Dr. Gregor Mews, Australia

Dr. Gregor Mews is an internationally recognized urban design and planning expert, researcher, and educator based at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, advocating for transformative change in cities worldwide. His focus on cross-cultural collaboration drives innovative projects and research at the intersection of regenerative urban design, public space, and health. In addition to holding positions at universities in Europe (University of Kassel, Technical University of Berlin), North America (Yale University), Africa (University of Makeni), and Australia (QUT, University of Canberra, UNSW Canberra), Dr. Mews contributes to global forums such as the United Nations Habitat III Conference and the World Urban Forums.

Dedicated to fostering spatial justice and good design, Dr. Mews consults for governments, NGOs, and industries worldwide. His numerous accolades include the Gerd Albers Award from ISOCARP, the "Oscars of Education" QS Wharton Reimagine Education Award, and recognition from the Planning Institute of Australia.

A renowned author and researcher, Dr. Mews's publications-including the multiple award-winning Transforming Public Space through Play-contribute to the discourse on sustainable urban development, regenerative design, and health. His forthcoming book, Flux Cities – Ontological Design for a Regenerative World, along with Special Issue journals between ISOCARP and Cities & Health, further demonstrate his commitment to enhancing quality of life in cities for all.

Raghad Alajaji, Saudi Arabia 

Raghad Alajaji is a distinguished Urban Planner and valedictorian graduate from King Saud University, one of the first female graduates in urban planning in Saudi Arabia. Currently, she serves as the Riyadh Region Integration Associate at the Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center, where she manages diverse infrastructure projects and develops innovative methodologies for urban development. Over the past four years, Raghad has collaborated with public and private sectors, including Riyadh Municipality, to enhance urban identity and meet the goals of Vision 2030. 

Beyond her professional work, Raghad is a founding member of Urban Stage, promoting awareness of urban planning in Arabic, and is actively involved in the Saudi Women Engineers Society and the Planning and City Development Association. Her research focuses on Humanized Neighborhoods and Child-Friendly Cities, earning her awards for scientific contributions. Raghad has led academic projects across various Saudi regions, collaborating with municipalities to advance urban planning standards. 

Şebnem Hoşkara, Cyprus

Şebnem Hoşkara is a tenured professor of Architecture and Urbanism (Urban Design) in the Department of Architecture at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU). She serves as the Director of EMU's Urban Research and Development Center (URDC), coordinates sustainability efforts in campus planning at EMU, and is the Editor of the Journal of Urban Research and Development. Hoşkara was the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at EMU from 2010 to 2016 and worked as a visiting professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where she acted as the interim director of the urban and regional planning graduate programs in 2018. She is a founding member of the Cyprus Network for Urban Morphology (CYNUM) and is affiliated with several professional organizations, including ISOCARP, CSA, ICOMOS TR, ISUF, and TICCIH. She serves on the Scientific Committee of ISOCARP and chairs the Senior Advisory Board on Public Space at City Space Architecture. Professor Hoşkara continues her research in architectural and urban design education, urban morphology, public space and placemaking, sustainable urban design and planning, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in architecture and urban design, urban planning, urban conservation, and the preservation of industrial heritage in Cyprus. Recently, she completed three significant urban design projects in Nicosia, Cyprus. Hoşkara has supervised nine Ph.D. and nineteen master's theses and is currently overseeing two Ph.D. candidates and two master's students. 

Dr. Shradha Chandan, Germany

Dr. Shradha Chandan is an interdisciplinary urban scholar and postdoctoral researcher at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, specializing in community-driven urban conservation, public spaces, and cultural heritage transformation, with a comparative focus on South Asian and European contexts. As a DAAD PRIME Fellow (2023), she advanced her research on urban green spaces in historic EU neighborhoods, with a focus on community-led initiatives and social innovation at the University of Bologna, Italy, and the University of Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Chandan holds a PhD in Community-Based Urban Conservation, with a focus on pilgrim cities in India from MNIT Jaipur. Her work integrates feminist and postcolonial perspectives to explore memory, resilience, and the lived experiences of communities in urban environments. She also serves as Chair of the Early Career Board at City Space Architecture, Bologna fostering global dialogues on public space and inclusive urbanism. Her ongoing project, "3C – Climate, Community, and Culture," uses participatory design, digital heritage, and storytelling to rethink cultural landscapes through the lens of the New European Bauhaus