Sima Cheikh

Part-time Instructor
e-mail: scheikh@azmuniversity.edu.lb

Holds a PhD degree in Architecture from Beirut Arab University and is a lecturer in architecture faculties with 8 years’ experience. Her areas of interest are Urban Design, waterfront urban edges, social studies in architecture, and geographic information system software. During her PhD research, she worked on community engagement on waterfronts developments in three different countries of the Mediterranean from where she concluded a participatory approach matrix that can be used in future developments on waterfronts. Following her PhD research, she participated in related workshops in Egypt and Lebanon and published articles about participatory approaches in urban design. She also earned the scholarship of the Lebanese National Council for scientific Research in the PhD Fellowships Program.

Besides the academic field, she worked as a local researcher and mapping expert for CatalyticAction and Relief Center in the funded research titled “Prosperity Report-El Mina, Tripoli” which was funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council.

Sima is also an entrepreneur and a co-founder of Kwikpak Shelter which is a ready to deploy emergency housing unit for refugees. With Kwikpak shelter startup, she participated and won prizes in Startup Seeds 2017 with Tripoli Entrepreneurs Club, Ideas Trach in MIT enterprise forum Pan Arab Region “Innovate for Refugees”. Also, she participated in the Impact Rise Social Innovation Program and the Green Applied Research and Innovations Support Program in Berytech-Beirut. After Beirut Blast, she and her team received a Grant from Sheraa Sharjah UAE in partnership with MIT in order to afford emergency housing for citizens.