Urbanization and Health: Sustainable Solutions for Cities

Dirk Lund Christensen is an Associate Professor in Global Health at the Global Health Section of the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen. He holds an MSc in Human Physiology and a PhD in Clinical Epidemiology, both from the University of Copenhagen/Steno Diabetes Center. His research primarily focuses on cardio-metabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, and obesity, examining various populations worldwide. Christensen has published extensively on these topics, utilizing objectively measured physical activity data from studies in Africa, India, and Mexico, often in collaboration with the MRC in Cambridge, UK. He is currently the principal investigator for studies in Tanzania and Mexico.

Flemming Konradsen is a professor of international environmental health at the University of Copenhagen and the director of the Copenhagen School of Global Health. With over twenty years of experience in environmental and global health, his research focuses on critical areas such as water supply, sanitation, hygiene, acute pesticide poisoning, and vector-borne disease control across Asia, Africa, and Europe. His methodologies encompass epidemiology, qualitative studies, health promotion, and health systems analysis. Additionally, he plays a significant role in building research capacity in universities throughout Asia and Africa and has collaborated with various international organizations and NGOs.

Gertrud Jørgensen, M.Arch. PhD, is a professor of urban planning at the University of Copenhagen's Section for Landscape Architecture and Planning. Her research encompasses a wide range of planning issues, including urban transformation, sustainable urban development, and strategic planning in both urban and rural contexts, particularly in response to climate change. She is particularly interested in the relationship between planning tools, processes, and outcomes concerning spatial quality, sustainability, and livable environments. Currently, she leads a Danish project focused on nature-based planning solutions to address sea level rise.

Zorana Jovanovic Andersen is a distinguished professor specializing in Environmental Epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen and serves as the Chair of the European Respiratory Society Environment and Health Committee. Her research focuses on the health effects of long-term exposure to air pollution, leading multiple projects investigating its impact on various diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, respiratory diseases, cancer, and dementia. Prof. Andersen has collaborated with significant cohorts such as the Danish Nurse Cohort and the Nationwide Danish Administrative cohort, as well as participating in large European initiatives like ELAPSE. Her work also explores the health implications of road traffic noise, environmental exposures related to aging, and the interaction between air pollution and physical activity. An advocate for clean air, she actively translates research findings into policy recommendations at local, national, and international levels, contributing to various expert groups and committees focused on air quality and public health. Prof. Andersen teaches courses such as "Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health" and "Urbanisation and Health - Promoting Sustainable Solutions."

Elisa Pozo Menéndez is an architect and urban planner with a Master’s degree in Sustainable Cities from UPEM-IFU (2014) and another Master’s in Environment and Bioclimatic Architecture from UPM (MAYAB, 2019). She is currently a researcher in the ABIO-UPM Group and a PhD candidate focusing on active ageing and urbanism, coordinating European projects at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid that emphasize innovative education and urban health. Since 2006, Elisa has collaborated with various NGOs and associations, working extensively with vulnerable communities. Her expertise lies in integrating urban planning with health and sustainability, contributing to courses such as "Urbanisation and Health - Promoting Sustainable Solutions."