Fields of expertise and interest

• Human Geography
• Urban and regional Geography
• Endogenous Development
• Socio-economic Study
• Sustainable Development
• Regional focus: Myanmar

Current Research Project

"Multiple Risks Management in extreme events in fast growing (mega) cities in Myanmar", which is jointly conducted by Prof. Dr. Frauke Kraas (Institute of Geography, University of Cologne/Germany), Yangon City Development Committee and University of Yangon/Myanmar

Projects

• Socio-economic development potentials of the Indawgyi Lake Area

Academic education and work experience

• From Nov. 2012 on
  Research Associate at Myanmar Environment Institute (private) in Yangon

• From Dec. 2016 on
  Research fellow (for Myanmar) of Prof. Dr. F. Kraas at the Institute of Geography, the University of Cologne 

• 2013-2016
  PhD at the Institute of Geography University of Cologne (DAAD 3 years scholarship program), Thesis: “Socio-Economic Development Potentials in Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State”

• 2009-2011
  M.Sc Environmental Sciences at University of Cologne (FES 2 years scholarship program). Thesis: “Socio-Economic Analysis of Indawgyi Lake Area in Mohnyin Township, Kachin State”

• 1993-1998
  B.Sc Physics (Honours) at the University of Yangon

Scientific Publications

• Heinkel, Sophie-Bo, Christian Miller, Benni Thiebes, Zin Mar Than, Toe Aung, Tin Tin Kyi, Win Lei Mar, Saw Sandar Oo, Marlene Willkomm, Win Maung, Zin Nwe Myint, Khin Khin Soe, Regine Spohner, Frauke Kraas (2024): Risiko- und Krisenkommunikation in Yangon, Myanmar. In: Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (Hg.): Forschung für den Bevölkerungsschutz. Fachkongress vom 12.-14. Januar 2023. Bonn: 110-112.
• Zin Mar Than, Hlaing Maw Oo, Toe Aung, Tin Tin Kyi, Saw Sandar Oo, Win Lei Mar, Marlene Willkomm, Christian Miller, Stefan Martini, Zin Nwe Myint, Khin Khin Soe, Win Maung, Sophie-Bo Heinkel, Benni Thiebes, Regine Spohner, Frauke Kraas (2023): Disaster risk perception and preparedness of households in Yangon, Myanmar: Disaster experiences, socio-demographic factors and spatial variation. ERDKUNDE 77 (4): 303-321. https://doi.org/10.3112/erdkunde.2023.04.04
• Heinkel, Sophie-Bo, Benni Thiebes, Zin Mar Than, Toe Aung, Tin Tin Kyi, Win Lei Mar, Saw Sandar Oo, Christian Miller, Marlene Willkomm, Win Maung, Zin Nwe Myint, Khin Khin Soe, Regine Spohner, Frauke Kraas (2022): Disaster preparedness and resilience at household level in Yangon, Myanmar. Natural Hazards (online). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05226-w
• Haeusler, N./Zin Mar Than/Kraas, F. (2019): Tourism as a tool for peace? Between the lines – Thandaung Gyi in Kayin State, Myanmar. In: Isaac, R.K./Çakmak, E./Butler, R. (eds): Tourism and hospitality in conflict-ridden destinations. New York: Routledge, pp. 84-103.
• Zin Mar Than (2017): Socio-Economic Development of Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State, Myanmar In: Urban and Regional Development in Myanmar 1. Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany (PhD Thesis).
• Frauke Kraas, Zin Mar Than (2017): Health and health System. In: Frauke Kraas, Regine Spohner, Aye Aye Myint: Socio-economic atlas of Myanmar, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, pp 156-162.
• Zin Mar Than, Frauke Kraas. (2016): Sustainable development of the Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State/Myanmar. In: Kraas, Frauke, Mi Mi Kyi, Win Maung (eds.): Sustainability in Myanmar. Southeast Asian Modernities 15. Berlin.
• Frauke Kraas and Zin Mar Than (2016): Socio-Economic developments of Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State, Myanmar. Journal of the Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science, XIV/5, pp. 281–299, Yangon, Myanmar.
• Zin Mar Than (2011): “Socio-Economic Analysis of Indawgyi Lake Area in Mohnyin Township, Kachin State”. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) foundation, (Master Thesis: http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/stufo/cd-0768/thesis.pdf).

Scientific Presentations

• "Tourism Development in a Nature Protected Environment: Indawgyi Lake Area" at The 19th Science Council of Asia Conference, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar (05.12.19)
• "Disaster Preparedness of  Institutions in Myanmar: Recommendations for Higher Education" at the German Alumni Annual Meeting in Yangon (09.11.19).
• “Institutional Preparedness for Multiple Risks in Yangon, Myanmar” at annual meeting of Myanmar Academy of Arts and Science, University of Yangon, Myanmar (03.10.19).
• “Tourism Development in a Nature Protected Environment: Indawgyi Lake Area” at International Conference on “Transformation Processes in Myanmar III” at University of Yangon (15.12.18).
• "Tourism Development in a Nature Protected Environment: Indawgyi Lake Area" at the German Alumni Annual Meeting in Yangon (18.11.18).
• "Demographic Structure in Lashio, Shan State, Myanmar" at Geographical Association of Myanmar Meeting, Mandalay (17.12.17).
• "Conservation and ecotourism: cornerstones for development of Indawgyi Lake Area,  Myanmar" at The First Myanmar National Conference on Earth Sciences, University of Monywa, (28.11.17).
• “Tourism in Myanmar: new trend, new destinations” at the German Alumni annual meeting in Yangon (19.11.17).
• “Conservation and ecotourism: cornerstones for development of Indawgyi Lake Area, Myanmar” at Regional DAAD Alumni Meeting at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam (27.05.17). 
• “The Urban System of Kachin State, Myanmar” at ForUm for Urban Future in Southeast Asia at Faculty of Architecture, Khon Kaen University in Thailand (21.01.17).
• “The concept of endogenous development as key element of regional transformation” at 96 Anniversary of University of Yangon the international conference on “University and National Development” at Yangon University, Myanmar (02.12.16).
• “Sustainable development of the Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State, Myanmar“ at the German Alumni annual meeting in Yangon (30.10.16).  
• “Socio-economic development in the Indawgyi Lake Area, Kachin State, Myanmar“ at annual conference of the scientific research group on Southeast Asia of the German Geographical Society (DGfG) at University of Cologne (03.07.16).

Conferences

• Panel discussion : "How Do Academia and Society Contribute to the SDGs? at DAAD - Asia Network Conference, Yangon, Myanmar (11- 13 Nov 2019)

• Drittes Treffen von Alumni-Vereinen aus aller Welt in Bonn „Voneinander lernen - miteinander gestalten“, DAAD Bonn, Germany (07 – 10 March 2019).

• “Strengthening research in global health in disaster risk reduction and climate change in the ASEAN region” conference funded by DAAD, Manila, Philippines (19-20 July 2018).

•  “ASEAN-Germany workshop for DAAD Alumni and students from ASEAN” a vision paper on how to internationalize the Higher Education landscape in ASEAN
  workshop supported by DAAD and The ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, Indonesia (22– 24 October 2017).

•  Proposal Writing Workshop / DIES ProGRANT workshop supported by DAAD at University of Yangon and University of Mandalay, Myanmar (06 – 10 March 2017) and (02 - 06 October 2017).

Scholarships

• FES scholar  (2009 – 2011)
• DAAD scholar (2013 – 2016)

Teaching

• Research Methods in Social Science ( May 2019) at Yangon University of Foreign Languages.
• At Myanmar Environment Institute in Yangon.