Dorothy
Estrada
Ad-Hoc Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
I am a recent graduate of a dual-degree Master's program called Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design, an English-language Master's hosted jointly between the University of Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany and Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. The program focuses heavily on aspects of participatory development, integrated design, urban ecology, resiliency, and urban upgrading, among other themes. The program contained a mix of international students and focused on the integration of multiple disciplines to design solutions for complex urban issues. Link the more information may be found here: http://www.iusd.uni-stuttgart.de/
My thesis, entitled "‘Bolstering socio-ecological resilience in Greater Cairo Region’s peri-urban pockets" focused on integrated strategies for local economic development in one of Cairo's informal settlements. In addition, I worked for 2 years as an Environmental Project Coordinator with a non-profit based in Tampa, Florida in which I was responsible for community upgrading and participatory community greening projects.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
My education as a graduate student contained many activities for transnational learning. In the second year of the IUSD Master’s program, we enacted an Integrated Case Study for participatory development in Cairo's informal settlement in Helwan, and other semesters included multiple seminars and workshops concentrated on transnational learning between the Germany and Egypt, with themes focused on the Global North and Global South. I participated in an educational module targeted at GAMP (German-Arab Master's Programs) in Berlin in May 2016, and have worked as research assistant with the EU funded TURAS initiative (Transitioning Towards Resiliency and Sustainability) from Dec. 2015-Sept. 2016. TURAS had a heavy focus on transnational learning between integrated urban resiliency projects taking place among 14 European cities. (http://www.turas-cities.org/)
B.3. Proficiency in English:
I am a native English speaker. I am also proficient in German and Spanish.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
My experience in delivering transnational change and learning activities has mostly occurred curing my time as a Master’s student in the context a program hosted jointly between Germany and Egypt. This has included integrated, cross-disciplinary urban design and community development projects with a variety of groups across the academic, public, and private sectors.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Urban Strategic Planning
Theme / Policy:
Local Governance
Summary Thematic expertise:
My experiences in Local Governance has been in both my professional and academic career as a recent graduate. My Project Coordinator role with an environmental non-profit involved several PPP establishments, as well as community development initiatives though waste removal and community greening. Throughout my Master’s program, participations were a major focus, and I am well-versed in managing projects that have this objective at their core. Regarding social innovation, I was the co-founder of a social enterprise dealing with urban food insecurity, and have been involved in another social innovation projects for refugees in Stuttgart.
Theme / Policy:
Local Economic Development
Summary Thematic expertise:
Local Economic Development has been a re-emerging theme in my academic and professional career. In 2016, I completed an online Circular Economy Executive Education Course with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and have also implemented had an entire semester course on LED as a means of integrated urban development. As a co-founder of a social enterprise, LED opportunities made available through our product were intended to combat food insecurity.
Theme / Policy:
Sustainable Food
Summary Thematic expertise:
Much of the work in my professional and academic career has been on the topic of Sustainable Food, specifically food security. It was a major part of my role as a Project Coordinator with an environmental non-profit in Tampa, Florida, and involved the creation of a 1-acre urban garden as well as a farmer’s market hosted in a food desert community. Additionally, these same themes have taken root in my time as a Master’s student, in the form of urban ecological design work, and in my final thesis.
Informations
Residence location:
Germany
Languages:
English - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
destrada@spartans.ut.edu