My research: My research is about ‘collaborative infrastructures for just, ecological and transformative urban design’.
It is a transdisciplinary, multilayered research project, employing creative participatory methodologies, gamification and serious gaming to address global and local challenges simultaneously. Facilitating informal and inclusive learning via innovative analogue and digital methods, investigating contextualized cultural vehicles to connect people, transcending language boundaries. The project addresses key themes of cities/citizens on the move, transformative urban futures, co-developing infrastructures in various local contexts.
I am working across three sites in Budapest, Beirut and London with local experts and communities, focusing on increasing wellbeing and quality of life through creating sustainable, hybrid ecological and human urban environments via the application of nature-based solutions, ecosystem services. Ultimately contributing to prosperity, the right to the city and the right to claim environmental justice.
I am coming from a versatile background, with a BSc in Light Industrial Engineering, an MA in Design for Development and an MSc in Leadership for Global Sustainable Cities. My diverse work experience also informed my PhD research proposal development, which is in harmony with the Institute for Global Prosperity’s manifesto and has strong synergies with the RELIEF Centre.
Supervisor: Professor Henrietta Moore and Dr Elaine Chase
Selected publications:
- Watson-Puskás, N. (2017) A case study on Budapest: Lessons on urban resilience. In: Brotas, L., Roaf, S. and Nicol, F. (Eds.) Proceedings of 33rd PLEA International Conference – Design to Thrive, Volume III., Edinburgh, 2-5 July 2017, NCEUB 2017.
- Watson-Puskás, N. (2017) The Danube Summer School as a demonstrator of temporary urbanism and community building. In: Mayer, G. and Langer, P. F. (Eds.) Brücken Bilden! Bridges Educate! Entstehung und Entwicklung eines Danube-School-Netzwerkes, Ulm, Klemm & Oelschläger, ISBN: 978-3862811168.
- Calzada, I., (Ed.) Barrett, F., Dynes, C., MacAdam, G., MacDonald, K., Murray, G., Watson-Puskas, N., Qiu, N. (2016) Global Sustainable City-Regions: Mumbai, Shenzhen, Reykjavik, Portland, Budapest, Rotterdam & Glasgow. Translokal Publishing (Academic Entrepreneurship for Policy Making). ISBN: 978-84942752-7-2.
Pathway: International Development
Location: UCL Institute for Global Prosperity
Email: nikolett.watson-puskas.17@ucl.ac.uk
LinkedIn: Nikolett Puskas
Twitter: @niki_puskas
