Stefan Al is an architect, urban designer, researcher, and educator. He has worked on some of the world's largest structures, including the 2000-feet tall Canton Tower. He served as a professor at various institutions such as Virginia Tech, Columbia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he was invited to be a TED Resident and advisor to various city governments, including Hong Kong. In addition to his work as a designer, he has published eight books that explore the pressing design challenges in cities. They have been widely acclaimed including by the Wall Street Journal, Architectural Record, The Times and NPR.