Post-secondary Education

With the exception of one year of college, I completed all my post-secondary education as a mature student, winning awards and scholarships in each case.

Certificate in Journalism, Langara College

This is where I got my first and best training in how to write clearly and concisely, and why that’s important. 

 

Bachelor of Arts, History (Hons), University of Victoria

Honours thesis: “A Democratic Development of the Highest Significance”?: Considering the Legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Urban Parks

I loved doing this degree and had many excellent professors. Some of my favourite courses:

• Environmental History of the United States
• Environmental History of British Columbia
• Cities and Sanctuaries of the Ancient World
• The History of Science
• The History of Pompeii and Herculaneum

 

Master of Arts, Urban Studies, Simon Fraser University

This was another wonderful educational experience – I relished the opportunities to learn about social science research methods, and to do original, urban-focused research. 

The thesis I completed (in 2016) involved quantifying and analyzing the impact of Airbnb on the City of Vancouver’s goals for the protection and growth of the city’s rental housing stock. I undertook this research at a time when critical perspectives on “the sharing economy” were scarce and little was known about the quantity and nature of Airbnb listings in the City of Vancouver – a gap I set out to fill. Concern about the negative impacts of Airbnb grew during the course of my research and after I published some of my preliminary findings on my personal blog, I was frequently asked to comment on and speak about the short-term rental phenomena by media, municipalities, and other organizations. A partial list of those media stories and presentations is here.

Here is a profile of me as winner of the Urban Studies Alumni Award for Community Engagement (2016)