Dr. Paul Tranter

University of New South Wales, Canberra, Australia

Dr. Paul Tranter is an Associate Professor in geography in the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences at the Canberra campus of the University of New South Wales, located in the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Tranter’s research and teaching interests are in the areas of transport geography, and global change.  He has made a pioneering contribution to the areas of child-friendly environments, active transport, and healthy and sustainable cities within academic literature.

He has forged new areas of research by combining hitherto unlinked research topics (e.g. children’s rights and peak oil), and by applying innovative concepts to urban transport (e.g. “effective speed”, a concept that considers the total time costs associated with any mode of transport). 

An important theme in Tranter’s research is how child-friendly environments can make cities more resilient in the face of challenges such as energy stress. The issue is examined in Paul Tranter’s recent book, Children and Their Urban Environment: Changing Worlds, co-authored with Claire Freeman. Also tied to this theme is Velo-city Global 2012’s Charter of Vancouver, which highlights cycling as a means of ensuring children’s needs, and rights worldwide.