Lauren is a Ph.D. student in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Michigan. Lauren’s research aims to address challenges relating to the lack of participatory governance to recognise and practice the principles of indigenous planning in post-colonial contexts. Through research on sustainable land-use, participatory planning and urban governance, Lauren hopes to strengthen the foundations for envisaging an inclusive way to center indigenous peoples within the field of planning.
Before pursuing her Ph.D., Lauren worked with non-governmental organizations in Washington D.C. and Malaysia. In the past two years, she worked closely with the Jakun tribe, one of 18 ethnic subgroups in Malaysia on various community development projects involving clean water, sanitation and electrification in the villages.
Lauren graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in Politics and International Relations, and from University College London (UCL) with a MSc in Social Development Practice.