Aidan While

Professor Aidan While is a leading academic at the University of Sheffield, serving as Co-Director of the Urban Institute and Professor of Urban Planning within the School of Geography and Planning. He also holds a Dapeng Visiting Scholar position at the University of Jinan, China (Shenzhen campus).

• Co-Director, Urban Institute
• Professor of Urban Planning
• Dapeng Visiting Scholar, University of Jinan

His research spans three core areas: (1) Environmental/Climate Policy, focusing on socio-political dynamics of climate interventions; (2) Urban Robotics and Automation, analyzing the societal impacts of autonomous systems in cities; and (3) Politics of Planning, examining regulatory frameworks in urban development. His publications emphasize robotics, AI governance, and climate urbanism, with fieldwork in China, USA, Africa, and Japan.

Recent scholarly output includes critical analyses of urban automation (e.g., drones, autonomous vehicles), environmental justice, and low-carbon urban restructuring. He has received the University of Sheffield Senate Award for interdisciplinary environmental teaching (2007) and supervised 20 PhD students.

• Supervised 20 PhD students
• Editorial roles: Associate Editor (Journal of Planning Theory and Practice), Editorial Board (Town Planning Review)
• Active in UK and international research collaborations