James Evans is Professor of Geography at the University of Manchester, UK. His work investigates how cities learn to become smarter and more sustainable. Over the past 20 years he has worked with over 200 organizations around the world to create more collaborative ways of working toward sustainability. He has led the University's involvement in major research projects to develop smart and more sustainable cities that have attracted more than £50m of research and innovation funding.

Craig Thomas is Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Manchester. His research and teaching focus on environmental governance and sustainability. Working on solutions to the climate crisis, he has examined anti-fracking activism, urban carbon reduction and ways to make space missions more sustainable. Craig is a scholar activist, working beyond academia to explore ways that the University can make a difference to the social and economic wellbeing of neighboring communities.