Author

Who among us has never gazed at a map with a dreamy look? In my case, this bond with spaces transposed onto paper blossomed early and was strengthened by the great atlases published in the 1980s. An attraction that shaped my academic career, steering me towards the discipline that, more than any other, has a visceral connection not only with maps but also with what they represent, simplify, and idealize.

It is therefore not surprising that I obtained a degree in geography from the University of Lausanne in 2002. In 2004, I earned a master of advanced studies in Sustainable Urban Development, Resource Management, and Governance from the Graduate Institute of Public Administration (IDHEAP) and the Institute of Geography of the University of Lausanne (IGUL).

During my studies, I accumulated numerous professional experiences that allowed me to develop technical, social, and scientific skills in various fields. At the end of my academic period, I focused on specific areas, particularly planning, managing, and coordinating projects related to culture, territory, and information technologies.

In 2005, I was hired as a scientific collaborator at the Department of Education, Culture, and Sport (DECS) of the Republic and Canton of Ticino. Since then, I have developed projects, written texts that have been published in articles and publications, and organized numerous events. Since 2020, I have been the Head of the Office for Analysis and Digital Cultural Heritage. Under this service are the Cultural Observatory of the Canton of Ticino and the System for the Enhancement of Cultural Heritage. I also value continuing education: in 2017, I obtained a diploma in Management and Leadership in ABD Services (Archives, Libraries, Documentation) from the University of Bern; since 2021, I have also been attending courses for a master’s in Public Administration.

As a volunteer, I have been active since the 1990s in the field of regional museums, having also served as president of the Association of Ethnographic Museums of Ticino for a four-year term. Finally, I am currently a member of the Board of the Alpine Biology Center and the Switch Foundation, the Steering Committee of Memoriav, and the Swiss Cultural Capital jury.

In the meantime, the maps I looked at as a child have become much more complex and layered; they are no longer gathered in paper volumes but are presented in highly efficient digital versions, with so many details and variations that they seemingly make the use of imagination and interpretation obsolete. The gaze may have become less dreamy, but the excitement remains the same when approaching each project as a new territory to explore and map.

Roland Hochstrasser