Zahra is a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Circular Economy, Operations, and System Dynamics in the ITEM group at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences. Her main research interests fall within the intersection of the circular economy and the digital economy. Utilizing System Dynamics, Zahra investigates potential rebound effects in circular economy-based systems, particularly in digitally-enabled sharing platforms. She studies product-service systems and sharing platforms from a broad perspective considering innovation, circular economy strategies, and sustainable consumption initiatives to promote a more sustainable circular ecosystem. Her research interests also include circular economy metrics, circular product design, and the integration of smart industry principles to reinforce sustainable industrial practices.

Zahra is an Associate Editor in Journal of Public Affairs (Wiley) and a Scientific Editorial Board member in Circular Economy and Sustainability (Springer), and has published several articles in well-known journals, such as Technovation, Journal of Cleaner Production, Sustainable Production and Consumption, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Science of the Total Environment, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, and Resources, Conservation and Recycling (Please see her published articles on Google Scholar). In 2023, she received an Honorable Mention for the “Dana Meadows Award” from the System Dynamics Society. Besides, in 2022, she received the “Best Young Paper” award from the MeRIT (Megaprojects Research Multi-disciplinary Team) conference and workshop in Italy, the “High-quality Publications Award” from the Georesources and Environment Association in Italy, and the “Outstanding Reviewer in the 2022 Emerald Literati Awards” from Emerald Publishing.

Due to her interdisciplinary approach, Zahra has a wide research collaboration network with researchers from different disciplines and domains. She is a research director in the Servitization community and a research manager in the Circular program of the European Supply Chain Forum (ESCF). She is also a member of the System Dynamics Society and is collaborating with the Market Formation Dynamics team based at EMLYON Business School, France. 

Prior to joining TU/e, Zahra was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Turin, Italy. She received her Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, Italy.