Benedikte Esperi is a Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg , specializing in Pedagogy: Music, Dance and Drama. She operates through her own company Benedikte Esperi AB and collaborates with groups like Humanography/DanceRemainings , focusing on experimental and site-specific art forms. Education: Not explicitly mentioned Research Interests: Her work explores the intersection of pedagogy and performance art, with emphasis on contemporary dance , site-specific installations , and interdisciplinary collaborations . She frequently integrates environmental contexts and cultural exchange into her creations. Scientific Awards : No awards listed in provided information Advising & Grants : Not explicitly detailed, but extensive festival participations and international collaborations indicate active research and artistic practice Labs/Teams : Finnekumla Dans & Konstscen Benedikte Esperi AB Humanography/DanceRemainings Network Keðja (Vitlycke Centre collaborations)
Lisbeth Funck is a Professor at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO), where she maintains an active research and teaching profile centered on architectural theory and practice. Her work critically examines the interplay between built environments, infrastructure, and socio-ecological systems, with particular emphasis on rural landscapes and climate change adaptation. Funck's research traverses architecture, infrastructure, and sustainability through the lens of lived abstraction and craft. She investigates how architectural interventions produce spatial presence and meaning, often focusing on marginal territories and river systems as sites of transformation. Her methodology blends theoretical inquiry with practical design investigations, emphasizing materiality and sensory experience in the production of architectural space. Analysis of her 2022-2024 publications reveals a pronounced trajectory toward climate-responsive design in rural contexts, exemplified by projects like the river Sambre investigations. This work destabilizes conventional spatial understandings through collaborative, site-specific interventions that merge speculative futures with immediate environmental challenges, demonstrating architecture's capacity as a medium for socio-ecological adaptation. Scientific Awards No awards or fellowships were documented in the provided information. Advising and Grants While the text lists extensive publications, it does not specify doctoral advisees or grant funding. Funck's collaborative research with Matthew Anderson and others suggests active participation in academic teams, though formal supervisory roles remain unmentioned. Labs and Teams Funck co-founded Studio B3 at AHO, which conducted the influential 'Architecture as Infrastructure' research project (2008-2010). This studio produced international exhibitions including the Venice Biennale and Beijing presentations, exploring architecture's role as fundamental infrastructure through design experiments and theoretical discourse.
Mukesh Ray is a Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) within the School of Built Environment, part of the Faculty of Design, Architecture & Building. He specializes in urban analytics, GIS, and remote sensing for sustainable urban development, focusing on rural-urban interactions and large-scale land use transformation. He holds a PhD from UTS, a Master's in Urban and Rural Planning from IIT Roorkee and TU Darmstadt (DAAD Scholar), and a Bachelor's in Architecture from Visveswaraya National Institute of Technology. Educations: PhD in Urban Planning, UTS (2018–2023) MURP, IIT Roorkee & TU Darmstadt (2011–2013) Bachelor of Architecture, VNIT Nagpur (2006–2011) Research Interests: Urban analytics, GIS applications, environmental assessment, sustainable urban development strategies, and machine learning in spatial planning. His work addresses rapid urbanization challenges and integrates computational methods with policy analysis. Awards: 2020 DAB AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE. Grants: Lead researcher in projects like 'Scaling Up Urban Nature: Lessons from Australia' (2024–2025) and 'Granville Smart Precinct Pilot Project' (2020). Teaching: Teaches Spatial Analysis, Urban Design Fundamentals, and Urban Analytics across on-campus and online programs. Supervises Master's projects focusing on spatial analysis and urban planning. Affiliations: Member of the Centre for Advanced Modelling and Geospatial Information Systems (CAMGIS) at UTS.
Dr. Yi'En Cheng is Lecturer at NUS College of the National University of Singapore with a courtesy joint appointment in the Department of Geography. He concurrently serves as an Associate of Asia Research Institute's (ARI) Asian Migration Cluster. Previously, he was Research Fellow at ARI (2019-2022) and Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale-NUS College (2017-2019). Cheng completed his Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford as recipient of the Oxford Clarendon and St Peter's Diggle Scholarships. He earned his Master of Social Sciences (2012) and Bachelor of Social Sciences with major in Geography and minor in Gender Studies (2010), both from NUS. He serves on editorial boards of Global Networks and Children's Geographies . His research focuses on three intersecting strands: international student and youth mobilities, youth citizenship and politics, and education and globalization. Cheng examines how global changes affect young people's education, citizenship, and mobility experiences, particularly how education provides resources for young people to navigate social hierarchies and mobility regimes. His work has expanded to include rural and peri-urban contexts in China-Southeast Asia connections, especially regarding student mobility flows between southern China and northern Vietnam. Cheng's publications span internationally peer-reviewed journals, books, and blogs, with notable works including the edited volume 19 Letters to Coronavirus and research on visual methods in overseas field-based learning. His work often employs innovative methodologies including photovoice and mobile research approaches. Member, Editorial Board, Global Networks Member, Editorial Board, Children's Geographies Recipient, Oxford Clarendon Scholarship Recipient, St Peter's Diggle Scholarship Cheng teaches Global Experience (GEx) Mekong Delta and Impact Experience (IEx) in Vietnam under the Global Pathways programme, as well as contributing to classroom teaching in 'Understanding the Social World: Singapore and Beyond.' His teaching philosophy emphasizes challenging students' assumptions about the world and building upon their existing knowledge. He currently leads two major research projects: 'Belt and Road Initiative and Student Mobilities in China-Southeast Asia' (MOE Tier 2 grant) and 'Visual Methods in Overseas Field-Based Learning.' His research lab focuses on international student migrations and educational mobilities, with geographic expansion beyond global cities to rural, peri-urban, and fringe cities. Through field engagements in GEx/IEx programs, Cheng has developed research on Chinese transnationalisms along the Belt and Road, Chinese/Southeast Asian student mobilities, and education-migration brokerage.
Dr. Doğa Dinemis AMAN is an Assistant Professor at Ozyegin University, specializing in Urban Landscape Planning and Disaster Management. She holds a PhD from Istanbul Technical University's (ITU) Graduate School of Science (2019), with a focus on Children's Playgrounds and Urban Resilience. Her academic journey includes a Master's (2013) and Bachelor's (2011) in Landscape Architecture from ITU, followed by a visiting research period at Wageningen University (2016). She previously served as a Research Assistant at ITU's Faculty of Architecture (2011–2019). Her research emphasizes disaster risk reduction, urban landscape design, and sustainable urban development. Key areas include earthquake-resilient infrastructure, playground safety, and the integration of green spaces into disaster relief strategies. She has contributed to multi-criteria decision models for post-disaster assembly areas and explored the role of urban parks in sustainable water management. Dr. AMAN has received the Graduation Project Diploma Prize for her undergraduate work and has won awards in architectural project competitions. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical urban design solutions, focusing on improving public spaces' functionality and safety in disaster-prone environments. Educations: Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, ITU Faculty of Architecture, 2011 Master of Science in Landscape Architecture, ITU Graduate School, 2013 PhD in Urban Landscape Planning, ITU Graduate School, 2019 Her articles highlight a focus on disaster resilience, sustainable urban design, and the interplay between infrastructure and natural systems. Notable works include studies on coastal resilience in Istanbul and earthquake assembly area planning. Awards include recognition for her graduation project and contributions to architectural education through disaster-aware design projects. Grants & Projects: Unspecified in provided texts. Labs/Teams: No specific lab affiliations mentioned.
Douglas Webster is a Professor at Arizona State University's School of Politics and Global Studies and an Affiliate Global Futures Scholar with the Center for Asian Research. His academic career spans over thirty-five years with significant contributions to urban planning and development, particularly in East Asia but also extending to Latin America, Africa, and North America. Webster received his Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley. His educational background has provided the foundation for his extensive work on urban development issues across multiple continents. Professor Webster's research focuses on comparative city building processes, examining how cities develop differently across jurisdictions and cultures. His specific interests include urban form and dynamics, urban competitiveness and resilience, and peri-urbanization (the expansion of urban development onto city fringes worldwide). Geographically, his work centers on East Asia, with current projects examining China's One Belt One Road Strategy impact on the Greater Mekong Subregion, peri-urbanization in China and Thailand, urban resiliency in the Greater Mekong Subregion, and the future of Dhaka Megapolitan Region in Bangladesh. He is currently co-authoring a book on Chinese urban futures based on two decades of fieldwork. Webster's publication record demonstrates consistent scholarly output with a clear thematic focus on urban development in Asia. His recent work shows increasing attention to China's urbanization patterns, peri-urban dynamics, and climate adaptation in Southeast Asian cities. The publications reveal a methodological diversity including comparative analysis, census data interpretation, and case studies of specific metropolitan regions. Throughout his career, Webster has maintained significant professional service, including editorial board memberships for journals like the Journal of Urban Management and Space/Ruang, and committee service at ASU including the Graduate Admissions Committee and Tenure Promotion Committee. His professional network extends to international organizations including the World Bank, where he has served as a consultant on urban development issues. Professor Webster has previously held academic positions at Stanford University (as a Senior Consulting Professor), University of British Columbia, Asian Institute of Technology, Utrecht University, and the University of Calgary. He served as Senior Urban Advisor to the Thai Government from 1993 to 1998 and was an early-career staff member at the World Bank based in Malaysia. His extensive consulting work with international organizations and private corporations has informed his academic research and vice versa.
Karen Landman is a full-time faculty member and MLA coordinator at the University of Guelph's School of Environmental Design and Rural Development. Her work focuses on the intersection of landscape architecture, urban agriculture, rural planning, and climate change resilience. Education: BLA (1989), MSc in Rural Planning & Development (University of Guelph), PhD in Geography (Queen's University) Her research explores sustainable urban-rural linkages, community-based food systems, and climate change impacts on ecological and human well-being. She has pioneered frameworks for seismic resilience in public spaces and participatory food hub evaluations. Key trends in her publications include urban agriculture integration, cross-jurisdictional policy comparisons (Canada-France), mixed-methods agricultural economics, and emotional responses to ecological loss. She emphasizes participatory design and transformative food system pathways.
Dubois Alain is an Associate Professor at the HES-SO (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland), affiliated with the School of Landscape, Engineering and Architecture and the Department of Landscape Architecture . His primary competencies include Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and BIM (Building Information Modeling) systems. 2021 : Co-author of Étude pour la planification de la plantation d’arbres sur la commune de Plan-les-Ouates , focusing on urban greening and biodiversity. 2020 : Contributed to Recherche-Action sur les lisières et les paysages urbains (Interreg France-Suisse), exploring urban-rural interfaces and ecological corridors. 2020 : Co-authored Cartographie d’indicateurs de prestations écosystémiques finales , analyzing ecosystem services and biodiversity in Geneva. His research spans GIS applications , urban ecological planning , and 3D/4D modeling for territorial development. Projects include drone-based vegetation monitoring for carbon sequestration, solar cadastre updates, and integrated aquatic vegetation management. Dubois has collaborated extensively on interdisciplinary initiatives addressing urban expansion, ecological connectivity, and sustainable land-use policies.
Ashley Carruthers is a Lecturer in Anthropology at the School of Archaeology & Anthropology, Australian National University (ANU). Her research focuses on migration, mobilities, networks, infrastructures, and Vietnamese society, with particular attention to bicycles, urbanization, and transnational identities. She has supervised research students and contributed to projects like 'Intercommunal and Translocal Space in Fairfield: Tracking Indochinese Australian Lives' (2005–2008). Her work explores themes such as cyclist mobility in Vietnam, the socio-spatial dynamics of Vietnamese villages, and the cultural politics of food and identity. She has published extensively on topics ranging from Vietnamese middle-class mobility to the contested histories of refugee camps. Her reviews of works like Andrew Alan Johnson’s Mekong Dreaming (2021) highlight her engagement with environmental and cultural anthropology. Carruthers’ scholarship bridges urban studies, migration theory, and cultural analysis, offering insights into how infrastructures and mobilities shape contemporary Vietnamese and diasporic experiences.
Randy Gainey is a Professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice at Old Dominion University. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Washington (1995). Research expertise includes criminology, sentencing disparities, electronic monitoring, and neighborhood crime dynamics. Extensive grant funding includes NSF and NASA awards for studies on elder abuse, electronic monitoring, and youth violence prevention. Recipient of the Shining Star Award (2010) for student development contributions. Publications analyze policing, neighborhood crime factors, and correctional policy impacts.
Miguel Fernández Maroto is a Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Architectural Representation at the University of Valladolid's School of Architecture. He holds a PhD in Architecture (2019, International Mention and Extraordinary Award) and has been actively involved in urban planning research since 2014. His work focuses on urban planning techniques, energy transition strategies, and the historical evolution of urban forms in Spain. He coordinates courses in Urban Planning within the Architecture Degree program, including 'Planning of New Areas' (5th year), and contributes to Master's programs in Architecture and Research & Innovation. He directs the University Institute of Urban Planning (IUU) and participates in projects funded by Horizon 2020 (2ISECAP, INTENSSS-PA) and the Spanish State Plan (e.g., URBAN.Baukultur). Research interests include urban fringe dynamics, energy-spatial governance, and the socio-cultural dimensions of urban regeneration. His work has addressed topics like SECAP implementation, historic urban morphology analysis, and the legacy of Francoist housing policies. He has published widely in journals like Journal of Urban History and Planning Perspectives . Directs the NIM-MIUB tool development for urban regeneration in León. Coordinated the INTENSSS-PA project on integrated energy planning in Castilla y León. Contributed to the Strategy for Energy Transition in Castilla y León Cities (2020). Recipient of the UVa Social Council Award (2017) for educational innovation in urban heritage studies. Active in professional societies like ISOCARP and IPHS, and maintains international collaborations through research stays at Politecnico di Milano (2018).
John Meligrana is an Associate Professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning and Department of Geography and Planning at Queen's University, within the Faculty of Arts and Science. He holds a BA from the University of Toronto, an MPL from Queen's University, and a PhD from Simon Fraser University. His research focuses on two main areas: local government institutions and urban growth, particularly municipal boundary changes, and environmental management/urban planning in China. He collaborates with Fudan University and China's Ministry of Land and Resources, coordinating student exchange programs and training initiatives. Education: BA – University of Toronto MPL – Queen's University PhD – Simon Fraser University Research Interests: Local government reform and urban development Rural-urban fringe dynamics and municipal boundary politics Environmental management and urban planning in China Public participation in urban planning Water quality and urbanization relationships Professional Contributions: Manages student exchange programs with Fudan University and China's Ministry of Land and Resources Coordinates annual land use planning training for Chinese officials Consulting experience with public/private sector projects Affiliations: Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (MCIP) Registered Professional Planner (RPP)
Joseph Goddard is an Associate Professor at the Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Copenhagen, specializing in American politics, society, and contemporary history. His research explores intersections of urban development and environmental history, with additional interests in race, gender, children's literature, and immigration. He coordinates the Contemporary America project and network with Professor Russell Duncan. Education: PhD, University of Copenhagen (2005) MA in Contemporary History, University of Bristol BA in History and Danish, University of East Anglia, UK Research focuses on 20th-century urban-environmental dynamics, including penurbia (a term he coined), environmental representations in Disney cartoons, and political discourse post-2016 elections. His publications span books, journal articles, and conference papers, emphasizing visual culture, historical analysis, and social theory. He organizes academic excursions to the U.S., engaging political institutions and cultural experts. Scientific Awards: Not explicitly mentioned in the text. Teaching: Has taught at University of Copenhagen since 1997, Aalborg University (2011-2012), and Copenhagen Business School (1996-2002). Advised ~80 MA theses and ~30 BA projects. Supervised doctoral committees and conference panels internationally.
Jørgen Primdahl serves as Professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in countryside planning. His academic work centers on rural landscape functions, management practices, and policy interventions aimed at protecting and enhancing landscape services and values across European contexts. Professor Primdahl's research program investigates landscape governance mechanisms and regional planning strategies through interdisciplinary frameworks. Current projects include DIAPLAN (www.diaplan.dk) and Fremtidens Landskaber (www.fremtidenslandskaber.dk), focusing on collaborative landscape strategy development and democratic participation in rural landscape management. His methodological approach integrates spatial analysis with stakeholder engagement to address multifunctional landscape challenges. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong thematic convergence in European rural landscape transitions, policy integration, and cultural ecosystem services. His work consistently bridges academic theory with practical planning applications, emphasizing participatory governance models and cross-scale landscape management solutions across Denmark and international contexts. Academic engagement includes 15 recorded activities since 2005, featuring lectures on agricultural landscape globalization, municipal park management, and rural-urban fringe planning. His international collaborations span European research networks with documented partnerships in 10+ countries, reflecting substantial transnational impact in landscape planning discourse. Operational frameworks include leadership in action research programs examining landscape corridor planning and welfare society landscape evolution. Current initiatives explore digital tools for participatory mapping and policy coherence in multifunctional agricultural landscapes, demonstrating forward-looking research directions.
Jérôme Pelenc is a Lecturer at Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J) and permanent member of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Solidarity, Societies, Territories (LISST). His research bridges environmental sciences, social sciences, and urban studies, with affiliations extending to CNRS, EHESS, and Toulouse INP through LISST. His research focuses on: Sustainability transformations and resistance movements Political ecology and environmental governance Urban-rural dynamics and spatial justice Participatory approaches in resource management Critical analysis of smart cities and megaprojects Publications predominantly analyze environmental conflicts, land use controversies, and community resistance through interdisciplinary lenses, combining ecological economics with social movement theory. Recent works (2019-2021) show increased focus on territorial empowerment and democratic participation in sustainability transitions. Active in international collaborations, Pelenc co-authors publications with researchers across European institutions. His laboratory (LISST) conducts interdisciplinary research on societal-environmental interactions.
