Joshua VARGAS

Research Assistant of Agropolitan Territories of Monsoon Asia

joshua.vargas@sec.ethz.ch

Joshua Vargas is currently a Research Assistant under the Agropolitan Territories of Monsoon Asia module at Future Cities Laboratory Global. He supports the development and deployment of ur-scape, FCL’s geospatial planning support tool created in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the Swiss Secretariat of Economic Affairs among others.

His interest in data-driven policymaking can be traced back to his experience as a representative of his hometown (Zamboanga City, Philippines) to the 2018 UNICEF Growing Up Urban Surabaya meeting of mayors, where he met researchers who help decision-makers craft evidence-based programmes to empower urban youth in Global South cities. This inspired him to apply to Yale-NUS College, where he has recently graduated with a degree in Urban Studies and Mathematical, Computational, and Statistical Sciences.

Research Interests

  • Data-driven policymaking
  • Economic geography
  • Inclusive development
  • Urbanisation in the Global South

Education

  • BA (Honours), Yale-NUS College
    Major in Urban Studies
    Minor in Mathematical, Computational, and Statistical Sciences

Awards

  • NUS Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal (top student in cohort)
  • NUS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize

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