Mahgol Afshari
About
Mahgol Afshari is a project manager with a Master’s degree in Project Management and Construction Engineering from NTNU and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. In her current role as Project Manager for R&D at Prosjekt Norge, Mahgol is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing research and development projects in project management and project-based operations. She facilitates collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector, contributing to the development of new knowledge, methodologies, and tools that strengthen the field of project management in Norway.
Previously, Mahgol worked as a project manager and advisor at Trøndelag County Council, where she led the Mobilitetslab Stor-Trondheim (MoST) – an extensive research and development project focused on urban mobility, sustainability, and innovation. She has also been responsible for several subprojects, including Reisekutt 2.0 and the Levende Abels Gate Festival, as well as the research project Project Delivery Models for Complex Projects. These roles have provided Mahgol with extensive experience in managing complex stakeholder landscapes, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, developing funding proposals, and ensuring that project objectives are achieved with high quality and in line with sustainability goals.
As a research assistant and student assistant at NTNU, Mahgol has contributed to teaching, supervision, and mentoring of master’s and PhD students. She has served as a guest lecturer in project management and as a mentor for several courses, including EiT TBA4860 and Urban Facilities Management TBA4179. This work has enabled Mahgol to combine practical project management with academic reflection while fostering the development of future professionals in project management and sustainable infrastructure.
Mahgol’s research interests include sustainable project management, urban mobility, complex infrastructure projects, and managing uncertainty in megaprojects. She has published several articles and presented her work at international conferences such as ProjMAN, Cirre, GEOMATE, Net-Zero Future, and REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT. Her publications include research on integrating co-working offices in cities to promote sustainable mobility, analyses of uncertainty in large infrastructure projects, and strategies for citizen engagement in urban mobility planning.
Through her work, Mahgol bridges the gap between theory and practice, aiming to promote innovation, sustainability, and value creation in project-based operations. She places particular emphasis on developing projects that not only deliver tangible results but also serve as arenas for learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration between diverse stakeholders. Mahgol aspires to continue contributing to the development of the project management field, focusing on research-based solutions that support complex decision-making processes and sustainable societal development.
Competencies
- Academic Communication
- Academic Supervision
- Climate-Friendly Transport Solutions
- Co-Working and Workplace Innovation
- Conference Contributions
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Knowledge Dissemination and Presentation
- Net-Zero Future
- Positive Energy Districts
- Project Coordination
- Project Management
- Public-Private Collaboration
- R&D Project Management
- Research and Development (R&D)
- Smart Cities
- Stakeholder Coordination
- Strategic Planning
- Sustainable Project Management
- Teaching and Mentoring
- Team Leadership
- Urban Mobility
- Web Design and Project Portals
Research
Main Areas of Expertise
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Sustainable project management and infrastructure
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Urban mobility and smart cities
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Managing uncertainty in complex projects and megaprojects
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Citizen engagement and participatory planning
Supervision and Teaching
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Co-supervisor for master’s and PhD students on projects related to sustainability and infrastructure
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Guest lecturer and mentor in Project Management and Urban Facilities Management
Publications
2025
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Adhikari, Aashish;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Integration Gaps and Dilemmas in Mobility Platforms: An Empirical Study in Norway.
CIB conference
Academic article
-
Adhikari, Aashish;
Gohari, Savis;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Actors in Participatory Mobility Planning in Trondheim.
Procedia Computer Science
Academic article
-
Al-Anbary, Mohtadin Maythem;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Lou, Baowen;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Sustainability in megaproject – case study of the sustainable thinking and the management approaches.
Procedia Computer Science
Academic article
-
Adhikari, Aashish;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Collins, David Anthony;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Evaluating Digital Citizen Participation in Smart Cities.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Lou, Baowen;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar;
Rasmussen, Freja Nygaard;
Bohne, Rolf André.
(2025)
Sustainability in Infrastructure Project Management—Analysis of Two European Megaprojects.
Infrastructures
Academic article
2023
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar;
Lohne, Jardar.
(2023)
Identifying methods and tools toward more people-friendly environment : a scoping review.
Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics
Academic article
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov.
(2023)
Non-technical tools and guidance for positive energy district implementation - a scoping literature review.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar;
Lohne, Jardar.
(2023)
Developing approaches and strategies to promote
increased active mobility in urban city neighbourhood.
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (EES)
Academic article
2021
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Goubel, Benjamin;
Lille, Théo;
Kauffmann, Ambre;
Jacques, Alexandre;
Desissert, Céline.
(2021)
Sustainable Building Engineering
A healthy and beautiful district in a healthy and beautiful historical environment.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Afshari, Mahgol.
(2021)
Importance of Facility Management in renovation projects.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
Journal publications
-
Adhikari, Aashish;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Integration Gaps and Dilemmas in Mobility Platforms: An Empirical Study in Norway.
CIB conference
Academic article
-
Adhikari, Aashish;
Gohari, Savis;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Actors in Participatory Mobility Planning in Trondheim.
Procedia Computer Science
Academic article
-
Al-Anbary, Mohtadin Maythem;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Lou, Baowen;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Sustainability in megaproject – case study of the sustainable thinking and the management approaches.
Procedia Computer Science
Academic article
-
Lou, Baowen;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Johansen, Agnar;
Rasmussen, Freja Nygaard;
Bohne, Rolf André.
(2025)
Sustainability in Infrastructure Project Management—Analysis of Two European Megaprojects.
Infrastructures
Academic article
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar;
Lohne, Jardar.
(2023)
Identifying methods and tools toward more people-friendly environment : a scoping review.
Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics
Academic article
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar;
Lohne, Jardar.
(2023)
Developing approaches and strategies to promote
increased active mobility in urban city neighbourhood.
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (EES)
Academic article
Part of book/report
-
Adhikari, Aashish;
Afshari, Mahgol;
Collins, David Anthony;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov;
Johansen, Agnar.
(2025)
Evaluating Digital Citizen Participation in Smart Cities.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Salaj, Alenka Temeljotov.
(2023)
Non-technical tools and guidance for positive energy district implementation - a scoping literature review.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Afshari, Mahgol;
Goubel, Benjamin;
Lille, Théo;
Kauffmann, Ambre;
Jacques, Alexandre;
Desissert, Céline.
(2021)
Sustainable Building Engineering
A healthy and beautiful district in a healthy and beautiful historical environment.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper
-
Afshari, Mahgol.
(2021)
Importance of Facility Management in renovation projects.
Academic chapter/article/Conference paper