Please join us in welcoming METRANS Student Correspondent Arpita Sharma to the METRANS student team. She has been working with METRANS since August 2015. Arpita is responsible for interviewing and writing articles about METRANS events, conferences, research, field trips, and more. 

Arpita Sharma is a current dual Master of Public Policy and Master of Planning candidate at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. She is interested in working as a policy analyst in the area of sustainable land use development and active transportation. Her initial interest in public policy came from a desire to better understand connections between the built environment, transportation, and how to improve socio-economic opportunities for marginalized groups through structural changes. By connecting policy analysis with urban planning, her goal is to understand and develop innovative solutions to long-term sustainability challenges that integrate local knowledge, policy understanding, and strategic thinking to affect positive change in our cities and regions.

She completed her Bachelor of Arts in International Development from the University of California, Berkeley, where she developed an interest in equitable urban development locally and internationally. Following her graduation, she spent a year with the Institute for Public Strategies, organizing residents and building the capacity of residents to address environmental health concerns. 

During her first year at USC, she conducted a statistical analysis on county level use of light rail transportation in California to study correlations between transportation use and age, race, and income. This past spring, she completed an externship with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, helping to promote CicLAvia, in North Hollywood, a larger strategy LADOT Bike Program is using to increase active transportation across the county.

Arpita is also Communications Chair for the Partnership for an Equitable Los Angeles and the Founder and President of Association for India’s Development, USC Chapter. Her leadership roles have allowed her to deepen her ties with classmates and become more involved with the larger Los Angeles community. Outside of school, Arpita is adventurous and has lots of hobbies; she went on a skydiving expedition this summer. She is also interested in photography and filmmaking. She loves to cook and is currently learning how to play the guitar. 

Students interested in becoming more involved METRANS are encouraged to contact Arpita at [email protected]