Dr Dorina Pojani joined UQ’s planning program as Lecturer in 2015. She received tenure (confirmation) and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2017. Originally from Albania, she lived, worked and/or studied in Belgium, Italy, The Netherlands, and the USA, prior to moving to Australia. In 2016-17, she was a visiting Lecturer at the University of Vienna, Austria. Her research interests encompass urban transport, urban design, and housing. She has published books and numerous articles on urban planning. Her latest book is The Urban Transport Crisis in Emerging Economies (Springer, 2017).
For a full list of publications (with full text) visit the following pages:
Editorial Boards
TeMA: Journal of Land Use, Mobility, and Environment
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Qualifications*
*See also Qualifications.
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Funded Projects*
2016. Project: Reclaiming lost ground: Transitions of mobility and parking. Australian Research Council, Linkage grant. Grant co-writer ($358,000).
2016. Project: Planning Tiger Cub City-Regions: Role Models and Policy Transfers in Sustainable Transport in Southeast Asia. Project based in Indonesia,the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. UQ Early Career Researcher grant. Principal investigator and main applicant ($26,150).
2015-2017. Project: Urban planning issues in planned capital cities in seven countries: Burma, India, Korea, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Brazil, and Australia. The University of Queensland, new staff grant. ($15,000).
2014-2016. Project: CASUAL: Co-creating Attractive and Sustainable Urban Areas and Lifestyles - Exploring New Forms of Inclusive Urban Governance. Grant from: European Joint Programme Initiative / Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Researcher. Main applicant: Nordregio - Nordic Centre for Spatial Development, Sweden.
2014-2015. Project: Informal Housing in the Balkans. Grant from: Van Eesteren-Fluck & Van Lohuizen Stichting (EFL) Foundation, The Netherlands. Principal investigator and main applicant (€10,000).
2012-2014. Project: iTOD, Implementing Transit-Oriented Development. Grant from: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). Researcher. Main applicant: University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2011. Project: State of European Cities in Transition: Taking Stock after Twenty Years of Reform. Grant from: United Nations Habitat. Researcher. Main applicant: Institute of Urban Development, Poland.
2011. Project: Albania’s Third National Communication with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Consultant for United Nations Development Programme.
*For a list of grants administered at UQ, see Grants.
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Research Students (PhD and MPhil)*
*See also Supervision.
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Teaching Responsibilities
The University of Queensland
Internationally
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Languages
English, Albanian, Italian, and Spanish – fluent; French – conversational.
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Professional Associations
Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP)
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Last updated: 9 January 2018
Other Outputs: Sexism and the city: how urban planning has failed women
Pojani, Dorina, Wardale, Dorothy and Brown, Kerry (2018, April 18). Sexism and the city: how urban planning has failed women. , .
Journal Article: Policy design for sustainable urban transport in the global south
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2018) Policy design for sustainable urban transport in the global south. Policy Design and Practice, . doi:10.1080/25741292.2018.1454291
Other Outputs: Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? This is how weather affects the trips we make
Corcoran, Jonathan, Pojani, Dorina, Rowe, Francisco, Zhou, Jiangping, Kim, Jiwon, Wei, Ming, Tao, Sui, Sigler, Thomas and Liu, Yan (2018, April 09). Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? This is how weather affects the trips we make. , .
Reclaiming lost ground: Transitions of mobility and parking
(2016–2019) ARC Linkage Projects
(2016) UQ Early Career Researcher
Grassroots innovations as sustainable place-making? Exploring community-owned renewable energy in Australia
Doctor Philosophy
Healthy Neighborhood Design. Is Path Dependency Holding us Back?
Doctor Philosophy
Residents' attitudes to heritage conservation: insights from Brisbane, Australia
Master Philosophy
Information for prospective students
Email inquiries are welcome. Please scroll down to the list of available project topics. In addition to the listed topics, I encourage you to propose original topics in my areas of expertise. I am particularly interested in projects which are international and comparative in nature, and can help you refine your ideas. All listed topics are suitable as a PhD, Master, or Honours Project (can be adjusted to suit either). Prior to emailing me, please take a look at the HDR entry requirements on our planning program site: uq-urbanplanning.org/rhd-research
Parking impact in cities
Parking is a persistent problem in most cities worldwide. Cars are parked 95% of the time but the majority of mobility studies examine cars while in motion. In orthodox transportation planning, parking is deemed an essential part of the transportation system and is assumed to produce enormous benefits for its users. In reality, generous parking allocations adversely affect both transportation and land use (more so than road space requirements) and yet their effects are often overlooked or misunderstood. Most people are aware of urban problems like congestion and sprawl, but they often fail to connect these with parking policies and practices. Australian cities have sprawled on a scale fit for automobiles rather than humans because, in designing urban transport policies, planners have long assumed that most trips would be by car and that cars should be able to park easily in most areas. Limited progress has been made on the understanding and governance of parking space. Projects proposals, which investigate the impact of parking on revenue; mobility; community; and land use are welcome.
Gender Issues in Urban Transport
Gender issues, including gender equality, gender equity, and gender mainstreaming or gender integration, have become important in transport, as well as other policy areas. Among women, there are highly important individual distinctions that depend upon location, income, age, household, elder- and child-care responsibilities, ethnicity, employment status, degree of disability, class, and education. Notwithstanding such variety, there are significant differences between the transport needs, travel behaviors and patterns, and levels of physical access to work, services, and recreation of women compared to men. Gender-based transport differences tend to be more accentuated in developing countries. A gender analysis of transport systems seeks to reveal these differences in particular contexts. It also seeks to uncover potentially detrimental effects proposed transport programs or projects might have on women and men.
The urban transport crisis in emerging economies
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic The urban transport crisis in emerging economies. New York: Springer International Publishing, 2017. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-43851-1
TRAFIK! Pushtimi i Tiranës nga automjetet (dhe si të çlirohemi)
Pojani, Dorina TRAFIK! Pushtimi i Tiranës nga automjetet (dhe si të çlirohemi). Tirana, Albania: Epoka University Press, 2011.
Urbanistika në ekonominë e tregut
Urbanistika në ekonominë e tregut. Edited by Kenneth Baar and Dorina Pojani Tirana, Albania: Dita2000, 2004.
The urban transport crisis in emerging economies: a comparative overview
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2017). The urban transport crisis in emerging economies: a comparative overview. In Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (Ed.), The urban transport crisis in emerging economies (pp. 283-295) New York: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-43851-1_1
Bus rapid transit, design and engineering of
Pojani, Dorina (2014). Bus rapid transit, design and engineering of. In Mark Garrett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Transportation: Social Science and Policy (pp. 321-325) Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Sage Publications. doi:10.4135/9781483346526.n119
Pojani, Dorina (2014). Women's issues/gender issues. In Mark Garrett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Transportation: Social Science and Policy (pp. 1731-1734) Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Sage Publications. doi:10.4135/9781483346526.n605
Policy design for sustainable urban transport in the global south
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2018) Policy design for sustainable urban transport in the global south. Policy Design and Practice, . doi:10.1080/25741292.2018.1454291
Social housing and renewable energy: community energy in a supporting role
McCabe, Annie, Pojani, Dorina and van Groenou, Anthony Broese (2018) Social housing and renewable energy: community energy in a supporting role. Energy Research and Social Science, 38 110-113. doi:10.1016/j.erss.2018.02.005
Socio-demographic and built environment determinants of car use among older adults in Iran
Soltani, Ali, Pojani, Dorina, Askari, Sajad and Masoumi, Houshmand E. (2018) Socio-demographic and built environment determinants of car use among older adults in Iran. Journal of Transport Geography, 68 109-117. doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2018.03.001
How do sprawl and inequality affect well-being in American cities?
Lee, Wen Hao, Ambrey, Christopher and Pojani, Dorina (2018) How do sprawl and inequality affect well-being in American cities?. Cities, . doi:10.1016/j.cities.2018.02.023
The application of renewable energy to social housing: a systematic review
McCabe, Annie, Pojani, Dorina and van Groenou, Anthony Broese (2018) The application of renewable energy to social housing: a systematic review. Energy Policy, 114 549-557. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2017.12.031
Australian cities are crying out for better planning, but the research funding is missing
Pojani, Dorina, Jaime Olvera Garcia, Sipe, Neil and Byrne, Jason (2018, February 23). Australian cities are crying out for better planning, but the research funding is missing. , .
Is transit-oriented development (TOD) an internationally transferable policy concept?
Thomas, Ren, Pojani, Dorina, Lenferink, Sander, Bertolini, Luca, Stead, Dominic and van der Krabben, Erwin (2018) Is transit-oriented development (TOD) an internationally transferable policy concept?. Regional Studies, . doi:10.1080/00343404.2018.1428740
‘Urban acupuncture’ to alleviate stress in informal settlements in Mexico
Lastra, Alejandro and Pojani, Dorina (2018) ‘Urban acupuncture’ to alleviate stress in informal settlements in Mexico. Journal of Urban Design, . doi:10.1080/13574809.2018.1429902
Australian cities are far from being meccas for walking and cycling
Pojani, Dorina, Butterworth, Elizabeth , Cooper, Jim , Corcoran, Jonathan and Sipe, Neil (2018, February 05). Australian cities are far from being meccas for walking and cycling. The Conversation, .
Here’s what bike-sharing programs need to succeed
Mateo-Babiano, Iderlina, Pojani, Dorina, Corcoran, Jonathan and Bean, Richard (2017, December 22). Here’s what bike-sharing programs need to succeed. , .
Cities as story: redevelopment projects in authoritarian and hybrid regimes
Pojani, Dorina (2017) Cities as story: redevelopment projects in authoritarian and hybrid regimes. Journal of Urban Affairs, . doi:10.1080/07352166.2017.1360737
Movies and TV choose to tell us different stories about the cities of today
Darchen, Sebastien, Pojani, Dorina and Sipe, Neil (2017, November 09). Movies and TV choose to tell us different stories about the cities of today. The Conversation, .
Parajuli, Ayush and Pojani, Dorina (2017) Barriers to the pedestrianization of city centres: perspectives from the Global North and the Global South. Journal of Urban Design, . doi:10.1080/13574809.2017.1369875
Reexamining transport poverty, job access, and gender issues in Central and Eastern Europe
Pojani, Elona, Boussauw, Kobe and Pojani, Dorina (2017) Reexamining transport poverty, job access, and gender issues in Central and Eastern Europe. Gender, Place and Culture, 1-23. doi:10.1080/0966369X.2017.1372382
Barriers to successful bus rapid transit expansion: developed cities versus developing megacities
Chayacani Mallqui, Yngrid Yamili and Pojani, Dorina (2017) Barriers to successful bus rapid transit expansion: developed cities versus developing megacities. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 5 2: 254-266. doi:10.1016/j.cstp.2017.01.004
Yang, Katie and Pojani, Dorina (2017) A decade of transit oriented development policies in Brisbane, Australia: development and land-use impacts. Urban Policy and Research, 35 3: 347-362. doi:10.1080/08111146.2017.1294537
Is the suburban dream still alive in Australia? Evidence from Brisbane
Willing, Roxanne and Pojani, Dorina (2017) Is the suburban dream still alive in Australia? Evidence from Brisbane. Australian Planner, 1-13. doi:10.1080/07293682.2017.1296875
Tirana in cerca di identità: il territorio suburbano di ‘Durana’
Pojani, Dorina (2017) Tirana in cerca di identità: il territorio suburbano di ‘Durana’. Urbanistica Informazioni, 267-268 53-58.
Transit-oriented street design in Beijing
Kong, Weichang and Pojani, Dorina (2017) Transit-oriented street design in Beijing. Journal of Urban Design, 1-23. doi:10.1080/13574809.2016.1271700
Pojani, Dorina, Bakija, Dukagjin, Shkreli, Entela, Corcoran, Jonathan and Mateo-Babiano, Iderlina (2017) Do northwestern and southeastern Europe share a common “cycling mindset”? Comparative analysis of beliefs toward cycling in the Netherlands and the Balkans. European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research, 17 1: 25-45.
How does our natural and built environment affect the use of bicycle sharing?
Mateo-Babiano, Iderlina, Bean, Richard, Corcoran, Jonathan and Pojani, Dorina (2016) How does our natural and built environment affect the use of bicycle sharing?. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 94 295-307. doi:10.1016/j.tra.2016.09.015
Pojani, Dorina (2016) Ideologjia e financimit të transportit urban në Tiranë: Të ardhurat e brendshme dhe impakti i ndihmës ndërkombëtare. Perpjekja, 21 34-35: 203-214.
Learning by doing: employer expectations of planning studio education
Pojani, Dorina, Johnson, Laurel, Darchen, Sebastien and Yang, Katie (2016) Learning by doing: employer expectations of planning studio education. Urban Policy and Research, 1-9. doi:10.1080/08111146.2016.1221814
Obstacles to the creation of successful bus rapid transit systems: the case of Bangkok
Wu, Irene and Pojani, Dorina (2016) Obstacles to the creation of successful bus rapid transit systems: the case of Bangkok. Research in Transportation Economics, 60 44-53. doi:10.1016/j.retrec.2016.05.001
Céline Chakhtoura and Pojani, Dorina (2016) Indicator-based evaluation of sustainable transport plans: A framework for Paris and other large cities. Transport Policy, 50 15-28. doi:10.1016/j.tranpol.2016.05.014
Post-rational planning and the shifting role of planning imagery
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2016) Post-rational planning and the shifting role of planning imagery. Journal of Urban Design, 21 3: 353-385. doi:10.1080/13574809.2016.1167590
Multi-family housing management in postsocialist countries: the Albanian experience
Pojani, Dorina and Baar, Kenneth (2016) Multi-family housing management in postsocialist countries: the Albanian experience. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 1-18. doi:10.1007/s10901-016-9498-1
Pojani, Dorina and Buka, Migena (2015) From camaraderie to detachment: the effect of changing built environment forms on neighborhood relations in a post-communist context. Cities, 49 66-75. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2015.07.007
Urban planning and design as verbal and visual rhetoric
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2015) Urban planning and design as verbal and visual rhetoric. Journal of Urban Design, 20 5: 582-614. doi:10.1080/13574809.2015.1071653
Sustainable urban transport in the developing world: beyond megacities
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2015) Sustainable urban transport in the developing world: beyond megacities. Sustainability (Switzerland), 7 6: 7784-7805. doi:10.3390/su7067784
Transit-oriented design in the Netherlands
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2015) Transit-oriented design in the Netherlands. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 35 2: 131-144. doi:10.1177/0739456X15573263
Pojani, Dorina and Maci, Giulia (2015) The detriments and benefits of the fall of planning: the evolution of public space in a Balkan post-socialist capital. Journal of Urban Design, 20 2: 251-272. doi:10.1080/13574809.2015.1009013
Going Dutch? The export of sustainable land-use and transport planning concepts from the Netherlands
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2014) Going Dutch? The export of sustainable land-use and transport planning concepts from the Netherlands. Urban Studies, 1-19. doi:10.1177/0042098014562326
Planning Policy Transfer to and from the Netherlands
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2014) Planning Policy Transfer to and from the Netherlands. Regions, 296 4: 21-22.
Defence, identity, and urban form: the extreme case of Gjirokastra
Mezinia, Ledita and Pojani, Dorina (2014) Defence, identity, and urban form: the extreme case of Gjirokastra. Planning Perspectives, 30 3: 397-428. doi:10.1080/02665433.2014.943267
Dutch Planning Policy: The Resurgence of TOD
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2014) Dutch Planning Policy: The Resurgence of TOD. Land Use Policy, 41 357-367.
Keep the children walking: active school travel in Tirana, Albania
Pojani, Dorina and Boussauw, Kobe (2014) Keep the children walking: active school travel in Tirana, Albania. Journal of Transport Geography, 38 55-65. doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2014.05.012
Ideas, Interests, and Institutions: Explaining Dutch Transit-Oriented Development Challenges
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2014) Ideas, Interests, and Institutions: Explaining Dutch Transit-Oriented Development Challenges. Environment and Planning A, 46 10: 2401-2418. doi:10.1068/a130169p
Pojani, Dorina (2014) Urban design, ideology, and power: use of the central square in Tirana during one century of political transformations. Planning Perspectives, 30 1: 67-94. doi:10.1080/02665433.2014.896747
Contemporary issues in architecture and urban design education: findings from 1-ICAUD
Pojani, Dorina (2013) Contemporary issues in architecture and urban design education: findings from 1-ICAUD. Urbanismul: serie noua, .
From squatter settlement to suburb: the transformation of Bathore, Albania
Pojani, Dorina (2013) From squatter settlement to suburb: the transformation of Bathore, Albania. Housing Studies, 28 6: 805-821. doi:10.1080/02673037.2013.760031
Pushtimi i Tiranës nga automjetet: Si do të çlirohemi?
Pojani, Dorina (2013, January 01). Pushtimi i Tiranës nga automjetet: Si do të çlirohemi?. Mjedisi Sot, p.12-13.
Si zgjidhet makthi i trafikut në Tiranë?
Pojani, Dorina (2012, January 01). Si zgjidhet makthi i trafikut në Tiranë?. Revista Java, .
Pojani, Dorina (2012) Urban Planning Education in a Democracy with a Market Economy: Learning Economic, Political and Social Skills. International Journal of Arts and Sciences, .
Hammer and cycle: cycling post communism
Pojani, Dorina (2011) Hammer and cycle: cycling post communism. Cycling Mobility, 4: 18-21.
Tirana është e qytetarëve, jo e makinave
Pojani, Dorina (2011, September 06). Tirana është e qytetarëve, jo e makinave. ResPublica, .
Environmental taxation in Central and Eastern Europe: the case of Albania
Pojani, Elona and Pojani, Dorina (2011) Environmental taxation in Central and Eastern Europe: the case of Albania. Scientific Annals of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, 441-448.
Pojani, Dorina (2011) From carfree to carfull: the environmental and health impacts of increasing private motorisation in Albania. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 54 3: 319-335. doi:10.1080/09640568.2010.506076
Mobility, equity and sustainability today in Tirana
Pojani, Dorina (2011) Mobility, equity and sustainability today in Tirana. Tema: Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, 4 2: 99-109.
Urban and suburban retail development in Albania's capital after socialism
Pojani, Dorina (2011) Urban and suburban retail development in Albania's capital after socialism. Land Use Policy, 28 4: 836-845. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.02.001
Public transport and its privatization in East Europe: the case of Tirana, Albania
Pojani, Dorina (2010) Public transport and its privatization in East Europe: the case of Tirana, Albania. European Transport, 45 64-82.
Strategji per permiresimin e transportit ne Tirane
Pojani, Dorina (2010) Strategji per permiresimin e transportit ne Tirane. Forum A+P, 5 82-102.
Pojani, Dorina (2010) Tirana. Cities, 27 6: 483-495. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2010.02.002
Urbanization of Post-communist Albania: economic, social, and environmental challenges
Pojani, Dorina (2009) Urbanization of Post-communist Albania: economic, social, and environmental challenges. Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe, 17 1: 85-97. doi:10.1080/09651560902778394
Skema Woonerven ose "Rruget-Kopshte"
Pojani, Dorina (2008, April 01). Skema Woonerven ose "Rruget-Kopshte". Ndertuesi, .
American downtown pedestrian "malls": rise, fall, and rebirth
Pojani, Dorina (2008) American downtown pedestrian "malls": rise, fall, and rebirth. Territorio, .
Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade: the failure and resurgence of a downtown pedestrian mall
Pojani, Dorina (2008) Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade: the failure and resurgence of a downtown pedestrian mall. Urban Design International, 13 3: 141-155. doi:10.1057/udi.2008.8
Kostoja e varësisë ndaj automjeteve në Tiranë
Pojani, Dorina (2007, December 01). Kostoja e varësisë ndaj automjeteve në Tiranë. Mjedisi Sot, .
Car-free areas in Tirana: fantasy or necessity?
Pojani, Dorina (2007) Car-free areas in Tirana: fantasy or necessity?. Albanian Journal of Technical Sciences, 22 2: .
Pojani, Dorina (2007) Përmirësimi i kushteve të jetesës në Tiranë: Ulje e dendësisë së banorëve apo trafikut të automjeteve?. Bulletin of Technical Sciences, .
Processes of Urban Planning Policy Transfer and Learning
Pojani, Dorina and Stead, Dominic (2016). Processes of Urban Planning Policy Transfer and Learning. In: Nicola Francesco Dotti, GREATPI – Book of Abstracts. Knowledge, Policymaking and Learning in European Metropolitan Areas: Experiences and Approaches, Brussells, Belgium, (). 25 January 2016.
Do the north and the south share a cycling mindset?
Pojani, Dorina, Bakija, Dukagjin and Shkreli, Entela (2015). Do the north and the south share a cycling mindset?. In: Donyun Kim, Sungah Kim, Thorsten Schuetze, Saehyung Sohn, Lorenzo Chelleri, York Ostermeyer, Hendrik Tieben and Marc Wolfram, True Smart and Green City? Proceedings of the 8th International Conference of the International Forum on Urbanism. International Forum on Urbanism, Incheon, Republic of Korea, (). 22-24 June 2015. doi:10.3390/ifou-D012
Pojani, Dorina (2015). Informal settlements in the Balkans Squatters’ magic realism vs. planners’ modernist fantasy vs. governments’ tolerance and opportunism. In: Milan Macoun and Karel Maier, Definite Space - Fuzzy Responsibility: Book of Proceedings, 29th Annual AESOP 2015 Congress. Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) Congress, Prague, Czech Republic, (). 13-16 July 2015.
Noise pollution management issues in Tirana, the capital of Albania
Pojani, Dorina (2012). Noise pollution management issues in Tirana, the capital of Albania. In: Real Corp: Re-mixing the city: towards sustainability and resilience?. International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society, Vienna, Austria, (). 14-16 May 2012.
From slum to suburb: the success story of Bathore, Albania
Pojani, Dorina (2011). From slum to suburb: the success story of Bathore, Albania. In: ECA Housing Forum: Europe & Central Asia, Budaest, Hungary, (). 4-6 April 2011.
Tirana, Albania: from car‐free and bicycle‐full to car‐full and bicycle Free
Pojani, Dorina (2011). Tirana, Albania: from car‐free and bicycle‐full to car‐full and bicycle Free. In: Velo-City, Seville, Spain, (). 23-25 March 2011.
Urban sprawl and weak regional transport in “Durana”
Pojani, Dorina and Pojani, Elona (2011). Urban sprawl and weak regional transport in “Durana”. In: Stable Local Development: Challenges and Opportunities: Regional Science Conference with International Participation Proceedings. Regional Science Conference with International Participation, Peja, Kosovo, (). 3-4 June 2011.
Albania in transition: international assistance for roads but not public transport
Pojani, Dorina (2010). Albania in transition: international assistance for roads but not public transport. In: Real Corp 2010: Cities for Everyone: Liveable, Healthy, Prosperous Promising Vision or Unrealistic Fantasy?. International Conference on Urban Planning and Regional Development in the Information Society, Vienna, Austria, (). 18-20 May 2010.
Sexism and the city: how urban planning has failed women
Pojani, Dorina, Wardale, Dorothy and Brown, Kerry (2018, April 18). Sexism and the city: how urban planning has failed women. , .
Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? This is how weather affects the trips we make
Corcoran, Jonathan, Pojani, Dorina, Rowe, Francisco, Zhou, Jiangping, Kim, Jiwon, Wei, Ming, Tao, Sui, Sigler, Thomas and Liu, Yan (2018, April 09). Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? This is how weather affects the trips we make. , .
Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia
Pojani, Dorina, Kimpton, Anthony, Corcoran, Jonathan and Sipe, Neil (2018, March 20). Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia. , .
Reclaiming lost ground: Transitions of mobility and parking
(2016–2019) ARC Linkage Projects
(2016) UQ Early Career Researcher
Grassroots innovations as sustainable place-making? Exploring community-owned renewable energy in Australia
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Healthy Neighborhood Design. Is Path Dependency Holding us Back?
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Residents' attitudes to heritage conservation: insights from Brisbane, Australia
Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Transit oriented development around the globe
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Develop patterns of road space utilization in the metropolitan city as a public space that supports quality improvement of urban life as well as strengthening of local identity
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Climatic-friendly urban design- A comparison of Indian and Australian Cities
Master Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
Why are cities still building highways? A comparison of Brisbane (Australia) and Isfahan (Iran)
Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
Other advisors:
The problematic land acquisition process for infrastructure development in Indonesia
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
(2017) Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor
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.
Information for prospective students
Email inquiries are welcome. Please scroll down to the list of available project topics. In addition to the listed topics, I encourage you to propose original topics in my areas of expertise. I am particularly interested in projects which are international and comparative in nature, and can help you refine your ideas. All listed topics are suitable as a PhD, Master, or Honours Project (can be adjusted to suit either). Prior to emailing me, please take a look at the HDR entry requirements on our planning program site: uq-urbanplanning.org/rhd-research
Parking impact in cities
Parking is a persistent problem in most cities worldwide. Cars are parked 95% of the time but the majority of mobility studies examine cars while in motion. In orthodox transportation planning, parking is deemed an essential part of the transportation system and is assumed to produce enormous benefits for its users. In reality, generous parking allocations adversely affect both transportation and land use (more so than road space requirements) and yet their effects are often overlooked or misunderstood. Most people are aware of urban problems like congestion and sprawl, but they often fail to connect these with parking policies and practices. Australian cities have sprawled on a scale fit for automobiles rather than humans because, in designing urban transport policies, planners have long assumed that most trips would be by car and that cars should be able to park easily in most areas. Limited progress has been made on the understanding and governance of parking space. Projects proposals, which investigate the impact of parking on revenue; mobility; community; and land use are welcome.
Gender Issues in Urban Transport
Gender issues, including gender equality, gender equity, and gender mainstreaming or gender integration, have become important in transport, as well as other policy areas. Among women, there are highly important individual distinctions that depend upon location, income, age, household, elder- and child-care responsibilities, ethnicity, employment status, degree of disability, class, and education. Notwithstanding such variety, there are significant differences between the transport needs, travel behaviors and patterns, and levels of physical access to work, services, and recreation of women compared to men. Gender-based transport differences tend to be more accentuated in developing countries. A gender analysis of transport systems seeks to reveal these differences in particular contexts. It also seeks to uncover potentially detrimental effects proposed transport programs or projects might have on women and men.
Urban Psychology
How do parks affect human relationships and wellbeing? Are urban environments more stressful than rural environments? How do urban environments influence crime rates? Do people in suburban housing have more friends among their neighbors? What should be the maximum height for apartment buildings? Are people happier when they live near the water? Why are some cities cleaner than others? Why do some people prefer farmers’ markets and others shopping malls? How do people from different cultures use public spaces? These questions fall within the domain of urban psychology which studies the relationship between human behavior and the urban environment, from both directions - how cities affects behavior and attitudes, and how people's behaviors and attitudes affect city building.
Urban Planning for Climate Change
More than half the world’s population now lives in cities or urban areas, which are responsible for more than 70% of carbon emissions. It is increasingly understood that cities must lead in tackling these problems and adapt to changes in weather patterns. The earth’s and humans’ vulnerability to the impacts of climate change is tied up with cities' ability to cope. But how prepared are cities to global warming? How well prepared and implemented are urban plans for climate change?
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is generally considered to be mixed-use development near, and/or oriented to, mass transit facilities. Common TOD traits include urban compactness, pedestrian and cycle-friendly environs, public and civic spaces near stations, and stations as community hubs. TOD has been rediscovered in many parts of the world due to a combination of factors including technological innovations in transit and logistics, privatization reforms in rail transit, the quest for sustainable development patterns, and the shifting spatial dynamics of contemporary society. In some countries, the TOD approach reaches further than single locations towards a network approach, which aims at realigning entire urban regions around rail transport and away from the car. New TOD projects are often seen as important contributors to good urban design to coordinate transportation modes, mix land uses, and create an appealing public space within a limited area. However, studies to date indicate that TOD projects have been mixed in terms of delivering a genuine transit-oriented experience.
Urban Design as Politics
Urban design is mainly understood as the activity of producing public and private space. It is not necessarily considered as a political activity. However, the design of public space is also a political decision about how people should interact, communicate, relate, or behave. Furthermore, urban design, especially that of city centers or other highly visible spaces, can be used as a political tool in the form of national representation or social activism. Urban design can also serve as a medium for public participation. Proposed or implemented projects can lead to discussions and negotiations about identity and meaning, as well as possible futures. Given this premise, there is a large scope for exploring and defining the boundaries, overlaps, and tensions between politics and urban design.
Planning Structures in Authoritarian and Post-Authoritarian States
Authoritarian regimes are characterized by limited political pluralism; constraints on civil society; social engineering; political apathy; and suppression of dissenting voices. Many countries around the world are emerging from an authoritarian past. Questions to explore in relation to urban planning include: (a) what is the legacy of a history of authoritarianism on planning institutions and practices, and the culture of public participation, (b) what is the level of public participation in authoritarian and post-authoritarian regimes and (c) what planning outcomes are produced by authoritarianism or a former history of authoritarianism, and how do they compare with outcomes produced through democratic processes?
Socio-Economic Inequalities and Gentrification
As the rich-poor gap widens, regions re-urbanize, and wealthier residents flow into once-low-income inner-cities, longtime residents can be priced out. How do these dynamics play out? Is displacement extensive? What kinds of people are displaced, and how do people and groups fare after they leave gentrifying neighborhoods? How does the built environment change as gentrification takes place? Does gentrification lead to more population and built environment diversity? Is gentrification and displacement a symptom of the scarcity of quality urbanism?
Transition to Self-Driving Cars
Substantial tracts of urban space have traditionally been dedicated to roads and parking. The transitions to new technologies such as automated vehicles and new business models including collective vehicle-sharing arrangements are already having profound implications across the built environment. The inevitable uptake of automated vehicles will result in far fewer motor vehicles servicing urban mobility needs, particularly if they are operated as a shared service. In addition, car-sharing services employing conventional vehicles, such as Uber, are already a reality. Considering these transitions and trends, important questions arise concerning the design and use of urban space. Policy-makers now need to determine how best to manage and promote these shifting mobility patterns to take advantage of this opportunity to redesign the built environment. How best to repurpose the space that currently accommodates private motor vehicles (moving and parked) to make cities more attractive and liveable places?
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a recently developed low-cost bus-based alternative to metro and tram systems. A BRT system emulates the performance and amenities of modern rail-based transit systems, including segregated rights of way, closed stations, and pre-board ticketing. However, it has major advantages over rail-based transit, including much lower construction costs, short implementation periods (one to three years after conception), accommodation of many route permutations, and flexibility to adapt to a range of urban conditions. In the last few decades, BRT has become widely used for urban mass transit, especially in developing cities. More than 40 cities on six continents have implemented BRT systems, and at least as many systems are either in the planning or construction stages.
Active Transport (Walking and Cycling)
What are the main active transport determinants (e.g., topography, weather, built environment, socio-economics, gender, etc.)? How can cycling be effectively promoted as both a viable and safe mode of transport and an enjoyable recreational activity? What are the barrier to creating a comprehensive and continuous network of safe and attractive bicycle routes and end-of-trip facilities in different countries? Why are active transport needs insufficiently considered and addressed in relevant transport and planning activities?
Age-Friendly Built Environment
In OECD countries, the population share of those over 65 years old reached 18% in 2010, up from 7.7 percent in 1950, and is expected to climb to 25% in 2050. Home to 43% of this older population, cities need to prepare for an aging citizenry. Some of the challenges include a rising demand for social services, healthcare, and public housing, and accessible and socially appealing public spaces. Adapting cities will need to redesign infrastructure and development patterns.