We are delighted to announce the Global Student Delegation for the 2018 Chicago Forum on Global Cities. These students are nominated by some of the world’s leading research universities to share their next generation perspective on global cities.
Farah Abou HarbAmerican University of BeirutFarah Abou Harb is pursuing a master’s degree in political studies at the American University of Beirut. Her research focuses on the internal and external causes of the Lebanese civil war and the effects of external interventions on the future development of the city. Abou Harb holds a bachelor's degree in public administration from the American University of Beirut. She was recently named the 2018 Regional Winner of NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation at the American University of Cairo. She is also a member of the Association for the Study of Nationalities (ASN) in New York. Emile Akangoa AdumpoHumboldt University of BerlinEmile Akangoa Adumpo is pursuing a doctoral degree at Humboldt University of Berlin. His study is in relation to how national policies have brought about manifest and latent consequences that have created inequalities among regions and cities in Ghana. The research work seeks to find out how deliberate policies have reduced inequalities among regions and cities in the north-south divide in Ghana. Adumpo received his bachelor’s in economics and sociology from Cape Coast University in Ghana. Nasir AlfarajKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyNasir Alfaraj is a doctoral student at the Department of Electrical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. His research focuses on photonic devices and their applications, especially pertaining to sustainability. Alfaraj received his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Western Michigan University in the United States. Currently, he is a member of the Photonics Laboratory and his research interests include the epitaxial growth, fabrication, and characterization of III-nitride semiconductor nanostructured devices. Willy Bertrand Atangana Mvogo University of NavarraWilly Bertrand Atangana Mvogo is a third year student pursuing a doctoral degree in economics at the University of Navarra. His research interests and current project revolve around studies associated with social capital and social trust. Born in Cameroon, he received much of his academic training in Spain, including a bachelor's in economics with a concentration in economic analysis at the University Complutense of Madrid. Atangana Mvogo’s academic formation and research has extensively focused on topics related to the effects of government decisions on individuals. Marie Noel Loullie Bernal GarridoHong Kong University of Science and TechnologyMarie Noel Loullie Bernal Garrido is pursuing her doctoral degree in public policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Her area of study focuses on how policy and governmental intervention can foster the application of sustainable materials and technologies to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, particularly in the cement production sector. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana with a double major in architecture and theology. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to work for a luxury residential architecture firm, and later a luxury retail architecture firm. Nellie Bohac Loyola University ChicagoNellie Bohac is pursuing her doctoral degree in political science at Loyola University in Chicago. Her research focuses on income inequality and development in the Global South. Bohac received her bachelor’s degree in political science and finance from Santa Clara University in California. She spent a year as a global fellow in Ghana with the organization Bright Generation Community Foundation, where she headed the establishment of the Child and Youth Finance Program, researched grant opportunities, and met with representatives of local banks to set up future relationships for the program. Ariel Castro-MartinezUniversity of SydneyAriel Castro-Martinez is pursuing a master’s in US studies at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on how Silicon Valley affects inequality in the San Francisco Bay Area. He holds a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts from the University of Sydney, majoring in biology, philosophy, and American studies. In his studies, Castro-Martinez has been awarded a Summer Research Scholarship, where he has looked at the history of the concept of racism in the English speaking world, and the Australia/America Connections scholarship for his academic achievement and international outlook. Ravinder DhimanIndian Institute of Technology BombayRavinder Dhiman is a full-time research scholar at the Centre for Urban Science and Engineering (CUSE), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, where his research focuses on developing geospatial methods and tools for synergizing the anthropogenic development and natural ecosystem in coastal cities. Before this role, he worked for two years as senior project fellow at CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, India. He holds a master’s degree in environmental management and bachelor’s in biotechnical engineering from Maharshi Dayanand University in India. His research interests include the application of GIS and decision science for coastal resource management. Amira El-Barmelgy American University in CairoAmira El-Barmelgy is pursuing a master’s degree in sustainable development at the American University in Cairo. Her research focuses on the impact of urban sprawl and the impact of climate change on urban centers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern studies and integrated marketing communications at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. El-Barmelgy is very interested in environmental impacts of urban centers on the global environment and the impact of the global environment on urban centers. Daniel Gan National University of SingaporeDaniel Gan is pursuing a doctoral degree at the School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore (NUS). His research focuses on designing everyday activity space to benefit older adults’ psychosocial health in Singapore’s public housing. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s in architecture from NUS, Singapore. Gan was awarded the AAA Travel Prize for Best Student in History and Theory of Modern Architecture. He has published in Housing & Society, and reviews for Social Science Research. HeeSoo JooSeoul National UniversityHeeSoo “Irene” Joo is pursuing a doctoral degree at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Seoul National University. Her research focuses on youth urban housing policy and sustainable city development. She holds a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Public Administration at Seoul National University and a bachelor’s in public administration from Kyonggi University in the Republic of Korea. She also has research and project management experience on the topic of sustainable urban development policies around the world while working at international NGOs such as CityNet and YouthNow. Andrew KimNorthwestern University Andrew Kim is pursuing a PhD in medical anthropology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. His research focuses on the intergenerational and early life effects of apartheid-based stress and violence on mental health outcomes in the Khayelitsha township outside of Cape Town, South Africa. He holds a BS in anthropology and human biology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to his graduate studies, Kim was a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center, where he helped neighborhoods design interventions and analyzed social policy programs aimed at eliminating food insecurity in low-income and immigrant communities. Chang LiuUniversity of Hong KongChang “Chloe” Liu is pursuing a doctoral degree of urban planning and design at the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong. Her research interest is cultural and creative industry policy implications and its economic development model. She holds a bachelor’s of landscape architecture from Tongji University in Shanghai and a master’s of urban planning from Columbia University in New York. She is the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship holder and she was the student representative of the RSA board for two years. Before joining the doctoral program in Hong Kong, she worked with AECOM and interned with UN-Habitat.Qingyao LiuFudan UniversityQingyao Liu is pursuing a doctoral degree at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University. Her research focuses on political theories, international politics, diplomacy, public administration, and so forth. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees received from Sichuan University in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. She is now studying at New York University as a visiting student for one year. Her research interests include regional security governance, international relations in Asia Pacific. Purity Njeri MuthoniKenyatta UniversityPurity Njeri Muthoni is pursuing a doctoral degree in sustainable urban development at Kenyatta University. Her research focuses on the environmental sustainability of informal settlement upgrading projects in Kenyan cities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from Kenyatta University in Nairobi. She has a great interest in human capabilities development among marginal groups in urban areas. She is a member of the Human Development and Capabilities Association (HCDA).Kayuki NakaharaUniversity of TokyoKayuki Nakahara is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo. She holds a bachelor of science degree in policy analysis and management from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Her research focus is on education policy and social inequality. In addition, as she has received education in three different countries: Japan, China, and the United States. She is also interested in analyzing international relations from an educational policy perspective. Nurit Oliker Technion - Israel Institute of TechnologyNurit Oliker is pursuing a doctoral degree in transportation and highways engineering at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on public transportation network modeling. She holds a master’s in engineering and management of water resources and a bachelor’s in environmental engineering from the Technion in Haifa, Israel. Oliker received the Muriel and David Jacknow Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Permanent Excellent Instructor award. Marcos Petroli Illinois Institute of TechnologyMarcos Petroli is pursuing his doctoral degree in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the reevaluation of reinforced concrete arches and vaults in modern architecture, relating it with the rise of civic monumentality. He graduated with a bachelor’s and master’s in architecture from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. Petroli works as the doctoral admininstrative assistant at the Illinois Institute of Technology and as a board member of Docomomo Chicago, a branch of the global preservationist organization concerned with the heritage of modern architecture. Kim Raijmakers Eindhoven University of TechnologyKim Raijmakers is pursuing a master’s degree in construction management and engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on urban development, smart cities, and smart mobility. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture, building, and planning from Eindhoven University of Technology. Within the topic of urban development, she is not only interested in the development of new technologies, but also in the spatial behavior of citizens and their visions regarding new (urban) developments. She also studied as an exchange student in Gothenburg, Sweden. Carlos Salazar-Lermont School of the Art InstituteCarlos Salazar-Lermont is pursuing a dual master’s in arts administration and policy and modern contemporary art history at the School of the Art Institute. His research involves the study of the development of a city with a Latin American approach. He received his bachelor of fine arts from Universidad Nacional Experimental de las Artes in Venezuela. In 2015 he created the International Performance Art Biennial of Caracas, which presented artists from Argentina, Germany, Poland, and Venezuela, and was nominated to the PÎVO Artist Residency Prize by Fundación Cisneros. Charlotte Sall University of ChicagoCharlotte Sall is pursuing a master’s degree in global social development practice at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. Her academic interest is in cross-national and interdisciplinary approaches to global problems, particularly regarding migratory populations and refugee resettlement policy. She holds a bachelor’s in sociology from Princeton University. Sall is the recipient of a Fulbright grant and spent last year teaching English in rural South Korea. In June 2018 she will begin a six-month field placement at a nonprofit organization in India. Tanya Saroglou Ben-Gurion UniversitySoultana “Tanya” Saroglou is pursuing her doctoral degree through the Department of Desert Studies at Ben-Gurion University in Israel. Her research areas include the energy efficiency of high-rise buildings. She earned her bachelor’s in architecture at Kingston University, London, and master’s in advanced sustainable design at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. In her doctoral research she works closely with her supervisor Professor Isaac A. Meir, from Ben Gurion University, and Professor Theodoros Theodosiou, from Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece. Seda Duygu SeverKoç UniversitySeda Duygu Sever is a doctoral candidate at Koç University. Her thesis is titled, “Domestic and Global Context of Energy Preferences: Explaining Choices for the Nuclear Option.” Her thesis focuses on the energy preferences of states, with a specific focus on nuclear energy by examining the dynamics that affect a country’s decision to engage in nuclear energy generation. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s in international relations at Bilkent University in Turkey. Sever’s research interest includes international relations in general, energy politics, energy security, climate change, and nuclear energy.Guy ShaniTel-Aviv UniversityGuy Shani is a doctoral candidate in the department of sociology and anthropology at Tel-Aviv University and a lecturer in the College of Management Academic Studies. His research compares the residential choice process of the creative class in the global central city of Tel-Aviv and the traditional middle-class in the peripheral city of Beersheba. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s in sociology from Tel-Aviv University. His dissertation has won numerous awards including the "Tel Aviv Global Research Scholarship.” His fields of interest include: urban-sociology, sociology of choice, cultural sociology, and middle-class identities. Paul TautoratETH ZurichPaul Tautorat is pursuing a master’s in mechanical engineering at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on the impact of large global cities’ climate action. In particular, his work explores if global cities’ commitments translate into effective regulation. He holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Tautorat is also a research assistant at Energy Politics Group at ETH Zurich.
Nicholas Taylor DePaul UniversityNicholas “Nick” Taylor is pursuing a master’s degree in international public service at DePaul University. His research is on how socially responsible businesses market their social missions to consumers. He holds an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Taylor is also a graduate research assistant at DePaul University, where he managed and assisted in two research projects. He also worked as an intern at Refugee One, where he developed strategies to help more than 30 new refugees find employment on a monthly basis. Natalia Villamizar-DuarteUniversity of Illinois, ChicagoNatalia Villamizar-Duarte is pursuing her doctoral degree in urban planning and policy at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Her research focuses on governance of public space. She examines the tension between planning public space in the name of public interest while simultaneously trying to accommodate an efficient space for mobility, an accountable civic domain, a global competitive city, and the materiality of informal practices. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban design from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and a master’s in planning and development from University College London. Gabriele Vilyte University of StellenboschGabriele Vilyte is pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Her latest research addresses the barriers to healthcare access experienced by people with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. She holds master's and bachelor’s degrees in psychology from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and a bachelor’s degree in politics with an international relations focus from the University of Bath, United Kingdom. Her main research interests are gender-based violence and health issues that stem from it. She received the National Research Foundation's Master's Innovation Scholarship. Jonathan Ward University of BirminghamJonathan Ward is pursuing a doctoral degree at the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham. His research focuses on informing the transformation of the engineering of cities to deliver individual, societal, and planetary well-being. This is done through development of novel theory and emancipatory practice that introduces a ‘future citizen’ consideration into foresighting for future cities. He holds an undergraduate degree in physics with industrial experience from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and holds a master’s in international relations from Stockholm University in Sweden.