The day-to-day operations of Future Earth are carried out by the Secretariat, which is based in nine Global Hubs. These Global Hubs are located in Africa, Canada, China, France, Japan, South Asia, Sweden, Taipei, and the USA.
Directors
Micheline Ayoub
Global Hub Director, Canada Hub; Executive Director, Sustainability in the Digital Age
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Fumiko Kasuga
Global Hub Director, Japan Hub
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Fumiko Kasuga is Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Environmental Studies and a Visiting Professor at The University of Tokyo. She is also former Vice-President of the Science Council of Japan and a member of ICSU’s Committee on Scientific Planning and Review.Fumiko has worked as a government researcher in the field of public health, in particular on microbiological food safety in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. Internationally she has worked with the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods. She has been engaged in Future Earth since she was in charge of international activities of Science Council of Japan.
Wendy Broadgate
Global Hub Director, Sweden Hub & Interim Coordinating Director
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Wendy Broadgate joined Future Earth in 2016 as Global Hub Director, Sweden. She leads the activities of the Swedish Hub, which hosts the Earth Commission Secretariat. The Earth Commission is an expert analysis to underpin the setting of Science-based Targets for a stable Earth system. She also leads the Future Earth team which produces policy briefs for the UN processes for biodiversity (CBD), Climate (UNFCCC) as well as Future Earth’s contribution to the landmark United in Science report for the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019. Wendy has two decades of experience in strategy development, international sustainability research coordination and synthesis, communications and the science-policy interface. She holds a PhD in marine chemistry and has spent much of her career in global change research, publishing on the Anthropocene, Earth system science and ocean-atmosphere interactions. She was Deputy Director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) for 15 years and director of the The Fisheries Secretariat, a non-profit working towards sustainable fisheries in Europe. At IGBP she was strategic lead on projects such as ocean acidification, the IGBP great acceleration and the Planet Under Pressure Conference, making an impact in scientific synthesis, the Anthropocene concept and policy engagement.
Sandrine Paillard
Global Hub Director, France Hub
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Sandrine Paillard is based in Paris at the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) headquarters. Sandrine’s background is in the economics of science and innovation. After her postdoctoral studies on comparative innovation systems, she joined a governmental think tank to develop foresight studies on science-society relationships, involving scientists and various stakeholders. She then spent seven years at the French Agricultural Research Institute as the head of the Foresight department. She led many projects aiming to develop socio-economic scenarios in the field of agriculture, the environment and food security. Before joining Future Earth she was the lead of the Secretariat of the Belmont Forum, whose main goal is to foster international collaboration and inter- and transdisciplinary research on global environmental change.
Erica Key
Global Hub Director, USA Hub
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As the new Director of Future Earth US Global Hub, Erica brings a wealth of international experience in supporting transdisciplinary research and working with a range of global partners on advancing sustainability science. Before joining Future Earth, Erica served as the Executive Director of the Belmont Forum, where she closely collaborated with Future Earth, most prominently on the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress, which is a joint initiative of Future Earth and the Belmont Forum. Erica has also held a position as a Program Director at the US National Science Foundation (NSF), and worked as an Oceanographer at Columbia University as well as a Visiting Scientist at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). She holds a Ph.D. in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography from the University of Miami. Erica joins Future Earth at a pivotal moment, as it welcomes the new Global Secretariat Hubs and prepares for the very first Future Earth Assembly meeting, where the new Governing Council will be selected. Erica looks forward to leading the US Global Hub of Future Earth and developing a strategy that will enable it to better engage the US community of sustainability science, while further strengthening its rapidly growing programs. She comes to us from Uruguay in South America where the Belmont Forum resides with her family including a son, three dogs and a cat.
S.K. Satheesh
Global Hub Director, South Asia Hub
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Prof. S. K. Satheesh is an Indian meteorologist and a professor at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). He holds the chair of the Divecha Centre for Climate Change, a centre undertaking research on climate variability, climate change and their impact on the environment. He is known for his studies on atmospheric aerosols and is an elected fellow of all the three major Indian science academies, i.e., Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences, India, as well as The World Academy of Sciences. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards for his contributions to Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 2009. He received the TWAS Prize of the World Academy of Sciences in 2011. In 2018, he received the Infosys Prize (in Physical Sciences category), one of the highest monetary awards in India that recognize excellence in science and research, for his work in the field of climate change. In recent years, Prof. Satheesh has conceived and led numerous field experiments in remote and hostile environments, in pursuit of the science of aerosols, employing research ships and aircrafts, besides a network of ground-based observatories. The campaigns in which Prof. Satheesh was the Chief Mission Scientist remain benchmarks in scientific planning, meticulous execution, creative data analysis and interpretation. Currently, as the Director of Future Earth GSH South Asia, Prof. Satheesh is responsible for entwining his knowledge for action plans for sustainable development. In recognition of his outstanding research contributions in the field of Atmospheric Science and Technology the Ministry of Earth Sciences honoured him with the “National Award in the field of Atmospheric Science and Technology” for the year 2019.
Michael Nxumalo
Acting Global Hub Director, Africa Hub
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Africa Collaborative Grants and Initiatives Knowledge Advancement and Support (KAS) National Research Foundation, South Africa
Shih-Yu Lee
Interim Director, Taipei Hub
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Dr. Shih-Yu's research focuses on large-scale climate dynamics and the interactions with atmosphere, ocean, and land systems. Her newly developed research interest focuses on anthropogenic climate impact and sustainability adaptation. Dr. Lee is an Associate Research Fellow of the Research Center for the Environmental Changes in the Academia Sinica. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of Future Earth Taipei Hub.
Associate Directors
Jakob Lundberg
Deputy Director, Sweden Hub
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Jakob Lundberg holds a Ph.D. in natural resource management with a focus on sustainability science from Stockholm University. He developed several research on urban sustainability and global environmental change at the Dpt of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University and the Stockholm Resilience Center. In the last decades, he gathered a long experience of working in the science-policy interface with a focus on food and agriculture. Jakob led for several years the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) office in the Nordic region. After UN he acted as Head of Policy and Development for We Effect and Vi Agroforestry, two international non-governmental organizations that support food security through strengthening local farmer-based organizations in 25 countries. In 2020, he has also worked as Head of the Secretariat for the newly established The Food Planet Prize. Until recently, Jakob has been acting as a working Chairman of the Board of Albaeco, an independent organisation working with strategic sustainability consultancy. He has also been part of the board of several international and national organizations (E.g., AgriCord, Concord Sweden and Fairtrade Sweden). Jakob is an elected fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Forestry and Agriculture (KSLA) since 2014.
Veera Mitzner
Associate Director, USA Hub; Director, Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress
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Veera Mitzner is the Associate Director of the Future Earth US Global Hub and the Director of the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress. Veera holds a PhD in History and Civilization from the European University Institute and has worked in international roles for several nonprofit organizations, building and leading new programs and initiatives focused on sustainability, conservation and evidence-based decision-making. Through her work, Veera has been affiliated with Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Helsinki, University of Turku, and the École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales. Her book “European Union Research Policy – Contested Origins,” was published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2020.
Smriti Basnett
Deputy Director, South Asia Hub
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Dr Smriti Basnett’s concern for society and environment fuels her desire to bring about the changes she wants to see around her. Smriti believes that change can be most effectively wrought by interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches. She works tirelessly to this end through the Future Earth Program at Divecha Centre for Climate Change (DCCC) located in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Smriti manages and directs programs for South Asia, pushing for the espousal of the Sustainable Development Goals in national and regional policies. She is currently working to establish Working Groups and Committees on Food Security, Water Security, Clean Air and Health in South Asia for Future Earth. Smriti started her career as a Junior Research Fellow in the Sikkim Glacier Commission from DST-Sikkim, continued her research at ISRO, SAC, Ahmedabad and DCCC, IISc, Bangalore between 2007 and 2016. After her PhD on ‘Glacier and Snow Studies in Sikkim Himalaya’, she worked with Sikkim University and local communities. She led many glacier expeditions, developed the university curriculum and helped establish DST's Centre of excellence on water resources, cryosphere and climate change at Sikkim University. While monitoring glaciers in North Sikkim, Smriti spent a lot of time working with the local communities, conducting science and art awareness programs in various urban and rural schools, documenting narratives on yak herding and trying her hand at the local traditional farming practices. She is a Co-leader in the UNESCO Project, ‘Himalayan Glaciers and Risks to Local Communities’, and conducts training, workshops and capacity development activities in Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim. Smriti volunteers to work with the rural schools in North Sikkim and also to work with the Indian Himalayan Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI). Smriti was a Berkner fellow and represented South Asia at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and an ICIMOD fellow at the HUC-IHCAP glacier training and expedition (2017). Smriti likes skiing, paragliding, hiking, table tennis and running.
Debashis Nath
Associate Director, China Hub
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Debashis is working as Associate Professor at the School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai. He did his PhD in Atmospheric Physics from National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Dept. of Space, India. For a short while he worked in Kyoto University, Japan under JSPS Exchange Program. In 2011, he joined the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences as CAS Young International Scientist. In 2015 he joined IAP, CAS as Associate Professor. Debashis is mainly working on Asian monsoon dynamics, Arctic amplification and Stratosphere-Troposphere interaction and It's impact on extreme weather events in the surface. He has published more than 70 articles in the international journals and proceedings. He worked as PI in several National and International research projects. He joined the Future Earth on November 2021 at Global Hub China.
Ria Lambino
Deputy Director, Japan Hub
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Ria Lambino is based at the Research Institute for Humanity & Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto. She received her PhD and Masters from Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies. She has a degree in Applied Physics but has spent most of her professional career as a practitioner and researcher focusing on environmental conservation and sustainability, with significant experience in the Philippines and in Japan. Prior to joining Future Earth, she worked for WWF Philippines as Vice President for Sustainable Production and Market Engagement and had been involved in transdisciplinary research on watershed governance at RIHN. Her research interests include transdisciplinarity, environmental policy and governance, protected areas & management, water issues, sustainable agriculture & fisheries and sustainable consumption and production.
Jennifer Garard
Deputy Director, Sustainability in the Digital Age, Canada Hub
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Jennifer Garard is the Research Manager for the Sustainability in the Digital Age initiative, where she coordinates, advances, and oversees all research-related activities, and a Science Officer at Future Earth. Previously, Jennifer was a researcher with the working group Scientific Assessments, Ethics, and Public Policy at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin, Germany, and an intern with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity Health and Biodiversity Cross-Cutting Initiative. She holds a BSc in Environmental Science from McGill University (2008), a Master of Environmental Assessment from Concordia University (2013), and a PhD from the Technische Universität Berlin (“Stakeholder Engagement at the Science-Policy Interface,” 2018).
Xiao Lu
Associate Director, China Hub
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Xiao is an Associate Professor at the School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), Zhuhai, China. He obtained his PhD in Climatology from Peking University in July 2019, and then joined Harvard University as a postdoc researcher. He joined SYSU in May 2021, and is currently the leader of the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Modeling Group. Xiao and his group studies the fate of greenhouse gas and atmospheric pollutants and their effects on ecosystem and climate change, integrating suborbital and satellite observations and global-to-regional atmospheric chemical models. He has published more than 70 research articles. He joined Future Earth in October 2022 at Global Hub China.
Raj Singh
Associate Director, South Asia Hub
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With 37 years of distinguished public service, he retired on May 31, 2023, as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Head of Forest Force in Karnataka. Throughout the career, he played pivotal roles in various domains, including afforestation and forest regeneration, where he implemented a highly effective and cost-efficient model for rejuvenating degraded forests, providing employment to marginalized communities and contributing significantly to soil conservation and biodiversity enhancement. As the Director General of Environment Management and Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) and Member Secretary of Karnataka Biodiversity Board, he spearheaded initiatives promoting applied policy research in climate science and environmental compliance, formulated strategic policies for environment and climate change, and recommended legal mechanisms for their implementation. His tenure at the Karnataka Biodiversity Board involved establishing a groundbreaking methodology for People's Biodiversity Registers, documenting over 6000 People’s Biodiversity Register (PBRs), later adopted by other states. He championed Forest Management programs involving local communities, operationalizing Village Forest Committees to ensure sustainable forest management and create livelihood opportunities. He also initiated human-animal conflict mitigation programs, engaging closely with communities, creating awareness, and providing alternative livelihood options, reducing conflicts with wildlife. Law enforcement, addressing issues like deforestation, illegal logging, and wildlife protection, remained integral to his roles. At Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd, a government enterprise, he established eco-resorts in Karnataka, collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to promote community development, sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and community empowerment.
Research & Innovation
Giles Bruno Sioen
Co-Lead, Research & Innovation
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Dr. Giles B. Sioen is co-Lead for Research and Innovation based in the Future Earth Global Hub Japan, Research Associate at the National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan, and chair of the KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Japan. Among other activities, he works on the research and innovation portfolio with colleagues from across the Future Earth community, coordinates the Future Earth Urban and Health Knowledge-Action Networks, conducts individual research, and supports a range of domestic projects and activities. His research focuses on the development of a transdisciplinary system-based guideline to reduce the impact of climate change and other disasters on cities and health. Before joining Future Earth, he worked as a project researcher at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology - System Design and Management Program where he applied sustainability science concepts in the fields of urban planning and public health using a systems approach. Dr. Sioen holds a Ph.D. in Sustainability Science from the University of Tokyo, a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Design from KU Leuven (Luca-Arts, campus Ghent), and a Bachelor’s degree in Garden and Landscape Architecture from University College Ghent.
Judit Ungvari
Co-Lead, Research & Innovation
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Judit Ungvari is the co-lead of the Future Earth Research and Innovation portfolio and the Research and Innovation Officer at George Mason University’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth. She came to Future Earth and Mason after 2 years at the National Science Foundation where she was a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow. She was working in the Geosciences directorate on various international and integrative activities facilitating transdisciplinary global change research. Her work encompassed various programs within the Belmont Forum, Future Earth, and the Sustainability Research and Innovation initiatives. Judit is an ecologist by training, with expertise in avian biology in tropical habitats. She studied birds in the Peruvian Amazon region combining both laboratory- and field-based research and received her Ph.D. in Zoology with a certificate and concentration in Tropical Conservation and Development at the University of Florida. Her work on Amazonian forest bird communities related to the ecological mechanisms of habitat specialization, movement and dispersal between patchy habitats, combining metapopulation theory, landscape ecology, and population genetics. She also worked as a postdoctoral scholar at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, addressing avian conservation issues in coffee agroecosystems in Colombia. Judit is involved in local capacity building and community outreach both in the USA and Latin America and has mentored dozens of students to complete independent research projects in Peru, Colombia and Florida. Her interests include sustainability science, science diplomacy, supporting open research efforts, and communicating science to the public.
Jennifer Garard
Deputy Director, Sustainability in the Digital Age, Canada Hub
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Jennifer Garard is the Research Manager for the Sustainability in the Digital Age initiative, where she coordinates, advances, and oversees all research-related activities, and a Science Officer at Future Earth. Previously, Jennifer was a researcher with the working group Scientific Assessments, Ethics, and Public Policy at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin, Germany, and an intern with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity Health and Biodiversity Cross-Cutting Initiative. She holds a BSc in Environmental Science from McGill University (2008), a Master of Environmental Assessment from Concordia University (2013), and a PhD from the Technische Universität Berlin (“Stakeholder Engagement at the Science-Policy Interface,” 2018).
Lisa Jacobson
Science Officer, Sweden
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Lisa works in the core secretariat of the Earth Commission, where her main tasks are coordination, communications and scientific support. Lisa has a background in sustainability science, science communication, journalism and project management. She worked more than ten years as a medical journalist and then at the science-policy interface for the Swedish Cancer Society. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Stockholm University and a MSc in social-ecological resilience from Stockholm Resilience Centre. Her research interests include transformations, sustainable lifestyles, and behavioral change - particularly related to food and travelling.
Sophie Hebden
Liaison, Future Earth and European Space Agency
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Sophie is a research liaison for Future Earth, based at the European Space Agency Climate Office, near Oxford, UK. She manages the ESA-Future Earth Joint Program, which supports collaborative activities of the Global Research Networks using Earth observations. She is interested in the climate science-policy interface, working on communication and coordination of projects. She has a PhD in space physics and an MSc in science communication.
Nilushi Kumarasinghe
Project Manager, Sustainability in the Digital Age initiative, Canada
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Nilushi joins Future Earth as a Project Manager for the Reimagining Climate Governance Project under the Sustainability in the Digital Age Initiative. She holds a BSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of Southampton (United Kingdom) and a MSc in Environment and Resource Management from VU University Amsterdam (The Netherlands). Nilushi has predominantly worked in the INGO sector with organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Wetlands International and different entities within the United Nations system. She has experience coordinating projects, conducting research and disseminating knowledge in the fields of climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable development and conservation. Prior to this, Nilushi worked as a Sustainability Strategy Consultant developing tools to help strengthen the role of the private sector in sustainable development.
Daniel Ospina
Science Officer
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Daniel Ospina works in the Earth Commission, in the Secretariat contributing with general coordination activities, as well as scientific support for Work Group 5, on the task of synthesizing the methodological approaches and challenges for cross-scale translation of planetary ‘safe and just guardrails’ into actionable targets for cities and companies. Starting at the end of 2021, he will take over the coordination of the 10 New Insights in Climate Science series (a Future Earth collaboration with the Earth League and the World Climate Research Program). Daniel holds a BSc in Ecology from Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) and a MSc in Ecosystems, Resilience and Governance from Stockholm University.
Santiago Ramirez Said
Indigenous and Community Engagement Coordinator
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Santiago is a botanist who has dedicated his life to the service of impact and change through creativity, inclusion, and a multidisciplinary mindset. Having lived in Brazil, Colombia, and Canada, Santiago has always felt at home on the entire American continent and, since very young, has devoted his career to the conservation of the continent's natural heritage and the sustainable and equitable development of its societies. Currently, Santiago is joining Future Earth as a Project Manager for the Landscape Analysis project co-designed with Microsoft. Parallel to his work in Future Earth, Santiago is a National Geographic Explorer, working with indigenous communities in Panama to advance cultural and ethnobotanical conservation initiatives while co-creating reforestation projects tightly based on indigenous knowledge. Prior to this, Santiago worked as a Lead Methodologist for the Colombian Ministry of Education, developing interdisciplinary initiatives to prevent Gender-based violence in rural Colombia. He holds a BSc in Biology and Conservation from the University of the Andes (Colombia), a specialization in GIS from the University of California, Davies (United States) and an M.Sc. in Natural Resource Sciences from McGill University (Canada).
Jing Wei
Science Officer
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Jing Wei is Associate Professor at Sun Yat-Sen University, School of Atmospheric Science. She achieved her PhD in Agricultural Science from Bonn University, Germany, and afterwards worked in Switzerland for three years. She is in charge of the international research and innovation programs of Future Earth Global Hub, China due to her multidisciplinary research background.
Zhongming Gao
Science Officer
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Zhongming Gao joins Future Earth as a Science Officer under the Network and Capacity Building in China Hub. He holds a BSc in Atmospheric Science from Lanzhou University and a Ph.D. in Engineering Science from Washington State University. Currently, Zhongming is an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University, focusing on boundary layer meteorology and land-ecosystem interaction.
Yaxing Du
Science Officer
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Dr. Du is an associate professor at school of atmospheric sciences, Sun Yat-sen University. She received PhD from Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research interests are centered around modelling different air quality fields within urban neighborhoods and studying the impact of turbulent transport and ventilation on the concentration fields. She is interested in understanding air quality and outdoor thermal comfort in urban environment within neighborhood scale.
Han Chen
Science Officer
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Dr. Han Chen is an assistant professor of the School of Atmospheric Science at Sun-Yat Sat University. She received her PhD at Peking University and had a three-year experience on climate change mitigation policy study as a postdoc researcher at Tsinghua University. She is currently engaged in Future Earth as a science officer in the function group of Research, Synthesis and Policy.
Sikopo Nyambe
Science Officer
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Sikopo is a Science Officer for Future Earth and an Assistant Professor of the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, and the Global Station for Indigenous Studies and Cultural Diversity at Hokkaido University. She has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Education (Major in Psychology, Minor in French language from the University of Zambia), Masters in Child and Adolescent Psychology (University of Zambia) and a PhD in Health Sciences (Hokkaido University). Her research interests focus on participatory action research and participatory research methodologies as a means of improving transdisciplinary research and engaging with diverse peoples and societies. Her current projects work with children and youth on issues of water, sanitation, hygiene and health in peri-urban Lusaka, Zambia, and she is interested in expanding to Indigenous communities by providing a platform for learning, sharing, co-design and action.
Akira Sai
Science Officer
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Akira Sai is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, and the Global Station for Indigenous Studies and Cultural Diversity, Hokkaido University, Japan. He holds a Ph.D. in Area Studies (Southeast Asia) from Kyoto University. His research interests center around sociocultural influences on the conceptualization of body image, particularly in relation to ethnicity and modern media. His recent activities also include work on work values, self-esteem and the mental health of urban slum sanitation workers (e.g., garbage workers) in the face of social stigmatization. He has carried out research in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Solomon Islands.
Sunhee Suk
Science Officer, Japan
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Sunhee Suk is an associate professor in Environmental Sciences at Nagasaki University. She obtained her PhD in Economics from Kyoto University. Her research interests focus on market-based policies to address environmental and climate change challenges. She analyzes the impact of these policies on the economy and the environment from a macro perspective, and studies through an empirical approach on corporate carbon management to respond to these policies. Mainly East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, etc.) is the main research area of her research.
Sophie H. L. Su
Science Officer, Taipei
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Sophie H. L. Su is a science officer of Future Earth Taipei and Taipei Global Hub based at Academia Sinica in Taiwan. Her current main tasks are coordination and communication. Prior to this role, Sophie worked as the Managing Editor of Innovation in the Social Sciences at the College of Social Science in NSYSU, Taiwan. Also, she is experienced in teaching undergraduate programs in the Department of English at NKNU and NKFUST. Sophie holds a Ph.D. in literary studies from National Kaohsiung Normal University and has conducted research of environmental humanities affiliated with ICON of Utrecht University. Her research interests involve intersections between contemporary French philosophy, im/migrant and refugee literature/artworks with a focus on eco-decolonial theory and practice.
Camilo Alejo
Postdoctoral Fellow, Canada Hub
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Camilo is interested in understanding the current and potential nature-based solutions emerging from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across the American continent. Using spatial analysis and participatory methods, he has worked on issues related to livelihoods, cultural values, forest conservation, and climate change mitigation in Indigenous Lands and Protected Areas. Currently, Camilo is developing a framework to monitor carbon stocks, water, and biodiversity in Canada that leverages diverse knowledge systems and technology. Camilo holds a B.Sc. in Biology from Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia), M.Sc. in Biodiversity Conservation and Use from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia), and a Ph.D. (c) in Biology from McGill University (Canada).
Poonam Maskeri
Research Assistant, Canada Hub
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Poonam has over eight years of cross sectoral experience in environmental research and analysis, specializing in climate adaptation and decarbonization strategies. Her role is to support the DISA and CODES initiatives at SDA and Future Earth, with her broad knowledge to assist in gaining avenues for funding and raising awareness of the role of digital sustainability in achieving net zero targets and driving climate positive change.
Qi Ran
Program Assistant, China Hub
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Qi Ran is a PhD. candidate in School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University. Her research interests are climate change and socio-economics.
Adheesh Rao
Science Officer
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Adheesh has done his Master's studies 4TU.Federation Course (TU/e, TU Delft, Twente and Wageningen) : Sustainable Energy Technology (SET), from Technische University Eindhoven (TU/e). He has worked for over 5 years in the field of sustainability. He has written a journal paper that facilitated the use of electric buses in the city of Bengaluru, India. He has also Conceptualized and designed a mechanism that is implemented in production at Toyota Kirloskar Motors Pvt Ltd, Bidadi, Bengaluru. Currently he is working to bridge the gap between Sustainable Development Goals and actual implemented solutions by helping create a framework using sustainability solutions.
Wynona Acco-Barron
Research Assistant, Canada Hub
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Wynona is a research assistant at Future Earth and Sustainability in the Digital Age and a BSc student in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at Concordia University. She joins the Landscape Analysis team with a focus on bridging the gap of Indigenous and western sciences in the application of Nature-based Solutions and Nature Climate Solutions. She has also aided in the carbon rights project with the Conservation Through Reconciliation Partnership, which seeks to delineate rights and identify opportunities for Indigenous communities in carbon offset projects. In an effort to reconnect with her late grandmother’s Métis heritage, she looks forward to strengthening her connection to the land and advancing sustainable and equitable futures for Indigenous Peoples.
Coline Grimée
Science Officer, France Hub
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Coline joined Future Earth in September 2023 as a Science Officer. She holds a Master’s in Environmental Policy from Sciences Po Paris and a BA in Liberal Arts and Science from Maastricht University. Her interests lie in the reconciliation of environmental and social issues, policies for soft and active mobility, and the translation of degrowth theories into practice.
Albert Norström
Science Director, Earth Commission, Sweden Hub,
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I am an Associate Professor at the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC), Stockholm University. I served as Executive Director of Future Earth's Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS) between 2011-2018. Prior to that role I held positions such as the Deputy Director of the Guidance for Resilience in the Anthropocene: Investments for Development (GRAID) which aimed to bridge the worlds of resilience thinking and development practice. I most recently worked as the Head of Knowledge of the Global Resilience Partnership - a coalition of 60+ organisations supporting people and places to thrive in the face of uncertainty. My research focus is the social-ecological dynamics of ecosystem services, resilience assessments in vulnerable and fragile contexts, sustainability transformations, ocean risk and resilience, and knowledge co-production in sustainability research.
Rieko Yamamoto
Science Officer, Japan Hub
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Rieko is a Science Officer for Future Earth and an Assistant Professor at the Center for Environmental and Health Sciences, WHO collaboration center, Hokkaido University in Japan. She is a qualified Physiotherapist with a Master’s in Engineering, and has significant experience practicing in both Japan and the UK. Her research focuses on Rehabilitation Engineering, specifically in the development of intelligent fall-prevention systems. Her work is dedicated to enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities, emphasizing inclusivity and quality of life improvements through advanced technology. Furthermore, she has been actively engaged in the field of global health, fostering ongoing international partnerships with physiotherapy associations across Asia. Her focus lies in addressing the challenges posed by the rapidly aging society in the region, demonstrating her commitment to advancing global healthcare.
Sruthi Subbanna
Science Policy Analyst, South Asia Hub
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Sruthi Subbanna has joined Future Earth as a Science Policy Analyst: Food Security and Malnutrition. She has been working in the field of research for close to a decade across multiple environmental projects over time, some of which include: preparing the environment report card for Bengaluru, working on the draft climate action plan for the state of Karnataka and for the city of Bangalore, projects related to carbon sequestration potential, solid waste management, water quality, air quality etc. She has, in the past, worked with different research institutes like Institute for Social and Economic Change, not for profit organisations like Environment Support Group and Centre for Sustainable Development, and think tanks like World Resources Institute. Sruthi is also a National Governing Council member of Bamboo Society of India for the period 2021-2024. Sruthi has authored and co-authored several peer reviewed journal papers and popular articles and has attended many national and international conferences. She has a doctoral degree in Forestry (Forest Ecology and Environment) from Forest Research Institute Deemed to be University which she completed in early 2021. Her doctoral work focused on the socio-economic and ecological significance of bamboo-based farm forestry across different agroclimatic zones. She holds a Master of Science from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA and a Bachelor of Science from Mumbai University, India. During her spare time, Sruthi loves to read books and is also an ardent terrace gardener.
Kim Schumacher
Science Officer, Japan Hub
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Prof. Schumacher is an Associate Professor in Sustainable Finance and ESG at Kyushu University (Japan). He is also a Visiting Lecturer at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan). His research focuses on ESG data and impact metrics, sustainability reporting, greenwashing, green bonds, natural capital, nature-based carbon offsets, biodiversity and ecosystem services, renewable energy project development, and TCFD/TNFD disclosures. Past work includes work as a Lecturer in Sustainable Finance and ESG at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Adjunct Lecturer at the United Nations University (Tokyo, Japan). He also worked as a consultant for the Luxembourg Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, and as a Postdoctoral Researcher in sustainable finance at the University of Oxford. In terms of organizational outreach activities and society memberships, he was a member of the GRI Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB). In addition, he is also a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), sits on the ISO Technical Committees on Sustainable Finance (TC 322) and Environmental Management (TC 207), and is a Lead Author at the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). He holds a PhD degree in Environmental Science from the University of Tokyo (2017) and Master’s Degree in Environmental Law from the University of California, Berkeley (2012).
Viola Baldeschi
Science Officer, France Hub
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Viola joined the French Hub as an intern in 2023 and she is continuing her journey with Future Earth as a Science Officer. She is a Master’s student at Sciences Po Paris in International Governance and Diplomacy where she specializes in environmental and sustainability policies. With a Bachelor’s in International Relations from the University of Groningen, she is particularly interested in designing policies reconciling social and environmental needs.
Rosie Harrington
Science Officer, France Hub
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Rosie joined Future Earth (French Hub) in September 2024. She recently finished a PhD in social and environmental psychology at Université Clermont Auvergne. Her interests are environmental justice, and bridging the scientific knowledge gap between academia and policymakers.
Communication & Engagement
Bridget Blake
Communications Manager
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Bridget is the Communications Manager for Future Earth. Before joining, she spent just over a decade in the news business, most recently as a news producer for CNN International where she produced a live global news program with a focus on Africa. She is looking forward to bringing her perspective from her time in news to the Communications Manager role. Bridget has her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Oregon and is based in Atlanta.
Andréa Ventimiglia
Advancements Manager, Sustainability in the Digital Age, Canada Hub
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Andréa currently employs her wide complement of skills in research, analysis, editing and evaluation as Science Editor and Advancement Officer for both Future Earth and Sustainability in the Digital Age. Her approach to writing and fundraising is rooted in her diverse professional experience spanning program evaluation, international development, freelance science writing, and laboratory research. Prior to joining Future Earth, Ms. Ventimiglia worked as a science program evaluator helping to measure and valorize the societal impact of research and research funding. She holds a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Waterloo, and a Masters in Journalism from Carleton University.
Kathy Kohm
Editor-In-Chief, Anthropocene magazine
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Kathryn Kohm is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Anthropocene, an international magazine focused on sustainability and climate science and sponsored by Future Earth with initial funding from National Science Foundation. Previously, she was the founding editor of the University of Washington’s Conservation magazine. She also edited several books, including “Balancing on the Brink of Extinction,” and “Creating a Forestry for the 21st Century.” Professional commendations include: a 2020 CASE Circle of Excellence Award for best university-based specialty magazine; an honorable mention in the 2020 World Changing Ideas list from Fast Company magazine; a 2019 Eddie Award (FOLIO) for editorial and design excellence; and in 2017, she was named one of the year's 40 most influential people in the publishing industry by Folio Magazine. She has a Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and is now based in Seattle Washington, USA.
Rachelle Fox
Digital Communications Officer, Canada Hub
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Rachelle Fox joins Future Earth and Sustainability in the Digital Age as the Digital Content and Communications Officer. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Études françaises and an M.A. in Littératures francophones et résonances médiatiques from Concordia University. Her master’s research-creation project explored the intersection of theatre and social media with a specific focus on the ways people communicate and behave in digital spaces. She’s passionate about technology, sustainability, and storytelling. Rachelle is also an artist and avid snowshoer.
Yuri Kojina
Communication Officer
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Yuri Kojina is a communicator at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Japan. She has mainly engaged in domestic project focusing on “community dialogue” to develop processes for setting national SDGs targets as a project coordinator.
Mark Harris
Senior Editor, Anthropocene Magazine, USA Hub
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Mark Harris is the Senior Editor for Anthropocene Magazine, based in Seattle. He has also written for TechCrunch, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, and IEEE Spectrum. He has broken stories about military drones, giant airships, hydrogen aircraft, and illegal satellite launches. In 2014, he was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, and in 2019 he won the National Press Club’s Dornheim Award for Aerospace reporting.
Harshita Rathore
Science Officer, South Asia Hub
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I have done my Master’s in Political and International Relations from St. Joseph’s University, Bangalore. I worked as a Research Assistant for a year before joining the Future Earth South Asia Hub. During my work period, I published three articles that facilitated the Famine in Ethiopia: The government's refusal to acknowledge worsens the crisis(NIAS, Africa Monitor, CWA # 626); Libya: With two Prime Ministers, a new political crisis(NIAS, Conflict Alerts # 485) and Taiwan strait Crisis: lessons on the Way (DSA alerts, Ocean Media).
Frank Radosevich
Strategic Communications Lead, Sweden Hub
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Frank oversees, coordinates and leads the communications activities of Future Earth’s Sweden Hub, which includes work across traditional, digital and social media. His role also involves developing media and communication strategies to highlight the complex scientific work and research coming out of Future Earth in a straightforward and engaging way. He joined the organization in September 2024 and, for the past nearly two decades, he worked in journalism and strategic communications both in Sweden and abroad.
Capacity & Networks
Pavel Kambersky
Co-lead, Capacity & Networks
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Pavel joined the French Hub of Future Earth in July 2023 as a Science Officer. He studied a Master’s in International Development with a specialisation in environment at Sciences Po, where he also studied a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. His interests include environmental justice, decolonial climate perspectives and degrowth.
Kyoko Shiota MacAulay
Network Manager
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Kyoko Shiota MacAulay is a Network Manager at the US Hub. She previously worked for the Japan Hub as a Program Manager coordinating the Future of Washing Initiative. She also worked for some private companies as an ESG consultant as well as for the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability as a lead program manager for the Education for Sustainable Development Programme. She has also worked for the United Nations Population Fund as a knowledge management consultant. She holds an M.A. in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in International and Cultural Studies from Tsuda University.
Makyba Charles-Ayinde
Latin America and Caribbean Regional Lead, USA Hub
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Makyba Charles-Ayinde serves as the Latin America and Caribbean Lead and is focused on expansion, reinforcement, and deepening of strategic relationships among sustainability, informed decision support, and transformative action organizations in the Global South with the offices and communities of Future Earth. As such, she is particularly focused on leading such activities in the region of Latin America and the Caribbean and being both a conduit and advocate to the Global Future Earth administration for that region. She came to Future Earth after efforts at the National Institutes of Health where she supported exceptionally creative scientists pursuing highly innovative research with the potential for broad impact in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences and the United States Department of State where she worked as their lead Covid-19 officer within the Office of International Health and Biodefense. Makyba has previously worked with Future Earth while as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the National Science Foundation. She worked in the Geosciences directorate on various international and integrative activities facilitating transdisciplinary global change research. Her work encompassed various programs within the Belmont Forum, Future Earth, Sustainability Research and Innovation, and Global Sustainability Scholars initiatives. Makyba is a public health scientist by training, with expertise in environmental and global health. She assessed seafood safety following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and identified highly vulnerable subpopulations to environmental disasters in the Gulf region. She also worked as a National Academies of Sciences fellow, where she analyzed programs responding to the Zika disease outbreak following hurricane Irma and evaluated novel techniques for mosquito control due to climate change within the State of Florida. Makyba is originally from the Caribbean and is extremely passionate about moving the needle on initiatives relative to sustainability science and its connectivity to public health, as well as science diplomacy within the Global South.
Yu-Chun, Dolly Chung
Science Officer, Taipei Hub
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Dr. Yu-Chun Dolly Chung received her PhD from the Department of Management Sciences, Tamkang University, Taiwan. Her research focuses were marketing, consumer behavior, brand management, and so on. Dr. Chung had conducted sustainability-related programs during PhD and postdoctoral studies. She joined the Center for Sustainability Science in Academia Sinica; worked on Future Earth Taipei and Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Centre of Excellence (ICoE-Taipei) as a science officer in 2020.
Vlada Perekrestova
Research Fellow, Taipei
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Vlada Perekrestova is a postdoctoral research fellow at Academia Sinica, with a PhD in social science from National ChengChi University. She specializes in sustainable development, social equality, and linguistics. In addition to her administrative and research work, Vlada is also an assistant professor at Tamkang University, where she teaches Ukrainian language and culture. Her primary research interest is in the area of sustainable development and social equality, specifically focusing on social equality in climate-sensitive areas of Asia. Vlada provides solutions for maximizing benefits across economic, social, and environmental policy areas, studies the coherence of domestic policy objectives and internationally recognized sustainable development goals, and addresses the transboundary and long-term impacts of policies affecting countries.
Stephanie O'Toole
Science Officer, France Hub
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Stephanie joined the French Hub in 2023 as an intern and she is currently a Science Officer alongside pursuing a Masters in Environmental Policy at Sciences Po Paris. Her interests lie in the integration of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems, environmental justice and the active translation of decolonizing sustainability science from theory to practice.
Finance & Operations
Susanna Dobrota
Coordinator and Administrative Officer. Sweden Hub
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Susanna Dobrota works as a Coordinator at the Swedish Hub her work tasks entail administration, finance, events and communications support. Susanna has a long background in administration and finance, working for companies within diverse sectors, which has given her valuable insights in setting up operational frameworks and fine-tuning management processes. In more recent years, she has also been involved in the sustainability work of various NGO’s and has a keen interest in international relations as well as in the structures and driving forces behind global environmental and social change. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies and a Master’s degree in globalization, environment and social change, both from Stockholm University.
Therese Öreteg
Finance and Administrative Officer, Sweden Hub, On Leave
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Therese has long experience of international business operations in Sweden and Spain, and is working with Finance and Administration at Future Earth. Therese has a Master of Science in Business Administration and Economics from Stockholm University combined with later studies in child rights and social and political movements. She has been engaged in the non-profit sector since 2014 and is a board member of an NGO promoting education and social development in Peru.
Nilufar Sabet-Kassouf
Strategic Program Manager, Sustainability in the Digital Age, Canada
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As the Strategic Program Manager for the Sustainability in the Digital Age (SDA) think tank and the Future Earth Canada Hub, Nilu focuses on the organizational management of SDA and Future Earth Canada’s governance and structure, ensuring synergies across its strategic programming, and identifying and implementing processes for collaborative work. She often facilitates engagement and relationship building with and among stakeholders from the earliest stages of project and initiative development, and for convenings and dialogues across disciplinary research boundaries for knowledge synthesis and co-production. She also co-designs/-facilitates the annual Leadership Training workshop within the LEADS program. Nilu holds a BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from Concordia University and a MSc in Biochemistry from McGill University, which focused on structural studies of antibiotic resistance mechanisms. She has also engaged in collaborative research projects in neuroscience and music at The Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music. She loves to make music, facilitate movement and yoga sessions, rock climb any chance she gets, and connect as much as possible with the land she belongs to.
Cecilia Andersson
Fundraising and Administration Officer, Sweden Hub
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Cecilia Andersson works as an Administrative Assistant at the Swedish Hub. She has a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Manchester and an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. Prior to joining Future Earth, Cecilia worked on human rights in Geneva.
Unn Rasmussen
Head of Finance and Administration, Sweden
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Unn Rasmussen works as Head of Finance and Administration at the Swedish Hub. She has a BA in Business Administration and Economics from the University in Guatemala. Prior to joining Future Earth, Unn worked in different financial roles at various international NGOs in Sweden.
Stephan Useche
Event Tech Manager, USA
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Stephan Useche is the Event Tech Manager of the Future Earth US Global Hub. She is based in South Florida where she graduated from Florida International University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Prior to joining Future Earth, Stephan managed the process for virtual event accounts, and before that she led the development and execution of integrated marketing plans ranging from media and influencer relations, experiential activations, partnerships, and community outreach.
Zandi Mshvildadze
Finance and Administrative Officer, Sweden Hub
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Zandi holds a Master of Business Administration and Economics from Tbilisi State University in Georgia and has long experience in different accounting and financial positions from base level to CFO in Georgia. From 2017 she has been working in Sweden, in the non-profit sector at an international NGO since 2021.
Wendy Kuo
Finance and Human Resources Manager, Canada Hub and Sustainability in the Digital Age
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Wendy Kuo joined Future Earth Canada Global Hub and Sustainability in the Digital Age in 2021 as Project Manager in charge of the National Dialogue Series, successfully delivering seven virtual cross-nation events in collaboration with the Canadian Science Policy Centre with the goal of identifying the role of digital innovations to accelerate Canada’s progress in sustainable development toward the United Nations 2030 Agenda. In the spring of 2022, Wendy was assigned to her current role, responsible for the management of finance and human resources in both organizations. Wendy possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Nutrition from McGill University and over ten years of experience in office management and administration.
Aurélie Mpaka
Coordinator, France Hub
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Aurélie joined the French Hub as a coordinator in 2024. After two years of experience in environmental compliance and risk management within the industrial sector, she intended to support more comprehensive work that would tackle equally natural and social challenges in the context of global environmental change. Her recent background involved collective endeavours aimed at reassessing practices and recognising prospects for sustainable development.
Advisors & Fellows
Monika Bauer
Manager, Collaborative Projects and Partnerships, USA
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Monika works in the Future Earth US Global Hub and is managing the Future Earth horizon scanning on climate change and biodiversity science to advise on the Horizon Europe Work Program for the last three years for the European Commission. She is based at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), where she has worked over a decade in bringing together the global systems analysis community, and is looking forward to coordinating this collaborative project throughout 2023 with Future Earth.
Owen Gaffney
Former Senior Innovations Fellow
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Owen Gaffney is a global sustainability writer and analyst at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Stockholm Resilience Centre. He co-founded the Future Earth Media Lab and he is on the faculty of Singularity University. Owen trained as an astronautic and aeronautic engineer and he is a qualified journalist, filmmaker and writer. For a decade he has worked in Earth system science communication. His work focuses on policy, media and business impact of global sustainability research and visualizing humanity's impact on the planet through concepts such as the Anthropocene and planetary boundaries, and transformation processes. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the BBC and the world’s leading academic journals Science and Nature. His work on visualisations with Felix Pharand Deschenes have been shown at the UN Rio+20 Summit and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Amy Luers
Senior Advisor, Sustainability in the Digital Age
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Amy Luers is the Senior Advisor of the Sustainability in the Digital Age Initiative and senior advisor to Future Earth. Luers also sits on the Foresight Committee of the Veolia Institute. She has over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of science, technology and policy. A former assistant director on climate resilience and information in the Obama White House and senior environment manager at Google, she is a member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations and has served on committees of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the National Academies of Sciences. Dr. Luers started her career working in rural water development in Latin America as co-founder and the first executive director of Agua Para La Vida (Water for Life). She spent a number of years directing the water and climate security work at the Skoll Global Threats Fund. She sits on several advisory boards including the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative, STS Forum Regional Climate Action, the IEEE Committee on Ethically Designed AI for a Sustainable Planet, the International Observatory on the Societal Impacts of AI and Digital Technologies, and the US National Council for Science and the Environment. Amy Luers holds a Ph.D. in environmental science and an M.A. in international policy studies, from Stanford University; a B.S. and M.S. in environmental systems engineering from Humboldt State University; and a B.A. in philosophy from Middlebury College. She has published in both peer-reviewed and popular media on big data and the digital age, science communication, climate policy and vulnerability and resilience of human-environmental systems.
Shih-Chun, Candice Lung
Executive Secretary, Future Earth Taipei
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Dr. Shih-Chun, Candice Lung is a Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Research Center for Environmental Changes as well as the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Center for Sustainability Science in Academia Sinica. Her research includes air quality and health, health impacts of climate change, and health adaptation. Currently, she is an advisory group member of the Future Earth Health KAN.
Interns
Breanna Byrd
Intern, Canada Hub
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Breanna Master’s student in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment at Concordia University. I am interested in hydrogeomorphology. I am part of the Leadership in Environmental and Digital Innovation for Sustainability- LEADS program