Dr Farnaz Arefian is a researcher, consultant and founding director of Silk Cities initiative for research and knowledge exchange on contextual contemporary challenges of cities in the Middle East and Central Asia, associated with the UCL Bartlett Development Planning Unit. She combines academic research and education with extensive professional experience and has a background in leading her private sector consultancy for delivering large-scale urban design/planning and architectural projects, including post disaster urban reconstruction. She has delivered international research and training on post disaster reconstruction, disaster risk reduction and resilience. She served as a board member the Society of Iranian Urban Planners, and is a fellow of Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Chartered Management Institute, and member of International Development Network at RTPI. She is invited and visiting lecturer at universities and workshops. Farnaz has published academic and professional books and papers. Publication examples include: Organising Post Disaster Reconstruction Processes (Springer 2018), Getting Ready for Urban Reconstruction: Organising Housing Reconstruction in Bam (Springer 2016), Urban Change in Iran (Springer 2016), co-author of Research Roadmap, Disasters and the Built Environment (CIB World 2014), Urban Design in the Middle East (Special topic, Urban Design Group 2012). Her past knowledge exchange activities received special attention from UNESCO Director General.