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Gemma John
Anthropologist - Help to deliver social value within the built environment by working with local authorities, asset management and development teams
Professional Background
Gemma John is a highly accomplished Senior Researcher, Research Fellow, and applied anthropologist whose extensive career spans academia and real-world applications. She holds notable positions as an Honorary Research Fellow at University College London and as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in London. With a strong professional focus on the intersection of anthropology and urban planning, Gemma excels in studying the cultural shifts that shape modern urban living and working environments. Over the past decade, she has been a passionate advocate for creating spaces that work for both businesses and society, particularly in her role as Founder and Director of Human City.
Gemma launched Human City after spending 10 years in academic research and teaching roles at prestigious institutions such as the University of Edinburgh and the University of Manchester. At Human City, she utilizes her anthropological expertise to conduct in-depth ethnographic research that aids property investors and development teams in understanding and measuring social value within their projects. She has strategically advised on various housing initiatives, including alternative housing, affordable housing, and shared accommodation schemes, underscoring her commitment to enhancing community-oriented developments.
Prior to establishing Human City, Gemma made significant contributions as a senior researcher at the renowned architectural practice, Foster + Partners, where she was involved in innovative projects that marry architectural design with social consciousness. Additionally, her tenure as a strategic consultant at AECOM, a global leader in planning, engineering, and design, allowed her to enhance her strategic advisory skills and deepen her understanding of the complexities within urban development.
Education and Achievements
Gemma's educational background is as impressive as her professional achievements, boasting a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Anthropology from the University of St. Andrews and a Master of Research in Social Science Research Methods from the same institution. She further honed her skills with a Master's degree in Social Anthropology from The University of Edinburgh. Recognizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, she has also studied Building Economics and Finance at The London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as obtaining a diploma in Interior Design from the Interior Design School in London.
Among her significant achievements, Gemma was awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship in 2015. This fellowship allowed her to research the design and usage of public libraries, during which she visited over 50 library buildings across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australasia. Her research contributions to library design have highlighted evolving approaches that prioritize social value, especially relevant during times of economic austerity.
Gemma is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA), further showcasing her dedication to the promotion of artistic, commercial, and social progress. Her involvement with Social Value UK emphasizes her commitment to advocating for doing business in a way that brings tangible social benefits to communities.
Areas of Expertise
Gemma's extensive skill set includes a diverse range of expertise areas:
- Ethnography – She uses ethnographic methods to analyze the cultural dynamics of urban spaces.
- Data Mining and Analysis – Her analytical skills allow her to derive valuable insights from complex datasets.
- Interior Design – Her qualifications in interior design support her understanding of spatial dynamics in development.
- Strategic Briefing – She is adept at creating impactful strategic briefs that align stakeholders around shared goals.
- Feasibility Studies – Gemma conducts thorough feasibility studies to assess the viability of projects.
- Concept Design – She is skilled in aiding conceptual design processes, ensuring that projects meet community needs.
- Post-Occupancy Evaluation – Gemma evaluates projects post-occupancy to measure success against anticipated social value.
- Consultancy – She provides consultancy services that draw on her rich academic background and professional experience.
- Tutoring and Lecturing – Her experience as a teaching assistant and research fellow have equipped her to educate others in ethnographic theory and practice.
- Written and Visual Communication – Gemma is proficient in both written and visual storytelling to communicate complex ideas effectively.
- Public Speaking – As a public speaker, she shares her insights on anthropology and urban design at various conferences and events.
Gemma John stands out in her field due to her unique blend of academic prowess and practical expertise, making her a valuable asset in the realms of urban development, social value assessment, and architectural strategy. Her work passionately embodies a vision of urban spaces that are not only functional but also serve to engage and uplift communities.
tags':['Senior Researcher','Applied Anthropologist','Ethnographer','Strategic Consultant','Real Estate Professional','Cultural Shifts','Urban Development','Social Value Expert','Human City Founder','Churchill Fellowship','Royal Society of Arts Fellow','UCL Honorary Research Fellow','Housing Initiatives','Architectural Research','Community-Oriented Development','Ethnographic Research','Post-Occupancy Evaluation','Interior Design','Feasibility Studies','Public Libraries Research'],
questions':['How did Gemma John develop her expertise in applied anthropology and urban development?','What inspired Gemma John to found Human City and focus on social value in real estate projects?','How has Gemma John’s research informed the design of public libraries around the world?','In what ways does Gemma John utilize ethnographic research to influence housing initiatives?','What key insights has Gemma John uncovered about cultural shifts in urban living and working environments?'],
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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