StreetSmarts PhD Collaboratory
Overview
The StreetSmarts PhD Collaboratory is a three-year interdisciplinary research and training initiative supported by UBC’s PhD Collab program and led by ReROW-affiliated faculty. Led by ReROW faculty across disciplines, including planning, engineering, forestry, environmental systems, and psychology, the collaboratory works in collaboration with regional and civic partners in Metro Vancouver. It brings together PhD students, researchers, and civic partners to study and improve urban streets and public rights-of-way.
Urban streets are complex systems that shape mobility, economic activity, and public life while reflecting environmental and social inequalities. The collaboratory develops new approaches that connect academic research with real-world applications and supports equity, diversity, and inclusion in research, aligning with UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan.
The collaboratory focuses on:
- Connecting research to policy, design, and implementation
- Building a shared framework for understanding the right-of-way across disciplines
- Advancing participatory and transdisciplinary research methods
Output details:
- Shared conceptual framework and glossary
- Interdisciplinary case studies
- Academic publications
- Tools for policy, practice, and teaching
- Public research outputs via the ReROW website
Program Structure
- Year 1: Workshops to define key research questions and shared concepts
- Years 2-3: Research projects, case studies, and collaborative learning
Learn More
For more information about the UBC PhD Collab program, visit the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website. To learn more about ReROW’s research and activities, explore the rest of the site.