• Decolonization
• Nation-Making
• Urban History
• +7 more

Surangika Jayarathne is a Researcher (PhD Candidate) at the Institute of Geography, University of Bern, specializing in Social and Cultural Geography. She holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from South Asian University (2012-2014), a Bachelor’s in Law from The Open University of Sri Lanka (2007-2017), and a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in International Relations from the University of Colombo (2007-2011). Her research focuses on transitional child adoption in South Asia, global baby markets, reproductive technologies, feminist geography, and LGBTQI rights. She leads the 'Global baby markets' project (2021-2024), funded by the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, examining adoption processes between Sri Lanka and Switzerland through a transnational lens. Key awards include the Harvard Kennedy School Leadership scholarship (2021), Oxford University’s CEDAW Fellowship (2020), and the Swedish Institute Leader Lab Fellowship (2019). Her work bridges geography, human rights, and international relations, with publications addressing Rohingya statelessness, sexual harassment in urban spaces, and LGBTQI legal advocacy. Advising & Grants: Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship (2021) Labs/Teams: Part of the Social and Cultural Geography research group at the University of Bern Institute of Geography

• Transitional Child Adoption in South Asia
• Global Baby Trade
• Reproductive Technologies
• +5 more

Dr. Thi Thanh Nga Mai is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies (ISEK) , University of Zürich. Her work focuses on early childhood interventions in Vietnam through the SNSF-funded project 'Saving brains? Applying Ethnography to Early Childhood Interventions in the Global South', chaired by Gabriel Scheidecker. Key Research Areas: Migration anthropology, legality and family dynamics, international development, and gender studies Previous Roles: Parenting support for migrant families in Berlin (pre-2016); Max Planck Institute for Religious and Ethnic Diversity (2016-2021) Education: PhD in Social Anthropology from University of Amsterdam (2021) Her current research explores how early childhood interventions unfold in Vietnam, including family experiences and intervention consequences. Contact: mai@uzh.ch

• Anthropology of migration
• Migration and Legality
• Gender and Family
• +4 more

Olivia Killias is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Social Anthropology and Cultural Studies (Ethnology) at the University of Zurich. She has conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Netherlands, focusing on political anthropology, migration, memory, gender, and sexuality. Her habilitation project explores memory and colonialism in Dutch elderly care. Doctorate in Social Anthropology (University of Bern, 2012) Master’s studies at Universities of Lausanne and Amsterdam Her research spans Southeast Asian migration dynamics, postcolonial memory in Europe, and urban sociality. Articles highlight themes like domestic labor ethics, diaspora integration, and memory’s role in decolonization. Key awards include the University of Bern Faculty of Arts award (2012). She actively supervises BA/MA students and collaborates with Zethno to bridge anthropology with public discourse.

• Political Anthropology
• Globalization
• Migration
• +6 more

Johannes Görbert is a postdoctoral researcher and Habilitation candidate in the Chair of Medical Humanities at the University of Fribourg, within the Faculty of Science and Medicine. His research focuses on Disability Studies, travel literature, lyric studies, and intercultural literary analysis. He holds a PhD from the Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies (Freie Universität Berlin), a Master of Public Administration in Science Management from the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer, and extensive academic management experience including roles in Bangkok and Berlin. Education MA in German Studies, History, and English (Universities of Jena, Oxford, Berkeley, 2001–2008) PhD (2013) on travel accounts by Georg Forster, Alexander von Humboldt, and Adelbert von Chamisso M.P.A. in Science Management (2022) Research Interests His work explores representations of disability in Weimar Republic literature, transpacific discourses (1900–1945), and the intersection of travel narratives with scientific and literary traditions. Key projects include the DFG Network 'Inclusive Philology' and the Habilitation project 'Fragile Modernity.' Publications Over 49 publications include monographs like Die Vertextung der Welt (2014), edited volumes such as Transpacifica (2021), and articles analyzing disability representation, travel poetry, and Humboldtian narratives. His research bridges literary analysis with cultural and historical contexts. Grants & Collaborations Coordinates international initiatives like the 'Inclusive Philology' network, emphasizing interdisciplinary and global collaborations in medical humanities and disability studies. Labs/Teams Leads Disability Studies development at the University of Fribourg, fostering research, teaching, and international partnerships.

• Medical Humanities
• Disability Studies
• Travel Literature
• +3 more

Helen Hess is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Chinese Studies (Modern China) at the Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, University of Zurich since 2024, following her role as Teaching and Research Assistant (2021-2024). She earned her PhD from the University of Zurich in 2024 with the dissertation 'Sinophone Balancing Acts: Reclaimed Histories, Spaces, and Ideologies in Contemporary Women-authored Mahua Literature'. Her academic credentials include: PhD in Chinese Studies, University of Zurich (2018-2024) M.A. in Chinese Studies and Gender Studies, University of Zurich (2015-2018) B.A. in Chinese Studies and General Linguistics, University of Zurich (2010-2015) Semester abroad at Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales, Paris (2013-2014) Chinese language program at Guangxi University for Nationalities and Central Academy of Drama, Beijing (2011-2012) Hess's research centers on migration and Chinese diasporas in Southeast Asia and Europe, contemporary Chinese/Sinophone cultural production, and transnational feminist perspectives. Her work examines how gender, space, and storytelling intersect in Sinophone Malaysian and Taiwanese literature and film, often through ethnographic approaches to diasporic communities. Her recent publications demonstrate a cohesive trajectory exploring border-crossings in Sinophone cultural expressions, with increasing attention to digital media's role in pandemic-era artistic production. Key thematic threads include the reclamation of historical narratives by women authors and the negotiation of identity in transnational contexts. Her scholarly recognition includes: Doctoral Scholarship by the Janggen-Pöhn-Stiftung (2020-2022) China Scholarship Council Full Scholarship (2012) Multiple PhF Graduate School and GRC grants for academic events (2020-2023) While not currently advising graduate students, Hess has secured significant institutional support for workshops like 'Queering the Boundaries of the Arts in the Sinosphere' and 'Wired China,' establishing herself as an organizer of interdisciplinary dialogue. She teaches courses on Sinophone literature, cultural analysis, and migration at both the University of Zurich and University of Bern. No dedicated laboratory or fixed research team is documented in her professional profile.

• Migration and Chinese diasporas in Southeast Asia and Europe
• Contemporary Chinese/Sinophone literature
• Contemporary Chinese/Sinophone film
• +5 more

Gilles Rudaz is a Lecturer at the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (HES-SO Valais) and a scientific collaborator at the University of Geneva since 2010. His academic background includes a doctorate from the University of Geneva (2005) and postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley (2006–2007) and MIT (2007–2010). His research focuses on Mountain Studies , Environmental Politics , and Global Governance , particularly in the context of sustainable mountain development. He has explored political histories of mountains territorial redefinitions gender roles in sustainability city-mountain relations through projects like ERMI and Mountlennium. His publications span key themes in Global Environmental Politics and Landscape Studies , with a focus on institutional frameworks and gender dynamics in mountain regions. While no explicit scientific awards are listed, his work has been influential in debates around mountain governance and sustainable development.

• Mountain Studies
• Sustainable Development
• Environmental Politics
• +3 more

Zoë B. Cullen is an Associate Professor at Harvard Business School within the Entrepreneurial Management Unit . Her research spans Labor Economics , Behavioral Economics , and Digital Economy with a focus on pay transparency , remote work valuation , and labor market discrimination . PhD in Economics, Stanford University (2016) Chief Economist, Southeast Asian Bank (2016-2018) Current NBER Affiliate in Labor Studies Associate Editor, Journal of Political Economy Her research interests include: • Labor market transparency , particularly pay benchmarking and salary negotiations • Digital work transformation , analyzing remote work adoption and peer-to-peer labor platforms • Social interactions in organizations through studies on 'old boys' clubs' and salary taboo norms. Recent working papers show increasing focus on pay transparency policy evaluation (2023-2025), employee valuation of remote work (2025), and equilibrium effects of salary information diffusion. Her journal articles demonstrate interdisciplinary impact across top economics and management journals. Sloan Research Fellowship (2024) NSF Grant for 'What's My Employee Worth?' (2023) ACM Conference Award for pay transparency modeling (2019) She advises pre-doctoral fellows in economics research and contributes to teaching materials including case studies on negotiation coaching and spreadsheet analysis. Her lab work involves field experiments with over 3,100 participants and firm-level survey analysis across thousands of businesses.

• Labor Economics
• Behavioral Economics
• Economics of Digital Technologies
• +3 more

Dr. Valerie Sticher is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Security Studies within ETH Zurich's Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences. Her interdisciplinary work bridges political science, conflict studies, and technological innovation, focusing on how satellite data and AI can enhance conflict analysis and humanitarian response. Previously, she has held academic positions at the University of Zurich, Johns Hopkins University, AI Singapore, and Leiden University. Dr. Sticher's research interests center on the dynamics of armed conflicts, with particular emphasis on ceasefire compliance, strategic decision-making processes in war, and the application of remote sensing technologies for monitoring conflict zones. She employs both qualitative methodologies and computational approaches to analyze how satellite data, particularly nighttime light imagery and SAR data, can serve as proxies for identifying humanitarian crises and assessing war-related damage. Her work on the Remote Monitoring of Armed Conflicts project represents a significant contribution to automating the detection of war damage through open-access satellite imagery. Her recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward integrating technological innovations with traditional conflict analysis, particularly focusing on Ukraine and other active conflict zones. She has pioneered methods for using satellite-based nighttime light data to monitor humanitarian situations and has developed machine learning approaches for assessing building damage in conflict areas. Her research bridges the gap between political science and data science, creating actionable insights for policymakers and humanitarian organizations. Dr. Sticher has received multiple awards for her research, though specific awards are not detailed in available sources. Her work has been published in leading journals including Communications Earth & Environment, British Journal of Politics and International Relations, and International Studies Review. Her academic journey reflects a unique trajectory from practical field experience to scholarly research. Before entering academia, she served as a political affairs officer for the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste and as a senior program officer with the mediation support team at the Center for Security Studies, providing her with valuable on-the-ground insights that inform her current research. Dr. Sticher is actively involved with the Remote Monitoring of Armed Conflicts project and the Deep Learning-based Mapping of Conflict project at ETH Zurich's Center for Security Studies, where she serves as Co-Principal Investigator. These initiatives represent cutting-edge interdisciplinary efforts to develop automated systems for conflict monitoring that can enhance both academic understanding and practical humanitarian response.

• Armed Conflicts
• Conflict Analysis
• Satellite Data Applications
• +5 more

Alexandre Dormeier Freire is a Lecturer and Director of the Executive Master in Development Policies and Practices (DPP) at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID). He also serves as a faculty associate at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP). Dr. Freire holds a Ph.D. in Development Studies from the University of Geneva and specializes in education systems transformation, social inequalities, and conflict resilience. His research focuses on children/family/school dynamics in crisis zones using art-based methodologies. Current projects include an 'Innovation Starting Grant' on Palestinian resilience in collaboration with An-Najah University. Education: Ph.D. in Development Studies, University of Geneva Sociologist of Education Research Interests: Educational Policy in Conflict Zones Internationalization of Education Systems Socioeconomic Transformations in Emerging Countries Family Roles in Vocational Education Choices Peacebuilding through Community Development Grants & Collaborations: Lead researcher for MENA Leading House 'Innovation Starting Grant' (2024) Collaborations with HETS Geneva, An-Najah University (Palestine), IRED Vietnam, and COGINTA Member of Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation commissions Labs/Teams: Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP) Institute for Research on the Development of Education (IRED - Vietnam)

• Development and Cooperation
• Peacebuilding
• Education Systems
• +7 more

Claudia Hoffmann is a PartTime Lecturer at the Faculty of Theology , University of Basel, Switzerland. Her academic career spans intercultural theological research, with a focus on Southeast Asian religious history and migration's impact on Christian communities. Current Role : Expert and Coordinator for Religious Affairs, Diversity and Equality Department, Canton of Basel-Stadt (since April 2023) Research Involvement : SNSF project 'Conviviality in Motion' (since 2021), examining interreligious coexistence in multicultural Swiss communities Education : Theology studies at University of Zurich (1998-2006) Research Specializations : Intercultural theology with focus on Indonesia Religion-migration nexus analyzing Christianity's transformation through diaspora Conviviality frameworks in multifaith societies Hermeneutics of cross-cultural encounters Scientific Contributions : Conviviality in Contexts of Religious Plurality (2025, co-edited volume) Migration and the Church (2021 open-access monograph) 2025 book chapter analyzing religious celebration intersections Awards : 2017 Faculty Prize (Dewetteanum) for dissertation on Tiwah funeral rites and Basel Mission Professional Engagement : Board member of German Society for Missiology (DGMW) and Mission 21. Active in theological fieldwork including a 2002-2003 research stay in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

• Religious Studies
• Intercultural Theology
• Migration and Religion
• +3 more