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Contact Details

Phone
+64 3 364 3626
Email
angela.curl@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor
Department
Department of Public Health (Christchurch)
Qualifications
BA PhD
Research summary
Health and transport

Research

Angela is a social scientist interested in the relationships between urban environments, transport and health. She is particularly interested in how public policies, particularly in transport, urban planning and housing, can address health inequalities and transport disadvantage.

Angela undertakes research exploring perceptions and experiences of accessibility and how these interact with the built environment to influence outcomes, such as travel behaviour, transport disadvantage, physical activity, health and wellbeing, for different population groups. Her research focuses particularly the experiences of older adults and lower income groups.

Angela uses both quantitative and qualitative social research methodologies and is particularly interested in novel methodological approaches, including those that utilise GIS.

Her current research projects include:

  • Older adults’ experiences of the pedestrian environment, particularly in relation to falling and fear of falling
  • Health and social impacts of new transport technologies, including autonomous vehicles, bicycle-sharing, and e-scooters
  • Incorporating social and distributional impact assessment into transport policy (Ministry of Transport)

She previously lectured in Health Geography at the University of Canterbury and worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow and at the OPENspace research centre at the University of Edinburgh. She completed her PhD in Geography at the Centre for Transport Research at the University of Aberdeen. Prior to this she worked as a transport planner.

Publications

Curl, A., Samba Sibam, S., Whitehead, J., Mattioli, G., Russell, E., Kiddle, R., … Wiki, J. (2026). A socio-spatial analysis of vulnerability to increases in motor fuel costs in Aotearoa NZ. Findings, (July). doi: 10.32866/001c.164147 Journal - Research Article

Curl, A., & Kiddle, R. (2026). Transport poverty in Aotearoa NZ: A healthy and sustainable transport system is needed. The Briefing, (9 July). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/transport-poverty-aotearoa-nz-healthy-and-sustainable-transport-system-needed Journal - Research Other

Sims, E., McKerchar, C., Curl, A., Bidwell, S., Martin, G., Russell, E., & Crossin, R. (2026). “It's such a luxury, we may as well get something we really want”: A qualitative exploration of public perceptions of health and public health implications of on-demand delivery. Social Science & Medicine, 405, 119545. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119545 Journal - Research Article

Dares, C., Curl, A., Fitt, H., Coppens, A., & Kingham, S. (2026). Car sharing as a ‘vehicle’ for shaping community, care, and experiences of ageing well: Lessons on commoning mobility from an Aotearoa New Zealand retirement village. Mobilities. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/17450101.2026.2683499 Journal - Research Article

Wilson, N., Baker, M., & Curl, A. (2026). Rapid fuel crisis interventions with public health co-benefits. The Briefing, (28 April). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/rapid-fuel-crisis-interventions-public-health-co-benefits Journal - Research Other

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