Shima Hamidi

Dr. Shima Hamidi is Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. She is also a core faculty member of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative and holds the Bloomberg Assistant Professorship in American Health in Environmental Challenges. Her academic background includes a PhD from the University of Utah (2015), an MSc from the Technological University of Malaysia (2009), and a BA from Shiraz University (2005).

• PhD, University of Utah, 2015
• MSc, Technological University of Malaysia, 2009
• BA, Shiraz University, 2005

Dr. Hamidi's research centers on the built environment, transportation, housing, and social determinants of health, with a strong focus on equity and urban sprawl. Her work explores how urban form influences public health outcomes such as life expectancy, traffic safety, food access, and upward mobility. She utilizes geospatial data and longitudinal analysis to assess the impacts of urban planning policies.

Her recent publications (2020–2024) reflect a sustained focus on transportation equity, urban form, and public health. Key themes include ride-hailing versus fixed-route transit preferences, cycling safety in bikeshare cities, high-tech cluster geography, and the effectiveness of growth management policies. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement with urban economics, environmental health, and policy analysis.

Dr. Hamidi has received numerous honors, including:

• Endowed Chair in Environmental Challenges, Bloomberg American Health Initiative (2020–)
• Eno Fellow, Future Leaders Development Program (2015)
• Ivory Medal for Doctoral Scholarship, University of Utah (2015)
• Best Poster Award, Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (2017)
• Presidential Fellow, University of Texas at Arlington (2017)

She has advised students, such as Ahoura Zandi, and previously led the Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions and Dollars (CTEDD) at the University of Texas at Arlington, directing a multi-university consortium on transportation and health. Her research has been supported by the US Department of Transportation and widely cited in national media including the Wall Street Journal and CNN Money.

Dr. Hamidi leads research initiatives that integrate urban planning with public health, contributing to policy-relevant science on sustainable and equitable urban development.