SPUR – members

Research group leader

Prof. Dr. David Kaufmann

Secretary

Marko Jovanovic

 

Scientific employees

People A-Z

External PhD Students

Theresia Morandell

Theresia Morandell is a doctoral candidate at SPUR and at the Institute for Comparative Federalism at Eurac Research in Bolzano/Bozen. Her dissertation project focuses on urban-rural linkages in spatial planning. She is especially interested in the multi-level nature of city-regional planning interactions and focuses on medium-sized urban contexts from a European comparative perspective. Theresia holds a Master’s degree in Public Policies and Administration from the Free University of Bolzano/Bozen, and BA degrees in Political Science and Communication Studies from the University of Salzburg.

Daniela Sanjines

Daniela Sanjinés has been a researcher at the ETH Wohnforum and lecturer of the MAS ETH in Housing since 2018. Currently she is pursuing a PhD within the framework of the SNSF funded project titled "Negotiating space for housing cooperatives in Latin America. The case of post-conflict Colombia and El Salvador". She holds an MSc in International Cooperation and Urban Development from TU Darmstadt and an MSc in Sustainable Emergency Architecture from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. Previous work includes the design and implementation of affordable housing policies in Colombia and the design of participatory camp improvement plans for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the West Bank (UNRWA).

Daniels Saakjans

Daniels is a doctoral candidate in European Land-Use Planning at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. He works in the research project "Bringing urban land-change simulation to the next level (SILAR)". He holds a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of Sheffield and a MSc in International Planning (Smart Cities Specialism) from the University College London UCL. 

Student Assistants

Mona Gairing

Mona is a student assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy group since April 2023. She obtained her bachelors degree in Environmental Sciences from ETH Zurich. Currently, Mona is a master student in Environmental Sciences with a focus on Forest and Landscape Management at ETH Zurich.

Iva Caluori

Iva has a Bachelor’s degree in Geogaphy from the University of Zurich and is currently studying in her masters in Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Systems at ETH Zurich. She is particularly interested in the topic of area development and the underlying social dynamics. Furthermore, her interest lies in the investigation of interconnected developments of urban systems, especially in the context of political aspects of spatial development.  

Peppino Müller

Peppino Müller is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group. He studies Geography along with Spatial Planning & Landscape Development. He is particularly interested in the subjects of green and socially responsible urban development as well as the elaboration and development of solutions for future challenges in urban areas.

Florence Testorelli

Florence Testorelli completed her bachelor's degree in International Relations in Geneva and is now studying for a master's degree in geography with a focus on development and the environment at the University of Lausanne. Since summer 2023, she has been working on the project "Densifying Switzerland" and is involved in a qualitative analysis of voting documents. Florence Testorelli is also interested in a wide range of topics, from sustainable food systems to strengthening democracies.

Ella Castellani

Ella Castellani studied Architecture and then switched to Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems for her masters degree. She supports the work of Sven Daniel Wolfe, researching the planning and impacts of every FIFA Women’s Football World Cup from 1991-2023.

Cynthia Döss

To come

Aura Huang

To come

Hannah Kunzelmann

Hannah Kunzelmann is originally trained as an architect and did her Bachelor at ETH Zurich. After a year-long internship in an architectural office she decided to broaden her knowledge and returned to ETH to pursue her Masters in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems. Since June 2024, she is a research assistant in the SNSF Ambizione project “After the Spotlight" at ETH Zurich. As part of the team of Dr. Sven Daniel Wolfe, she is helping assess the after-effects of every FIFA Women’s World Cup. In addition, she works at a planning office in Basel where she is involved in the transformation and development of various areas in and around Basel.

Raphael Baumann

Raphael Baumann completed his bachelor’s degree in Transport Systems at ZHAW before transferring to ETH to study Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems for his masters degree. He supports the work of Sven Daniel Wolfe, researching the planning, execution, the aftermath as well as the general impact of the “modern” UEFA Men’s-Euros (1996 onwards).

Former SPUR members

Jake Stephan

Jake Stephan has been a student assistant at the Spatial Development and Urban Policy group between 2021 and 2024. He obtained his bachelor degree from Indiana University-Bloomington in Political Science and Philosophy and his master degree at the Center for Comparative and International Study at ETH Zurich.

Emily Robitschek

Emily has worked as a student assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy group from 2021 to 2024. She obtained her bachelors degree in Biochemistry with honors from Colorado State University. Currently, Emily is a master student at the Institute for Science, Technology and Policy at ETH Zürich.

Mala Walz

Mala Walz has been a student research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy group at ETH Zurich from 2020 to 2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Zurich. She is currently finishing her master's studies in Political Science with a minor in Sociology at the University of Zurich.

Jan Osusky

Jan Osusky has been part of the SPUR Team as a student assistant between 2022 and 2024. He supported the project "Densifying Switzerland". He received a Bachelor of Science in Geospatial Engineering at ETH Zurich.

Dr. Ana Peric Momcilovic

Ana Peric supported the SPUR team as the lead of the project «Dense and Green Cities: Emerging Models of Integrated Urban Development», among other projects. In 2022, she left SPUR to pursue her new position as an external page Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at the University College Dublin. 

Sophie Hauller

Sophie Hauller has been a student assistant at the SPUR team since June 2020. In 2023, she is finishing her studies in the ETH master program Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems at ETH Zürich.

Dr. Stefan Wittwer

Since 2020, Stefan Wittwer has supported the SPUR team as the lead of the projects "Densifying Switzerland" and "Urban Planning for Sustainable Development". In 2022, he left the SPUR team to pursue a career at the Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE.

Dominique Strebel

At SPUR, Dominique Strebel has been particularly involved in research on "Sanctuary Cities in Europe" and "Urban Migration Policies". In 2021, she began her studies in medicine at the University of Zurich. external page LinkedIn

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