SPUR-Members

Daniels Saakjans

Daniels is a doctoral candidate in European Land-Use Planning at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. He works in the research project "Bringing urban land-change simulation to the next level (SILAR)". He holds a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of Sheffield and a MSc in International Planning (Smart Cities Specialism) from the University College London UCL. 

Daniela Sanjinés 

Daniela Sanjinés has been a researcher at the ETH Wohnforum and lecturer of the MAS ETH in Housing since 2018. Currently she is pursuing a PhD within the framework of the SNSF funded project titled "Negotiating space for housing cooperatives in Latin America. The case of post-conflict Colombia and El Salvador". She holds an MSc in International Cooperation and Urban Development from TU Darmstadt and an MSc in Sustainable Emergency Architecture from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. Previous work includes the design and implementation of affordable housing policies in Colombia and the design of participatory camp improvement plans for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the West Bank (UNRWA).

Arturo Franco

Arturo Franco completed his bachelor in International Relations in Mexico, where he also pursued additional studies in Applied Statistics and Econometrics. Starting October 2024, he collaborates as a student research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group in hand with his masters studies in Political Science at ETH Zürich. Arturo is interested in empirical research and its application to subject areas like the political economy of development, international regime theory and political ecology.  

Alessio Guidon

Alessio is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group since October 2024. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Mathematics at the University of Zurich. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zurich.

Sarina Kihm

Sarina Kihm has been working with SPUR since April 2026. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Zurich and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems at ETH Zurich. She is particularly interested in the social dimensions of spatial development and in how cities can remain liveable under increasing pressure to densify. Her interests include socially oriented spatial research, housing and the role of planning instruments in shaping equitable urban transformation.

Peppino Müller

Peppino Müller is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group. He studies Geography along with Spatial Planning & Landscape Development. He is particularly interested in the subjects of green and socially responsible urban development as well as the elaboration and development of solutions for future challenges in urban areas.

Sydney Oester

Sydney Oester has been working as a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group since April 2026. After completing a bachelor's degree in Environmental Sciences with a focus on Human-Environment Interactions, she is now pursuing a master’s degree in Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Systems at ETH Zurich. Her interests include densification, sustainable construction, urban greening and equitable climate adaptation of cities.

Aimée Schmid

Aimée Schmid is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group since October 2025. She is currently completing her BA in political sciences at the university of Zurich (UZH). She is especially interested in how cities develop particular urban policies to engage with migration-related challenges.

Maria Wani

Maria Wani did her bachelor's in Political Science from NYU Abu Dhabi in 2025. Now, she is pursuing her Master's in Comparative and International Studies at ETH. She is specifically attached as a graduate assistant to SPUR's Humanitarian Planning Hub. She is deeply interested in the intersection of conflict studies, forced displacement and development in the Global South.