Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka

I am a PhD Candidate at RMIT researching nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate change mitigation and sustainability on university campuses. My thesis focuses on designing NbS to enhance social sustainability and environmental resilience in urban academic settings.

Previously, my master’s thesis, Community Gardens as a Means to Increase Urban Sustainability, explored the role of urban green infrastructure in improving social and environmental sustainability in lower-income neighborhoods. It examined greywater purification and phytoremediation for pollution reduction, culminating in a publication in Energy Nexus (doi.org/10.1016/j.nexus.2025.100363).

I hold a master’s degree from the University of Tehran, in an interdisciplinary program integrating sustainability, LCA methods, environmental impact simulations, and pollution mitigation. I developed expertise across environmental, energy, and architectural disciplines. My background also includes a bachelor’s in Architectural Engineering and several years as a sustainability consultant and architect before transitioning to research.