Huijun Tan, Urban Studies PhD studentBorn and raised in China, I consider my life story to be a vivid picture of resilience, passion, and a never-ending quest for knowledge. Growing up in a family predominantly led by women, I internalized the values of equity and equality from a young age. This early influence not only drove my ambitions but also became intertwined with my future research endeavors.
For me, education was never just a means to an end but a powerful tool to elevate others. I embarked on my educational journey in China, where, driven by a belief in the transformative power of knowledge, I pursued a major in education. My aspirations didn’t end there. Recognizing the disparities in opportunities between different communities and driven to bridge these gaps, I applied to the master’s program in social work at Washington University (WashU) in St. Louis, Missouri. This move marked the beginning of my journey in social work. At WashU, my focus gravitated toward community development. My explorations also led me to the WashU School of Architecture and Urban Design, where I gleaned insights into urban planning and design. The crossover between community development and urban design is an intricate dance of integrating social needs with physical design/development to create spaces that not only are functionally effective but also foster community growth, cohesion, and well-being. These initial learnings provided me with a valuable framework as I stepped into the professional world with a master’s in social work.
Post-graduation, I began doing grassroots community work in African American dominated neighborhoods in St. Louis, MO. Collaborating with a diverse set of professionals—from urban designers and city planners to university researchers—I played a role as a community liason in numerous community revitalization plans, housing projects, and small business incubation programs. These experiences ignited a passion for urban studies and led me to pursue a PhD at Portland State University. Under the guidance of esteemed faculty members, such as Professor Bates and Professor Dill, I explored the intricate weave of transportation planning and community development. It was here that I identified a significant gap between the theoretical world of academia and the pragmatic world of urban planning. While academic theories provided a broad framework, I realized the real-world implications of urban planning were far more nuanced and required a deeper understanding of community needs.
This realization led me to my dissertation work, where I investigated the perceptions of accessibility in transportation and travel destinations. Challenging the traditional metrics used by urban planners (e.g., how many grocery stores can be reached within 20 minutes), my research aimed to align these metrics with the actual experiences and needs of affordable housing residents. By conducting surveys and interviews, I unearthed valuable insights into how people perceive accessibility and how these perceptions shape their behaviors. My research didn’t just stop at identifying the gaps; it provided actionable insights that can be incorporated into practical planning. Working at the Seattle Department of Transportation further refined my research, bridging the divide between academic theories and real-world applications. My approach emphasized community engagement, offering a more comprehensive understanding of what truly constitutes “accessible” transportation. For instance, safety concerns influence where residents choose to shop for groceries and the mode of transportation they opt for. Such factors are not captured in traditional measures of accessibility.
By fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, I envision a future where urban planning is not just about buildings and roads but about creating harmonious, inclusive, and vibrant communities.
My time at PSU not only enriched my academic pursuits but also underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in the field. I witnessed firsthand the rigid silos that often exist in both academia and practice. By fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, I envision a future where urban planning is not just about buildings and roads but about creating harmonious, inclusive, and vibrant communities. As I continue my journey, I remain committed to my core values of equity, community engagement, and holistic development. For me, urban planning is not just a profession; it’s a calling. Through my work, I aspire to craft cities that are not just structures of brick and mortar but living, breathing entities that resonate with the aspirations, dreams, and needs of their inhabitants.
At PSU, the journey of a PhD in urban planning is as individual as the students themselves. The beginning of mine was much like that of a full-time student. I was thirsty for knowledge and eager to attend classes and determine my exact aspirations in this vast field. Spending three years solely on coursework might seem like an extended duration for some. But given that I didn’t come from an urban planning background, every course was essential. Unlike many other PhD students with substantial relevant work experience, my journey was primarily academic. This gave rise to an early struggle: finding my place in a diverse department filled with peers from varied fields like geography and environmental studies. The turning point came in my third year. With the introduction of field papers, the vague outline of my research focus on accessibility perceptions began to take shape. My conversations with my professors further sharpened this focus.
But life has its way of adding unexpected twists. With the onset of the pandemic, I relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for a brief period. This relocation was not just a change in scenery but also a catalyst for my research. Observing the Bay Area, especially Oakland, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the urban challenges it faced. From gentrification due to tech firms to rising living costs, homelessness, and violence, Oakland presented a complex urban fabric to dissect. The similarities between Portland and Seattle with the Bay Area (e.g., rising housing crisis and the burgeoning technology industry that attracts a larger number of high-income workers) cemented my decision to base my dissertation on the latter.
My current PhD phase is a blend of academia and real-world application. Splitting my time between Oakland and Seattle last year, I continuously bridged research and practical urban issues. This interplay is vital, for my ultimate goal is simple yet profound: research that informs practice. I believe my research can be a beacon for policymakers, preventing tech-concentrated cities from encountering challenges similar to the Bay Area.
In envisioning my future, I see a path slightly divergent from my peers. While many PhD students aim to remain in academia, I aspire to bridge academia with practice. My career development leans toward research institutions, think tanks, and government entities. With further practical exposure, I hope to get into policy analysis and program evaluation. My dream? A holistic and systematic evaluation of planning processes—connecting housing, land use, and transportation into a coherent system. For future students venturing into a similar journey, I offer two insights from my experience:
1) Communication is paramount: Throughout the initial phase of the PhD program, there was a constant internal debate about my goals. The key to navigating this is to maintain open communication. Discuss your ambitions, passions, and even confusions with your advisor and cohort. Let them help you shape and refine your path.
2) Marry research with the real world: A PhD is an academic marathon. But the fuel to keep running comes from staying rooted in the real world. Your research is not just for publications but to address tangible urban challenges.
The PhD journey is a complex picture of personal growth, academic rigor, and real-world application. Through its ups and downs, it’s essential to keep our goals and aspirations clear and rooted in reality. This foundation ensures our research not only adds to the academic discourse but also creates palpable change in the urban landscapes about which we are so passionate.