The Făgăraș Research Club brings together members interested in research and in getting to know better one’s community.
The Club offers training sessions in research, policy analysis, advocacy, and related activities. The Club aims to generate impact in the local community through research and civic engagement. The Club members benefit from advanced training in research, including understanding key science- and research-related concepts; qualitative and quantitative research methods; history research methods; policy research; academic writing and writing for wider audiences; writing, editing, and publishing research papers, and organizing dissemination events.
The Club aims to also develop an evidence-based civic engagement model, based on research skills and training.
The Făgăraș Research Club was established through the project Research is cool & useful, financed by the Civic Innovation Fund, a program developed by the Civil Society Development Foundation, in partnership with the Romanian-American Foundation, supported by Enel Romania and Ursus Breweries (www.inovarecivica.fdsc.ro).
How can you join?
To join the Făgăraș Research Club, we invite you to fill in this form:
Projects
Team
Alexandra Peca
Alexandru Cosmin
Alexandru Ionescu
Alexandru Lupu
Andreas Ciobanu
Andrei Morar
Andrei Stupu
Bogdan Tamba
Cătălina Tătuc
Cosmin Iliescu
Cristina Neagoe
David Mihăilescu
Carmen Greab
Georgi Georgiev
Gabriel Pîrlogeanu
Ioana Hașu-Georgiev, M.A.
Ionuț Lincariu
Luminița Faff
Maria Chirilă
Maria Cucu
Maria Eni
Marius Matei
Mihai Ghircoiaș
Oana Lup, Ph.D.
Paul Stiniguță
Sergiu Mihailescu
Ștefan Cibian, Ph.D.
Ștefania Pică
Valentin Dima
Victor Porancia, M.A.
Alexandra Peca
Alexandra Peca is pursuing her masters in Diplomatic Techniques at the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest University. Alexandra is also the Erasmus+ projects coordinator for GEYC Bucharest and was engaged in several international programs, that defined her personal and professional development path. Alexandra graduated from the Faculty of History of Bucharest University, specializing in international relations and European studies. Alexandra has a passion for history since junior high and believes strongly that the voce of youth can drive the change that is needed in society.
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Alexandru Cosmin
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Alexandru Ionescu
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Alexandru Lupu
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Andreas Ciobanu
Andreas Ciobanu is studying humanities at the National College Mihai Viteazul from Sfântu Gheorghe. At the same time, Andreas is a member of the youth association Ecou and is contributing to the project Ed’s Academy, a non-formal education project for junior high students. He considers himself a young person who likes to do sports and travel anywhere, that includes hiking in the woods. He likes very much to be engaged in the community and tries as much as possible to change things for good.
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Andrei Morar
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Andrei Stupu
Andrei Stupu is an entrepreneur in the field of education. He created a series of programs entitled Ziua Mintzii. With an experience of over seven years in the NGO sector, ranging from volunteer to Board member, Andrei focuses constantly on improving educational programs and training methods and activities. At the same time, he produced and presented two TV shows on education-related topics.
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Bogdan Tamba
Cătălina Tătuc
Cătălina Tătuc is studying Digital Media at the Sociology and Communication Faculty, Transylvania University of Brașov. Personal development through volunteering is one of her key passions, given a long engagement of over four years in such activities. Cătălina was a volunteer with Hospice Casa Speranței and at various sports, cultural and charitable events. Also, Cătălina has a passion for travelling that she combines with volunteering opportunities, through attending Erasmus projects, such as studying abroad in Hungary, Youth Go Digital, Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainability. The experience she obtained so far is used for supporting local NGOs through organizing charitable events such as the Charitable Concert for the SCUT Association for Social Work, Thea – the champion, and drawing, books (horror, SF, personal development) and occasionally coding activities.
Cosmin Iliescu
Iliescu Cosmin-Alexandru has a strong interest in bridging the gap between STEM and the Humanities, building a better and more complex perspective about the world, economically and politically. His fields of interests range from literature and philosophy to making STEM more accessible through ‘popular science.’ He is using journalism as his main tool to tackle the divers topics in which he is interested and to connect people with topics outside their professional background. Regarding himself as an ‘enthusiastic Jack of all trades,’ he is a volunteer an participant at courses and events of FRI and member of YRC.
He is in the final year of his bachelor's degree in Automotive Engineering at Transylvania University of Brașov, Romania. Currently working on his senior thesis “The electric future of the European Automotive Industry,” where he wants to offer a more accessible view for the Romanian public about European Union’s (EU) & European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA)'s future plans regarding the automotive sector, taking into account how the industrial, policy, and R&D sectors advance in the current environmental context.
Together with a small team of students and teachers, using a validated model from University of Ghent (Belgium), he managed to create and organize Tomorrow Hub, a co-working hub at the R&D Institute of Transylvania University. The Hub has the purpose to create a common ground through entrepreneurship mindset, for start-up related events and projects, regardless of their thematic background. Having the role of Community Builder, he managed PR campaigns through events that took place in important economic centers of Romania (Bucharest, Iasi, Brasov) and in Belgium (Bruxelles), with the purpose of creating sustainable partnerships. He has a big interest in social entrepreneurship, considering it a very important and accessible tool for bootstrapping economic growth in underdeveloped and shrinking communities.
Fellow of ‘Journalist for good deeds’ scholarship offered by Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation, he realized articles with the purpose of promoting organizations, projects and people with a high positive impact in the community of Țara Făgărașului.
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Cristina Neagoe
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David Mihăilescu
Carmen Greab
Carmen Greab is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science at Babeș-Bolyai University and a researcher at the Făgăraș Research Institute. Carmen is also the executive director of the Center for the Study of Democracy and associated lecturer at BBU’s Department of Political Science. Recently she started her activity as CSR specialist with E.ON.
Her research interest revolves around education and, more specifically, around the impact of education on acquiring civic skills and democratic values. Carmen contributed to research projects in this area, focusing on adults, students, and even kindergarten kids.
Another research interest is related to good governance, in particular aspects connected to local governance or experiments that enhance citizen engagement in decision-making processes. She participated actively in the first participative budgeting experiment in Cluj-Napoca.
Since 2007 she is also associated with the Kettering Foundation from Dayton, OH, USA. As a consequence of that collaboration, Carmen became interested in the principles and practices of deliberative democracy with a focus on deliberative teaching. She took part in the development of support materials aimed at facilitating the use of deliberative teaching.
Research topics: Education, Transition and Democratization, Processes of Deliberative Democracy, Good Governance, Civil Society, Migration and Development.
Georgi Georgiev
Georgi Georgiev is a doctoral candidate in comparative history at the Central European University, Budapest (CEU). He was a Visiting Predoctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Research Group “Epistemes of Modern Acoustics” (October-November 2018). He completed an MA in Central European history at CEU. Georgi’s research experience includes extensive study of the Radio Free Europe archival collections hosted by the Blinken Open Society Archives in Budapest. Georgi’s PhD project focuses on methods of information gathering during the Cold War, with a special emphasis on acoustic information gathering and noise as an object of research. His work explores the intersection between science, technology, and politics.
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Gabriel Pîrlogeanu
Alexandra Peca is pursuing her masters in Diplomatic Techniques at the Faculty of History, University of Bucharest University. Alexandra is also the Erasmus+ projects coordinator for GEYC Bucharest and was engaged in several international programs, that defined her personal and professional development path. Alexandra graduated from the Faculty of History of Bucharest University, specializing in international relations and European studies. Alexandra has a passion for history since junior high and believes strongly that the voce of youth can drive the change that is needed in society.
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Ioana Hașu-Georgiev, M.A.
Ioana Hașu-Georgiev is interested in Romania’s recent past, researching aspects related to the armed anti-communist resistance. She holds an M.A. from the Central European University (2015) and is an accredited independent researcher at the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives (2011). She explores in her research the less known aspects of the anti-communist struggle, such as the role of women in the resistance, postmemory and trans-generational trauma, traumatic amnesia, the relation between forgetting, remembering, and healing.
In 2012 she created an interactive workshop for children, Grandparents’ Times, focusing on the early communist period and repression. The workshop is offered in schools, high schools, and camps. In 2018 she launched an exposition at the Țara Făgărașului Museum entitled The Women in the Resistance, invisible actors of the anti-communist struggle.
In the last 10 years, Ioana gave public lectures and participated in conferences organized by the Institute for the Investigation of Crimes committed by the Communist Regime.
Ioana has over 15 years of experience in mass-media, among others, working for BBC Romania and Radio France Internationale.
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Ionuț Lincariu
Ionuț Lincariu is on the 12th grade, studying Nature Sciences at the Radu Negru National College from Făgăraș. He appreciates the Young Researchers Club because here has met wonderful people that he can trust. In the future, Ionuț wants to study computer science. He likes computer games, sports, and Beatbox music, as well as other types of music.
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Luminița Faff
Luminița Faff is, before everything else, the mother of a wonderful daughter. Luminița graduated in Psychology from Transylvania University of Brașov, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, with a thesis focusing on Decision-making styles and procrastination among high school and college students. Luminița has a work experience of over ten years, in fields such as business, customer relations, public administration and civil society. She is fascinated by everything that involves knowledge and understanding related to the psychology and human behavior. She believes in people, kindness, honesty and respect.
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Maria Chirilă
Ana-Maria is Assistant Manager at the Făgăraș Research Institute. Also, she is a student at the Department for Biotechnical Systems Engineering, Faculty for Environmental Protection, University of Oradea. Ana-Maria considers that community engagement is an important part of one’s lifestyle, therefore, she is supporting the activity of the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation and is a member of Carpati.org. Ana-Maria believes that what others do, and their actions, influence us all, therefore it is important that we create and collaborate, as we are sharing life experiences every day. Ana-Maria is passionate about exploring new places and sports, such as endurance biking, swimming, hiking, and gastronomy.
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Maria Cucu
Maria is studying at “Radu Negru” National Highschool in Făgăraș and she has always wanted to be involved in the development of her local community. She is open to challenges, willing to learn more and more, and getting to know new ideas. She is an active person, both personally and socially. Therefore, she participated in organizing many events, as a volunteer, and attended different personal development courses. Although Mathematics has always been the main subject of study for her, she has always been eager to learn more about literature, arts, music, and history.
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Maria Eni
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Marius Matei
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Mihai Ghircoiaș
Mihai Ghircoiaș is a member of the FRI Research Club. Also, Mihai is studying natural sciences at the National College Radu Negru Fagaras and he is a volunteer at the Association Ms. Maria Brâncoveanu. In the previous years, Mihai was a member of the YouthBank Făgăraș team, a program of the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation and volunteer at Zestrea Buciumului. Mihai finalized the Duke of Edinburgh Award silver and bronze levels and took the HSK1 language exam in Chinese.
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Oana Lup, Ph.D.
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Paul Stiniguță
Paul Stiniguță is studying math and informatics at the National College Radu Negru in Făgăraș. Paul’s main interest is discovering as much as possible about the universe and the world, through browsing the internet, reading books and watching documentary films. He also likes cycling and spends his free time playing video games, watching films and on YouTube. Paul is a member of the FRI Research Club since 2019 and hopes to contribute to the activity of the Institute and learn together with the other members of the Club.
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Sergiu Mihailescu
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Ștefan Cibian, Ph.D.
Dr. Ștefan Cibian is a member of the Board and the executive director of the Făgăraș Research Institute. Stefan is an Academy Associate with Chatham House – The Royal Institute of International Affairs, he is also teaching courses related to international development at Babeș-Bolyai University and manages Cibian Consulting S.R.L.
In what concerns teaching and research, Stefan is focused on development and statehood in Sub-Saharan Africa, development policy, development assistance, international organizations, migration, and human rights.
Stefan’s core interest in research is focused on international development, community development, Africa-EU relations, development policy, international relations theory, peacebuilding and fragile states, the link between research, policy, and practice, higher education policy and global affairs, including the EU. In terms of geographic focus, Stefan is primarily concerned with Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, the European Union, and transatlantic relations.
In his consulting and civil society work, Stefan is focusing on civil society development in CEE, contributing to the development of civil society organizations. Stefan is the President of FOND, the Romanian NGDO Platform, the Treasurer of CONCORD – the European NGO Confederation for Humanitarian Aid and Development. He is also a board member for the following organizations: ARCADIA – The Romanian Association for International Cooperation and Development, Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation (FCTF), UiPath Foundation, and the Foundation for Youth Involvement (FIT).
Stefan received his Ph.D. degree in political science and international relations (2012) as well as his M.A. in public policy (2006) from CEU – the Central European University. He also holds a BA in political science (2004, from Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania) and in law (2005, 1st of December 2019 University, Alba Iulia, Romania).
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Central and Eastern Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects for Sustained Re-engagement (Chatham House Research Paper, 2017)
Analyzing the European Development Fund: An English School Account of How Presumed Statehood Undermines (Development in) Sub-Saharan Africa (Ph.D. Thesis, Central European University, 2012)
Ștefania Pică
Ștefania Pică is studying math and informatics at the National College Radu Negru in Făgăraș and is a young researcher at the FRI Research Club. Regarding extracurricular engagement, Ștefania is for over two years a member of the YouthBank Făgăraș team, a program of the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation. In these two years, Ștefania volunteered for many community activities organized in the region, such as Țara Făgărașului Bike-a-thon, 11even, Artfestin, Urlea Eco Trail Run, Danubius Camp, and others, strengthening her organizational and social skills. In 2018 she received the “Journalist for good deeds” Scholarship offered by the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation and published four articles about civic initiatives from the region. Ștefania is interested in people and their stories, in nature conservation, as well as in promoting education on current, interesting and useful topics.
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Ia Călătoare, support for children and hope for traditions (Ia Călătoare, sprijinul copiilor și speranța tradițiilor), in Romanian.
Link: https://fundatiactf.ro/iia-calatoare-sprijinul-copiilor-si-speranta-traditiilor/
A lesson of the present: About mountains and change (O parabolă a prezentului - despre munți și schimbare), in Romanian.
Link: https://fundatiactf.ro/o-parabola-a-prezentului-despre-munti-si-schimbare/
Research, the art to develop a community (Cercetarea, arta de a dezvolta o comunitate), in Romanian.
Link: https://fundatiactf.ro/cercetarea-arta-de-a-dezvolta-o-comunitate/
When disempowerment is no longer an option, what happens? (Când nu mai „merge și așa”, cum merge?), in Romanian.
Link: https://fundatiactf.ro/cand-nu-mai-merge-si-asa-cum-merge/
Valentin Dima
Victor Porancia, M.A.
Victor Porancia holds a degree in Climatology and Water Resources from the Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest. He is passionate about various subjects such as climate change, atmospheric risk phenomena, and remote sensing. He received an Erasmus scholarship to study in Belgium, where he focused on the more technical side of geography as a natural science. A nature lover, Victor is one of the founding members of the Tara Fagarasului Sports Club, an association that organizes sports activities aiming to engage the local community in developing an active and healthy life.
