Sunday, October 31, 2010

CAUS Summer '11 Interdisciplinary Program Announcement

The Landscape Architecture Program in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies is offering its annual Interdisciplinary Summer Education Abroad Program in Western Europe. Students and faculty on the 36-day program will explore the landscape, cities, construction, art and culture as we travel from Rome to Siena and Genoa, and on to Bern, and Basel. After a stop in Stuttgart, we move on to Frankfurt, Duisburg, and Hamburg, and end in Berlin. The program uses an interdisciplinary approach to studying how the built environment and culture may be interpreted in a broad cultural context. The program emphasizes landscape architecture, architecture, interior design and urban design studies.

In each city, students and faculty explore such design issues as the similarities and differences in physical design across places and centuries, the uses of a variety of building materials, climatic influences on design and use of public and private spaces, and the city as a cultural setting.


All curious participants are welcome. Undergraduate students with junior standing and graduate students may apply. This program is coordinated with Virginia Commonwealth University. Students from other universities are invited to participate. Contact us for more information.


Information Meeting

Monday, November 1 at 5:15pm in 122 Burruss


Applications Accepted

beginning November 16th, ending in early February


More Information:

contact: Terry Clements, tclement@vt.edu


Program flyer can be found here.

Exciting International Opportunity for Planning Students at Your University

The University of Iowa’s Urban & Regional Planning Program is offering an international planning course titled “Eco-sensitive Low-cost Housing: The Kerala experience.” The three-week course (December 27, 2010 to January 16, 2011) set in the state of Kerala in south India will provide an extraordinary opportunity for planning students to travel to India, interact with highly acclaimed housing and environment preservation professionals, learn about many innovative eco-sensitive development techniques, and conduct independent research on a planning topic of one’s choice. All course participants will develop a clearer understanding of the conflicting challenges of economic development and environmental protection, and of culture, politics and the uneven geography of opportunity in a developing country.

The timing of the course – between the Fall and Spring semesters – allows planning students pursuing a two-year masters degree to gain valuable study abroad experience without disrupting their two-year degree program.


The fee for the course – about $2400 (excluding airfare) for students from US universities – has been kept low with generous funding from the University of Iowa and a few external sponsors. The fee includes tuition, orientation, lodging, program-related transportation in India, translators and field guides, and excursions/cultural programs.


A course flyer can be found here. Students whose applications are received before November 5 have a better chance of participating in this adventure.


For more details and to apply, contact:


Dr. Jerry Anthony, Associate Professor, Urban & Regional Planning

(jerry-anthony@uiowa.edu; 319-335-0622)


Ms. Pamela Butler, Office Manager, Urban & Regional Planning

(pamela-butler@uiowa.edu; 319-335-0032)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Three-part Webcast Series on Climate Change Adaptation for State and Local Governments

Webcast Series - Climate Change Adaptation for State and Local Governments

EPA hosts the State Climate and Energy Technical Forums and Local Climate and Energy Webcast Series to assist local governments with climate change and clean energy efforts. These regular webcasts highlight EPA resources and present examples of successful state and local climate and energy programs and policies. For more information or to view past webcasts, visit:

http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/web-podcasts/index.html.

These webcasts will resume on November 18, 2010 with a three-part series on climate change adaption for state and local governments. Participants will come away from the series with an understanding of why adaptation to climate change is critical and what actions can be taken at the state and local levels to build support for adaptation and increase community resilience.

November 18, 2010, 2:00-3:30 PM (EST): Climate Impacts and Risk Communication The first webcast in this series will provide an introduction to adaptation by covering the impacts of climate change across different regions of the United States; the risk presented by these impacts; how climate adaptation differs from climate mitigation; and approaches to engaging various stakeholder groups—regardless of attitudes to climate change—and effectively communicating risk to build support for adaptation efforts in the common interest. A representative from a local government will discuss their experience working successfully with a range of stakeholders to promote adaptation within the community.

To register for this webcast, visit:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/289508083. Please note that the audio portion of this webcast will only be available by dialing into a toll-free conference call.

December 2010: Adaptation Planning and Implementation The second session of this webcast mini-series will focus on frameworks that state and local governments can use to assess vulnerability to climate change, develop adaption action plans, and implement adaption strategies for building resilience.

January 2011: Federal Resources and Support for Climate Change Adaptation The third webcast in this series will discuss the role of the federal government in promoting adaptation to climate change in the United States.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Virginia Tech Politics and Planning Speaker Series

After Defeat: How the East Learned to Live with the West
Case Studies from Turkey, Japan, and Russia

Ayse Zarakol, Assistant Professor of Politics

Washington & Lee University

WHEN? Thursday, November 11, 5:30-7:00 p.m.

WHERE? SPIA Room 305, 1021 Prince Street

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Description

Not being of the West; being behind the West; not being modern enough; not being developed or industrialized, secular, civilized, Christian, transparent, or democratic - these descriptions have all served to stigmatize certain states through history. Drawing on constructivism as well as the insights of social theorists and philosophers, After Defeat (Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming 2011) demonstrates that stigmatization in international relations can lead to a sense of national shame, as well as auto-Orientalism and inferior status. AyÅŸe Zarakol argues that stigmatized states become extra-sensitive to concerns about status, and shape their foreign policy accordingly. The theoretical argument is supported by a detailed historical overview of central examples of the established/outsider dichotomy throughout the evolution of the modern states system, and in-depth studies of Turkey after the First World War, Japan after the Second World War, and Russia after the Cold War.

Future lectures:

“Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Low Income Housing Tax Credits” by Professor Casey Dawkins, Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Tech

When: Wednesday, December 1, 201, Where: 1021 Prince Street, Room 305

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Fairfax County Webinars

Sessions will be held in Room 106, Herrity Building, 12055 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA.

No RSVP necessary-just show up!


Regulating Controversial Uses November 10, 2010; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5

Cosponsor: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Retrofitting Corridors January 19, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5


Mitigating Hazards Through Planning March 16, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5

Cosponsor: Federal Emergency Management Agency
2011 Planning Law Review June 29, 2011; 4:00 p.m.–5:30 p.m. ET; CM |1.5

Join the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association for the Capital Planning Awards!!!!

Time: 6:00 P.M. (registration)
Date: (Tuesday) October 26, 2010
Location: Naval Heritage Museum (701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004)

This event will include a reception featuring an open bar and heavy hors d'oeuvres, and an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding capital area planning projects.

Guest Lecturer: Xav Briggs, Associate Director, White House Office of Budget Management

On-Site Registration: $45
To register, please send an email, along with name, address, and telephone number to Renée.Kamen@montgomeryplanning.org. Upon receipt of email, you will receive a confirmation invoice to bring to the night’s event. Payment will be taken at the registration area.

An Introduction to Green Roofs

1.25 AICP Credit Pending
Friday, December 3rd, 2010, 9:00 – 10.15 a.m.

WSSI, Inc. 5300 Wellington Branch Drive, Suite 100 Gainesville, VA 20155


By now most (and hopefully all) planners know that a green roof has nothing to do with a can of green paint and a brush! Whether being used to assist the management of storm water runoff, to help to achieve LEED certification or for other reasons, green roofs can provide a wide range of benefits.


Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc. (WSSI) has kindly agreed to provide a presentation on the different types of green roofs available, their various benefits, implementation and maintenance requirements and associated costs. To allow attendees to get a first hand view of an established facility, the presentation will include a tour of WSSI’s office building’s green roof.


Please RSVP by November 24, 2010 to Ben Wales at
bwales@cooley.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Policy to Practice: Planning for Bicycles

Where: Aurora Hills Community Center, 735 18th St., Arlington, VA 22202
When: 4:00-6:00 pm on 18th November 2010

Includes demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare station.

Please join us for Happy Hour after the session.


Approved for 2.0 AICP Credits

Free and open to the public, RSVP required

RSVP to Sonali Soneji preferably by email:
sonalisoneji2@gmail.com or call: 703-867-6042

Bicycling as a mode for commuting and recreation has made great strides in recent years in the Washington metro area. Recently approved policies and implementation of innovative solutions to provide infrastructure for bicycles have helped promote this mode of transport. The new partnership between Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C., has helped the region to launch the largest bikeshare program in the country. Three speakers will discuss the importance of various facets of transportation planning that help programs to achieve success: Policy Development; Implementation and Infrastructure provision; as well as Marketing and Community Outreach. The session will conclude with a demonstration of a Capital Bikeshare bike station near Pentagon City Metro station.


Jim Sebastian will discuss integration of bicycle infrastructure with urban planning and development, and innovative bike lane design. Mr. Sebastian is a Supervisory Transportation Planner at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), Washington D.C., where he manages the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transportation Demand Management Programs.

Paul DeMaio will speak about planning and launching of Capital Bikeshare, including how station locations were determined, the RFP process for the program, and expansion plans. He will also touch on the history of bikesharing and different models for provision of service. Paul DeMaio is the founder of MetroBike LLC, a company that assists organizations in implementing bike-sharing programs, and writes The Bike-sharing Blog, an international news resource about the field.

Chris Eatough will discuss increasing bicycle use for transportation through encouragement and education of the community, as well as the activities and structure of BikeArlington and the impact of the program. Chris Eatough, program manager for BikeArlington, has an engineering background and was a professional endurance mountain bike racer, winning six 24-hour solo world titles and five US 24-hour national championships. He also has extensive experience as a mountain bike coach and product tester.

Lifestyle Centers- Where will they work best?

Discussion of Fairfax Corner in Fairfax, Virginia

November 12, 2010; 11am-12:30pm

Meet at the Rave Motion Pictures Movie Theatre (11900 Palace Way, I-66 @ Fairfax Cty adj. to Fairfax Cty Gov Ctr, Fairfax, VA 22030, 703-378-6550)

Requested 1.5 CM Credits (awaiting APA approval)

Lifestyle centers are an attractive pedestrian oriented retail format typically with a mix of additional uses. Most jurisdictions prefer this form for new retail developments. However, they will only be successful locations with the right demographics, access and zoning flexibility. This session will visit a very successful lifestyle center, Fairfax Corner, and hear about its planning evolution and its future development plans. The session will also discuss the challenges of building such centers currently given recent changes in consumer tastes, retailers’ growth plans and financing challenges.

RSVP to vapanova@gmail.com by November 9, 2010

Call for Internship Project Proposals!

November 30, 2010 Deadline

The Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program (CRDIP) invites
project proposals in cultural resources and historic preservation for Summer 2011. Over 12 years, National Park Service units and program offices, DOI agencies, other Federal, state, and local governments, and our partners in the private sectors have cosponsored dozens of diverse undergraduate and graduate students. The CRDIP will cosponsor from 15 to 18 interns during a 10-week summer session.

The cost of selected projects will be shared on a 50/50 basis
between the CRDIP and the intern sponsor. The CRDIP will also prepare task agreement documents for NPS-sponsored internships.

An application form is available here. The deadline for
project proposal applications is Tuesday, November 30, 2010.

Contact: Turkiya L. Lowe, Program Coordinator, at
turkiya_lowe@contractor.nps.gov or (202)-354-2266 for more detailed information.

Read more about hosting an intern at the CRDIP website:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/crdi/internships/hostsponsor.htm

New Video: The Metro Politics of the Intermountain West

Check out this new YouTube video featuring UAP's Tom Sanchez

The Metro Politics of the Intermountain West
The Intermountain West region may be America's new swing region. The region's suburbs are where the battle lines between the parties form. This paper looks at the region's metropolitan political dynamics and predict how they shape the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Authors: Robert E. Lang, Professor and Director, Brookings Mountain West and The Lincy Institute, UNLV; Thomas Sanchez, Professor and Chair of Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Tech

See the presentation on our UAP Virginia Tech YouTube Channel

Powerpoint

Job Oppty: New SPIA Director at Virginia Tech

The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) at Virginia Tech (www.spia.vt.edu) invites applications for the position of School Director with an expected start date of August 2011. The successful candidate will provide leadership and support for the SPIA faculty, staff, and students; promote fund-raising and development efforts; be a strong advocate for the School; be responsible for the administrative and fiscal management of the School; enhance scholarship, collaboration, and creative synergies among SPIA faculty, staff, and students; engage in some teaching and advising; and work with faculty, alumni, and other stakeholders to enhance the School’s current programs while expanding its international scope and impact.

See the complete job announcement at this link

Oct 28 Invitation to Roundtable with Ramsey Clark

Former United States Attorney General (for the Lyndon Johnson presidency) and civil rights and liberties activist Ramsey Clark will be visiting campus on October 27 and 28. He has kindly agreed to talk with interested faculty and graduate students on October 28th 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in Room B at the GLC under the aegis of the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention and the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance. The discussion will be informal and will doubtless range widely as Mr. Clark was instrumental in drafting the historic voting rights and civil rights acts in the United States and has been a principled spokesperson and advocate of impartial hearings for even the most reviled defendants of recent times, including Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milosevic. Please plan to attend for what looks set to be a provocative discussion.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Time to Start Looking for Internships and Fellowships!

Many agencies offer assistantships and fellowships, but you need to start looking -- and applying -- now in order to get one. Internships are generally for students still in an academic program, while fellowships or professional development programs are for people with a degree but little or no actual work experience. Given the current employment situation out there, a fellowship may be a good option for many of you.

Here are a few sites I located this afternoon:


NYC Urban Fellows Program

applications due January 7, 2011

Dallas, TX Mayor's internship program


Providence, RI internship program


International City Management Association (ICMA) "find internships and fellowships"


Kansas City, MO internships and fellowships


Fellowships, Internships and Service Programs database (searchable)


Making the difference federal internship directory


USAJobs/Student Jobs


Federal Career Intern Program information


Post-graduate fellowships and internships in planning, public policy and management

[meaning, you have to have an undergraduate or graduate degree]

Sustainable Europe

Center for European Studies and Architecture
Riva San Vitale, Switzerland
Summer Course: 6 Credit


INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS: Tue, Nov 2, 4-5pm Arch Annex 114

Wed, Nov 3, 12-1pm Arch Annex 114


SPIA and Urban Affairs and Planning are offering an exciting summer class in Switzerland next summer from June 28 to 22 July 2011. The class is called “Sustainable Europe” and will be taught together with students and professors from the Urban and Environmental Planning Department at the University of Virginia (UVA).

The course is divided into three parts:

Part 1: “History and Theory of Contemporary Sustainable Development: Can Europe Become the Most Competitive, Dynamic, and Sustainable Economy in the World?”

Part 2: “Sustainable Local Community and Economic Development in the Age of Globalization: Competing while Preserving Cultural Identities?”

Part 3: “Making Urban Transport Sustainable: How Do European Cities Promote Walking, Cycling, and Public Transport?”

Please take a look at the brochure and let us know if you are interested in taking the class or if you have any questions. ( ralphbu@vt.edu or rphall@vt.edu )

Deadline: January 31, 2011

Apply Online: Sustainable Europe