Pedalling toward better cities: Meet PhD researcher Shima Mafi

How do small shifts in transport, like jumping on an e‑bike, change the way we move through our cities? For UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) PhD researcher, Shima Mafi, that question has become the heart of her work on micromobility and sustainable transport.

Starting with a simple curiosity

Shima’s research journey began with a big-picture question: How do cities shape people’s everyday opportunities?

“Transport is something everyone interacts with,” she says, “but it quietly structures access to work, education, services, and social life.”

Bike‑share sparked her interest because it sits where sustainability, public space and human behaviour meet. Even though it’s a relatively small intervention, Shima sees its potential to change how people experience their city. If the conditions are right.

It’s not just about individual choice

A key message Shima wishes more people understood? Travel behaviour isn’t purely personal. It’s shaped by the system around us.

Safety, pricing, infrastructure design and reliability all influence whether people choose sustainable modes. “When options feel fragmented, unsafe or inconvenient, uptake stays low, no matter how strong the intention,” she explains.

Her work highlights that if we want sustainable travel, we need supportive systems, not just encouragement.

A big moment for micromobility

One 2026 trend Shima is excited about is the growing movement to treat micromobility like bike-share and e‑scooters as an integrated part of the transport network.

“When these modes work alongside public transport and good street design, they can transform first‑ and last‑mile travel and expand access across whole neighbourhoods,” she says.

Surprising insights from the data

While analysing travel patterns, Shima keeps coming back to one thing: perception matters as much as infrastructure.

Two places might have similar facilities, but if one “feels” safer or clearer, usage can be dramatically higher. It’s a reminder that transport systems operate not just through design, but through people’s lived experience of the city.

If she could fix one thing in Sydney…

It would be simple: continuous, connected cycling networks.

Sydney already has pockets of excellent bike infrastructure, Shima notes, but the gaps make everyday riding difficult. “Improving network continuity would make cycling a practical option, not just a recreational one.”

Her vision for an inclusive, healthy city

Shima imagines a city where sustainable mobility is the default, not because people are told to choose it, but because the system makes it easy.

That means safe streets, reliable public transport and shared mobility options that work together. “In that kind of city, movement is more than transport. It’s a foundation for public health, inclusion and environmental sustainability.”