Jua Cilliers

Roles & Affiliations:

• Head of the School of Built Environment at University of Technology Sydney (since 2021)
• Professor of Urban Planning and Associate Dean (Research) at UTS
• President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners (since 2024)
• Director of the UTS Green Infrastructure Lab (since 2024)

Education:

• PhD in Urban and Regional Planning (North-West University, South Africa)
• M.Com (Economics), M.Art et Scien (Urban Planning), B.Art et Scien (Professional Urban Planning)

Research Focus:

Jua’s work centers on sustainable cities, green infrastructure, climate action, and child-focused urban design. She emphasizes equitable spatial planning, resilience-building, and participatory governance. Notable projects include the ‘Child-Focused Cities’ framework and the Sustainable Temporary Adaptive Reuse (STAR) Toolkit.

Awards:

• 2024 NAWIC NSW Executive Leadership Award
• National Teaching Excellence Award (South Africa)
• Finalist: National Science & Technology Awards (SA)

Grants & Projects:

• Lead researcher on 9 funded projects including ‘Growing Up in Dense Cities’ (WUN) and ‘STAR Toolkit’ (City of Sydney)
• Conducted cross-continental studies on urban density, climate resilience, and child-friendly spaces

Additional Contributions:

• Advocacy for women in construction via NAWIC-funded Leadership Academy initiative
• Hosted global conferences and radio programs on urban sustainability