Understanding the Complex City: Decisions for Healthy Future Cities
To meet the major challenges of the 21st century, cities will not only need to accommodate the growing population but also respond to the challenges of ageing and insufficient infrastructure, growing inequities particularly on the urban fringe, climate change and increasing rates of non-communicable disease. Building cities that are sustainable, productive and capable of delivering an environment conducive to health and wellbeing is an urgent priority.
The evidence base to inform and guide decision-making for future cities is scattered within disciplinary, thematic and functional silos. This period of digital disruption affords an opportunity to embrace an array of new methods and to engage in more productive dialogue across the urban sciences. The presentation below discusses elements of the disciplinary integration, the opportunities that new methodological approaches afford and the potential that evidence informed decision platforms will play in healthy sustainable future cities.
About Mark Stevenson
Professor Mark Stevenson is an epidemiologist and Professor of Urban Transport and Public Health at the University of Melbourne. His appointment is across the Melbourne Schools of Design, Engineering and Population and Global Health. He is a National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia) Research Fellow, an Honorary Professor in the Peking University Health Science Centre, China and an advisor for injury to the Director General of the World Health Organisation.
Professor Stevenson has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters and technical reports. He has worked on numerous national and international projects that have directly influenced transport policy and worked with both Federal and State Governments in Australia and internationally. He has led many research groups and is internationally recognised in the field of transport safety and public health. In the Melbourne School of Design, Mark heads the Transport, Health and Urban Design Research Hub (THUD).