RETHINKING Humanitarian Aid
We are familiar with humanitarian aid work primarily through appeals for donations and through political action in the media. But there is much more to it than funding (inputs) or the political framework. Less well known is the fact that logistics can take up to 80% of the budget in a humanitarian response. Today, to get the most impact out of limited resources, science is increasingly engaged in making relief work more efficient and effective. With examples from ongoing research projects, we show how industry-derived methods can make an important contribution in the non-profit context, getting life-saving supplies such as medicines or food to their destination faster. By reducing operational costs, humanitarian organizations can use their donations to reach more people in need.
Hybrid ETH Symposium at the Berlin Science Week 2021
Friday, 5 November 2021
16.00 - 17.30
Venue:
Berlin Science Week Campus, Museum für Naturkunde, Birds Room
Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berli
COVID-19 Regulations
Each person entering the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin is required to submit their contact information (First name, last name, address, telephone number and email address), in accordance with the Protection Against Infection Act.
On-site the protective and hygienic measures of the Museum für Naturkunde apply. The so-called 3G rule (for “geimpft, genesen oder getestet“, i.e. “vaccinated, recovered or tested”) is in place: Anyone who is not fully vaccinated or is not considered recovered will be required to provide a recent negative Covid-19 test. Visiting the event is permitted with a medical face mask only.
Speakers
Bublu Thakur-Weigold is Associate Director Programs of the HumOSCM Lab at ETH Zurich’s Chair of Logistics Management where she works with international humanitarian organizations to improve performance using scientific knowledge and research findings. She trained as an industrial engineer, and gathered over 20 years of supply chain experience in industry and consulting before joining the ETH as a researcher, lecturer, and program director.
external pageAndrew Parris earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering (as part of the “Lean Aircraft Initiative”) at MIT. He worked 11 years in aerospace before joining World Vision, where he worked 9 years, 3 of those living in Nairobi, Kenya, promoting Lean Six Sigma. Now Andrew is Process Excellence Manager at Medair, an international humanitarian NGO based near Lausanne. Andrew is committed to strengthening the performance and impact of NGOs by equipping and inspiring employees to continuously improve their work.
external pageLea Rüsch is currently working as a Fellow in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Previously, she did her PhD research in the field of Organisational Behaviour and Humanitarian Operations at the Kuehne Logistics University (KLU) in Hamburg (Germany). Her research is about power, leadership, and identity dynamics and how they impact cooperation in humanitarian aid. She also co-manages the Research Institute on Leadership and Operations in Humanitarian Aid (RILOHA).