Following a first degree in geography, Fabio Vladimir Sánchez-Calderón achieved an MSc in economics (Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 2004–08) and is currently a PhD candidate in history (Universidad de los Andes, 2010 onwards). He was a visiting scholar at the Center for Culture, History and Environment on the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (January–July 2013). He has developed professional skills in the areas of spatial analysis techniques, geographic information systems, social and community cartography, aerial photo-interpretation (for urban and geomorphological purposes), and cartographic interpretation and map-making, while his main research interests include environmental history, urban disasters, Latin America cities, and urban nature.