Dorottya Varga

As a Senior Researcher at imec-SMIT, VUB, I work on research and innovation projects on sustainable development with a focus on citizen engagement and citizen science. The dynamic growth of cities has led to many environmental, economic, and social challenges such as environmental degradation, inadequate urban infrastructure or social inequalities. Through participatory processes, citizens can help transform their local neighborhoods to sustainable urban areas and co-create long-lasting solutions making use of new technologies. I am particularly interested in how to develop effective strategies for making such processes more inclusive for vulnerable and marginal social groups.

I am a big fan of interdisciplinary research and I believe that bringing together multiple perspectives, theories and methods is crucial in finding solutions to real-world problems.

I hold a PhD in Business Economics from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. Prior to completing my PhD, I gained work experience in the telecommunications, nonprofit and public sectors. In addition, I have a master’s degree in International Business Economics and Management from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and a master’s degree in International Relations from Eötvös Loránd University.