courses
Digital Technology for Planning and Design–GIS (PLAN 6120)
This course provides instruction in the application of many of the more sophisticated functions of geographic information systems (GIS) and introduces key geospatial data analysis concepts. Both GIS and related tools have become increasingly common resources for planning practice and research and are routinely leveraged for a variety of applications across the array of planning specializations. PLAN 6120 emphasizes the theory and tools of geospatial data analysis and provides hands-on exposure to software and real-world data.
PLAN 6120 focuses on the application of GIS to problems frequently found in planning practice. Building upon fundamental concepts, students learn to use GIS software in both professional practice and research that requires the management and analysis of geographic data. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Explain, students will be able to explain the theoretical and technical aspects of common geospatial data models;
- Apply, students will apply many of the extensions and functionality available in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online to test hypotheses and draw inferences;
- Visualize, students will learn to manipulate tabular and geospatial data to produce intelligible graphics;
- Articulate, students will be able to explain the distinctions between quantitative and qualitative GIS;
- Build, students will cultivate the technical and management skills needed to envision and execute geospatial data analysis projects.
Selected student work products
Climate Adaptation Planning in Virginia (PLAC 5863)
Adaptation refers to actions taken at the individual, local, regional, and national levels to reduce the risks posed by a changing climate. This course focuses on adaptation planning, and while some discussion of climate mitigation and the underlying biophysical mechanisms of climate change are necessary, these topics are not emphasized and are not covered in detail. Instead, this course contrasts the theory and academic research of climate adaptation planning with the state of practice in communities around Virginia. We will explore several anticipated impacts—including sea level rise, heat waves, drought, and inland flooding—as well as implications for livelihoods, natural ecosystems, and urban infrastructure. Finally, the course provides an overview of the multidisciplinary nature of climate adaptation planning and builds fundamental skills for planners interested in advancing this important work. Although there are no prerequisites, familiarity with geographic information systems will prove useful for assessing relevant hazards, vulnerability, and risks.
The structure of this course introduces key concepts and knowledge at the outset, building capacity and creating a space for students to learn by doing in the second half of the semester through a mix of individual and group assignments. The centerpiece of the course involves developing the components of a climate adaptation proposal for a county, city, town, or neighborhood in Virginia where a clear need exists, but where planning capacity is lacking. This group project builds upon foundational concepts and cultivates students’ ability to apply their knowledge, consist with the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Explain, students will be able to explain the meaning and aims of adaptation in the context of climate change;
- Apply, students will apply concepts introduced in the readings and lectures to evaluate adaptation planning documents;
- Synthesize, students will cultivate an ability to critically analyze and evaluate solutions and proposals that relate to climate change adaptation planning;
- Develop, students will use the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit to develop foundational components of a climate adaptation plan for a community in Virginia that includes clear equity and justice criteria;
- Articulate, students will be able to explain important aspects of current ethical and policy debates surrounding the mitigation of vulnerability and role of community engagement in adaptation planning;
- Create, students will cultivate the technical and management skills needed to collaboratively develop and present climate adaptation strategies.
Selected student work products
Civic Technology Principles and Practice—PLAC 5616
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are fundamentally changing the way we plan, understand, and experience cities. While there is not yet an established definition of civic technology, it centers on the use of ICTs “to engage local government and community residents in behaviors that improve the quality and accountability of public services, facilitate resident-driven improvements to local quality of life, and deepen participation in decision-making and public infrastructure maintenance” (Urban Sustainability Director’s Network, 2015). This course introduces civic technology as a bridge between ICTs, the work planners do, and community priorities. It does not require any prior coursework and is a discussion-based course built around short lectures, case studies, and assigned readings that bring a critical lens to planning and placemaking efforts in the digital age.
The structure of this course introduces key concepts and knowledge at the outset, building capacity and creating a space for students to learn by doing through a mix of individual and group assignments. The centerpiece of the course involves collaborating with external partners to develop a tool, dataset, process, plan, etc. that advances the public interest or that responds to one or more community priorities. Central tenets of civic technology such as “build with, not for” and “first ask if technology and data can help” should guide term project selection and implementation and this project will build upon foundational concepts from the assigned readings, lectures, and case studies. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Articulate, students will be able to articulate the main arguments for the deployment of digital technologies as well as summarize the leading critiques;
- Explain, students will be able to explain what civic technology is and how it fits within the broader framework of planning practice;
- Connect, students will have an opportunity to connect with planners, advocates, and civic technologists with insight and resources relevant to the term project;
- Apply, students will apply concepts introduced in the readings and lectures to evaluate case studies of efforts to deploy technology and harness data in cities, towns, and rural communities;
- Synthesize, students will cultivate an ability to critically analyze and evaluate proposed uses of technology and data within the context of planning applications and understand important aspects of related ethical and policy debates;
- Develop, students will use the civic technology framework introduced during the initial portion of the course to collaborate with an external partner(s) on the development of a tool, dataset, process, plan, etc. that advances the public interest or that responds to one or more community priorities;
- Cultivate, students will cultivate the technical and management skills needed to collaboratively develop and present their work.
Selected student work products
(Kinzer, routman, Stevenson, Wu)
Urban Analytics—PLAN 3122/6122
Urban analytics is relatively new field that draws upon statistics, visualization, and computation to better understand and shape cities. The tools and competencies of urban analytics are increasingly visible in the government, private, and non-profit sectors and represent an emerging area of planning practice. This course introduces the principles and techniques of urban analytics with an emphasis on geospatial data using examples and applications drawn from cities in the U.S. and around the world. It also introduces frameworks and several case studies for the ethical use and governance of data in the public realm. This course familiarizes students with the R programming language and RStudio environment; covers fundamentals such as data input/output, debugging, and looping; and builds proficiency in areas like data visualization, web-based mapping, and querying APIs. It provides a gentle introduction to all aspects of working with urban data including machine learning techniques and predictive modelling.
In addition to weekly assignments and a midterm exam, graduate students (i.e., enrolled in PLAN 5122) will design and implement an individual term project that combines urban analytics and geospatial data to explore an issue or research question drawn from urban planning or public policy. Undergraduate students (i.e., enrolled in PLAN 3122) do not complete the term project but will recreate a data visualization of their choice using tools from the course. Although prior experience with geospatial data or coding would be useful, neither is required.
This course focuses on applying the principles and techniques of urban analytics to challenges faced by cities. Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Explain, students will be able to explain the aims of urban analytics;
- Apply, students will apply concepts introduced in the readings and lectures to analyze datasets drawn from cities around the world;
- Develop, students will begin developing core data science competencies such as data wrangling, visualization, analysis, and communication;
- Visualize, students will learn to manipulate tabular and geospatial data to produce intelligible and useful graphics for inclusion in documents and for dissemination on the web;
- Synthesize, students will cultivate an ability to translate the results of visualization and analysis for use in decision-making and policy development;
- Articulate, students will be able to interpret and critique data visualizations as well as explain the practical implications of their analyses in plain language;
- Build, students will cultivate the technical and management skills needed to envision and execute urban analytics projects.
U.S. State Department Site Analysis—PLAC 5500
During the Fall of 2021 I delivered PLAC 5500. This two credit course was part of the State Department’s Diplomacy Lab program. Students worked closely with the instructor and State Department staff to develop, apply, and automate a workflow for (1) identifying land parcels for use as embassies, staff residences, and related facilities in approximately 10 cities around the world and (2) assessing the vulnerability (i.e., environmental, social, economic) of candidate land parcels to threats like climate change impacts or acts of terrorism. There were no prerequisites, but familiarity with geographic information systems was assumed. The course culminated in a presentation to State Department staff (in-person in Washington, DC) and the submission of agreed upon deliverables by the end of the semester.
PLAN 5500-003 focused on collaborating with classmates and State Department staff to clearly define, implement, and automate a workflow that responds to the core need articulated by the client. While geographic information systems (GIS) and geospatial data figured prominently in the work, there was also ample opportunity to explore and unpack what concepts like vulnerability mean for land use and site selection in cities outside the United States. Students who successfully completed this course are able to:
- Explain, students will be able to explain the conceptual and technical aspects of suitability analysis using geospatial data;
- Understand, students will gain a deeper appreciation for the uneven availability of geospatial data across countries and cities, while collaboratively developing strategies for working around those limitations;
- Apply, students will apply many of the extensions and functionality available in software like ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online to identify land parcels that are candidates for acquisition by the U.S. State Department to support its mission abroad;
- Visualize, students will learn to manipulate tabular and geospatial data to produce intelligible graphics that summarize the results of the site analysis for cities in the sample;
- Articulate, students will be able to communicate what certain land parcels or regions within a given city are more or less suitable, given criteria established by the client as well as completing a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) to support those conclusions;
- Build, students will cultivate the technical and management skills needed to envision, execute, and communicate the findings of geospatial data analysis projects.
Selected student work products
A sample student work product from the course is available here.
