I am a Reader and Course Leader in International Planning and Sustainable Development in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment where I have been working on a full and part-time basis since 1994. I am also Director of Research and Consultancy at the Max Lock Centre international development research unit.
Prior to joining the University, I worked as a practising architect, urban designer and planner, both internationally and in the UK. I have been active in international development since the late 1970s and conducted research and consultancy projects in sustainable development policy and practice in the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America and delivered and published papers and articles worldwide. From 1998 to 2004, as Urban Policy Adviser to DFID, I advised the UK Government on sustainable human settlements issues at the United Nations and was responsible for liaison with UN-Habitat attending, negotiating and speaking on behalf of the UK and EU governments at Governing Council and General Assembly meetings in Nairobi and New York.
Research interests
Strategic planning for sustainable development, Urban and regional environmental management, Urban and environmental design
I have supervised several successful PhD studies and I am director of studies and second supervisor on several other ongoing studies. I have acted and internal examiner and an external examiner for doctoral students at University College London and Heriott-Watt University Edinburgh.
Sustainable, community-focused neighbourhood planning and design, Planning for resilience and disaster risk reduction
Research Groups
Urban Research Group
External Professional and Academic Activities
I am currently an external examiner on the Postgraduate Housing and Urbanism programme at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, London. I was previously external examiner on the MSc Building and Urban Design in Development, at the Development Planning Unit, University College London, 2005-9. I was International Lead Consultant to the European Commission DG Environment Working Group on Urban Design for Sustainability reporting to the EU Expert Group on the Urban Environment from 2002 to 2004. As DFID urban policy adviser from 1998 to 2004, I was a a member of the EU Expert Group on UN-Habitat, the EU Urban Development Co-operation Expert Group and the OECD/DAC Interest Group on the Urban Environment.
I have served as a Commissioner on the Major Disaster Management Commission of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) from 2006 to date. From 1996 to 1999 I was vice Chair of the Urban Design Group and a committee member of the Urban Design Alliance (UDAL) and Chair of the UDAL Education Working Group, 1997-9.