Speakers & Trainers

Nivedita Prasad

Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin

Prof. Dr. Nivedita Prasad is Professor of Action Methods and Gender-Specific Social Work at Alice Salomon University in Berlin, where she heads the MA programme in Social Work as a Human Rights Profession, among other roles. Her research methodology is strongly oriented towards (feminist) participatory action research – a research method that tends to be neglected in Western Europe.

More information: ASH Berlin

Bianca Vienni Baptista

ETH Zürich

PD Dr. Bianca Vienni Baptista is a group leader of Cultural Studies of Science and Technology Group and lecturer at the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab) at the ETH. 

More information: ETH Zurich

Yvonne Riaño

University of Neuchâtel

Prof. Dr. Yvonne Riaño is an Associate Professor at the Geography Institute of the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland), where she direct the Association of Swiss Geographers (ASG) and chair Switzerland's National Committee for the International Geographical Union (IGU). She studied contemporary geographies of inequality and injustice in European and South American cities and the Colombia-Venezuela border. Using a feminist intersectional perspective, Yvonne is interested in understanding the professional integration of migrants and their coping strategies, transnational mobility strategies in zones of geopolitical conflict, and gender equality. She is passionate about participatory research methods and their possibilities for social engagement and scientific innovation. Yvonne uses documentaries to communicate the realities experienced by transnational migrants, giving a voice to women in particular.

Pia Viviani

Founder and Director catta gmbh

Pia Viviani has a background in biotechnology, scenography, nonprofit management and science communication. Working for the foundation Science et Cité she established the Swiss citizen network schweiz forscht and therefore knows diverse Swiss citizen science projects. She was a steering committee member of the European Citizen Science Association ECSA when initiating and planning the ECSA conference 2018 in Geneva. In Spring 2019, Pia founded her own company catta gmbh for consulting, initiating and managing citizen science projects in Switzerland.

More information LinkedIn Pia Viviani

Olivia Höhener

Managing director Citizen Science Zurich

Olivia Höhener studied History, English and Media Studies in Basel and completed a CAS in Research Management. She worked for the Mercator Foundation Switzerland for eleven years, where she managed the Mercator College for International Affairs and was responsible for science communication, dialogue between science and society, participatory research and international exchange. Her areas of expertise are science communication, participatory research, youth development, international exchange and impact-oriented project planning. She joined our team in March 2021 and is as Managing Director responsible for the further development of Citizen Science Zurich and its activities, for leading the Managing Office and coordinating the awarding of grants. She is committed to science with and for society and wants to contribute to the emergence of new forms and formats of collaboration that benefit both sides.

More information: Citizen Science Zurich

Melanie Brand

Citizen Science Zurich

Melanie Brand studied sociology with a focus on cultural sociology at the University of Konstanz. Her interests lie in practice-oriented research and in supporting processes of reflection and development. She is experienced in the planning, funding and realization of research projects as well as in developing and offering training and further education formats. Her ethnographic doctoral project “Breaking the Cycle of Violence” focuses on domestic violence counseling and interventions in South Africa. As an anti-discrimination counselor, she also brings a diversity-sensitive perspective to the design of Citizen Science education and training programs. Melanie Brand joined our team in October 2023 and is in charge of developing the CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) in Citizen Science and Public Engagement.

More information: Citizen Science Zurich

Ruth Förster

Dr. sc. ETHZ, dr. ruth förster training & beratung, Chair saguf Working Group Education for Sustainable Development

Ruth Förster has long-term experience and expertise in designing and facilitating transdisciplinary collaboration and learning processes particularly in higher education and research for sustainable development, f.e. in ETH Zurich and University of Basel. She has a multidisciplinary background in mechanical and environmental engineering, didactics, Expressive Arts & Movement – the Tamalpa Life-Art process - and psychological counselling. Nowadays Ruth is working as consultant for designing transformative learning environments as well as personal coach with emphasis on transition processes.

More information LinkedIn Ruth Förster