Vermeylen, Ella

Ella Vermeylen is currently a communications intern at UNU-CRIS. She recently graduated from the London School of Economics with a master’s degree in international social and public policy, with a focus on development. Her master’s dissertation was a comparative case study on the delivery and allocation of development aid from Belgium to former and non-former colonies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Before that, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Erasmus University College.

Throughout her academic journey, she has focused on expanding her knowledge and understanding of international policies, particularly concerning international development and social impact. This is evident in her experiences, including her volunteer work at a charity organization in London, aimed at supporting and advocating unpaid carers. Moreover, during her fieldwork in Mumbai, where she researched women's social and political empowerment through participation in a Self-Help Group, she learned the importance of community-based movements and gender empowerment in developing countries.

During her internship at UNU-CRIS, Ella will work under the supervision of Andrew Dunn, directly supported by the Flanders Trainee Program. Ella will primarily work on communications for UNU-CRIS. She will work on editing and formatting new publications, assist managing the social media, and enhancing out-reach strategies. During this internship, Ella is excited to utilize her academic knowledge and experiences to contribute to UNU-CRIS’s research ambitions, while expanding her own skills and practical experience. She hopes this internship will be a stepping-stone for her career in multilateral organizations within the international development field.