Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of Technology – Iraq
Dr. Wahda Shuker is a professor at the University of Technology, Iraq, with over 30 years of academic and professional experience. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban Design and Spatial Analysis and has focused her research on urban design, spatial organization, and historical centers. She has published more than 40 papers and supervised numerous graduate theses. She served as Head of the Architectural Engineering Department and held roles in national academic committees and editorial boards. Her professional work includes contributions to Iraq’s planning laws, building codes, and major urban development projects for key ministries and investment authorities.
Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, Technical University of Berlin (TU-Berlin), Germany.
Prof. Dr. Lech Suwala is a Professor at the Institute of Urban and Regional Planning, TU Berlin, since 2023, and served as Visiting Professor there from 2017 to 2023. He was also a Visiting Professor at Jagiellonian University in Kraków (2019–2020), Ritsumeikan University in Japan (2015), and a Research Fellow in Canada (2015). He worked as a Research Associate at HU Berlin (2007–2017) and lectured in Namibia (2011/2013). His expertise lies in economic geography, innovation, and spatial planning, with a strong international academic background.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dara Al-Yaqoobi
Senior Consultant Architect | Heritage Conservation Advisor
Dr. Dara Al-Yaqoobi is a senior consultant architect and heritage conservation advisor with over five decades of professional experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Heritage Conservation, a Master’s degree in Architecture and Planning, a BSc in Architecture Engineering, and a BSc in Business Administration. Since founding Al-Nannar Consultancy in 1974, he has led numerous architectural and conservation projects.
Dr. Al-Yaqoobi has 28 years of academic experience, serving as a staff member in the Department of Architecture at the University of Baghdad (1980–1998), and as a visiting lecturer at Salahaddin University in Erbil (1996–1998, 2015–2023). He also served as a Governing Board member at Kurdistan University–Hawler (2010–2012).
He has extensive international experience, including ten years with UN programs in Iraq, working with UN-Habitat and UNDP as a program officer, team leader, and consultant (1998–2008). In 2009, he was appointed Senior Advisor to the Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government. He later served as Head of the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization (HCECR) and Project Director of the Erbil Citadel (2010–2019).
Dr. Al-Yaqoobi led multidisciplinary teams in the conservation and revitalization of the historic Erbil Citadel, contributing significantly to its transformation into a vibrant cultural center. He also played a key role in preparing the nomination file that led to the inscription of the Erbil Citadel on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.
Associate Professor | Director, Road Safety Center of Excellence
Dr. Farrah Al-Atrash is Head of the Architecture and Interior Architecture Department at the German Jordanian University. She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (2018), a Master’s in Energy Efficient Design from Augsburg University of Applied Sciences (2013), and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from the German Jordanian University. Her research focuses on passive design, indoor climate, thermal comfort, and personal control in built environments. She also serves as a reviewer for several international journals and actively contributes to advancing sustainable and human-centered architectural design in both academic and professional contexts.