On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, in the Department of Architectural Engineering, master's student Shahd Majid Kazem defended her thesis titled "Designing for Life Beyond Earth: A Study on Space Habitat Design-Thinking Process." The thesis focused on space architecture and the application of the design thinking process in creating sustainable and habitable space habitats by developing a design framework that considers human needs and the unique characteristics of the space environment through theoretical analysis and practical studies of various case studies related to space habitat design.

The main goal of the thesis was to explore and develop a theoretical and practical framework for designing space habitats that can contribute to the sustainability of human life beyond Earth, emphasizing the integration of design thinking principles, such as creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration, to address the challenges posed by the harsh space environment. The findings indicated that applying the design thinking process in space habitat design significantly enhances sustainability aspects, as well as the psychological and social well-being of inhabitants, and the management of limited resources. The thesis highlighted the need for ongoing research to develop innovative solutions to future challenges in this field, focusing on interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous innovation.

The discussion committee consisted of esteemed professors:

• Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Jawad Kazem – Department of Architectural Engineering, University of Technology … Chair
• Prof. Dr. Mustafa Khudair Abadi – Department of Architectural Engineering, University of Technology … Member
• Asst. Prof. Dr. Zuhair Abdul-Azeem Nassar – College of Urban Planning, University of Kufa … Member
• Dr. Ahmad Luay Ahmad – Department of Architectural Engineering, University of Technology … Member and Supervisor

Professor Dr. Ibrahim Jawad Kazem, Head of the Architecture Engineering Department, and Dr. Ahmed Louay Ahmed, Head of the Architectural Design Branch, participated in the periodic meeting of the committee on Building Information Modeling (BIM) for the optimization of project execution in Iraq. The meeting was held today, Monday, September 9, 2024, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

This meeting is part of a series of sessions that have resulted in several important measures and specialized recommendations in this regard. It focused on discussing the mechanisms for activating Building Information Modeling (BIM) programs in Iraq.

This participation represents a boost to scientific and professional collaboration between governmental sectors and academic institutions in the field of urban and infrastructure project execution. It aims to promote the adoption of BIM programs in Iraq to enhance project management, efficiency, and quality in design and implementation.