Research Projects

Kirsten spends her time studying humanitarian innovation, leadership, data, and policy — and getting students excited about reforming and advancing global humanitarianism. Below are a few of her current or recent projects:

Humanitarian Data Centre

From January to March 2016, Kirsten worked as a project consultant to the Netherlands Foreign Ministry (MFA) and with Dalberg Global Development Advisors to develop the conceptual and administrative framework for a new Humanitarian Data Centre in The Hague.

Global Humanitarian Crises

Kirsten is currently building a humanitarian assistance curriculum and academic program for the University of Virginia on humanitarianism. This year, she developed and grew a 195 student undergraduate introduction to global humanitarian assistance course and 30 student graduate level seminar on humanitarian case studies. She also manages a cross-disciplinary Global Inquiry Initiative on humanitarian response.

Overseas Development Institute

In 2011, Kirsten served as a senior researcher in developing a proposal and successfully securing a six-year US$1.8 million research grant from DFID to investigate the appropriate building blocks (social protection, basic services, etc.) required in post-conflict Uganda and South Sudan to support livelihood recovery.