Lana Naser obtains George Antonius Birzeit Visiting Fellowship
Lana Naser, instructor in the Department of Architectural Engineering, received the George Antonius Birzeit Visiting Fellowship to explore infrastructural architecture as urban and rural commons.
Established through the generosity of Soraya Antonius in memory of her father, the fellowship provides the opportunity for Birzeit scholars in the humanities and social sciences to conduct research for six months at the University of Oxford, U.K.
Naser graduated from Birzeit University’s architectural engineering program in 2007 with distinction and holds a master’s degree in architecture, cultural identity and globalization from the University of Westminster, U.K. She previously worked in Riwaq-the Centre for Architectural Conservation on the revitalization of historical centers. Naser is a member of the Arab Urbanism editorial team, a platform that critically engages with voices in diverse spaces that subvert, create and renew perceptions of urban history, planning, architecture, geography and resistance.
Through the fellowship, Naser will conduct interdisciplinary research on the architecture of infrastructures that comprise small-scale, decentralized technological systems incorporated into urban spaces. The research will explore how these infrastructures allow users to manage natural resources, energy and waste. This project started in 2017 in collaboration with Birzeit University architecture students and academics from the Arab region and across the world.
Dr. Amir Khalil, director of the External Academic Relations Office, asserted that this fellowship provides an enriching opportunity for faculty members to develop their research in a globally distinguished institution. He added, “Our partnership with the University of Oxford seeks to internationalize Birzeit University and encourage faculty members to engage in international research and practices.”
Dr. Eugene Rogan, director of the St. Antony's College’s Middle East Centre at the University of Oxford, maintained, “We celebrate the legacy of George Antonius through encouraging creative and outstanding research in the social sciences and humanities. Birzeit University and Oxford have a long-standing history of collaboration, and the George Antonius Birzeit Visiting Fellowship is a bridge that stimulates exchange between our universities.”
