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School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences |
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Human Geographer
Research Interests:
Social and transport geography, sustainable transport, children's mobility patterns, use of public spaces.
Society and Space (http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/pems/research/soc_space.html)
Biography
Dr Paul Tranter is a Senior Lecturer in Geography in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (PEMS) at UNSW@ADFA (the Australian Defence Force Academy ) in Canberra. Here he lectures in social geography and transport geography, and has been the recipient of three teaching awards. A key theme in his courses is the study of major challenges facing human society in coming decades, particularly those relating to “peak oil”. His research interests include the themes of child-friendly environments and sustainable cities, the public health impacts of motorsport, and the promotion of active transport through the concept of “effective speed”. Paul is an author of several publications relating to child-friendly environments has presented at several forums on child-friendly cities, in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. As well as his teaching and research, over the last few years, Paul has held several leadership roles, including: Head of School (Geography and Oceanography), Geography Coordinator (School of PEMS ), Convenor of the ADFA Human Research Ethics Advisory Panel, and Chair of the Academic Staff Committee (PEMS). Paul is currently the Presiding Member of the UNSW@ADFA Teaching and Learning Committee.
Research
Many of Paul's research interests have had an important element of social relevance. He has applied geographical concepts and methodologies to the study of such topics as: pathological events (e.g. accidents, depression); residential privacy; tenant participation in public housing; transport provision in disadvantaged areas; children's road safety and independent mobility; local authority attitudes and policies towards sustainable transport; the health implications and messages associated with motorsport; possible links between motorsport and illegal street racing; and children's use of school grounds for environmental learning.
Paul's current research projects include the following:
• “Peak oil and children” (with Dr Scott Sharpe – UNSW@ADFA). This project investigates how the challenge of peak oil might provide opportunities for making cities more child friendly. See http://www.pems.adfa.edu.au/~s8000097/index.html for more details on this project.
• “Slowing Down in the Community: Reducing the Speeding Behaviour of Motorists Through Cultural Change” (with Dr James Warn and Dr Murray May). This project, funded by an NRMA ACT Road Safety Trust grant, seeks to develop a holistic model in order to reframe the way in which the wider community and policymakers perceive road safety.
• “Popping the bubble-wrap: unleashing the power of play” (with Professor Anita Bundy – University of Sydney, Dr Shirely Wyver – Macquarie University, and Assoc. Professor Geraldine Naughton – Australian Catholic University). This project aims to promote active, social and creative play amongst children in a primary school, by introducing a range of loose materials into the school ground.
Teaching
Paul's teaching is mainly within the field of human geography, particularly 'social geography' and 'transport geography'. Paul is currently the coordinator of the following courses:
· Geography 1B: Geographies of Contemporary Australia
· Social Geography (a level 2 course, which includes a residential fieldschool)
· Transport Geography (a level 3 course)
Social Geography Course Description - 2005 (taught with Dr Scott Sharpe)
This course examines the way people shape spaces and, in turn, the way spaces shape people. The use of space to legitimate some behaviours, whilst censuring others, has been recognised by both benevolent and despotic powers. The organisation of the city for example has been an important theme since antiquity. Plato, the West's most famous and influential philosopher spent a good deal of thought on what constitutes the ideal city, who would be its legitimate and illegitimate inhabitants and who would govern it. But it is perhaps in modernity that the potential for influencing behaviour through city planning was most fully realised. Modernists such as Baron von Hausmann and Le Corbusier and closer to home Walter Burley Griffin recognised the role that space played in shaping behaviour of individuals and in shaping the direction of society. Yet although space can be planned to some degree to direct people to act, speak and even think in certain ways, there are of course many other facets of human action that thwart the best laid plans. The unpredictability of human action ensures a constantly changing landscape, which can only be explained by understanding the interplay between people and space.
Much of the material examined is topical in nature and includes Australian and international examples. This course is designed to open your eyes to different interpretations of places, events and behaviours that you may already be familiar with.
Transport Geography Course Description - 2005
This course provides an insight into different approaches to the geographical study of transport. It deals mainly with the transport of people in urban areas, and concentrates on specific issues within transport geography (e.g. transport planning, quality of life issues, environmental concerns, road safety and political decision making). The investigation of these issues leads to a questioning of some conventional beliefs regarding transport issues.
A key theme in the course is the reciprocal relationships between transport and all aspects of the environment (e.g. physical, economic, social and political). This theme is illustrated through a range of examples, including high speed rail projects, light rail systems, traffic calming in European and Australian cities, and new road building. The course deals with scales ranging from local through to global.
Academic Awards
* University Medal from University of Newcastle (1976)
* University College Teaching Excellence Award (1992)
* Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence (1997)
* Rector's Commendation for Excellence in Classroom Teaching (2006)
Publications
Bundy, A., Tranter, P. , Naughton, G., Wyver, S., & Luckett, T., in press, Playfulness: Reframing the value of play and play spaces for children, in Children, Families and Communities: Contexts and Consequences (3rd edn), J. Bowes & R. Grace (eds), Oxford University Press, Melbourne (accepted 6 February 2008).
Bundy, A., Tranter, P. , Luckett, T., Naughton, G., Wyver, S., Spies & Ragen, J. A., in press, Playful interaction: Occupational therapy for ‘all' children on the playground, American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
May, M., Tranter, P. J. and Warn, J., 2008,Towards a holistic framework for road safety in Australia, Journal of Transport Geography, 16(6), 395-405.
Tranter, P. and Warn, J., 2008, Relationships between interest in motor racing and driver attitudes and behaviour amongst mature drivers: An Australian case study, Accident Analysis & Prevention, 40(5), 1683-1689.
Tranter, P. & Sharpe, S., in press, Escaping monstropolis: Child-friendly cities, peak oil and Monsters Inc., Children's Geographies (accepted 5 December 2007).
Tranter, P. J. & Sharpe, S., 2007, Children and peak oil: an opportunity in crisis, International Journal of Children's Rights, 15(1), 181-197.
Tranter, P. & Ker, I., 2007, A wish called $quander: (In)effective speed and effective wellbeing in Australian cities, Proceedings of the State of Australian Cities 2007 National Conference, 28-30 Nov 2007, University of South Australia and Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, pp. 1045-1055.
Available at: http://www.oxha.org/knowledge/publications/TranterKer_Wishcalledsquander.pdf
Warn, J. & Tranter, P., 2007, Selecting and educating future leaders for a world of complexity, International Military Testing Association Conference. Available at: http://www.imta.info/PastConferences/PowerPoints.aspx
Tranter, P., 2006, Overcoming social traps: A key to creating child friendly cities. Chapter 8 in B. Gleeson & N. Sipe (Eds.), Creating Child Friendly Cities: Reinstating Kids in the City, pp. 121-135, Routledge, New York.
Tranter, P. J., & Lowes, M. D., 2006, Communicating urban values through motorsport events: The case of Australia 's "High Performance" cities. Chapter 8 in T. Gibson & M. D. Lowes (Eds.), Urban Communication: Production, Text, Context, pp. 165-176, Roman and Littlefield Publishers Inc., New York.
Tranter, P. & May, M., 2006, The hidden benefits of walking: is speed stealing our time and money?, Walk 21: 7th International Conference on Walking and Livable Communities, Melbourne, 23-25 October, Available: http://www.walk21.com/paper_search/results_detail.asp?Paper=88
O'Brien, C. & Tranter, P., 2006, Planning for and with Children and Youth: insights from children about happiness, well-being and walking, Walk 21: 7th International Conference on Walking and Livable Communities, Melbourne, 23-25 October, Available: http://www.walk21.com/charter/charter_papers_detail.asp?Paper=89&Charter=6
Tranter, P. J. & Lowes, M. D., 2005, The place of motorsport in public health: an Australian perspective, Health and Place, 11, 379-391.
Malone, K. & Tranter, P., 2005,“Hanging out in the schoolground”: A reflective look at researching children's environmental learning, Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 10, 212-224.
Tranter, P. & May, M., 2005, Questioning the need for speed: can “effective speed” guide change in travel behaviour and transport policy?, Proceedings of the 28th Australasian Transport Research Forum, 28-30 September, Sydney.
Tranter, P. J. & May, M., 2005, Using the concept of effective speed as a stimulus for travel behaviour change and policy development , A Report for the Australian Greenhouse Office, Department of Environment and Heritage, Australia, ISBN: 1 921 12011 8. Available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/transport/publications/effectivespeed-concept.html
Warn, J., Tranter P. J. & Kingham, S., 2004, Fast and furious 3: Illegal street racing, sensation seeking and risky driving behaviours in New Zealand, 27th Australasian Transport Research Forum, 29 Sept to 1 Oct, Adelaide.
Tranter, P. J., 2004, Effective speeds: Car costs are slowing Us down, A report for the Australian Greenhouse Office, Department of the Environment and Heritage, ISBN: 1 9208 40 62 1. Available at:
http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/transport/publications/effectivespeeds.html
Grants
P. Tranter , J. Warn & M. May, Slowing down in the community: Reducing the speeding behaviour of motorists through cultural change, NRMA ACT Road Safety Trust, 2007-2008: $80,850.
Administration
· Geography Discipline Coordinator (2008-
· Presiding Member of the Teaching and Learning Committee (2008-
· Convenor of ADFA Human Research Ethics Advisory Panel. This ethics committee is responsible for expedited ethics approval of any research involving human subjects at UNSW@ADFA that involves minimal ethical impact. The Panel reports to the Human Research Ethics Committee at UNSW (2002-2007).
· Chair of Academic Staff Committee in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences (2004-2005).
· School of PEMS representative on Undergraduate Education Committee
Associations
· Member of the Institute of Australian Geographers.
· Member of the Editorial Board for the Journal: World Transport Policy and Practice (1995 - present)
· Member of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA)