Metadata
Title
Sara Alidoust
Category
general
UUID
dd06dfe5e71f42458e7e790305ce8c19
Source URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/25439
Parent URL
https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/44989
Crawl Time
2026-03-11T07:35:05+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown 
# Sara Alidoust

**Source**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/25439
**Parent**: https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/44989

Dr

# Sara Alidoust

Email:
:   [s.alidoust@uq.edu.au](mailto:s.alidoust@uq.edu.au)

Phone:
:   [+61 7 336 56671](tel:+61 7 336 56671)

## Positions

Affiliate of Centre for Community Health and Wellbeing
:   Centre for Community Health and Wellbeing
:   Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences

Affiliate of Centre of Architecture, Theory, Culture, and History
:   Centre of Architecture, Theory, Culture and History
:   Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

Senior Lecturer in Planning
:   School of Architecture, Design and Planning
:   Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology

## Overview

### Background

My research centers on the intersections of Urban Planning and Public Health, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and practical application. I deliver transdisciplinary solutions to some of the most compelling challenges of our time, 'housing equity' and 'healthy cities'. My work stands out through the application of Systems Thinking to complex planning issues and I explore the connections between planning and the physical, mental, and social health of individuals and communities. My primary focus is on developing resilient cities, capable of maintaining their liveability over time, especially amidst disruptive events and shocks.

Read more
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### Availability

Dr Sara Alidoust is:
:   Available for supervision
:   Media expert

### Fields of research

[Built Environment and Design](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/search?research-field=4763)
[Urban and regional planning](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/search?research-field=4833)

### Qualifications

- Doctor of Philosophy, Griffith University

### Research interests

- #### Planning for Social Sustainability and Community Wellbeing

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- #### Planning Resilient and liveable Cities

  Read more
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- #### Age-Friendly Planning

  Read more
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- #### Housing Vulnerability and Informal Housing in the Global North

  Read more
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### Research impacts

My research findings significantly contribute to translating knowledge for research end-users, including planning practitioners and the community. Focused on fostering more resilient and liveable cities, my research findings directly inform planning practice and policymaking initiatives, thereby enhancing the quality of life for individuals and communities. My research also extends to enhancing planning policies by critically analysing existing frameworks, particularly in areas like housing and liveable/resilient planning, on both national and international scales. Moreover, through rigorous exploratory research, such as examining issues like informal housing, and active engagement with end-users, including collecting data from older individuals and other vulnerable community members, my work illuminates real-world planning challenges and provides actionable insights to address societal needs.

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## Works

[Search Professor Sara Alidoust’s works on UQ eSpace](http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/list/author_id/6483870)

[All
(35)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/25439/all)
[Journal Article
(22)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/25439/4748)
[Other Outputs
(6)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/25439/4749)
[Conference Publication
(2)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/25439/4751)
[Book Chapter
(5)](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts-publication/25439/4752)

2026

Journal Article

##### Exploring the role of third places in shaping health and wellbeing: a qualitative study with older adults

Alidoust, Sara, Kirkegaard, Amy, Hennessey, Emma and Ball, Lauren (2026). Exploring the role of third places in shaping health and wellbeing: a qualitative study with older adults. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 37 (1) e70128, 1-8. doi: 10.1002/hpja.70128

[Exploring the role of third places in shaping health and wellbeing: a qualitative study with older adults](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2a5b727)

2025

Journal Article

##### Ungating China: a discourse analysis of public resistance and policy re-evaluation

Liu, Xuanbo, Alidoust, Sara and Pojani, Dorina (2025). Ungating China: a discourse analysis of public resistance and policy re-evaluation. Urban Policy and Research, 43 (3), 228-244. doi: 10.1080/08111146.2025.2517556

[Ungating China: a discourse analysis of public resistance and policy re-evaluation](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:899d2cd)

2025

Other Outputs

##### Brisbane Australia 2024: policy indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report

Alidoust, Sara (2025). Brisbane Australia 2024: policy indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report. St. Louis, MO USA: Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.28521167

[Brisbane Australia 2024: policy indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:e19685f)

2025

Other Outputs

##### Brisbane Australia 2024: spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report

Alidoust, Sara, Chen, Ruoyu and Higgs, Carl (2025). Brisbane Australia 2024: spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report. St. Louis, MO USA: Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.28521200

[Brisbane Australia 2024: spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:33041f6)

2025

Other Outputs

##### Brisbane Australia 2024: policy and spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report

Alidoust, Sara, Chen, Ruoyu and Higgs, Carl (2025). Brisbane Australia 2024: policy and spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report. St. Louis, MO USA: Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities. doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.28520984

[Brisbane Australia 2024: policy and spatial indicators for healthy and sustainable cities—1000 Cities Challenge report](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:60ca42f)

2025

Journal Article

##### Planning for livable compact vertical cities: A quantitative systematic review of the impact of urban geometry on thermal and visual comfort in high-rise precincts

Caswell, Helen, Alidoust, Sara and Corcoran, Jonathan (2025). Planning for livable compact vertical cities: A quantitative systematic review of the impact of urban geometry on thermal and visual comfort in high-rise precincts. Sustainable Cities and Society, 119 106007, 106007-119. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2024.106007

[Planning for livable compact vertical cities: A quantitative systematic review of the impact of urban geometry on thermal and visual comfort in high-rise precincts](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:1e0690b)

2024

Journal Article

##### Sustaining a resilient housing system in southeast Queensland

Alidoust, Sara, Wyeth, Stephanie, Reddel, Tim, Cornish, Gillian, Lata, Lutfun Nahar, Johnson, Laurel and Shaweesh, Maram (2024). Sustaining a resilient housing system in southeast Queensland. Australian Planner, 60 (2), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/07293682.2024.2309352

[Sustaining a resilient housing system in southeast Queensland](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:76600f8)

2024

Journal Article

##### Older people, house-sitting and ethics of care

Alidoust, Sara (2024). Older people, house-sitting and ethics of care. International Journal of Housing Policy, 24 (2), 191-210. doi: 10.1080/19491247.2022.2097853

[Older people, house-sitting and ethics of care](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:c69524e)

2023

Journal Article

##### Sustained liveable cities: the interface of liveability and resiliency

Alidoust, Sara (2023). Sustained liveable cities: the interface of liveability and resiliency. Cities and Health, 8 (6), 1108-1119. doi: 10.1080/23748834.2023.2260132

[Sustained liveable cities: the interface of liveability and resiliency](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:2482b1b)

2023

Book Chapter

##### Mapping urban transport - land use interactions worldwide, a state of practice

Khalaj, Fahimeh, Alidoust, Sara and Pojani, Dorina (2023). Mapping urban transport - land use interactions worldwide, a state of practice. Handbook on transport and land use. (pp. 147-166) edited by João de Abreu e Silva, Kristina Currans, Veronique Van Acker and Robert Schneider. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781800370258.00015

[Mapping urban transport - land use interactions worldwide, a state of practice](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:d5ce066)

2022

Book Chapter

##### Smart densification

Ahmad, Mubeen, Darchen, Sebastien, Alidoust, Sara and Sipe, Neil (2022). Smart densification. The Palgrave encyclopedia of urban and regional futures. (pp. 1520-1528) edited by Robert C. Brears. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-87745-3\_278

[Smart densification](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:7b63c7e)

2022

Journal Article

##### A systematic review of planning policies for community wellbeing

Alidoust, Sara, Gleeson, Nikita and Khalaj, Fahimeh (2022). A systematic review of planning policies for community wellbeing. Journal of Urbanism, 17 (4), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/17549175.2022.2071971

[A systematic review of planning policies for community wellbeing](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:0cc34ab)

2022

Journal Article

##### Master planned communities for healthy living: a systematic literature review

Alidoust, Sara and Huang, Wei (2022). Master planned communities for healthy living: a systematic literature review. Urban Policy and Research, 40 (2), 1-19. doi: 10.1080/08111146.2022.2057945

[Master planned communities for healthy living: a systematic literature review](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:25053ce)

2022

Other Outputs

##### ‘Where would we live otherwise?’: the rise of house-sitting among older Australians

Alidoust, Sara (2022, 02 18). ‘Where would we live otherwise?’: the rise of house-sitting among older Australians The Conversation

[‘Where would we live otherwise?’: the rise of house-sitting among older Australians](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:a0cbd2c)

2022

Book Chapter

##### Planning Healthy and Livable Cities

Alidoust, Sara (2022). Planning Healthy and Livable Cities. The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures. (pp. 1-5) Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-51812-7\_277-1

[Planning Healthy and Livable Cities](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:befdecc)

2021

Journal Article

##### An exploratory study of house-sitting and ‘home’-making among older people

Alidoust, Sara and Khalaj, Fahimeh (2021). An exploratory study of house-sitting and ‘home’-making among older people. Australian Geographer, 52 (4), 1-16. doi: 10.1080/00049182.2021.1999612

[An exploratory study of house-sitting and ‘home’-making among older people](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:5f896a4)

2021

Journal Article

##### A decade of research on housing and health: a systematic literature review

Alidoust, Sara and Huang, Wei (2021). A decade of research on housing and health: a systematic literature review. Reviews on Environmental Health, 45-64. doi: 10.1515/reveh-2021-0121

[A decade of research on housing and health: a systematic literature review](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:7f11bf9)

2021

Journal Article

##### Lest we forget: media predictions of a post-Covid-19 urban future

Pojani, Dorina and Alidoust, Sara (2021). Lest we forget: media predictions of a post-Covid-19 urban future. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 16 (2), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/17549175.2021.1944283

[Lest we forget: media predictions of a post-Covid-19 urban future](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:1826ffb)

2021

Book Chapter

##### Planning Active Travel and School Transport

Fahimeh Khalaj, Pojani, Dorina and Alidoust, Sara (2021). Planning Active Travel and School Transport. International Encyclopedia of Transportation. (pp. 432-436) Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/b978-0-08-102671-7.10792-4

[Planning Active Travel and School Transport](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:37b27b3)

2020

Other Outputs

##### Case studies: housing initiatives in Queensland

Bruhn, Cameron and Alidoust, Sara (2020). Case studies: housing initiatives in Queensland. Architecture Australia, 109 (5), 63-71.

[Case studies: housing initiatives in Queensland](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:5087f3a)

## Supervision

### Availability

Dr Sara Alidoust is:
:   Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on [how to choose a supervisor](https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/how-to-choose-a-supervisor).

### Available projects

- #### Planning Healthy Cities

  Associations between urban planning and physical, mental and social health. Some topics include: 1. The role of built environment and planning policies in physical activity, active transport, healthy behaviours. 2. Urban planning impacts on social capital and community cohesion. 3. Planning policies and built environmental design for mental health. 4. Urban Green space and community health.

  Read more
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- #### Housing Planning and Policy

  Some topics include: 1. Informal housing in the Global North. 2. Informal housing and the ageing population. 3. Health impacts of informal housing. 4. Resilient housing systems. 5. Systems thinking and housing policies.

  Read more
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- #### Climate Change and Community Health

  Health impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities, including older people. Some topics include: 1. Green infrastructure and community health. 2. Integrated policy frameworks for sustainable, healthy and resilient cities. 3. Urban heat stress and community health.

  Read more
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- #### Planning Age-friendly Cities

  Planning age-friendly cities for older people to live an active life and stay engaged in the community. Some topics include: 1. Planning policies for developing age-friendly cities. 2. Emerging housing models and lifestyles for older people, e.g. house-sitting, co-living. 3. Neighbourhood planning for healthy ageing. 4. Master planned communities and community development for an ageing population.

  Read more
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- #### Urban Planning for Social Sustainability

  Some topics include: 1. Developing evaluation frameworks for social sustainability. 2. Developing evaluation frameworks for community wellbeing. 3. Community engagement in planning policy.

  Read more
  Read less

View all 5 available projects
View less

### Supervision history

#### Current supervision

- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Of Cost and Consequence: How Cost-Based Decision-Making Shapes the Design Ambitions of Residential Development

  Principal Advisor
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Planning for health and wellbeing in high-rise precincts: Understanding the role of 'breathing space'

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Jonathan Corcoran](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/1577)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Reconstructing A Gender Perspective Approach for a Sustainable New Capital City

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Dorina Pojani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/11894)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Active transport and gender issues: A comparison between Brisbane and Sylhet

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Dorina Pojani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/11894)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Valuing environmental sustainability in the built environment sector, focusing on housing in Southeast Queensland

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Paul Matthew](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/32729), [Dr Ray Maher](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/23481)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Developing a climate-resilient framework for healthy cities

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Ray Maher](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/23481), [Associate Professor Paola Leardini](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/12909), [Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/44989)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Housing as a feminist issue: The case of Kuching, Sarawak

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Dorina Pojani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/11894)
- Doctor Philosophy

  ##### Hem Urban Villages in Ho Chi Minh City: A Model for Community-Driven Urbanism

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Associate Professor Silvia Micheli](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2511)

View all 8 current supervisions
View less

#### Completed supervision

- 2026

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Residents' perceptions of a government-initiated anti-gating policy: A study of open communities in Shanghai](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:ad9e978)

  Principal Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Dorina Pojani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/11894), [Professor Ali Cheshmehzangi](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/44989)
- 2026

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Are car-free lifestyles feasible in low-density, sprawling contexts? A comparison of a city in Australia and Saudi Arabia](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:0413069)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Dr Dorina Pojani](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/11894)
- 2024

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Bridging Theory and Practice: An Integrated Approach to Urban Growth Management](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:74335ac)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Honorary Professor Neil Sipe](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/10855), [Dr Sebastien Darchen](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2545)
- 2022

  Doctor Philosophy

  ##### [Restoring the natural water cycle in cities: an urban design framework](https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:c59ba44)

  Associate Advisor

  Other advisors:
  [Professor Steven Kenway](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/2197), [Associate Professor Paola Leardini](https://about.uq.edu.au/experts/12909)

## Media

### Enquiries

Contact Dr Sara Alidoust directly for media enquiries about:

- Community Engagement in Planning and Policy Making
- Master Planned Community Developments
- Neighbourhood Planning and Loneliness
- Planning Age Friendly Cities
- Planning Healthy Cities

#### Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

[communications@uq.edu.au](mailto:communications@uq.edu.au)

## External profiles

- [ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7163-560X)
- [Google Scholar](https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=R4LzfQEAAAAJ)

## Social media

- [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-alidoust-04ba1763/)
- [X](https://twitter.com/DrSaraDoust)

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