(This page was last updated in April 2024)

Sabrina Lai is an Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture of the University of Cagliari, Italy. She earned the National Scientific Habilitation (ASN) as Full Professor in December 2023, after obtaining the one as Associate Professor in March 2017. In 2014 she was one of the four winners of the international competition The planning thought award (jury chaired by John Friedmann). Her research interests and publications focus on environmental planning and relationships between spatial planning and preservation of natural resources at the regional scale, spanning from land-cover/land-use change analyses to mapping and assessing ecosystem services, from institutional tools for biodiversity conservation (prominently, green infrastructures and natural protected areas) to environmental assessments.

 

Academic positions

• 2022-ongoing: Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Cagliari, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture.
• 2019-2022: Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Cagliari, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture.
• 2017-2018: Research fellow (Assegnista di Ricerca) within the INTERREG funded project “GIREPAM”; title of the research program: “Definition of guidelines for the integration of planning and regulatory tools concerning Natura 2000 Network and natural protected areas in the cooperation area of the Italy-France Maritime Program, and implementation of the guidelines in pilot areas” – Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 (08/F1); Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari (Italy).
• 2015-2016: Research fellow (Assegnista di Ricerca); title of the research program: “Limitation of land take and protection of nature in Sardinia” – Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 (08/F1);, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari (Italy).
• 2013-2015: Research fellow (Assegnista di Ricerca); title of the research program: “Methodological paths and guidelines to define and implement the landscape-planning and environmental assessment processes concerning the regional systems of Sardinia” – Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 (08/F1); Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari (Italy).
• 2011-2012: Research fellow (Assegnista di Ricerca); title of the research program: “Strategic Environmental Assessment and drafting of a Regional Plan for the recreational boating sector in Sardinia” – Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 (08/F1); Department of Land Engineering, University of Cagliari (Italy)
• 2007-2009: Research Fellow working on landscape characterization methods –Self-acquired position as grantholder (€ 48,000) under the so-called “Master and Back – Percorsi di rientro” programme, funded by the Regional Administration of Sardinia, call 2007 – Scientific Disciplinary Sector ICAR/20 (08/F1); Department of Land Engineering, University of Cagliari (Italy)

 

Publications

• Institutional repository: check page "Research/Research outcomes (IRIS)"
• Orcid
• Scopus
• ISI-Web of Science
• Google Scholar

 

Participation in research projects: see "Research/Topics and projects" page (menu to the right-hand side)

Teaching activity (more details at the "Teachings" page)

• 2023-ongoing: Member of the teaching assembly of the National Doctoral Programme in "Sustainable Development & Climate Change", IUSS Pavia.
• 2022-ongoing: Member of the teaching board of the Doctoral Programme in "Civil Engineering and Architecture", University of Cagliari.
• 2023-ongoing: Official co-lecturer in charge of the "Urban and regional sustainability: smart cities and ecosystem services in planning" module (30 hours out of the total 60 hours allocated to the module). Lectures delivered in English within the magisterial degree in Environmental and Land Engineering, optional module for students enrolled in the “environmental and spatial planning” curriculum.
• 2023-ongoing: Official co-lecturer in charge of the "Spatial planning and infrastructure" module (16 hours out of the total 40 hours allocated to the module), within the professional bachelor's degree in Techniques for building construction and land development.
• 2019-ongoing: Official co-lecturer in charge of the hands-on workshop on “Territorial planning” (30 hours out of the total 45 hours allocated to the workshop, 3 ECTS) within the bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Land Engineering.
• 2019-ongoing: Official lecturer in charge of the “Strategic planning” module, (60 hours, 6 ECTS). Lectures delivered in English within the magisterial degree in Environmental and Land Engineering, compulsory for students enrolled in the “environmental and spatial planning” curriculum.
• 2015-2018: Adjunct professor (Docente a contratto) at the School of Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari (Italy). Module leader for three academic years, in charge of teaching “Environmental planning”, core module for post-graduate students enrolled in the “Environmental Engineering” magisterial programme, Planning curriculum (60 ECTS).
• 2011-2012: Adjunct professor (Docente a contratto) at the School of Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari (Italy). Module leader for one academic year, in charge of teaching “Environmental Assessment and Planning”, aimed at students enrolled in the dual degree program “Master di II livello in Informazione Geografica e Supporto alla Pianificazione territoriale e ambientale (Geographic Information and Environmental Planning Support)” (Italy) and “Master of Science Degree in Geography and Cartography” (USA). Lectures delivered in English.
• 2009-2011: Teaching assistant for the courses “Urban Planning” and “City and Regional Planning” at the Department of Land Engineering, University of Cagliari (Italy).  Delivered theoretical lessons and carried out practical demonstrations on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with a focus on the use of GIS as a planning-aid tool. Assessed students’ coursework and project work (the latter consisting in the construction of a spatial dataset and the preparation of maps concerning a detailed development plan).
• 2005-2006: Teaching assistant for the Course City and Regional Planning. at the Department of Land Engineering, University of Cagliari (Italy). Delivered theoretical lessons and carried out practical demonstrations on Multicriteria Analysis as a planning-aid tool. Assessed students’ coursework and projectwork (the latter consisting in the assessment, carried out through the Analytic Hierarchy Process technique, of the performances of various alternatives for a detailed development plan concerning a given area in the city of Cagliari).

 

Editorial activity in international scientific journals

• 2021-ongoing: Editorial board member and (starting September 1, 2022) Section editor of the Section "Environmental Planning and Assessment" of the journal “City and Environment Interactions” (ISSN 2590-2520), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science and published by Elsevier (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/city-and-environment-interactions/editorial-board).
• 2023-ongoing: Associate editor of the Open Access journal “Regional Studies, Regional Science” Early Careers section (ISSN: 2168-1376). The journal, published by Taylor & Francis, is listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science. It is also included in the ANVUR list of scientific journals for Area 08, and it is included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals in Geography (11/B1), Applied economics (13/A4), Political science (14/A2), Sociology of economy and labour, sociology of land and environment (14/D1) (https://rsa.tandfonline.com/journals/rsrs20).
• 2018-ongoing: Member of the editorial board of the journal “Socio-Ecological Practice Research” (ISSN print: 2524-5279; ISSN online: 2524-5287), listed in Scopus and published by Springer (https://www.springer.com/journal/42532/editors).
• 2019-ongoing: Member of the reviewer board of the journal “Remote Sensing” (ISSN 2072-4292), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, published by MDPI.
• 2014-2022: Editor of the Open Access journal “Regional Studies, Regional Science” Early Careers section (ISSN: 2168-1376). The journal, published by Taylor & Francis, is listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science. It is also included in the ANVUR list of scientific journals for Area 08, and it is included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals in Geography (11/B1), Applied economics (13/A4), Political science (14/A2), Sociology of economy and labour, sociology of land and environment (14/D1) (https://rsa.tandfonline.com/journals/rsrs20).
• 2012-2013: Editor of the journal “Regional Insights”, selected upon winning an International competition. https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rrin20/current (Print ISSN: 2042-9843; Online ISSN: 2042-9851).

 

Guest editorships

• 2024-ongoing: Guest editor of the special issue “Addressing Climate Change Impacts Through an Ecosystem-Based Approach for More Resilient Cities and Regions: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations" within the journal Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, and included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals urban and regional planning (08/F1). https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/25K03AYTRW 
• 2023-2024: Guest editor of the special issue “Digital Transitions and Environmental Challenges of African Cities” within the journal City and Environment Interactions (ISSN: 2590-2520), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, and included in the ANVUR list of scientific journals for the 08 Scientific Area "Engineering and Architecture". https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/city-and-environment-interactions/vol/21/suppl/C
• 2022-2023: Guest editor of the special issue “Sustainable Spatial Planning Based on Ecosystem Services, Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions” within the journal Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, and included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals urban and regional planning (08/F1). https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/sspb
• 2021-2023: Guest editor of the special issue “Designing Resilient Cities by Ecosystem Service Mapping” within the journal Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, and included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals urban and regional planning (08/F1). https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/Resilient_Cities_Ecosystem
• 2020-2021: Guest editor of the special issue “Advanced Modelling Tools to Support Urban and Regional Planning” within the journal Sustainability (ISSN: 2071-1050), listed in Scopus and in ISI-Web of Science, and included in the ANVUR list of class-A journals urban and regional planning (08/F1). https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability/special_issues/Advanced_Modelling_Tools_Urban_Regional_Planning

 

Education

• 2022: Continue Discentia, a course organized by the University of Cagliari; continuing education programme for faculty members.
• 2018: Campus Sardegna, a 120-hour post-graduate course in Landscape planning and management organized by Formez.
• 2017: Discentia, a course organized by the University of Cagliari; continuing education programme for faculty members.
• 2009: PhD in City and Regional Planning (XX cycle) awarded by the University of Cagliari (Italy). Title of the dissertation (written in English): Landscape Planning in the Context of European Spatial Planning: Integration, Cooperation, Participation and Perception. A Case Study from Sardinia (Italy).
• 2008: Master of Science in International Planning and Development awarded by Cardiff University (UK), School of City and Regional Planning (Awarded with Distinction).
• 2003: Post-grad course in Environmental research; scholarship granted by the Ministry for the Education and Research.
• 2002: Post-grad course in Local development within island coastal areas, organized by Formez; scholarship granted by the Ministry for the Environment.
• 2001: Degree in Civil Engineering (5-year programme) awarded by the University of Cagliari (Italy). Full marks.