Find Academic Supervisors

• Urban Planning
• Strategic Planning
• Metropolitan Governance
• +5 more

Glen Searle is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at The University of Sydney, specializing in urban planning and metropolitan governance. His academic career demonstrates a strong focus on strategic planning, infrastructure governance, and urban policy development, particularly within the Australian context. Professor Searle's research interests span urban planning, strategic planning, metropolitan governance, infrastructure governance, land use planning, urban sustainability, and city development. His work critically examines planning systems, governance structures, and policy implementation challenges in metropolitan areas, with particular attention to Sydney's urban development strategies and infrastructure projects. He has made significant contributions to understanding the complexities of metropolitan governance, the public interest in mega infrastructure planning, and the challenges of population growth management. Analysis of Professor Searle's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on governance frameworks for urban infrastructure, metropolitan strategic planning, and the intersection of planning policy with population dynamics. His work demonstrates a methodological diversity, employing systematic literature reviews, case studies, and network analysis to examine urban phenomena. A notable trend is his increasing focus on infrastructure governance, particularly how governance structures respond to crises and changing urban conditions. His research bridges theoretical planning concepts with practical policy applications, often drawing on Australian case studies while connecting to international planning discourse. Professor Searle has secured significant research funding, including the 2020 Infrastructure Governance Incubator grant from The Henry Halloran Trust and the 2019 Population Growth and Regional Connectivity research grant from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. His collaborative approach is evident in his extensive co-authorship patterns across multiple institutions and disciplines. His scholarly contributions include numerous journal articles in leading planning and urban studies publications, book chapters, and edited volumes such as Global Planning Innovations for Urban Sustainability (2019). Professor Searle's work has appeared in high-impact journals including Urban Studies , Journal of Planning Literature , Urban Policy and Research , and Planning Theory and Practice .

Ankit BhardwajView profile

Adjunct Professor

• Environmental Politics
• Sociology of Expertise
• Climate Change
• +5 more

Ankit Bhardwaj is an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies at New York University (NYU) and concurrently a PhD student in Sociology at NYU. His research focuses on the politics of expertise related to carbon emissions reduction, with particular attention to India's urban climate change policies and global South contexts. Previously, he worked at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi and contributed to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report (2019). Education: MSc in City Design and Social Science (London School of Economics, 2015); BASc in Civil Engineering (University of Toronto, 2014). Research interests include environmental politics, sociology of expertise, climate change mitigation in urban settings, energy infrastructure transitions, and social theory applied to global environmental challenges. His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches to understanding how bureaucratic systems, local communities, and global frameworks interact in addressing climate change. Recent publications analyze Indian city bureaucracies' climate responses, energy demand transitions in low-income households, and decarbonization strategies in 'smart cities.' He critiques policy frameworks that fail to reconcile multiple development, energy, and climate objectives. His writing extends to climate justice, racialization theory (e.g., WEB Du Bois), and urbanization dynamics in the Global South. Awards and grants not explicitly listed, but his contributions to major reports like the UNEP Emissions Gap Report highlight his impactful policy engagement. He actively tweets @ankitbhardy and collaborates on projects bridging academic research with actionable policy solutions.

Parfait Martial Eloundou-EnyegueView profile

Professor

• Demographic Transitions
• Population and Development
• Global Inequality
• +6 more

Parfait Martial Eloundou-Enyegue is a Professor in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University and serves as Section Head and President of the Recruitment, Tenure and Promotion Committee at Institut National D'Etudes Démographiques (INED, France). He also holds appointments at Cornell's Brooks School of Public Policy and leads the Cornell Institute of African Studies. His work spans demography, sociology, and development economics with a focus on reconciling micro- and macro-level social change analysis. Education : Doctorate and Master's from Pennsylvania State University; Ingenieur Agroeconomiste from University of Dschang (Cameroon) Research Interests center on demographic transitions, global inequality, education-development linkages, fertility-schooling relationships, and decomposition methods for social change. His work examines how population dynamics affect economic development, poverty, and policy in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent Articles explore demographic dividends, micro-macro integration in sociology, and global child inequality trends. Awards include Pennsylvania State University's Distinguished Alumnus (2020), multiple Comparative International Education Society recognitions, and UN-related policy engagements. Scientific Awards : 2020 Pennsylvania State University Distinguished Alumnus, 2018 Cornell CALS Science & Policy Award, 2008 Marilyn Emmons Williams Undergraduate Research Advising Award Teaching includes courses on social indicators, education inequality, and development empirics. He has consulted for UN, World Bank, and USAID, and led large-scale demographic training initiatives across Francophone Africa.

David PrattenView profile

Associate Professor

• Social Anthropology
• African Studies
• Colonialism and Post-Colonialism
• +3 more

David Pratten is an Associate Professor in the Social Anthropology of Africa at the University of Oxford, where he is also a Fellow of St Antony's College. His work bridges social anthropology and African studies, focusing on themes of history, violence, and the state through long-term fieldwork with Annang communities in Nigeria. His research spans colonial-era ritual murders, post-colonial vigilantism, and contemporary masquerade traditions. He has led the African Studies Centre (2009-2013) and served as Director of Graduate Studies, while co-editing the prestigious journal AFRICA since 2010. Key Publications include the award-winning monograph The Man-Leopard Murders (2007) and co-edited volumes like Global Vigilantes (2007). His recent work involves a French National Research Agency (ANR) project on xenophobic exclusion in Africa. Scientific Awards Amaury Talbot Prize (2007) Teaching Excellence Award (2009) He supervises DPhil students and collaborates on research initiatives like the African Print Culture Network, supported by the John Fell Fund. His sabbatical (2024-2025) reflects ongoing commitment to ethnographic fieldwork and cross-disciplinary dialogue.

• Sustainable Food Systems
• Policy and Governance
• Biodiversity Conservation
• +7 more

Hens Runhaar is Professor of Policy and Governance for Sustainable Food Systems at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. He holds positions as Chair of the Examination Committee for Sustainable Development and is a member of the Core Team of Future Food Utrecht. Additionally, he serves on the Editorial Board of Earth System Governance Journal and as Associate Editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal. His research focuses on sustainable food systems, policy and governance for biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. Runhaar's research interests center on understanding the connectivity issues in Western food systems that lead to sustainability challenges including biodiversity loss, climate change, and food-related diseases. He investigates the decoupling of food production from environmental conditions, disconnects between feed production and livestock farming, and the separation between food production and consumption areas. His work emphasizes biodiversity as a key indicator of sustainable food systems, with special interest in scaling up agroecology, regenerative agriculture, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He delivered his inaugural lecture on January 17, 2025, titled 'Governing towards sustainable food systems: new connections for more diversity'. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on biodiversity policy integration, nature-based solutions, and transformative food system changes. Runhaar has been instrumental in special issues on biodiversity governance and environmental policy integration. His research projects include COMBINED (2025-2031), REWIRE, DivGrass, and work on the Water Framework Directive after 2027. Editorial Board Member of Earth System Governance Journal Associate editor of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems journal Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Dutch Bird Protection Association Senior Research Fellow of Earth System Governance research network Fellow of Wageningen School of Social Sciences Runhaar actively supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation, and nature-inclusive agriculture. He has contributed significantly to societal debates through media appearances in NRC, De Volkskrant, and EenVandaag, addressing topics like nitrogen policy, nature restoration, and the role of farmers in sustainability transitions. Beyond academia, he volunteers with the Badger Working Group Utrecht and 't Gooi Foundation, monitoring badgers since 2012 and contributing to nature conservation efforts.

Victoria A. BeardView profile

Professor

• International Development Planning
• Comparative Urbanization
• Community-Based Planning
• +3 more

Victoria A. Beard is Professor of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, where she serves as Director of the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities. She is also a Core Faculty member of the Southeast Asia Program and was named a Global Public Voices Fellow (2021-22) for her work on urban poverty and water/sanitation inequality in developing countries. Education: Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia (1999) M.A. in Urban Planning, University of California–Los Angeles (1995) B.A. in Urban Studies and Planning, University of California–San Diego (1992) Beard's research examines how communities in the Global South navigate formal planning systems to address urban poverty through collective action and transnational networks. Her work emphasizes water/sanitation infrastructure as critical sites of inequality, investigating how intermittency and affordability barriers perpetuate urban exclusion. She conducts comparative fieldwork in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia) and transnational contexts (Oaxaca/Southern California), analyzing how community-based planning can drive city-wide transformation despite institutional constraints. Her recent publications reveal a strategic shift toward infrastructure justice, with increasing focus on municipal service delivery systems and climate resilience. Beard consistently connects micro-level community practices to macro-level policy frameworks, highlighting pathways for inclusive urban development that center marginalized populations' lived experiences. Scientific Awards: Global Public Voices Fellow (2021-22) International Faculty Fellow, Global Cornell (2017) Fulbright Scholar to Indonesia (1993-94) Beard has secured major research funding including CORCL (University of California–Irvine) and Pacific Rim Research Program grants for transnational community planning projects. With 20+ years of practitioner experience, she has designed poverty-alleviation programs for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and RAND, specializing in community-based development, monitoring/evaluation systems, and national policy implementation. Her grant portfolio bridges academic research and on-the-ground impact through partnerships with NGOs like Mercy Corps. As Director of the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities, Beard leads initiatives focused on climate-resilient urban futures, including symposia on New York City resilience and Kenya's informal housing. She collaborates extensively with Cornell's Southeast Asia Program and Atkinson Center for Sustainable Future, building interdisciplinary teams that integrate planning, public health, and environmental science perspectives.

Sophie RyanView profile

Research Fellow

• Climate and Health
• Medical Geography
• Mental Health
• +12 more

Sophie Ryan is a Climate and Health Research Fellow at Appalachian State University's Department of Geography and Planning, supported by the National Academy of Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Geography (candidate) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and advanced degrees in Geography from Appalachian State University and the University of Vermont. Education : Ph.D. Candidate in Geography (UNC Chapel Hill), M.A. in Geography (Appalachian State), B.S. in Geography (University of Vermont) Ryan's research integrates medical geography and climate science to explore mental health impacts of extreme weather events. Her work combines spatiotemporal modeling , health data analysis , and disaster response studies , focusing on youth, older adults, and vulnerable populations. Recent projects examine greenspace effects on mental health , compound climate events , and pandemic-related health disparities . Her publications highlight climate-mental health linkages , spatial epidemiology , and social vulnerability in disaster contexts. Articles address topics like heat-stress and mental health , transgender youth post-disaster trauma , and suicide risk disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan employs distributed lag models , cluster analysis , and geospatial techniques to assess environmental health impacts. Scientific Awards : NASEM Climate-Health Fellow

• Political Participation
• Clientelism
• Comparative Politics
• +4 more

Claudio Holzner is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Utah, affiliated with the College of Social and Behavioral Science. His career spans over two decades, during which he has held roles including Assistant Professor (2002–2010), Associate Professor (2010–2022), and Professor (2022–present). He previously served as Director of the Culture and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) program (2016–2021). Education: PhD in Political Science from the University of Michigan (2002). Languages: German, Italian, Spanish, and English. Dr. Holzner’s research focuses on political participation, clientelism, and democratic consolidation in Latin America. His work examines how community organizations and social networks influence voting, protesting, and civic engagement, particularly among marginalized populations. He has also explored immigrant political behavior in U.S. local elections and the impact of authoritarian legacies on democracy in Mexico. His scholarly output includes analyses of neoliberal reforms, electoral clientelism, and institutional barriers to political inclusion. Grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education have supported his research on topics like STARTALK programs, Latin American studies, and immigrant civic integration. Scientific Awards: CSBS Superior Teaching Award (2023) Distinguished Teaching Award (2022) Seligson Prize for Best Book (2022) Academic Writing Residency at Bellagio Center (2012) Rockefeller Foundation support (2012–2014, 2018–2020) Russell Sage Foundation grants (2008–2010, 2011–2012) Department of Education Title VI grants (2012–2018) Mexico Government grants (2011–2014) Dr. Holzner has taught courses such as Political Analysis, International Comparative Politics, and Thesis Research. He engages in community outreach through lectures on Latin American politics, workshops on indigeneity, and presentations for K-12 educators.

Michael WardView profile

Professor

• Applied Microeconomics
• Econometrics
• Environmental Economics
• +5 more

Michael Ward is a Professor in the Department of Economics at Monash University, with a joint appointment at the Monash Sustainability Institute. His research focuses on applied microeconomics and econometrics, particularly addressing environmental and resource sustainability challenges such as water management, pollution regulation, land use policies, and biodiversity conservation. He joined Monash in 2012 after faculty positions at ANU and UC Berkeley. Ward has led multiple research projects, including the RACE for 2030 CRC (Cooperative Research Centre) and adaptive urban water management initiatives. He has been recognized with the 2008 Best Economics Paper Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association for his work on food safety and nutrition. His research outputs span 23 peer-reviewed articles, including influential studies on regulatory compliance mechanisms, water pricing strategies, and biodiversity conservation. Ward collaborates internationally and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action and sustainable cities. Projects : RACE for 2030 CRC (2020–2031), Adaptive Urban Water Management (2012–2017), and household electricity use research (2022). Awards : 2008 Best Economics Paper Award for work on food safety and nutrition. Labs/Teams : Monash Sustainability Institute, interdisciplinary collaborations on energy and environmental policy.

Mi ShihView profile

Associate Professor

• Urbanization
• Land Development
• Land Politics
• +5 more

Mi Shih is an Associate Professor and Director of the Urban Planning and Policy Development Program at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University. She holds a Ph.D. from the same institution and prior academic roles include Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta (Canada) and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Technology Sydney (Australia). Her research focuses on Chinese urbanization, land politics, displacement, and social conflicts arising from urban development. She employs ethnographic and mixed-method approaches to analyze state roles in urban-rural dynamics, planning regulations, and value capture mechanisms. Key themes include land development rights, property rights, and the socio-spatial impacts of urban policies in Taiwan and China. Publications highlight critical topics such as TDR systems, urban governance, and the commodification of land. Her work bridges legal geography, urban sociology, and policy analysis, offering insights into global urban challenges. Education: B.S. and M.S., National Taiwan University Ph.D., Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University Teaching includes graduate courses on international urbanization and planning methods, and undergraduate courses on global urban systems.

Tobias PlieningerView profile

Professor

• Sustainability Science
• Ecosystem Services
• Landscape Change
• +5 more

Prof. Tobias Plieninger holds dual appointments as Professor of Social-Ecological Interactions at the Universities of Kassel and Göttingen, Germany, and currently serves as Dean of Research at Kassel’s Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences. He specializes in sustainability science focusing on rural landscape dynamics, ecosystem services, and transformative change processes. His work examines intersections between agriculture, forestry, nature conservation, and natural resource management. Education: PhD in Forest and Environmental Sciences (2004, University of Freiburg), Habilitation in Landscape Ecology (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin). Prior roles include Associate Professorships at the University of Copenhagen and leadership at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. Research focuses on biocultural landscapes, agroforestry systems, and participatory methods. Notable projects include coordination of the EU’s HERCULES initiative and leadership in IPBES’ Transformative Change Assessment. Recognitions include Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researcher (2019–2022) and the Henriette Herz Fellowship (2022). Editorial roles: Lead Author for IPBES, Associate Editor at Landscape and Urban Planning and People and Nature . Over 200 publications span topics like ecosystem service synergies, high nature value farming, and rewilding strategies. Active in policy engagement through Germany’s Leopoldina Academy and the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage. Research Themes: Landscape sustainability, participatory governance, biodiversity in agricultural systems Key Projects: SINCERE (forest ecosystem services), AGFORWARD (agroforestry innovation) Awards: Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researcher, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation fellowship Current initiatives emphasize transdisciplinary approaches, integrating local knowledge with scientific frameworks to address global sustainability challenges.

Mikko MyrskyläView profile

Professor

• Demography
• Population Health
• Fertility Dynamics
• +3 more

Mikko Myrskylä is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and Professor of Social Data Science at the University of Helsinki. Previously, he served as Professor of Demography at the London School of Economics. His academic training includes a PhD in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in Statistics from the University of Helsinki. His research focuses on population health, fertility dynamics, and demographic forecasting. Key areas include: Low fertility determinants through the ERC Synergy project BIOSFER Social inequalities in health via the Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center Labor demography and population aging He leads MPIDR's Laboratory of Population Health, Laboratory of Fertility and Well-Being, and Research Group Labor Demography. Myrskylä's recent publications show strong emphasis on: Fertility trends under economic uncertainty Health disparities across migration/life course stages Family dynamics and aging societies Methodological innovations in demographic analysis Work frequently employs large-scale register data and cross-national comparisons, particularly in Nordic contexts. He leads major collaborative initiatives including: ERC Synergy project BIOSFER (low fertility causes) MaxHel Center (social inequalities in health) with extensive interdisciplinary teams across Europe.

Magnus LinnarssonView profile

Professor

• Political history
• Urban history
• Early modern period
• +4 more

Magnus Linnarsson is a Professor of History at Stockholm University's Department of History, specializing in political history with a focus on early modern and modern Sweden. His research examines institutional change, public-private service organization, and the evolution of the welfare city. He leads undergraduate programs and supervises students at all levels. PhD in History (2010), Lund University Associate Professor (2017), Stockholm University His research spans four centuries of political conflicts over public services, state formation, and urban development. Key works include analyses of Sweden's postal, customs, and welfare systems, comparing hierarchical and contractual state organization models. Recent publications (2024) in Nordic Welfare Cities explore urban citizenship and inclusive welfare systems since 1850, challenging national narratives by emphasizing local governance. Earlier studies (2022–2018) dissected regime shifts, mercantile-state relations, and publicness concepts in tramway and telecom debates. Current projects include: Skiftande regimer (2021–2025): State formation and administrative reform (Vetenskapsrådet-funded) Olika vägar till välfärdsstaden (2021–2025): Nordic urban welfare debates (Riksbankens jubileumsfond-funded) He advocates for interdisciplinary analysis of political economy, institutional loyalty, and spatial dynamics, connecting historical debates to modern policy challenges.

Marit RosolView profile

Professor

• Critical Food Studies
• Alternative Economies
• Urban Governance
• +5 more

Marit Rosol is a Professor of Economic Geography at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (since 2022) and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary's Department of Geography (since 2022). She holds a Canada Research Chair (2016-2022) and has earned international recognition for her work on alternative food networks, urban governance, and critical political ecology. Education: Habilitation in Geography (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, 2012), PhD in Geography (Humboldt-Universität Berlin, 2006), Dipl.-Ing. in Urban & Regional Planning (TU Berlin, 2001) Her research focuses on Critical Food Studies , exploring alternative economies in urban agriculture, post-political urban governance, and transformative food systems. She examines tensions between environmental and social justice in food initiatives, state-led gentrification, and participatory urban planning frameworks. Recent publications analyze: Urban-rural food system transformations Smart city justice frameworks Commons-based land access models Anthropocene food challenges Scientific awards include: Senior Fellow, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (2022) Canada Research Chair Tier II (2016-2022) 2015 RIBA President's Award for Outstanding Urban Agriculture Research She has supervised: PhD students: Hanna Augustin Master students: Natalie Bakko, Abby Landon, Ricardo Barbosa Jr. Postdocs: Dr. Rebecca Laycock Pedersen, Dr. Charlotte Spring, Dr. Lauren Kepkiewicz Major grants from SSHRC, Hans-Böckler Foundation, and DAAD have supported her work on food insecurity linkages, urban food justice, and global comparative studies of food systems. She co-founded the Food Studies Interdisciplinary Research Group at the University of Calgary and serves on editorial boards for Canadian Food Studies and sub\urban .

Stephanie CroninView profile

Researcher

• Modern Iranian History
• History from Below
• Middle Eastern Studies
• +4 more

Stephanie Cronin is a Researcher affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Oxford. A historian specializing in modern Iranian and Middle Eastern history, she has held academic positions at SOAS, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford, where she served as Lecturer in Iranian History until 2021. Her work emphasizes history from below, focusing on marginalized communities, social protest, and state-society relations.