Project: Shared Electric Micromobility as a Transportation Solution in Canadian Suburban Communities (SEM-Can)

We invite applications for a fully funded Master of Science position in the Department of Geography at McGill University, starting Fall 2025. This two-year research opportunity is open to Canadian citizens or permanent residents and offers full funding, including tuition and living stipend.

Project Overview

Shared e-micromobility systems, such as e-scooters, are transforming how people navigate urban and suburban spaces. But who benefits? This project seeks to explore the equity impacts of these systems, specifically, how reduced rental fares for lower-income residents influence ridership behaviour. The successful candidate will lead a research initiative that combines survey design, quantitative and quantitative analysis, and spatial data visualization to evaluate the effectiveness of affordability programs in shared e-scooter systems particularly in suburban settings.

What You’ll Be Working On

  • Designing and distributing surveys targeting micromobility users and non-users across diverse socio-economic groups
  • Analyzing ridership data to identify patterns in usage
  • Evaluating how reduced fares affect access and mobility for low-income populations
  • Collaborating with city partners and micromobility operators
  • Contributing to novel research on urban mobility, transportation equity, and sustainability

Who Should Apply

We are looking for a motivated student with:

  • A background in geography, urban studies, transportation planning, or a related field
  • Strong analytical skills (experience with survey methods, statistics, or GIS is an asset)
  • An interest in sustainable mobility, social justice, and data-driven urban research
  • Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status (required for funding eligibility)

Supervision

The MSc student will be co-supervised by Prof. Grant McKenzie and Prof. Kevin Manaugh, whose research spans spatial data science, transportation equity, and urban accessibility. This is part of a SSHRC funded project led by Prof. Raktim Mitra at Toronto Metropolitan University – Shared Electric Micromobility as a Transportation Solution in Canadian Suburban Communities (SEM-Can)

How to Apply

To express your interest, please send the following to grant.mckenzie@mcgill.ca and kevin.manaugh@mcgill.ca:

  • A short statement of interest outlining your background and why you’d like to join this project
  • Your current CV
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Any relevant writing or research samples (optional)

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those received by May 1, 2025.

PDF version of this call here:

MSc_Recruitment_F2025Download