Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi

Ali Cheshmehzangi is a Professor in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning (ADP) at the University of Queensland, where he leads the School and researches across the fields of architecture, design, and planning/urbanism. He has been in the World’s top 2 per cent field leader for two consecutive years, recognised by Stanford University. He is among the top 30 global scholars in the urban sustainability research area. Ali is internationally known for his scholarly contribution and extended work on climate resilience and sustainable urbanism research, mainly as the Editor-in-Chief of Springer’s Urban Sustainability (US) book series (see https://www.springer.com/series/16930). He has five academic degrees including a PhD Degree in Architecture and Urban Design, a Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) in Urban Design, a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), a Graduate Degree in Professional Studies in Architecture, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture.

Ali has a wealth of experience, expertise, and a strong commitment to innovation and excellence in the fields of architecture, design, and planning, the three core disciplines of his School at UQ. With a career spanning over two decades, he has made significant contributions to the academic and professional communities, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally conscious design. Prior to joining UQ, Ali held several strategic leadership and senior managerial roles, such as Vice-President for International Engagement and Global Partnership, Founding Director and Head of the Center for Innovation in Education and Research, Head of the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Founding Director of the Urban Innovation Lab, Director of a university-wide Teaching and Learning platform, Director of International Research Network for Rural and Urban Development, Head of Research Group for Sustainable Built Environment, co-director of university-wide research priority areas, Director of Center for Sustainable Energy Technologies, and Interim Director of Digital Design Lab.

Ali has a wide range of experience at the university leadership level, sitting at several committees for student experience and engagement, UK-Asia Research Network, Regional Strategic leadership, Research and Knowledge Exchange leadership, Student Affairs support, etc. He has carried forward his honorary roles in China and Japan. He was a specially appointed Full Professor and is now a Research Associate of the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), at Hiroshima University, Japan. He has collaborated and worked with major international and national organisations and leading industry partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the UN-Habitat, ICLEI, Arup, Siemens, Regional Planning Association (in New York), London Development Agency, Catapult UK, The Guangzhou Award for Urban Innovation, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China Academy of Building Research (CABR), Building Research Establishment (BRE), etc. Under his profile, he has 11 PhD students to completion and nine ongoing PhD students studying various urban sustainability and built environment research topics, often through applied research and problem-solving ideas. He is open to take new PhD/HDR students who are eager to explore important local and global research topics. 

Ali is active in research and continues to collaborate with multiple stakeholders in academia, governments, communities, and the industry. He is well-connected internationally in multiple regions in Australia, Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. He believes in impactful and meaningful research that could enrich our local communities with a global and progressive outlook. So far, Ali has published over 500 journal papers, articles, conference papers, book chapters, and reports. To date, he has published 26 academic books, mostly focused on sustainable urban development, urbanism, and sustainability transitions. Three of his books have received awards at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. He also has received international awards and recognition for his research on urban resilience studies and sustainability research, as well as a Vice-Chancellor’s award for his impactful contribution to higher education. 

Published Books:

1. Allam, Z., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (2024). Green New Deals and Sustainable Urban Transitions, Palgrave Macmillan, April 2024.

2. Cheshmehzangi, A., Batty, M., Allam, Z., and Jones, D.S. (eds.) (2024). City Information Modelling (with collaborators in Australia, Mauritius, and the UK). Edited book. Singapore: Springer. Feb 2024. https://link.springer.com/book/9789819990139

3. Mangi, E., Chen, W., Heath, T., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (eds.). (2024). People Participation in Urban Regeneration (with colleagues in China and the UK). Singapore: Springer. Edited Book. March 2024. 

4. Cheshmehzangi, A., You, N., Siri, J., and Birch, E. (2024). Harnessing Urban Innovation to Unlock Sustainable Development Goals, Singapore: Springer. Feb 2024. 

5. Cheshmehzangi, A., Sedrez, M., Zhao, H., Li, T., Heath, T., and Dawodu, A. (eds.). (2024). Resilience vs. Pandemics: Innovations in Public Places and Buildings, Singapore: Springer. Publication date: Jan 2024. https://link.springer.com/book/9789819986712

6. Pourroostaei Ardakani, S., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (2023). Big Data Analytics for Smart Transport and Healthcare Systems, Singapore: Springer, Publication date: Dec 2023.
https://link.springer.com/book/9789819966196

7. Zhou, T., Chen, Y., Deng, W., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (eds.). (2023). Smart Buildings and Technologies for Sustainable Cities in China, Singapore: Springer. Nov 2023.
https://link.springer.com/book/9789819963904

8. Allam, Z., Cheshmehzangi, A., and Jones, D. S. (2023). Climate and Social Justice: The Political Economy of Urban Resilience and Mercantilism, Singapore/Germany: Springer, Publication date: Nov 2023. https://link.springer.com/book/9789819966233

9. Pourroostaei Ardakani, S., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (2023). Big Data Analytics for Smart Urban Systems, Singapore: Springer, Publication date: Oct 2023.
https://link.springer.com/book/9789819955428

10. Cheshmehzangi, A., and Bilgin, H. (eds.) (2023). Advances in Frontier Research on Engineering Structures, Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Civil Architecture and Structural Engineering (ICCASE 2023), IOS Press, 722 pages. Advances in Frontier Research on Engineering Structures | IOS Press

11. Cheshmehzangi, A., Sedrez, M., Zhao, H., Li, T., Heath, T., and Dawodu, A. (eds.). (2023). Resilience vs. Pandemics: Innovations in Cities and Neighbourhoods, Singapore: Springer. Publication date: Dec 2023. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-99-7996-7

12. Cheshmehzangi, A., He, B., Sharifi, A., and Matzarakis, A. (eds.) (2023). Climate Change and Cooling Cities, Singapore: Springer. Publication date: Aug 2023.
https://link.springer.com/book/9789819936748

13. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2023). Mapping Urban Regeneration: City Life Experiences in Yunnan, China, Singapore: Springer. Publication date: Sep 2023.
https://link.springer.com/book/9789819935406

14. Cheshmehzangi, A., and Tang, T. (2022). China’s City Cluster Development in the Race to Carbon Neutrality, Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/9789811976728), publication date: Dec 2022. Awarded by Springer Nature, Beijing, Nov 2023.

15. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2022). ICT, Cities, and Reaching Positive Peace, Singapore: Springer. (Link:  https://www.springer.com/book/9789811931666) 

16. Cheshmehzangi, A. (ed.) (2022). Green Infrastructure in Chinese Cities, Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-9174-4) 

17. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2021). Urban Health, Sustainability, and Peace in the Day the World Stopped, Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-4888-5)

18. Cheshmehzangi, A., Dawodu, A., and Sharifi, A. (2021). Sustainable Urbanism in China. New York: Routledge. (Link: https://www.routledge.com/Sustainable-Urbanism-in-China/Cheshmehzangi-Dawodu-Sharifi/p/book/9780367902513) 

19. Cheshmehzangi, A., and Chen, H. (2021). China's Sustainability Transitions: Low Carbon and Climate-Resilient Plan for Carbon Neutral 2060. Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-2621-0)
Nominated for the national and provincial awards for 2021 books.

20. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2021). Urban Memory in City Transitions: The Significance of Place in Mind. Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-1003-5)

21. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2020). The City in Need: Urban Resilience and City Management in Disruptive Disease Outbreak Events. Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-5487-2)
(Double Award Winning Book – Provincial and Municipal Levels)

22. Cheshmehzangi, A. (2020). Identity of Cities and City of Identities. Singapore: Springer. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-15-3963-3)

23. Cheshmehzangi, A., and Dawodu, A. (2019). Sustainable Urban Development in the Age of Climate Change – People: The Cure or Curse, Singapore and Germany: Palgrave Macmillan. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-13-1388-2)

24. Deng, W., and Cheshmehzangi, A. (2018). Eco-development in China: Cities, Communities, and Buildings. Singapore and Germany: Palgrave Macmillan. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-8345-7)
(Award Winning Book – National Level Award, Aug 2019)

25. Cheshmehzangi, A., and Butters, C. (eds.) (2017). Designing Cooler Cities: Energy, Cooling and Urban Form - The Asian Perspective, Singapore and Germany: Palgrave Macmillan. (Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-6638-2)

26. Tan-Mullins, M., Cheshmehzangi, A., Chien, S., and Xie, L. (2016). Smart-Eco Cities in China: Trends and City Profiles 2016, Exeter: Exeter University Press. (Link: http://www.smart-eco-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SMART-ECO-CITIES-in-China-2016.pdf)

Forthcoming Books:

Urban Climate and Urban Design – 2024
Digital Twin Computing for Urban Intelligence – 2024
Rethinking Stormwater Management through Sustainable Urban Design – 2024
30 Years of Urban Change in China’s 20 Core Cities - 2025