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Graduate Student Research

Graduate students in the School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning conduct research that gets attention. Here are stories of some recent projects, examples of peer-reviewed publications authored by graduate students, and information about research funding. 

How nature contributes to wellbeing: PhD candidate Benessaiah publishes work in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
PhD candidate Karina Benessaiah, along with colleagues at a diverse group of institutions, argue for a new way to consider how people value nature. Their perspectives are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Cree's sustainable hunting practices focus of ASU student's research
The land around Wemindji, a small community in Northern Quebec, appears to be mostly untouched by humans – but the Cree Nation inhabitants have been modifying it to their benefit for generations. Doctoral student Jesse Sayles investigates the Cree’s complex relationship to their land, and what makes their system sustainable.
Benson-Lira uses award to explore Mexico City's changing climate
Although severe heat events in US urban environments is well-studied, very little research examines urban climate in developing countries. Valeria Benson-Lira, a master’s student in geography, changes this by examining how the climate of Mexico City and its surroundings has changed since the days of the Aztecs.
Has the Great Recession begun to reshape Phoenix residential growth?
Is there evidence that a structural change is taking place in metro Phoenix residential growth? Do housing starts since 2006 show a shift towards greater proximity to urban centers, potential for walkability, and mixed land-use settings? Doctoral student Kevin Kane investigates this question.

Peer-reviewed Publications by Graduate Students

Our graduate students do innovative work, and are lead authors of peer-reviewed publications. Here’s a selection of work authored by our students during their graduate studies.

Title Student Author(s) Authors Journal Year of Publication
Assessing the Cooling Benefits of Tree Shade by an Outdoor Urban Physical Scale Model at Tempe, AZ Qunshan Zhao Urban Science 2018
Adaptive pathways and coupled infrastructure: seven centuries of adaptation to water risk and the production of vulnerability in Mexico City Beth Tellman Ecology and Society 2018
Using Landsat and nighttime lights for supervised pixel-based image classification of urban land cover Beth Tellman Remote Sensing of Environment 2018
Rapid Urban Growth in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: Monitoring Land Use Land Cover Dynamics of a Himalayan City with Landsat Imageries Asif Ishtiaque Environments 2017
Robust-yet-fragile nature of partly engineered social-ecological systems: a case study of coastal Bangladesh Asif Ishtiaque Ecology and Society 2017
Tree shade coverage optimization in an urban residential environment Qunshan Zhao Building and Environment 2017
A realistic meteorological assessment of perennial biofuel crop deployment: a Southern Great Plains perspective Melissa Wagner GCB Bioenergy 2016
Loss of a lake system in a megacity: The impact of urban expansion on seasonal meteorology in Mexico City, Valeria Benson-Lira Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres 2016
Design with Nature: Key lessons from McHarg's intrinsic suitability in the wake of Hurricane Sandy Melissa Wagner Landscape and Urban Planning 2016
Competing policies to protect mangrove forest: A case from Bangladesh Asif Ishtiaque Environmental Development 2016

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Funding for graduate research

There are numerous grants available to support graduate student research, including awards specifically for students in our school, ASU-sponsored awards, and national and international awards. Review our Fellowships and Funding page for information about these opportunities.
Fellowship and Funding Resources

Graduate student awards

Our students have a strong history of receiving nationally and internationally competitive funding and recognition. Our students are winners of Fulbright fellowships, dissertation research grants, and paper competitions and more.
Recent Student Awards