ITS researcher Dr. Virginia Parks was recently featured on The UC Irvine Podcast to discuss the past, present, and future of labor in the U.S.
Dr. Parks is a professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at UC Irvine, researching the shifting landscapes of economic development in the 21st century. Her expertise contextualizes the recent decline in job openings amid economic uncertainty from trade disputes, interest rate hikes, and the creation of new technologies.
Dr. Parks reminds listeners of the importance of place and how local economies shape people’s livelihoods. Transportation plays a key role in providing communities with connections to opportunity. Job creation, therefore, is dependent in many ways upon how we prioritize access when planning cities.
“Transportation is a central feature of our everyday lives, yet we often don’t think about the planning that goes into how we get around—and the planning needed to make getting around easier, more equitable, and less harmful for the climate.”
Dr. Parks encourages researchers to always consider the broader context. Advancing transportation is inextricably linked to addressing issues regarding equity, labor, and climate change. Creating sustainable systems begins with empowering students to consider how planning and policy can address the gaps in their communities.
“We need bright, energetic students to join the ranks of urban policy makers, urban planners, and transportation experts.”
To learn more about the impact planning and policy has on our livelihoods, listen here.
Author Erin Boshers is a recent graduate of Urban Studies and Literary Journalism at UC Irvine. She has conducted transportation and housing research through roles at Caltrans, the Kennedy Commission, Jamboree Housing, and the Institute of Transportation Studies.