DATE & TIME
1 October 2026, 11:00 – 12:15
TRACKS
TRACK 1: Living Labs for Grand Societal Challenges
TRACK 3: Living Labs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement
TRACK 4: Living Labs for Business and Emerging Technology
ROOM
Stanley
TYPE OF SESSION
Roundtable
Description
AgroCity, GeoIA and GaIA projects from City Living Lab show how Living Labs combine urban agriculture, geospatial AI and citizen engagement to deliver inclusive climate action, better local decisions and measurable value for communities and policymakers.
The panel addresses how cities can turn climate, food and information challenges into coordinated local action. It explores how Living Labs can connect urban agriculture, geospatial intelligence and citizen engagement to support decarbonisation, territorial equity and evidence-based decision-making.
Agenda
| Timeslot | Item | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 – 11:05 | Introduction and framing by moderator | Prof. Dr Ana Cristina Fachinelli (Head of City Living Lab) |
| 11:05 – 11:35 | AgroCity: urban agriculture, carbon footprint monitoring and local social innovation. GeoIA: geospatial AI for equitable and evidence-based urban planning. GaIA: citizen science, climate literacy and countering misinformation through AI and gamification | Prof. Dr Rafael L. Perini (City Living Lab); Prof. Dr Cíntia Paese Giacomello (City Living Lab); Prof. Dr Suane Moschen (City Living Lab) |
| 11:35 – 12:00 | Moderated panel discussion connecting the three cases | Dr Alexandre Pereira Santos (University of Bonn); Charlotta Mirbach (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) |
| 12:00 – 12:10 | Audience interaction and questions | Prof. Dr Mateus Panizzon (City Living Lab) |
| 12:10 – 12:15 | Key takeaways and closing | Prof. Dr Ana Cristina Fachinelli and Prof. Dr Mateus Panizzon (City Living Lab) |
Speakers
Ana Cristina Fachinelli Bertolini
Professor and Researcher, University of Caxias do Sul, and Head of CityLivingLab
Ana Cristina Fachinelli Bertolini
Professor and Researcher, University of Caxias do Sul, and Head of CityLivingLab
Ana Cristina Fachinelli is a Professor and Researcher at the University of Caxias do Sul in Brazil, where she founded and leads CityLivingLab, an ENoLL Member Living Lab dedicated to knowledge-based urban development and citizen-centred innovation.
She holds a PhD in Information and Communication Sciences from the University of Poitiers in France and a postdoctoral degree in Innovation and Knowledge-Based Development from the University of Deusto in Spain. Her research focuses on knowledge-based development, citizen science, urban resilience, sustainability and the use of artificial intelligence to support evidence-based decision-making in cities.
Ana Cristina is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development. She collaborates frequently with universities, governments and innovation ecosystems to advance participatory approaches for more sustainable, resilient and knowledge-driven cities.
Rafael de Lucena Perini
Professor and Researcher, University of Caxias do Sul, and Founding Member, CityLivingLab
Rafael de Lucena Perini
Professor and Researcher, University of Caxias do Sul, and Founding Member, CityLivingLab
Rafael de Lucena Perini is a professor and researcher at the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Brazil, where he teaches at undergraduate and graduate level and is a permanent faculty member of the Professional Master’s Programme in Planning and Management of Sustainable Cities.
He coordinates the distance learning Business Administration programme and is a founding member of CityLivingLab. He holds a PhD in Business Administration from UCS and was a visiting doctoral researcher at Wayne State University in Detroit.
His research centres on knowledge-based development, urban capital systems, territorial innovation, sustainability, and the transition from industrial cities to knowledge cities. He is currently conducting postdoctoral research on international models of urban transformation and collaborative governance.
Cintia Paese Giacomello
Professor and Researcher in GeoAnalysis for Sustainability, University of Caxias do Sul
Cintia Paese Giacomello
Professor and Researcher in GeoAnalysis for Sustainability, University of Caxias do Sul
Cíntia Paese Giacomello is a professor and researcher at the University of Caxias do Sul in Brazil, affiliated with the Graduate Programme in Business and the Graduate Programme in Planning and Management of Sustainable Cities.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Statistics, a master’s degree in Production Engineering and a PhD in Business. At CityLivingLab she leads and contributes to projects that integrate data analytics, artificial intelligence, management and urban planning.
Her work emphasises robust research methodologies, the analysis of key indicators and the generation of evidence to inform strategic decision-making in urban development. She is also actively engaged in training researchers and in fostering collaboration between universities, public institutions, private organisations and society.
Suane Moschen
Professor of Management, University of Caxias do Sul, and Researcher, CityLivingLab
Suane Moschen
Professor of Management, University of Caxias do Sul, and Researcher, CityLivingLab
Suane A. Moschen is an architect and urban planner, Doctor of Business Administration, and Professor of Management at the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Brazil. She is also a researcher at CityLivingLab UCS, where her work focuses on smart and sustainable cities, urban innovation, social innovation, citizen engagement, public governance and data-driven decision-making.
Her doctoral research investigated how citizens’ commitment to social innovations can contribute to sustainable urban development, combining quantitative and qualitative methods with a citizen science approach. Suane has professional experience in municipal public administration, working with urban data, governance, process management, project management and transparency initiatives.
She has contributed to research and applied projects on city indicators, resilience, decarbonisation, urban observatories and innovation ecosystems. Her interdisciplinary practice connects academia, government and communities to develop evidence-based strategies and collaborative solutions for more inclusive, resilient and sustainable cities.
Alexandre Pereira Santos
Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Geosciences and Geoinformation, University of Bonn
Alexandre Pereira Santos
Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Geosciences and Geoinformation, University of Bonn
Dr Alexandre Pereira Santos is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Geosciences and Geoinformation at the University of Bonn, where he focuses on the future of climate vulnerability and the adaptation of coastal megacities in South and Southeast Asia.
He is also co-principal investigator for YourVoice TB, a pilot project based on arts and participatory GIS that focuses on experiences of tuberculosis treatment in Nepal. Alexandre has international experience in urban geography, planning and design, spanning teaching, advocacy and practice.
His research uses mixed methods across climate and health vulnerability, urban development, demography and geographic information. He works on integrative approaches, with interests in systemic risks, complexity and the dynamics of vulnerability.
Charlotta Mirbach
Climate Adaptation Researcher and Data Scientist, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Charlotta Mirbach
Climate Adaptation Researcher and Data Scientist, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Charlotta Mirbach is a climate adaptation researcher and data scientist based at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where she works in the university’s Human and Environment Relations research unit.
Her work combines physical geography, geospatial analysis, machine learning and artificial intelligence to study climate risks and adaptation. Her research includes assessing who participates in climate change adaptation, examining adaptation in island communities, and developing methods for tracking progress towards global adaptation goals.
She co-authored a 2023 study in Nature Climate Change on the roles of governmental and non-governmental actors in adaptation, as well as a 2025 Climate Policy paper evaluating the datasets used to measure adaptation progress.
Mateus Panizzon
Professor and Researcher in Anticipatory Governance, University of Caxias do Sul
Mateus Panizzon
Professor and Researcher in Anticipatory Governance, University of Caxias do Sul
Dr Mateus Panizzon is a professor and researcher at the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Brazil, specialising in anticipatory governance systems. He is a faculty member of the doctoral Graduate Programme in Business Administration, contributes to the Innovation and Competitiveness research line, and conducts research with CityLivingLab.
His projects include GaIA, GeoAI, Cities+I, Living Labs Maturity, and Anticipatory Knowledge Transfer and Exchange. He holds a PhD in Innovation Management from PUCRS and completed a doctoral research period at the École de technologie supérieure, Université du Québec.
His research focuses on anticipatory governance, artificial intelligence, knowledge management, resilience and capabilities for innovation, with publications in journals including Futures, Technology in Society, the Journal of Knowledge Management and AI and Ethics. He is a member of the Futures4Europe community and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development.