Timothy Ross, PhD

Research

Research Focus:
Dr. Ross explores experiences of disability and ways to advance more accessible, inclusive, and diverse communities. Four key research topics that he engages are: (1) education access, (2) transportation and mobility, (3) inclusive play, and (4) institutional ableism. Questions about ableism and its normalcy within the planning and design of our built environments, services, and systems are central to Dr. Ross’ research.

Research/Trainee/Volunteer Opportunities:
Currently accepting graduate students

Education & Profession

Education:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
• PhD (Planning), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
• MES (Planning), York University, Toronto, Canada
• MA (Sociology), University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada
• BA (Sociology and History), St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Canada

Professional Memberships:

• Registered Professional Planner, Ontario, Canada
• Member, Ontario Professional Planners Institute
• Member, Canadian Institute of Planners

University Positions/Affiliations:

• Assistant Professor (Status Only), Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto
• Associate Graduate Faculty Member, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto

Current Projects

• Play Finds a Way through Inclusive Playgrounds
• Getting to School: How Families Living with Childhood Disability Experience Everyday School Travel
• Air Travel and Childhood Disability Study
• Exploring the Housing Experiences and Community Participation of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Publications

Refereed

• Walker, M., Nicolardi, D., Christopoulos, T., Ross, T. 2023. "Hospital, Hospice, or Home: A Scoping Review of the Importance of Place in Pediatric Palliative Care." Palliative & Supportive Care 0(0): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951523000664.
• Ross, T., Buliung, R., Titchkosky, T., & Hess, P. 2023. "Engaging Disability Theory in Planning Practice." Journal of Planning Education and Research.
• Moola, F.J., Ross, T., Amarshi, A., Sium, A., Neville, A.R., Moothathamby, N.,..., & Pathmalingam, T. 2023. "Listening to the Margins: Reflecting on Lessons Learned From a National Conference Focused on Establishing a Qualitative Research Platform for Childhood Disability and Race." International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 22.
• Zhang, Y., Farber, S., Young, M., Tiznado-Aitken, I., & Ross, T. 2023. "Exploring travel patterns of people with disabilities: A multilevel analysis of accessible taxi trips in Toronto, Canada". Travel Behaviour & Society, 32.
• Moola, F.J., Buliung, R., Posa, S., Moothathamby, N., Woodgate, R.L., Hansen, N., & Ross, T. 2022. "Behind the Paintbrush: Understanding the Impact of Visual Arts-Based Research (ABR) in the Lives of Disabled Children and Youth as well as Methodological Insights in ABR Application". Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 11(2).
• James, M.E., Jianopoulos, E., Ross, T., Buliung, R., & Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K.P. 2022. "Children's Usage of Inclusive Playgrounds: A Naturalistic Observation Study of Play." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 19(20): 13648. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013648.
• Buliung, R., Bilas, P., Ross, T., and Marmureanu, C. 2021. “More than Just a Bus Trip: School Busing, Disability and Access to Education in Toronto, Canada.”  Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 48: 496-505.
• Brown, D., Ross, T., Leo, J., Buliung, R., Shirazipour, C., Latimer-Cheung, A.E., and K.P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos. 2021. “A Scoping Review of Evidence-Informed Recommendations for Designing Inclusive Playgrounds.” Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, section Disability, Rehabilitation, and Inclusion.” DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2021.664595.
• Ross, T., Buliung, R., Murphy, A., and A. Howard. 2020. “A Visual Ethnographic Pilot Study of School Travel for Families Living with Childhood Disability.” Children’s Geographies 18(3): 283-297.
• Ross, T. and R. Buliung. 2019. “Access Work: Parking at School for Families Living with Childhood Disability.” Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 130: 289-299.
• Ross, T., Mah, J., Biggar, J., Zwick, A., and E. Modlinska. 2018. “Student Needs, Employment Realities, and PhD Program Design in Canada: The Case of Planning PhD Programs.” Canadian Journal of Higher Education 48(3): 82-97.
• Ross, T. and R. Buliung. 2018. “A Systematic Review of Disability’s Treatment in the Active School Travel and Children’s Independent Mobility Literatures.” Transport Reviews 38(3): 349-371.
• Rothman, L., Macpherson, A.K., Ross, T., and R. Buliung. 2018. “The Decline in Active School Transportation (AST): A Systematic Review of the Factors Related to AST and Changes in School Travel over Time” Preventive Medicine 111: 314-322.
• Buliung, R., Faulkner, G., Larsen, K., and T. Ross. 2017. “Children’s Independent Mobility in the City of Toronto, Canada.” Travel Behaviour and Society 9: 58-69.
• Ross, T. 2013. “Advancing Ontario’s Accessibility: A Study of Linguistic, Discursive, and Conceptual Barriers.” Canadian Journal of Urban Research 22(1): 126-144.

Non-Refereed

• Ross, T. and R. Buliung. In press. "Thinking about Ableism and Third Place to Understand and Improve the School Journeys of Disabled Children and their Families." In The School Journey as a Third Place. Interdisciplinarity, Transformations and Experiences from Around the World. Eds. Moody, Zoe, Berchtold-Sedooka, Ayuko, Darbellay, Frédéric, Camponovo, Sara, and Philip D. Jaffé. Anthem Press.
• Ross, T. (2019). “Inclusive Research Design: Accounting for Childhood Disability in School Transportation Research.” Pp. 273-293 in Waygood, O., Friman, M., Mitra, R., and L. Olsson (Eds.). Transport and Children’s Well-Being. Elsevier.
• Biggar, J., Ross, T., and J. Mah. 2017. “Connecting Planning Scholars and Practitioners.” Ontario Planning Journal, 32(4): 19.

Contact Info

Contact Information:
Bloorview Research Institute
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital 
150 Kilgour Road Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8 
Tel: 416-425-6220, extension 3554

Contact Email:
tross@hollandbloorview.ca

Media Expertise

access to education, inclusive play, transportation, combatting ableism