Junior Mbangala is an affiliated student at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. He is a DPhil Candidate in Sustainable Urban Development at Kellogg College, University of Oxford. His research examines the economic and institutional dimensions of the energy transition, with a particular focus on how community-based initiatives can enhance equity, efficiency and social well-being.

His Bachelor’s thesis explored how digital technologies solutions can support older adults’ independence and quality of life in Spain and Uruguay, while raising questions about digital exclusion, technology literacy and the limits of replacing human contact. Building on this work, Junior is interested in the intersection of population ageing, access to energy and digital infrastructure and in the role of public policy in ensuring that technological innovation supports older adults’ autonomy and social participation.

He is from Belgium and holds a Master’s in Public Policy & Human Development from Maastricht University and an MSc in Environmental Change & Management from the University of Oxford.