Sauda Poonawala

Sauda Poonawala holds a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Toronto Metropolitan University, with a minor in Criminology. Her academic interests include transportation planning, environmental planning, sustainable urban development, environmental equity, and policy evaluation. Her interest in sustainability stems from understanding how planning decisions, infrastructure, and access to environmental resources shape the quality of life and opportunities available across communities.  

Through her academic and professional experiences, Sauda has developed expertise in spatial analysis, environmental research, and planning policy. She completed a research assistant placement with the Greenbelt Foundation, where she conducted a multi-municipality assessment of natural assets across Greenbelt municipalities and contributed recommendations to strengthen environmental data consistency, climate resilience, and municipal coordination. Her additional research experience includes analyzing transportation equity, green space accessibility, growth management strategies and sustainable land use planning.  Through these projects, she has applied qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as GIS and RStudio to evaluate spatial patterns and support planning recommendations. 

Through the Master of Science in Sustainability Management program, Sauda hopes to further explore how interdisciplinary approaches, governance, and evidence-based decision-making can address complex sustainability challenges. She is interested in understanding how sustainability can be implemented across policy and organizational contexts to create more resilient, accessible and environmentally responsible communities.  

In her free time, Sauda enjoys hiking, skiing, and exploring the outdoors. She enjoys connecting with nature, exploring new places, and appreciating the unique landscapes, communities, and cultures that shape them.