Roland is a SNF Senior Research at Institute of Geography and Sustainability (IGD). He received his PhD in Plant Ecology, at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) in 2004. His dissertation project examines the coastal savanna dynamics in Tanzania. From 2005-2009. he was working as a postdoc fellow, research assistant and scientific consultant at several research institutes, such as the German Agency for Technical Cooperation GTZ, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand), Omiplan PLC. Since 2009, Roland taught and worked as Assistant Professor on Natural Resources Management Field of Study, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand) before becoming a independent researcher/consultant on Environmental Science. 

In FTViet Project, Roland leads Ecological Research Work Package and plays as a project coordinator in Switzerland.