Jake Fell

I'm a master's student in the School of Geography, Development, and the Environment. Originally, from Washington state, I moved to Tucson to attend graduate school at the University of Arizona. Prior to starting my master's, I worked as a GIS Analyst for Puget Sound Energy in Seattle, WA, planning infrastructure development to help increase renewable energy access in the state. In addition to my studies, I am an intern with International Rescue Committee, a non-profit which helps to resettle refugees in Tucson, AZ. I'm really passionate about this work and my experience working with people from cultures different than my own has shaped my research interests in significant ways.

 

Project Description:

 

For my master's thesis work, I am conducting an analysis of how local businesses have responded to demographic change throughout Tucson over the past 20 years. Based on literature from other cities, I am attempting to discover whether different types of businesses appear after neighborhoods undergo demographic changes, in order to cater to new consumer preferences. From there I aim to discover what has happened to legacy businesses, particularly those with cultural significance such as Mexican restaurants, as a result of changing population demographics in their neighborhoods. This will contribute to a growing literature on how consumer preferences reshape neighborhoods and change both the types of products available in and the cultural identity of a neighborhood.