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Dr Sara Alidoust

Lecturer in Planning

School of Architecture, Design and Planning
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Lecturer in Planning

School of Architecture, Design and Planning
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
s.alidoust@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56671

Overview

My research centers on the intersections of Urban Planning and Public Health, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and practical application. I deliver transdisciplinary solutions to some of the most compelling challenges of our time, 'housing vulnerability' and 'the health outcomes of citymaking'. My work stands out through the application of Systems Thinking to complex planning issues, particularly housing and its health impacts. I explore the connections between planning and the physical, mental, and social health of communities. My primary focus is on developing resilient cities capable of maintaining their liveability over time, especially amidst disruptive events and shocks.

Research Interests

  • Planning for Social Sustainability and Community Wellbeing
  • Planning Resilient and liveable Cities
  • Age-Friendly Planning
  • Housing Vulnerability and Informal Housing in the Global North

Research Impacts

My research findings significantly contribute to translating knowledge for research end-users, including planning practitioners and the community. Focused on fostering more resilient and liveable cities, my research findings directly inform planning practice and policymaking initiatives, thereby enhancing the quality of life for communities. Moreover, my research extends to enhancing planning policies by critically analysing existing frameworks, particularly in areas like housing and liveable/resilient planning, on both national and international scales. Through rigorous exploratory research, such as examining issues like informal housing, and active engagement with end-users, including collecting data from older individuals and other vulnerable community members, my work illuminates real-world planning challenges and provides actionable insights to address societal needs.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

  • Delivering the Sustainable Cities of the Future: Defining an Approach to Catalyse Change in Urban Development Outcomes

    Doctor Philosophy

  • Planning for health and wellbeing in high-rise precincts: Understanding the role of 'breathing space'

    Doctor Philosophy

  • A study of the anti-gating movement from the perspective of non-gated residents: a case from Shanghai

    Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • Planning Healthy Cities

    Associations between urban planning and physical, mental and social health. Some topics include: 1. The role of built environment and planning policies in physical activity, active transport, healthy behaviours. 2. Urban planning impacts on social capital and community cohesion. 3. Planning policies and built environmental design for mental health. 4. Urban Green space and community health.

  • Climate Change and Community Health

    Health impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, including older people. Some topics include: 1. Green infrastructure and community health. 2. Integrated policy frameworks for sustainable, healthy and resilient cities. 3. Urban heat stress and community health.

  • Planning Age-friendly Cities

    Urban planns and policies aimed at developing enabling environments for older people to live an active life and stay engaged in the community. Some topics include: 1. Planning policies for developing age-friendly cities. 2. Emerging housing models and lifestyles for older people, e.g. house-sitting, co-living. 3. Neighbourhood planning for healthy ageing. 4. Master planned communities and community development for an ageing population.

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book Chapter

  • Mapping urban transport - land use interactions worldwide, a state of practice

    Khalaj, Fahimeh, Alidoust, Sara and Pojani, Dorina (2023). Mapping urban transport - land use interactions worldwide, a state of practice. Handbook on transport and land use. (pp. 147-166) edited by João de Abreu e Silva, Kristina Currans, Veronique Van Acker and Robert Schneider. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781800370258.00015

  • Smart densification

    Ahmad, Mubeen, Darchen, Sebastien, Alidoust, Sara and Sipe, Neil (2022). Smart densification. The Palgrave encyclopedia of urban and regional futures. (pp. 1520-1528) edited by Robert C. Brears. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-87745-3_278

  • Planning Healthy and Livable Cities

    Alidoust, Sara (2022). Planning Healthy and Livable Cities. The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures. (pp. 1-5) Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-51812-7_277-1

  • Planning Active Travel and School Transport

    Fahimeh Khalaj, Pojani, Dorina and Alidoust, Sara (2021). Planning Active Travel and School Transport. International Encyclopedia of Transportation. (pp. 432-436) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-08-102671-7.10792-4

  • Planning for healthy ageing: How the use of third places contributes to the social health of older populations

    Alidoust, Sara and Bosman, Caryl (2019). Planning for healthy ageing: How the use of third places contributes to the social health of older populations. Rethinking Third Places: Informal Public Spaces and Community Building. (pp. 38-55) edited by Joanne Dolley and Caryl Bosman. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Delivering the Sustainable Cities of the Future: Defining an Approach to Catalyse Change in Urban Development Outcomes

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

  • Planning for health and wellbeing in high-rise precincts: Understanding the role of 'breathing space'

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • A study of the anti-gating movement from the perspective of non-gated residents: a case from Shanghai

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Bridging Theory and Practice: An Integrated Approach to Urban Growth Management

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Housing affordability issues in Malaysia

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • The current environmental dynamics of the COVID-19 crisis and the challenges ahead in Saudi Arabia and Australia in terms of planning and sustainability

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Active transport and gender issues: A comparison between Brisbane and Sylhet

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Reconstructing A Gender Perspective Approach for a Sustainable New Capital City

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

Completed Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • Planning Healthy Cities

    Associations between urban planning and physical, mental and social health. Some topics include: 1. The role of built environment and planning policies in physical activity, active transport, healthy behaviours. 2. Urban planning impacts on social capital and community cohesion. 3. Planning policies and built environmental design for mental health. 4. Urban Green space and community health.

  • Climate Change and Community Health

    Health impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, including older people. Some topics include: 1. Green infrastructure and community health. 2. Integrated policy frameworks for sustainable, healthy and resilient cities. 3. Urban heat stress and community health.

  • Planning Age-friendly Cities

    Urban planns and policies aimed at developing enabling environments for older people to live an active life and stay engaged in the community. Some topics include: 1. Planning policies for developing age-friendly cities. 2. Emerging housing models and lifestyles for older people, e.g. house-sitting, co-living. 3. Neighbourhood planning for healthy ageing. 4. Master planned communities and community development for an ageing population.

  • Urban Planning for Social Sustainability

    Some topics include: 1. Developing evaluation frameworks for social sustainability. 2. Developing evaluation frameworks for community wellbeing. 3. Community engagement in planning policy.

  • Housing Planning and Policy

    Some topics include: 1. Informal housing in the Global North. 2. Informal housing and the ageing population. 3. Health impacts of informal housing. 4. Resilient housing systems. 5. Systems thinking and housing policies.

This staff member is a UQ Expert for media in the following fields:

Planning Healthy Cities, Community Engagement in Planning and Policy Making, Neighbourhood Planning and Loneliness, Planning Age Friendly Cities, Master Planned Community Developments

They are happy to lend their expertise to your articles or broadcasts and share their research discoveries and insights with the community via media channels.

For additional assistance with story ideas, general advice and information or help with seeking further experts, please email the UQ Media Team or telephone (07) 3365 1120.

Links

ORCID: 0000-0001-7163-560X

Google Scholar ID: R4LzfQEAAAAJ

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