Stephanie Briers Email & Phone Number

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, Switzerland

My role as a transdisciplinary researcher at ETH's TdLab, within the Cultural Studies of Science and Technology, is to develop the field of transdisciplinarity specifically in sustainable development, architecture, urbanism, and just energy transitions. I am working on two projects to this end. The first, called DIAMOND, is a horizon-funded project where I lead the co-design process in model improvements with stakeholders and project partners. Secondly, I am working in CoSi, a Swiss energy transition project, where my role is to nourish a community of practice of Social Science and Humanities Energy researchers, through the annual SSH Energy workshop. Beyond these projects, I engage punctually in different events, lectures, and workshops where I contribute with my knowledge of transdisciplinary methods and mindsets in projects related to urbanism, architecture, and sustainable development.

Zurich, Switzerland

My role as a transdisciplinary researcher at ETH's TdLab, within the Cultural Studies of Science and Technology, is to develop the field of transdisciplinarity specifically in sustainable development, architecture, urbanism, and just energy transitions. I am working on two projects to this end. The first, called DIAMOND, is a horizon-funded project where I lead the co-design process in model improvements with stakeholders and project partners. Secondly, I am working in CoSi, a Swiss energy transition project, where my role is to nourish a community of practice of Social Science and Humanities Energy researchers, through the annual SSH Energy workshop. Beyond these projects, I engage punctually in different events, lectures, and workshops where I contribute with my knowledge of transdisciplinary methods and mindsets in projects related to urbanism, architecture, and sustainable development.

South Africa

Considering life after dark in informal settlements is a component so often neglected when considering infrastructure provision. Together with communities, LightUp aims to address public lighting inequalities by co-creating lighting strategies to improve everynight life. We consolidate knowledge and promote the use of decentralised solar lighting infrastructure as a means to provide more adequate, bottom-up public lighting that adapts to the unique needs of each community we work with.

I worked with publishers Jovis Verlag to transform my doctoral thesis about the impact of public lighting on everynight life, into a book titled Infrastructures of Freedom. The book was in launched in May 2023 and is fully open-access online thanks to funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation.

I provided expert input on community engagement, stakeholder management and project implementation, particularly in projects involving complexity between various different actors.

Bristol, England, United Kingdom

I was a senior researcher in the TRUUD project focusing on how urban planning can reduce non-communicable disease. My focus was on understanding how the research consortium is collaborating and what the benefits and barriers are to working on a large-scale transdisciplinary project. Through this, I offered active course correction in the project, as well as broader learnings on large-scale transdisciplinary research projects

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

After completing my PhD I pursued a creative advocacy project of making a fictional film based on my PhD research results. I co-produced and co-directed a short film, titled Everynight Life. This film was shot in the same informal settlement where we installed solar public lighting. We used only local amateur actors and a local film team.

Zurich, Switzerland

My doctoral thesis investigated the relationship between people and infrastructure, using the impact of public lighting and darkness on everynight life in informal settlements as a lens. The goal was to advocate for more effective public lighting in informal settlements. The research was conducted using participatory action research and transdisciplinary approach.

Zürich Area, Switzerland

I am the founder of a wall-mounted solar lighting project, tested in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, where I co-managed the rollout of the project. Together with a development economist, we trained a local team and installed +- 750 wall-mounted solar lights in an informal settlement to test alternative modes of public lighting for informal settlements.

Zurich, Switzerland

As a book coordinator, I administered communication between the graphic designers, editor, and the project lead. I reviewed graphics, text, and layout of the 672-page book and consolidated information streams from collaborators, also delegating the next steps to relevant collaborators.

Zurich, Switzerland

At MAXXI Urban-Think Tank presented Città Parangolé, a reflection on utopian theories and their consequent development within the ambit of the contemporary urban context. The project was inspired by the concept of Parangolé developed in the Sixties by the artist Hélio Oiticica, extending its cardinal principal – “ life is movement” – from the human body to the urban context.

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

As an architect at an urban design and architecture firm aiming at "design for social change," I worked on several projects and in several roles, ranging from design and project proposals, to report writing and client presentations. Below are some of the projects I worked on. - Valkenberg Psychiatric prescint - iThemba Labanthu children aftercare facility- Radisson Red Hotel

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Urban Studies/Affairs

Master'S Degree, Architecture