Neuza Claro Morais

Neuza Claro Morais serves as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Chester, with active appointments in Education (RECAP 2025) and Art & Design programs (2024-25), alongside prior roles in Music Media Communication and Languages. She bridges academia and community practice as a Creative Arts Based Practitioner at Chester's New Art Spaces.

Her academic credentials include:

• EdD (in progress) in Education, University of Chester
• MA in Creative Practices in Education, University of Chester
• MArch in Architecture and Urbanism, University Lusiada, Lisbon
• BA in Architecture and Urbanism, University Lusiada, Lisbon

Morais investigates how participatory and speculative design methodologies foster spatial justice and democratize urban development. Her transnational doctoral research reframes city planning through lived experience and co-creative dialogue, emphasizing design as a tool for listening to marginalized voices. She champions creative pedagogy that integrates uncertainty and interdisciplinary connections to empower students.

Her sole recent publication (2025) evaluates community funding programs through lenses of education policy and participatory rural development, reflecting her applied research ethos.

Key recognitions include:

• Santander Universities Research and Innovation Grant (2024)
• Green Gown Award Nominee (2023)
• Santander Venture Programme Finalist (2022)
• Future Architecture Platform Honorary Mention (2021)
• Susan M. Chance Award for Innovation in Education (2020)
• Storyhouse Student Sponsorship Award (2019)

Morais secures community grants for projects like the Winsford Art Installation (2025) and Rhyl Cultural Project (2024), mentoring through workshops that blend architecture, storytelling, and placemaking. Her collaborative initiatives—including "Crossing Borders" with Dr. Emma Arya-Manesh—prioritize transnational dialogue and civic belonging.

She partners with Chester Heritage Festival, Urban Design UK, and local councils on ritual-based projects like the Mid-Summer Watch Parades, strengthening community identity through public art.