LEAD RESEARCHERS

Olga L. Sarmiento, Professor at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, specialises in epidemiology and focuses on urban health, healthy behaviours, and the built environment in Latin America. With global research involvement, including the Our Voice Global Research Network spanning 15 countries, she empowers communities through citizen science to affect local environmental change. Sarmiento's expertise includes utilising the Discovery Tool to study how urban environments and policies influence the health of Latin American city residents.

Professor Germán Casas, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Professor at Universidad de los Andes, Colombia, joins OWS as Co-Lead for WP3 and Co-I for WP2 and WP4. He is currently the Postgraduate Director of the Medicine Faculty of the Universidad de los Andes. As President of Medicine San Frontieres for Latin America, he has diverse field experience in MSF projects, including roles as a General Doctor, Mental Health Officer, and field coordinator. Professor Casas brings invaluable expertise to OWS, particularly during WP3's Maputo pilot stage, while guiding WP1, WP2, and WP4.

Luis Angel Guzmán is an Associate Professor at the School of Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, specialising in Civil and Environmental Engineering in Bogotá, Colombia. His research focuses on transport and land-use interactions, policy evaluation, economic assessment of transport systems, and social, economic, and spatial analysis of urban transport inequalities. He is actively involved in national studies, exploring development models and tools related to land occupation and land-use changes and their impact on urban planning, social equity, and well-being. Luis has a rich consulting background, advising on various urban transport projects in Colombia, working with the World Bank, and providing expertise to the Urban Development Institute of Bogotá on value-capture instruments for financing transport infrastructure. Additionally, he serves as an adviser to the Bogotá Urban Planning Office for reforming the Land-Use Planning Master Plan in transport planning. He also holds editorial roles at the Research in Transportation Business & Management Journal and Frontiers in Sustainable Cities: Sustainable Infrastructure. Luis is an accomplished author with numerous international journal publications covering topics such as transport policy evaluation, public transport, poverty, equity, and urban structure.

Joaquin Romero de Tejada is an anthropologist and expert in urban mobility. He has been working on formal and informal semi-collective transport in Maputo since he arrived in Mozambique in 2013, cooperating with stakeholders such as Maputo City Council, Architects Without Borders, and UN-Habitat, among others. He is constantly working on different projects to improve access to public transport for vulnerable groups, including women and the most vulnerable users.

Julian Edbrooke-Childs, Head of Digital Development & Evaluation at the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, spearheads research on empowering youth to take charge of their mental and healthcare, particularly addressing social inequalities. With a background in health, applied, and NHS research studies encompassing health psychology, clinical psychology, and social psychology, he plays a pivotal role as Research Advisor in promoting and evaluating research impact within this project.

Industrial and environmental engineer with an MSc in Urban Development Planning, intensely interested in urban dynamics related to mobility, social and environmental justice, climate change and sustainable development. She leads the Kids First Program, which aims to improve access to education and the travel experience to school through safe and sustainable mobility strategies: Ciempiés (Safe walking routes to school), Guardacaminos (Safe crossings during the school entrance), Al Colegio en Bici (Bike to school) and Bici-Parceros (Bike pals to school) in Bogotá, Colombia.

Operations Lead at “Ciempiés Caminos Seguros,” District Mobility Secretary in Bogotá, Colombia, Mrs. Salinas, holds a master’s in education, specialising in educational projects. She has been an integral part of the “Ciempiés Caminos Seguros” Project since 2019, initially serving as a monitor and progressing to her current role as the Operations Lead. Mrs. Salinas brings much experience in team coordination, guiding educational projects and research, and promoting sustainable school mobility. Her expertise includes emotional development, leadership, and enhancing civic competencies.

Professor Carlos Serra, a Lawyer, consultant, university lecturer, and environmental activist from the University of Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique, will join OWS as Co-Lead for WP3 and Co-I for WP4. With expertise in environmental law, national and local governance, waste pollution, and the environment, he has extensive experience collaborating with public authorities, the private sector, NGOs, and various stakeholders in Mozambique. Professor Serra will play a crucial role as Co-Lead during WP3's Maputo pilot stage and guide WP4.

Dr Villamizar-Duarte is a Lecturer at Newcastle University's School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape. She joins OWS as Co-lead for WP1 and WP4. She has over 15 years of academic and professional experience in urban planning and policy. Her work examines the intersection of mobility practices and urban policy and their impact on the built environment and human well-being. Her expertise includes assessing processes of policymaking and governance and fostering partnerships for engaged participation.

Sara does research in Positive Psychology, Urban/Rural Sociology and Architectural Engineering. Márquez Martín is a researcher specialising in developing the concept of “human building” as the attitude to build with and for the people within the planet's limits. At Architects Without Borders, she coordinates projects to improve mobility and slum upgrading in Maputo, Mozambique.

Professor Abby King from Stanford University in the USA will lead the Our Voice team for OWS, contributing to WP1, WP2, WP3, and WP4. With internationally recognised expertise in behavioural science, she applies evidence-based multi-level approaches to advance public health and promote health equity. Prof. King's work focuses on diverse populations, including racial/ethnic minorities and low-income individuals across the lifespan. She has conducted clinical trials and observational studies on key health behaviours, mental health, and digital health and communication tool development. Her research aims to extend the reach and sustainability of health programs worldwide.

Dr Benjamin Chrisinger from Oxford University joins OWS as Co-lead for WP2 and Co-I for WP3 and WP4. With an urban planning background, his interdisciplinary research explores the link between place and health, focusing on health disparities and the potential of place-based policies for equity. His recent work examines neighbourhood perceptions, health disparities, and the lasting impacts of historical events. Dr Chrisinger's expertise in technology and community-engaged methods will contribute to developing and testing digital health tools within a citizen science framework, promoting collaboration across diverse OWS locations.