Wanyu Shih

INSTITUTE:

UNU-IAS

OFFICE:

Pacifico-Yokohama, 1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, 220-8502 Yokohama

E-MAIL:

PHONE:

+81 (0)45 221-2300

NATIONALITY:

Not available

Research Interests

Biodiversity conservation in built environment
Climate change adaptation
Ecological planning
Urban green infrastructure planning

Biographical Statement

Wanyu Shih joined the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies as a JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sustainable Urban Futures Programme in September 2011, with an adjunct affiliation to Keio University. Her main research interests lie in exploring the interdisciplinary nature of ecological planning in human dominated areas and adaptation planning to climate change, with a special focus on the Green Infrastructure strategy. Her current research at UNU-IAS aims to explore “what changes are necessary in the process of urbanization for local governance to alleviate climate change impact on biodiversity”.

Shih holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Design from Fu-jen University; a Master’s degree in Landscape from National Taiwan University, and a PhD degree in Planning and Landscape from the University of Manchester (UK).

Her PhD thesis centred on optimizing a green network to meet the potential conflict of interest between avian conservation and human recreation in urban areas.

Prior to joining UNU-IAS, she worked as an urban planner in the urban regeneration programme of the Taipei City Government to promote cultural revitalization in old districts. Throughout her academic and professional career, Wanyu has participated in various projects and research on ecological planning and design in towns and cities, biodiversity investigation in river catchments, and green roof strategy for cities to adapt to climate change.