FarhanaFERDOUS
educator-designer-scholar
research statement
In line with my educational and academic research background, my research incorporates a number of areas related to environment behavior interaction, elderly care, environmental design, morphology, and evidence-based design within the built and healthcare environment.
Doctoral Dissertation: "The Evaluative Image of Public Spaces: Spatial Morphology, Social Use and Community Well-being"
research statement
In line with my educational and academic research background, my research incorporates a number of areas related to environment behavior interaction, elderly care, environmental design, urbanism, and evidence-based design within the built, urban and healthcare environment. My research has focused predominantly on healthy, sustainable urbanism especially in Long Term Care (LTC) and Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) to pursue evidence-based design. I have developed a protocol for analyzing core syntactical variables, such as integration and connectivity, and relating those variables in designing the environment: mainly to design the neighborhood and layout of care facilities to achieve therapeutic benefits for its residents and neighborhood’s physical environment to improve its walkability.
In particular, I incorporated computational simulation tools, such as Space Syntax techniques and Geographic Information System (GIS), to inform design decisions leading to better organizational performance. My objective is to develop a robust research agenda by focusing on precise, objective measurement of the environment and its impact on measurable health indicators. My critical mind, openness to new, challenging ideas, and use of cutting-edge methodological rigor are added advantages to running different research projects successfully.
I am committed to improving the quality of life for elderly people with dementia in Long Term Care facilities and my research has been supported by Toyota Foundation Grant, Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation (AAHF). The American Association of University Women (AAUW) supported my research activities through a very prestigious international research fellowship. I was also a 2013 GIA fellow (Grantmakers in Aging), which is a great honor and is a very reputed fellowship to continue research in aging-related healthcare environments. My research has been published in top journals of my field. My commitment to environmental research is to bring new perspectives to existing architectural knowledge and to encourage critical analysis of healthcare design practices. As an academic, one of my main objectives is to find ways in which my research could address teaching and contribute to contemporary practice. I always use my research findings to update my teaching materials where possible. In summary, the evidence-based environmental design research underpins my theoretical and analytical framework, which informs both my pedagogical mission and research agendas in academia.
research Interests/ areas of specialization
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Urban Morphology and Spatial Morphological Analysis
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Behavior and Psychology in Urban Environments with a focus on Elderly Care
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Sustainable and Healthy Urbanism
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Healthy Communities and Neighborhoods
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Environment Behavior and Evidence-based Design
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Participatory Urbanism
research projects
RESEARCH 1
Positive Health Outcomes by Environmental Design: The role of spatial configuration in designing physical environment for people experiencing dementia
TEAM MEMBERS: Dr. Farhana Ferdous (PI)
FUNDING BODY: The Toyota Foundation Grant (Status: Funded)
Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation (AAHF) (Status: Funded)
RESEARCH 2
The Impact of Spatial Configuration on Social Interaction in Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF)
TEAM MEMBERS: Dr. Keith Diaz Moore and Dr. Farhana Ferdous
FUNDING BODY: Strategic Initiative Grant (SIG), The University of Kansas (Status: Funded)
RESEARCH 3
Neighborhood Characteristics, Walking, and Sedentary Behavior in AD
TEAM MEMBERS: Dr.Amber Watts, Dr. Keith Diaz Moore, and Dr. Farhana Ferdous
FUNDING BODY: KU- Alzheimer’s Disease Center Pilot Award (Status: Funded)
NIA 5P30AG035982-3
RESEARCH 4
The Space Syntax of Neighborhood Walking Routes and cognitive decline in Older Adults
TEAM MEMBERS: Dr.Amber Watts, Dr. Keith Diaz Moore, and Dr. Farhana Ferdous (Status: Funded)
research supports
2018-2019 Academy of Architecture for Health Foundation (AAHF)(PI)
Title: Positive Health Outcomes by Environmental Design:
The role of spatial configuration in designing physical environment for people experiencing dementia
2017-2019 Toyota Individual Research Grant (PI)
Title: Positive Health Outcomes by Environmental Design: The role of spatial configuration in designing physical environment for people experiencing dementia
Spring 2016 Service Learning Mini Grant Award (Spring 2016)
Center for Civic and Social Responsibility (Principal)
Major Goals: The fund is supporting teaching a course (Designing Sustainable Future)
focusing on service learning aspect at the University of Kansas
2013-2014 Alzheimer's Disease Center
University of Kansas (Postdoc Fellow)
Neighborhood Walkability and Sedentary Behavior in Alzheimer’s Disease
Major Goals: To evaluate the role of neighborhood walkability in walking and sedentary behavior among older adults with and without AD
2013-2014 American Association of University Women (International Fellowship)
Major Goals: To develop an interdisciplinary team to support four external grant proposals all related to the
role of physical environment plays in health resilience of older adults, particularly those with cognitive improvements.
2012-2013 Office of Research and Graduate Studies (Strategic Initiatives Grant Program)
University of Kansas (Research Fellow)
Resilient Lifestyles for Older Adults.
Major Goals: To develop an interdisciplinary team to support four external grant proposals all related to the role of physical environment plays in health resilience of older adults, particularly those with cognitive
improvements.
2009-2011 Post Graduate Research Support Scheme
The University of Sydney (Principal Investigator)
The Evaluative Image of Urban Plazas: Urban Morphology, Aesthetic Response and Social Use.
Major Goals: The University of Sydney research grant for commencing fieldwork, collecting pilot data, support assistants and research coordinators and conference presentation.
© 2019 by Farhana Ferdous.