Dr Lucy Gunn

Dr Lucy Gunn has 20 years of experience in research and teaching in the fields of econometrics and urban research. Her key interest is in understanding which urban environments are supportive of health and wellbeing outcomes.

Her research provides an evidence base to policy makers and planners on what constitutes good urban design, and provides feedback on the implementation of current and previous urban plans and their impact on the health of residents. Recent projects have spanned topics including economic evaluation of brownfield and greenfield sites, transit-oriented development in metropolitan Melbourne, and creating liveable cities using indicators of liveability.

Her work and that of the Healthy, Liveable Cities Group at RMIT University was recently awarded a 2019 Planning Institute of Australia Award for Excellence in Planning in the Research and Teaching category. In addition to leading the Prevention Centre’s liveability work, she has worked as lead on the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Healthy, Liveable Communities and the RMIT-led ‘Early delivery of equitable and healthy transport options in new suburbs.’

Dr Gunn also also works as a research consultant in partnership with Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Ballarat, Boroondara and Cardinia Councils. In this capacity she has delivered training on the built environment and public health; the use of indicators in Community, Health and Wellbeing planning using Results Based Accountability; and the use of socio-spatial indicators to identify gaps in infrastructure provision.