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"I am curious how diverse community voices are included and valued in city-led coastal adaptation projects and how project outcomes impact people's lives both now and in the future."
Tira Okamoto
Resource Management (Planning) master's student in the Faculty of Environment
Originally from San Francisco, California, I have always been obsessed with coastal city-making and the ways in which people live together along coastlines. My master's research is focused on evaluating equity and justice within urban coastal adaptation planning projects, and I've been fortunate to work closely with the City of Vancouver and their Sea2City Design Challenge as part of this work. My research is supported by a SSHRC Master's Scholarship for the 2022-2023 school year, as well as the PICS-funded Living with Water project. Before starting my master's, I worked on community engagement and communications for a variety of sea level rise and urban resilience projects in California. In my spare time, you'll find me hiking the North Shore mountains, dancing, or trying out a new recipe.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO SFU?
I love that community-engaged research is core to SFU's mission.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH OR YOUR PROGRAM TO A FAMILY MEMBER?
I am researching how cities plan for sea level rise and adapt to climate change along their coastlines. In particular, I am curious how diverse community voices are included and valued in city-led coastal adaptation projects and how project outcomes impact people's lives both now and in the future.
WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT SFU?
I love that interdisciplinary research is rigorous and innovative. I am also grateful to have opportunities to conduct research collaboratively and contribute to efforts around transformative change and theory-to-practice.
Contact Tira: tira_okamoto@sfu.ca