Mihaela Harmanescu

Mihaela Harmanescu serves as Associate Professor at the Department of Urban and Landscape Design within the Faculty of Urbanism at Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism (UAUIM) in Bucharest, Romania. Her career centers on heritage conservation, sustainable urban development, and landscape planning with specialized focus on Danube region dynamics and rural revitalization through interdisciplinary frameworks.

Her academic foundation includes:

• 2004: Bachelor of Architecture, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism
• 2006: Master in Sustainable Development - Integrated Concept of Built Space and Energy Audit, UAUIM
• 2013: PhD in Urbanism, UAUIM
• 2015: Postdoctoral Research, Romanian Academy
• 2016: International Training Course on Disaster Risk Management of Cultural Heritage (Ritsumeikan University & UNESCO)

Her research integrates heritage conservation with sustainable development through innovative methodologies for rural landscape revitalization and Danube cultural identity strengthening. She examines vernacular architecture's role in disaster resilience, renewable energy landscape integration, and educational frameworks for inclusive urban planning. Her work bridges academic theory with practical policy implementation through EU-funded projects and cross-border collaborations.

Analysis of her 2015-2021 publications reveals consistent thematic focus on transforming abandoned urban lands into green infrastructure, developing educational tools for Danubian cities, and applying interdisciplinary approaches to rural heritage. Her scholarship demonstrates strong emphasis on cultural landscape preservation, adaptive neighborhood design, and community-centered revitalization strategies across Eastern Europe.

Her distinguished scientific contributions include:

• Romanian Green Building Council Award 2013 for Education Initiative of the Year (Faculty of Urbanism team)
• 2018 BNAB Nomination for Bucium Rural Repertoire Notebook IV
• 2019 Bucharest Architecture Annual Award for VVITA project's participative architecture approach

As principal investigator for major grants including the National Strategy for Historical Monuments Protection (Ministry of Culture), DANUBIAN_SMCs Erasmus+ project, and VVITA heritage revitalization initiative, she has secured over €2M in research funding. Her grant portfolio spans EU Interreg programs, COST Actions, and UNESCO partnerships focused on cultural heritage networks and sustainable development frameworks across 15 European countries.

She actively shapes academic discourse through leadership in LE:NOTRE Landscape Forum, COST Action CA16114 working groups, and international conference curation including the National Biennial of Architecture. Her collaborative networks connect 30+ institutions across the Danube region for cultural identity preservation and sustainable landscape management.