|
PhD, School of Community and Regional Planning, 2022, University of British Columbia
MA, Recreation and Leisure Studies, 2017, University of Waterloo I am from Toronto, Ontario and am currently a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia in the School of Community and Regional Planning in Vancouver, BC. I completed my BA Honours in Recreation and Business from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, mainly focused on sport business and small entrepreneurial fitness companies. While studying, I worked for various companies in Canada, Switzerland and Australia. Once I started living in other cities, I picked up cycling as my main mode of transportation. Although the majority of cycling in large cities was great, some of the streets and cultures surrounding transportation reminded me of the dangerous suburban roads of my childhood in North York, Toronto. In contrast to the suburban streets of Toronto, the main thoroughfares and arterial roads of cycle-friendly cities seemed like the heartbeat and veins of the city, in proper working fashion. Not clogged, and overall enjoyable places to be. My goal is to enable those who choose a bike for transport, to be able to have as much enjoyment as possible. It's a leisure activity too! I work to make cities a more vibrant place to live, work and play, one project, talk, conversation at a time!
My current research examines the structural and societal systems that preclude equity-seeking groups from accessing safe environments and services that promote sustainable, healthy living. I use qualitative methodologies to uncover deficiencies in our existing social systems and enable access to safe, environmentally-friendly healthy-living practices. In particular, I investigate three complementary areas: (i) equitable access and participation in active transportation, (ii) placemaking initiatives to promote social connectedness and physical activity, and (iii) community engagement techniques for equitable involvement in public policy. The purpose of my doctoral research entitled “Beyond Bike Lanes: The Politics of the Cycling Infrastructure Decision-Making Process” is to examine the process in which decisions are made to propose more equitable city cycling networks. I am also the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Dense City, where I discuss articles and books on the topic of cities with their academic authors. In 2021, Dense City won first place in the American Planning Association’s Transportation Planning Division small grant competition for increasing the accessibility of academic knowledge. |
|