Welcome to the academic website of Michael Widener
I am the Department Chair of the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto – St. George, where I hold the Canada Research Chair in Transportation and Health and am cross-appointed in the Division of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
I am also the Co-Editor in Chief of the journal Health & Place.
My research focuses on understanding how cities shape behaviours that influence our health and well-being.
My projects primarily use advanced geographic data science methods to explore this topic, and I am increasingly interested in the ways time-use data and movement analytics can be used to help us build healthier places.
Most of my work has focused on the role of food retail environments in driving dietary behaviours, but I also have projects on the ways transportation and housing impact access to health-related places, how older adults navigate their neighbourhoods to maintain well-being, and the role of city planning in shaping the health experiences of newcomers post-migration.
If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree with me, please reach out with a short statement about your interests and CV.