Suraiya Parvin

My name is Suraiya Parvin, and I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geography, specializing in human geography. My research interests encompass place-making, retail food environments, ethnic food practices, food insecurity, participatory GIS methods, and the experiences of South Asian immigrants. Currently, I am in the final year of my doctoral program and working on my dissertation, titled “Placemaking through Food: A Case Study of Bangladeshi Migrants in New York City.” In this project, my advisor and I employ a mixed-methods approach that combines participatory GIS, focus groups, and neighborhood observations to investigate how Bangladeshi immigrants create and sustain community spaces through traditional food practices.

Prior to my doctoral studies, I earned a Master of Arts in Geography from Kent State University in 2021. My thesis examined the role of place attachment in the socio-cultural adjustment of international graduate students in the United States. Before that, I completed a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and Development at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where my thesis focused on intra-urban residential mobility in Dhaka city. I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the same institution.
Beyond my academic degrees, I worked as a Research Assistant in the Urban Studio Lab at the University of Dhaka, where I contributed to projects on climate change, migration, and mobility. These experiences have shaped my interdisciplinary perspective and continue to inform my current research on migration, identity, and the intersections of food and place.