Programme

PhD in Geography. Bachelor in Sociology. Senior Researcher at the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (Ibict), a research unit of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Brazil.

Professor at the Postgraduate Programme in Information Science, developed by IBICT and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

Head of the Open Science and Citizen Innovation Laboratory - CindaLab. Head of Civis, a Citizen Science Platform, developed by IBICT. Head of the National Institute of Citizen Science - INCC, Brazil.

Sarita has led multidisciplinary teams and developed interinstitutional and international projects on open and citizen science, social innovation, sustainable and local development, focusing on socio-environmental and climate agendas.

She has published books, chapters and articles in international scientific journals on these topics. See Open Science, Open Issues.  She has supervised more than 50 PhD, Master´s and Postdoctoral research.

Waqas Ejaz is a Research Fellow with the Oxford Climate Journalism Network and at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. He earned his PhD at the Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany. His research interests include studying digital media effects, climate change, political, and computational communication. At the Reuters Institute, he is working on an international comparative survey to understand how people consume news on climate change and its impact on a range of different attitudes.

X (Twitter): @waqasejazch

Dr Mamoeletsi Mosia is the Managing Director at the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, a business unit of the National Research Foundation (NRF-SAASTA). Prior to joining NRF-SAASTA, she worked at the CSIR as a senior manager in different roles including Human Capital Development, Research Management and Operations Management. Before then, she was a scientist at Sasol where she grew within the ranks to Principal Scientist level. Throughout her career, she has been involved in the development of STEM professionals in one way or the other, a role she is very passionate about.

Mamoeletsi earned her BSc (Hons) and MSc in Chemistry from the University of Natal, and her PhD in Chemistry from the Technical University of Eindhoven, The Netherlands. She also completed a MCom degree in leadership studies from University of KwaZulu-Natal as well as BA (Hons) in Psychology from UNISA.

Founder-President of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA)

Dr. Tandon is an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development. He is Founder-President of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), a global centre for participatory research & training. He is also Co-Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education since 2012. The UNESCO Chair grows out of and supports UNESCO’s global lead to play ‘a key role in assisting countries to build knowledge societies’. Dr. Tandon also heads the Forum for Indian Development Corporation (FIDC) as its Chairperson. He is Chairperson of the Committee to carry out appraisal of the UGC scheme under 'Unnat Bharat Abhiyan', Member of Expert Group for Development of Educational Framework for Global Citizenship in Higher Education Institutions and Member, Advisory Committee for the Capacity Building of Faculty Members and Staff of Higher Education Institutions under Malviya Mission, constituted by the University Grants Commission.

Engineering in Electronics from IIT, Kanpur, MBA from IIM Calcutta and PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University, USA, Dr. Tandon left his teaching job at IIM Calcutta to support & champion the cause of building organizations and capacities of the marginalised through their knowledge, learning and empowerment. A pioneer of participatory research, Dr. Tandon has given new meaning to academic research by redefining the relationship between the researcher and the researched. He has been contributing to the emergence of several local, national and international initiatives to promote authentic and participatory development of societies.
Dr. Tandon has taught courses on participatory research & democratic governance in South Africa, UK, Canada, Italy, USA, Colombia, Malaysia, Philippines and Cambodia, in addition to several universities in India. He has written more than 100 books, articles and training manuals on participatory research, social responsibility of higher education, civil society & local governance.

Dr. Tandon has served on numerous Expert Committees of Government of India, University Grants Commission of India, United Nations, Commonwealth Foundation and World Bank. In 2015, the Indian Adult Education Association (IAEA) awarded Dr. Tandon the Nehru Literacy Award. For his distinguished work on gender issues, the Government of India honoured him with the prestigious Award in ‘Social Justice’ in March 2007. The University of Victoria, Canada, awarded Dr. Tandon the degree of Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) in June 2008. He is the first Indian to be inducted to the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame (class of 2011). He is also the first Indian scholar to be inducted in Academy of Engagement Scholarship in 2019.