Full Professor of Geography, Urban and Regional Studies

Born 1953, Germany; Technical University (RWTH) Aachen: English Studies, Geography, Geology (1972-1975). The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA: Geography, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Sociology (1975-1982): M.A. Geography (1977); M.A. Exams Micro- and Macro-Economic Theory (1980); Ph.D. General Exam (Economics/Development Economics, 1981); Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (Ph.D.) (1982).

Fulbright Scholarships USA; Ph.D. Scholarship, The Ohio State University; US National Science Foundation Research Scholarship; Ohio State University Alumni Research Award; Sri Lanka Institute of Fundamental Studies Research Scholarship; University of Maryland General Research Board Research Award; Fulbright/US Agency for International Development (USAID) Research Scholarships Sri Lanka; German Science Foundation Research Grants; Hans Bobek - Award of the Austrian Geographical Society.

Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, Department of Urban and Regional Studies; Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Fundamental Studies, Sri Lanka; Post-Doctoral Fellow, Free University of Berlin, John F.- Kennedy Institute for North American Studies; Research Scholar German Science Foundation; Privat-Dozentin, John F. Kennedy-Institute for North American Studies, Free University Berlin; University Professor, Geography/Urban and Regional Studies; Director, Institute of Geography, University of Basle, Switzerland, since 1995.

Research Interests

• Urban Social Geography, Urban and Metropolitan Area Development, Urban Policy
• Economic Geography, Regional Economic Growth, Competitive Regions, Economic Growth Strategies
• Developing Countries and Development Strategies, Risk and Poverty Reduction
• Social Science Studies in disaster mitigation, risk and poverty reduction and local capacity building
• Market research, household, consumer and business surveys for the public and the private sectors