Lisa Law is an interdisciplinary researcher with a background in geography and urban studies.  Her research focuses on urban spaces in Southeast Asia and tropical Australia, and crosses a wide spectrum including:  liveability and place-based urban design for the tropics, the meanings and uses of public space, environmentally responsive design and the role of culture and the arts in placemaking.  She is founder of JCU's Tropical Urbanism and Design Lab, an interdisciplinary team of geographers, architects, sociologists and planners interested in urbanism in the tropics. Prior to commencing her appointment at James Cook University, she was employed at the Australian National University, the University of Western Sydney, the National University of Singapore and the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Lisa is interested in receiving inquiries from prospective PhD and Masters by Research candidates who are interested in urban research in the tropical world. Scholarship funding is available through the James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarships. The closing deadline is 31 August.  Some potential projects include:

• Social and ecological values of urban waterway landscapes in reef/rainforest catchments:  Understanding Saltwater Creek in Cairns

• Cooling Cairns:  Design solutions for urban heat in Northern Australia

Lisa is also the Coordinator of the Human Geography Major in the Bachelor of Arts and welcomes inquiries from students wishing to complete Honours research.  For more info please see https://www.jcu.edu.au/college-of-arts-society-and-education/bachelor-of-arts-honours-application-form.

Recent PhD graduates may wish to consider the Australian Research Council DECRA scheme to work with Lisa through the TUDLab.

Teaching

• EV1008: Human Geography (Level 1; CNS)
• EV1009: Introduction to Planning (Level 1; CNS & TSV)
• EV2301: Urban Geography and Design (Level 2; CNS)
• EV3404: Field Studies in Tropical Geography (Level 3; CNS)
• EV5301: Urban Geography and Design (Level 5; CNS)
• EV5404: Field Studies in Tropical Geography (Level 5; CNS)
• EV5602: Urban Design Studio (Level 5; CNS)
• SC5900: Special Topic (Level 5; CNS)
• SC5901: Special Topic 1 (Level 5; CNS)
• SC5902: Special Topic 2 (Level 5; CNS)
• SC5903: Literature Review (Level 5; CNS)
• SC5909: Minor Project and Seminar (Level 5; CNS)

Interests

Research

• Responsive urban design for the tropical built environment
• Social and urban geography in Southeast Asia
• Disaster resilience in Southeast Asia and tropical Australia

Teaching

• Field studies in tropical geography
• Studio-based learning for urban design

Experience

• 2004 to 2009 - Lecturer, University of St Andrews (Scotland)
• 2000 to 2003 - Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• 1999 to 2000 - Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Australian National University (Canberra)
• 1997 to 1998 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Western Sydney (Penrith)

Research Disciplines

• Human geography (4406)
• Urban and regional planning (3304)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Expanding knowledge (2801)

Awards

• 2021 - Ministers Award for Urban Design 2021, Winner of Master Plan category for Tropical Design Studio: Strategic concept masterplans in northern Queensland country towns
• 2021 - Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG) Award for Teaching Leadership and Scholarship (ATLAS)
• 2020 - Commendation, Cutting Edge Research and Teaching, Tropical Design Studio, QLD Planning Institute of Australia Awards for Planning Excellence
• 2018 - Inclusive Practice Award, AccessAbility Services, JCU
• 2015 - Award for Excellence, Community Engagement, JCU

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Walshe R and Law L (2024) Doing research with busy people: Enacting rapid walking methodologies with teachers in a primary school. Cities, 145.
• Gibson S and Law L (in press) Barriers and opportunities for medium density housing in small, regional cities: Stakeholder perspectives from Cairns. Australian Planner,
• Castles A and Law L (2022) Whose Heritage: Renovating Munro Martin Park in the Arts and Cultural Capital of the North. M/C Journal, 25 (3).
• Dadpour R and Law L (2022) Understanding the ‘region’ in COVID-19-induced regional migration: mapping Cairns across classification systems. Australian Geographer, 53 (4). pp. 425-443
• Safarova S, van Hoof J, Law L, Zander K and Garnett S (2022) Thermal comfort in a tropical savanna climate: The case of home occupants in Darwin, Australia. Energy and Buildings, 266.
• Stevenson L, Pabel A, MacGregor C, Law L and Judd J (2022) The Influence of Trail Design on the Impacts of Walkers, Mountain Bikers and Multi-use Trail Users: An Environmentally Responsible Approach. Journal of Responsible Tourism Management, 2 (2). pp. 31-54
• Walshe R and Law L (2022) Building community (gardens) on university campuses: Masterplanning green-infrastructure for a post-COVID moment. Landscape Research, 47 (7). pp. 980-991
• Walshe R, Evans N and Law L (2022) Mapping community gardens in the Australian National Curriculum: A curriculum analysis model. Issues in Educational Research, 32 (2). pp. 784-804
• Law L, Azzali S and Conejos S (2021) Planning for the temporary: temporary urbanism and public space in a time of COVID-19. Town Planning Review, 92 (1). pp. 65-74
• Guaralda M, Hearn G, Foth M, Yigitcanlar T, Mayere S and Law L (2020) Towards Australian regional turnaround: insights into sustainably accommodating post-pandemic urban growth in regional towns and cities. Sustainability, 12. p. 10492
• Law L and Musso U (2020) Towards a Tropical Urbanism for Cairns, Australia. Etropic: electronic journal of studies in the tropics, 19 (2). pp. 52-71

Book Chapters

• Law L, Safarova S, Campbell A and Halawa E (2021) Design for liveability in tropical Australia. In: Leading from the North: Rethinking Northern Australia Development. ANU Press, Canberra, ACT, Australia, pp. 435-449

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 66+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Lisa Law from 2001 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Office Environmental Impact by COVID-19: Digital Facility Management Tools to boost Employee Well-Being and Validate Environmental Performances (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• The potential of front gardens to enhance biodiversity consciousness. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• School Gardens Battling Environmental Generational Amnesia and Food Vulnerability (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• Migration and Liveability in Regional Australia: Back to basics in a Post-Pandemic Era (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)
• The Making of a Sustainable Arts and Cultural Precinct: Cairns Gallery Precinct (Masters , Primary Advisor/AM/Adv)

Completed

• Heritage, adaptive reuse, creative economy: social and aesthetic values in three sites in Cairns, Australia (2022, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• The planning and management of outdoor recreation settings: an integrated sustainability, health promotion and leisure research approach (2021, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.