Dr. Niva Rana Mahanta is an experienced academic with 39 years of work experience, including 13 years as a full-time faculty member of Architecture and ID in Dubai. She holds a PhD in Built Environment from the Center for Environment, IIT Guwahati, and has completed her Master's and Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Mumbai University.  

She taught at Architecture colleges in Mumbai and Manipal University Dubai before joining Amity University Dubai in 2015. Her research interests include Waterfront & Wetland conservation, Resilient & Smart cities, and AI in building systems.

She has published book chapters, journal articles, and conference papers on national and international platforms. She has also delivered many keynote speeches and was a recipient of funded projects by UIP Grantees of Expo 2020 and SDME 2018. She has worked as an external evaluator for Architecture and Interior Design programmes at various universities across the UAE.