We are very proud of Estelle who won the Outstanding Student Project at the PIA NSW Awards for her thesis entitled Take a Walk in her Shoes which looks at the experience of culturally diverse migrant women in the public spaces of Western Sydney.
According to PIA:
“Undertaking research that engages very effectively (and sensitively) with hard to reach migrant women to understand their relationship with public spaces in Western Sydney and thereby understanding and “walking in people's shoes” is critical to plan our city. Estelle developed highly innovative research methods including ‘walk along’ interviews with different women and the use of photographs to depict these women’s every day lived experiences – their comfort, fears and sense of belonging came clearly to the fore.
The Judges felt that the research was very well presented, with considerable attention to detail and the findings clearly displayed. Estelle demonstrated a strong engagement with the academic literature and provided recommendations of the ways urban planners and designers could draw on her engagement techniques to strengthen policy making that reflects all cultures.”