Laura Aston
About Laura Aston
Laura Aston is a Senior Planner at Arup in Melbourne, Australia, with extensive experience in urban planning and transport research.
Current Role at Arup
Laura Aston has been serving as a Senior Planner at Arup in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia since 2021. Her responsibilities likely involve urban planning, project management, and consulting to improve transportation systems and infrastructure in the region.
Previous Experience at Monash University
Before joining Arup, Laura worked as a Research Fellow at Monash University from 2020 to 2021. In this role lasting 9 months, she likely engaged in advanced research projects, focusing on the relationships between urban design, public transport use, and the built environment.
Experience at Movement and Place Consulting
Laura worked as a Senior Consultant at Movement and Place Consulting for 9 months in 2020. Based in Melbourne, Australia, her work in this role probably involved consultancy services aimed at integrating movement and place strategies within urban planning projects.
Professional Background at Transport for Victoria
Laura's tenure at Transport for Victoria spanned multiple roles. She first worked as a User Experience Planner for 6 months from 2018 to 2019. Before that, she served as a Transport Planner from 2016 to 2018. These roles likely involved planning and improving public transport user experiences and operational planning.
Academic Background
Laura earned her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering from Monash University, completing her studies from 2017 to 2021. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering/Bachelor of Arts in French Studies from the same university, obtained between 2009 and 2015. She also studied Mandarin for a year at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.
Early Career and Other Roles
Laura began her career at EY, where she worked in Climate Change and Sustainability Services as a Graduate from 2015 to 2016. She also held roles at the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Vic) as a Policy Officer in 2014 and as a Research Assistant at Monash University's Department of Civil Engineering from 2014 to 2015. These roles provided her with foundational experience in policy, research, and sustainability.
Publications and Research
Laura has published several academic papers in top international journals. Her research focuses on the link between the built environment and public transport use. Additionally, she developed indicators to benchmark and monitor the health-promoting benefits of urban design that encourages active transport in urban settings.
Professional Affiliations and Contributions
Laura was a member of the ITE-ANZ Board from 2016 to 2021, where she helped plan seminars and promote diversity. She is also a member of the Transportation Research Board AP025 Public Transport Planning and Development Committee. Furthermore, she co-founded the Researching Transit podcast with Professor Graham Currie.