Program — AMS Scientific Conference 2026
Connecting the Dots, Closing the Loops
Explore the 3-day program, structured around morning plenary sessions and afternoon parallel sessions.
Daily structure
• Morning (plenary) - Keynotes and Panel Discussions
• Lunch
• Afternoon - Parallel sessions
• Closing (plenary)
Parallel Session types:
• Full Paper (orange): Presentations and discussions of finished or late-stage papers
• Pitch & Polish (green): Rapid-fire format presentations of emerging research ideas
• Special Sessions (blue): Project- or consortium-led sessions featuring panels, workshops, or collaborative discussions.
The details of the program will continue to be updated. The timetable below reflects the latest available information.
Keynote Speakers
We are joined by six exceptional thinkers shaping the future of cities, who represent the full spectrum: from global policy to neighborhood design, from circular systems to climate strategy.
Anacláudia Rossbach (Executive Director of UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)
An economist with more than 20 years of experience in housing, informal settlements and urban policy, Ms. Rossbach has been a driving force in shaping inclusive urban agendas around the world. She will link challenges and solutions in housing, energy, circularity, climate resilience, mobility, food, and digitalization across regions.
Peter Pelzer (Professor of Spatial Planning and Strategy at the Department of Urbanism of Delft University of Technology)
Prof. Pelzer is interested in just cities of the future and how to get there. Conceptually, his work is inspired by ideas about imagination and intergenerational justice in a context of challenging socio-ecological prospects. In the past, he was one of the initiators of the Post-Fossil City Contest and co-authored a book on Neighbourhoods for the Future. In 2024, Peter was elected the Dutch National Teacher of the Year in higher education.
Prof. Dr. Catharina Bening (Group Leader for Circular Economy and Co-Lead at the Chair for Sustainability and Technology at ETH Zürich, and steering committee member of sus.lab)
Prof. Bening will explore how innovation and policy can support a regenerative future. She will share insights from her research across various industries, including packaging, retail, construction, textiles, and the bio-economy.
Diederik Samsom (Activist, Politician, Strategist, and Entrepreneur for a Sustainable Future)
Former leader of the PvdA, former head of cabinet of EU Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans, and one of the architects of the European Green Deal, Mr. Samsom brings a rare combination of scientific rigor, political experience, and activist drive to the sustainability transition.
Babette Porcelijn (Director Think Big Act Now)
Ms. Porcelijn, speaker, author, trainer, and founder of Think Big Act Now, will examine the hidden environmental impacts of consumption and societal systems, bringing a holistic, evidence-based perspective drawn from her bestselling books ‘De verborgen impact’ and ‘Het happy 2050 scenario’.
James Evans (Professor of Human Geography at The University of Manchester)
Prof. Evans explores the geographical aspects of smart cities and urban sustainability. He has worked on a number of smart city projects and published widely on the topic of urban experiments and sustainability. Through innovative and interdisciplinary action research, he seeks to understand and influence how cities learn, innovate, and transform toward more sustainable futures.