Congratulations to all our postgraduate researchers who, despite the restrictions and pressures of the global Covid-19 pandemic, have recently completed their PhD in Development Studies by Research!
The PhD in Development Studies by Research is IDS’s advanced research degree. It is awarded to candidates after a minimum of three years’ study, based on completion of original and significant research in the field of Development Studies – which is assessed through a written thesis.
Alvaro Gomez Moreira
Thesis title: ‘From ad hoc to durable? Development cooperation and institutional bricolage in the cotton sector of Benin’.
Supervisors: Jeremy Allouche and Alex Shankland
Lidia Cabral (Internal viva examiner) said about Alvaro’s thesis, ‘A great read for those interested in the impact and effects of aid on the ground as well as cotton aid history and legacies.’
Career path: Alvaro recently started working with the Better Cotton Initiative managing programmes and partnerships with large farm countries, such as US, Brazil, and Australia. “It’s a very challenging position but one that’s aligned with my PhD!” he said about his new role.
Raymond Khaufelo Lekobane
Thesis Title: Multidimensional poverty in Botswana: leaving no one behind.
Supervisors: Keetie Roelen, Stephen Devereux, and Giel Ton.
The internal viva examiner was Martin Greeley, who said: ‘Raymond responded enthusiastically and in rich detail to a series of questions on poverty assessment using multidimensional methods. His knowledge of the context of deprivation in Botswana and his commitment to addressing needs there came through really strongly. Raymond deserves all our congratulations for a thesis that makes a really important contribution to knowledge. Well done Raymond!’
Career path: Khaufelo is a Research Fellow at the Botswana Institute for Development Policy (BIDPA) – a think tank research institute for the Botswana government, in the Human and Social Development Unit (formerly Poverty unit). He is also the Institute’s Statistician and Poverty analyst. His research extends on his PhD work and focuses on multidimensional poverty, social protection, inequality, with a special focus on SDGs and the leave no one behind principle.
Thomas Cooper-Patriota
Thesis title: Regional agrarian organisations and policy influence in South America and West Africa
Supervisors: Alex Shankland and Lidia Cabral
Internal viva examiner, Prof Ben Selwyn (University of Sussex) said: ‘Tomas’s thesis is empirically strong, theoretically sophisticated and beautifully argued. Congratulations Dr Patriota!’
Career path: Since his successful viva examination, Thomas has been teaching at Sussex University and working on publications; he recently presented his work at a Newton Fund workshop jointly organised with Lidia Cabral of IDS, with the Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Brasília with Sérgio Sauer along with other colleagues.
Manuel De Vera
Thesis title: Enterprise development and political settlements in the conflict-affected cities of Zamboanga and General Santos, Philippines.
Supervisors: Jaideep Gupte and Gauthier Marchais (previously Gordon McGranahan).
Career path: Manuel is now Assistant Professor and Executive Director, TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership at the Asian Institute of Management in Manila.
Jae Hyun Park
Thesis title: Refugee returns and development in the country of origin: the case of Myanmar.
Supervisors: Pauline Oosterhoff and Danny Burns.
Career path: Jae is the Deputy Director for the Ministry of Justice in the Republic of Korea. A position she has held since 2007 but took leave from to complete her PhD at IDS.
Betty Akyeampong
Thesis title: Implementing social protection in competitive political settlements: a case study of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP) in Ghana.
Supervisor: Deepta Chopra.
Career path: Betty is Executive Manager at Akyeampong and Associates, an international centre for education, development and research in Africa.
Aly Khalil
Thesis title: Perceptions of inequality as drivers for youth protests: an examination of the Egyptian uprisings of 2011 and 2013.
Supervisors: Mariz Tadros and Marjoke Oosterom.
Career path: Aly is a researcher at Control Risks, a specialist risk consultancy who work across disciplines, technologies and geographies providing crisis management, security consulting and data analytics to businesses and governments.
Justin Pickard
Thesis title: Mutability, Mobility, Worlding: Appropriate infrastructure and urban sociotechnical change in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Supervisors: Lyla Mehta and Andy Stirling (University of Sussex)
Ahmed Al-Aghbari
Thesis title: From abundance to scarcity: exploring narratives and locked-in institutions around desalination in Bahrain.
Supervisors: Lyla Mehta and Jeremy Allouche.
Career path: Ahmed is a Design Manager at Metro Train Melbourne overseeing the delivery of large-scale rail projects for Melbourne City. He is considering a career in international development organisations with a focus on sustainability and infra-systems.
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