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Katharine Willis

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Professor Katharine Willis

 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9988-1933

    Accepting PhD Students

    Overview

    Profile summary

    I am Associate Head of School (Research) for Art, Design and Architecture and a Professor in Smart Cities and Communities

    My research expertise includes smart cities, smart villages, digital technologies and the role of space and place. I am co-author with Alex Aurigi of two key Routledge volumes on Smart Cities, and in 2015 published Netspaces: Space and Place in a Networked World. My approach to smart cities is focused on the community in the spaces and the need to build from the ground-up to create inclusive environments. I have published widely on the topic. I am currently working on a range of funded research projects that explore how new technologies can create ways for people and communities to engage with place, with a particular focus on social and digital inclusion.

    I was Interim Head of School of Art, Design and Architecture from 2021-2022, and previously REF UoA 13 Coordinator (2015-2022) in the School of Art, Design and Architecture and Co-Chair of the  Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) within the School of Art, Design and Architecture (2019-2022).

    I am a Visiting Research Fellow, The Centre for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), Kings College London.

    From January 2024 to January 2025 I will be a Visiting Fellow at the Western Academy for Advanced Research at Western University, Canada.

    Professional memberships

    HEA Fellow (2013) Architects Registration Board (ARB) (2003–present) Fellow of RSA (Royal Society of Arts)

    Roles on external bodies

    AHRC Advisory Board

    Design Council Expert (Specialist) 

    Member of ITU Enabling People-Centred Cities through Digital Transformation Thematic Group

    AHRC Peer Review College (2018–present)

    ESRC Peer Review College (2020–present)

    UKRI Future Talent Peer Review College (2022–present)

    Board member - Fab City Plymouth

    Board member - South West Infrastructure Partnership (SWIP) (2021-present)

    Board Member of Connected Plymouth (2017–2021)

    Trustee, Cornwall Museum Partnership (2021-2023)

    Trustee, Co-Cars (2022-2022)

    Supervised research degrees

    Pamela Varley PhD, 2019
    Sustainable Digital Neighbourhoods: A case study of people, place and technology under the rural village condition 
     
    Frank Loesche PhD, 2018
    Unconscious creativity: Investigating the Moment when Solutions emerge in Problem Solving 
     
    Kathrin Schuette, 2018
    MPhil - The role of virtual imaging in building conservation
     
    Alex Lorimer, 2015
    MPhil - Mass Participation Architecture: Social media and the decentralisation of architectural agencies as a commercial imperative 

    Teaching interests

    BA Architecture
    BA Unit Leader 2011 - 2015
    ARCO319 2011 - 2015
    Module Leader - COMN201 2011 - 2014
    MA Architecture
    Smart Urban Futures - Programme leader
    Module Leader - MArch Emerging Research in Architecture 2016
    Module Leader - MArch Urban Methodologies 2011-
     
    PhD /MPhil supervision
    2025- Ashita Gupta, DoS
    2024- Sally Hall, DoS
    2025- Anna Stoll, Second Supervisor
    2022- Donglin Wang, DoS
    2022- Alex Carr, 4th Supervisor
    2020- Carlos Paka, DoS
    2019 - 2025 Shadab Bhareini, Second Supervisor
    2016 - 2025 Adam Guy, Second Supervisor
    2013 - 2019 Pamela Varley DOS
    2012 - 2018 Kathrin Schuette Second Supervisor
    2014 - 2018 Frank Loesche Third Supervisor
    2012 - 2015 Alex Lorimer (MPhil), Second Supervisor
     
    External PhD Supervision
    Abril Herrera Chavez, Space Syntax Research Lab, UCL, London - Third Supervisor
    Lea Mauz, Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg, Germany - Third Supervisor

    Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

    In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

    1. SDG 1 - No Poverty
      SDG 1 No Poverty
    2. SDG 4 - Quality Education
      SDG 4 Quality Education
    3. SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
      SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
    4. SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
      SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
    5. SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
      SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
    6. SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
      SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
    7. SDG 14 - Life Below Water
      SDG 14 Life Below Water
    8. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
      SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    9. SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals
      SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

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