Dr. Rehana Shrestha
Research interests
I am very much interested in leveraging participatory research methods and tools, encompassing both digital and analogue approaches, to foster inclusive and collaborative planning processes on the topics such as healthy urban planning, urban health equity, environmental justice, vulnerability and resilience.
Central to my research work is the exploration and evaluation of various participatory tools and methods, with a focus on their efficacy to enable diverse stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to planning activities.
Furthermore, my research work also involves in examining the role of planning support tools in fostering social learning among stakeholders from different backgrounds and perspectives on the topic of environmental health and environmental justice.
Associated Member of the Department of Social Epidemiology
Professional Career
2020 - 2023
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Bremen, Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, Department of Social Epidemiology, Leibniz Science Campus Digital Public Health, Germany
2019
GIS/ Urban Planning Consultant at NEST Pvt Ltd, Nepal; Visiting Researcher, Institutes of Geoinformatics (Ifgi), University of Muenster, WWU, Muenster
2018
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Twente, Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-information Management, Enschede, The Netherlands
2012 - 2013
GIS/ Urban Planning Consultant at NEST Pvt Ltd, Nepal
2009 - 2010
Jaya Pradhan Architects Office, Kathmandu, Nepal
Academic Career
2013 - 2018
PhD in Urban Planning and Geoinformation Management, University of Twente
2010 - 2012
MSc in Geo-information Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, The Netherlands
2003 - 2008
Bachelor in Architecture, Purbanchal University, Nepal
Projects
Addressing Global Environmental Health Inequalities: Digital Assessment of Subjective Environmental
Forschungsteam: Rehana Shrestha (Projektleitung); Gabriele Bolte; Benjamin Schüz
COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media: Identifying Determinants of Misinformation Sharing Behavior and Designing Nudging Interventions (additional Corona-related funding)
Forschungsteam: Johannes Schöning (Projektleitung); Daniel Diethei; Tina Jahnel; Christopher M. Jones; Benjamin Schüz; Rehana Shrestha
Publications
Journal Articles reviewed
Köckler H, Shrestha R, Aslam AB, Berger T, Börner S, Cheung C, Fabian C, Shankavaram H, Shrestha R, Shrestha S, Simon D. Physical activity in public space: insights from a global community of practice applying photovoice as a tool for digital participatory place analysis. Cities & Health (Epub 1.3.2024). 1-13, DOI: 10.1080/23748834.2024.2307739, Link
Shrestha R, Hasselder P, Bolte G. Digitally supported participation in the nexus between public health and urban planning. Bundesgesundheitsbl. 2024;67:316–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-024-03838-0
Shrestha S, Shrestha R, Shrestha R, Köckler H. Understanding the influence of urban form on the physical activity in the open spaces using photovoice method. KEC Journal of Science and Engineering 2023; 7(1): 94-98, Link
Flacke J, Maharjan B, Shrestha R, Martinez J. Environmental Inequalities in Kathmandu, Nepal—Household Perceptions of Changes Between 2013 and 2021. Front. Sustain. Cities 2022, 4, doi:10.3389/frsc.2022.835534
Shrestha R, Telkmann K, Schüz B, Koju P, Shrestha R, Karmacharya A, Bolte G. Measuring environmental justice in real time: A pilot study using digital participatory method in the Global South-Nepal. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022, 19 (8), 4752, doi:10.3390/ijerph19084752, 14.04.2022
Zeeb H, Wienert J, Jahnel T, Shrestha R. Editorial: Implementation of Evidence-Based Digital Health Interventions to Support Public Health. Front. Public Health, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.913150, 09.05.2022
Presentations / Poster
Shrestha R, Thapa N, Shrestha R. Supporting data driven decision of municipality – case of mapping rooftop farming using geospatial technology, Urban Health Transdisciplinary Forum, Bochum, Deutschland, 15.02.2023
Shrestha R, Telkmann K, Bolte G, Shrestha R, Koju P, Karmacharya B. Digital Participatory Method for Environmental Justice Research: Lessons Learned from Adapting and Piloting DASEIN concept in the context of the Global South-Nepal, Extended Abstract and Presentation at: 11th International Summer School and Conference “Applied Geoinformatics for Society and Environment”. Nov 24-26, 2021, Dhulikhel (online), Nepal
Shrestha R, Shrestha R, Shrestha S. Photovoice Exploration on Physical Activity in Open Space Nepal Chapter. Exploring Physical Activity in Open Space with Photovoice, Presented at Urban Health digiSpace, Bochum (online), Deutschland, 08.12.2021
Shrestha R. Supporting Knowledge Co-production Through Digital Methods: Opportunities and Challenges for Environmental Justice, 1st Global Transdisciplinary Conference. Science Society Collaboration: On the Quest for Sustainable and Cohesive Societies. Just Sustainable Cities: Transdisciplinary Approaches for Great Societal Challenges, Krems (hybrid), Österreich, 27.09.2021