Educated as an architect, planner, and urban researcher, I consider myself principally an urbanist, whose specialty is the study of cities, their public spaces, and their design as modes of social production, reproduction, and resistance. My research intentionally crosses the boundary between theory-building and practice. For example, in the study, “Creating Community: Housing Insecurity and the Tiny House Village Model,” I used an ethnographic approach to study resident’s perspectives on social capital in three tiny-house villages for people with housing insecurity (a serious regional concern) and then designed and constructed a tiny house in a village and performed a post occupancy evaluation. This research confirmed that community amenities, service-for-rent programs, and unique architectural characteristics were related to residents feeling a new sense of community and the increased social capital improved the maintenance of the community facilities. This study was then leveraged by SquareOne Villages as part of a campaign lobby to revise the moratorium on Secondary Dwelling Units and to update the energy requirements in the building code to be appropriate for houses under 500 square feet. Both initiatives were successful. Today, homeowners are increasing the density of Eugene within the growth boundary in a grassroots process that renders economically diverse communities with little overhead investment from the municipal government. This comprehensive study engaged undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Oregon in a practicum model.
“I have augmented my research program by serving research organizations. I am the Conference Coordinator and a Sessions Chair for the International Association for the Study of Traditional Environments’ biannual conference, Virtual Traditions, held in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom. And, I serve the International Play Association as the Technical Committee Chair for Child-Friendly Cities and Communities.
ACTIVE ORIGINAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
GROWING UP WITH NO PLACE TO PLAY: STUDIES OF HOW ADOLESCENCES USE PUBLIC SPACE IN DISPOSSESSED COMMUNITIES
(PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR)
IRB #: 04042018.005
Dates: 2017-Ongoing
Faculty Advisor: Mark Gillem, UO
COMPLETED ORIGINAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
BUILDING URBAN RESILIENCE AGAINST THE SHOCKS AND THREADS OF RELOCATION
(RESEARCH ADVISOR)
IRB #: Waiver (Save the Children)
Dates: 2017-20
Project Manager: Lourdes Pambid
LAND UTALIZATION & VALUATION PROCESS FOR MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
(LEAD RESEARCHER)
IRB #: Waiver (Department of Defense)
Dates: 2016-17
Government Advisor: Jerry Zekert, US Army Corps of Engineers
Primary Investigator: Mark Gillem, Urban Collaborative
CREATING COMMUNITY: HOUSING INSECURITY & THE TINY-HOUSE VILLAGE MODEL
(PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR)
IRB #: 12032015.003
Dates: 2015-18
Faculty Advisor: Howard Davis, UO
IDENTIFYING ECONOMIC AND MARKETING HURDLES TO LARGER SCALE CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER ADOPTION IN OREGON
(RESEARCH ASSISTANT)
IRB #: N/A
Dates: 2015Primary Investigator (PI): Eric Hansen, OSU
CoPI: John Becker-Blease, OSU
CoPI: Mark Gillem, UO