AFRY

AFRY is a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services, with a global reach. We accelerate the transition towards a sustainable society. We are 19,000 devoted experts in infrastructure, industry, energy and digitalisation, creating sustainable solutions for generations to come.

CLAUDIO FERRO

Claudio is the head of Business Unit Food & Pharma Switzerland at AFRY. He has extensive experience in Project Management and interest in innovative, interesting and complex projects in Smart Cities, Industry 4.0, Aquaculture, Food, Mobility, Sustainability, Architecture, Lighting Design, Infrastructures, Digitalisation of the Design and Construction, and Logistics.

AGROPOLE SA

Agropôle is the only tech-hub in the canton of Vaud dedicated to sustainable food. Its campus brings together an active community of players from field to plate, along with innovators, and promotes sustainable solutions. Their mission is to GATHER farmers, engineers, designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, industrialists, and the general public, in a scalable platform, a real success gas pedal that encourages exchanges and business. PROMOTE all activities in the sector, from research to distribution, by creating conditions conducive to interdisciplinary cooperation, with respect for the product, the environment and the consumer. INNOVATE by welcoming start-ups with projects for sustainable agriculture.

ALAIN SCHACHER

Alain Schacher is the General Director of Agropôle. Benevolence, professionalism and efficiency: no doubt three adjectives that can briefly describe Alain. With 32 years' professional experience with British American Tobacco, including 25 years abroad, Alain returned to his roots when he joined the Agropôle project. An oversight? An avid soccer fan, he'll always find a nice anecdote to tell.

JULIE SCHUEPBACH

Julie Schüpbach is Marketing & Projects Manager at Agropôle. With an initial background in oceanography, Julie went on to complete a master's degree in journalism and scientific and technical communication. Passionate about popularization and keen to break down the silos that segment innovation, research and business players, she joined Agropôle in 2018 to develop the campus' communications strategy, community and outreach.

DROOPLE

Droople is a B2B Swiss cleantech building the Water Intelligence Platform to the World. We accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices, promote the integration of water conservation systems, and educate the value of this essential resource. Vendors and service providers are equipped with an IoT AI-enabled full stack platform, enabling monitoring, predictive maintenance and unlocking water and energy savings.

RAMZI BOUZERDA

Ramzi, as the CEO and founder of Droople, has been dedicated to building the internet of water for the last five years. He has successfully connected over 100 billion sanitary ware, water treatment systems, and appliances that are currently offline. Ramzi's mission revolves around transforming water data into cost savings and operational excellence for customers across various industries, including hospitality, healthcare, and agriculture. With a robust educational background in computer science and business analysis, as well as expertise in agile project management, Ramzi holds a master's degree from EPFL and multiple certifications in IT audit, scrum, and innovation. His professional journey has included roles as a developer, project manager, auditor, and program manager within the banking sector, affording him invaluable insights and skills in customer relationship management, risk management, and compliance. Ramzi's true passion lies in applying his knowledge and experience to tackle real-world problems, all while creating a positive impact on both society and the environment.

DENIS VOROS

Denis is a results-driven leader with over 10 years of experience in product development and supply chain management within various industries. His expertise lies in conceptualizing, designing, and delivering state-of-the-art IoT sensor solutions that transform industries and empower businesses. Denis thrives on orchestrating seamless end-to-end processes, fostering collaboration across diverse teams, and exceeding customer expectations through cutting-edge technology.

ELCA

With more than 2,000 experts, the ELCA Group is a leading independent Swiss service provider, specialized in cybersecurity, Cloud, IT consulting, software development and IT systems integration. ELCA helps its clients to better compete in the digital era. Its solutions reduce complexity, accelerate innovation cycles, improve business performance and increase customer satisfaction. The privately held company has offices in Lausanne, Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Basel and Rapperswil-Jona, and has additional outsourcing centers in Spain, Italy, Mauritius and Vietnam, all operating according to a common process framework.

MARC CLAPERA

Marc is a software architect at ELCA.

PATRICK GRAS

Patrick has been serving as Lead Architect at ELCA since 2017, where he provides his technical expertise and architecture support to projects and clients. Prior to this, Patrick held various roles, beginning in 1999 as a Software Engineer at ELCA, followed by Software Architect in 2005, Solution Architect in 2013, and Lead Enterprise Architect in 2014, all at Generali Switzerland.

With over two decades of experience in architecture, design, and development of complex IT systems, primarily in the areas of Insurance, Finance, Defense, and Intelligence services, Patrick's focus is to enhance organizations through the optimal combination of technology, data, people, and processes.

LIAM MOUZAOUI

Liam is a Masters Student in Computer Science at EPFL and an intern at ELCA.

HELVETIA ENVIRONNEMENT

Helvetia Environnement is a Swiss company offering comprehensive waste management services to local authorities, public and private companies and private individuals. Its activities cover waste collection, recycling and recovery, as well as the production of energy from waste.

LUDOVIC BALMER

Ludovic is the General Director of Helvetia Environnement, having previously acted in the same role for Sogetri and Leman Bio Energie under Helvetia. 

MARIUS CHAPEL

Marius is Head of Business at Metawaste (Helvetia Environnement).  

VINCENT CHAPEL

Vincent Chapel is the Chairman of the Board of Helvetia Environnement and Chairman of the Board of Metawaste. Vincent is an entrepreneur motivated by the challenges of transitioning businesses toward a sustainable and inclusive economy, as well as the associated human challenges. Following an entrepreneurial career in the industrial sectors, the decision was made to take a tangible step toward environmental commitment by assuming control of Helvetia Environnement in 2009.

SOPHIE LASVIGNE

As Sogetri's Development Manager for the French-speaking part of Switzerland, Sophie is responsible for a wide range of tasks. Her main task is to create and implement a sales strategy. Leading a team of sales representatives, she establishes the guidelines to be followed, provides them with the necessary tools, and monitors the indicators essential to the execution of previously defined sales actions. However, Sophie understands that sales is not the only aspect of the company's development. Consequently, in parallel, she represents Sogetri at networking events organized by the company's customers. She also acts as a privileged channel for the company's communications, playing an essential role in transmitting information from Helvetia Environnement's Communications department.

ROMANDE ENERGIE 

A leading energy company and the largest utility in French-speaking Switzerland, the Romande Energie Group offers a wide range of sustainable solutions such as energy production and distribution, energy services, energy efficiency and electric mobility. Through our own 100% renewable production, or innovative services and our Corporate Social Responsibility policy, the Group intends to develop, together with our customers, investors and employees, a better living environment. Romande Energie is also committed to offering high-quality services and guaranteeing a reliable supply of electricity, in line with its customer's expectations, to support them in the energy transition

PHILIPPE CORBOZ

Philippe is a Senior Product Manager at Romande Energie, and Head of Product Development for Collectivies. He has extensive experience in management and project development related to biogas production, photovoltaic power stations, microgrids and smart energy management systems.

ANNE-SOPHIE RADET

Anne-Sophie is BIM Coordinator at Romande Energie. She has experience following HVAC and refrigeration sites, managing teams of technicians, organzing sites, orders and supplier negotiations, evaluating added value, financial management of projects, sizing, costing, process design, drafting of tenders, establishment of audits, control of OESP files up to category IV.

SWISS POST

Swiss Post is the Swiss national postal service, and one of the longest-standing and best-known brands in the country, with its core competency being the reliable transport of goods and information. It has always connected people, and as such has become part and parcel of our country, always seeking to create innovative and reliable solutions focusing on customer requirements. Swiss Post is part of the Swiss identity.

DAVID URBACH

David is a committed, hands-on M&A, strategy and corporate development leader with global exposure recognised for intellectual power and innovative strategies balanced with business pragmatism and multifaceted interests. He has demonstrated impact on full company lifecycle from strategy development, through acquisitions, integration, turnaround or transformation programmes to disposals/exit and IPO in business (private equity and listed) and government environments.

He is agile in immersing into challenging industries including transportation and logistics, travel and hospitality, healthcare payor-provider, automotive, higher education research and innovation. He has international multicultural in-depth exposure in following geographies : Europe, Asia (incl. China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia ), Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa), Middle East.

THOMAS WAELCHLI

Thomas is the Cluster Lead of City Logistics at Swiss Post. Logistics have occupied and fascinated him since the beginning of his professional career. He is convinced that every logistical solution is only as good as the industry in which it operates.

SPARROW ANALYTICS 

Sparrow develops methodologies on how to measure urban parameters in a widespread, constant and most effective manner, resulting in Big Data and AI implementation. Sparrow equips taxis, ride-hilling cars, public transport with multi-micro-sensors and helps cities to become Smart and Sustainable. Sparrow is an associate in ITU-T Study Group 20 - Internet of Things, smart cities and communities.

MAXIM INTERBRICK

Maxim Interbrick is currently COO at Sparrow Analytics. He is an entrepreneur by heart with decades of experience in building startups in informational, media, entertainment, and IT sectors. Establishing his first startup in 1998 in Israel he begins his journey. In 2001, arriving to Switzerland and working in few local companies he’s gaining swiss expertise. Between 2010 and 2015, the main activity relays in Augmented Reality and media (Adlux agency, Ogmint). Between 2016-2019 in medicalsector, building Infotainment systems (Engagelink, Advixta). Since 2019, his focus on urban environmental area where his recent company was established – Sparrow Analytics. Sparrow aims to find and solve major problems in Cities environment.

BG INGÉNIEURS (WSP)

BG Consulting Engineers was founded in 1954 by two professors from the Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne (EPFL) to provide state-of-the-art engineering consultancy in a world of reconstruction. The founders, Mr Bonnard and Mr Gardel, were both civil and hydraulic engineers. The group was built on the basis of these activities, particularly in large hydroelectric works. Then, by addressing and anticipating the needs of society, its clients or its architectural partners’, it progressed in the fields of building, energy and the environment. In addition, by maintaining its links with research and schools, BG has constantly expanded its expertise and its workforce to become an international reference over time. The international WSP Group acquired BG Bonnard & Gardel Holding SA in 2023.

NILS TER BORCH

Nils is a Project Manager at WSP | BG Engineering Consultants. He is a 2020 Master graduate of Mechanical Engineering at EPFL, specializing in Energy. Obtained the "Prix état de Vaud" and the "Prix BG" for his Master Thesis. His professional experiences include R&D in water and sanitation, Mechanical Design for the food Industry, as well as Research Assistant and teaching Physics and Chemistry at a College.

SABINE CHAMOUN

Sabine is a Business Engineer at WSP | BG Engineering Consultants. She is a Hydraulic Engineer with a PhD in hydraulic constructions. Wide circle of interest in Sponge Cities / Blue and Green infrastructure, ESG & Sustainability, Decarbonization, Circular Economy, Hydraulic structures and phenomena (reservoir sedimentation, sediment-laden currents, operation and maintenance of hydropower schemes, hydropeaking mitigation, numerical and experimental simulation...)

MAUREE DASARADEN

Dasaraden is the Head of the Decarbonization and Climate Resilience Group at WSP | BG Engineering Consultants. He oversees diverse projects spanning the realms of building, mobility, and infrastructure. Drawing upon his extensive background, particularly in the academic and research arenas at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the University of Strasbourg, he guides clients in realizing their decarbonization initiatives with a steadfast focus on achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. His endeavors include partnering with vehicle fleet managers to transform their fleets, working alongside real estate developers to construct low-carbon buildings, and collaborating with infrastructure constructors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

GEOFFREY QUINTAS NEVES

Geoffrey is the Building, Energy & Territory Unit manager at WSP | BG Engineering Consultants. He is a french environmental engineer with 4 years of experience designing and certifying green buildings. Specialist of building energy efficiency who possesses the required technical skills and level of strong initiative to achieve long-term success. He possesses broad experience dealing with public and private sector clients, achieving successful multi-certified projects (LEED, BREEAM, HQE) of different building types such as hospital, hotel, school and business office.

IFU | ETHZ

The Institute of Environmental Engineering (IfU) focuses on finding sustainable solutions for global environmental problems such as climate change. Its results attract worldwide attention. The eight professorships conduct interdisciplinary research and teaching in the fields of hydrology, urban water management, groundwater, ecological systems, earth exploration, air quality and particle technology.

PROF. STEFANIE HELLWEG

Stefanie Hellweg has been professor for Ecological Systems Design at the Institute of Environmental Engineering in the Department Civil, Environmental, and Geomatic Engineering at ETHZ since 2006. In her current research, Stefanie Hellweg works on modeling, evaluating and improving the environmental impact of products, technologies and consumption patterns. In particular, she is developing and applying methods for Life Cycle Assessment, Industrial Ecology and Circular Economy. Besides her research activities, she serves on several academic steering and advisory committees as well as editorial boards. She is member of the International Resource Panel of UN Environment and president  of the International Society of Industrial Ecology.

MARCO MIOTTI

Marco Miotti is a Senior Researcher in the Ecological Systems Design group at ETH Zurich. He investigates how urban form, human behavior, and technology interact in forming energy consumption and pollution patterns of cities, and how these interactions can be leveraged to reduce the environmental footprint of human activity. He focuses on the mobility sector, modeling the causal link between urban form and multi-scale mobility patterns and how emerging technologies might alter this relationship. 

ISE | HES SO

The Institute for Sustainable Energy at HES SO Sion is committed to promoting a sustainable economy and society, with the energy transition at the heart of its mission. The Institute's activities include applied research and development (Ra&D), services and continuing education. They are carried out in collaboration with public, industrial and economic partners, in order to meet the political, economic and social challenges facing the environment and local communities.

PROF. MANUELE MARGNI

Manuele Margni is a Professor at HES SO Sion and an internationally recognized expert in Life Cycle Assessment, environmental modeling and the development of sustainability metrics with extensive working experience with industry. With a background in environmental engineering (ETH, Zürich) and management (EPFL, Lausanne) he obtained his Ph.D. in 2003 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) Lausanne with a thesis modeling the exposure of toxic emissions for life cycle impact assessment. He is a steering committee member of the UNEP Life Cycle Initiative, the Life Cycle Management conference series, and actively involved in several scientific and normalization committees. He currently teaches sustainable manufacturing, life cycle assessment and environmental modeling.

JONAS SCHNIDRIG

Jonas Schnidrig is a PhD student at EDEY EPFL / HES-SO Valais Wallis / CIRAIG PolyMTL. He holds a MSc. Mechanical Engineering EPFL interested in Energy and Mobility. His current research involves several projects within Energy planning, Multiobjective Optimization, Circular Economy and Sustainability Assessment, including working on the EPFL Urban Twin project.

Interaction Design Lab | SUPSI

The Interaction Design Lab at SUPSI conducts applied research projects in which user-centered design is used to generate systemic innovation, foster informed use of technology, and promote design processes that support values such as well-being, participation, sharing, and sustainability.

PROF. MASSIMO BOTTA

Massimo Botta is the head of the Master of Advanced Studies in Interaction Design and co-head of the Interaction Design Lab at SUPSI, where he leads a research program on novel interface solutions in the area of AmI and applied research projects in the field of web and mobile services and applications, digital archives, graphical user interfaces, software design and domotic systems.

ALICE | EPFL

ALICE is a laboratory for collective and active imagination (with) space. Based in Lausanne at the EPFL, the ALICE laboratory is a network of international and diverse people, triggered by the common thirst to lead projects at the crossroads of design, philosophy and society. It is a team composed of architects, artists, engineers, landscape architects, philosophers, thinkers and makers. Held together by affinity, we seek to collectively and actively imagine (with) space.

PROF. DIETER DIETZ
ALICE | EPFL

Dieter Dietz is the Director of the Section of Architecture at EPFL and director of the ALICE laboratory. He has been educated at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and at the Cooper Union in New York. Dieter has worked with Diane Lewis Architects in New York and with Herzog & de Meuron in Basel. With partner architect Urs Egg he was a founding member of UNDEND Architecture in Zurich in 1997, an architectural practice with award winning entries in national and international competitions. In 2012 he founded dieterdietz.org, a firm engaging in projects in urban design, media and architecture, with activities transferred in 2020 to Architecture Land Initiative, a cooperative based in Zurich and Lausanne working on transcalar projects in architecture, urban design and landscape. Since 2006 Dieter Dietz is Associate Professor for Architectural Design at EPFL in Lausanne and director of the ALICE laboratory at the ENAC faculty. He collaborates with the ALICE team on research projects in collaboration with laboratories and researchers across Europe. His teaching activities include the direction of the first year architectural design course at EPFL.

CLAIRE LOGOZ
ALICE | EPFL

Claire Logoz is an architect who graduated from EPFL in 2021, with a research focusing on the performativity of the built environment. She co-created the practice detritus. in 2021 with which she can keep researching how architecture materializes social and political constructs while archiving pieces of Swiss postmodern design. 

MALCOLM ONIFADÉ
ALICE | EPFL

Malcolm Onifadé studied architecture in Versailles (ENSA-V) and Technische Universität München (TUM). He was director of the association ADN+ (architecture design and novation linked with ENSAV). There he helped to develop workshops, public furniture, art installation, small pavillon and was part of the working team for the creation of ENSA-V Fablab. His interest crosses architecture, manufacturing, construction and is oriented by material processes.

RUBEN VALDEZ
ALICE | EPFL

Formed in architecture at the Academy of Architecture of Mendrisio (MSc 2011) and in visual arts at the Ecole Cantonale d’art de Lausanne (MAV 2015), Rubén Valdez has worked between Switzerland and Mexico in the fields of architecture and contemporary art. Since 2015 he is a member of the editorial board of CARTHA magazine.

DEDIS | EPFL

The DEDIS laboratory is working on projects related to large-scale collective authorities (cothorities), which distribute trust among a number of independent parties to allow scalable self-organizing communities. With no single trusted party, cothorities can secure software updates, provide public randomness, enable privacy-conscious medical-data sharing and more.

PROF. BRYAN FORD
DEDIS | EPFL

Prof. Bryan Ford leads the Decentralized/Distributed Systems (DEDIS) lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). He focuses broadly on building secure decentralized systems, including privacy and anonymous communication, systems security, and blockchain technology. Since earning his Ph.D. at MIT, Ford has held faculty positions at Yale University and EPFL.

ENAC 4ITR | EPFL

ENAC IT for Research serve as a Data Help Desk, providing or connecting to resources for data management, data science and scientific valorization in addition to ENAC-IT’s Support. They also offer Advanced services tailored to labs’ needs, to support throughout data lifecycle, e.g., from building data acquisition pipelines to deploying custom data visualization interfaces.

CHARLOTTE WEIL

Charlotte is a Data Scientist and Team Leader at ENACIT4R at EPFL. She specializes in data science, data visualization, ecosystem services, and natural capital, with a focus on leveraging data technologies & ecosystem services modeling to support smarter, more sustainable decision-making.

WILLIAM WEGENER

HERUS | EPFL

The vision of the Laboratory on Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems is to contribute to the transition of urban systems towards sustainability. We design innovative concepts and tools on how to integrate scientific knowledge from both, the social and natural sciences as well as knowledge from practitioners. We apply inter- and transdisciplinary methods in order to measure, analyze, interpret and optimize human-environment interactions in urban areas leveraging transitions towards sustainability.

PROF. CLAUDIA BINDER

Binder has headed the Laboratory for Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS) at ENAC since 2016.  Her research involves analyzing, modelling and assessing the transition of urban systems towards sustainability. She looks in particular at how we can better understand the dynamics of urban metabolism, what characterizes a sustainable city, and what drives and hinders transformation processes. She does so by combining knowledge from social, natural and data science. Her research focuses on food, energy, and sustainable living and transport in urban systems.  

FRANCISCO FELIX MARTIN DEL CAMPO

Francisco is a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher in the HERUS laboratory at EPFL. His main research deals with understanding the basics defining the relation society-environment for the global advance towards sustainable development. Currently, his research analyzes the built environment, circular economy potentials, material flows & stocks, water-energy-food nexus, climate change impacts, resilience, etc to help in the transition towards a sustainable, resilient, and resource-secure system, with a focus in resource-stressed settings like small island states.

LDM | EPFL

The Media x Design Laboratory (LDM) is an interdisciplinary design and research laboratory that examines the effects of digitalization on architecture and contemporary cities.

PROF. JEFFREY HUANG

Jeffrey Huang is the Director of the Institute of Architecture at EPFL (since May 1, 2020), which comprises 28 laboratories and groups in Architecture and Urban Design. He is also the Head of the Media x Design Laboratory and a Full Professor in Architecture and Computer Science, at the Faculty of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC), and at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC). 

MATHIAS BERNHARD

Mathias Bernhard is an architect and computational design specialist. His main research focus is on the creation of design instruments that explore the full geometric potential of additive manufacturing. He is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at EPFL at the Media and Design Laboratory.

SIMON BIBRI

Simon Elias Bibri is a Research Scientist at EPFL and an Honorary Associate Researcher at Paris-Sorbonne University. Prior to this, Simon had served as an Assistant Professor, IT Director, Software  Engineer, IT Project Manager, and Green ICT and sustainability strategist. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from NTNU in the area of data-driven sustainable smart cities, as well as a number of Master’s degrees in computer science, systems science, innovation science, and environmental science, as well as the social  sciences. He earned his Master’s degrees from  different Swedish universities, namely Lund University, West University, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Malmö University, Stockholm University, and Mid–Sweden University.

PAUL KEEL

Dr. Paul Keel's work encompasses theoretical and applied research on the development of new models for computer mediated team and social collaboration. His efforts are aimed at realizing tools and methods for diverse groups of people to effectively collaborate, both directly and indirectly. Presently he is working on an AI assisted collaboration environment for combining, compacting and structuring team-shared content. The objective is to facilitate dynamic and decentralized forms of collaboration, where participants may or may not know who they collaborate with or what they contribute to, and where individual efforts inadvertently contribute to common objectives. His expertise draws from different disciplines including computer science, artificial intelligence, organizational management and architectural design.

ALEXANDRE SADEGHI

Alexandre Sadeghi is an architect, designer, and scientist at the Media and Design Laboratory. He has diverse international experience in the design industry and specializations in computational methods and applied A.I. for participation, architecture, and city planning.

GA-IN SIM

Ga-In Sim is an architect and doctoral assistant at EPFL in the Media and Design Laboratory. Her principal research axes are the relationship between urban and architectural form and its connections with waste flows in city contexts.

MARCELA DELGADO VELASCO

Marcela Delgado Velasco is an architect and doctoral assistant at EPFL in the Media and Design Laboratory. Her main research focuses on the multispecies city, and the role of new technologies in envisioning urban data as indicators to augment architectural design and urban planning strategies for biodiversity.

TRANSP-OR | EPFL

The Transport and Mobility Laboratory at EPFL is active in modeling, optimization and simulation of transportation systems, with a specific emphasis on the mobility of individuals.

PROF. MICHEL BIERLAIRE

Michel Bierlaire heads the TRANSP-OR laboratory at EPFL. His main expertise is in the design, development and applications of models and algorithms for the design, analysis and management of transportation systems. Namely, he has been active in demand modeling (discrete choice models, estimation of origin-destination matrices), operations research (scheduling, assignment, etc.) and Dynamic Traffic Management Systems.

FABIAN TORRES

Fabian is a Postdoctoral Researcher at EPFL in the TRANSP-OR laboratory. He applies his expertise in Applied Mathematics and Operations Research to address challenging problems in Transportation and Logistics. He has over six years of experience in conducting and publishing high-quality research on Vehicle Routing Problems (VRPs) and uncertainty in crowd-based last-mile logistics. His current research focuses on developing models and solution methods for problems where uncertain vehicle properties, such as availability, capacity, and reliability, are present, aiming to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and practice in this emerging and dynamic field, as well as to collaborate with other researchers and practitioners from different disciplines and backgrounds.

URBDEMO | EPFL

The Laboratory of Urban Demography (URBDEMO) aims at fostering a better understanding of the patterns of demographic change in cities from a comparative and multi-scale spatial perspective, at the intra-city, national and international levels.

PROF. MATHIAS LERCH

Mathias Lerch heads the Urban Demography Laboratory (URBDEMO) at the Faculty of the Natural, Architectural and Construction Environment (ENAC), Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). To better understand the dynamics of urban growth worldwide, Lerch has developed multidisciplinary interests in the components of demographic change (mortality/health, fertility and migration) and their interactions with socio-economic and environmental changes.