Dr Silvia Covarino is an architect, urbanist, and scholar specialising in urban planning. She holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and a PhD in Rehabilitation and Recovery of Settlements from Sapienza University of Rome. Her research focuses on the socio-anthropological aspects of contemporary urban environments, with a strong emphasis on participatory planning approaches and human-centred design at the urban landscape scale. She has extensive experience in upgrading settlements across diverse geographic and cultural contexts, including Europe, Central America, the Mediterranean region, and the Middle East. Dr Covarino has made significant contributions to the academic community and international forums through her participation in seminars, workshops, conferences, juries, and design competitions. She has delivered keynote lectures and published in scholarly works. She currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Architecture and Urban Design Program at the German University in Cairo.