outreach
Oct. 20, 2023: Asia Society of Switzerland Roundtable
Asia Society of Switzerland Gen A Alumni Roundtable
“Researching Asia in Switzerland: Solitude or Global Hub?”
Featuring:
– Shona Loong, PhD, Senior Researcher, Department of Geography, UZH. Shona is a geographer conducting research on foreign aid and political conflict in contemporary Myanmar.
– MA Surangika Jayaratne, PhD Candidate, Institute of Geography, Universität Bern. Surangika is working on transnational adoption and reproductive justice with a focus on Swiss/Sri Lankan adoptive connections.
– Jonas Rüegg (host), PhD, Senior Researcher, Department of History, UZH. Jonas teaches global history with a focus on the environmental history of the Japanese Empire and its colonial legacies in the Pacific.
The three panelists have chosen to pursue their next career steps in Switzerland after academic formations in Asia and North America. The roundtable will be an opportunity for panelists and audience to reflect on what connects this landlocked country to historical and ongoing issues in “Asia,” and how working in Switzerland may enable unique perspectives. The event serves ultimately as a forum to discuss our interests as a globally active next generation of researchers – academic and applied – and to exchange some life hacks that are key to navigating Swiss institutions.