Congratulations to Dr. Maryam Bostanara of the University of New South Wales, Sydney for winning the 2024 SIDRA SOLUTIONS Postgraduate Award for her thesis titled ‘Urban Dynamics and Household Decisions: Advanced Statistical Methods in Relocation,
Land Use, and Transport Planning’.
Summary of Research
Dr. Maryam Bostanara’s PhD research explores the intersection of transport systems, land use, and residential mobility, addressing the complexities of household decision-making in urban environments. Utilizing advanced statistical techniques, machine learning, and dynamic discrete choice models, this study enhances the predictive understanding of home and job relocations and their impact on transport networks and urban planning.
A key contribution is the development of a conceptual framework that integrates intra-household dynamics, environmental factors and economic conditions to explain long-term decisions such as home and job relocation and vehicle ownership. This research demonstrates how these interconnected choices shape urban mobility and land use over time.
Through four interconnected studies, the thesis applies Bayesian survival models, copula-based hazard models, machine learning techniques, and dynamic discrete choice modelling (DDCM) to analyse relocation behaviours in cities like Sydney and Chicago. Findings highlight the influence of life-course events, affordability, and accessibility on mobility patterns, providing valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners.
Dr. Bostanara’s work has been widely recognised, published in leading journals, and presented at major international conferences. Her ongoing research expands into electric vehicle adoption, sustainable transport solutions, and active mobility modelling, supporting data-driven policy decisions to create more efficient, equitable, and sustainable urban environments.
Here are two other PhD papers by Maryam: