Ms. Cristina Contreras Cristina Contreras is currently a Research Associate in the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University, where she focuses on promoting sustainable practices in infrastructure projects on a global scale, examining and exploring the challenges and opportunities that sustainability can provide to countries and industry. During her time at Harvard, Cristina has lead several multi-year research projects aimed at introducing sustainable infrastructure practices into emerging economies, especially in the Latin America region. Cristina has also participated in collaboration with the Harvard School of Public Health in the Healthy Cities for China initiative and the Business Case for Sustainable Infrastructure. In her efforts to promote sustainable infrastructure, she also consults as an independent expert consultant for international organizations such as the Inter American Development Bank, Brookings Institute in Washington D.C, and GIZ in Germany, among others.
Cristina holds a Bachelor degree in Technical Architecture and Building Engineering, both from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), and a Masters Degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University as well as two Professional Graduate Certificates in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation, and Strategic Management from Harvard University.
Cristina is a member of several working groups in infrastructure sustainability including the “United Nations Environment Programme’s Expert Working Group on integrated approaches to sustainable infrastructure” and American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE), “Sustainable Infrastructure Standards Committee - Leadership Writing Group” and the “Planning Committee on Global Sustainability.”