Dr. Asma Mehan is an internationally recognized architect, urban scholar, and academic leader working at the intersection of architectural humanities, critical urban studies, planning, and heritage. She is a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, where she also serves as Director of the Architectural Humanities and Urbanism Lab (AHU_Lab). She is Editor-in-Chief of plaNext: Next Generation Planning (AESOP). Dr. Mehan’s research is deeply interdisciplinary and transnational, focusing on industrial and energy heritage, adaptive reuse, climate resilience and the integration of digital technologies and AI in planning and design. Grounded in architectural history and theory and informed by anthropology, geography, and policy studies, her work spans North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, positioning her as a field-shaping scholar rather than a discipline-bounded specialist.

She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture, History, and Project from the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) (2017), awarded Cum Laude with the Best PhD Award. Following her doctorate, Dr. Mehan held senior research appointments at leading European institutions including the University of Porto, Leiden University, TU Delft, Politecnico di Torino, and the ZK/U Center for Art and Urbanistics in Berlin. She has taught at TU Delft and Politecnico di Torino and has been an invited lecturer at institutions such as TU Munich, EPFL Lausanne, Deakin University (Australia), and the University of Porto. Her international research residencies include Deakin University (2016–2017), EPFL (2017), and ZK/U Berlin (2019).

Dr. Mehan has authored six peer-reviewed monographs, including three forthcoming or in-press books undersigned contracts with Actar Publishers, Routledge (Taylor & Francis), and Edward Elgar Publishing. Her authored books include Kuala Lumpur: Community, Infrastructure, and Urban Inclusivity (Routledge, 2020), which examines how infrastructure shapes social equity in the Malaysian metropolis; Tehran: From Sacred to Radical (Routledge, 2022), a critical analysis of political transformation and public space from a Global South perspective; and The Affective Agency of Public Space: Social Inclusion and Community Cohesion (De Gruyter Brill, 2024), which explores how public spaces in cities such as Amsterdam and Houston foster social connection, affective relations, and civic life. Notably, Tehran: From Sacred to Radical has been translated into Persian, extending its scholarly and public reach beyond Anglophone audiences. Her forthcoming authored monograph, Decolonizing Industrial Heritage: Adaptive Reuse, Community Engagement, and Climate Resilience (Edward Elgar, 2026), advances a theoretical framework for the adaptive reuse of industrial sites. The book argues for community-led, socially accountable, and circular models of reuse that challenge extractive planning paradigms, integrating participatory design with digital tools such as GIS and AI. In addition to her authored books, Dr. Mehan has edited or co-edited three major international volumes, including After Oil: A Comparative Analysis of Oil Heritage, Urban Transformations, and Resilience Paradigms (Springer, 2025) and City, Public Space and Body: The Embodied Experience of Urban Life (Routledge, 2025).

Beyond books, Dr. Mehan maintains a prolific publication record encompassing peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia entries, and public scholarship. She has published in Q1 and Scopus-indexed journals such as European Planning Studies, Journal of Architecture, disp-Planning Review, Urban Planning, Architectural Intelligence, Discover Sustainability, with several works receiving best paper nominations, high download rankings, and international recognition.

Dr. Mehan has demonstrated sustained success in securing competitive research funding across national and international contexts. She has served as PI or Co-PI on more than 30 funded research projects, fellowships, and initiatives, supported by major public agencies, philanthropic foundations, and international research programs. Her funded portfolio includes large-scale, multi-institutional and interdisciplinary projects supported by organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), COST Actions (EU), ACSA, SAH, AESOP, EAHN, SAHGB and competitive university research programs. She has also received highly selective individual fellowships and long-term research awards evaluated through international peer review. Her academic service and professional leadership are extensive and international in scope. She is also a sought-after invited critic, juror, and keynote contributor, with engagements at venues such as the Venice Architecture Biennale (Italian Pavilion), Bauhaus Dessau, ZK/U Berlin, Kent State University, UNLV, Kingston University London, and Deakin University. As an educator, Dr. Mehan is deeply engaged in undergraduate and graduate teaching, doctoral supervision, curriculum development, and mentorship. She plays an active role in faculty governance at Texas Tech University, serving as an elected Faculty Senator and contributing to university-wide initiatives focused on pedagogical innovation, interdisciplinary research, and STEM–humanities integration.

Ph.D. in Architecture, History and Project, Politecnico di Torino, Italy