Professor Marc Aurel Schnabel is an expert in digital architecture, immersive design, and intelligent technologies, with over 30 years of pioneering research in architecture and urban design. As Dean of the Design School at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, he drives innovation in digital design, smart heritage, and extended reality applications. Previously, he was the Founding Director of the ‘FORUM8 Research Lab’ in Tokyo, where he explored virtual city simulations and blockchain applications in the built environment. A recognised thought leader, he has served as president of multiple professional organisations and is a strategic partner in the European Union’s ‘RE-designing Access to Cultural Heritage’ initiative. His work spans curating digital exhibitions, advancing AI-driven heritage research, establishing global research networks, and bridging academia and industry to shape the future of digital design and cultural heritage preservation.