Max Hirsh

Max Hirsh (PhD, Harvard) is a professor at the University of Hong Kong and a leading expert on airports, migration, and transport infrastructure. He is the author of Airport Urbanism: an unprecedented study of air travel and global migration patterns that incorporates the perspective of passengers, airport designers, and aviation executives. With a particular focus on the rise of Asia, the book sheds light on the exponential increase in global air travel and its implications for the planning and design of cities. Fluent in six languages and with a professional career spanning three continents, he inflects his analyses with unique insights into the practicalities of international air travel and the mindset of people on the move.

Max's research has been supported by the Social Science Research Council, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, German Research Foundation, and the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. Passionate about airports and air travel, he works with aviation authorities and urban planning agencies around the world to help shape the future of airports and the cities that they serve.