student Competition working group members
Dr. Mahdi Khansefid
Chair of the Student Competition Working Group and Representative of IFLA Middle East
Dr Mahdi Khansefid is an assistant professor at University of Tehran, Iran with degrees in landscape engineering and environmental design from University of Tehran and PhD in landscape architecture from Melbourne School of Design, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Mahdi’s teaching duties include undergraduate design studios, seminars, and practical projects in addition to studios, research methods courses, and supervising theses at graduate level. He sees his career as a platform for novel research topics and pedagogical agenda, methods and tools regarding his interests in landscape architecture and urban landscape ecology. He has published papers in Urban Ecosystems and International Journal of Environmental Research, and Landscape Record of Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture as well as many international, regional, and national congresses, conferences, symposia, magazines, journals and bulletins.
Since 2001, he has been an active member of the Iranian Society of Landscape Professions (ISLAP), formerly known as the Iranian Society of Landscape Engineers, and member of the editorial board of Green Message, the magazine published by ISLAP.
Based on his experience in Melbourne Academy for Sustainable Society at Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute (MSSI), he currently serves as a member of the steering council and secretary of the cultural and educational committee on green management of University of Tehran, with commitments to further extending sustainability approach at every aspect of the academic realm and introduction of universities as living labs and green campuses as prototypes for the wider sustainable society. Recently, Dr Khansefid has been commissioned to work on the new City of Tehran Green Space Plan within a multi-disciplinary team of experts.
Dr. Dennis K Karanja
Representative of IFLA Africa
Dr. Alessandro Filla Rosaneli
Representative of IFLA Americas
Ms Mayura Patil
Representative of IFLA Asia-Pacific
Mayura is an architect with a master's in Landscape Architecture from the National University of Singapore. She has eight years of work experience in the industry including, as a landscape architect in an award-winning landscape architecture firm, Grant Associates, during which she worked on several projects in the APAC region. Later on, as a researcher at the National University of Singapore, she contributed to ecological landscape designing research. Her passion for working on public projects and design and research skills have led her to her current role as a landscape architect at the National Parks Board, Singapore. She works on several projects ranging from strategic landscape planning to design and developing public parks in Singapore. Her work aligns with building a climate-resilient city with tactical community involvement.
Mayura has received several academic awards, including the 'Gold award for Best Design Showcase' by the Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA). She has also been volunteering for various activities related to the profession and is currently working as a SILA council member. Apart from her professional work, Mayura takes pride in contributing and representing the community of landscape professionals in the built environment sector.
Mr Kenya Ando
Representative of IFLA Asia- Pacific
Kenya Endo is a landscape architect and a lecturer at National University of Singapore, Department of Architecture. He is interested in designs interrelated with landscape infrastructure and urban hydrology. During his 6 years of practice in Singapore, Kenya has worked on several inter-disciplinary projects in South-East Asia, with the focus on creating livable spaces that integrates infrastructural, ecological and social values.
He obtained his Master’s in Environmental Studies from the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University, US. His design works have been recognized in a number of international awards, including OnePrize Stormproof 2013, Holcim Award for Sustainable Development 2014. He is an accredited landscape architect in Singapore, and one of the council members of Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects.
Dr. Angeliki Paraskevopoulou
Representative of IFLA Europe
Angeliki T. Paraskevopoulou is Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture and Ornamental Plants at the Laboratory of Floriculture & Landscape Architecture of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). Her first degree is a MSc in Agronomy, Crop Science from AUA in 1994. She has a PhD (Department of Landscape) and MA in Landscape Design from Sheffield University, UK in 2000 and 2002 respectively. Prior to her employment at AUA in 2008 she worked both abroad and in Greece as a full time agronomist and landscape architect in designing and managing public urban spaces including the Municipality of Athens - National Gardens, a park of historical significance. Her design of a Mediterranean garden for the Hellenic Pavilion at the World Exhibition of Horticulture at Horti-EXPO IGA 2003 in Rostock, Germany received the bronze award. At AUA she teaches in 4 under- and 10 post- graduate modules. She has participated in 14 research projects funded by either private or public bodies of the Hellenic State and focused in general on subjects related to the design, establishment and management of sustainable planting schemes for urban green spaces and roof gardens. Recently she participated as a research assistant for the Municipality of Piraeus in ProGIreg funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme. She has participated in public events teaching children to plant ornamental plants, lectured and trained adults in designing green roofs using native species as well as refugees in planting ornamental plants. She supervised and coordinated the design of the fire affected school grounds of a Special Primary and Secondary based on the perceptions of each schools’ pupils and teachers. Her research includes the study and use of native and spontaneous plant species in landscape planting works, established either individually or in mixes, contributing to the enhancement of the local landscape character (historical, natural, rural), as well as the study of people’s preferences in the design of open green spaces such as healing gardens, school grounds, playgrounds, traditional settlements and beaches. She has peer reviewed publications in international journals, international conference proceedings and national conference proceedings.
For more info please visit: http://efp.aua.gr/sites/efp.aua.gr/files/CV_EN_2020.pdf
Dr. Anastasia Nikologianni
Representative of IFLA Europe
Dr. Anastasia Nikologianni holds an EIT Climate-KIC labelled PhD in Landscape Architecture and climate emergency with regards to the role of low carbon, spatial quality and the contribution design can make to the development of regional landscape-based spatial strategies. Anastasia is also qualified as a Landscape Architect MA and Agriculturist/Horticulturist M.Sc. Most of her recent research has focused on climate emergency issues, the extent to which spatial quality and low carbon can be delivered in regional landscape design as well as the way visual representations contribute to the design process.
Anastasia is a research fellow and consultant in Birmingham City University and joins the CATiD BCU team, an international, multidisciplinary research, design and consultancy hub. CATiD’s design-led and conceptual approach aims to place quality of life and sustainability-oriented transformation at the top of the political agenda.
Her current and ongoing role in the family business ‘geopoNikologianni’ together with her devotion to represent the landscape profession has given her extensive knowledge in business practices. She is the Chair of the Emerging Professionals Advocate of IFLA World aiming to support landscape architects and designers. Acknowledging that policy plays a significant role in the way large-scale design is implemented, Anastasia is a member of both the Policy and Communications committee and the Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Response Panel for the Landscape Institute (UK) and has an active role in various initiatives such as the recent ‘Climate Change Guide for Local Authorities’ in the UK. Holding committee positions at professional organisations have allowed her to work in areas related to climate change and the landscape, fulfilling her passion for the creation of a global network promoting the landscape profession. Anastasia is also a Certified Professional in Accelerating Transitions by EIT Climate-KIC and a member of their Network of Coaches.