Keun Park

Assistant Professor

Research Interests

Design of healthy, just, and resilient cities through urban nature
Environmental justice
Human Behaviours in public space
Urban planning
urban forestry

Relevant Thesis-Based Degree Programs

Research Options

I am available and interested in collaborations (e.g. clusters, grants).
I am interested in and conduct interdisciplinary research.
I am interested in working with undergraduate students on research projects.
 
 

Research Methodology

behavioural research
spatial econometrics
GIS
Case Studies
quasi-experimental
Statistics
Mixed-methods

Recruitment

Master's students
Doctoral students
Any time / year round

1. Access to urban green and blue spaces of varying sizes and forms

  • Research question: How do we connect low-mobility populations (e.g., children, older adults, people with disabilities, low-income people) with diverse urban parks, forests, and waterfronts?
  • Skills/interests needed: multidisciplinary interests (environmental justice, urban design and planning, transportation, etc.), mixed-methods (GIS/statistics and/or qualitative methods)

2. Effective monitoring of human behaviours in urban green and blue spaces

  • Research question: How can we monitor and predict the usage dynamics in urban parks, forests, and waterfront greenways reliably and efficiently?
  • Skills/interests needed: digital technology (sensors, camera, etc.), computer programming (python, R, SQL, etc.), machine learning algorithms, observational methods

3. Role of urban forestry in urban development

  • Research question: What are the roles and impacts of urban forestry design and planning in sustainable urban developments?
  • Skills/interests needed: urban planning and design, mixed-methods research (case studies, quasi-experiments, statistical analysis)
I support public scholarship, e.g. through the Public Scholars Initiative, and am available to supervise students and Postdocs interested in collaborating with external partners as part of their research.
I support experiential learning experiences, such as internships and work placements, for my graduate students and Postdocs.
I am open to hosting Visiting International Research Students (non-degree, up to 12 months).
I am interested in hiring Co-op students for research placements.

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ADVICE AND INSIGHTS FROM UBC FACULTY ON REACHING OUT TO SUPERVISORS

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a potential thesis supervisor.

Graduate Student Supervision

Master's Student Supervision

Theses completed in 2010 or later are listed below. Please note that there is a 6-12 month delay to add the latest theses.

Promoting sustainable and equitable access to parks: a study of transit-to-parks initiatives and user perceptions (2024)

In response to increasing sustainability challenges and the critical need for equitable park access, this thesis investigates the development of Transit-to-Parks (T2P) initiatives that link public transit to natural areas across Canada, and analyzes factors influencing park visitors' transportation choices in Metro Vancouver. The thesis employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative insights gathered from semi-structured interviews with ten Transit-to- Parks (T2P) initiative practitioners and quantitative analyses of 430 park-user survey responses.The research uncovers three motivations for T2P initiatives: parking and traffic congestion, environmental impacts of traffic, and equity considerations. It highlights key facilitators such as policy advocacy, partnerships, and community engagement in the successful implementation of T2P initiatives while also pointing out challenges, including limited funding and labor shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and siloed agencies. Furthermore, analysis of park visitors' mode choices indicates that socio-demographic and trip-related factors significantly influence the decision to use sustainable transport options for park visits. These findings suggest that targeted infrastructure improvements, policy interventions, and planning efforts are essential to reducing car dependency and fostering a shift toward more sustainable transportation modes.This thesis contributes to the discourse on urban planning, green equity, transportation equity, and recreational management, offering practical insights for transit agencies, urban planners, and policymakers aiming to improve park accessibility through sustainable transportation. It advocates for the integration of transportation planning with park access strategies to foster more sustainable, equitable urban environments.

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Publications

 
 

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