Staff Surname/s: / Thompson / Staff
First Name/s: / Susan
Telephone/Email:
Your Discipline/s: / A+D Discipline √ ConPlanProp Discipline Both Disciplines represented
Name of the direct supervisor of this project(if other than the applicant or if there is more than one applicant i.e. team application) / Susan Thompson
What types of skills would you prefer student applicants to have?(Please check all boxes as appropriate)
PowerPoint GIS Excel SPSS Library research skills√ Web Page Creation
Other √ Please state – field work skills of observation and systematic recording
Research Project Information
Title of Project / Healthy Built Environments: Assessing Healthy Food Availability
Very brief (60 word) Project Summary (so that students understand what the project is about)
A healthy environment is one which supports access to healthy food for all members of the community. Healthy food is nutritious, affordable and culturally appropriate. This project will research the availability of healthy food in selected localities. A market basket methodology will be used for this assessment. You will learn how to implement the survey methodology, collect data and record the results. This research will augment a larger study on the attributes of healthy neighbourhoods in Sydney.
Project objectives and Methodology (key research question(s) to be addressed, methods to be used)
- To undertake an assessment of the availability of healthy foods for selected sites in Sydney.
- To use the ‘market basket’ survey methodology to determine the availability of healthy food in retail outlets.
- To record and report data using agreed protocols for the market basket survey.
- To put the findings in the broader context of the research project which is examining healthy built environment attributes of selected neighbourhoods.
Expected project outcomes
- An understanding of a significant healthy planning research project which is using an inter-disciplinary approach with professionals from the built environment and public health.
- A completed market basket survey of healthy food availability in selected sites to augment data currently being collected on the ways in which these neighbourhoods support people being healthy as part of everyday living.
- A contribution to a research paper discussing the results and implications.
Specific student tasks and responsibilities
- Read about the market basket survey methodology to understand what it entails. This initial phase will also involve reading about the rest of the research project. It will involve discussions with the interdisciplinary research team.
- In consultation with the research team, devise an appropriate recording method for the market basket survey.
- Undertake the market basket survey in the selected sites.
- Accurately record the data collected from the survey.
- Write up the survey findings and report these to the research team.
- Participate in writing up a research paper on what the market basket survey revealed about access to healthy food for the selected sites.
Minimum student qualifications
Currently studying a degree in the Built Environment Faculty with an interest in healthy planning and inter-disciplinary work.