Humanitarian Action Fellowship (HAF) - Engineering Humanitarian Action

Join the Humanitarian Action Fellowship (HAF) Program

The Humanitarian Action Fellowship (HAF) offers a unique opportunity to forge research partnerships between EPFL, ETH Zurich, and humanitarian organizations. As part of the Engineering for Humanitarian Action Initiative (EHA), in collaboration with the ICRC, the fellowship seeks to explore research potential or to pilot, scale, or implement research findings for real-world humanitarian impact.

Program Highlights

Explore your research idea with humanitarian actors at the ICRC.
Contribute to the development of technologies at ICRC that address pressing humanitarian challenges.

Eligibility Criteria

You are a PhD candidate, Postdoctoral researcher or scientific assistant from ETH or EPFL
Your research project helps the ICRC to address humanitarian action challenges
Security protocols of all participating institutions are followed

Funding and Duration

Engage in a 2-12 months placement at the ICRC
Fellows will be paid according to ETH/EPFL salaries
70% of total fellowship budget covered by ETH4D/ECT, 30% covered by applicant’s own research group
Support for field expenses are discussed on a case by case basis

Apply Now

Submit all application documents to the selection committee at least 10 weeks before the planned start date. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.

If you are an EPFL researcher, please follow this link to apply, if you are an ETH Zurich researcher, please follow this link.

Application Documents:

Completed HAF Application Form with project description and timeline
Application proposal incl. explanation of relevance to ongoing research collaboration with ICRC
ICRC invitation letter specifying work location and start/end dates
Support letter from ETH/ EPFL chair or group leader

Our Humanitarian Action Fellows

Dr. Giulia Celentano is a Senior Scientific Assistant at the Chair of Sustainable Construction at ETH Zurich, where she leads impact-oriented research projects in humanitarian and development contexts across the Global South. Her work primarily focuses on post-disaster and post-conflict settings, displacement camps, and informal settlements. Her fellowship consists of a six-months placement at the International Committee of the Red Cross in Beirut. There, she will support the ICRC and local staff in building capacity to strengthen health infrastructure resilience in conflict-like settings.

Bridging academic, transdisciplinary research on sustainability and resilience in construction with the operational needs of humanitarian actors, her work is shaped by close collaborations with partners such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and United Nations agencies (UN-Habitat, UNHCR). These collaborations have resulted in the development of digital advisory tools for decision-makers, sustainability assessments, and direct advisory services.

With a strong regional focus on Lebanon since 2022, her applied research covered the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America, grounded in extensive fieldwork and primary data collection.

Andrew Laitha is a doctoral student in Food Systems Economics and Policy at ETH Zurich. His research focuses on the effects of armed conflict on the welfare of farm workers and rural households. During the HAF fellowship, Andrew plans to develop a food systems pathways toolkit for mapping and assessing disruptions and resilience in crisis-affected food systems, in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Prior to his doctoral studies, Andrew worked at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and served as a consultant for the Responsible Supply Chains in Asia programme at the International Labour Organization (ILO). He has also contributed to economic policy support for the Government of Myanmar and engaged in community service for conflict-affected populations.

Andrew holds an MSc in International Development and Agricultural Economics from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Delhi.

FAQs

How will the fellowship be set up from an administrative/finance perspective?

Fellows will maintain their affiliation with universities and receive compensation through them.

Can project leads apply if they have already received HAC funding? How will double funding be prevented?

No double funding is possible to avoid confusion. Projects eligible for funding can be HAC extensions.

When will the applications be open and closed?

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, assuming funding availability for most applications.

Who selects the fellowship applications?

Formal check will be done by EPFL for proposals from EPLF and by ETH for their applications:
One representative from each institution’s coordination team (EPFL, ETH Zurich, ICRC) will be responsible for application selection, assuming adequate funding.

Is the fellowship program exclusive to ICRC or open to other organizations as well?

For now, the fellowship program is limited to ICRC. Could be opened to other organizations after the pilot phase.

What administrative aspects need to be defined at ICRC? (NDA? IP? Security?)

Specific administrative details, including Non-Disclosure Agreements, Intellectual Property, and Security protocols, will be established within the ICRC framework.

Is field deployment possible for ICRC fellows? Will travel fees be covered?

While field deployment is desirable, its feasibility within ICRC will be evaluated. Travel fees may be covered if applicable.

Please let us know if you have any more questions or if there’s anything else we can assist you with! Contact us here.