DEVELOPING FREEDOM - Key Persons

Abdulhakeem Al-Qubati

Job Titles:
  • Researcher
  • Expert Doctoral Researcher
AbdulhakeemAmerAbdulhafedAl-QubatiisaDoctoralResearcherintheproject"ResourceNexusIssuesRevealedbyCOVID-19forProfessionalCommunitiesintheAgri-FoodSupplyChain"atUNU-FLORESandTUDresdensinceNovember2021.

Adam Day

Job Titles:
  • Head of the Geneva Office

Alexandra Ivanovic

Job Titles:
  • Rector
  • Senior Programme Manager / Institute
AlexandraIvanovicistheSeniorProgrammeManagerintheOfficeoftheRector. AlexandraworkswithandsupportstheRectoronacademicprojectsaswellasprovidingadviceandsupporttotheExecutiveOfficerandChiefofStaffoninstitutionaldevelopmentandotherorganizationalandmanagementissues.SheistheGenderFocalPointfortheRector'sOfficeandteachesacourseonLawandPracticeoftheUNtograduateandpost-graduatestudentsatUNU. AlexandrahasworkedattheUniversitysince2014.PriortoworkingwiththeRector'soffice,shewastheSeniorProjectManagerattheUNUCentreforPolicyResearch,managingprojectsandundertakingresearchandpublishinginthefieldsofdevelopmentandpeaceandsecurity. ShehaspreviouslyworkedasalawyerandmediatorinAustraliaandasdirectorofanumberofsmallandmediumenterprisesoverthelast15years.SheholdsaMScfromUNUinSustainability,DevelopmentandPeaceandacommerce/lawdegreefromtheUniversityofNewSouthWales.

Alexey V. Alekseenko

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professor at the Saint Petersburg Mining University
  • Expert Adjunct Professor
AlexeyV.AlekseenkoiscurrentlyanAdjunctProfessoratUNU-FLORESandanAssociateProfessorattheSaintPetersburgMiningUniversity

Alice Eckstein

Job Titles:
  • Programme Manager

Andrés Ángel

Job Titles:
  • Expert Project Coordinator
AndrésÁngelisatransdisciplinaryprofessionalinterestedinpromotingthestrengtheningofsustainabilityconceptswithinthebiophysicalboundariesofourplanet.

Anthony Antoine

Job Titles:
  • Executive Director of the Brussels School of Governance
AnthonyAntoineisExecutiveDirectoroftheBrusselsSchoolofGovernance(VUB)andiscoordinatoroftheUNU-CRISCampusinBrussels.

Anthony Arundel

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Innovation at the University of Tasmania
AnthonyArundelisaProfessorofInnovationattheUniversityofTasmaniainHobart,AustraliaandconcurrentlyaProfessorialFellowatUNUMaastrichtEconomicandSocialResearchandTrainingCentreonInnovationandTechnology(UNU-MERIT).

Cara Antonaccio

Job Titles:
  • Expert Researcher
  • Research Interests
  • Researcher / Education
  • Researcher at the UNU Institute
CarajoinedtheUNUMacauinNovember2022.Herresearchisfocusedonhealthanddevelopmentinconflict-affectedcommunitiesusingepidemiologicalandgeospatialanalysismethodstoinvestigatethedynamicsofcomplexhumanitariancrises.Sheiscurrentlyworkingonaprogrammethatexaminestheconflict-relatedandcontextualdriversofattacksagainsthumanitarianassistance,aswellasthegeospatialdiffusiondynamicsofattacksagainstaidworkers,globally.In2022,sheearnedaPhDfromBostonCollege,whereshestudiedmentalhealthandpsychosocialwell-beinginconflict-affectedcommunitiesandamongyouthwhowereformerlyaffiliatedwitharmedforcesandgroupsinSierraLeone.In2018,sheearnedaMasterofScienceinPublicHealthfromJohnsHopkinsUniversity,wheresheconductedresearchevaluatingtheimplementationofmentalhealthandpsychosocialsupportservicesfornewmothersinconflict-affectedregionsofUganda.SincejoiningtheUNUInstituteinMacau,Caraisincreasinglymotivatedtoconductappliedinterdisciplinaryresearchandtodesigndata-driventoolstosupporthealthinhumanitariancrisesandcommunitiesaffectedbyconflict. ResearchInterests Epidemiologyandbiostatistics Geospatialanalysis Humanitarianemergencies Maternalandchildhealth Mentalhealthandpsychosocialsupport CaraAntonaccioisaresearcherattheUNUInstituteinMacau.

Caroline Nalule

Job Titles:
  • Research Fellow ( Non - Resident )

Catharina Nickel

Job Titles:
  • Programme Officer

Charles Hunt

Job Titles:
  • Senior Fellow ( Non - Resident )

Chido Mutangadura

Job Titles:
  • Senior Fellow ( Non - Resident ) on Governance of Peace and Security

Christina McElwaine - COO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Operations Officer

Dr Anthony Bartzokas

Job Titles:
  • Fellow at UNU - MERIT
DrAnthonyBartzokasisProfessorialFellowatUNU-MERITandonthefacultyoftheDepartmentofEconomics,UniversityofAthens,Greece.

Dr. Binate Fofana Namizata

Job Titles:
  • Namizata Is the Coordinator of UNU - INRA 's Operating Unit in Côte D'Ivoire
Dr.BinateFofanaNamizataistheCoordinatorofUNU-INRA'soperatingunitinCôteD'Ivoire.

Dr. Deema Almasri

Job Titles:
  • Policy Researcher and Environmental Scientist
Dr.DeemaAlmasriisapolicyresearcherandenvironmentalscientistwithspecializationinsustainability,environmentalstudies,waterresources,andwatertreatmenttechnologies,includingwastewatertreatmentandreuse.

Dr. James M. Hester

Job Titles:
  • First Rector

Dr. Miriam Aczel

Dr.MiriamAczel'sexpertiseencompassesinternationalenergylawandpolicy,greenhousegasremovaltechnologies,local-scalecleanenergy,sciencecommunication,andcitizenscience.

Eduardo Albrecht

Job Titles:
  • Senior Fellow
  • Expert Senior Fellow
DrAlbrechtisapoliticalanthropologistwithahistoryofworkacrossgovernment,non-profit,academic,andmultilateralorganizations.Hisresearchfocusesonusesofartificialintelligence(AI)instateandinternationalorganizationdecision-makingprocesses.

Eike Christoph Behre

Job Titles:
  • Expert Senior Project Associate
  • Project Manager at UNU - EHS
EikeBehreisProjectManageratUNU-EHSandtheMunichClimateInsuranceInitiative(MCII).HeisamemberoftheClimateRiskAnalyticsTeamatMCIIandpartoftheEnvironmentalVulnerability&EcosystemServicesdivision(EVES).

Eleonore Fournier-Tombs

Job Titles:
  • Head of Anticipatory Action and Innovation

Els Bekaert

Job Titles:
  • Fellow
  • Expert PhD Fellow / Els Bekaert

Emma Bapt

Job Titles:
  • Visiting Fellow

Erica Gaston

Job Titles:
  • Head of Conflict Prevention and Sustaining Peace Programme

Fabiana Coccia

Job Titles:
  • Office Manager

Francesco Foghetti

Job Titles:
  • Legal Affairs Officer and Associate Secretary of the UNU Council
  • Senior Legal Officer / Institute

Frank Haberstroh

Job Titles:
  • AML and Sanctions Lead

Guillaume Baggio

Job Titles:
  • Expert Research Fellow, Water, Climate and International Development
GuillaumeBaggioisaninterdisciplinaryclimatechangeandinternationaldevelopmentexpert

Heaven Crawley

Job Titles:
  • Head of Equitable Development and Migration

Imane Karimou

Job Titles:
  • Research Associate

Irfana Khatoon

Job Titles:
  • Junior Fellow

Jack Durrell - CCO

Job Titles:
  • Head of Communications
  • for Media Enquiries

Jaffar Abbas

Job Titles:
  • Researcher
JaffarAbbasisaresearcheronurbanclimatejusticeandnon-economiclossanddamage.Withabackgroundinhumangeography,environmentalengineeringandclimatecommunication,he'spassionateaboutfindinginnovativesolutionstocombatclimatechangethroughenvironmentaljusticeapproaches,communityengagementandinterdisciplinaryresearch.

Jana Balzer

Job Titles:
  • Expert Student Assistant

Jill Huinder

Job Titles:
  • Operations Manager - FAST

JSPS Postdoctoral

Job Titles:
  • Research Fellow With Dual Affiliations at UNU - IAS
MarkAkrofiisaJSPSPostdoctoralResearchFellowwithdualaffiliationsatUNU-IASandKyotoUniversity.

Kehinde Esther Balogun

Job Titles:
  • Expert Associate Project Manager
Ms.KehindeBalogunjoinedtheEnvironmentalMigration,SocialVulnerabilityandAdaptation(EMSVA)SectionatUNU-EHSasaDisasterRiskManagementExpertin2012.

Kwabena Adu-Aba

Job Titles:
  • Research Assistant at UNU - WIDER
KwabenaAdu-AbabioisaresearchassistantatUNU-WIDER,alsopursuingaPhDattheUniversityofHelsinki.

Loria-Mae Heywood

Job Titles:
  • Research Associate

Louise Amoris

Job Titles:
  • Expert PhD Fellow
  • Fellow at UNU - CRIS
LouiseAmorisisaPhDFellowatUNU-CRISwithUNU-CRISlabel.

Luisa Kern

Job Titles:
  • Mercator Fellow

Luís Nuno Barbosa

Job Titles:
  • Expert Junior Research Assistant
  • Junior Research Assistant at the United Nations University
NunoBarbosaisaJuniorResearchAssistantattheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-EGOV)since2022.

Luís Soares Barbosa

Job Titles:
  • Deputy Director of the United Nations University
  • Expert Deputy Director
LuísSoaresBarbosaistheDeputyDirectoroftheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-EGOV)since2017.

Martin Kinuthia

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Officer
  • Finance

Michael Baldock

Job Titles:
  • Chief of Staff
  • Rector
  • Chief of Staff / Institute
  • Executive Officer in the Strategic Management and Governance
MichaelwaspreviouslytheLegalandPolicySpecialistatUNU'sOfficeoftheRector.HeadvisedtheUNUsystemonarangeoflegalissuesandsupportedtheexecutivemanagementoftheUniversityinthedevelopmentofstrategyandpolicy. PriortojoiningUNU,Michaelworkedintheprivatesectoratinternationallawfirms,managingcomplexlitigationandstrategiccounselingforcorporateclients.Duringthistime,MichaelmaintainedanactiveprobonopracticerepresentingasylumseekersfromAfricaandCentralAmerica.MichaelholdsaJurisDoctoratedegreefromtheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,wherehisstudiesfocusedoninternationalandcomparativelaw. AsChiefofStaff,MichaelBaldocksupportstheRectorandtheExecutiveOfficerinthestrategicmanagementandgovernanceoftheUniversitynetwork.

Namiko Matsuo

Job Titles:
  • Assistant
  • Assistant to the Senior Vice - Rector / Institute
NamikoMatsuoistheUNUAssistanttotheSeniorVice-Rector. UnderthedirectsupervisionoftheSeniorVice-RectorandinclosecoordinationwithstaffoftheOfficeoftheRector,Namikoundertakesvariousadministrativetasksandprovidesacademicandresearchsupport. PriortojoiningUNU,NamikoworkedfortheIsrael-basednon-profitorganizationBridgesForPeace(BFP),whichsupportsIsraelandbuildsrelationshipswithJewsinIsraelandaroundtheworld.AtBFPJapanoffice,sheprovidedarangeofoperationalsupporttotheNationalDirectorasanadministrativesecretary.Shewasresponsibleformanagingvariousprojectsasaneventcoordinatorandmanagedtheorganization'sgiftshop,importinggoodsfromIsraelandoverseas. NamikoholdsadegreeinFilmfromOrangeCoastCollegeinCalifornia,andinTheatreArtsfromtheCityUniversityofNewYork,BrooklynCollege.HerpreviousprofessionalexperiencesincludeservingasabusinessconsultantattradingcompaniesinherhometownFukuoka,asaninterpreter,aMasterofCeremonies,adesignerandothersuchpositions.

Nicolas du Bois

Job Titles:
  • Programme Manager
  • Rector
  • Project Manager / Institute
NicolasduBoisisaprogrammemanagerintheOfficeoftheRector. NicolaspreviouslyworkedattheUniversityofTokyo,wherehewastheprogrammemanagerofthestartupinceptionprogramme,FoundX.HealsohasexperienceworkingasaconsultantconnectingAfricanstartupstoJapaneseinvestors,aswellasworkasaparalegalatamajorinternationallawfirminTokyo. HeholdsanMPhildegreeinModernJapaneseStudiesfromtheUniversityofOxford,wherehisresearchfocusedonJapaneseinvestmentanditsimpactonAfricandevelopment;aswellasadegreeinpolitics,philosophy,andeconomicsfromtheUniversityofCapeTown.HeisfluentinEnglishandJapanese,andconversationalinRussianandAfrikaans. AtUNU,NicolasistheprimaryfocalpointintheRector'sOffice(RO)forPelikan.Additionally,hesupportstheROinvariousactivitiesandtasksincludingassessmentreports,thejuniorfellowsprogramme,externalinquiries,budget,andCouncilandCONDIRmatters.

Nora Adam

Job Titles:
  • Scientist
Asanaturalscientist,NoraAdamworkedinmultipleinternationalandinterdisciplinaryresearchinstitutionsfocusingonecology,forestry,andbiodiversityresearch.

Prof. Amir AghaKouchak

Job Titles:
  • Professor Amir AghaKouchak Serves As the Water, Climate and Infrastructure Risk Lead at UNU - INWEH
ProfessorAmirAghaKouchakservesastheWater,ClimateandInfrastructureRiskLeadatUNU-INWEH

Prof. Jan Franklin Adamowski

Job Titles:
  • Expert Adjunct Professor
  • Full Professor
JanFranklinAdamowskiisaFullProfessorintheDepartmentofBioresourceEngineeringintheFacultyofAgriculturalandEnvironmentalSciencesatMcGillUniversity.

Prof. Nirupama Agrawal

Job Titles:
  • Expert Adjunct Professor
  • Professor of Disaster
NirupamaAgrawalisaProfessorofDisasterandEmergencyManagement(DEM)atYorkUniversity,Canada,withover30yearsofprofessionalexperience.

Prof. Saleem Ali

Job Titles:
  • Professor Saleem H. Ali Is an Environmental Security Scholar
ProfessorSaleemH.Aliisanenvironmentalsecurityscholar

Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala

Job Titles:
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts
  • Rector of the United Nations University
Prof.Marwalais,interalia,aFellowoftheAmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences,TheWorldAcademyofSciences(TWAS),theAcademyofScienceofSouthAfrica,andtheAfricanAcademyofSciences. Prof.Marwalaistheauthorofmorethan20books,includingLeadershipLessonsfromBooksIHaveRead(2021)andLeadinginthe21stCentury:TheCallforaNewTypeofAfricanLeader(2021);dozensofbookchapters,journalpapers,andconferencepapers;andmorethan200magazinearticlesandnewspaperop-eds. AmongtheawardsthatProf.MarwalahasreceivedaretheOrderofMapungubwe(SouthAfrica'shighesthonour)andtheAcademyofSouthAfrica'sScience-for-SocietyGoldMedal.Hewasnamedthe2021ITPersonalityoftheYearbytheInstituteofITProfessionalsSouthAfrica. Prof.TshilidziMarwalaistheRectoroftheUnitedNationsUniversityandUnder-Secretary-GeneraloftheUnitedNations.

Rashed Al Mizan

Job Titles:
  • Researcher
RashedAlMizanisaDoctoralResearcherfocusingonsustainabilityinthetextileindustryandinterrelatingthewaste,energy,andchemicalnexusintheproductionofactivethermoregulatingfunctionalworkwear.

René Belderbos

Job Titles:
  • Professor
  • Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
ProfessorRenéBelderbosisafullprofessorofManagerialEconomicsandStrategyattheKatholiekeUniversiteitLeuvenandpart-timeprofessorialfellowatMaastrichtUniversityandtheUNUMaastrichtEconomicandSocialResearchandTrainingCentreonInnovationandTechnology(UNU-MERIT).

Sabine Becker-Thierry

Job Titles:
  • Executive Officer
  • Secretary of the University 's Governing Board
SabinealsoservesasSecretaryoftheUniversity'sGoverningBoard,theUNUCouncil.SabinepreviouslyservedastheUNUChiefofStaff.PriortojoiningUNU,sheworkedasanindependentconsultantonquestionsofaideffectiveness,humanitariancoordination,andorganisationalperformanceforUNagencies,NGOs,andgovernments.ShealsoworkedasanevaluatorwiththeUN'sOfficeofInternalOversightServicesinNewYorkandtheUNEvaluationGroup.SabinestartedhercareerataEuropeanconsultingfirmwhereshemanagedseveraldevelopmentandinstitutionalreformprojectsinEasternEurope,theBalkans,andtheMiddleEast.SheholdsaPhDfromWasedaUniversityinTokyo,andmaster'sdegreesininternationalrelations,withafocusondevelopmentandevaluationfromSciencesPoParisandfromUniversitéParis-Sorbonne.SheisfluentinEnglish,FrenchandGerman,married,andhastwochildren.

Sawako Shirahase

Job Titles:
  • Professor of Sociology at the Graduate School of Humanities
  • Senior Vice - Rector, United Nations University Assistant Secretary - General, United Nations
SawakoShirahaseisaprofessorofsociologyattheGraduateSchoolofHumanitiesandSociology,theUniversityofTokyo.

Sophie Buddenhorn

Job Titles:
  • Global Governance Research and Planning Associate

Soumaya Ben Dhaou

Job Titles:
  • Dhaou Is a Research Specialist at the United Nations University ( UNU - EGOV
SoumayaBenDhaouisaResearchSpecialistattheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-EGOV)since2016.

Teresa Arce Mojica

Job Titles:
  • Expert Project Associate - Risk Analytics
TeresaholdsaBachelor'sdegreeinFinancialAdministrationandSystemsfromtheUniversityofGuadalajara,Mexico,andadualMaster'sinScienceonTechnologyandNaturalResourcesManagementintheTropics&SubtropicsfromTHCologne,Germany,andtheUniversidadAutónomadeSanLuisPotosí,Mexico.

Tess Pilkington

Job Titles:
  • Policy Communications Associate / Education
TessPilkingtonisaPolicyCommunicationsAssociateforUNU-CPR.Inthisrole,shesupportstheCentre'sdigitalpresence,eventplanning,anddisseminationofresearchpublications. PriortojoiningUNU-CPR,TessreceivedherBachelorofArtsfromMcGillUniversityinHistoryandPoliticalScience(Honours),withafocusonthehistoryofvotingrightsintheUnitedStates.HerresearchpaperfocusedontheUnincorporatedTerritoriesoftheUnitedStates. ShehasinternedfortheInternationalCommissionofInquiryonSystemicRacistPoliceViolenceAgainstPeopleofAfricanDescentintheUnitedStatesasaninvestigativeresearcherandcontributingauthorandwasaresearchassociatewithOrbitMediawheresheresearchedarchivalcriminaljusticematerial.ShewaspreviouslyaCommunicationsAssistant(Intern)atUNU-CPR.

Thelma Arko

Job Titles:
  • Expert Research Fellow
  • Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa
ThelmaArkoisaResearchFellowattheUnitedNationsUniversityInstituteforNaturalResourcesinAfrica(UNU-INRA)wokringonaBosch-fundedSustainableCitiesproject.

Thiago Ávila

Job Titles:
  • Digital Government Leader in Alagoas
ThiagoÁvilaisaDigitalGovernmentLeaderinAlagoas,Brazil,withalongpublicservicecareerandacademicbackground.Heinitiatedanationaldigitaltransformationprojectandwonaglobalprize.

Uzabi Baidar

Job Titles:
  • Expert Project Assistant
UzabiisaresearcherspecializinginEnvironmentManagementandIntegratedWaterResourcesManagement.SheisworkingasaresearcherwiththeClimateRiskAnalyticsteamoftheMunichClimateInsuranceInitiative(MCII).Shespecializesinwaterresourcesmanagement,climateadaptations,disasterriskfinancingandnature-basedsolutions.

Wagner Araújo

Job Titles:
  • Research Associate at the United Nations University
WagnerAraújoisaResearchAssociateattheUnitedNationsUniversity(UNU-EGOV)since2018.