Biography

With a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in urban planning, Saeed Esfandi is pursuing a second Ph.D. in Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Delaware. His research bridges these fields by advancing the “Smart Solar City” concept, integrating solar energy, ICT infrastructure, and urban planning to go beyond traditional smart and solar city models. This concept aims to optimize energy efficiency, stimulate socioeconomic growth, and enhance environmental resilience with planned applications in leading U.S. cities.

To deepen his understanding of U.S. solar energy planning and policy, he collaborates voluntarily with the Foundation for Renewable Energy and Environment (FREE) on relevant research initiatives.

In his free time, Esfandi enjoys hiking, playing video games, and refereeing football matches. He also actively works on improving his programming and data analysis skills. He regularly peer-reviews scientific papers to stay updated with the latest research advancements and contribute to high-quality publications.

Research Interests: Smart solar cities, energy and climate justice, energy-efficient urban spatial planning, urban energy resilience.

Project Management: Experienced in leading research projects and publishing original research and review papers.

Technical Skills: Proficient in spatial and big data analysis and visualization using R and ArcGIS Pro.

Degrees

• Ph.D., Urban Planning, School of Urban Planning, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran (2022)
• M.Sc., Urban Planning, School of Urban Planning, College of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, Iran, (2015)
• B.A., Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Imam Khomeini International University of Qazvin, Iran (2012)

​PhD Advisor

Dr. John Byrne
 

Websites

Saeed's LinkedIn Page