The Global Adaptation Institute

Claudio Fabian Szlafsztein graduated as Geologist from the University of Buenos Aires in 1991. In 1995, he received a master’s degree in Environmental Science (Regional planning) from the Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan (Ministry of Education and Culture of Japan scholarship). In 2003, he received his PhD from the Department of Geography of the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel in Germany. He joined the Department of Geology of the University Federal of Pará (UFPa), Belém (Brazil) as lecturer (1997 - present). At the University, he worked as a research associate on projects on the interface of climate change, natural disasters and coastal management, principally on vulnerability and adaptation measures issues. He headed the Laboratory of Remote Sensing of the Department of Geology (UFPa), 1998-2001.

To date, Claudio Szlafsztein has produced ten scientific papers, one book chapter and a series of research reports presented in diverse national and international workshops and conferences. He has received several awards from the University of Buenos Aires and the Rotary Club of Buenos Aires as the Best Student 1991, Men of the Year 1998 of the International Biographical Centers (England), as well as the International Prize of the International Association of Environmental Creation (Japan) in 2004. He also is declared Illustrious Citizen of the City of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, in 1997. He is a member of several scientific Association as the International Association of Engineering Geology and Environment (IAEG), the Brazilian Association of Geology of Engineering and environment (ABGE), and the Argentinean Association of Geology of Engineering and environment (ASAGAI). In 1999, Claudio Szlafsztein was selected to join the research Project MADAM (Mangrove Dynamic and Management).

In 2004, Claudio Szlafsztein was appointed joint the research project PIATAM MAR (Potential Environmental Impacts of the oil transport in the Amazon Coastal Zone). This research project, with an academic staff of twenty, is funded by Petrobras Oil Company. Szlafsztein main task is coordinate studies on vulnerability and adaptive response of society to potential oil spill impacts.