update About page (slimming down)

pages/about.md

@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ Feel free to [get in touch]({% link contact.html %}).
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 |  **01.2024 – present** | **Herda Consulting – Dresden, Germany**<br>*Independent Consultant - Earth Observation and GIS for Urban Development*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Assisting multilateral and bilateral development partners with project management and utilising the power of geospatial to understand contexts, enhance project designs and monitor implementation</li></ul>{:/}  |
 |---|---|
-|  **01.2022 – 12.2023** | **GAF AG – Munich, Germany**<br>*Project Task Manager - EO-based Urban Planning and Development*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Implementing Earth Observation (EO) projects related to urban planning and development</li></ul>{:/}  |
+|  **01.2022 – 12.2023** | **GAF AG – Munich, Germany**<br>*Project Task Manager - EO-based Urban Planning and Development*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Project Coordinator for the European Space Agency (ESA) financed Urban Sustainability activity, through which a consortium of European EO/GIS companies assisted the World Bank, ADB and AfDB in making use of geodata for urban projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, covering assets (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, green spaces) and hazards (e.g. urban heat, floods, subsidence), transport and urban growth modelling, nature-based solutions, and more</li></ul>{:/}  |
 |  **03.2021 – 06.2021** | **World Bank Group/IFC – Headquarters (Washington, D.C.) and Nigeria Country Office (Abuja)**<br>*Consultant (home-based)*{::nomarkdown}{:/}  |
-|  **11.2019 – 09.2020** | **Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Beijing, China**<br>*Investment Operations Specialist (Urban WASH, Housing, Transport and Solid Waste Management)*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Lead and co-lead urban infrastructure projects in South and South-East Asia, e.g. as:</li><ul><li>Project team leader: Andhra Pradesh Urban Water Supply and Septage Management Improvement Project (USD400 m, implementation, providing WASH infrastructure for 50 towns)</li><li>Project team leader: Colombo Urban Regeneration Project (USD200 m, implementation phase: construction of social housing for 5,500 households and PPP land redevelopment)</li><li>Back-up team leader: Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3 (USD500 m, implementation phase, covering track extension, trespass control, station development, and technical assistance)</li><li>Back-up team leader: Mumbai Urban Transport Project 3A-1 (USD500 m, preparation, covering communications-based train control (CBTC), station development, and technical assistance)</li></ul></ul>{:/}  |
-| **11.2017 - 11.2019**  | **Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Beijing, China**<br>*[Young Professional](https://www.aiib.org/en/opportunities/career/young-professionals-program/index.html)*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Prepared and implemented projects covering low-income housing, Bus Rapid Transit; light rail; multi-sectoral urban, rural, and tourism infrastructure; solid waste management; and building retrofits in Central, South, and South East Asia with wide-ranging responsibilities including:</li><ul><li>evaluating project alignment with local, regional and national development plans;</li><li>due diligence and drafting of project documents during all stages of the project cycle;<li>conducting economic and financial analyses of project proposals;</li><li>evaluation of technical designs, environmental and social safeguards, procurement and implementation arrangements, results frameworks, and counterparty integrity;</li><li>improvement of project design, including through independent engagement with clients;</li><li>managing individual consultants and consulting firms;</li></ul><li>Supported the Risk Management Department’s compliance work on Know Your Counterparty (KYC), Anti-Money-Laundering, and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).</li></ul>{:/} |
-| **03.2017 – 10.2017**  | **UN-Habitat, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific – New Delhi, India**<br>*Regional Housing Advisor for UN-Habitat India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan Country Offices*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Coordinated India’s draft National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy 2017 and, inter alia, lead a National Housing Programme proposal for Afghanistan all in close collaboration with line ministries.</li></ul>></ul>{:/} |
-| **11.2014 – 03.2017**  | **UN-Habitat, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch, Housing Unit – Nairobi, Kenya  **<br>*Consultant, Sustainable Housing*{::nomarkdown}<ul><li>Prepared, and participated in, global fora (e.g. COP21-23, Habitat III/New Urban Agenda, WSBE)</li><li>Housing Lead for the 10YFP Sustainable Building and Construction program, coordinator for the Global Network for Sustainable Housing, and lead for development of SDG Target 11.c metadata </li><li>Advised on national housing policies and housing sector profiles for several Sub-Saharan African countries as well as Afghanistan</li><li>Advised for the <a href="http://mainstreamingsustainablehousing.org/">Mainstreaming Sustainable Social Housing in India</a> project</li></ul)>{:/}  |
+|  **11.2019 – 09.2020** | **Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Beijing, China**<br>*Investment Operations Specialist (Urban WASH, Housing, Transport and Solid Waste Management)*{::nomarkdown}{:/}  |
+| **11.2017 - 11.2019**  | **Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Beijing, China**<br>*Young Professional*{::nomarkdown}{:/} |
+| **03.2017 – 10.2017**  | **UN-Habitat, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific – New Delhi, India**<br>*Regional Housing Advisor for UN-Habitat India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan Country Offices*{::nomarkdown}{:/} |
+| **11.2014 – 03.2017**  | **UN-Habitat, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch, Housing Unit – Nairobi, Kenya  **<br>*Consultant, Sustainable Housing*{::nomarkdown}{:/}  |
 | **06.2014 – 10.2014**  | **UN-Habitat, Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch, Housing Unit – Nairobi, Kenya**<br>*Intern, Sustainable Housing*  |
 | **09.2008 – 09.2012**  | **2 years each working as a lecturer/interpreter in Taiyuan, China, and translator in Cork, Ireland**<br>*Intern, Sustainable Housing*  |
 
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ Feel free to [get in touch]({% link contact.html %}).
 
 | **From - To**  | **Course**  |
 |:---:|---|
-|  **09.2020 – 09.2021** | **Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (Distinction)**<br>Ulster University, United Kingdom {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Modules</b>: Principles of GIS, Spatial Data Management, Introduction to Remote Sensing, GIS Databases, Spatial Analysis and Modeling, Web-based GIS, GIS for Environmental Management, Programming for GIS and Remote Sensing (all modules completed with distinction)</li><li><b>MSc Thesis Topic</b>: “<i>Python for Smarter Cities: Comparison of Python libraries for static and interactive visualisations of large vector data</i>” (OSNI Award for Outstanding Contribution to GIS)</li></ul>{:/}  |
-| **09.2019**  | **Fitch-led Credit and Investment Program, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank** {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Modules</b>: Financial Statement Analysis, Sovereign and Country Risk, Corporate Credit Analysis, Corporate Rating Methodology, Financial Modeling</li></ul>{:/}  |
-| **08.2016 – 12.2018**  | **Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Financial Management** (ACCA-endorsed)<br>Centre for Financial and Management Studies, SOAS, University of London, United Kingdom  {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Modules</b>: Revenue (<i>tax policy and administration, local revenues, budget deficits and national debt, foreign aid</i>); Privatisation and Public-Private Partnerships; Planning and Performance (<i>budgeting, costing, budget execution, accounting & reporting, performance monitoring</i>); International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)</li></ul>{:/} |
-| **11.2015**  | **Post-Graduate Diploma in Developing Social Housing Projects** <br>Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Modules</b>: Housing needs assessments; housing design and human settlements planning; social housing policy and programmes; finance, management and maintenance of social housing, including subsidies and PPPs, performance contracting, and institution building; land economics</li></ul>{:/}|
-| **09.2012 – 05.2014**  | **Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan)** (RTPI-accredited)<br>Centre for Planning Education and Research (CPER), University College Cork, Ireland {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Awards and Results: </b>Full Taught Masters Scholarship; Second Class Honours, Grade 1</li><li><b>Modules</b> (<i>inter alia</i>): Housing, Social Change and Community Needs; Plan-making and Forward Planning Skills; Spatial Planning for Cities and Regions; Drawing, Spatial Data and Observation Skills; Urban Design; Property, Sustainable Growth and Enterprise</li></ul>{:/} |
+|  **09.2020 – 09.2021** | **Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (Distinction)**<br>Ulster University, United Kingdom {::nomarkdown}{:/}  |
+| **09.2019**  | **Fitch-led Credit and Investment Program, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank** {::nomarkdown}{:/}  |
+| **08.2016 – 12.2018**  | **Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Financial Management** (ACCA-endorsed)<br>Centre for Financial and Management Studies, SOAS, University of London, United Kingdom  {::nomarkdown}{:/} |
+| **11.2015**  | **Post-Graduate Diploma in Developing Social Housing Projects** <br>Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), Erasmus University Rotterdam {::nomarkdown}{:/}|
+| **09.2012 – 05.2014**  | **Masters in Planning and Sustainable Development (MPlan)** (RTPI-accredited)<br>Centre for Planning Education and Research (CPER), University College Cork, Ireland {::nomarkdown}{:/} |
 | **2005 – 2008**  | **Bachelor of Arts in Sinology (Chinese Studies) and English Studies**<br>Ruhr-Universität Bochum – Bochum, Germany {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><b>Results</b>: First Class Honours</li></ul>{:/}  |
 
 </details>
@@ -59,23 +59,9 @@ Feel free to [get in touch]({% link contact.html %}).
 
 </details>
 
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-<summary markdown=span>Publications</summary>
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-| **Year**  | **Publication**  |
-|---|---|
-| **2014**  |  Dwyer, B. and Herda, G. (2014) ‘Can the planning system assist in promoting the uptake of CHP in residential or commercial developments in Ireland?’. *Pleanáil: Journal of the Irish Planning Institute*, Issue 20, Winter 2014. |
-| **2017**  | UN-Habitat (2017) *[Building Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking](https://unhabitat.org/books/building-sustainability-assessment-and-benchmarking/)*. [Lead author]  |
-| **2017**  | Herda, G., Sangori, R. and Bock, M.C.D. (2017) ‘[Low cost, low carbon, but no data: Kenya’s struggle to develop the availability of performance data for building products](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878029617301408)’.  |
-| **2017**  | Herda et al. (2017) *[Sustainable social housing in India: definition, challenges and opportunities](https://1b4bbe4f-b27f-4291-b0b9-3a0a9be6203f.filesusr.com/ugd/caf2de_829d1d976a8c42f989c8b03b7de9d0e0.pdf)*.  |
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 <details markdown=block>
 <summary markdown=span>Referees</summary>
 
 Contact details for references are provided upon request.
 
-</details>
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-<a href="/assets/img/uploads/Gregor Herda_CV_refs removed.pdf">Download CV</a>
+</details>