Name: Andrea Molinari

Age: 34

Country: Argentina

Main development interests: International trade and ICTs for development (ICT4D)

Main reasons for coming to IGF: Opportunity to meet people working on a range of issues from a multidisciplinary perspective; exploring topics for next major research project

3 favourite Web sites: Google, Bubblefish.com (a translation site), dirsi.net (focal point for a network of Latin American researchers in ICT4D, partly funded by IDRC)

The issues in Internet governance are complex, often having political, legal, technical, social, and ethical aspects. Addressing these issues effectively requires a multi-stakeholder, multi-discipline approach, which is precisely what attracted Argentinean economist Andrea Molinari to the subject.

Andrea recently earned her Ph.D. from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom with a dissertation on European Union trade integration, a subject she first explored in depth in her Masters dissertation at Oxford University. Now she is bringing her expertise and knowledge in economics—gained both through her academic work and through jobs with organizations such as the Central Bank of Argentina, the World Bank and the European Commission—to the challenges of using ICTs for social and economic development.

Focus on ICT4D

“This is a subject that hasn’t been very widely researched in developing countries,” she says. “Argentina is in a much earlier stage in the information technology revolution than many developing nations in Asia and in Latin America, but already young people see ICTs as a critical resource. I believe that it’s crucial for my country to exploit the potential of ICTs as important tools for development not just in urban areas, but throughout Argentina.”

Andrea is working in Argentina as an independent consultant for a range of organizations that support research on ICTs for development, including the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (CIPPEC). She is also a lecturer in International Economics and Macroeconomics at two Buenos Aires universities. The depth and range of Andrea’s experience and expertise inspired IDRC to invite her to attend the IGF as a youth participant.

Exploring options and opportunities

The multi-nation, multi-discipline nature of the IGF is especially appealing to Andrea. “It’s an opportunity to meet people working on a range of issues from a multidisciplinary perspective, which is something I felt was missing in economics, which tends to have a narrow, specialized focus.”

The timing of the IGF couldn’t be better for her. “I stopped doing purely economic research about a year and a half ago,” she explains, “and soon I will begin working on a major project for the Argentinean national institution that funds researchers in various fields. I can research whatever topic I wish, and the IGF is the perfect opportunity for me to explore possible subjects and approaches. I’m quite open to working with other people from different countries.”

Andrea is firmly committed to continuing on her research path in Argentina.  “Ideally, I want to combine my interests in ICTs and international trade. Argentina has much work to do in developing policies that support and stimulate the use of the Internet and of ICTs generally, because we have fallen behind other countries in Latin America. I also hope to continue working on a range of projects with various partners and collaborators because I enjoy that challenge and diversity. And I’ll continue teaching because I enjoy it and I know how important it is.”