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Dr Sara Alidoust
Dr

Sara Alidoust

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 56671

Overview

Background

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 and I explore the connections between planning and the physical, mental, and social health of individuals and communities. My primary focus is on developing resilient cities, capable of maintaining their liveability over time, especially amidst disruptive events and shocks.

Availability

Dr Sara Alidoust is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University

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 individuals and communities. My research also 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. Moreover, 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.

Works

Search Professor Sara Alidoust’s works on UQ eSpace

30 works between 2014 and 2025

21 - 30 of 30 works

2018

Journal Article

Talking while walking: an investigation of perceived neighbourhood walkability and its implications for the social life of older people

Alidoust, Sara, Bosman, Caryl and Holden, Gordon (2018). Talking while walking: an investigation of perceived neighbourhood walkability and its implications for the social life of older people. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 33 (1), 133-150. doi: 10.1007/s10901-017-9558-1

Talking while walking: an investigation of perceived neighbourhood walkability and its implications for the social life of older people

2017

Journal Article

Master planned communities for the ageing population: how sociable are they?

Alidoust, Sara and Bosman, Caryl (2017). Master planned communities for the ageing population: how sociable are they?. Cities and Health, 1 (1), 38-46. doi: 10.1080/23748834.2017.1393242

Master planned communities for the ageing population: how sociable are they?

2017

Journal Article

Research for City Practice

Grant, Marcus, Brown, Caroline, Caiaffa, Waleska T., Capon, Anthony, Corburn, Jason, Coutts, Chris, Crespo, Carlos J., Ellis, Geraint, Ferguson, George, Fudge, Colin, Hancock, Trevor, Lawrence, Roderick J., Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J., Oni, Tolu , Thompson, Susan, Wagenaar, Cor , Ward Thompson, Catharine, Alidoust, Sara, Bosman, Caryl, Schnake-Mahl, Alina, Norman, Sarah, Kent, Jennifer Lee, Ma, Liang, Mulley, Corinne and Siri, José (2017). Research for City Practice. Cities and Health, 1 (1), 10-21. doi: 10.1080/23748834.2017.1396750

Research for City Practice

2017

Journal Article

The spatial dimensions of neighbourhood: how older people define it

Alidoust, Sara, Bosman, Caryl, Holden, Gordon, Shearer, Heather and Shutter, Leigh (2017). The spatial dimensions of neighbourhood: how older people define it. Journal of Urban Design, 22 (5), 547-567. doi: 10.1080/13574809.2017.1336057

The spatial dimensions of neighbourhood: how older people define it

2017

Other Outputs

Planning for socially healthy ageing – A study of neighbourhood environments and their impacts on the social lives of older people

Alidoust, Sara (2017). Planning for socially healthy ageing – A study of neighbourhood environments and their impacts on the social lives of older people. PhD Thesis, School of Environment, Griffith University.

Planning for socially healthy ageing – A study of neighbourhood environments and their impacts on the social lives of older people

2016

Journal Article

Boomer planning: the production of age-friendly cities

Alidoust, Sara and Bosman, Caryl (2016). Boomer planning: the production of age-friendly cities. Built Environment, 42 (1), 107-119. doi: 10.2148/benv.42.1.107

Boomer planning: the production of age-friendly cities

2015

Journal Article

Planning for an ageing population: links between social health, neighbourhood environment and the elderly

Alidoust, Sara and Bosman, Caryl (2015). Planning for an ageing population: links between social health, neighbourhood environment and the elderly. Australian Planner, 52 (3), 177-186. doi: 10.1080/07293682.2015.1034145

Planning for an ageing population: links between social health, neighbourhood environment and the elderly

2015

Conference Publication

Socially healthy ageing: the importance of third places, soft edges and walkable neighbourhoods

Alidoust, Sara, Bosman, Caryl and Holden, Gordon (2015). Socially healthy ageing: the importance of third places, soft edges and walkable neighbourhoods. State of Australian Cities Conference, Gold Coast, Queensland, 9-11 December 2015.

Socially healthy ageing: the importance of third places, soft edges and walkable neighbourhoods

2014

Journal Article

Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments

Alidoust, Sara, Holden, Gordon and Bosman, Caryl (2014). Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments. Athens Journal of Health, 1 (3), 169-180. doi: 10.30958/ajh.1-3-1

Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments

2014

Conference Publication

Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments

Alidoust, Sara, Holden, Gordon and Bosman, Caryl (2014). Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments. 4th Annual International Conference on Urban Studies & Planning, Athens, Greece, 9-12 June 2020.

Urban environment and social health of the elderly: a critical discussion on physical, social and policy environments

Supervision

Availability

Dr Sara Alidoust is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

    Planning age-friendly cities 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.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Policy Barriers to Livable Cities in South East Queensland

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jonathan Corcoran

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani, Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Policy Barriers to Livable Cities in South East Queensland

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jonathan Corcoran

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing a climate-resilient framework for healthy cities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Ray Maher, Associate Professor Paola Leardini, Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Master Philosophy

    The socio-environmental benefits of alleyways over planned settlement patterns: The case of hems in Ho Chi Minh City

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Silvia Micheli

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Reconstructing A Gender Perspective Approach for a Sustainable New Capital City

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Doctor Philosophy

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

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Honorary Professor Neil Sipe, Dr Sebastien Darchen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Housing affordability issues in Malaysia

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

Contact Dr Sara Alidoust directly for media enquiries about:

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

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au