School of Planning, Design and Construction

Yasaman Lashgari's journey in urban planning began in the historic city where she grew up in Iran, sparking a lasting curiosity about the relationship between people and the built environment. She pursued this interest through a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and a master’s degree in Urban Design, where she developed an urban design framework based on culture-led regeneration for her hometown’s historic city center. After completing her master’s degree, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she conducted research examining ""the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Retail in City Centers"", which was published in Sustainability. Seeking a broader perspective on urban planning across different communities and contexts, she later earned a second master’s degree in Regional and City Planning from the University of Oklahoma, where she worked as a Graduate Research Assistant on research projects related to community and economic development. Committed to connecting academic knowledge with real-world planning practice, she gained hands-on experience as a municipal GIS technician after graduation.

Her continued interest in conducting meaningful and applied research ultimately led her to pursue a PhD in Planning, Design, and Construction at Michigan State University. Her current research interests center on housing, community development, and the equity implications of artificial intelligence and spatial analytics in understanding and addressing housing instability.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yasi-lashgari-96854263