PhD Candidate in Architecture and Global Heritage, Nottingham Trent University
Simona is a Doctoral Researcher at the School of Architecture, Design and Built Environment at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Her PhD work, Community Uses of Tangible and Intangible Heritage Resources for Sustainable Development in India, investigates community engagement with heritage for sustainable local social and economic development and works with urban and crafts communities in Ahmedabad and Kolkata.
Her research interests cut across the cultural heritage field, including World Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, tourism and the wider creative industries, focusing on heritage's capacity to transform people's lives and its contribution to achieving broader sustainable development goals, such as poverty reduction and social inequalities. She is a research assistant expert in heritage-based design, working in heritage and tourism-led development projects, and a part-time lecturer at NTU and previously at Politecnico di Milano, Italy.
She holds an MA in World Heritage Studies from the University of Birmingham, an MA and BA in Product Design from Politecnico di Milano, and professional experience as a graphic/UX and content designer. Simona nurtures a personal cultural and spiritual interest towards Indian culture, motivating her works and travels across the Country.