Diana Marcela Benjumea Mejia

Dr Diana Marcela Benjumea Mejia

Lecturer

Core Learning

Tel: +65 6240 8745

Email: ZGlhbmFiZW5qdW1lYUBzdXNzLmVkdS5zZw==

Educational Qualifications

2020
Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham (UK), Department of Architecture and Built Environment

2013 – 2014
Master of Architecture in Technology with Distinction, University of Nottingham (UK), Department of Architecture and Built Environment

2005 – 2009
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with First Class Honours, National University and Catholic University (Colombia)

Academic and Professional Experience

2023 – Present
Lecturer, Core Learning, College of Interdisciplinary & Experiential Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences.

2020 – 2022
Associate Faculty, Core Learning, College of Interdisciplinary & Experiential Learning, Singapore University of Social Sciences.

2021
Guest Lecturer at the University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City.

2020
International expert for the Master and undergraduate program in Urban Design and Development International at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning Thammasat University, Bangkok (Thailand).

2020
Guest lecturer for the Master program in Design Business and Technology at the Faculty of Architecture and Planning Thammasat University, Bangkok (Thailand).

2020
Guest critic for architecture design studios at The University UCSI (Malaysia).

2019
Guest lecturer and guest critic for final year Undergraduate and Master architecture studios at the SUTD (Singapore).

2019
Associate researcher at the non-profit organisation Ground-up Initiative (GUI) Singapore. Project: A solution to urbanisation through nature connection. Research collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

2018
Principal Investigator in the project therapeutic and resilient landscapes. Longitudinal study investigating the cumulative physical modifications over time of green landscapes developed by the Medellin government in informal settlements.

2015
Principal Investigator in the project conducted with the University of Nottingham (UK) and the National Prosecutorial agency in Medellin-Colombia. PhD programme. Investigation on multiple approaches to urban and environmental resilience in lower-income communities.

2016
Studio Unit Assistant for the module People Buildings and Landscape. Department of Architecture and Built Environment, The University of Nottingham (UK).

2016
Invited lecturer workshops with undergraduate and postrgraduate students under the theme: Inclusive and resilient environments, environmental justice, and human- centre design. Piloto University (Colombia).

2015
Studio critic for the Master program: Architecture and Technology at the University of Nottingham (UK).

2014
Masters Research project in collaboration with the Lincoln University (UK), London Metropolitan University, and Architecture for Humanity London. Guidelines proposal for participatory design and disaster management for communities exposed to natural disasters.

2008
Junior Research Analyst at the division of Planning and Urban Development in the Colombian Chamber of Construction.

Journals:

Benjumea D., Kato Y., Hua K. 2021. Participatory Approaches to Enact Meaningful Interconnectednes with the Natural Environment: A Case study in Singapore. Cities and Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2022.2124012.

Olszewska-Guizzo A., Fogel A., Benjumea D., Tahsin N. 2021. Sustainable Solutions in Urban Health: Transdisciplinary Directions in Urban Planning for Public Health. Book chapter: Sustainable Policies and Practices in Energy, Environment and Health Research: Addressing Cross-cutting Issues. Springer 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86304-3_14.

Benjumea DM., Santos A. 2022. Networks of Nature: Integrating Urban Farming into the City Fabric. Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment inc Press, Philippines. ISBN No. 978-621-96583-2-4. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19121882.v3.

Benjumea D., Olszewska-Guizzo A. 2021. Coping with Extreme Circumstances Through Community-Led Local Nature Interventions: A Science-Based Policy Analysis. In: Gatzweiler F.W. (eds) Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme. Urban Health and Wellbeing (Systems Approaches). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_10.

Benjumea D. 2018. Historiography of Insurgent Planning in Informal Settlements. Post-disaster reconstruction in the midst of war: A case study in Villatina Medellin-Colombia. 48th Annual Conference of the Urban Affairs Association , April 2018. Benjumea D. 2018. Grassroots Places in Informal Communities in Medellin-Colombia, a Place based Model. AESOP congress ‘Making Space for Hope’. 1-14, July 2018, Gothenburg (Sweden).

2021 - Present
Member of the research group: Architecture, Media of Representation and Communication at the National University of Columbia

2019
Scientific Board Member and Project Director in the research NGO: NeuroLandscape

2021 – Present
Coordinator for the project Networks of Nature: Integrating Urban Farming in the City Fabric in Singapore, Indonesia, and Philippines developed with Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD), and Binatani Sejahtera Foundation (Indonesia), and the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (Philippines).

2020 – Present
Research consultant for the international organisation Jane Goodall Institution (JGI -Singapore).

2020
Design proposal for the regional Botanical Gardens in the city of Pereira (Colombia).

2014
External Consultant for architectural projects integrating participatory design in communities exposed to natural hazards in Asia. Architecture for Humanity London (UK).

2012
Associate architect for the building construction company EU LTD for the design and construction of urban projects in the cities of Pereira and Medellin (Colombia).

2010
Urban Planner and design coordinator at the Ministry of Regional Urban Planning, Colombia.

  • Participatory Research
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Urban and architecture design and planning
  • Social scienes mix methods research (i.e. , Qualitative, and quantitative)
  • Environmental design and its impact in the health and well-being
  • Urban and social design theory
  • Spatial information systems and quantitative data(i.e., regression models, Principal Component Analysis)
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