The Centre for Migration Policy Research Team

Who We Are

Dr Sergei Shubin

Sergei Shubin is an Associate Professor at Swansea University and a social scientist with interests in poverty, mobility and inequality. By focusing on sustainability and welfare, his work links together inter-disciplinary (social, economic, political and cultural) perspectives and methods to understanding the mechanisms and the effects of ecosystem change on poverty and food security. His work uses a variety of methods, including participatory action research, to identify conceptual gaps in research expertise, develop strategies to reconnect the poor with their native ecosystem resources and provide anti-poverty solutions. He has previously been working in Bolivia, Brazil, Ireland, Russia and Zambia to develop inter-disciplinary approaches to poverty alleviation, recently focusing on sustainable management and equitable sharing of aquatic genetic resources.

Dr Tanjil Sowgat

Tanjil’s activities in this project are: to review existing academic literature, to undertake long-term intensive ethnographic fieldwork, community mapping and participatory poverty assessments. He Works alongside the wider research team in different locations to carry out transcription and analysis of field data, developing comparative analytical frameworks and integrating findings across the field sites. He is responsible for scenario analyses to develop a shared understanding of the future of aquaculture systems and use outcome mapping to evaluate the socio-economic impact of diseases and wider dependency on aquaculture. Currently, he is playing a key role in organising and facilitating public events, community consultations and other workshops over the course of the project. He continuously assists in project management to ensure successful delivery of outputs and share the responsibility for coordinating the activities of the project.

Dr Will Andrews

Will Andrews is a post-doctoral research assistant working with Dr Sergei Shubin on the PACONDAA project. Will is assisting Dr Shubin and Dr Heather Dickey (Aberdeen University) to explore the socioeconomic dimensions of poverty in the PACONDAA case study areas. Prior to taking this position, Will completed his PhD at Aberystwyth University, his research explored the emotional geographies of enthusiasm and the uses of social capital in human geography. Will has also worked as a New Editor for the RGS-IBG Geography Directions blog and served as a conference session organiser on the Postgraduate Forum of the RGS-IBG.

Dr Nilu Ahmed

Dr Nilu Ahmed has joined Dr Sergei Shubin as a Senior Researcher as part of his team to work on PACONDAA.

My areas of expertise emerge from my multidisciplinary background of psychology, sociology, gerontology, and, human geography. These inform my wide range of research interests which include mental health, gender, identity, health, ethnicity, and Muslims in the UK. As well as PACONDAA, I am currently Principal Investigator on an evaluation of early intervention programmes to prevent serious organised crime; and working on applying an intersectional lens to explore the dynamic relationship of people and place in the construction and meaning of home and belonging.