Dr Thomas Sigler
Dr

Thomas Sigler

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Phone: 
+61 7 336 53804

Background

Dr Thomas Sigler is an Associate Professor of Human Geography, with a focus on urban and economic geography. He holds a PhD and MSc from the Pennsylvania State University, and a BA from the University of Southern California. He is Deputy Head of School in the School of the Environment, and is a Guest Professor of Geography at the University of Luxembourg. Dr Sigler has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers on topics relating to urban growth and development, economic connectivity, urban planning, and the sharing economy with collaborators in Asia, Europe, Australia and North America. These publications appear in a wide range of academic journals, including Urban Geography, Environment and Planning A, PLoS One, Urban Studies, Regional Studies, Journal of Geography, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (IJURR), and the Bulletin of Latin American Research. Dr Sigler is an editorial board member of Urban Geography, Finance & Space, Global Networks and Geographical Research.

Availability

Dr Thomas Sigler is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Human Society Human geography

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of Southern California
  • Masters (Research) of Science, Pennsylvania State University
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Pennsylvania State University

Research interests

  • Short-Term Rentals

    I am interested in how Airbnb and other digital platforms have altered the global accommodation landscape.

  • Housing

    I study the dynamic interaction between property and population, with regard to both global and local pressures and constraints.

  • Daylight Saving

    I am interested in solving the world's vexatious 'time zone problem'.

Research impacts

Dr Sigler is a recognised global expert on Airbnb and short-term rentals, and housing, transport & urban development issues. Over the past decade, he has provided expertise to the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Queensland Department of Tourism and Sport, and the Queensland Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning. Dr Sigler regularly appears on Australian television and radio, and has been featured in The Guardian, The Atlantic, South China Morning Post, ABC, The Australian, The Age, Courier-Mail, Brisbane Times, Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Financial Review.

Search Professor Thomas Sigler’s works on UQ eSpace

114 works between 2009 and 2025
All (114) Journal Article (82) Book Chapter (9) Conference Publication (7) Book (1) Other Outputs (15)

101 - 114 of 114 works

2014

Journal Article

Monaco with bananas, a tropical Manhattan, or a Singapore for Central America? Explaining rapid urban growth in Panama City, Panama

Sigler, Thomas J. (2014). Monaco with bananas, a tropical Manhattan, or a Singapore for Central America? Explaining rapid urban growth in Panama City, Panama. Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 35 (2), 261-278. doi: 10.1111/sjtg.12058

Monaco with bananas, a tropical Manhattan, or a Singapore for Central America? Explaining rapid urban growth in Panama City, Panama

2013

Journal Article

Beyond representation: film as a pedagogical tool in urban geography

Sigler, Thomas and Albandoz, Roberto I. (2013). Beyond representation: film as a pedagogical tool in urban geography. Journal of Geography, Published online (2), 1-11. doi: 10.1080/00221341.2013.764918

Beyond representation: film as a pedagogical tool in urban geography

2013

Journal Article

Relational cities: Doha, Panama City, and Dubai as 21st century entrepots

Sigler, Thomas J. (2013). Relational cities: Doha, Panama City, and Dubai as 21st century entrepots. Urban Geography, 34 (5), 612-633. doi: 10.1080/02723638.2013.778572

Relational cities: Doha, Panama City, and Dubai as 21st century entrepots

2013

Journal Article

Panama’s special economic zones: balancing growth and development

Sigler, Thomas J. (2013). Panama’s special economic zones: balancing growth and development. Bulletin of Latin American Research, 33 (1), 1-15. doi: 10.1111/blar.12035

Panama’s special economic zones: balancing growth and development

2013

Conference Publication

Corporate clustering in Australian cities: an analysis of the geographic distribution of ASX-listed headquarters

Sigler, Thomas (2013). Corporate clustering in Australian cities: an analysis of the geographic distribution of ASX-listed headquarters. SOAC 2013: 6th State of Australian Cities Conference, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 26-29 November, 2013. Hobart, TAS, Australia: State of Australian Cities Research Network.

Corporate clustering in Australian cities: an analysis of the geographic distribution of ASX-listed headquarters

2013

Journal Article

Regional place representation in hip-hop music

Sigler, Thomas and Balaji, Murali (2013). Regional place representation in hip-hop music. Communication, Culture and Critique, 6 (2), 336-352. doi: 10.1111/cccr.12006

Regional place representation in hip-hop music

2012

Journal Article

Balancing human and ecological concerns in the DRC’s Ituri Forest

Sigler, Thomas J. (2012). Balancing human and ecological concerns in the DRC’s Ituri Forest. Australasian Review of African Studies, 33 (1), 177-186.

Balancing human and ecological concerns in the DRC’s Ituri Forest

2012

Conference Publication

Globalising Australian cities: an overview

Sigler, Thomas (2012). Globalising Australian cities: an overview. 36th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Regional Science Association International (ANZRSAI), Wollongong, NSW, Australia, 5-7 December 2012. Canterbury, New Zealand: AERU Research Unit.

Globalising Australian cities: an overview

2012

Journal Article

Globalization, modernity and the city. John Rennie Short

Sigler, Thomas (2012). Globalization, modernity and the city. John Rennie Short. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 103 (2), 256-257. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9663.2012.00707.x

Globalization, modernity and the city. John Rennie Short

2012

Journal Article

Review of Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Healthier, and Happier by Edward L. Glaeser

Sigler, Thomas (2012). Review of Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Healthier, and Happier by Edward L. Glaeser. Urban Affairs Review, 48 (1), 141-142. doi: 10.1177/1078087411423353

Review of Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Healthier, and Happier by Edward L. Glaeser

2011

Journal Article

Transforming markets in the built environment: adapting to climate change by Sue Roaf (ed.)

Thomas Sigler (2011). Transforming markets in the built environment: adapting to climate change by Sue Roaf (ed.). Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 20 (1), 158-159.

Transforming markets in the built environment: adapting to climate change by Sue Roaf (ed.)

2011

Journal Article

Book Review: Democracy as problem solving: civic capacity in communities across the globe, by Xavier de Souza Briggs

Sigler, Thomas (2011). Book Review: Democracy as problem solving: civic capacity in communities across the globe, by Xavier de Souza Briggs. Urban Affairs Review, 47 (1), 147-149. doi: 10.1177/1078087410375061

Book Review: Democracy as problem solving: civic capacity in communities across the globe, by Xavier de Souza Briggs

2009

Other Outputs

A rapid rural assessment of the charcoal briquette industry in the Northeastern DR Congo

Sigler, Thomas (2009). A rapid rural assessment of the charcoal briquette industry in the Northeastern DR Congo. The United States Agency for International Development.

A rapid rural assessment of the charcoal briquette industry in the Northeastern DR Congo

2009

Journal Article

Mixed-use megaprojects in the global context: lessons from Las Vegas

Sigler, Thomas (2009). Mixed-use megaprojects in the global context: lessons from Las Vegas. Human Geography: a new radical journal, 2 (2), 77-82.

Mixed-use megaprojects in the global context: lessons from Las Vegas

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2026
    Beyond the resource curse: redistribution and resource-led development (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    Short Term Rental Accommodation Management Systems Regulation Study
    Queensland Government Department of Tourism and Sport
    Open grant
  • 2023
    Short-term rental accommodation review
    Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Who Benefits from the Sharing Economy? Disruption in Australian Cities
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Short Term Rentals in Australia
    Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    The globalisation of the resources sector(s) in Australian cities (ARC Discovery Project administered by The University of Western Australia)
    University of Western Australia
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2017
    Cities in the global economy: an analysis of inter-urban relations through multinational corporate locations
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2015
    Brisbane as a globally connected city
    Brisbane Marketing
    Open grant
  • 2014
    The Australian Urban Network: Understanding the Dynamics of Cities by Industries
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Australian Cities within the Global Urban Network
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Thomas Sigler is:
Available for supervision

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

Available projects

  • How does working from home (WFH) impact cities?

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying the spatial implications of the recent shift to large-scale remote work. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • The Globalisation of Social Class

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying spatial differentiation in social class from a cross-cultural perspective with regard to recent globalisation-induced shifts. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • Airbnb and Cities

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying how short-term rentals impact urban housing markets. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • Globalisation and Networks

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying how global firms are connected through financial networks. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • How does working from home (WFH) impact cities?

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying the spatial implications of the recent shift to large-scale remote work. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • The Globalisation of Social Class

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying spatial differentiation in social class from a cross-cultural perspective with regard to recent globalisation-induced shifts. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • Airbnb and Cities

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying how short-term rentals impact urban housing markets. This may be carried out in the Australian context, or in any other global context. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

  • Globalisation and Networks

    Students are invited to express their interest in studying how global firms are connected through financial networks. Funding is contingent upon successful scholarship award.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Ghost Kitchens and Urban Dynamics: Implications for Urban Planning and the Future of Drone Delivery

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jonathan Corcoran

  • Doctor Philosophy

    A comparative study of housing affordability issues in China and Australia

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Julia Loginova, Dr Matthew Curry

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urban Consolidation through Densification: the Constraints of Existing Property Boundaries

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Ms Stephanie Wyeth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Urban consolidation through densification: are existing planning tools effective at delivering urban transformation?

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Ms Stephanie Wyeth

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Digital Deconcentration and the Changing Face of American Cities: Examining the Effects of Working from Home on America¿s Post-pandemic Urbanisation.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Dorina Pojani

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Two Decades of Change in the Australian Labourscape

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Elin Charles-Edwards

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Settlement and internal migration patterns of immigrants

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Tomasz Zajac, Associate Professor Aude Bernard

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Affordable Housing Policies in Indonesia: Evaluations Analysis of National Programs (BSPS, FLPP and SSB)

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Roitman

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Affordable Housing Policies in Indonesia: Evaluations Analysis of National Programs (BSPS, FLPP and SSB)

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Sonia Roitman

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Thomas Sigler directly for media enquiries about:

  • Airbnb
  • Cities
  • Daylight Saving
  • Daylight Saving Time
  • Economic Geography
  • Housing
  • Land Use Planning
  • Population Growth
  • Sharing Economy
  • Urban Geography
  • Urban Planning

Need help?

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

communications@uq.edu.au