Ana is an urban planner and designer passionate about the built environment, health and equity. She is a Lecturer and Professional Associate in the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Saskatchewan. One area of her research focuses on urban ecosystem services, specifically how natural landscapes and native vegetation in urban areas can enhance people’s well-being in winter cities. Another research area is the intersection of equity and health in industrial districts in Canada. This study examines the quality of urban design and how it affects its users. Both interconnected and interdisciplinary research areas aim to support the One Health approach.
She has presented her research and teaching outcomes at local, national, and international conferences, including the Environmental Design Research Association, The Constructed Environment, Design4Health, and the Canadian Institute of Planners conferences. Designer and planner by training, Ana Karinna holds a doctoral degree in Environmental Design and a Master of Planning from the University of Calgary. She also has a master of Higher Education and Educational Research, a specialization in Urban Environmental Management, and an Honours Bachelor’s in Design.
Safe, inclusive, sustainable, healthy and beautiful landscapes are among the main goals to be achieved by professionals in planning and related fields. A key area of interest is the public space. The space where people meet with others, ideally in conjunction with the natural landscape. Several theories and approaches from various fields have demonstrated the benefits of an aesthetically pleasing urban landscape in terms of health, equity, and identity, among others. Despite this evidence, urban design, a field that encompasses concepts and techniques to address these aspects, is not a central point in municipalities, town committees, or even universities.
