School of Planning, Design and Construction

Affiliated Programs/Initiatives/Projects: 

• Autonomous Futures.
• MSU Mobility.

Zeenat Kotval-K joined the Urban & Regional Planning Program at SPDC in 2013 as an instructor. She completed her PhD in the Department of Geography at Michigan State University. Kotval-K has received her Master’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning from MSU, and a Master’s in Hospitality Administration from the University of Massachusetts, at Amherst. Currently, Kotval-K’s research focusses on:

1. Access to Food Systems in Mumbai, India: This research delves into the food deserts literature and looks at the inequalities of access to food in developing countries, such as India.
2. Mobility for the Aging Population in Michigan: This research looks at the current transportation infrastructure that is available to older adults (age 65 and older), what these residents think about the transportation options available to them, and how policies and programs can help increase their mobility, and ultimately their physical and mental well-being.
3. Travel behavior and Environmental burdens of residents in inner cities and their surrounding suburban areas in Michigan, focused specifically on Detroit: This research looks at health and environmental impacts of travel behavior of residents in differing built environments and of varied socio-economic characteristics.