Research Focus

• Health geography: social determinants of health, environmental health, health inequities, health monitoring systems, non-communicable diseases, health policies
• Urban geography: sustainability, governance, urban health, transnational city networks, urban policy mobilities, informality,  global change, climate change
• Development geography: global development agenda, postcolonialism, cities in the Global South, marginal settlements, vulnerability
• Regional focus: South and South East Asia, Germany, British Columbia/Canada
• Methods: qualitative methods (e.g. in-depth interviews, focus group discussions), quantitative methods (e.g. household surveys, secondary data analysis), mixed methods approaches, systematic literature reviews 

Academic Education

09/08–06/12: Doctoral Studies at the Department of Geography, University of Cologne, Chair of Urban and Social Geography, Prof. Dr. Frauke Kraas Topic: Health Disparities in the Emerging Megacity Pune, India

05/01–06/07: Studies in Geography (diploma) with minor subjects Cultural Anthropology and Political Sciences  Diploma thesis: „Sustainable Steering of Emerging Megacities? Waste Management in Pune, India"

Professional Experience

11/16-03/19 Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Cologne

01/2015–10/16 Research analyst, German Advisory Council on Global Change to the Federal Government (WBGU) for Council Member Prof. Dr. Frauke Kraas

09/12–08/16  Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Cologne in the knowledge transfer project “Blueprint for an effective urban health monitoring system for the city of Pune, India” (funded by DFG)

09/10–12/12 Research fellow at the University of Cologne in the research project “Health disparities in the emerging megacity of Pune“ (funded by DFG)

04/08–09/10 Research associate at the University of Cologne: Teaching in the field of cultural geography and empirical social research

Since 03/08 Development of teaching material on urban sustainability and evaluation of student assignments for the graduate course "Sustainable Development Cooperation", Distance and Independent Study Center, Technical University Kaiserslautern

12/06–2/07 Internship at the Pune Municipal Corporation, Health Department in Pune/India

10/06–12/06 Internship at USER (Unit for Social and Environmental Research), Chiang Mai/Thailand

02/06–09/06 Intern and student assistant at IHDP (International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change), Bonn/Germany

Publications

Peer-reviewed journals

Kroll, M., 2018. Wie können Städte voneinander lernen? Der Beitrag von Städtenetzwerken für die globale urbane Transformation [How can cities learn from each other? The contribution of city networks to the global urban transformation]. Geographische Rundschau 6: 16–21.

Kraas, F., Bork-Hueffer, T., Kroll, M., 2018. Stadtmodelle, neue Hauptstädte und Städte der Zukunft in Asien [City models, new capitals and cities of the future in Asia]. Geographische Rundschau 6: 22–26.

Kroll, M., Phalkey, R., Dutta, S., Bharucha, E., Butsch, C., Kraas, F., 2017. Urban health challenges in India – lessons learned from a surveillance study in Pune. Die Erde 148 (1): 75–88.

Phalkey, R., Butsch, C., Belesova, K., Kroll, M., Kraas, F., 2017. From habits of attrition to modes of inclusion: enhancing the role of private practitioners in routine disease surveillance. BMC Health Services Research 17:599.

Butsch, C., Kumar, S., Wagner, P., Kroll, M., Kantakumar, L., Bharucha, E., Kraas, F., 2017. Growing ‘Smart’? Urbanization Processes in the Pune Urban Agglomeration. Sustainability 9 (12): 2335.

Kroll, M., Phalkey, R., Dutta, S., Shukla, S., Butsch, C., Bharucha, E., Kraas, F., 2016. Involving private healthcare practitioners in an urban NCD sentinel surveillance system: lessons learned from Pune, India. Global Health Action 9: 32635.

Keck, M., Butsch, C., Kroll. M. 2016. Geographical South Asian Studies: Current Conceptions. Editorial. Internationales Asienforum 47 (3-4): 171–178.

Kroll, M., Phalkey, R., Kraas, F., 2015. Challenges to the surveillance of non-communicable diseases – a review of selected approaches. BMC Public Health 15: 1243.

Phalkey, R.*, Kroll, M.*, Dutta, S., Shukla, S., Butsch, C., Bharucha, E., Kraas, F., 2015. Knowledge, attitude, and practices with respect to disease surveillance among urban private practitioners in Pune, India. Global Health Action 8: 28413. (*both authors contributed equally to this article)

Butsch, C., Kroll, M., Kraas, F., Bharucha, E., 2015. How does rapid urbanization in India affect human health? Findings from a case study in Pune. Asien 134: 73–93.

Butsch, C., Franz, M., Kroll, M., 2015. Editorial: The evolution of Geography-based South Asia Studies. Asien 134: 5–8.

Kroll, M., Bharucha, E., Kraas, F., 2014. Does rapid urbanization aggravate health disparities? Reflections on the epidemiological transition in Pune, India. Global Health Action 7: 23447.

Butsch, C., Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2012. Gesundheit für alle? MDGs am Beispiel von Mumbai [Health for all? MDGs using the example of Mumbai]. Geographische Rundschau 64 (11): 36–42.

Butsch, C., Kroll, M., Bork, T., 2010. Health Challenges in Megacities – Examples from India and China. Geographische Rundschau International Edition 6 (2): 20–25.

Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2008. Steuerungsprobleme aufsteigender Megastädte – Zur Reorganisation der Abfallwirtschaft von Pune/Indien [Steering problems of emerging megacities – the reorganization of the waste management system in Pune/India]. Geographische Rundschau 60 (11): 56–61.

 

Books

WBGU – German Advisory Council on Global Change*. 2016. Humanity on the move: Unlocking the transformative power of cities. WBGU: Berlin. (*Co-author)

WBGU – German Advisory Council on Global Change*. 2016. Development and justice through transformation: The Four Big ‘I’s. Special Report. WBGU: Berlin. (*Co-author)

Kroll, M., 2013. Gesundheitliche Disparitäten im urbanen Indien. Auswirkungen des sozioökonomischen Status auf die Gesundheit in Pune [Health disparities in urban India. Effects of socioeconomic status on health in Pune]. Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart.

 

Book chapters

Kroll, M, Kraas, F., 2018. Megacities and Global Change. In: Kraas, F., Hackenbroch, K. et al. (eds.): Megacities – Megachallenge: Informal dynamics of Global Change. Insights from Dhaka/Bangladesh and the Pearl River Delta/China. Borntraeger, Stuttgart: 134–137.

Kroll, M, Kraas, F., 2018. Megacities as Places of Challenges and Potentials. In: Kraas, F., Hackenbroch, K. et al. (eds.): Megacities – Megachallenge: Informal Dynamics of Global Change. Insights from Dhaka/Bangladesh and the Pearl River Delta/China. Borntraeger, Stuttgart: 22–24.

Kraas, F., Kroll, M. Sterly, H., 2018. Global Shifts and Dynamics in the Megacity Landscape. In: Kraas, F., Hackenbroch, K. et al. (eds.): Megacities – Megachallenge: Informal Dynamics of Global Change. Insights from Dhaka/Bangladesh and the Pearl River Delta/China. Borntraeger, Stuttgart: 14–22.

Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2018. Research on Megacities. In: Kraas, F., Hackenbroch, K. et al. (eds.): Megacities – Megachallenge: Informal Dynamics of Global Change. Insights from Dhaka/Bangladesh and the Pearl River Delta/China. Borntraeger, Stuttgart: 24–26.

Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2017. Urban Sustainability: Priorities for International Cooperation. In: Hauff, M., Kuhnke, C. (eds.): Sustainable Development Policy: A European Perspective. Routledge, London: 206–227.

Kroll, M., Butsch, C., Kraas, F., 2011. Health inequities in the City of Pune, India. In: Krämer, A., Khan, M., Kraas, F. (eds.), Health in Megacities and Urban Areas. Springer, Heidelberg: 263–77.

Butsch, C., Kroll, M., Bork-Hüffer, T., 2013. Megaurban Health in Developing and Newly Industrializing Countries. In: Michalos, A. (ed.), Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research. Springer, Dordrecht: 3981–85.

 

Further publications

Kroll, M., 2018. Entwicklung in Städten nachhaltig gestalten - Die urbane Transormation [Sustainable development in cities - the urban transformation]. Studienbrief im Fernstudiengang Nachhaltige Entwicklungszusammenarbeit [course book for the graduate distance course Sustainable Development Cooperation]. Kaiserslautern (3^rd edition).

Kroll, M., Kraas. F., 2017. Globale urbane Transformation zur Nachhaltigkeit: Der Beitrag der New Urban Agenda [Global urban transformation towards sustainability: the contribution of the New Urban Agenda]. Informationen zur Raumentwicklung 3: 80–89.

Kroll, M., Kraas, F., 2017. Arenen des Globalen Wandels. Die wachsende Bedeutung transnationaler Governance und die Rolle von Städtenetzwerken für die urbane Transformation [Arenas of global change: the increasing significance of transnational governance and the role of city networks for the urban transformation]. Universitas 72 (856): 29–41.

Kroll, M., 2017. Leitlinien für die Stadt von morgen [Guidelines for the city of tomorrow]. Südzeit 75: 7-9.

Kroll, M., Kraas, F., 2016. Non-communicable diseases in urban India – Challenges for public health. UGEC Viewpoints July 19, 2016.

Kroll, M., 2015. Evidenzbasierte Daten zur Kontrolle nicht-übertragbarer Erkrankungen in Indien – eine Pilotstudie zu Gesundheitsberichterstattung im privaten Gesundheitssektor in Pune [Evidence-based data for controlling non-communicable diseases in India – a pilot study on disease surveillance in the private healthcare sector in Pune]. In: Poerting, J, Keck, M. (eds.): Aktuelle Forschungsbeiträge zu Südasien. Band 3. Heidelberg: 17–20.

Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2015. Urbane Transformation zur Nachhaltigkeit [Urban transformation towards sustainability]. Universitas 70 (834): 4–29.

Butsch, C., Bork-Hüffer, T., Kroll, M., 2014. Menschliche Gesundheit in den Megastädten Indiens und Chinas [Human health in megacities in India and China]. Universitas 69 (815): 40–58.

Kroll, M., Butsch, C., Phalkey, R., Bharucha, E., 2013. Challenges for urban disease surveillance in India - case study of Pune. In: Lennartz, T. et al. (eds.): Aktuelle Forschungsbeiträge zu Südasien. Heidelberg: 41–44.

Bork, T., Butsch, C., Kraas, F., Kroll, M., 2009. Gesundheit in Megastädten [Health in megacities]. Deutsches Ärzteblatt 106 (39): 187–81.

 

Conference presentations

09/2017     Surveillance of non-communicable diseases in urban India. International Conference on Urban Health. Coimbra/Portugal

09/2017     Sharing knowledge about successful urban health initiatives – the role of transnational city networks. International Conference on Urban Health. Coimbra/Portugal

07/2017     The contribution of transnational city networks for the urban transformation towards sustainability. Conference of the working group Urban Research in the Development Context, Cologne/Germany

06/2015     Challenges and opportunities for the integration of private health care providers into non-communicable disease surveillance in Pune, India. International Medical Geography Symposium, Vancouver/Canada

06/2015      Treatment patterns of allopathic and alternate medicine practitioners in primary health care in Pune, India. International Medical Geography Symposium, Vancouver/Canada

02/2015     “Some doctors will be lazy, or not wanting to reveal their diagnostic skills” – Evaluation of a pilot study on surveillance of non-communicable diseases in Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the working group on South Asia, Göttingen/Germany

11/2014     Challenges for monitoring non-communicable diseases in Pune, India. 2nd International UGEC Conference Urban Transitions and Transformations, Teipei/Taiwan

10/2013     Reluctant partners? The role of private health care in disease surveillance in India.  German Geographical Congress 2013, Passau/Germany

10/2013     Challenges for disease surveillance in urban India - a pilot study from Pune. German Geographical Congress 2013, Passau/Germany

01/2013     Blueprint for an effective urban health monitoring system for the city of Pune. Annual Meeting of the working group on South Asia, Heidelberg/Germany

08/2012     Urban health disparities in newly industrializing countries: perspectives from Pune, India. International Geographic Congress, Cologne/Germany

08/2012     Changing urban living environments in the context of megaurbanization – perspectives from Pune, India. International Geographic Congress, Cologne/Germany

2/2012        Socioeconomic disparities and health in a mega-urban setting: perspectives from Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG), New York/USA

2/2012        Changing urban living environments – qualitative analysis of health determining factors in the emerging megacity Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the working group on South Asia, Marburg/Germany

11/2011     Changing urban living environments – qualitative analysis of health determining factors in the emerging megacity Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the working group on Medical Geography, Berlin/Germany

07/2011     Socioeconomic disparities and health in a megaurban setting: perspectives from Pune, India. International Medical Geography Symposium, Durham/UK

04/2011     Socioeconomic disparities and health. Workshop on “Health Challenges in the Emerging Megacity of Pune”, Pune/India

02/2011     Health disparities in the emerging megacity Pune, India. Congress on Geographies of South Asia, Cologne/Germany

10/2010     Health disparities in the emerging megacity Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the working group on Medical Geography, Remagen/Germany.

07/2010     Health disparities in the emerging megacity Pune, India. European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Bonn/Germany

09/2009     Health disparities in the emerging megacity Pune, India. DAAD Expert Seminar “Urbanization and Global Change in India”, New Delhi/India

09/2009      Health disparities in Pune, India. Annual Meeting of the working group on Medical Geography, Vienna/Austria.

06/2009     Health in India’s emerging megacities: the case of Pune. Workshop at the University of Bonn, Bonn/Germany

11/2007     Sustainable steering of emerging megacities? The waste management system in Pune, India. Conference of the working group Urban Research in the Development Context, Cologne/Germany

02/2007     Sustainable steering of emerging megacities? The waste management system in Pune, India. 4th Megacities Workshop, Pune/India 

 

Teaching experience

Teaching activities at the University of Cologne/Germany (graduate courses taught in English)

• Urban environments - periurban developments in Asia (graduate seminar, 2017): 3 classes
• Urban development in Asia (lecture, 2017): 1 class on urban health in the city of Pune, India
• Development and transformation (graduate seminar, 2016): 3 classes on postcolonialism
• Settlement and economic geography of North India (excursion of 14 days, 2011)
• India between tradition and modernity (course for senior students, 2011): 3 classes  
• Natural and social environments in India (graduate seminar, 2010/2011): 8 classes 
• Cultural geography (undergraduate seminar, 2010): 12 classes and 2 one-day field trips (covering e.g. rural development, agriculture, tourism and development theories)
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods (undergraduate field course, 2009/10): 5 days (topic: current development processes in the city of Bonn/Germany)
• Cultural geography (undergraduate seminar, 2009): 12 classes and 2 one-day field trips (covering e.g. rural development, agriculture, tourism and development theories)
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods (undergraduate field course, 2008/09): 5 days (topic: current development processes in the city of Bonn/Germany)
• Qualitative and quantitative research methods (undergraduate field course, 2008): 5 days (topic: tourism in the national park Eifel/Germany)

 

Guest lectures and other teaching activities (all courses taught in English)

• Development of a course book on urban sustainability (190 pages) for the graduate distance course "Sustainable Development Cooperation" at the University of Kaiserslautern/Germany (first published in 2008, third edition 2018), development of three send-in exercises (2018) related to urban sustainability (waste management, slum development, urban health)
• Intensive graduate course on urban sustainability (10 days, 2016); Institute for Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India
• Graduate seminar on qualitative research methods (1 day, 2013); Institute for Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India
• Graduate seminar on urban sustainability (1 day, 2013); Institute for Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India
• Graduate colloquium on urban health (4 hours, 2013); Institute for Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India
• Short course “Climate change and health: urbanization, climate change and health” for medical practitioners; Institute of Public Health, University Heidelberg/Germany (1 day, 2012)
• Graduate seminar “Sustainability assessment of the solid waste management system in Pune” within the MSc course Human Environments of Tropical Countries; University of Applied Sciences, Cologne/Germany (1 day, 2011)
• Open lecture on the burden of disease in urban India, Center for Health Management Studies and Reseach, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India (1 class, 2011)
• Short course “Climate change and health: megaurbanization and health” for medical practitioners; Institute of Public Health, University Heidelberg/Germany (1 day, 2011)
• Open lecture on urban environments: open spaces and urban fringe development in Asia; Institute for Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India (1 class, 2011)
• Open lecture on health disparities in Pune/India: methodological approach; Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune/India (1 class, 2010)