Explore the community of our PhD researchers at IHS, where diverse perspectives meet to study Urban Development and Governance. Our global cohort of researchers brings unique insights to the exploration of urban challenges as they delve into the complexities of governance, sustainability, and social dynamics within urban contexts. At the bottom of the page, you can find interviews with our recent alumni, offering a glimpse into their experiences and career trajectories.
Current PhD researchers
Abdollahi, Sahar
The Evolution of Urban Morphology in Medieval Cities of the Low Countries
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Jurian Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB), Prof. Dr. Martin de Jong (DoIP)
Co-supervisor: Dr. Jan Fransen (IHS)
Introduction
Sahar's research delves into the evolution of urban form through the lens of urban morphological studies. This field examines cities' physical structure and spatial organization and their development over time. Her work investigates how cities transform, particularly focusing on the medieval urban centres of the Low Countries, encompassing regions in the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France. Sahar's research aims to understand the Evolutionary Processes of urban form changes and explore how these patterns emerge, persist, or adapt in response to internal dynamics and external pressures. Comparing the evolution of urban form across different cities will shed light on the shared traits, unique characteristics, and contextual variations.
Research
Sahar's PhD project examines the evolution of urban morphology in six medieval city centres within the Low Countries over three centuries (1720–2020). Her research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze historical changes in urban form and employs comparative studies of cities including Amsterdam, Leiden, Antwerp, Leuven, Lille, and Arras.
Building on Kevin Lynch's "image of the city" framework, Sahar investigates the evolution of key urban elements such as paths, edges, districts, nodes, and landmarks, focusing on how these elements have transformed over time and what factors have driven these changes. By identifying patterns of morphological evolution and their underlying drivers, her work highlights the dynamic interplay between historical continuity and adaptation in urban forms.
Sahar's findings provide valuable insights into the features of the built environment that foster resilience and inclusivity. Her research contributes to discussions on urban planning and design, offering perspectives on how the lessons of medieval urban evolution can inform the creation of more sustainable and inclusive cities for the future.
Al Jebaie, Malek
PhD Candidate of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action for the Doctoral Network "DETOCS"
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Beatriz) B Calzada Olvera (IHS) and Dr. (Joren) J Verchaeve (ECOS)
Malek Al Jebaie is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) and Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) in Brussels, under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action for the Doctoral Network "DETOCS." He holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering and an Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from Lund University (Sweden) and Central European University (Austria).
Malek's PhD research focuses on the industrial decarbonization of the cement industry. He analyses how industry regulations and standards impact the adoption of low-carbon cement blends and explores how internal firm dynamics and industry-specific characteristics influence the diffusion of low-carbon cement innovation. This interdisciplinary research draws on concepts from political economy, evolutionary economics, and sustainability transitions.
Before joining IHS, Malek collaborated with international and local organizations in Lebanon on key climate adaptation and mitigation projects. His work included research and implementation of urban Nature-based Solution Experimentation funded by the Spanish Cooperation Agency (AECID) and leading the Blue Economy Dialogue and Sustainable Consumption and Production action planning in Lebanon under the EU-funded SwitchMED II program.
Enseñado, Elena Marie
Learning between cities on climate change policies, including its contexts, processes, conditions, and outcomes
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Jurian) J Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Leon) L van den Dool (IHS)
Introduction
Alongside her PhD research, Elena works at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies as a specialist in Nature-based Climate Change Adaptation planning. Her expertise includes climate change and environmental planning, learning for socio-technical transitions and social-ecological resilience, ecosystem services and nature-based solutions, and participatory tools and methods.
Research
Elena’s PhD research focuses on city-to-city learning on climate change policies. Recognized as a process of (mutual) learning between and among cities and their representatives, city-to-city learning is often linked to policy learning, policy transfer, policy mobility, and policy diffusion, among other related concepts. In her research, she investigates the contexts, processes, conditions, and outcomes of city-to-city learning.
Held, Tobias
On emergent trajectories of electrification – A complexity-informed approach to understanding and governing urban electric vehicle transitions
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Tobias holds an MA degree in Political Science, specialising in Governing Complex and Innovative Technological Systems from Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg in Germany. He is participating as an external candidate in the IHS PhD programme. Tobias mainly works as a researcher in German academia at the crossroads of governance, innovation systems, and sustainability transitions.
Research
Tobias investigates under which policy configurations electric vehicle (EV) transitions in urban areas can successfully be promoted. To answer the research question, he analyses EV policies in Europe and the United States of America cities. Methodologically, Tobias applies different variants of Qualitative Comparative Analysis to cases across different countries (Europe) and states (US). The focal points of the analyses are dynamic interactions of different EV policy measures at different policy levels and within different contexts and trajectories of urban EV transitions unfolding in the course of time.
Kusharsanto, Zulfika
The role of universities in the local development of low-tech societies: do research and innovation really matter?
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dr. Lasse Gerrits (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. Jan Fransen (IHS)
Introduction
Zulfika, originally from Indonesia, joined IHS as a PhD researcher in November 2024. Before this, he worked as a researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), specializing in innovation policy at national and regional levels. He holds an MSc in Human Geography and Planning from Utrecht University, graduating in 2019. Through his academic and professional journey, Zulfika has cultivated a deep interest in the intersection of innovation policy, regional innovation systems, and local economic development.
Research
Zulfika's PhD research investigates the role of universities as research and innovation hubs and their impact on local economic development, particularly in low-tech societies common in the Global South. His study focuses on how universities play an important role in situations where local areas do not always have world-class universities, and there are very few high-tech adopters in industry , with Indonesia serving as the primary case study. His work aims to uncover whether these impacts are universally beneficial or if they require localized adaptations to foster inclusivity and long-term sustainability.
Lim, Dasup
Social Well-being of the Elderly and Public Space Quality in East Asian Neighborhoods
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Sofia) S Pagliarin (IHS)
Introduction
Dasup Lim's academic background includes Urban Planning and Policies and Landscape Architecture. She is interested in ageing societies and urban regeneration.
Research
Her doctoral research is to analyse the relationship between the social well-being of the elderly and the quality of public spaces in East Asian metropolises, Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei. Its objectives are to comprehensively know the various effects of public space within the East Asian Metropolitan context and to get insight into the complex relationship between the elderly and the environment.
Liu, Jie
Community Resilience (CR) in China in the Context of Disaster Management
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alexander) A Los (IHS)
Jie got her master’s degree in the specialization of “Cartography and Geographic Information Systems” in 2022 from Wuhan University (China). She currently focuses on community resilience, disaster management, and disaster risk. During her PhD, she will explore the dynamics of community resilience and its driving factors in the context of disaster management so as to propose community resilience enhancement strategies for future events.
Quadros Aniche, Laura
Coastal City Living Labs for co-creating, embedding, translating, and scaling Nature-Based Solutions. Enhancing climate change resilience in Europe
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Jurian) J Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Laura Quadros Aniche is an Urban Sustainability and Climate Change specialist. Laura holds a Master's (cum laude) in Urban Management and Development with specialization in Urban Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change, an MBA in Real Estate Business and Civil Construction Management, and a five-year Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Urban Planning. She has been working at IHS since 2017 with education, advisory, and urban sustainability and governance research. Before moving to the Netherlands, Laura worked for twelve years in project management, urban development projects, civil construction, and real estate business.
Research
Her PhD research focuses on Coastal City Living Labs for co-creating, embedding, and translating Nature-based Solutions, enhancing the transition towards climate change resilience in Europe. Her cases are part of SCORE(Smart Control of The Climate Resilience in European Coastal Cities), a large H2020 research and innovation project aimed at the development, deployment, evaluation, and uptake of integrated Ecosystem-Based Approaches (EBA) and smart technologies to improve the climate resilience of European coastal cities, through the establishment of a Coastal City Living Lab (CCLL) infrastructure involving multiple stakeholders and supported by novel digital technologies.
Schuller, Emanuel
Collective bargaining reigns in the knowledge economy
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Paula) P Nagler (IHS)
Emanuel Schuller’s academic background lies in political science. His PhD project aims to explain under which conditions struggles for the regulation of low wages have been successful in the Knowledge Economy.
Sharma, Somesh
Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Safe, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Harry) H Geerlings (ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Somesh Sharma is working as a Specialist in Environment and Sustainable Development Planning at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam. His responsibilities at IHS include conducting research, teaching courses, providing advisory services, and delivering training and capacity-building programs. Somesh's primary research area centres around the Governance of Artificial Intelligence in Smart Cities. He teaches a range of courses, including Urban Management, focusing on Good Governance for Complex and Contemporary Cities, Urban Management Tools for Climate Change, and Local Government Finance.
Research
His research aims to attribute AI's impacts (benefits and concerns) to its multiple stakeholders. The deductive multi-stakeholder framework created in this research will be applied to the case of fully automated driverless vehicles. The findings of this research will contribute to the ongoing debates about multi-stakeholder collaboration for governing digitalized societies and maintaining safety, inclusiveness, and sustainability in cities and communities.
Sheikh, Md Shemul
Climate Change and Population Dynamics Nexus: Understanding Climate Induced Migration in Coastal Bangladesh
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Jurian) J Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Shemul Sheikh's present study centres on the connection between migration caused by climate change and the susceptibility of livelihoods. He possesses a solid academic foundation in the fields of Geography and Environment. Sheikh obtained his second master's degree in International Cooperation in Urban Development (ICUD) from Technical University Darmstadt, Germany, and International Cooperation in Urban Planning (ICUP) from the University Grenoble Alpes, France.
Research
Shemul Sheikh's research sheds light on the livelihood vulnerabilities of climate-induced migrants, including gender, as well as their adaptation strategies in Bangladesh's southwestern coastal area as a case study. His research seeks to understand how public policies and programs moderate the relationship between climate-induced migration, livelihood vulnerability, gender vulnerability, and the adaptation measures adopted by migrants in Bangladesh. He analyses this phenomenon through quantitative data collection via household surveys, focus group discussions, in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, and a detailed exploration of climate migrants’ narratives via case studies.
Villalba Ferreira, Mario
Inter-Municipal Cooperation in Waste Management
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Geske Dijkstra (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisor: Dr. Peter Scholten (ESSB)
Introduction
Mario Villalba Ferreira is a dynamic professional with a multifaceted background in urban strategy, political science, and governance. Originally from Paraguay, Mario's academic and professional journey spans several countries, including Norway, the USA, Taiwan, Australia, and the Netherlands. He has held notable roles, such as Vice-Minister of the National Council of Science and Technology and Official Delegate of Paraguay at Habitat III. Mario has also co-founded and directed consulting firms and non-profit organizations, leading sustainable development projects worth over EUR 250 million in collaboration with international organizations like UNDP, the World Bank, and UNEP.
Research
Mario's PhD research focuses on the effectiveness of inter-municipal cooperation in waste management. By examining the institutional arrangements, governance frameworks, and collaborative mechanisms among municipalities, he aims to identify the conditions that lead to improved waste management outcomes. His work combines practical insights from his professional experience with academic rigour, contributing to global discussions on sustainable urban governance.
Additional Contributions
In addition to his PhD work, Mario is a lecturer in public policy and leadership, mentoring over 200 international students to become the next generation of global leaders. His experiences as a guest speaker at institutions like Harvard University and the University of Amsterdam further reflect his commitment to sustainability and knowledge-sharing. His latest publication, The Effectiveness of Inter-Municipal Cooperation on Waste Management Outcomes: A Case Study in Ecuador, underscores his academic contributions to this field.
de Wijn, Marija
Pathways towards city level climate action
Supervisor: Prof.Dr.Dr. (Lasse) L Gerrits (IHS)
Co-supervisor: Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Marija holds an MSc degree in political science and international development studies, both obtained at the University of Amsterdam. With over 15 years of experience, she has worked extensively on issues such as local governance, decentralization, and urban development. She is currently based in Beirut, Lebanon, where she manages a joint UNDP/UN-Habitat project that aims to strengthen municipal resilience.
Research
Over the past two decades, researchers have identified various enabling factors that lead to effective urban climate governance. There is a consensus that these factors work in conjunction with different pathways of interacting conditions. Yet, what these pathways look like remains a question. Furthermore, the scope of research around urban climate governance has been relatively narrow, focusing on cities in high-income countries in the form of case and small N studies. Against this background, Marija’s research aims to contribute to the scholarly debate on urban climate governance by examining city-level pathways towards climate action in low- and middle-income countries, utilizing a multilevel governance framework. Through a systematic literature review, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), and by developing two in-depth case studies, Marija seeks to identify pathways toward transformative urban climate action in low- and middle-income countries.
Zhu, Jialong
The city of the future: Towards an inclusive and smart city
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. (Jurian) J Edelenbos (IHS/ESSB)
Co-supervisors: Prof.Dr. W.M. (Martin) de Jong (DoIP) & Dr. (Alberto) A Gianoli (IHS)
Introduction
Jialong's academic background is in urban regeneration and development. He received his MSc degree from the University of Manchester in 2019. In his master's thesis, he used the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City as a case study to explore the relationship between eco-city development and residents' lifestyle changes. His research interests lie in inclusive urban development, urban transitions, and smart cities.
Research
His current PhD research uses mixed methods to explore the various characteristics of smart cities in China, their diversified development pathways, and the long-term impacts of various technologies adopted in cities. The research is concentrated on three groups of smart city projects led by the government, with specific case selection rules. His work compares Chinese smart cities to those in Europe and North America, pointing out both similarities and differences, especially in citizen participation and economic measures.
Recently graduated PhD researchers
Introduction
Gitasanti (Santi) is an experienced architect, urban planner, and regional planner with a demonstrated history of working in the Indonesian public work sector. She graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the Catholic University of Parahyangan, Indonesia; a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Urban Design from Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands; and currently is a PhD candidate of Urban Development and Governance at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Study, Erasmus Rotterdam University, The Netherlands. In addition, she is an awardee of the LPDP scholarship (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education).
Research
Her current research is titled Governance of Sustainable (Transport) Corridor, in which she examines the development of transport corridors in Indonesia in Bali, Central Java, and Yogyakarta Provinces. The study involves the integration of regional development, corridor development, sustainable development, and governance theories in the context of sustainable transport corridor development study; and the development of a conceptual framework that zooms into how governance and actors’ interaction processes influence the extent of the corridor’s sustainability outcomes. The study particularly highlights the governance’s role (while with limitations) in inviting sustainability actors into the corridor’s network, facilitating actors’ coordination, and aligning their interests for joint sustainability actions.
Introduction
Xuelei Zhang is a Ph.D. candidate majoring in public administration. Her research focuses on urban heritage management and urban governance.
Research
Urban heritage contributes in various ways to sustainable urban development with multiple values. However, urban heritage conservation is threatened, especially in rapidly developing cities. Meanwhile, there could be a mutual promotion between urban conservation and urban redevelopment. Her PhD research explores the institutional factors in the transformation of urban conservation and redevelopment relationships in mainland China with policy analysis and case studies.
Introduction
Mohamed Nada's research focuses on the complexities of urban expansion policies in developing countries, with a particular emphasis on Egyptian cities. His academic and professional background in urban development and governance provides a solid foundation for analyzing the multifaceted challenges associated with policy implementation in rapidly urbanizing contexts.
Research
Mohamed's PhD dissertation assesses the factors influencing the implementation of urban expansion policies in the developing world. He developed a theoretical framework using a new institutionalist perspective, incorporating elements from actor-centred institutionalism, the rounds model, the streams model, the multi-level governance framework, and complexity theory. Focusing on the Egyptian cities of Banha and Qena, his research examines the implementation of five policy instruments between 2007 and 2022: urban growth boundary, detailed plan, land readjustment, land subdivision, and betterment levy. His findings highlight the critical roles of actors' capacity and orientations, the clarity of formal institutions, and the impacts of government fragmentation and centralization on policy divergence. The thesis concludes with practical insights and recommendations for implementing urban expansion policies in the developing world.
Tannya’s background is in architecture, urban planning, and sustainability. She studies how cities worldwide progressively recognise the benefits of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) knowledge being incorporated into their climate policies. However, in the case of Latin America, a megadiverse and highly vulnerable region, the link between the NbS concept and adaptation actions has yet to be widely developed. Therefore, her research focuses on her native Ecuador, aiming to identify the Absorptive Capacities (ACAP) of Quito’s local stakeholders to acquire, assimilate, transform, and ultimately exploit the knowledge of the concept of NBS.
Introduction
Kei Endo's research centres on sustainable infrastructure development in Southeast Asia, emphasizing the critical roles of financial mechanisms and governance structures. His academic and professional background equips him to address the complexities of infrastructure projects in developing nations, aiming to bridge the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical applications.
Research
Kei's PhD dissertation investigates the enabling factors for sustainable infrastructure development, particularly focusing on finance and governance aspects. Through an extensive literature review and analysis of real infrastructure project case studies in developing Southeast Asian countries, his research aims to deepen the understanding of how financial arrangements and governance structures operate to realize sustainability in infrastructure projects.
His work contributes to the discourse on sustainable development by providing insights into the financial and governance mechanisms that can facilitate sustainable infrastructure in developing contexts.
Introduction
Mukta Naik's research delves into the dynamics of youth mobility within India's smaller cities, which she conceptualizes as 'migration junctions.' Her academic background and professional experience in urban development and migration studies provide a robust foundation for exploring the multifaceted nature of internal migration and its governance in developing economies.
Research
Mukta's PhD dissertation examines the role of economically dynamic smaller cities in shaping diverse employment opportunities and generating varied mobility patterns for domestic migrants. Her empirical research in India highlights how these 'migration junctions' influence youth mobilities while also revealing the challenges posed by weak governance and informal economies, leading to uneven incorporation opportunities across class, caste, and gender lines. Her findings advocate for mobility-sensitive and collaborative policy approaches that empower cities to create inclusive pathways for migrant incorporation within multi-scalar governance frameworks.
Research
Voicing the Invisibles: Investigating Impacts of Resettlement on Riverine Women Due to the Construction of Belo Monte Hydropower Dam
The construction of the most controversial dam, Belo Monte, in Brazilian history disrupted the free-flow waters of the Xingu River home to various indigenous tribes and riverine communities. The creation of a reservoir has displaced families and resettled many to the nearby city of Altamira. Riverine women had to face this impact on their livelihoods and the alteration of the traditional riverbanks and forest dynamics. This change forced riverine women to adapt to living in an urban area where their traditional knowledge became impractical. This disconnection between the river and livelihood has taken a toll on the riverine women’s mental health and independence.
Together with different actors, composed mostly of women members of governmental authorities, non-governmental bodies and academic institutes, a riverine council was co-created with the aim of upholding human rights and formulation of just compensation strategies attuned to the specific needs of the riverine community amidst their adaptation to the new environmental paradigm. Leveraging constitutional rights overlooked by the corporate entity responsible, the riverine community managed to reclaim their status as traditional custodians of the land and secure permission to reoccupy the banks of the reservoir.
Through tenacious advocacy and collaboration, riverine women emerged resilient, finding their voices and mobilizing for the protection of their rights. Alongside the riverine men, a platform materialized, facilitating the riverine community’s endeavour to reclaim their traditional livelihood.
Introduction
Abdulrhman Alsayel's research examines the role of place branding in the urban transformation of Saudi Arabia, particularly within the framework of Vision 2030. His academic and professional background in urban development and governance provides a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities associated with rebranding cities in a top-down governance context.
Research
Abdulrhman's PhD dissertation explores how place branding strategies are employed to reshape cities and redefine identities in Saudi Arabia's centralized governance system. His study delves into the balance between rapid urban growth and the preservation of cultural heritage, positioning cities like Riyadh to compete on the global stage while honoring their unique legacies. Through a series of interconnected papers, his research addresses themes such as the creative versus inclusive city debate and the role of multi-level governance in branding success. By comparing Riyadh's transformation with cities like Barcelona and Tokyo, Abdulrhman highlights the benefits and social costs of large-scale rebranding, emphasizing the need to integrate global ambitions with local authenticity and social equity.
