Dr. Luiza Schuch de Azambuja: Researcher, FinEst Centre
Working within the NetZeroCities platform as a Twinning Learning Programme facilitator. Luiza defended her PhD Thesis in 2024, titled “Exploring the Journey towards Smarter Sustainable Cities: Capacity Development for Evolving Governance Practices” which reflects her past research in the field. Her current research interests include smart sustainable city strategies, city resilience, capacity building, knowledge exchange among cities, and collective intelligence.
Dr. Jelizaveta Krenjova-Cepilova: Researcher and project manager, FinEst Centre
Jelizaveta is interested in upscaling and replication of innovative practices to other settings. Her PhD thesis explored the applicability of different practices of participatory budgeting in various contexts. Hence, the topic of participation and public involvement remains fascinating for her.
Dr. Lita Akmentina: Cities expert & researcher, FinEst Centre
Lita is working within the NetZeroCities platform, where she currently co-designs and facilitates the Twinning Learning Programme and researches city-to-city learning and transition ecosystems in support of the EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. She is also interested in citizen engagement, particularly e-participation, sustainable urban planning, and the preconditions for the successful replication of city practices.
Farah Hisham Abdelfattah Elbehairy: Researcher at the FinEst Centre and PhD candidate at TalTech’s Academy of Architecture and Urban Studies
Farah’s PhD research focuses on building capacities and governance mechanisms for sustainable smart city transitions, particularly the role of the public sector, as well as data governance and AI practices within public organizations. She explores capacity-building approaches needed to address institutional and administrative gaps to ensure smart city transitions (e.g., changes in institutional structures, culture, systems, and roles, as well as introducing new staff, infrastructure, public procurement, and upskilling processes), adopting a cross-disciplinary approach that connects theories from smart city research, innovation studies, and public administration.
Dr. Kaija Veskioja: Researcher, FinEst Centre
Kaija’s research interests include governance and management of sustainability transitions, capacities and capabilities of local and central government in managing transitions, upscaling urban experiments and financing green transitions.
Francesco Tonnarelli: Urban planner and researcher at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and FinEst Centre
His research focuses on the intersection of digitalization, international development, and spatial planning in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically examining how data mobility and knowledge generation can foster sustainable territorial development.
