Biography
With a background in geospatial and computer science, Dr Alan Both’s research focuses on developing spatial indicators for quantifying the health and liveability of the urban environment as well as adding a spatial context to agent-based modelling.
Through projects including JIBE, THAT-Melbourne, and the Australian Urban Observatory, Dr Both has developed automated processes for deriving a variety of spatial indicators covering the health impacts of increased physical activity through active transport, access to and visibility of public greenspace, walkability, and access to amenities.
Dr Both is currently developing algorithms to generate transport networks, synthetic population and travel demand models, along with other spatial indicators for use in evaluating the health impacts of transport interventions.
- Spatial analysis
- Agent-Based Modeling
- Transport interventions
-
PhD in Engineering, 2016
University of Melbourne
-
BSc in Earth Sciences, 2011
University of Melbourne
-
BEng (Hons) in Geomatic Engineering, 2011
University of Melbourne
Projects
Activity-based and agent-based Transport model of Melbourne (AToM) is a city-scale multi-modal transport simulation, modelling a full day in the transportation system of Melbourne for understanding intended and unintended consequences of a change in the environment on individuals’ travel behaviour. AToM is an open-source simulation model that to represent mobility on a typical mid-weekday in Melbourne.
AToM includes transportation by car, public transport, cycling, and walking and models travel behaviours at an individual traveller and road segment level. Using the baseline mobility of Melbourne captured in AToM, it is possible to examine impacts of “what-if” built environment interventions on travel behaviour.
The Australian Urban Observatory is a digital liveability planning platform that transforms complex urban data into easily understood liveability maps across Australia’s 21 largest cities. The Observatory draws on over 10 years of policy-relevant research and is located within the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University.
The Observatory maps key liveability indicators found to be associated with health and wellbeing, and provides a clear understanding of the liveability of cities. The Observatory provides information and understanding to support resource allocation, future policy action and support to create equitable, healthy and liveable places.
The Transport Health Assessment Tool for Brisbane (THAT-Brisbane) was developed as a quantitative Health Impact Assessment model to support evidence-informed planning for healthier cities. THAT-Brisbane extends on the existing and award winning THAT-Melbourne tool and demonstrates health benefits and health care cost saving associated with changing short care trips, to walking and cycling.
Both the Melbourne and Brisbane tools quantify the impact of transport choices on health. However, THAT-Brisbane extends on previous modelling by assessing the health impacts on additional chronic diseases and health care cost savings from changing short car trips to active transport modes.
Publications
News
Articles where I’ve been interviewed or my work has been featured