PhD students

Shahab Gorjimahlabani

Investigating the measurement of pedestrian reassurance

Following the completion of my bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering, I continued my education at master’s level in Construction and Project Management at Shahid Beheshti University, Iran, where I worked on developing Sustainability Assessment Tools in The Built Environment using Maturity Models as my thesis project. After working in the built environment industry as a researcher for two years and also teaching as a lecturer for four years, I joined the University of Sheffield to further develop my knowledge in Sustainability in the Built environment, as part of the MSc Sustainable Architecture Studies programme.

As a PhD student in the Lighting Research Group, my research involves investigating how road lighting contributes to pedestrian’s feeling of safety (reassurance) when walking alone after dark. The aim of this research is to investigate different approaches in determining optimal values for various lighting characteristics (eg illuminance, spectral power distribution and spatial distribution) with regards to pedestrian reassurance, whilst accounting for other lighting needs of all road users (ie pedestrians, cyclists and drivers). By defining these values this research will help enhance perceived safety and lower fear of crime, leading to encouragement of walking.

Maan Balela

Investigating the use of odds ratios as a tool for research of cycling and lighting

I joined the SSoA Lighting research group as a PhD student in 2020. The focus of my research is the relationship between lighting and the built environment and how that relationship could influence the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. My aim with this research is to be able to recommend a set of design guidelines that may promote more walking and cycling by increasing the feeling of reassurance.

Prior to starting my PhD I worked as an Architect in the healthcare field and in 2017 I joined the Faculty of Architecture and Planning in King Abdulaziz University (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia), as a lecturer. My qualifications include a BArch from King Abdulaziz University (2011) and a MEng in Facade Design and Construction from the Technische Hochschule Ostwesfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences in Detmold, Germany (2014).

Scott Fox

Hazard detection when driving

He is now an ESRC funded 1+3 PhD student. This specific type of PhD consists of a MA year in Social Research followed by a three year PhD situated between the Schools of Architecture and Psychology.

In 2015 Scott gained a first class BSc degree in Psychology. The research at this level involved investigating how lighting conditions and spatial frequency influence facial identification to explain why people see ghosts. Such psychophysical phenomena greatly interests Scott, although he is interested in research that has clear practical outcomes. This is what drives his passion for academia, and what drove him into research with a more practical focus.

Indeed, drive is the appropriate word to use regarding not only Scott’s subsequent research experience following his undergraduate degree, but also his PhD project. He was employed as a Research Assistant at the University of Sheffield in 2016. The research involved investigating the influence of road lighting on driving performance, both in terms of adaptation to light and dark and how fog interacts with light to impact driving performance. His PhD project takes inspiration from the research conducted in the outlined Research Assistant post, in which different types of distraction on the road and how they impact driving performance will be investigated. This primarily includes elements of lighting and sound.

Yutong Chen

Investigating measurenment of physiological responses to lighting

During my undergraduate studies at Renmin University of China, I laid the groundwork for my expertise in environmental design. Subsequently, I pursued my master's degree in urban design at the University of Sheffield. My thesis concentrated on the reclamation of street gray spaces to enhance community interaction.

Pedestrians' evaluations of environmental perceptions such as discomfort from glare and reassurance tend to be meaured using self report or stated preference, such as a category rating scale. There are, however, many limitations of such measurement. I will be investigating physiological responses such as blink rate and eye movement as alternative measures of reassurance and discomfort from glare.

Billy Iqbal

Enhancing cyclists’ conspicuity bicycle lighting which marks biomotion

I hold a bachelor’s degree in product design from Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia. I later pursued a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering at Universitas Indonesia, majoring in ergonomics and human factors. On that course I learned about the interactions between humans and systems, focusing on improving safety, comfort, and efficiency in various environments. Before starting my PhD, I served as a lecturer in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Universitas Indonesia.

My PhD research focuses on investigating the relationship between bicycle lighting, cyclist’s pedalling motion and their conspicuity on the road, with the goal of enhancing cyclist safety. This research explores the concept of biomotion—the recognition of human movement patterns by others, particularly in low-visibility conditions. By studying how the motion of a cyclist can be highlighted through lighting systems, my research aims to develop bicycle lighting solutions that focus on these natural movement patterns to make cyclists more visible to drivers and other road users.

Yohanes Raniasta

Environmental factors that affect predestrian reassurance

Following my bachelor's degree in architecture from Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, I worked in several architecture design firms before enrolling in Universitas Gadjah Mada's master's program to pursue my studies in urban design. In my thesis, I examined walkability, emphasizing spatial analysis and how it relates to accessibility in urban areas.  After graduating, I worked for around seven years as a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Architecture and Design, Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana, Indonesia, before joining the SSoA as a PhD student in 2024.

Previous research shows that road lighting has some impact on pedestrian reassurance after dark. However, there is much variance in the data suggesting that other factors influence reassurance after dark. My research will investigate the significance of these other factors: improving this knowledge will help to reveal when and where lighting is beneficial for pedestrian reassurance. 

Heyuan Sun

Investigating the influence of road and bicycle lighting conditions on heavy vehicle road traffic crashes

I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, where I developed software for calculating multi-link press parameters aimed at reducing both the workload and time associated with designing new presses. Following my undergraduate studies, I pursued a MSc program in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong, culminating in a Master of Engineering degree awarded in 2024.

I joined the Lighting Research Group as a PhD student in 2024. My research topic is the impact of road lighting conditions and bicycle-carried self-generated light sources on heavy vehicle road accidents. This research focuses on studying the correlation between road and bicycle lighting conditions and heavy vehicle road accidents. To obtain the most optimal road lighting conditions to minimize the rate of accidents involving heavy vehicles and vulnerable road users. Furthermore, the study want to evaluates the lighting conditions of bicycle-portable self-generated light sources that can better attract the attention of heavy vehicle drivers, in order to raise their awareness of potential road accidents and improve the safety level of vulnerable road users.