Spotlight: AzTA Transit Planning Scholarship Recipient Christina Baum
Help us celebrate our 2019-2020 WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Scholarship recipients!
We are pleased to announce Christina Baum as the recipient of the AzTA Transit Planning Scholarship. Christina is a graduate student in the Master of Public Health program at the University of Arizona. She currently interns with Pima County Development Services to research barriers to using Tucson’s long-distance multimodal path called The Loop. Christina also enjoys volunteering for Living Streets Alliance, Cyclovia, and Tucson’s Department of Transportation.
Congratulations Christina and thank you for sharing a little more about yourself and your passion for the transportation industry!
What form of transportation do you prefer and why?
My favorite form of transportation is walking. I love the opportunity to observe small details in my surroundings, explore corners of cities that I may overlook in my car or on my bike, and interact with others on the street. Walking in Tucson is always an adventure as there are so many interesting cacti, flowers, trees, and yards to look at!
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is completing a 4-day, 45-mile solo backpacking trip through the Gila wilderness in New Mexico. Not seeing anyone for days, finding the trail after getting a tad lost, and having to completely rely on my own hiking and wilderness skills felt really empowering.
If you could choose to have lunch with anyone (past or present) who would it be and why?
I would choose to have lunch with Leslie Knope, a character from the television series, Parks and Recreation. She is an incredibly dedicated civil servant, willing to go above and beyond to improve her community and accomplish her goals. I would love to sap some of her positive energy and collaborate with her on a passion project.
What’s next for you?
I will be joining the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Denver, Colorado as a Remedial Project Manager. I am very excited to begin working in the public sector, and plan to involve myself in Denver’s biking and active living community. I'm eager to combine my transportation and public health skills and knowledge, and hope to become involved in the EPA's Smart Growth initiative later in my career.