معرفی
Jessica Ferm is an Associate Professor and Director of Education at The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London. She is a practice-focused academic with extensive experience in both planning practice (10 years in public and private sectors) and academia. Her current appointments include Associate Professor in Planning and Urban Economies at UCL since October 2020, having previously served as Lecturer, Senior Teaching Fellow, and Teaching Fellow at the same institution. She is an RTPI accredited town planner with significant involvement in London planning initiatives including Just Space Economy and Planning, the London Planning and Development Forum, and the Greater London Authority's Industrial and Logistics Sounding Board.
Her educational background includes a PhD in Planning Studies from UCL, Master's degrees in Town Planning (University of Westminster) and Contemporary Urban Studies (Goldsmiths College), and a BA from the University of Oxford. She is fluent in Swedish and has international engagement through various collaborations and visiting positions.
Jessica's research focuses on spatial planning, economic development, and social sustainability, with particular emphasis on how diverse and lower-value economic activities can thrive in high-value cities. Her primary research areas include: accommodating industry and diverse low-value economic activities in cities (particularly London); understanding the value of diverse economic activities; and examining the impact of planning deregulation on local economies, communities, and sustainability. Her PhD evaluated affordable workspace policies in London, which remains an area where she provides ongoing advisory services.
Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on urban manufacturing, industrial land policy, planning deregulation, and economic geography in London and other global cities. Her most recent work examines big data limitations in built environment research, industrial land development challenges, and the political dynamics of suburban housing development.
- Active participant in London planning forums including Just Space Economy and Planning
- Member of London Planning and Development Forum
- Member of Greater London Authority's Industrial and Logistics Sounding Board
- International consultant on Sydney Industrial Lands Policy Review
- Visiting Academic at Monash University Melbourne
Jessica serves as Undergraduate Tutor at the School of Planning with responsibility for three BSc programmes. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, coordinating modules in Economics of Cities, Regional Development, and Planning Practice. She has supervised doctoral research on diverse topics including urban development models, Business Improvement Districts, social economy interactions, public participation in Belgrade, 3D printing technology in London, and sustainability standards for master planning. Her professional activities include numerous conference presentations, special session organization, editorial roles, and consultancy work related to urban planning and economic development.
