Dr Maria Panta

Dr Maria Panta is an architect, educator, and researcher with over 20 years of experience in architecture, community development, and higher education. As the Ghana representative for the Heritage Management Organisation (HERITΛGE), she leads heritage capacity-building projects and collaborates with local institutions and grassroots communities. Currently a faculty member at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Panta focuses on participatory design, sustainability, and cultural heritage preservation. She is also the founder of Trans-African Dialogues (TADs), a platform for fostering collaboration between African universities and cultural institutions to rethink design education across the continent. Dr Panta completed her PhD at the University for the Creative Arts, UK, where her research on “Resilience and Adaptation through Community-Driven Construction Projects in the Global South” emphasized participatory design and vernacular knowledge, particularly in Ghana. This work continues to inform her teaching and professional practice. With experience in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East, she has contributed to heritage-sensitive and sustainable urban design projects. Through her role at HERITΛGE, Dr Panta combines education, research, and practice to advance cultural heritage management and sustainable development in Ghana and beyond.