Niti's research interests lie in the intersection between design methods, knowledge systems particularly local, traditional and indigenous knowledges, and participatory social design-driven transformation. She is currently exploring the relationship between post-colonial indigenous research paradigms (Chilisa 2019) and integrated product development strategies for holistic knowledge production that implements cognitive justice (Visvanathan 1997; 2021) for research at the Cultural Interface (Nakata 1997, 2007; Durie 2005). Over 30 years of professional creative practice in design and innovation. This includes 15 years of leading interdisciplinary teams for fieldwork using design anthropology methodologies (rapid ethnography, indepth interviews, day in the life, observations and shadowing in markets, farms, villages, borderlands and more). Fieldwork personally completed in South Africa, The Philippines, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and with local assistance in Benin and Malawi. Networks span the African continent. Public recognition of original knowledge production includes Invitation to mainstage of TED Global 2017 in Arusha Tanzania TEDTalk video https://www.ted.com/talks/niti_bhan_the_hidden_opportunities_of_the_informal_economy

Multidisciplinary social scientist working on global political economy, development theory, development policy, political philosophy, economic alternatives, development ethics, social movements.

I am doctoral student at University of Oulu while employed at Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research. My PhD foucses on assessing the hydrologic variations in drained peatlands in Norway.

Over 48 million people were internally displaced due to armed conflict, generalized violence or human rights violations, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), at the end of 2020. The concept of internally displaced persons (IDP) can be understood as persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized border. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) stated in their 2021 Global Report on Internal Displacement that the pandemic increased the needs and vulnerabilities of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and measures to curb the spread of coronavirus have greatly hindered humanitarian efforts. In consideration of this and the fact that globally the pandemic has dealt a hard blow on the global economy that it is important that an examination on how citizens who have decided not to totally depend on humanitarian aids and build businesses in order to earn a living have been able to survive. This research will also be examining and theorize the idea of a growing economy within the IDP camps.

PhD research about political dimensions of solidarity economy in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Following five years of research in the fields of product development and eco-design (including a PhD in mechanical engineering), Galyna worked for over three years as part of the Product Bureau at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. She currently works in Finland on issues related to the local bioeconomy and sustainability, including the further development of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) frameworks and case studies.

Doctoral Researcher in Supply Chain Management and Social Responsibility. My current research focuses on Sustainable Procurement in Coffee Supply Chains in developing countries. My primary research interests include sustainable supply chains, halal logistics and supply chains, circular economy, and operations management. I also work as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Management at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Indonesia. My previous appointments included serving as the Head of the Business Analytics and Strategy Laboratory at ITS, where I led the laboratory members in teaching and research activities in Operations Management and Financial Management. I have extensive consulting experience with both industry and government institutions

With over 25 years of professional experience in business, I am now working as a doctoral researcher in intellectual property law at Hanken. My doctoral research project examines trademarks and their challenges in the circular and digital economy.

Formerly a Postdoc Researcher at the University of Luxembourg and the University of Helsinki (UH) and University Lecturer at UH, Gutu Olana Wayessa is a researcher. His current research is also affiliated with UH. He received BSc from Haramaya University, Ethiopia; an MSc from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway; and a Ph.D. in Social Sciences, majoring in Development Studies, from UH, Finland. From 1 February to 31 July 2019, he held a Visiting Research Scholar at the American University, Washington DC, USA. His research interests include displacements and resettlements, climate change, large-scale investments, land governance, environmental and social justice, state-society relations, social movements, and rural livelihoods. His theoretical and methodological interests encompass political ecology, political economy, philosophy of science, and mixed-methods research.

Projects

Large-scale land deals and local livelihoods in Ethiopia: A political ecology of a contested scheme