Rebecca Mayers
Bio and CV
My research focuses on critical transportation topics, explored through a political economy lens to understand, critique, and propose changes to urban transportation networks. I strive to create equitable transportation networks, highlighting inequalities in the transportation infrastructure decision-making process. In my work, I use innovative qualitative methodologies such as narrative inquiry and mobile methodologies to contextualize the cycling experience and planning decision-making process. The purpose of my doctoral research entitled “Beyond Bike Lanes: The Politics of the Cycling Infrastructure Decision-Making Process” is to examine the process in which decisions are made to propose more equitable city cycling networks.
I am also the creator and host of an award-winning podcast called Dense City, where I discuss academic articles and books on the topic of cities with the researchers who write them. In 2021, Dense City won first place in the American Planning Association Transportation Planning Division small grant competition.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Mayers, R. F., Teare, G., & Bodin, K. (2021). Love my hood: An examination of community engagement techniques in the City of Kitchener. Canadian Journal of Urban Research. (Forthcoming)
Mayers, R. F. (2021). More cycling and road closures, but for whom and where? In P. Filion., R. Melik., & B. Doucet (Eds.), Global Reflections on COVID-19 Urban Inequalities. Volume 4: Policy and Planning. Policy Press. (Forthcoming)
Mayers, R. F. (2021). Dogs Unleashed: The positive role dogs play during COVID-19. In D. Parry., C. Johnston., & B. Lashua (Eds.) Leisure in the time of coronavirus. Routledge. (Forthcoming)
Mayers, R. F., & Glover, T. D., (2021). Safe Cycling Space: How it is Produced and Experienced by Cyclists. Journal of Leisure Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2020.1864685
Mayers, R. F. (2020). See the light: ‘Biking-with’ as a methodology for public pedagogy. The Journal of the Arts and Communities, 12(1-2). https://doi.org/10.1386/jaac_00025_1
Mayers, R. F. (2020). Dogs unleashed: The positive role dogs play during COVID-19. Leisure Sciences, 43(1-2). https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2020.1774010
Mayers, R. F., & Glover, T. D. (2020). Whose lane is it anyway? The experience of cycling within a mid-sized city. Leisure Sciences, 42(5-6). https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2018.1518174
Mayers, R. F., Wilson, A. W., & Potwarka, L. R. (2017). The moderating effect of campus recreation participation in the relationship between grade point average and first-year student engagement: an exploratory study. Recreational Sports Journal, 41(2). https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.2016-0021
Bombardier Sustainable Transportation Fellowship, (2021)
SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, (2021-2022)
American Planning Association, Transportation Planning Division Small Grant Award, (2021)
President's Academic Excellence Initiative Ph.D. Award, The University of British Columbia, (2020, 2021)
Graduate Student Travel Award, The University of British Columbia, (2018)
4 Year Doctoral Fellowship, The University of British Columbia, (2017-2021)
Applied Health Sciences Teaching Assistant Award, The University of Waterloo, (2016)
Dense City Podcast Host and Producer, (2020-Present)
Common Vision: Spaces and Places, Research Assistant, Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, (2021-Present)
Cycling Into The Future Consultant, Waterloo, Ontario, (2019-Present).
Housing Research Collaborative Assistant, University of British Columbia, (2017-2018)
Community Access Bike Share Consultant, The Working Centre, Waterloo, Ontario, (2016-2017).
Research Assistant, Healthy Communities Research Network, The University of Waterloo, Ontario, (2016-2017).
Research Assistant, Campus Athletics Research Network, The University of Waterloo, Ontario, (2016-2017).