作者: Ahmed Abukhater

An award-winning author and TED speaker, Dr. Ahmed Abukhater is an architect, environmental scientist, and an urban and regional planner by trade. Raised during the Palestinian Intifada (Uprising) in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Abukhater recognized the value of water as the sustainer of life and peace. His life and work are dedicated to finding pragmatic ways to bring peace to disputing nations globally, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is the author of “Water as a Catalyst for Peace – Transboundary Water Management and Conflict Resolution” and currently leading Product Management and Innovation at The Boeing Company. Throughout his career, he served in a variety of senior and executive positions in both governmental and nongovernmental organizations, including Senior Director of Mapping and GIS at Trimble, Global Director of Product Management at Pitney Bowes Software, Esri”s Global Industry Manager for Planning and Community Development and Director of PLACES (Planning, Architecture, Construction, Engineering and Sustainability), and GIS Director at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Abukhater also served as an Assistant Professor of Geography and Planning at the State University of New York at Albany and at the University of Texas at Austin, USA.    His experience ranges from the technological and practical aspects of planning and community development to public policy and implementation matters. Dr. Abukhater is a noted expert in a number of areas including geospatial and navigation solutions, strategic marketing and product management, sustainable community development, and trans-boundary water resources management and conflict resolution. His research examines the social, economic and environmental factors that drive the 21st century urban development, geopolitical discourse, resource access and allocation, and conflict prevention and resolution.He holds a Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin, Executive Education in Public Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School, Executive Management and Leadership from the MIT Sloan School of Management, a dual Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering. Throughout his career, Dr. Abukhater has authored numerous publications, served on many governing and advisory boards, and received over 20 prestigious awards for his work.