Mohammed Rafi Arefin

Mohammed Rafi Arefin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Faculty of Arts. He holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MA from the University of Arizona, and a BA in Development Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to UBC, he was an Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

• Research Focus: Urban environmental politics, waste systems, sanitation, environmental justice, and wastewater epidemiology.
• Key Projects: Investigating Cairo’s sanitation infrastructure, microbial surveillance in cities, and North American hazardous waste trade.

Research Interests

Arefin’s work critiques the political dimensions of urban waste and sanitation systems, emphasizing how power structures shape environmental governance. His current projects explore:

• Cairo’s Sanitation History: Tracing the development and contestation of garbage and sewerage systems since the early 20th century.
• Wastewater Surveillance: Analyzing how sewage data reshapes urban health governance in the Middle East and North America.
• Environmental Justice: Linking waste management to racial, economic, and colonial inequities.

Publications & Impact

His work spans peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and interdisciplinary collaborations, addressing themes like microbiome ethics, Palestinian infrastructure, and climate vulnerability in marginalized communities. Recent publications include studies on wastewater-based public health frameworks and migrant labor crises in British Columbia.

Awards & Recognition

Arefin was a Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies Wall Scholar (2021–22), supporting his research on wastewater epidemiology. His work bridges academia and activism, advocating for equitable urban policies.

Teaching & Mentorship

He teaches courses such as Geography, Environment and Globalization and Urban Environmental Politics. Supervised students include Christopher Reimer (Geography), Lara Şarlak (Anthropology), and others focusing on urban justice and environmental governance.

Labs & Collaborations

Arefin co-leads the Biosecurities & Urban Governance Research Collective, exploring intersections of waste, health, and urban space. He collaborates with scholars like Dr. Sarah Moore on hazardous waste projects.