Dr. (Ms.) Ayşe Ege Yıldırım is an urban planner specializing in heritage conservation, with over 15 years of experience working both in Turkey and internationally. Having been in various positions in the private, public, voluntary and academic sectors, she is interested in balancing the theoretical and the executive in her profession. Her focus in recent years, notably in her PhD research, has been on governance aspects of urban conservation. Ege has often been engaged in community activism related to cultural heritage, being passionate about the environment, women"s rights and civil liberties in general. Born and raised as the daughter of a diplomat, she has continued to travel as an expat student and professional. Preceding and parallel to her career in heritage, she has been active in various forms of creative expression, including writing, performing and fine arts. She has recently relocated to Turkey and is currently setting up her home/ office in Istanbul.