Smart Cities: Technology and Urban Innovation

Dr. Christopher Vas serves as Associate Professor and MBA Director at the University of Canterbury, bringing over 18 years of experience across business, government, and academia in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. His current role focuses on directing the Connected MBA and Industry Executive Programs, where he teaches Data-informed Strategy. His diverse career includes serving as the Founding Director of the Singapore Centre for Research in Productivity, Innovation and Technology (SCRIPT) and leading significant initiatives like the Smart Cities MOOC on the UCx platform. With a PhD from the Australian National University, an MBA, and executive certifications from MIT Sloan and Columbia University, he combines academic excellence with practical industry experience. Currently, he also leads the Western Australian Food Innovation Precinct as General Manager and serves as Principal Consultant to FutureSafe Technologies, an edtech startup specializing in virtual reality-based safety training. His international experience spans Australia-New Zealand, Singapore, India, and the Middle East, and his research contributions include being Executive Director of the Second Murdoch Commission on Food Security, Trade and Regional Partnerships. He holds qualifications as a Graduate Australian Institute of Company Director and Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ.

Dr. Anna Earl serves as Lead Faculty in the University of Canterbury's Connected MBA Program, where she specializes in teaching the Societies in Smart Cities course. Her academic journey, which began with a PhD from the University of Auckland in International Business, has evolved into a multifaceted research portfolio focusing on smart cities, multinational enterprises, and institutional complexity. As a lecturer in Management at the University of Canterbury, she has gained recognition for her innovative approach to teaching smart city concepts, particularly examining waste management solutions and community engagement in urban development