Dr Sina Shahab has been appointed as an AESOP group leader for the Planning and Law theme. Along with Professor Rachelle Alterman (Israel Institute of Technology) and Dr Linda McElduff (Ulster University), he will also serve as a liaison and extended ExCo member of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR).

Dr Shahab is a Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University (UK) whose research focuses on the ways in which decision-makers can design planning, housing, and land policies that are more effective, efficient, and equitable in achieving their goals. Informed by the theories of new institutional economics, his recent published work focus on the self-build and custom housebuilding sector in the UK, land policy in Switzerland, housing development in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Sina’s research is highly regarded by experts in the field. He has been the winner of two prestigious awards: The Royal Town Planning Institute Award for Research Excellence 2018 and the Journal of the American Planning Association Article of the Year Award 2019.