Dr. Esmat Zaidan is an Associate Professor at the College of Public Policy (CPP) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). Before joining HBKU, she served as the Director of the Honors Program at Qatar University and as an Associate Professor of Policy, Planning, and Development. Prior to moving to Qatar, she was an Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Sustainability at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). She also worked as a Lecturer in Development and Environment at the College of Environment, University of Waterloo, where she earned her master's and PhD degrees. 
Her research primarily focuses on the area of sustainable development policy and planning with an emphasis on sustainable urbanism and the complex interaction between human and built environment. Her research portfolio extensively covers urban resilience and sustainability policies, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic regions. Her approach is interdisciplinary, addressing dynamic models of socioeconomic and environmental systems to create simulations and predictive models to enhance understanding and forecasting of the complex interplays between urban and natural environments. A significant aspect of her research is associated with adaptation and mitigation strategies towards climate change. This includes the policy pathway for energy-efficient buildings, sustainable, resilient, and people-centric urban areas, as well as further study on impacts of technological change in urban life including smart cities and net-zero carbon communities. She particularly focuses on the ways innovations in data-driven modeling and machine learning are shaping sustainability policies, further positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes. Through her work, she aims to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical solutions, ensuring that policy interventions are scientifically robust and effectively tailored to the unique dynamics of the different urban settings and societies.

Research Interests
•    Sustainable Development Strategies and Policy Planning
•    Human and Built Environment Interaction
•    Human-centered sustainability policies
•    Sustainable, Resilient, and People-Centric Cities
•    The Dynamics of Interaction between Technological Deployment and Humans. 
•    Smart Cities and Net-Zero Carbon Communities
•    Energy-Efficient Building Policies
•    Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
•    Localization of the SDGs in Higher Education