Soheila Ghafoor

Soheila conducts interdisciplinary research to improve the sustainability and productivity of housing and construction. Her work operates at the intersection of the circular economy, modern methods of construction, life cycle assessment, and systems thinking, with a focus on generating practical insights that inform decision-making across industry, practice, and policy.

Soheila holds a PhD in Architecture and Built Environment from Deakin University, where her doctoral research on advancing a circular economy in housing construction received the 2024 Top Performing HDR Student Prize. She also holds a Master of Construction Management, a Master of Architecture, and a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering, and has received multiple awards, including the Brian Lewis Award for academic excellence in the project management specialisation.

As a Research Fellow at RMIT University, Soheila contributes to research and teaching and works closely with industry and government stakeholders to translate research into practical strategies and policy-relevant outcomes. Her teaching is informed by over six years of professional experience in architecture and construction project management. She is committed to the scholarship of teaching and learning and contributes to initiatives that support the development of the next generation of construction and project management professionals.

 

Awards & Recognitions:

 

• Best Presentation Award (Runner-Up), The 58th International Conference of the Architectural Science Association, Melbourne, 2025.
• Research Dissemination Prize, Deakin University, 2025.
• Top Performing Higher Degree Research Student Prize, Deakin University, 2024.
• Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DUPRS) to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy, 2021.
• Dean’s Honour Award, The University of Melbourne, 2020. 
• Brian Lewis Award for academic excellence in the Project Management specialisation, The University of Melbourne, 2020.
• Harry Wexler AIQS Prize for excellence in the subject Construction Measurement and Estimating, The University of Melbourne, 2019.
• Dean’s Honour Award, The University of Melbourne, 2018.

 

Research Projects:

 

Business Model Innovation for Unlocking Modern Methods of Construction in Social and Affordable Housing Supply (Project 1.11.1), Funded by Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc), 2026-2027.

Delivering Social Housing at Scale: Turning Challenges into Opportunities, Funded by Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc), 2024-2026.

Carbon footprint on recycling and re-manufacturing use of polymer. Funded by RecycleAll, 2024-2025.