Asef is a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Planning, Design, and Policy working on social impact assessment of re-naturing measures co-benefits in urban areas through analysis of ecosystem services funded by the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) program. His main areas of interest are ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, social impact assessments, and biodiversity in urban areas and their connections and interactions. Identifying indicators, factors, and quantification methods for social impact evaluations, decision-aiding procedures, and biodiversity preservation are parts of his research focus.
He has a master’s degree in urban planning and policy design from Politecnico di Milano (110 out of 110) with a thesis exchange with the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and obtained his bachelor’s degree in urban planning in Iran. He worked with local consulting offices in Isfahan, Iran, for four years on policymaking in small cities in collaboration with local consulting offices. Alongside research, he works part-time as a teaching assistant in Master of Urban Planning and Urban Design courses at Politecnico di Milano.