Abhijit Banerjee is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research focuses on development economics, public health policy, and social protection programs, particularly addressing poverty and inequality in low- and middle-income countries. He has conducted large-scale experiments evaluating interventions such as conditional cash transfers, universal basic income, and healthcare policies. Key areas of interest include the design and implementation of anti-poverty programs, behavioral economics, and the long-term health impacts of infectious diseases like COVID-19. His work often integrates experimental methods to assess policy effectiveness, with contributions to global health studies and economic development strategies. Notably, his research on the RECOVERY trial evaluates treatments for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, while other studies explore financial spillover effects of electronic government transfers in Indonesia and savings behavior interventions in Chile. Banerjee has collaborated on projects analyzing post-COVID-19 health outcomes, labor market dynamics in India, and the role of trusted messengers in public health communication during crises. Despite the breadth of his contributions, specific details about his educational background, grants, or lab affiliations are not explicitly provided in the source text.
Katherine Brickell is Professor of Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), where she serves as Research Lead for the Department of Geography. She is editor of the journal Gender, Place and Culture and former Chair of the RGS-IBG Gender and Feminist Geographies Research Group. Her work spans social, political, development, urban and legal geography with a feminist orientation. Brickell's research centers on three interconnected themes: home and home unmaking, labor precarity, and feminist legal geographies. Her longstanding interest in the domestic sphere and home unmaking aims to reaffirm the home as a political entity. Her monograph Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia brings together 15 years of research on domestic violence and forced eviction. Since 2017, she has conducted collaborative work in London and Dublin on modular housing for homeless families. She has also led significant research on labor conditions in Cambodia, including the ESRC-DFID funded 'Blood Bricks' project (2016-2019) studying climate change impacts on rural families migrating to brick kilns. Her recent publications reveal a strong focus on debt, microfinance, and climate vulnerability in Cambodia, with multiple 2022-2024 articles examining how over-indebtedness intersects with social reproduction and climate adaptation. Her work consistently applies feminist lenses to understand spatial dimensions of power, particularly in Southeast Asia. Brickell has published in top journals including Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , Progress in Human Geography , Antipode , and Annals of the American Association of Geographers . Gill Memorial Award (2014) Philip Leverhulme Prize (2016) Times Higher Education Research Project of the Year (2020) Brickell has supervised numerous doctoral students and mentored postdoctoral fellows working on topics including remittances during COVID-19, climate mobilities, moral geographies of garment work, and women's experiences with domestic violence. Her research has been funded by ESRC-DFID, UKRI GCRF, and the Urban Studies Foundation, among others. She collaborates extensively with colleagues in Cambodia and across Europe, with current projects examining climate resilience, credit-taking, and nutrition in Cambodia and South India, as well as the economic impacts of the pandemic on Cambodian garment workers.
Abhijit Banerjee is the Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT and Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). A 2019 Nobel laureate in Economic Sciences, his research focuses on development economics, political economy, and poverty alleviation. He co-authored influential books like Poor Economics and Good Economics for Hard Times , emphasizing evidence-based policies and randomized controlled trials. Banerjee’s work addresses global challenges such as education, health, and social welfare, with notable contributions to microfinance, public health interventions, and anti-poverty programs. He holds leadership roles in global initiatives like the Global Education Evidence Advisory Panel and has advised governments worldwide. His research spans topics from police resource allocation in India to the impact of information during crises like demonetization and the pandemic. Education: Bachelor’s in Statistics, Presidency College, Kolkata M.A. in Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University PhD in Economics, Harvard University Key Contributions: Co-founder of J-PAL, promoting evidence-based poverty reduction strategies. Pioneer in using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for policy evaluation. Research on microfinance, education reforms, and health interventions in developing countries. Awards: Nobel Prize in Economics (2019), Infosys Prize in Social Sciences (2009), Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). Grants/Advisory Roles: Collaborations with institutions like the World Bank, UN, and governments on poverty, health, and education policies. Labs/Teams: J-PAL global network, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.
Katherine V. Gough is Professor of Human Geography at Lund University, Sweden, with a 30-year research focus on housing/home, work/entrepreneurship, youth/elderly geographies, mobility, urbanisation, and climate change across Africa, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. She collaborates with Loughborough University's Clear Climate team on extreme heat mitigation in Ghana and leads the 'Trocha de Paz' project for Colombia's 'Total Peace' agenda. Research Themes Extreme Heat in Ghana Peacebuilding in Colombia Rural-Urban Dynamics Her multidisciplinary approach bridges academia, policy, and communities through projects like VEWEC, REFIT, and Paz Alto Cauca. Current work emphasizes: Climate-resilient housing design Post-conflict governance Informal sector innovation Scientific Engagement: British Academy funded VEWEC and REFIT projects Principal Investigator for Trocha de Paz (Colombia) Her collaborative research strengthens stakeholder networks in: West African urban livelihoods Colombian territorial peacebuilding Tropical climate adaptation
Professor Martin Doevenspeck is a distinguished scholar of Political Geography at the University of Bayreuth, where he holds a professorship in the Department of Political Geography within the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry & Earth Sciences. Since 2019, he has served as a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple" and as Spokesperson of the Research Section Mobilities. Previously, he was Managing Director of the Institute of Geography at the University of Bayreuth (2018-2022) and a member of the Executive Board of the Institute of African Studies Bayreuth. Professor Doevenspeck earned his "Diplom" in Geography from the University of Bonn and completed his PhD thesis entitled "Migration in rural Benin – Studies in social geography at an African border" at the University of Bayreuth in 2004. His academic journey includes positions as a Teaching and Research Assistant at the University of Bayreuth (2005-2011), Post-doc at the University of Bonn (2004), and various research and teaching roles focused on African geography and development. At the intersection of migration studies and political geography, Professor Doevenspeck's research focuses on (forced) im/mobilities, conflict, and border studies, with particular emphasis on African contexts. His current work centers on the project "Oil movements: the production and government of petro-(im)mobilities in East Africa" within the Bayreuth Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple," where he serves as Spokesperson of the Research Section Mobilities. His research spans West Africa (particularly Benin), Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda), and East Africa, examining how borders, conflicts, and resource extraction shape human mobility and territorial control. Analysis of Professor Doevenspeck's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on migration, borders, and conflict in African contexts, with increasing attention to environmental factors and resource extraction. His work demonstrates interdisciplinary approaches combining political geography, migration studies, and African studies. Recent publications particularly emphasize petro-mobilities, terrorism impacts on education, and migration control in West African borderlands, reflecting evolving research interests in the interplay between infrastructure development, security concerns, and human mobility. Professor Doevenspeck has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, including Jaana M. Janßen, Fabian Liedl, Clemens Romankiewicz, Morgane Anziani-Vente, Muhire Blaise Mwanga, and Daniela Boß. His academic leadership extends to serving as Vice Dean of the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS) from 2012-2021, where he played a significant role in shaping graduate education in African studies. As a Principal Investigator in the Cluster of Excellence "Africa Multiple," Professor Doevenspeck leads research initiatives examining diverse manifestations of "Africa" across the continent and diaspora. His work involves collaboration with researchers from multiple disciplines and institutions, focusing particularly on mobilities as a key research section within the cluster. This collaborative research environment has produced significant insights into migration patterns, border dynamics, and conflict resolution in African contexts.
Robert Newbery is a Professor and Head of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Northumbria University's Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Strategy Department. He holds a PhD from Newcastle University, specializing in rural business associations, alongside an MBA and MSc in Rural Social Science. His research focuses on entrepreneurship's role in development, particularly in poverty-stricken regions of the Global North and Global South. He leads the Entrepreneurship Educator Foundation for East Africa (EEFEA) and evaluates entrepreneurship programs' impacts, including serious games and research commercialization. Education: PhD in Business and Management Studies, Newcastle University (2011) MSc in Rural Social Science, Newcastle University (2007) MBA, Newcastle University (2003) Research Interests: Entrepreneurship for poverty alleviation Rural business models in Europe and Africa Innovative supply chains in East Africa Social entrepreneurship in South America Impact assessment of entrepreneurship education Geographic Foci: UK/Europe: Farming entrepreneurship and rural business models East Africa: Entrepreneurship and poverty reduction West Africa: Business models and development South America: Social entrepreneurship Collaborations: Visiting roles at Kenyatta University and University of Nairobi (2022). Active in the Institute of Small Business & Entrepreneurship as Deputy President. Advising & Grants: Accepting PhD students in development-linked entrepreneurship. Research commercialization and serious games impact studies are current priorities. Labs/Teams: Leads the EEFEA, collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on rural development and global entrepreneurship challenges.
Pawan Adhikari is a Professor of Accounting at Essex Business School, University of Essex , where he serves as Director of Impact and Enterprise and Director of Essex Accounting Centre . He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management and a Executive Board Member of the Comparative International Governmental Accounting Research Network (CIGAR) . Previously, he led accounting reforms at Nepal’s Accounting and Auditing Standards Board and lectured at Nord University, Norway. PhD, Nord University Business School Fellow of the Higher Education Academy His research focuses on public sector accounting in developing countries, particularly accounting reforms , public value creation , and climate accountability . He explores how accrual accounting and participatory budgeting can enhance transparency in South Asian and African contexts. His work has influenced policy-making in Nepal and is recognized with the 2023 Best International Research Impact award by the University of Essex. Recent publications analyze wellbeing economies (2025), NGO accountability in disasters (2024), and climate budgeting (2023). He collaborates with institutions like the World Bank , European Commission , and British Academy , focusing on projects related to financial resilience , circular economy , and health sector accountability . Supervising 8 current PhD students, his advisees have produced work on topics like accrual accounting in Bangladesh and NGO accountability in Palestine . World Bank/PEFA Research Award African Accounting and Financial Association (AAFA) Award ESRC IIA Impact Fund GCRF and SeNSS Grants 2019 Best Postgraduate Supervisor (Essex)
Dr. Federico Cammelli is a Researcher at the Department of Environmental Systems Science (ETH Zurich) within the Professorship for Sustainable Agroecosystems. His work focuses on environmental sustainability, deforestation mitigation, and equitable policy design in tropical regions. He investigates the effectiveness of supply chain policies, fire management strategies, and smallholder livelihood challenges in regions like the Amazon, West Africa, and Indonesia. Key research areas include zero-deforestation commitments in cattle and soy sectors, cocoa sustainability in West Africa, and the interplay between fire use, poverty, and conservation. He employs experimental methods and interdisciplinary approaches to address complex environmental governance challenges. Based at ETH Zurich’s Sonneggstrasse 33 campus, Dr. Cammelli collaborates with international institutions to advance sustainable agroecosystems and climate-resilient development. His research bridges environmental science, policy analysis, and socioeconomic dimensions of conservation.
Dr. Anthony Filippi is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and machine learning applied to aquatic and terrestrial environments. He leads the Fluvial-GEOS Lab, studying riverine/floodplain systems using remote sensing and GIS technologies. Educational Background: Ph.D. in Geography, University of South Carolina (2003) M.S. in Geography, University of South Carolina B.A. in Geography, Kansas State University Research Interests: Imaging spectroscopy, hyperspectral remote sensing of rivers and coastal oceans, GIS-based modeling, data fusion, aquatic optics, and machine learning. His work addresses coastal ocean bathymetry estimation, floodplain dynamics, and applications in environmental monitoring, including hazardous waste site tracking and agricultural studies. Recent Research Trends: Recent publications highlight advancements in UAS-based image analysis, LSTM networks for floodplain classification, and environmental policy impacts on forest resources. His work integrates machine learning with remote sensing to improve ecological and geomorphological understanding. Labs/Teams: Director of the Fluvial-GEOS Lab, focusing on remote sensing and GIS applications in riverine environments.
Michael R. Dove is the Margaret K. Musser Professor of Social Ecology and Professor of Anthropology at Yale University, where he also serves as Curator of Anthropology at the Peabody Museum and Co-Coordinator of the Combined YSE/Anthropology Doctoral Program. With over forty years of research experience, his work focuses on environmental anthropology, particularly the environmental relations of local communities in South and Southeast Asia. Dove earned his B.A. from Northwestern University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Stanford University. His academic journey has spanned decades of field research in Asia, including more than a dozen years conducting long-term studies on human ecology in Borneo and Java, developing government research capacity in Indonesia, and advising the Pakistan Forest Service on social forestry policies. Professor Dove's research interests encompass the anthropology of climate change, cultural and political aspects of natural hazards and disasters, indigenous environmental knowledge and practice, environmental institutions and movements, history of environment-related sciences, and multispecies ethnography. His work often examines how local environmental systems interact with national and global markets, politics, and ideologies, with a focus on problematizing orthodox approaches to conservation and development. He has made significant contributions to understanding human-environment relations through both theoretical frameworks and practical applications. Dove's recent scholarly output demonstrates a progression toward more integrated approaches to environmental challenges, blending historical perspectives with contemporary issues. His publications increasingly focus on the intersections of climate change, social justice, and indigenous knowledge systems, while maintaining his longstanding interest in Southeast Asian environmental relations. The work shows a growing emphasis on post-humanist approaches and multispecies ethnography, reflecting broader trends in environmental anthropology while maintaining his distinctive focus on political ecology and institutional analysis. As an educator, Professor Dove has supervised numerous doctoral and master's students, many of whom have gone on to win research awards and secure prestigious positions. He organizes separate research labs for doctoral students from Yale School of the Environment and other departments, as well as for joint YSE/Anthropology doctoral students. His advisees typically conduct international research and have excellent records of obtaining research support both within and beyond Yale. The Dove Lab at Yale School of the Environment serves as a hub for environmental anthropology research, focusing on topics including natural resource management, property rights, power struggles, household energy transitions, and human-wildlife interactions. The lab fosters a collaborative environment with 30-50 students working on related issues each year, characterized by supportive peer dynamics rather than competition. It also contributes to policy and social change through its research and the work of its alumni.
Dean B. Carson is a researcher at Umeå University , affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Global Health , and the Arctic Research Centre . His work focuses on rural health systems, social care workforce challenges, sustainable rural development, and community-based approaches to healthcare and food security. Rural Health : Explores capacity-building in rural health research and medical education reform. Public Health : Analyzes service delivery models and co-creation frameworks for elderly care. Geography : Investigates spatial dynamics in northern peripheries, including food production networks and micro-urbanization. Recent publications (2024-2025) examine topics such as rural health research capacity frameworks , hospital-to-home transfer systems , and non-commercial food distribution networks . His studies often integrate theoretical models like Rural Nursing Theory and Beyond Periphery while emphasizing stakeholder engagement and policy translation. Grants and Collaborations : Funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas, American National Science Foundation (NSF), and Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. Collaborates with Arctic-FROST networks and Lifestyle Migration Hub researchers.
Jampel Dell'Angelo is an Associate Professor with ius promovendi in Water Governance and Politics at the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He holds concurrent roles as a Visiting Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley's Ecohydrology Lab, and an Environmental Governance Affiliate Scholar at SESYNC, Maryland. His research focuses on multilevel dimensions of water governance, climate adaptation in African irrigation systems, and transnational land investments' impacts. He leads the EU-funded NEWAVE project, coordinating 15 Early Stage Researchers across 10 institutions. Educated with a dual PhD in Environmental Science (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and International Cooperation (Sapienza University), he also holds advanced degrees from the LSE, Sapienza, Curtin, and the University of Siena. As Editor-in-Chief of World Development , he promotes interdisciplinary research on socio-environmental systems. His work contributes to UN SDGs related to clean water, sustainable cities, and responsible production. Research interests span water grabbing dynamics, socio-ecological resilience, and policy frameworks for equitable resource management. Recent projects address Mediterranean water scarcity solutions and the socio-political implications of global land rushes. He supervises PhD candidates exploring themes like water democracy, agrifood transitions, and environmental justice. Key contributions include pioneering analysis of 'water commons grabbing' and documenting the Global Water Grab Syndrome. His documentary work complements field research, such as Working Together: Research and Water Governance on Mount Kenya . Current projects emphasize innovative governance models and climate-resilient water management in transboundary contexts.
Dr. Claire Kremen is a Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), holding joint appointments in the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES) and Zoology within the Faculty of Science. She is the President’s Excellence Chair in Biodiversity and a highly-cited researcher since 2014. Her work focuses on reconciling agricultural land use with biodiversity conservation, emphasizing strategies like diversified farming systems to enhance ecological connectivity, ecosystem services (e.g., pollination), and sustainable livelihoods. Her research spans field, lab, and modeling studies, addressing how diversified farming systems influence wildlife population persistence, pest control, and socio-economic outcomes. She has held prior faculty roles at Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley, where she co-founded the Berkeley Food Institute. Her international collaborations include work in Madagascar and roles on Conservation International’s Scientific Advisory Board. Research Interests: Community ecology, ecosystem services, agricultural diversification, conservation policy, and environmental change. Key projects investigate how landscape design and farming practices balance biodiversity conservation with food production, using case studies in strawberry farming, pollinator networks, and pest control. Awards & Recognition: President’s Excellence Chair in Biodiversity (UBC), Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (2014–present). Grants & Advising: Advises students via courses like RES 509 (Advanced Conservation Science) and RES 510 (Social-Ecological Systems). Her lab integrates empirical and theoretical approaches to address barriers to sustainable agriculture adoption and promotes policy frameworks for biodiversity-friendly farming. Labs & Teams: Leads the Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture Lab (WorCS Lab), collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on global food systems and biodiversity research.
Jakob Klein is a faculty member in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at SOAS University of London. His research focuses on the anthropology of food, with emphasis on Chinese and Asian culinary cultures, ethical consumption, heritage politics, and the interplay between state policies and market forces in shaping food systems. Klein's work explores themes such as: Culinary modernity and identity in China State-led food security initiatives (e.g., potato promotion) Heritage commodification of regional foods Buddhist vegetarianism and changing meat consumption Alternative food movements in postsocialist contexts His publications demonstrate consistent focus on: Cultural adaptation of global food trends Political economy of dietary change Ethnographic analysis of food practices across urban/rural divides He has supervised doctoral research on food tourism in Istria, gastronomic reinvention in Bulgaria, and cultural capital in Chinese leisure industries.
Valentina Mazzucato is Professor of Globalisation and Development at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, where she teaches and leads research in transnational migration and development. She founded and directed the research programme on Globalisation, Transnationalism and Development (2012–2020), co-founded the MA Globalisation and Development Studies, and led the development of the interdisciplinary BSc Global Studies. She is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and has held leadership roles in major research initiatives including the ERC Consolidator Grant project MO-TRAYL. Her educational background includes a BA in Political Science and French Literature from Williams College, an MSc in Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University, and a PhD cum laude from Wageningen Agricultural University on indigenous soil and water conservation in Burkina Faso. Her research focuses on transnational migration between Africa and Europe, particularly the socio-economic and cultural impacts on migrants, their families, and communities. She employs mixed methods and multi-sited research designs, pioneering the simultaneous matched sample methodology. Her recent work explores transnational youth mobility, return visits, remittances, and temporalities of migration. The articles from 2024–2025 reveal a strong thematic consistency in migrant youth, transnational identity, methodological innovation, and policy implications, reflecting her leadership in interdisciplinary migration scholarship. ERC Consolidator Grant (2017–2023) for MO-TRAYL project Elected member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), 2019 Prof. Mazzucato has secured multiple international grants from NWO, NORFACE, and the ERC, enabling her to build transnational research teams and mentor PhD candidates and early-career researchers. She supervises Bachelor’s and Master’s theses and externally examines PhDs internationally. She is actively involved in policy engagement, having advised Queen Beatrix and participated in EU and NGO forums on migration and development. She also co-created a play with Ghanaian migrants to translate research into public dialogue. She leads the Transnational Links and Livelihoods Group and collaborates across institutions including Princeton University (Center for Migration and Development), African universities, and policy organizations. Her work bridges academic research, teaching innovation, and societal impact.
