Dissertation Proposal Award
2007-2008 Winners and Finalists
Winners and finalists were selected from the forty-three Ph.D. students from thirteen countries who submitted relevant proposals to the competition.
This year's winners will be celebrated at an event in New York City. In addition to this, both Anastasia and Dror will be connected to outstanding faculty and university centers with similar research interests, will work with the Institute to find quality venues to present their work, and will receive an honorarium, amongst other benefits.
2007-2008 Finalists
Lisa Calvano
Lisa Calvano is a PhD candidate and instructor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business where she teaches an undergraduate business and society course and serves as the faculty advisor for the Students for Responsible Business professional organization. Her research interests include the social and environmental impact of business activities on local communities, business and community relationships, economic development and globalization. These interests were shaped by her previous professional experience, including working as a nonprofit manager for more than a decade, doing research for a housing policy center in London, teaching English in Japan and managing development projects in Haiti. Her educational background is similarly diverse. She holds an MBA from Temple University, a master’s degree in housing policy from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in history and politics.
Lisa Calvano is a PhD candidate and instructor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business where she teaches an undergraduate business and society course and serves as the faculty advisor for the Students for Responsible Business professional organization. Her research interests include the social and environmental impact of business activities on local communities, business and community relationships, economic development and globalization. These interests were shaped by her previous professional experience, including working as a nonprofit manager for more than a decade, doing research for a housing policy center in London, teaching English in Japan and managing development projects in Haiti. Her educational background is similarly diverse. She holds an MBA from Temple University, a master’s degree in housing policy from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in history and politics.
Nardia Haigh
Nardia High is a PhD Student at The University of Queensland Business School in Brisbane, Australia. Nardia’s work focuses on investigating how firms respond to sustainability issues and identifying strategic vulnerabilities. In particular, her PhD is complementing organization theory and strategy by investigating how electricity firms are making sense of and responding to climate change issues, while identifying climate change-related vulnerabilities within the electricity supply industry. Prior to undertaking her PhD Nardia worked as a business analyst, during which time she completed a Master of Technology Management and investigated the affect of implementing new information systems on organizations’ environmental impact.
Nardia High is a PhD Student at The University of Queensland Business School in Brisbane, Australia. Nardia’s work focuses on investigating how firms respond to sustainability issues and identifying strategic vulnerabilities. In particular, her PhD is complementing organization theory and strategy by investigating how electricity firms are making sense of and responding to climate change issues, while identifying climate change-related vulnerabilities within the electricity supply industry. Prior to undertaking her PhD Nardia worked as a business analyst, during which time she completed a Master of Technology Management and investigated the affect of implementing new information systems on organizations’ environmental impact.
Pasquale Pazienza
Pasquale Pazienza works as a researcher and lecturer in political economics in the Faculty of Economics at the University of Foggia in Southern Italy, where he has also worked as a consultant for various local socioeconomic development plans. He attained his first degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Bari (Italy). At postgraduate level, he gained his M.Sc. in Environmental Economics from the University of York (UK) and his Italian research doctorate degree in “Policies for Territorial Sustainable Development”. He is now doing his PhD at the Economics Department of the Durham Business School (University of Durham, UK) and his present research interest regards the dynamics between Foreign Direct Investment and environmental aspects.
Pasquale Pazienza works as a researcher and lecturer in political economics in the Faculty of Economics at the University of Foggia in Southern Italy, where he has also worked as a consultant for various local socioeconomic development plans. He attained his first degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Bari (Italy). At postgraduate level, he gained his M.Sc. in Environmental Economics from the University of York (UK) and his Italian research doctorate degree in “Policies for Territorial Sustainable Development”. He is now doing his PhD at the Economics Department of the Durham Business School (University of Durham, UK) and his present research interest regards the dynamics between Foreign Direct Investment and environmental aspects.
Niamh O'Sullivan
Niamh O’ Sullivan is currently in her second year as a PhD candidate in the University of Amsterdam Business School, the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Using a primarily qualitative approach, Niamh’s research examines social accountability and organisational change within the financial sector. This specifically focuses on commercial banks and their approach to environmental and social risk management as influenced by the Equator Principles (EP), a set of voluntary environmental and social principles for project finance activities, launched by 10 commercial banks in June 2003.
Prior to beginning her PhD studies in September 2005, Niamh worked with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), Geneva, Switzerland, for four and a half years from February 2001. Through project management roles for the UNEP FI African Task Force (ATF) and the UNEP FI – GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) Financial Services Sector Supplement (Environmental Indicators) Working Group, Niamh gained first hand knowledge of the international sustainable finance arena. This work experience is now being applied to her current PhD studies.
Niamh O’ Sullivan is currently in her second year as a PhD candidate in the University of Amsterdam Business School, the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Using a primarily qualitative approach, Niamh’s research examines social accountability and organisational change within the financial sector. This specifically focuses on commercial banks and their approach to environmental and social risk management as influenced by the Equator Principles (EP), a set of voluntary environmental and social principles for project finance activities, launched by 10 commercial banks in June 2003.
Prior to beginning her PhD studies in September 2005, Niamh worked with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), Geneva, Switzerland, for four and a half years from February 2001. Through project management roles for the UNEP FI African Task Force (ATF) and the UNEP FI – GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) Financial Services Sector Supplement (Environmental Indicators) Working Group, Niamh gained first hand knowledge of the international sustainable finance arena. This work experience is now being applied to her current PhD studies.
For information about the Award's judging methodology, please visit the Judges and Methodology webpage.
