Dr Aftab Jalia studied architecture at the University of Pune in India before pursuing postgraduate degrees at MIT and the University of Cambridge.

He worked for the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in New Delhi and Hyderabad for 5 years on non-profit heritage conservation and environmental development projects. At the Centre for Natural Material Innovation, University of Cambridge, he was a Commonwealth Trust scholar studying building crafts and masonry vaulting techniques that use environmentally responsible materials.

Most recently, Dr Jalia was part of the Centre for Digital Built Britain-funded project for showcasing Internet of Things (IoT) with a vision for promoting BIM implementation in the United Kingdom and is currently Research Associate on a project developing Precision Engineered Timber solutions for schools and social housing projects in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region