Dr. Shima Beigi is a resilience and smart cities expert with a robust academic background, including a Ph.D. in Resilience of Complex Adaptive Systems from the University of Bristol. Her work focuses on the integration of mindfulness into the framework of smart cities, aiming to enhance urban resilience and sustainability. Dr. Beigi is currently writing her second book, which delves into the future of AI and smart systems. She will continue her research and writing during her residency at UM6P’s Institute for Advanced Studies.

Selected Book

“Mindful Smart Cities” VUB Press (October 2020)

Residency period

From April 2024 to February 2025.

Educational Background:

  • During her residency at the UM6P Institute for Advanced Studies, Dr. Shima Beigi worked on The Seventh City Project, an interdisciplinary research and writing initiative that reimagined the future of smart cities through a human-centred and contemplative lens. Building on her earlier work Mindful Smart Cities, the project sought to bridge technological innovation with inner human development by proposing a socio-psycho-technological framework integrating digital infrastructures, collective consciousness, and cultural wisdom. In parallel with this research trajectory, her residency also contributed to the conceptual and organizational preparation of the second edition of Noosphère: The Global South, fostering dialogue between science, philosophy, and society. While the book initially envisioned as a core deliverable was not completed during the residency period, the project served as a platform for exchange, collaboration, and intellectual engagement across disciplines and partners.