Loretta Lees is an urban geographer and urbanist who is internationally known for her research on gentrification, urban regeneration, global urbanism, urban policy, urban public space, architecture, and urban social theory. Before moving to Boston University to serve as Faculty Director of the Initiative on Cities, she was professor of Human Geography at Leicester University and before that King’s College London in the UK. Loretta was elected as a fellow of Academia Europaea (MAE) in 2022; the UK Higher Education Academy (FHEA) 2018, Academy of Social Science (FAcSS) 2013, and Royal Society for the Arts (FRSA) 2012.