Hasib Ahsan
Ballerup
Summary
Digital professional prepared to lead and innovate in digital landscape, bringing robust background in strategic planning and execution. Known for enhancing digital platforms and optimizing user engagement. Reliable team collaborator focused on achieving results and adapting to evolving challenges. Skilled in digital marketing, project management, and leadership.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Postdoctoral Researcher
IT University of Copenhagen
12.2022 - Current
- Years of experiences in project design, innovation and project management in multiple countries, European Research Council (ERC) funded DecouplingIT Project
- This €2 million project explores how sociocultural change emerges at the intersection of information technology (IT) and climate change across five countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Iceland and South Africa
- My role involves conducting in-depth research on the Bangladesh case, examining the intersection of climate change and IT through ethnographic and qualitative fieldwork
- This research engages with NGOs, government institutions, and marginalized river island communities to understand local impacts and responses.
CoI and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
10.2021 - 12.2022
- Syrian mHealth: Access to Digital Mental Healthcare Project
- This was a position while doing PhD and awarded 1.9 million DKK from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to design and implement a digital mental healthcare service in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan, in collaboration with a local partner NGO
- Designed and conducted participatory workshops, focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and ethnographic methods to ensure culturally responsive and effective service delivery
- Ideate, design and implement mobile and web application based digital mental healthcare screening and counselling service for 6100 Syrian Refugees in Jordan
- Leading project management and coordinating with public health NGO partners, users and stakeholders in Jordan.
CoI and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
11.2020 - 02.2022
- Rohingya Refugee Digital Health Project (Diabetes and Hypertension)
- This was a position while doing PhD and secured DKK 1 million in funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, in collaboration with my PhD supervisor, to design and implement a one-year mHealth project for both a refugee camp and host community in Bangladesh
- Designed and conducted participatory workshops, focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and ethnographic methods to foster community engagement and effectiveness
- Developed, designed, and implemented a mobile application-based health (mHealth) program targeting diabetes and hypertension among 5,000 Rohingya refugee and host community households, in collaboration with an NGO partner organization in Bangladesh
- Lead of the project management team.
Co-Principal Investigator and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
06.2019 - 10.2020
- Rohingya Refugee mHealth Project (Mental Health and Child Nutrition)
- This was a position while doing PhD and secured DKK 750,000 in funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, in collaboration with my PhD supervisor, to design and implement a one-year mHealth project in a refugee camp in Bangladesh
- Designed and conducted participatory workshops, focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and ethnographic methods to ensure community engagement and relevance
- Ideated, designed, and implemented a mobile application-based health (mHealth) initiative focused on mental health and child nutrition, reaching 4,500 Rohingya refugee households in partnership with a local NGO in Bangladesh
- Overseeing project management and coordination with public health NGO partners, end users, and key stakeholders in Bangladesh.
Director of Digital Agriculture
MPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2017 - 09.2018
- www.mpower-social.com
- Project Lead for ICT for Development (ICT4D) and Mobile for Development (M4D) initiatives across agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and water sectors in various countries
- Led design teams and directed qualitative and quantitative research to develop and deploy digital solutions, including smartphone and web applications, call center services, SMS/IVR systems, remote sensing and satellite data tools, and data visualization services
- These solutions were tailored to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders such as farmers, policymakers, government agencies, NGOs, and institutional managers
- Established national and international project partnerships, prepared policy guidelines, and developed strategic frameworks in collaboration with government ministries, aid agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners.
Project Director
.
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Water and delta capacity development project (DeltaCap) – A four-year project funded by NICHE of the Netherlands Government, in partnership with Delft University of Technology, Wageningen University, and additional national and international collaborators.
Project Lead
.
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Digital Agriculture Advisory Service for PPCR Project with 30,000 farmers – Funded by World Bank-IFC
- Project was implemented in Nepal and Bangladesh., AgriBytes Project with USAID Feed the Future Asia Innovative Farmers Activity (AIFA): A platform that brings together diverse stakeholders in the agricultural sector of Bangladesh through sharing data, strategies and innovation., Smartphone app based, and female entrepreneur driven farmer advisory services pilot project
- Implemented by mPower and iSocial Enterprise Bangladesh.
Project Lead
.
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Geo data to control late blight fungal disease in potato in Bangladesh (GEOPOTATO) – A three-year project reaching 50,000 beneficiaries, funded by the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) and Geodata for Agriculture and Water (G4AW), in partnership with Wageningen University (Netherlands), the Ministry of Agriculture (Bangladesh), NGOs, and, Science (Germany), Terrasphere
Project Lead
.
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Geodata based information services for small farmers in Bangladesh (GEOBIS) – A three-year project impacting 50,000 beneficiaries, funded by the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) and Geodata for Agriculture and Water (G4AW), in collaboration with Bangladesh Agricultural University, NGOs, and private sector partners.
Digital Head of Operations
.
01.2013 - 01.2018
- Feed the Future (FtF) USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity Project (e-Agriculture) – 5 Years long project with 1,10,000 beneficiaries
- Partners: Ministry of Agriculture (Government), CARE Bangladesh and Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Bangladesh
- Funded by USAID., Feed the Future (FtF) USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity Project (Digital Agriculture) – A five-year project reaching 110,000 beneficiaries, funded by USAID, in partnership with CARE Bangladesh, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh.
Project Lead
.
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Climate and Agriculture Information Service (CAIS) – funded by Welthungerhilfe, Mobile based Climate smart Agro Information and Services for Farmers Project – funded by Christian Aid Bangladesh.
Senior Program and Research Manager
mPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2013 - 12.2016
- Led the innovation, design, and implementation of digital interventions across agriculture, livelihoods, public health, water and sanitation, and livestock sectors
- Directed multidisciplinary design teams, managed research efforts, and launched digital solutions including mobile and web applications, call center services, SMS/IVR systems, remote sensing and satellite data applications, and data visualization platforms
- These solutions were tailored to meet the needs of key stakeholders, including farmers, policymakers, government agencies, NGOs, and institutional leaders
- Drove business development initiatives, provided strategic direction, and developed policy guidelines to establish and strengthen partnerships with NGOs and development organizations.
Project Lead
.
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Mobile Phone based Program Management Information System – mPMIS in water and sanitation sector in Bangladesh – Funded by NGO WaterAid, UK
Project Lead
.
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Pilot intervention in ‘Intelligent’ Mobile-based Livestock Management System Project – funded by UKAid (DFID), United Kingdom.
ICT Evaluation Lead
.
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Digital Monitoring System’ or ‘Change Management System’ evaluation lead of ‘SHIREE Project’ – Bangladesh's largest extreme poverty and economic empowerment initiative, impacting 1 million households
- Conducted evaluations of the Digital Monitoring Systems used by 18 NGOs to address extreme poverty
- Funded and implemented by the Government of Bangladesh and DFID (UKAid).
Research and Development Coordinator
mPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2011 - 12.2012
- Responsible for designing and conducting qualitative and survey-based research on mobile phone-based healthcare (mHealth) solutions
- PROJECTS
- Mobile-based telemedicine services provided through female community medic aides for climate-displaced river island communities, in partnership with the national NGO Friendship, Bangladesh
- Mobile-enabled breast cancer case identification, reporting, and referral management through primary care health workers, in collaboration with the International Breast Cancer Research Foundation (IBCRF), USA
- Mobile telemedicine-supported micro health insurance program in partnership with the NGO Sajida Foundation, Bangladesh.
Program Manager
01.2011 - 01.2012
- E-Health scenario mapping in Bangladesh – Pioneering digital health policy mapping research conducted for the Directorate General of Health Services (DG-Health), Ministry of Health, Bangladesh, funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, USA
- Centre for Disability in Development (CDD
Assistant Project Manager
.
08.2008 - 12.2010
- Managed project and partnership development for the ‘Provision of Assistive Technology for Persons with Disabilities (PROVAT)’ Project with NGO CDD, funded by the European Commission (EC)
- Over three years, the project provided customized mobility aids—prosthetics, orthotics, artificial limbs, wheelchairs, and crutches—to 2,000 individuals with disabilities in Bangladesh, in partnership with 40 local NGOs
- Foundation for Research on Educational Planning and Development (FREPD)
Research Associate
FREPD
03.2007 - 07.2008
- Research Associate of the the President of the organization, Designed data collection methods, survey tools, and conducted data analysis for Professor Dr. Kazi Saleh Ahmed, President of FREPD
Assistant Business Development Officer
Maxwell Stamp Limited
10.2006 - 01.2007
- Assisting in proposal writing for new ‘development consultancy’ opportunities funded by external aid agencies
- Providing administrative support to the company and the Government partner and NGO’s to formulate and execute the ‘externally funded development projects’.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Digital Development and HCI for Development (HCI4D)
IT University of Copenhagen (ITU)
02-2023
Master of Development Studies (MDS) - International Development
North South University
03-2009
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSS) - Sociology
Shahjalal University of Science And Technology
03-2003
Post Graduate Diploma - Design Thinking
IDIN And MIT D-lab
USA01-2017
Fellowship - Internet Governence
ICANN And Yonsei University
South Korea08-2016
World Bank Fellowship - ICT And Entrepreneurship Development
State University of New York (SUNY)
South Korea02-2016
Leadership Fellowship - Young Connectors For The Future (YCF)
Swedish Institute
Stockholm, Sweden01-2015
Skills
- User experience design and design thinking
- Qualitative research and survey design
- Project management
- Team management
- Scientific writing
- Computational skills
- Research
- Data analysis
- Teaching experience
- Problem-solving
Awards
- United Nation World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) Champion Award, 2019, Notable Presence for GeoPotato Project
- World Summit Award (WSA) winner, 2018, Best Technology Innovation in the world for GeoPotato
- Standard Chartered Bank Agrow Award, 2017, Best use of technology in Agriculture in Bangladesh
- Winner of Tech4Farmers Asia Challenge, 2017, For GeoPotato Project
- MBillionth Award, 2015, For ICT Based Livestock Management System
- National Mobile Application Award, 2014, For Smart Phone App based Farmer Query System
- MBillionth Award, 2014, For Best Smart Phone Application Advisory Services to farmers
- CPR South 7 Young Scholar Award, 2012, From LirneAsia, International Development Research Centre, Canada (IDRC) and UkAid
Hobbies and Interests
- Exploring the world and immersing in diverse cultures
- Music
- Reading
- Sports (table tennis, badminton, cricket)
- Cooking
Grants And Proposals
- Decoupling IT? A Global Comparative Ethnography of the Role of IT in the Mitigation of the Climate Crisis, European Commission, EUR 2 million
- Syrian mHealth: Increasing Access to Mental Healthcare for the Syrian Refugees in Jordan, Novo Nordisk Foundation, DKK 1.9 million
- Rohingya mHealth: Expanding Access to Healthcare for the Rohingya Community concerning Noncommunicable Diseases in the Refugee Camps in Bangladesh, Novo Nordisk Foundation, DKK 1 million
- Rohingya mHealth, Novo Nordisk Foundation, DKK 750,000
- Digital Agriculture Advisory Service for PPCR Project, IFC-World Bank, USD 30,000
- Water and Delta Capacity Development Project (DeltaCap), NUFFIC, Netherlands, EUR 1.08 million
- Geo data to control late blight fungal disease in potato in Bangladesh (GEOPOTATO), Netherlands Space Organization (NSO), EUR 1.9 million
- Geodata based information services for small farmers in Bangladesh (GEOBIS), Netherlands Space Organization (NSO), EUR 1.8 million
- USAID Agriculture Extension Support Activity Project, USAID, USD 19.5 million
- Mobile Phone based Program Management Information System – mPMIS for Water Aid Bangladesh, USD 38,000
- AgriBytes Project with USAID Feed the Future Asia Innovative Farmers Activity (AIFA), USD 20,000
- Mobile based Program Management Information System (mPMIS) for WaterAid Bangladesh, USD 38,000
- Mobile-based Livestock Management System Project, UkAid, USD 8,000
Certification
- Systematic Review Research Fellowship, Sri Lanka - Funded by International Development Research Centre, Canada (IDRC) and the Department for International Development, UK. 2013
- Video Production Course – By University of Illinois at Urbana Champagne (UIUC), UC DAVIS, Access Agriculture and USAID – Feb to March 2013
- Workshop on Fact sheet and Video Script Writing - by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, UC DAVIS, Access Agriculture – Jan 2013
- Communication Policy Research (CPR) Young Scholar Training in Mauritius - Funded by International Development Research Centre, Canada (IDRC) and the Department for International Development, UK in 2012
- Training on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction – By Christoffel Blinded Mission (CBM) and Centre for Disability in Development (CDD) in March 2010
- Training on Project Cycle Management – By Handicap International (HI) Bangladesh in 2008
Timeline
Postdoctoral Researcher
IT University of Copenhagen
12.2022 - Current
CoI and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
10.2021 - 12.2022
CoI and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
11.2020 - 02.2022
Co-Principal Investigator and Team Lead
IT University of Copenhagen
06.2019 - 10.2020
Director of Digital Agriculture
MPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2017 - 09.2018
Project Director
.
01.2017 - 01.2018
Project Lead
.
01.2017 - 01.2018
Project Lead
.
01.2016 - 01.2018
Project Lead
.
01.2016 - 01.2017
Project Lead
.
01.2015 - 01.2018
Digital Head of Operations
.
01.2013 - 01.2018
Senior Program and Research Manager
mPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2013 - 12.2016
Project Lead
.
01.2013 - 01.2014
Project Lead
.
01.2012 - 01.2013
ICT Evaluation Lead
.
01.2012 - 01.2013
Research and Development Coordinator
mPower Social Enterprises Ltd
01.2011 - 12.2012
Program Manager
01.2011 - 01.2012
Assistant Project Manager
.
08.2008 - 12.2010
Research Associate
FREPD
03.2007 - 07.2008
Assistant Business Development Officer
Maxwell Stamp Limited
10.2006 - 01.2007
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Digital Development and HCI for Development (HCI4D)
IT University of Copenhagen (ITU)
Master of Development Studies (MDS) - International Development
North South University
Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSS) - Sociology
Shahjalal University of Science And Technology
Post Graduate Diploma - Design Thinking
IDIN And MIT D-lab
Fellowship - Internet Governence
ICANN And Yonsei University
World Bank Fellowship - ICT And Entrepreneurship Development
State University of New York (SUNY)
Leadership Fellowship - Young Connectors For The Future (YCF)
Swedish Institute
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