Fatma Mhmood

Fatma Mhmood is a PhD researcher at the Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, focusing on women’s spatial experiences in the UAE. She holds a Master in Design Studies (Urbanism, Landscape, and Ecology) from Harvard University, a Master in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the American University of Sharjah.

• Education
• Harvard University: Master in Design Studies (Urbanism, Landscape, and Ecology)
• Columbia University: Master in Architecture and Urban Design
• American University of Sharjah: Bachelor of Architecture

Her research employs a postcolonial ecofeminist lens to analyze how native Emirati women interact with urban parks and desert landscapes in the UAE, challenging hierarchical dualisms in narratives of cultural and environmental transformation. She uses participatory film as a method to explore perception, landscape management effects, and diversity among women’s responses to desert urbanization.

As a former architect and urban designer practicing in New York City and Dubai, Fatma bridges professional experience with theoretical inquiry. Her work is funded by the UAE Scholarships Office.