Monica Degen

Professor Monica Degen serves as Professor in Urban Studies and College Creative Industries Lead within the Social and Political Sciences Department at Brunel University London's College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. She has held this position since joining Brunel in 2004, following her ESRC-funded PhD at Lancaster University and work on the 'Habitable Cities' project at the Open University.

Her research examines the politics of space in cities through experiential urbanism, with particular focus on sensory, temporal, and emotional dimensions of urban life. Degen employs ethnographic approaches to understand how urban change affects our sense of place and interactions with others, and how these elements shape power relations in urban culture, planning, and governance.

Her work has significantly influenced spatial design strategies for public spaces in London and Barcelona, and has shaped curatorial practices for institutions including the New Museum of London, Cologne City Museum, and London's Charterhouse. Her recent research investigates digital technologies' role in reconfiguring urban relationships, the socio-spatial impact of cultural institutions, masterplanning practices, and innovative sensory research methodologies.

Professor Degen has received numerous awards including the prestigious British Academy Fellowship (2016), Brunel University Community Impact Award (2023), and Global Citizen Award (2020, 2023). Her book 'The New Urban Aesthetic: Digital Experiences of Urban Change' (2022) was shortlisted for the Jane Jacobs Urban Communications Award.

• British Academy Fellowship (2016)
• Brunel University Community Impact Award (2023)
• Global Citizen Award (2020, 2023)
• Jane Jacobs Urban Communications Award shortlist (2022)

She actively supervises PhD students and post-doctoral researchers, with current projects including an AHRC-funded study on the socio-cultural impact of the New Museum of London. Degen also organizes the 'Urban Salon' seminar group and has held visiting professorships at Barcelona University, Gothenburg University, and Lleida University.