Outstanding PhD thesis, London, 2015
RIBA President’s Medal Awards
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) President’s Awards for Research, are open to researchers from over 100 universities worldwide, in the area of architecture, urban planning and the built environment.
Described by the judging panel as “completely ripping, thorough and rigorous” my PhD research engaged with communities and multiple stakeholders to understand self-reliance and neighbourhoods’ transformation under scarce resources and in contested urban environments, with a focus on informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Dr. Isis Nunez Ferrera receiving an award for Outstanding PhD Thesis from the Chair of the Research & Innovation Group, Professor Flora Samuel, and the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Jane Duncan. The RIBA President’s Medals 2015 ceremony video is available through RIBA President’s youtube portal, here.
50 Global leaders on education for sustainable development, Japan 2014
UNESCO
UNESCO Global Leader on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), selected among 5,000 candidates for my work with Architecture Sans Frontieres - UK on capacity building and innovative methods for action learning and multi-stakeholder engagement.
2010 PhD full scholarship
Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA)
Awarded a full scholarship focused on working with communities and multiple stakeholders to understand cities and neighbourhood transformation under scarce resources and in contested urban environments, with a focus on informal settlements in Quito and Kenya.
2018 UNHCR Innovation Fellow
UNHCR Innovation Service
Selected for the UNHCR’s prestigious Innovation Fellowship for 2018-19, based on my proposal to further develop a community engagement approach to support IDPs in shaping durable solutions.
The UNHCR innovation service embeds new approaches and methodologies to address the growing humanitarian needs of today and more critically — the future.
Research grant - international exchange
British Council & the Newton Fund
Awarded a researcher’s exchange grant to collaborate with fellow Egyptian urban researchers looking at building resilience and self-reliance in communities affected by environmental change and economic shocks due to conflict.
