Big news! R&D hired a new office team of five. We are excited to work together in the future, creating more local and global networks, improving our educational programs and writing degrowth policy proposals for radical institutional change. Get to know the team:
Maiko Mathiesen has lived and worked on three continents, ranging from non-profits to multinational corporations and startups, gaining a diverse perspective on how to tackle the ongoing socio-environmental crisis. Maiko has attained a BA in Political Science from University of Tartu and a MA in Political Ecology & Degrowth from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. His role as the Director of International Relations is to flourish the capabilities and the scope of R&D by establishing new global ties and cooperation opportunities with like-minded organizations and individuals.
Brenda Nistor has studied and worked on the topics of degrowth and gender, with a focus on health inequalities, gendered dimensions of structural adjustment programs, alternatives to GDP and well-being indicators. Her role as Program Manager of Academia & Policy is to manage R&D’s Master program and to work on policy proposals to bring radical degrowth proposals into existing institutions.
Viktor Humpert is a researcher and activist across Germany, the Netherlands, and Catalonia. His role at R&D as Director of Strategy &Local Relations is to further professionalise the organisation and to strengthen its network and roots in the local context of Barcelona and beyond.
Simona Getova is an ecofeminist climate and social justice organiser, facilitator, and educator from North Macedonia. Simona’s work and research interests lie in the intersections of decolonial feminist political ecology and community-led models of social and environmental justice. As Director of Operations & Cohesion Simona is responsible for organizing the internal operations of the association, facilitating group cohesion and supporting the relationship between different teams within R&D. Simona is also facilitating the integration of new collaborations and the process of building solidarities and allyships with climate justice groups and movements internationally.
Lorenzo Lonardi grew up in Italy but has had the privilege to study and work in the Netherlands, Kenya and Spain. During his studies, he actively engaged in different types of activism around Europe, gaining a wide understanding of the social-environmental problems that society faces. Lorenzo studied European Studies at Maastricht University and got a MA in Political Ecology & Degrowth from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. As the Program Manager of Financing & Media Lorenzo is responsible for financial issues, collaborates in the elaboration of project proposals and takes care of media dissemination.