urban researcher | writer | facilitator

at the intersection of culture, policy, and civic engagement

Based in Berlin and working internationally, Diana is an urban researcher and research communicator focused on third places, cultural infrastructure and life at night. With professional experience in theater and civic education, Diana brings a deep attention to story, process and peer learning to urban research projects. They help cities and organizations understand and better support how people gather, and translate complex research into clear, compelling narratives. Their practice is inspired by the notion of “real utopias”: dreaming expansively and working pragmatically to bring about other possible worlds with curiosity, rigor and care.

Diana leads qualitative research projects end-to-end, from methodology and participatory engagement design, to facilitation, analysis and research communication. Past and ongoing collaborations include VibeLab, Berlin Clubcommission, Awareness Akademie, and a range of urban, civic and cultural organizations primarily across Europe and North America. Their independent research and writing explores queer spatial practice, belonging and care in cities – particularly through Queer Space Project, a research and mentorship initiative prototyped in 2024.

They regularly present and moderate roundtables, workshops and conference sessions, with engagements including UNESCO Futures Summit, UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, CTM Festival, and University of the Underground. They have also guest lectured at institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, MIT, and University of Arts Berlin (UdK).

Diana is a past recipient of cultural, civic leadership and public policy fellowships including Creative Impact Research Centre Europe (CIRCE), Salzburg Global Seminar, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, and Steppenwolf Theater Company. They hold an M.Sc. with Distinction in Urban Studies from University College London and a B.A. summa cum laude in Theater and Civic Engagement from Northwestern University.