Yasmina Carole El Chami

Yasmina is an architect and final-year PhD Candidate in the Centre for Urban Conflicts Research (UCR) at the Department of Architecture. Her doctoral research looks at the spread of missionary educational institutions in nineteenth-century Lebanon, and their role in the urbanisation of Beirut. Her research is funded by a Cambridge International Scholarship (2017-20) and the Funds for Women Graduates Doctoral Grant (2020-21). Currently, Yasmina is completing her dissertation as a Scouloudi Doctoral Fellow (2020/21) at the Institute of Historical Research (London). 

Yasmina holds a B.Arch with a minor in English Literature from the American University of Beirut, and an M.Phil in Architecture and Urban Design from the Architectural Association in London. 

Prior to starting her PhD, she worked in various architecture studios including Rafael Vinoly Architects & Planners in New York, Bernard Khoury/DW5, Hala Younes/Aeta and Mariagroup Architects in Beirut. From 2013 to 2015 she was a Lecturer at the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University, where she taught design studios and core history/theory modules.

At Cambridge, Yasmina supervises the ARCT Part IB History & Theory papers on Housing and Islamic Architecture, as well as Part I undergraduate dissertations. She was co-editor (with Savia Palate) of the 28th issue of Scroope: The Cambridge Architecture Journal, and the lead organiser (with Nadi Abusaada) of the symposium: 'Conflicted Narratives, Future Trajectories' (Sep 2019).

Outside the department she has served as Christ's College MCR President (2019/2020), and as MCR Academic Officer (2018/2019), convening a termly joint-SCR/MCR seminar series alongside other academic events, and serving on the College's education committee. 

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