
Overview
Background
Ali Cheshmehzangi is 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 is the World’s top 2% field leader for two consecutive years, recognised by Stanford University. He is among 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, Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) in Urban Design, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), Graduate Degree in Professional Studies in Architecture, and 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, 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.
Availability
- Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Architecture, Leeds Metropolitan University
- Graduate Certificate in Architecture, Leeds Metropolitan University
- Masters (Extended) of Urban Design, University of Nottingham
- Doctor of Philosophy of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Nottingham
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Nottingham
Research impacts
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), 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 award 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.
Works
Search Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Contributions of natural and anthropogenic factors to summertime thermal environments across different urban scales: An investigation in Chengdu-Chongqing agglomeration, China
Wan, Yangtao, Yang, Song, Han, Han, Mao, Yao, Liu, Xiao, You, Meizi, Fu, Xuecheng, Tang, Junqing, Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Zahed, Leila Mohaghegh and He, Bao-Jie (2025). Contributions of natural and anthropogenic factors to summertime thermal environments across different urban scales: An investigation in Chengdu-Chongqing agglomeration, China. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 115 107981, 107981-115. doi: 10.1016/j.eiar.2025.107981
2025
Journal Article
Multidimensional factors affecting tree-induced cooling benefits: A comprehensive review
Li, Yiqun, Liu, Xiao, Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Zahed, Leila Mohaghegh and He, Bao-Jie (2025). Multidimensional factors affecting tree-induced cooling benefits: A comprehensive review. Building and Environment, 282 113242, 113242-282. doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113242
2025
Journal Article
The Importance of Health-Sustainability-Peace Nexus in making Resilient Cities
Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). The Importance of Health-Sustainability-Peace Nexus in making Resilient Cities. Peace and Sustainability, 1 (2) 100012, 100012. doi: 10.1016/j.nerpsj.2025.100012
2025
Journal Article
Assessing future land use demands in response to land degradation risk and Socio-Economic impacts
Yu, Ziyue, Deng, Xiangzheng, Cheshmehzangi, Ali and Gao, Yunxiao (2025). Assessing future land use demands in response to land degradation risk and Socio-Economic impacts. Ecological Indicators, 175 113529, 113529. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113529
2025
Journal Article
Evaluating the greenness of Sanandaj city using sentinel imagery in Google Earth Engine
Lotfi, Werya, Abbasi, Neda, Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Khodakarami, Loghman and Nouri, Hamideh (2025). Evaluating the greenness of Sanandaj city using sentinel imagery in Google Earth Engine. Sustainability, 17 (8) 3471, 1-24. doi: 10.3390/su17083471
2025
Journal Article
Action needed to mitigate effects of slashing USAID
Allam, Zaheer and Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). Action needed to mitigate effects of slashing USAID. Nature, 640 (8057), 38-38. doi: 10.1038/d41586-025-01005-2
2025
Journal Article
Climate change inequalities: a systematic review of disparities in access to mitigation and adaptation measures
Zahnow, Renee, Rad Yousefnia, Ali, Hassankhani, Mahnoosh and Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). Climate change inequalities: a systematic review of disparities in access to mitigation and adaptation measures. Environmental Science & Policy, 165 104021, 104021-165. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104021
2025
Book Chapter
Persian vernacular architecture for climate resilient design thinking: Looking back, looking forward
Cheshmehzangi, Ali and Roaf, Sue (2025). Persian vernacular architecture for climate resilient design thinking: Looking back, looking forward. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 319-324) edited by Ali Cheshmehzangi and Sue Roaf. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-1116-4_17
2025
Journal Article
Urban planning for the contemporary age: Navigating complexities and shaping urban futures
Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). Urban planning for the contemporary age: Navigating complexities and shaping urban futures. Encyclopedia, 5 (1) 19, 1-12. doi: 10.3390/encyclopedia5010019
2025
Journal Article
The language we speak amid COVID-19
Su, Zhaohui, Kaburu, Francis Mungai, Kudiza, Abdulswabul, Zhang, Ruijie, Tong, Chaojun, Intizar, Mehak, Jiang, Jianlin, Yu, Xin, Kuang, Qiang, Chen, Ruru, McDonnell, Dean, Ahmed, Junaid, Bentley, Barry L, Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Šegalo, Sabina, Nie, Jing-Bao, da Veiga, Claudimar Pereira and Xiang, Yu-Tao (2025). The language we speak amid COVID-19. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 126, 356-360. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.02.004
2025
Journal Article
Lessons from China's 48-h COVID-19 testing regime during the dynamic zero COVID policy period
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Su, Zhaohui, Zou, Tong, Allam, Zaheer and Tang, Tian (2025). Lessons from China's 48-h COVID-19 testing regime during the dynamic zero COVID policy period. Discover Public Health, 22 (1) 38. doi: 10.1186/s12982-025-00425-9
2025
Book Chapter
Nexus of Urban Climate and Urban Design
He, Baojie, Wang, Yupeng and Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). Nexus of Urban Climate and Urban Design. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 1-16) Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-1521-6_1
2025
Book Chapter
Healthy and Sustainable Living Through Climate-Resilient Urbanism: Moving Forward in Designing Healthy Cities and Communities
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Zuo, Jian, Sharifi, Ayyoob, Zhang, Rongpeng, Ziafati Bafarasat, Abbas and Zhao, Jie (2025). Healthy and Sustainable Living Through Climate-Resilient Urbanism: Moving Forward in Designing Healthy Cities and Communities. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 1-12) Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-5538-0_1
2025
Book
Urban Innovation and Sustainability : ICT-based Interventions in Hainan, China
Cheshmehzangi, Ali (2025). Urban Innovation and Sustainability : ICT-based Interventions in Hainan, China. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-6370-5
2025
Book
People-Centered Innovation : Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, You, Nicholas, Allam, Zaheer and He, Bao-Jie (2025). People-Centered Innovation : Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities. Singapore: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-5230-3
2025
Book Chapter
Integrating Blue Zone Principles into Healthy City Design
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Allam, Zaheer, Wang, Xin and Su, Zhaohui (2025). Integrating Blue Zone Principles into Healthy City Design. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 75-88) Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-5538-0_5
2025
Book Chapter
Exploring Influential Factors for Decision-Making in the Directions of Urban Development: Urban House Displacement vs. Urban Heritage Protection
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Zou, Tong, Tang, Tian and Xie, Li (2025). Exploring Influential Factors for Decision-Making in the Directions of Urban Development: Urban House Displacement vs. Urban Heritage Protection. Displaced Urbanism. (pp. 51-66) Taylor and Francis. doi: 10.4324/9781003471134-5
2025
Book Chapter
Foundations of Health and Resilience: Designing a Purpose-Built Sustainable Future by Breaking Business-as-Usual Practices
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, Zuo, Jian, Sharifi, Ayyoob, Zhang, Rongpeng, Ziafati Bafarasat, Abbas and Zhao, Jie (2025). Foundations of Health and Resilience: Designing a Purpose-Built Sustainable Future by Breaking Business-as-Usual Practices. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 1-8) Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-3057-8_1
2025
Book Chapter
Peer-Review Statements
Li, Chao, Chatterjee, Mahalaya, Cheshmehzangi, Ali and Boonlua, Tarawut (2025). Peer-Review Statements. Advances in Engineering Research. (pp. 1-3) Dordrecht: Atlantis Press International BV. doi: 10.2991/978-94-6463-782-3_1
2025
Book Chapter
Strengthening Health-Resilience Nexus Through Sustainable Urban Design in Brisbane, Australia
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, He, Baojie and Zuo, Tong (2025). Strengthening Health-Resilience Nexus Through Sustainable Urban Design in Brisbane, Australia. Urban Sustainability. (pp. 163-184) Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-5538-0_10
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Developing a climate-resilient framework for healthy cities
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ray Maher, Associate Professor Paola Leardini, Dr Sara Alidoust
-
Doctor Philosophy
Residents¿ perceptions of a government-initiated anti-gating policy: A study of open communities in Shanghai
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani, Dr Sara Alidoust
-
Doctor Philosophy
Connecting mega-events through micromobility: A data-driven visual design methodology via AI-generated street scenery
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Silvia Micheli, Dr Dan Luo
-
Doctor Philosophy
Extended Reality for Architecture, Engineering and Construction (XR+AEC)
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Dan Luo, Dr Sebastien Darchen
Media
Enquiries
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