Biography

I’m a PhD student at Cambridge University specialising in techno-utopias within the Anthropocene. I investigate whether the emergence of techno-futuristic projects to colonise outer space, erect cryptodemocracies, and build seasteads on the ocean, leave a dent on international law and destabilise its philosophical foundations, or innovate it to be emancipatory. I am keen to know how 'futuristic' scales -- the oceanic, the virtual, the planetary -- stretch the sociolegal limits of the earth, and complicate the subjecthood of the mortal humans within it. Prior to my PhD, I have had the privilege of generating value across a range of policy spheres within Southeast Asia for 6 years. As technical aide to the Finance Minister, I led economic diplomacy missions to Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Vietnam, Singapore, New York, and Washington DC, as staff-level Head of Delegation (HoD). In the same stint, I held the international finance portfolio (IMF-WB, ADB, AIIB) and established strong linkages between the Philippines and multilateral institutions like the IMF-World Bank, ADB, and AIIB. I also authored white papers on development policy, specifically on tax, climate finance, and macroeconomic strategy. More recently, I spearheaded an all-Millennial, multidisciplinary task force to revamp the Philippines' Climate Change governance strategy. My team and I co-produce a climate future that is inclusive, just, and fit for the next generations. This work earned me a nomination to be the youngest Technical Expert on the National Panel of Technical Experts for climate change in the country, a nomination I declined due to conflicts of interest and scheduling.I'm open to collaborations in any of these fields, as well as to mentoring younger Filipinos who wish to access Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Previous Education

University of Cambridge Anthropocene Studies 2021
London School of Economics & Political Science International Political Economy 2019

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-dl-tan-1b8290191