OUR STAFF

Peter holds an MA in International Affairs and Governance from University of St Gallen, an MA in International Economics and Business from Corvinus University of Budapest, and he is an ACCA member. After gaining experience as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers Hungary, he was working in controlling and finance for small creative companies. Peter joined Milestone in 2017 as Head of Service Centre and took over the CEO role in 2020. Peter loves travelling, reading, and mountain sports.

György studied sociology and cultural history for his BA at the University of East London, Holocaust studies for his MA at Royal Holloway University of London, and he has interrupted his doctoral thesis at University College London to work at Milestone Institute. Before joining Milestone Institute, he had worked as a researcher for historical documentaries and museum exhibits, research projects funded by the UK Arts & Humanities Research Council (A.H.R.C.), and had taught through seminars as well as private tuition at UCL. In his own time György enjoys cycling, Thai boxing and writing short stories.

Daniel studied sociology and political sciences in Budapest, Bonn and Berlin and holds an MA in Economics and International Relations from the University of St Andrews and an MBA from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford (New College). At Oxford he was the Director of the Oxford Seed Fund, a fund that invests in startups affiliated with the university. Daniel is currently a consultant at Egon Zehnder, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm. Prior to founding the Milestone Institute, Daniel worked in international relations, gaining experience with the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence in the UK, the Center for European Integration Studies in Germany and in the Prime Minister’s Office in Hungary as a foreign policy advisor. Daniel is a recipient of the International Parliamentary Scholarship of the German Bundestag (2010) and of the German Marshall Fund’s Marshall Memorial Fellowship (2018). He is an avid traveller, passionate about art and architecture and enjoys swimming, rowing and time spent in the country.

Ádám studied economics and the history of religion in Hungary and England. He was teaching economics for a while. Prior to founding Milestone Institute, he spent four years at a multinational company. He spends his free time with his two daughters, he plays the drums, readds, does crossfit, and is a rabbi-in-training.

Ádám is a physicist at Eötvös Loránd University, where he finished his studies as particle physicist. Currently, he is doing his PhD in molecular physics and also has a wide interest in all fields of sciences. One of his main dream topic is general relativity, in which he hopes someday will be able to do some research. Besides his scientific work he learns business administration and managment at ELTE and has a company in teaching informatical technologies. He is usually asked to present in an international summer school, where he teaches physics to curious secondary school students from all over the world. In his free time he plays in a rock band, practices martial arts and reenactment of ancient gladiator combats.

Ádám completed his BA in English and American Studies at ELTE and during his student years he started working in the IT sector. Later he continued his career in IT as a Project Manager and spent the next 10 years in this role in various companies. He is on his way to complete his degree in Mental Health Studies at Károli Gáspár University. He loves travelling, pizza, spending time with his partner and their senior dog.

Besides working at Milestone Institute, Ádám graduated from Corvinus University studying international business economics. Back in high school, he was working on Erasmus+ projects, and organised several field trips and events. He further developed his project leadership skills by founding the university’s first English-speaking investment club and leading it as its co-president. In his freetime, he volunteers as an English teacher for a nonprofit organization working for the reintegration of people with disabilities to the open job market. He likes swimming and travelling to the oddest corners of the world.

Adrian Matus defended his PhD in History and Civilization at the European University Institute in February 2022. Previously, he earned two MA degrees, one in History of Ideas at Babeș-Bolyai University and the other in Contemporary History at Université Sorbonne Paris IV. His academic interests focus on creative forms of dissent against the state in the 20th century, archival studies and the comparative history of Eastern and Central Europe. Within his modules at Milestone Institute, he favours history from below approaches, particularly oral history and public history. In the past, Adrian worked as a researcher for Jugend- und Kulturprojekt e.V., an NGO from Dresden, Germany, as a librarian assistant at the European University Institute in Florence, and an assistant archivist at the Open Society Archives in Budapest. From 2020, he is also teaching at the Open Learning Initiative Budapest (OLIve), an inclusive learning initiative for people who have experienced displacement, including asylum seekers and those with refugee status. At OLIve, Adrian has taught social sciences and the secret histories of Budapest. His book, titled “The Long 1968 in Hungary and Romania,” was published in 2024 with De Gruyter. In his free time, Adrian enjoys gardening, going to the theatre, and travelling.

Trained as a historian, Ágnes was a post-graduate research scholar at the University of Cambridge when she realised that besides learning, her true passion lies in supporting others on their journey towards knowledge. Having indulged her interest in social and cultural history to the hilt, she turned towards education and young people and has never looked back.

Ágnes has over 20 years of experience in both formal and non-formal education, various educational methodologies, curriculum design, and course delivery. She joined Milestone in 2018 and led its Upper House for 5 years, heading a team responsible for over 200 students and more than 50 mentors, steering her students towards top universities worldwide. Later, as Lead Education Programme Designer in Milestone’s Solutions Lab, she led the development of innovative, internationally scalable education solutions with the mission of increasing equity of access to higher education. She is now a Master Mentor and Module Leader.

In her free time, Agnes can be found in the vicinity of dance floors, bookstores, and anything involving sunshine and/or music.

Ágnes obtained her MSc from the University of Horticulture and Food Industry and her PhD from Szent István University in the field of plant physiology. After PhD she started to work at the Institute of Enzymology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and she works there still. Ágnes holds the position of Senior Research Fellow in the Research Group of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins. Her main research interest is the structure-function relationship of proteins, more precisely the role of regulatory protein-RAN interactions in epigenetic modifications. She teaches at MSc and PhD level at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and at Eötvös Loránd University.

Ágota holds a degree of Engineering and Management, specialized in Corporate Financial Analyzis, from Budapest University of Technology and Economics. She worked over 10 years for several multinational companies, out of that she spent 4 years in Belgium. She gained financial and controlling experience at long-established companies in FMCG and automotive industry. In her free time she likes baking, gardening and enjoys outdoor activities with her family.

AJ’s academic background lies in gender, politics and international relations. During his
undergraduate studies, he embarked on several competitive scholarships and research
opportunities in academia and think tanks. He also worked and volunteered in the civil
sector at various feminist and LGBT organizations, and still plays an active role in some of
them. His experiences led him to the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna and
Budapest, where he obtained his Master of Arts degree with distinction from the
Department of Gender Studies. His research interests include social movements, ethnic and
queer studies, transnational networks, and equality policy. In his spare time he can be found
jamming to new wave music and reading underground comix.

Alexandra has a degree in trade and marketing, and she was working as an office manager for a while. Afterwards she gained substantial experience in the financial field, working with industrial and agricultural companies. Alexandra is working with us part time, she spends the remaining time with her beloved son. Finally and most importantly, Alexandra loves reading and travelling.

Andor holds three MA degrees: two from Eötvös Loránd University in Hebrew Philology and History respectively and one from Central European University in Medieval Studies. He was awarded a PhD degree at the Medieval Studies Department of CEU under the supervision of Professor Carsten Wilke in November 2017. Andor is very interested in languages, in classical and late antique culture, the philosophy of sciences. He spends much of his spare time either cooking and baking in the kitchen, learning languages or doing sports, especially swimming and running.

Andi obtained her bachelor’s degree in English from College of Nyíregyháza. After college, she worked for 4 years in London at the front office of a 4* hotel. She is interested in psychology, especially the psychology of human relations and behavior. In her free time, she spends her excess energy on karate training or baking cookies with her children.

Anikó holds a BA in International Economics and has earned MBAs from Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and a DESS CAAE (French Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration) from Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3. Her personal interests in history, philosophy, strategy and astronomy fuel her critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Anikó’s professional journey began with a business internship in Paris, followed by working in business consulting as business optimisation strategist in the United States. Upon returning to Hungary, she founded Seven Creators, a creative/production agency, where she managed global communication campaigns and export/import operations, where she effortlessly wears multiple hats as consultant and producer of visual communication campaigns. In 2022, driven by a desire to contribute to environmental solutions, Anikó returned to academia for a Master’s degree in International Water Governance and Diplomacy, demonstrating her focus on understanding complex global issues. Her aim is to use her skills and creativity to develop effective solutions and promote environmental awareness. Outside of work, Anikó continues to learn through self-study, practicing mindfulness, being a hobby astronomer, enjoying snowboarding and good company of fellow humans.

Anna studied History at the University of Warwick and Historical Research at Birkbeck College, University of London. Prior to starting her position at Milestone she spent three years working and studying in London. In her MA thesis she focused on the identity building project of Socialist Hungary through the institutions of leisure, including group vacations and children’s camps. She is hoping to pursue a PhD at some point, focusing on a similar topic but in a comparative manner between Hungary and Yugoslavia. In her free time she enjoys travelling, reading and theatre.

Aron is currently working as a quantitative analyst at an asset management firm in Budapest. Since his graduation from university he has held a number of different roles in the field of quantitative finance, working in areas including consulting, model validation and risk management. At university he studied economics – he obtained his Bsc degree at the University of Warwick and his MA degree at the Central European University. In his free time, Aron enjoys hiking and spending time in nature.

Attila is a researcher currently finalizing his dissertation in the field of political science. He earned his Master’s degree in Political Science at Corvinus University of Budapest. His main interests are voting behavior, parties, and migration. He is mainly focusing on Hungary and Central Europe.

Attila has been an English teacher for more than 20 years. He likes reading science fiction and rides a motorbike in his free time. He likes learning languages as well, he speaks Italian and French. Hís hobbies are 3D printing and robotics.

Balázs Hetényi is a theoretical physicist with interests in quantum mechanics and condensed matter physics. He holds a Ph. D. degree from Columbia University (chemical physics) and has authored about 40 original research papers. He has worked at a number of universities and research institutions in a number of different countries, and has taught pretty much all fundamental physics courses. He started out in chemistry (was a post-doc at Princeton University chemistry department) but his curiosity drove him progressively towards theoretical physics. Outside of work he spends time with his family. He is very happy to spend afternoons immersed in physics, mathematics, or philosophy books in the company of a caffe latte.

Bálint Magyar is pursuing his PhD studies at the Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics at Péter Pázmány Catholic University. His primary research focus lies in computer vision for medical imaging with a strong emphasis on the utilization of artificial intelligence. In addition to his academic career, Bálint works as a computer vision engineer at a start-up company, where he focuses on medical software solutions. He has diverse professional experiences, including roles as a visiting scholar in Germany, Austria, and Portugal, where he contributed to various research and development projects as well as startup initiatives. Bálint is passionate about science communication, where he has achieved recognition as a finalist in several competitions and frequently gives talks at scientific events. During his leisure time, he enjoys activities such as hiking, travelling, and the exploration of new cultures and ideas. He is also a co-founder and leader of “Benned a Létra Egyesület,” an organization dedicated to helping children in state care.

Beata studied Molecular Biology at University of Debrecen and holds PhD from Medical Science. During her PhD study she was visiting scientist at Cardiff University and at Taichung University of Science and Technology (Taiwan). Beata received a postdoctoral fellowship to Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel) and after her postdoc years she stayed in academic research in high ranked laboratories for several years. Beata’s main scientific interest is biochemistry, cell biology, metabolism, immunology, system biology and neuroscience. Beside academic research, Beata has several years experiences in biotech industry and in innovating startup world. In their free time, Beata loves sport, especially triathlon, cycling and open water swimming.

Bence studied Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. His dissertation focused on medical imaging using AI (nnU-Nets), with a particular interest in the metabolic state of the heart. He is passionate about programming and applying AI to solve real-world problems. Bence takes a special interest in mentoring and enjoys seeing his mentees succeed. He is also enthusiastic about sports. While at Oxford, he achieved a Blue in water polo and was part of the premier league championship team. He even had the opportunity to represent the University at the European University Games.

After finishing her bachelor degree in Communication and Media Studies at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Bori moved to Amsterdam to study Communications Science at the University of Amsterdam. She is keen on theatre from a very young age, therefore she was working on theatre communication and marketing during her university studies. She used to work at educational institutes before joining Milestone where her main responsibilities were career and CV guidance and event organising. In her free time she likes to cook, go to the movies, and spend time with her dog named Uborka.

Csilla completed her high school studies at Corvin Mátyás Secondary School, and between 2021 and 2024, she was a scholarship student at Milestone Institute. Alongside her studies, she volunteers at UCCU Roma Informal Educational Foundation, where she conducts interactive city tours on Roma identity, culture, and history. She considers combating prejudices against the Roma community highly important, which motivated her to join the foundation in 2020. Her interests revolve around sociolinguistics and literature, along with psychology and Eastern cultures. Her interest in Japanese culture inspired her to learn the language, which became an integral part of her life. In her free time, she loves writing and taking photographs in nature, as well as visiting museums and hiking.

After spending a year as a Kellner Scholar at Bard College in New York City, Dalma completed a Master of Arts degree at Eötvös Loránd University in American Literature and Culture. Prior to joining Milestone Institute in 2020, Dalma worked in higher education talent management at Saint Ignatius College for Advanced Studies, and as a business developer at one of the top Hungarian start-up companies, Publishdrive. Her university studies and work have focused on literature, popular culture, and diversity, but parallel to them Dalma has been sure to make room for playing the violin, acting and directing in English, and singing in numerous choirs. All of these experiences make her devoted to encouraging students to fearlessly explore and express their academic interests with the assistance of creative, and gamified pedagogical strategies. At Milestone she is committed to bringing her professional experience, her dedication for creative pursuits, and enthusiasm for progressive education into the roles of Head of Lower House and Chair of Applied Aesthetics.

Dani is a hopeless idealist, very much interested in human rights and international (criminal) law issues. He studied at the Lauder Javne Jewish Community School in Budapest, then he continued his studies (thanks, among others, to Milestone Institute, of which he is a proud alumnus) in the Netherlands, France and the United States, obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees in International and European law.
He has worked in the Dutch fintech industry for “Adyen” on anti-money laundering issues, and has also provided legal advice to unrepresented individuals in the Bronx Civil Court in New York City. He is very concerned about local issues with a social aspect, so back in his high school years, he launched a civil society organization with some of his best friends, organizing various charity projects throughout the country. Currently he is interning for Transparency International.

Dániel attended Fazekas Mihály Secondary School in Budapest and then studied Biology at the University of York. During his studies, he participated in several research projects mainly in ecology and completed his dissertation project on developmental biology. After graduating, he started medical school at Semmelweis University, where he is currently in his fourth year. He is also currently involved in a neuroscience research project at Eötvös Loránd University. In his spare time, he enjoys playing music and birding.

Dávid studied at the special mathematics class of Fazekas Secondary School. During these years, amongst others, he finished 3rd at the National Mathematics OKTV and was the reserve member of the Hungarian International Physics Olympiad team. He obtained his mathematics undergraduate degrees at Cambridge and at ELTE with distinction. He held courses at ELTE and BME for undergraduates and worked as a programmer for HP and for Morgan Stanley. Currently he is doing his PhD at CEU and at Rényi Institute in pure mathematics.

Dénes is a researcher and thinker interested in how socio-technical systems interact with each other. He holds an assistant professorship at Lancaster University in the UK, where has a research portfolio in energy systems and a Visiting Professorship at the Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania, centered around data visualization and business intelligence. His data analyses and visualizations balance on the fine line between work and hobby and he has led educational workshops on sustainability and renewable energy across developing regions in Asia and Africa. He also leads the datactivism blogs Kontext and székelydata, exploring complex topics through data analysis and visualization.

Hungarian by origin, Dénes was born and raised in Transylvania, Romania and obtained a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (2011). Later on, he moved to Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi (now Khalifa University) to pursue an MSc in Engineering Systems & Management (2013) and continued for a PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering (2016), both in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. He believes that it is not only the quality of the research that matters but also the quality of the presentation – placing therefore great emphasis on data visualization and story-telling with data, while trying to inspire the next generation of systems thinkers.

Detre studied Literature and Linguistics complemented by Buddhism studies at ELTE Faculty of Humanities. During his university years, he started working in tourism, which later became a full-time job, allowing him to gain valuable experience in the industry. He is deeply fascinated by linguistics and philosophy, constantly exploring their many intriguing aspects. In his free time, Detre enjoys writing, reading, and taking walks with his dog, Lenke.

András graduated from Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), where he studied engineering and mathematics. He holds a PhD in Engineering and spent his postdoc years at Cornell University.
He is currently a research associate at the MTA-BME Morphodynamics Research Group and the head of the BME Department of Morphology and Geometric Modeling.
His research focuses on the mathematical modelling of natural phenomena and innovations in engineering. In recent years, some striking forms in nature, such as boulders, ooids, and asteroids have drawn him to participate in modelling their shape evolution.

Dr. Samu Czabán is a Hungarian legal scholar with a strong interdisciplinary background in law and psychology. He earned his law degree from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), graduating summa cum laude, and further pursued a PhD in Law, focusing on the intersection of law and psychology. His academic journey includes international experiences in Sweden, Turkey, and Vietnam, enhancing his global perspective. In addition to his legal expertise, Samu holds a BA in Psychology and has been actively involved in teaching and mentoring at several institutions, including ELTE, CEU and the University of Miskolc. He is passionate about the psychological aspects of law, frequently publishing and presenting on topics such as procedural justice and courtroom psychology. He also has a broad interest in social sciences, particularly in understanding how societal structures influence individual behavior and legal systems. His in-depth analyses on topics like critical psychology, ageism, the taboo of death, and the transition to adulthood can be found in the Új Egyenlőség magazine, where he regularly contributes.

Zsófia graduated from the Faculty of Law of the Eötvös Loránd University and had her PhD from the University of Hannover in copyright law. After PhD she worked at the EU Law Department of Hungarian Ministry of Justice, then she was Deputy head of the Department for Industrial Property at Richter Gedeon Plc. Then she joined as a lawyer Hegymegi-Barakonyi és Társa Baker & McKenzie Attorney at Law in Budapest, where she had been head of the Intellectual Property Practice group for 13 years, before she has started working at Celanese as Associate General Counsel doing intellectual property and commercial law. She has been teaching intellectual property law at the Eötvös Loránd University’s Faculty of Law as well as at the Faculty of Humanities Intellectual Property Law, at the University of Pécs and at Werk Akadémia.

Edina studied English at the University of Szeged, where she also received a licentiate diploma in translation and interpreting. She worked as an English teacher in many different settings. She spent two school years on the east coast of the United States, one as a college student and one as a high-school teacher. After 12 years of teaching she moved on to become the educational consultant and professional coordinator of the Magic Valley media literacy education center. In her free time she enjoys reading, watching movies and travelling.

Edit has two decades of field experience working in conflict prevention, crisis management and international development with the United Nations, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe throughout the Balkans and Ukraine. She has recently returned to live in Hungary and continues to be involved in development projects in south-eastern Europe and the Middle East as well as in training and capacity building with the EU. Edit holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Political Science. She is a passionate linguist and cook and enjoys traveling, biking and dancing.

Emese holds a PhD in History from the Central European University and one in Linguistics from the Babeș-Bolyai University. After doing research on issues of minority linguistic rights and bilingual language use in Romania, she turned to issues of European social history and wrote her dissertation on the institutions of control in early modern Europe. As a post-doc researcher, she has been dealing with the diffusion of technology through religious conflicts and the consequent mass migrations across distant territories of pre-industrial Europe. She has been appointed as a research fellow at Warwick University, at Ca’ Foscari in Venice, as well as at the European University Institute in Florence. Emese is passionate about swimming, hiking and making ceramic objects.

Emma studied sociology at ELTE as her BA, and she holds an LLM degree in public international law from Utrecht University and and MA degree in human rights from CEU. She commenced her PhD research at Ghent University focusing on equality and anti-discrimination. She has worked with various Hungarian and international NGOs, such as Amnesty Hungary and Netherlands, and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency. She has 6 years of experience in mentoring students applying to Dutch universities. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her dog in the Buda mountains.

Emőke received an MA degree in Law from the University of Szeged. Then she studied English Literature and Culture in Szeged, where her main research area was contemporary Anglo-American political fiction. She specialised in Translation and Interpretation and gained experience as a legal translator. She pursued an interest in education while working at the American Corner in Szeged, where she organised educational programmes and events for high school and university students. In her free time, she likes travelling, reading and doing Pilates. She is also interested in gardening and architecture and enjoys visiting famous gardens and historical estates around the globe.

After obtaining his M.A degree in International Relations at Central European University (CEU), Erdost stayed at CEU to complete his PhD in Political Science. His academic expertise lies in critical and feminist approaches to war and conflict, the politics of the human body, and political violence. In addition to his formal teaching experience at the Asian University for Women, he took part in CEU’s Open Learning Initiative (OLIve) project, which provides education for forcefully displaced people in Budapest, as a lecturer and tutor. He organized and participated in numerous conferences and lectures that sought alternative spaces and methods for knowledge production, and aimed to make education and institutions more accessible, horizontal, and decolonized. In his free time, he enjoys reading science fiction, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and reading theory.

After completing her master’s degrees in English Language and Literature and Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Erzsébet gained experience in teaching in various educational settings. She has experience in both formal and non-formal educational environments. After some years in teaching, she spent one year in Ireland as a full-time volunteer in a social housing project supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. She also spent two years in Berlin working as a cultural organiser. She recently completed her training in complex art-therapy. In her free time she enjoys everything that is connected to song and dance.

After her studies as production and quality manager at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Eszter spent her career in the automotive industry, fulfilling project and operative manager roles, currently she is leading a department of research development at a German multinational company. She has multicultural experience as she has worked for Italian, Japanese, and German companies. In the past 20 years, she has explored all operative fields of engineering and business administration, starting from project management, controlling, supply chain to production and commerce. Currently she is working in the R&D software development field. She is managing the innovation process for driver assistant systems – ultrasonic and near range camera based assisted parking function development. She is a certified SCRUM master and business coach, and she is also a TED Circles ambassador.

During her undergraduate years at the Eötvös Loránd University, Eszter chiefly focused on South Asian languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, and Urdu, and took interest in South and Southeast Asian art history. She then earned her Master’s in Cultural Heritage Studies with a specialization in Religious Studies from Central European University. Before returning to Hungary, she spent two years pursuing a PhD in South Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and studied Thai at SOAS, University of London. Her research on the modern use and representation of early Buddhist art, particularly in Thai cultural memory practices, earned her the Best Religious Studies MA Thesis Award in 2019/2020, which she later published as an article in Political Theology. In her free time, Eszter enjoys exploring various genres of music, visiting cafés with her friends, doing yoga, cooking and tasting Italian and Asian food, and traveling around the world.

Eszter Szép loves sharing knowledge, is fond of learning new things, and enjoys inventing creative projects. When she is not teaching or mentoring at Milestone Institute, she teaches comics, visual culture studies, or other subjects at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) or works on the programs of the International Comics Festival Budapest. She has been invited to talk at Columbia University, Harvard Extension School, American University of Beirut, Ghent University, and UC Louvain. She received the Fulbright Award to Eugene, Oregon (USA) in 2023. Her monograph, Comics and the Body: Drawing, Reading, and Vulnerability, was published by Ohio State University Press in 2020. She has edited two publications of her students comics. As a mentor, her aim is to help students find their passion. In her free time, she does all things culture or runs. Further info at eszterszep.com.

Éva studied at Eötvös Loránd University and has degrees in Italian Language and Literature and in Media and Communication. After graduating, she moved to London and worked as an assistant at small-sized businesses. She was also volunteering at the Islington Law Centre in the Reception and Referral Team.
After returning to Budapest, she gained professional experience in sales operations at various IT companies. In her free time, she enjoys going to the movies, reading, and playing cards.

Flóra holds a BA in Political Science from Corvinus University of Budapest and an MA in Public Administration from Central European University. During her university years, she was a member of Rajk College for Advanced Studies. Before joining Milestone Institute, she gained experience both in the private and public sector as a consultant. In her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family, ride a bike, and discover new places in Budapest.

Gergő graduated as a biologist at Eötvös Loránd University and then awarded a Ph.D. degree in taxonomy and systematics at the same institution in 2012. He worked as a researcher at the Centre for Ecological Research (Vácrátót) for nearly seven years. During this time, he was a visiting academic at INRAE (France), Université de Neuchâtel (Switzerland), and London Natural History Museum (UK) for shorter periods. Since 2017, he has been teaching zoology and ecology-related subjects at the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences (formerly Szent István University, Gödöllő). Alongside teaching, he also supports the research of students and the operation of the Zoology College for Advanced Studies. Gergő loves running, hiking, climbing mountains, gardening, and after that, reading to relax.

Gergely holds a PhD in philosophy of science from Durham University (UK). He worked as a tutor and/or lecturer at Budapest University of Technology, Eötvös Loránd University, Durham University and various colleges for advanced learning. In the last four years, he also worked as a business trainer and coach mainly focused on the development of argumentation and presentation skills of mid-level managers and their immediate staff. As a philosopher, Gergely’s real passion lies in the intersection between epistemology and cognitive science. At present, he is interested in evolutionary accounts of culture, learning and cognitive abilities, in theories of causation and causal thinking and the possible functions of non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Gergely studied Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE), currently working toward his master’s degree in Finance also at LSE with a focus on derivatives. He has internship experience in corporate banking. He is working as a freelancer financial advisor, and web developer. In his spare time, Gergely enjoys traveling, hiking and playing Bridge.

Gitta Markó is the chair of the Thought, Language & Behaviour pathway at Milestone Institute and she also works as a school psychologist. She completed her undergraduate degrees at Bard College (New York, USA) in psychology and violin performance, and got her master’s degrees from the University of Edinburgh and Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest in developmental psychology. She has conducted research on performance anxiety, self-compassion, as well as human sexuality.

Gréta has a BA degree in English Philology, and an MA degree with honours in Translation and Interpretation from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. When she is not at Milestone Institute, she works as a freelance translator. In her BA thesis, she concentrated on the underrepresentation of certain groups in second language learning motivational research, and she is now pursuing a PhD in the foreign language learning motivation of rural learners in Hungary. Before coming to Milestone, she had also volunteered at the Erasmus Student Network for several years as a mentor and event coordinator. In her free time, if she is not found with her nose in a book, she likes crocheting and cross-stitching.

György finished his studies (BSc, MSc, and Ph.D.) at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, in chemistry. He was involved in applied industrial research for 40 years in polymers and composites at various research institutes (Research Institute for Plastics, Bay Zoltán Institute) and industrial companies (Furukawa Electric Institute of Technology, Medicontur Medical Engineering Ltd.). In the 1980s, he spent two years at the Department of Polymer Engineering and Science at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. For ten years, his main job was consulting as a private entrepreneur. He has retired and presently works part-time. As a consultant, he holds the position of Chief Technology Officer at Innovate 3D Global (Australia). His primary interest is the development of tailor-made materials. He is an active participant in the ResearchGate community. In addition, he actively cooperates with the polymer-related departments (Faculties of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering) of Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

Hanna graduated from ELTE in 2023 with a degree in Film and Theatre Studies. During her university years, she developed an interest in the issue of minority representation in theatre and film, focusing on both production processes and portrayal. Throughout her studies, she had the opportunity to delve into translating theoretical texts and writing theatre reviews. She worked in communications for an independent theatre advocating for social equality, and later took up a position as a trained baker before beginning her studies in Special Needs Education in 2024. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of collaborative creative projects and different aspects of social responsibility.

He was born in a small Middle Eastern country called Lebanon and have always enjoyed hiking and camping in its beautiful mountains as well as swimming and fishing in its diverse part of the Mediterranean Sea. The Lebanese cuisine is one of his favorites with its huge variety of offerings that are tantalizingly delicious.
He studied in the Lebanese University obtaining his BSc in Life and Earth Sciences, then continued MSc in Biodiversity. He also holds a Teaching Diploma from the same university. In 2009, he joined the Lebanon Evangelical School for Boys and Girls, a very well reputed school in Lebanon where he taught full time for 8 years before moving to Hungary. His responsibilities ranged from teaching Biology to high school students to taking care of the laboratory as the Lab supervisor. Along with his wife and daughter, he moved to Budapest in 2017 and joined Avicenna International College where he teaches Biology mainly for the Medical Foundation Program students preparing them for medical university entrance exams.
He has always seen education as the best investment in life and enjoys teaching others seeing them also grow in knowledge and wisdom to become well-rounded individuals. His philosophy in teaching is to go down to every student’s level to be able to help pull them to higher levels.
During his free times, he enjoys listening and playing music, swimming, and sometimes cooking.

Since childhood, Helga has had a passion for science, especially mathematics and biology. This inspired her to study molecular bionics engineering at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, after which she obtained an MSc in Info-bionics Engineering. She wrote her MSc thesis based on her research in Oxford, building the prototype of a needle-free insulin pump. Afterwards, she continued her studies at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, where she studied the basics of entrepreneurship, which she now uses in practice in a company she co-founded.

István Reguly did his studies in Electronic and Computer Engineering at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and was awarded his PhD in 2014 for his research into domain specific abstractions for high performance computing. After a postdoc at the University of Oxford, István returned to PPCU where his research focuses on enabling the productive use of high performance computing and artificial intelligence tools, especially for science and engineering use cases. He is also a founder of the biotech company Cytocast, where they develop cutting-edge computational tools for cellular modeling to revolutionize drug development and personalized medicine.

Originally from Detroit, Jane moved to Budapest shortly after finishing her degree in Organizational Communication at Calvin University. She has been living in Budapest for the past three years. With a greatly varied work history, from NGO work to recruiting to technical writing, she has a love for learning and exploring the world.

As Chief Product Officer, János oversees the development of international products, educational consultancy services and edtech solutions. Educated as a computational biologist in Budapest and London, he moved into education in 2015 after spending some time in biomedical research and industry. At Milestone, he started out with teaching and curriculum development in the natural sciences division, gradually rising to leadership roles in program management. He subsequently led the Teaching and Learning Department for four years, being responsible for Milestone’s interdisciplinary module system composed of 100+ courses delivered by academics and industry experts. In his role at Teaching and Learning, he pioneered Milestone’s Access Program, a year-long academic accelerator for diverse students with Milestone potential. In his current role, he aspires to develop the Milestone knowhow of navigating students towards globally competitive success pathways into a platform enabling digitally-powered upscaling, in order to enhance the global impact of the Milestone project.

János graduated as a system developer, economist and then he developed his skills in a coaching school to help his staff as a leader to manage change and develop teams. His MBA degree was awarded to CEU Business School in 2016. He has gained wide-ranging professional knowledge in the energy sector, is an active participant in the transformations in the industry, but he have been following the trends of other industries. Teaching and transferring knowledge is an important part of his professional work. He taught financial planning at the Budapest College of Economics and holds practical seminars as guest lecturer in other Hungarian higher education institutions. Publications on business planning, working capital management and risk management have been published. He regularly writes case studies, lecturer at national and international conferences. He is a committed supporter of system and design thinking. He is a fan of analogue photography, fashion and perfumes.

Kata attended an English school in Kuwait for three years, then became a teacher of English at CETT (Centre for English Teacher Training) and received her MA degree at DELL (Department for English Language and Literature), ELTE. She also took part in the Training for Interpreters and Translators at BME and went on to become a mentor for trainee teachers of English after completing the Mentor and Trainer Training Course at ELTE. She taught at a secondary school for more than 15 years where she and some of her colleagues accredited a programme for teachers based on positive psychology.

Katarina is currently doing her PhD in International and Security Studies at the Corvinus University of Budapest, where she also obtained her MA Degree in International Relations. Her BA Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy she obtained at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). The primary focus of her research is Russia, Visegrad countries, Energy Security and Sustainable Development. In her free time, Katarina enjoys reading, hiking, swimming, playing the piano and visiting Opera.

Katinka graduated from Corvinus University’s master program in Management and Leadership, enriched by an amazing exchange semester in Norway as part of the CEMS program. Beyond her studies, she immersed herself further in education, participating as a teaching assistant and playing a role in organizing courses as a member of her College for Advanced Studies’s Academic Committee. Outside academia, she found joy in hiking, collecting stamps from the National Blue Trail, and indulging her passion for baking. Recently, her focus shifted towards addressing social problems, particularly in improving education for better social mobility. Katinka’s drive, curiosity, and compassion continue to fuel her quest for meaningful impact in the world.

Lara has more than twenty years of experience translating and copy editing for major museums, research institutes, journals, and publishing houses in Hungary and elsewhere in Europe. She has also taught ESL and for the past few years has prepped private students for the IELTS and other language exams, coached public speaking, and assisted in creative and academic writing. Over the years she has helped students navigate the application process to universities in the UK and the USA. She has a BA in English literature from Bates College and an MS in applied ecology from the University of Indiana.

László has a BA in Political Science from Corvinus University of Budapest, a MA in Minority Policy from Eötvös Loránd University, and another MA in Public Policy from CEU. Shortly after finishing his studies, he moved to New York, where he started a career in international education. László worked for AFS-USA and Stevens Institute of Technology, helping high school and university students pursue their dreams of studying abroad. He later moved back to Hungary and joined Tom Lantos Institute as a Program Officer for their Roma Rights and Citizenship program. During his time at the Institute, László took part in a research project, which aimed to map out the representations of Roma in the public spaces of Hungary. He also co-authored a book on the same topic. László is an avid consumer of coffee, likes to play squash and listens to political podcasts.

László is a PhD student in Philosophy at Central European University. He holds two master’s degrees: one in Aesthetics from ELTE and the other in Philosophy from CEU. Through international programs, he also studied philosophy at the University of Primorska, Slovenia, as well as visual culture and literature at Lund University, Sweden.

His philosophical work focuses on the ontological nature of social categories and classifications, but his broader academic interests range from philosophy of art and philosophy of mind through literary theory to Early Modern and Enlightenment thought.
In his free time, László immerses himself in contemporary Hungarian literature (at times publishing reviews), travels, and goes to the movies.

László is a musicologist, psychologist and musician. He works at the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest, and at the University of Szeged and, on two occasions, has been a Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge and at Downing College (Cambridge). His research in traditional musicology focuses on Bartók (analysis and performance), in music psychology on emotional communication in music performance, and in music pedagogy on developing effective and creative working and instrumental practice methods. Over the past few years, he has been involved in a countrywide planning of music education curricula across Hungary, including the National Core Curriculum and conservatoire curricula. As a pianist and chamber musician, he has performed in several European countries and the US, and conducts attentional skills training workshops (based on his Practice Methodology) and chamber music coaching sessions at international masterclasses both in Hungary and abroad, including in Britain at King’s College London, and in Italy, at the Santa Cecilia Conservatoire, Rome.

László earned his BA at Kenyon College in the USA, majoring in International Studies and minoring in Mandarin Chinese and Religious Studies. He has also studied at the Yunnan Nationalities University in Kunming, China, and conducted research in Gansu Province on East–West connections along the Silk Roads. He is currently completing his MA in Sinology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest where he researches decorative art collecting and aesthetics during late imperial China. In New York City, he previously worked as a registrar at Lark Mason Associates, an auction house that specializes in Chinese art and antiques.

László is an MSc graduate in Russian, Central and East European Studies of the University of Glasgow, and also holds a BA degree in History with Geography minor from Eötvös Loránd University. Currently he is also working on his doctoral dissertation in History at Pázmány Péter Catholic University. László’s main academic interest lies in the study of national identity in the early modern period. In his free time he likes to go running and hiking.

Lili graduated from Corvinus University of Budapest, majoring in International Business. Her academic focus was nonprofit management and strategy, and she wrote her dissertation on alternative forms of financing for Hungarian non-profit organisations. During her university years, she was an active member and organiser of the volunteer organisation Amigos for the Children. She also studied with scholarships at the Wirtschaftsuniversitat in Vienna and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Currently she works as associate manager at Milestone Solutions Lab.

Marco holds a BA in Translation and Interpreting, an MA in Contemporary Comparative History from CEU, and a PhD in Historical Studies. He is an OHA, IOHA and ASEEES member. After his PhD, he worked as an archivist and researcher for OSA and for the Cold War History Research Center of Corvinus University. He has been mentoring for IUfU. Marco joined Milestone in 2023 as a mentor. Marco loves reading, swimming and boxing.

Pia, originally from Italy and France , is a Chemical Engineer who graduated from Politecnico di Torino and earned a Master’s degree in Petrochemicals from McGill University, Canada. She began her professional journey as a process engineer at L’Oréal, where she distinguished herself in project management and process optimization. After completing her MBA at HEC Paris, Pia held prominent positions including Associate at Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman) and Development Director for Parfums Givenchy and Parfums Christian Dior (LVMH Group). Her life and career took a new direction when she relocated with her husband and her two sons to Asia, Singapore and South Korea. There, she trained as a business coach and taught mathematics and biology at international schools. Later, she continued her journey through Southern and Eastern Europe. Throughout these experiences, Pia discovered that her true passion lies in helping young people identify their talents and enhance their strengths, beyond just imparting knowledge. Outside of her professional life, Pia enjoys skiing, running, and playing golf, and she has a strong passion for cooking.

Masha (Mitya) holds a PhD degree in Comparative Gender Studies from Central European University; they have studied philology at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine, and completed short research stays at the University of Helsinki, Finland, and Södertörn University, Sweden, as part of their PhD studies. Masha’s research interests focus on literary masculinities and literary bodies, from Russian avant-garde literature and philosophy of the 1930s to contemporary Ukrainian fanfiction. Beyond that, Masha is interested in a broad array of topics, ranging from mediaeval heresies and the fairy belief in folklore to puppetry and contemporary viral prose. In their free time, Masha enjoys drawing and painting, watching silly things, and long forest walks.

Márton graduated from the University of Cambridge with a degree in Human, Social, and Political Sciences (HSPS). Within HSPS, he specialised in archaeology, and used drones to create detailed surveys and maps. He once owned a specialty café, but now works as a consultant in the Solutions Lab team. He spends most of his free time trail running.

Márton is research chair in law at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and senior legal adviser in the Administrative Division of Curia, the highest judicial authority of Hungary. He is the convenor of a Hungarian Academy of Sciences “Lendület” research group. He also works for a small regulatory consultancy company which advises corporate clients. Márton is also affiliated with the Center for Ethics and Law in Biomedicine at Central European University. He received his undergraduate degree in Law from the University of Debrecen and his PhD – also in Law – from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. His academic and professional work focuses on European Union public and economic law, the regulation of public services and network industries, tax law, and biomedical technology regulation.

Mátyás graduated from Toldy Ferenc High School and continued his studies at the Budapest University of Economics as a Sales and Marketing Manager. Already during his college years, he tried his hand at several positions: first in the real estate market and then in the field of international trade. After many years of searching, he finally fell in love with web design and website development, which he learned largely in a self-taught manner. By now, he has over 100+ successful projects ranging from the smallest landing pages to robust webshops. Currently, among other things, he proudly maintains and develops the websites of Milestone Institute. In his spare time, he plays jazz piano and creates visual mapping installations.

Melinda is a scholar, researcher and educator, her interests span various areas, and she is always ready to learn new things, but professionally she is engaged in literary and political theory. Her research encompasses topics such as the role and representation of memory, postcolonialism and Central Europe, science diplomacy and the Arctic. She earned her MA degrees in English and German literature, linguistics and culture and her PhD in literature at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, and her MA in International Relations at CEU. She is a trained conference interpreter (EMCI) and translator, with English, German and Hungarian as working languages. Thanks to various scholarships, she has visited universities in Germany, the UK and the US; and regularly gives talks at international conferences. Having more than a decade long higher education teaching experience and several years of mentoring experience, she enthusiastically assists students in exploring their academic interests. In her free time, she enjoys short and long hikes.

Melinda is a lecturer in drama and theatre studies, and a freelance theatre director and dramaturge. She is a graduate of Eötvös Loránd University (BA English and Film Studies, 2013; MA English Literature) and the National University of Ireland, Galway (2021, PhD in Drama and Theatre Studies). Since 2017, Melinda has lectured on BA and MA levels on the subjects of history of drama and theatre, directing and dramaturgy. Her field of research is the relationship of physical theatre and dramatic text, investigated from the perspective of theories of space and place and space dramaturgy. Beside her academic work, Melinda is also actively engaged in making theatre as a director and dramaturge, delivering projects mostly in Ireland and Hungary.

Miklós received his first degree in English Language and Literature from ELTE, following which he studied Modern Middle East, Hebrew, and Arabic at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Since 2001 he has been an English language assessor for ORIGO examinations, and later for ECL and Hungarian GCSE. From 2008, he has been working in the British education system as a teacher and academic manager. Since 2019 he has been an Academic Tutor at Oxford University’s Pre-sessional course, for International Business School, and for the Faculty of Economics at ELTE. He is currently completing his Master level qualifications for Cambridge DELTA. His hobbies include swimming, cycling, and long-distance running.

Miklós holds a PhD in Human Geography from Durham University, UK. His thesis explored urban segregation governance in the city of Miskolc, particularly through the lenses of penal and social policy. His broader academic interests include, but are not limited to, smart cities, gentrification, infrastructures, nationalism, and international development, as well as Marxist, post-structuralist, and postcolonial social scientific traditions. He previously worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of Geography at Durham University, where he taught numerous undergraduate modules including Social Research, Geographies of Crisis, Planet Under Pressure, and Urban Geography, and he was also involved in the running of student field trips. In his free time, Miklós is an avid home cook and enjoys playing blues and rockabilly on the piano, hiking in the forest, swimming, and angling.

Miklós Vörös was born in Mohács, but lived most of his life in Budapest. After graduating from the Karl Marx University of Economic Sciences (now Corvinus University) in sociology and financial studies, he spent four years in the United States and earned a cultural anthropology MA at the University of Chicago. Since the beginning of the 1990s he has been teaching at various universities in Budapest, Brno, Chicago, Cluj, and Lund – mostly in the fields of cultural anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, and cultural heritage studies. Besides his ongoing educational and research activities, he was on the editorial board of two major Hungarian social science journals: Replika and Café Bábel, as well as translated and edited numerous books, book chapters, and journal articles. Over the past fifteen years he has also worked as a cultural heritage development consultant, acting either as policy advisor or project monitoring expert. In his spare time Miklós enjoys travelling, watching films, and running in the Buda Hills.

Azouz is a Teaching Assistant at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). He moved to Hungary in 2017 to pursue his Master’s in Computer Engineering at BME, later starting his PhD at the same university in 2019, which he successfully defended in 2024. Azouz teaches software development courses at BME and enjoys working on interdisciplinary research projects, applying his expertise in IT and machine learning to enhance processes in various industries. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, football, and board games with friends.

Saleem is an assistant professor at the department of Automation and Applied Informatics at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Teaching computer science courses, mainly in programming and software development, to BSc and MSc students. His research interests are in the fields of pattern recognition and machine learning. He arrived in this beautiful country in 2017, where he finished his Ph.D. studies and enjoyed his time. He enjoy doing sports in my spare time, especially football and vollyball.

Najeed is pursuing an MSc in Mathematics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Mathematics at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi. After his bachelor’s, he worked as a student development instructor in mathematics at The Citizens Foundation Pakistan, where he worked on the cognitive mathematical skills of under-resourced high school students. He is mainly interested in geometry and topology.

Hi! I’m Noemie, Ph.D. in economics. I am currently a post-doctoral researcher at BME, QSMS Research Group. My field of concentration is game theory, more specifically, network formation games and political economy.

Nóra graduated from the Faculty of Science at the University of Szeged (Hungary) in 2007 with a degree in Chemistry and Chemistry Teaching. After gaining a year of experience in an industrial laboratory, she began her PhD studies at the Doctoral School of Chemistry at Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary), where she obtained her PhD in 2014. Her doctoral research focused on investigating interfacial chemistry phenomena through computer simulation methods.
In 2015-2016, she contributed to the development of fire-retardant fabrics in Professor Mao’s group at the University of Leeds School of Design in the UK. Following this, she transitioned to roles in research support and management, including a position with the innovation team at Semmelweis University.
Nóra has a keen interest in science communication, as well as in raising public awareness of science, technology, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. She enjoys reading and hiking with her family.

Olga comes from a Hungarian-Russian family and she spent her university years living in Japan. She obtained degrees in International Relations at the University of Tokyo (BA) and Waseda University (MA), as well as Corvinus University (MA). Since her graduation in 2009, she has been working in international cooperation and development, as well as in the art sector, including projects in Europe, Asia, Africa and the US. Olga is a certified coach and currently studies Art Therapy.

Orsolya studied at Eötvös Loránd University and graduated as a high school teacher of biology and English. She has contributed to digital educational content creation in the subject of Biology at the Hungarian Educational Authority. Alongside teaching, she has also volunteered with Konnekt Egyesület, guiding students at workshops focusing on an area that is especially near and dear to her heart: career orientation workshops. Starting September 2023, Orsolya is pursuing further studies in Microbiology at ELTE. Beyond academics, her various interests mirror her love for novelty and learning; however, she finds the most joy in spending time with her friends and family.

Pál was born into a mathematician family. After he got his MA degree at Eötvös Loránd University he made his PhD studies at the University of Cambridge. As a postdoctoral researcher, he worked in Cambridge first and then in Hungary. He was teaching in Mathematics pathway classes in high schools. At the moment he lectures at the Department of Algebra of Technical University, Budapest. He researches mainly group theory, but also interested in algebra and number theory.

Patricia holds a Master’s degree in Ballet, and was a member of the Corp the Ballet in the State Opera House for three years. After this, in 2004 she earned a degree in art management at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. She worked as a TV presenter and editor for six years for Music Television Hungary and TV2. In the meantime, as she was getting more and more involved in the art scene, she got the opportunity to work for Ludwig Museum, a major contemporary art institute, as Head of Communication. She spent seven years here. Lately, she started studying at the Gate of Dharma Buddhist College. She is interested in gastronomy, contemporary art, ballet and modern dance, and philosophy.

Holds a PhD from Geography/Social Sciences Faculty, Open University, UK, dissertation on the political economy and ethical norms of journalism; MA in Journalism from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”; and MSC in Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University, Budapest.
Experienced trainer and course leader of over 50 workshops and training courses for journalists across Central, Eastern, South-Eastern Europe, the former USSR, Turkey and Central Asia, implementing a hands-on training methodology jointly developed with fellow-trainers from The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC etc.
Former first editor-in-chief of Current Affairs Programmes, presenter of the weekly show Sofia’s Tales, news reporter with portfolios – President Dr. Zhelyu Zhelev, Foreign Ministry, Parliament – on Nova TV (1994 – 1997).
Former Editor-in-Chief of Green Horizon, the quarterly magazine of the intergovernmental Regional Environment Center for Central and Eastern Europe in Szentendre, Hungary (2001 – 2008). Project manager of international projects to strengthen the freedom of journalism and civil society in Central and Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, Turkey, NIS..
Author of applied and academic studies on trends in journalism in the public interest and digitalization, with a focus on professional and ethical norms of journalism, industry interference in editorial processes, relations between journalism and civil society, etc. Associate member of the Open Space Research Center in Milton Keynes, UK.
Advisor for civil society to the Minister of Environment and Water in Bulgaria (July 2023 – April 2024; March – June 2014).
Father of 3. Based in Budapest, Hungary; and in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Péter grew up in a small town in northern Hungary on the Slovakian border, called Salgótarján, in a small family. He was lucky, that instead of the generally obligatory Russian, He could study English from an early age in an experimental class. Péter went to the local vocational high school for economics and trade, then went to the local institution of the College of Finance and Accountancy (now called Budapest Business School). In the early 2000s, He came to Budapest and found a sales job at a small Hungarian leasing firm at the height of the credit boom. In 2006 He got a job at IBM Global Financing, and has worked there for 13 years. He served in various positions, always focusing on financial and business analysis and not going to management. In 2019, their division was sold to Lenovo and he was also transferred as a senior analyst.

Peti embarked on his higher education journey at Hungarian Dance University, then, he pursued his studies in Spanish and English at ELTE, delving into the world of languages and literature. During his high school years, he embarked on a life-changing adventure as an exchange student in Argentina, immersing himself in a new culture and language.

Petya finished his studies in Cambridge in Natural Sciences in 2023 with a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry. Currently, he works at Gedeon Richter Plc. in biotechnology. In terms of teaching experience, Petya has tutored almost a dozen Hungarian students to help them perform better at their Matura Exams in biology or chemistry. He also participated in the Internation Biology Olympiad in 2018 and 2019, and won a silver and a gold medal, respectively. Since then, he has been teaching prospective Hungarian IBO students alongside other former participants in a freely available course available to anyone interested. https://ibo.dedyn.io/ In his free time, Petya loves to cook, play with his dog, play the cello, and play both board games and computer games (mostly the strategic kinds).

Robi is a Cambridge and UCL graduate with a background in social and political sciences. After graduating with an MSc in Public Policy, he pursued a career in the public sector in London. Upon returning to Hungary, he joined the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency where he currently works as a consultant. His interests include moral philosophy, health policy, and political psychology.

Robert Taylor taught English in Heidelberg and Vienna as well as teaching in Hungary. He taught at (Seattle) The University of Washington’s IELP program, which is where he also obtained his MA-Tesol degree and I-tefl certification. He made English lesson plan workbooks, taught Language test courses (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) at the University for International students, and edited papers for students applying to Western Universities. He taught students as young learners all the way to adults (business), taught beginner to advanced students. Furthermore, he taught both in and outside the USA, as well as online. One of his main objectives are to make English both fun and engaging. He loves teaching English and helping others with their language goals and interests. He also teaches online literature books and novels, which he enjoys reading as well.

Rudolf Paksa was born in 1981 in Ajka, Hungary. He studied History, Philosophy and Library science, as well as some Archaeology and Linguistics at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest. He graduated as a historian and history teacher in 2006, and in 2012 he received his PhD in Modern Hungarian History from ELTE. Between 2009 and 2022 he worked as a historian at the Institute of History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and has taught as an associate lecturer at ELTE, Eszterházy Károly University of Eger, the University of Debrecen and the CEU Socrates Project in Budapest. He is an expert on Hungarian far-right movements, the interwar period, historiography and public memory, as well as the history of Hungarian cuisine. He enjoys hiking and discussing various topics with his friends either in emails or in the form of “zoom pubbing.” He is an avid debater. He loves movies and TV shows about historical and social issues.

Sára has studied psychology and international relations in Budapest and Copenhagen. She completed a master’s degree in Conflict Studies and Human Rights at Utrecht University, where she briefly worked as a researcher too. From her student years, she has been active in different civil society organisations, gaining experience in the fields of minority rights and youth policy. She has been working for Milestone as an external mentor since June 2021, until she joined full-time in May 2023 as the Head of Access Year. She is also supervising the Bridge Scholarship which provides full tuition waivers to talented students arriving from a Roma, or socially disadvantaged background.

Tamás works as a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics at Pázmány Péter Catholic University. His PhD topic was on camera-based collision avoidance of unmanned aircraft. In addition to PPKE, he has also worked as a visiting researcher at the University of Notre Dame. His current research is a continuation of this, combining the fields of drones, machine vision and artificial intelligence. He is also interested in talent management and the development of electronic educational tools. He is the father of four children. In his spare time, he sings in choirs, plays guitar, takes photos and tinkers.

Tamás is currently studying medicine at Semmelweis University. Before starting his studies he had the opportunity to participate in the 34th International Biology Olympiad in Al Ain. Within the field of biology, he has a special interest in neuroscience and is currently participating in research to understand fear memory. He also spends most of his time at the Frigyes Korányi College, one of the places closest to his heart in the world.

Tímea graduated from ELTE Faculty of Law and she is now a certified tax advisor. She works as a tax lawyer at Baker McKenzie. As part of her work, she represents international clients in various tax controversy matters both in front of the tax authority and in front of court. Timea enjoys reading and practicing yoga and she is a devoted fan of her avid international speedcuber sons.

Timi obtained a BA in English and Japanese Language from Babeș-Bolyai University, and an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience from Budapest University of Technology and Economics. With a keen interest in cognitive psychology, she has actively contributed as a research assistant in various projects focusing on children’s development. In her free time she finds joy in exploring an array of hobbies, from sports and app design to culinary experimentation and language learning.

Sára holds a BA degree in Sociology from Corvinus University of Budapest. During her university years she was a member of the College for Advanced Studies in Social Theory. Before joining Solutions Lab’s team, she was active in civic society. She has worked as a fieldworker supporting refugee women, gained some experience in informal education and tried her hand as a researcher. She is a member of a feminist choir, likes to do yoga and to go hiking with friends.

Tünde holds two MA degrees from ELTE (English Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and a CELTA from Cambridge Assessment English. In her 15+ years in the field of education, she has gained varied and extensive experience in teaching, teacher training and academic development, as well as academic and business management, across various roles in Hungary and the UK. Before joining Milestone Institute, Tünde was leading the Examinations Services Department at British Council Hungary. Prior to that, she spent six years in the UK, where she taught on pre-Master’s and university foundation programmes at the University of Birmingham and in Oxford, held the post of Academic Manager at Eurocentres Cambridge, and also worked as a freelance expert for the Council of Europe on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and for Macmillan Education UK on CEFR-related projects.

Tünde has Master’s degree in Aesthetics and in English Language and Literature. She completed an ‘Art and Finance in the Global Market’ course at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London in 2013. She has been working as a tutor and curator for 10 years. She has extensive experience in teaching academic skills in the UK, mostly at the Centre for Global Programmes, University of York. She managed a contemporary art gallery and curated numerous shows in the fields of digital art, contemporary photography and video art in the previous years. Her main interests are contemporary art, community building and hiking.

Valéria is a goal-oriented professional with extensive experience in logistics, process development and customer management. She graduated from the Foreign Trade Faculty of Budapest University of Economics. She started her career at Arthur Andersen & Co, one of the biggest auditing firms. Her work history includes significant roles such as MD of Oximio Hungary Kft. and Oximio D.O.O. Beograd, Supply Chain Manager at Kifli.hu, and various leadership positions at DHL Exel Supply Chain, showcasing a successful track record in general management, project management, and process optimization. She worked for nearly two years in Prague as a logistics consultant supporting Panalpina. Among the notable achievements is the creation of a team at Oximio, – providing end-to-end logistics services for clinical trials – which managed to obtain a drug import and manufacturing license. Previously, she was logistics manager at Rondo Corrugated Cardboard Manufacturing Ltd., worked at Dreher Breweries as a procurement category manager and excelled in risk management at Unilever. Her career reflects a commitment to excellence and the ability to increase organizational efficiency and performance. Her motivation is the team work. Valéria’s two sons are grown up. In her spare time, she hikes and studies and practices two branches of kinesiology.

Vera holds a BSc degree in Neuroscience from the University of St Andrews and an MSc degree in Psychology from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Her master’s specialization was brain and cognition with a special focus on cognition in the digital age. Her interest in the education sector led her to dedicate her master’s thesis to investigating the impact of ChatGPT on written assignments. Additionally to her academic studies, she has worked in various research laboratories in the UK, the Netherlands and Hungary. In her free time, she likes playing board games and exploring new creative pursuits from pottery to writing and illustrating children’s books.

Veronika has a degree in International Relations from Central European University and Sociology from Corvinus University of Budapest. She developed interest in the educational sector as a member of Széchenyi István College for Advanced Studies, and this interest drove her to join Solutions Lab’s educational consultancy team. When she is not at Milestone Institute, she is part of the organizing team of Bánkitó Festival. In her freetime, she enjoys painting, dancing tango, or discovering new underground pubs in Budapest.

Vera completed her masters in English and Japanese Language and Literature at Károli Gáspár University. Afterwards, she lived in Scotland and Japan before starting her career as a language teacher in Hungary. Later, when her children were born, her focus shifted to understanding the needs of newborns and new parents. She dreamed of creating a place where these would be supported with great care and quality. In 2008, her dream came true when she co-founded Hordozóház in Budapest and worked there until she joined Milestone. In her free time, she founded a unique collection of ethnographic baby carriers (included in the official Register of Cultural Values of Public Interest). Since 2021, counseling bereavement groups as a grief educator has been a special part of her life.

Will Collins is a lecturer in American Studies at Eötvös Loránd University. His essays, reviews, and reporting have been published in a variety of British and American outlets, including National Review, Newsweek, The Spectator, The Washington Examiner, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and The American Conservative. His stories have appeared in The Continental Literary Magazine. As a devotee of short fiction, Will enoys writing in his spare time.

Zalán works in the Capital Markets Team of CBRE, covering all M&A and brokerage deals in the Hungarian commercial real estate market. Prior to his current role, he worked in the wider field of structured finance and investment banking in London, Frankfurt and Budapest. Zalán has completed his MSc studies in finance at the London School of Economics (LSE), and holds a BA degree in Applied Economics from Eötvös Loránd University (Eltecon).

Zoltán was born in Szolnok, where he started his studies. He worked for many years in the field of turism and hospitality, trying himself in many different situations and working with various people. In his spare time he enjoys reading and hiking. He considers himself a curious person who is always open to learning new things.

After completing her BA in English Studies at the University of Pécs, Zsófi took a gap year to teach swimming and Physical Education to children of all ages in Bangkok, Thailand. She then obtained her MA degree and taught English as an extra-curricular activity in local kindergartens. Zsófi spent a semester in Haifa, Israel, where she attended pedagogical courses at Oranim Academic College of Education and participated in a case study of teaching English to Hebrew-speaking elementary school children. She was the Head of EDUC Office at the International Centre of the University of Pécs. She volunteers at Bátor Tábor and is passionate about helping others and doing the right thing. She swims about three or four times a week. She enjoys travelling and getting to know new people while trying international dishes she has never tried before.

Zsófi obtained her first degree from Corvinus University of Budapest in International Relations and later continued her studies at Central European University, which culminated in an MPhil in Philosophy. She has explored many different areas in her career from non-profit civic education through university administration to the tech startup world. Previously, she was a Leadership Fellow at Common Sense Society Hungary, and an MA Program Coordinator at CEU’s Department of Medieval Studies. She is interested in philosophy and intellectual history, as well as psychology, (contemporary) English-language literature, and LGBTQ+ histories. Nowadays, her favorite pastime activity is bouldering, but you may also find her on walks listening to an eclectic mix of podcasts, or immersed in a book with her tabby cat by her side.

Zsóka is a theoretical evolutionary biologist, doing research on the evolution of cooperation in humans and other animals. She received both her MSc and PhD degrees at the Eötvös Loránd University. During her PhD studies she has spent 3 months at the Newcastle University, and 6 months at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research.
During the years of her studies she worked as a social and cognitive trainer for children with ADHD. She has also worked for a couple of months as a nurse at a child and adolescent psychiatry department. Before and during all the above, she has spent plenty of time learning, playing, singing and arranging classical music.

Zsolt is teacher of English and Political science, as well as a PhD candidate in Security studies focusing on the analysis of American foreign and security policies and the intellectual historical ramifications of decision-making. He studied American, European and Political studies at the University of Szeged, and also spent some great months at universities in France, Finland and the United States, broadening his scope of interests in digital education practices, media literacy and global communication studies. For the last two decades, he has been keenly involved, particularly in two major kinds of activities: teaching and traveling, Zsolt has got extensive teaching experiences in various secondary and higher educational institutions from Hungary through Finland to the United States. Furthermore, he has quite deeply familiarised himself with the culture, history and scenery of more than 43 countries so far, from USA, Iceland to Palestine. Besides the versatile academic interests and activities (teaching, studying and conducting research) in his free time he loves hiking, travelling with his kids and watching great movies.

Zsolt studied Pedagogy in Witten (Germany), and Architecture, Linguistics, History and Philosophy in Budapest. He holds an MA in History and Philosophy. After pursuing research in Budapest, Vienna, Oxford and Leiden, he obtained a PhD in Philosophy jointly from Leiden University and Central European University in 2010. In his final year in the Netherlands, he worked as a research assistant at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies in Wassenaar. Upon his return to Budapest, he was first engaged in developing projects with Kreater Social Innovation Lab. Currently, apart from his work at the Milestone Institute, he is tutoring English and mathematics and continues his research in philosophy. Zsolt enjoys cycling and swimming, and he has a fair interest in politics, theatre and cinema.

Zsuzsi graduated from the University of Groningen with a Master’s degree in Journalism. She instantly fell in love with the Dutch lifestyle, so she spent three years interning and working in the Netherlands, then she moved back home. During her university years, she kept herself busy by designing creative projects, running a culture column and publishing on various online and offline platforms. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, painting, writing poetry, or searching for further opportunities abroad. She has spent a memorable summer working in the US and was invited to the European Parliament in Brussels for a training course.