ELSA VAN LATUM
Sociologist
Medellin, Colombia | - / - |- linkedin.com/in/elsa-van-latum/
EDUCATION
MSc Culture & Society (Sociology)
PROFILE
August 2015 - September 2016
London School of Economics and Political Science
Examination of social stratification based on culture, race, gender and class differences.
Focus on urban inequalities and development; community and neighborhood studies; immigrant
integration.
Thesis: Qualitative community research on a historically working-class neighborhood in London.
Using interviews, governmental (census) and historical data to form a policy advice for the London
Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Grade: Distinction.
BSc Liberal Arts & Sciences
August 2011 - June 2014
Amsterdam University College
Major: Sociology. Focused on social inequalities, racism, cultural consumption, globalization.
Minor: Literature. Focused on social movements, ethnic minorities, and 20th century literature.
Thesis on the employment of race in a socio-cultural movement: using Bourdieu’s concept of field
to analyze the literary field of NYC at the time of the Harlem Renaissance.
Awarded Thesis of Distinction (Best BSc thesis in Social Sciences).
Grade: Cum Laude.
Exchange Semester
August 2013 - January 2014
Professional with a Master's degree in
Sociology, with an emphasis on cultural and
social inequality, urbanism and migration
studies from the London School of Economics
and Political Science (LSE). Obtained a
Bachelor of Science degree at the Amsterdam
University College with a focus in social
sciences and a minor in American culture from
Hunter College, New York City.
Specialist in matters of immigration and
integration, the history of European and
American urbanism, and the role of culture in
the formation and emancipation of social
groups.
Professional experience in academia
(teaching and research); urban policy
research; social and governmental
organizations; as a language teacher; as a
political campaign leader; and in commercial
communication.
LANGUAGES AND
SOFTWARE
Hunter College - City University of New York (CUNY)
Focus on American society and cultural production of the 20th century and the development of its
cities.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Professor
August 2018 - Current
Santo Tomás University, Medellín, Colombia
University professor in the School of Architecture at Santo Tomás University in Medellín. I teach
courses on sustainability, placemaking, architectural theory and history, as well as research
methods on the graduate and undergraduate level.
I am responsible for the research project on the sustainable development of Medellín's Moravia
neighborhood, in collaboration with UrbanLab Berlin. The proposed end result of the project is an
academic article and the construction of a cultural center and public space in the area.
Director of internationalization in the School of Architecture. Responsible for the organization of
conferences and academic trips of our staff and students. In the past year we organized exchanges
and visits to and from 16 different countries.
Researcher
April 2018 - July 2018
Low Carbon City / Eco City Builders, Medellín, Colombia
Contributed to the development of a neighborhood analysis in a team of experts in Moravia,
Medellín. The project was coordinated by Eco City Builders (United States) and Low Carbon City
(Colombia)
Participated in the formulation of three proposals for the social, physical and economic
development of the neighborhood. The proposals were presented to the United Nations
Environmental Plan (UNEP) and will be executed in 2020.
Research Associate
January 2017 - December 2017
Center for an Urban Future (CUF), New York, USA
Contributed to writing policy reports and op-eds covering topics related to urban inequality and
economic opportunity.
Responsible for the data analysis and parts of the qualitative research for the project 'An Unhealthy
Commute' about the transportation challenges faced by NYC's healthcare sector.
Designed and developed the methodology for the Economic Opportunity Index. Coordinated the
creation of this project that aims to show New York City's social problems and policy implications
English
4 years of English-taught academic
instruction.
Dutch
Mother tongue
Swedish
Mother tongue
Spanish
2 years of professional experience.
French
CEFR level B1.
German
CEFR level B1.
SPSS
Academic experience.
Tableau
through an index. Responsible for a team of 5 interns in guiding data analysis.
Liaised with social and political organizations in New York City and elsewhere by sharing knowledge
and creating partnerships.
Political campaign leader
October 2016 - December 2016
Coordinated the campaign strategy for a recently created political party in its participation in the
Dutch parliamentary elections.
Responsible for directing local teams in the implementation of the campaign from the main offices
in Amsterdam. Recruiting and registering volunteers.
Organized several political events, debates and demonstrations in cooperation with the political
candidates.
September 2016 - December 2016
Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland (Dutch Council for Refugees), Amsterdam, the
Netherlands
Contributed to the resettlement of recent refugees by assisting them in obligatory visits to housing
and welfare institutions.
Serve as a middle man between governmental organizations and refugees by reporting problems to
the Refugee council and explaining official procedures.
Responsible for teaching integration workshops to groups of refugees.
English Language Teacher
January 2015 - July 2015
International House Istanbul, Turkey
Teaching English classes to Turkish and Syrian students, from beginner- to advanced level.
Editor
August 2014 - December 2014
Athenaeum Boekhandel (literary website), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Managed the content for online literary magazine by editing, fact-checking, and writing literary
articles. Coordinated and planned online content and our social media accounts.
Wrote literary reviews and conducted interviews with authors, publishers and translators.
Communicated with publishers, journalists, authors and booksellers.
Other titles
Student representative
Microsoft Office
Data analysis in Microsoft Excel.
Artikel1, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Immigration assistant
Data analysis and visualization for research
projects.
August 2015 - September 2016
LSE’s Graduate Students Forum, London, United Kingdom
London School of Economics and Political Science
ESL Teacher
- January 2015
Cambridge English Language Teaching Association (CELTA)
International Training Institute, Istanbul, Turkey
Scuba Diving Instructor
- January 2010
Utila Dive Center, Honduras
PADI Dive Master
Created with
Planning and coordination of events,
meetings and deadlines in Microsoft Outlook.
