Loretta von der Tann is a PhD student at University College London (UCL), studying approaches for integrated analysis and management of urban subsurface functions.  Loretta is a professional engineer in Switzerland and holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (ETH Zurich) as well as a Master of Research in Urban Sustainability and Resilience (UCL). Prior to joining UCL, Loretta worked as Geotechnical Engineer planning and supervising construction sites in the city of Zurich as well as in the beautiful Swiss mountains while also gaining experience in Geotechnical monitoring. She loves cities and believes that it's the people who make a city thrive. Thus, in her view, risks and opportunities of exploiting the urban subsurface have to be carefully evaluated and those functions prioritised on which the local and city-wide communities depend the most.