As Chandni Shyam has stepped down as MAYS co-coordinator at the end of October, after being on the post for a year, it has been time to elect the next MAYS co-coordinator.
This year, there was one candidacy of Robert Dean Smith, of the Geneva Graduate Institute. His candidature received unanimous support from the MAYS community, with all votes cast in favor of Robert’s candidacy. Robert will remain MAYS co-coordinator for the next two academic years. Magdalena Góralska will remain as a co-coordinator for an additional year, serving the community for a total of three years.
Robert Dean Smith
Department of Anthropology and Sociology, the Geneva Graduate Institute
Robert completed his bachelor’s degree in Global Health and Social Medicine at King’s College London, before beginning his MA in Anthropology and Sociology at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Previously conducting research on the history of the political economy of cancer in India, his current research is at the intersections of politics and health; both as the politics of health seen within health austerity, and the ways that health becomes a form of politics through contemporary health populisms in India. Robert has also worked in professional roles that have aimed to bring social science perspectives to public health discussions, including ‘digital health’ and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Beyond the academic world, Robert enjoys cooking creative food. You can read more of Robert’s work here, and reach Robert by e-mail at: robert.smith@graduateinstitute.ch.