From October, we have two new doctoral students at the Department of Conservation, Maitri Dore and Rebecca Staats. They are part of HERILAND, a pan-European research and training network on cultural heritage in relation to Spatial Planning and Design.
Maitri: I’m an architect and urban studies graduate from Mumbai, India. Professionally I have been involved in the design of sustainable houses and in research related to affordable housing, in India. Most recently, I worked on an exhibition and book about architecture’s role in the face of climate change, at the architecture museum in Vienna.
Rebecca: I come from New South Wales, Australia. However, for the past two years I have been living in Durham in the UK where I did my master's degree. This is my first time in Sweden, and I am very excited to be here!
Maitri: My specific topic relates to the role of heritage in large-scale infrastructure projects and as part of my research I will be studying the ongoing West Link extension in Gothenburg.
Rebecca: My PhD will explore heritage in economic growth and social renewal through researching place branding and heritage management using a comparative case study approach.
Maitri: I hope to contribute research that’s contemporary, and relevant to ongoing development issues that concern the built environment, through cases in Sweden, India and elsewhere. I’m looking forward to learning more about the entanglements between architecture, history and politics in Gothenburg, through its urban development projects. Further, through the internships that are integrated into the Heriland project, I hope to acquire hands-on skills in the field of heritage management.
Rebecca: I am looking forward to the opportunity to delve into research and contribute to the field through producing journal publications and presenting at conferences. I am excited to collaborate with academic and industry partners through the internships organised through the HERILAND project, and ultimately to contribute to new knowledge about effective heritage management strategies.
We welcome Rebecca and Maitri and look forward to following their future research work.