Nusrat Jahan Mim

Nusrat Jahan Mim is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, affiliated with the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, and the Faculty of Information. Her research focuses on the intersection of urban design, social justice, and technology, with a particular emphasis on how artificial intelligence and computational systems are embedded in and influence spatial practices, governance, and cultural life in cities of the Global South. She earned her Doctor of Design degree at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, supported by a Mellon Fellowship and Aga Khan Foundation funding. She has received numerous academic honors, including the ACM SIGCHI Best Paper Award and the Lafarge-Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction. Her work spans architecture, urban planning, and human-computer interaction, aiming to foster social equity and technological innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration.

• 2020–Present·University of Toronto·Assistant Professor
  • Teaches courses on the politics of urban design, critical computing, and participatory design methods. Researches the impact of technology, policy, and spatial design on cities in the Global South.
• Collaborated with Microsoft Research | Researcher
  • Investigated how AI-generated visuals influence urban design, focusing on algorithmic bias in the Global South.
• Collaborated with Harvard University and BRAC | Researcher
  • Conducted research on informal urban settlements and disaster-adaptive housing, developing inclusive technological solutions for displaced communities.

• 2015–2019·Harvard University Graduate School of Design·Doctor of Design
  • Studied the socio-economic politics and urban spatial design in resource-constrained environments of the Global South.
• 2012–2015·Syracuse University·Master of Architecture
  • Graduated with the AIA Henry Adams Medal for academic excellence.
• 2007–2012·Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)·Bachelor of Architecture
  • Graduated with distinction.