Dr Ali Cheshmehzangi

Dr Ali Cheshmehzangi is an urbanist and designer with qualifications, practical experience and research in urban design, sustainable urban development and planning. He is currently Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at The University of Nottingham, Ningbo China. He is a founder and director of International Network for Urban and Rural Research (INURR) in China, officially launched in November 2014. Leader of the ELITH- China team, Ali is currently co-investigator of an NSFC-ESRC funded project exploring the eco- and smart- transitions of European and Chinese cities; and two local governmental projects on ‘green building’ and ‘sponge city development’ for the city of Ningbo.

In recent years his work focuses on eco-city/community planning and low-carbon urban projects in China, modelling of residential neighbourhoods and studies related to green infrastructure, particularly in the context of developing countries. Beforehand, he took part in a major project on ‘Toolkit for Resilient Cities’ (2012-13), led by Siemens and Arup. He has led several projects to completion and recently completed two research projects on rural enhancement strategies. His passion about urbanisation and growth in the context of China and developing countries has led him to explore the implications and possibilities in design and planning systems and models.

Dr Liska Galvez

Dr Liska Galvez holds a PhD degree in International Relations from Renmin University, China and a Masters in Latin American Studies from the University of Salamanca, Spain. Her experience abroad and educational background has given her comprehensive knowledge about research on developing countries. She has written academic articles on China’s socio-economic development for IGADI and the University of Chile. After working as a research consultant for the International Training Center in Beijing, she has been assistant research fellow iat UNNC, Ningbo on the Low-Income Tropical Housing Project (2014-2015). Her main areas of work are International Relations, Developing countries, Latin American and Chinese studies. She speaks Spanish, English and Chinese.

Alice Jing Sun

Alice Jing Sun is a PhD candidate of Architecture at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. She got her Masters degree of Landscape Architecture at Peking University in 2007. Previously, she worked as a lecturer in Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University from 2012 to 2015, and worked as a deputy director of Baotou Planning Bureau from 2007-2012. Currently, Jing Sun’s research interests are in the fields of urban and landscape design, storm water management.

In recent years, she has joined the projects of Shengsi Island Village Design, Urban Design of New City Centre in Baotou and so on. She has published 3 journal papers, edited 2 chapters in the book of Reading the World Landscape and Design on Foot, and have several conference papers, reports and designs and was involved in many research grants from Ningbo government as a principle/co-principle investigator.