Programme Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Further information on the keynote programme, additional Keynote Speakers and Events will be added as the programme develops.

 

Dr. Antonis Vradis - University of St Andrews

Antonis is a human geographer with an urban focus, a migration inclination and a political urge to make sense of our turbulent times. He was one of 428 people on a solidarity mission intercepted and imprisoned by Israeli forces en route to Gaza in May 2026. Over the years Antonis has worked with colleagues and comrades in projects including EnJUSTICE, Decolonising the City, CUPP, Transcapes, PURSI, Nutricities and the Welcoming City. What these diverse research endeavours hold in common is a drive to understand how cities and their often-transient populations face up to the polycrises of our times. In the spirit of horizontal learning and research, Antonis helped establish the Radical Urban Lab at the University of St Andrews in 2021. The Lab has established Virtual Fellowships with Gazan scholars, and a broader collaborative ethos across hierarchies and institutions. He serves as a Reader and University Trustee at St Andrews, and Full Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oslo.

 

Prof. Simona Iammarino - Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI) / London School of Economics and Political Science

Simona Iammarino is Professor of Applied Economics at the Gran Sasso Science Institute, L’Aquila, Italy; and Visiting Professor, Department of Geography and Environment, LSE, UK. Her broad research interests are: Multinational corporations, globalisation & local economic development; Economic geography of innovation; Regional economic development & policy. She has published more than 80 articles, 2 co-authored books, numerous book chapters, working papers and policy reports for different international organisations and government bodies. She is co-editor of the Journal of Economic Geography, and Vice-president of the Italian Society of Economics (SIE). Simona is Fellow of the Regional Studies Association (FeRSA); in 2026, she was awarded the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) Fellowship, and the Stellenbosch Institute of Advances Studies (STIAS) Fellowship. In 2024, she was awarded the SIEPI Giacomo Becattini Prize, and the ERSA Prize in Regional Science.

URL and CV: https://www.gssi.it/people/professors/lectures-social-science-gssi-cities/item/25922- iammarino-simona

 

Prof. Silvia Grandi - University of Bologna / National Research Council (CNR)

Silvia Grandi is a geographer whose career bridges academic research and public policy. She is Adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna and Research Associate at the National Research Council (CNR-IGAG), and holds the Italian National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in Geography. Her research spans political and economic geography, sustainable development, financial geography, natural resources and critical raw materials, European cohesion policy, innovation, digital transformation and GIS. Alongside her academic work, she has extensive experience in the Italian public administration and in European and international policy processes. Her recent activities have focused particularly on the green and digital transitions, including circular economy, sustainable finance, artificial intelligence, connectivity and emerging technologies. This combination of geographical scholarship and direct engagement with policymaking provides a distinctive perspective on how economic, technological and environmental transitions are translated into territorial processes, governance strategies and public policies.

 

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Further information on the keynote programme and additional keynote speakers will be announced as the programme develops.