Leeds architect wins the 2023 Routledge Area Studies Impact Award
A leading architect from the University of Leeds has received the prestigious Routledge Area Studies Impact Award for 2023 for her cutting-edge research.
Professor Gehan Selim, the Hoffman Wood Chair in Architecture in the School of Civil Engineering, was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to produce “Digital Heritage for Sustainable Safeguarding of Endangered Cultural Heritage in the Global South”, which judges said demonstrated substantial impact, leading to tangible changes in youth capacity building and the development of toolkits and guidelines that influence policy at national and international levels.
The annual Routledge Area Studies Impact and Interdisciplinarity Awards celebrate research that “makes a significant contribution to our understanding of ‘areas’ of our world and the lives lived therein”, highlighting the unique strengths of area studies, its special applicability in real-world contexts, and its importance as an interface between multiple disciplines.
Professor Selim’s project was recognised for addressing a critical global challenge and making a significant contribution to safeguarding cultural heritage in conflict regions of the Global South through digital technologies in collaboration with partners from the UK, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon.
In their decision, the judges wrote: “The impressive project is highly original and innovative, making a significant contribution to safeguarding cultural heritage in conflict regions of the Global South through digital technologies.
“The project has broader implications for sustainable cultural heritage preservation beyond the Global South and has the potential for future impact.”
Speaking of her latest achievement, Professor Selim said: “I am truly humbled to receive this award, as it is a most welcome recognition of our research efforts making a significant contribution to safeguarding cultural heritage in conflict regions of the Global South.
“I am grateful and wish to thank and acknowledge the dedication and full support of all my collaborating partners, without whom this work could not have been delivered without the strong partnerships we built over the years.”
