2013 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research - Call for Open Pool Applications

From Syracuse University: 

"THE INSTITUTE FOR QUALITATIVE AND MULTI-METHOD RESEARCH, MAXWELL SCHOOL OF SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, JUNE 17-28, 2013.

OPEN POOL APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 20, 2012

The 2013 Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research will be held at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. Participants at the 2013 institute will arrive on Sunday June 16, and classes will commence on June 17.

The institute will run until the evening of Friday June 28, with a two day break on June 22 and 23. The institute seeks to enable students to create and critique methodologically sophisticated qualitative research designs, including case studies, tests of necessity or sufficiency, and narrative or interpretive work. It explores the techniques, uses, strengths, and limitations of these methods, while emphasizing their relationships with alternative approaches. Topics include research design, methods of structured and focused comparisons of cases, typological theory, case selection, process tracing, comparative historical analysis, congruence testing, path dependency, interpretivism, counterfactual analysis, interview and field research (including archival) techniques, necessary and sufficient conditions, fuzzy set methods, natural experiments, and philosophy of science issues relevant to qualitative research.

Attendees will receive constructive feedback on their own research designs.

Materials from the 2012 institute (including a schedule and reading list) are available for viewing at http://www1.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/cqrm/Welcome/. Please note that the syllabus will be revised for the 2013 institute, and should be viewed with this in mind.

There are two ways to attend the institute - by nomination from a member department or research center, or by successfully competing in the open pool competition.

CQRM members will use their own meritocratic criteria to select students, fellows or junior faculty to attend the 2013 institute, and must notify CQRM of their choices by February 17, 2013. CQRM has approximately 70 members that make nominations each year. If you do not know if your institution is a member, you can email celman@maxwell.syr.edu to request that information.

Students, fellows and junior faculty who are not sure if they will be selected, or who attend non-member organizations, should apply directly to CQRM, using the form available at this link: https://survey.maxwell.syr.edu/Survey.aspx?s=c572223891d14e89bf78e15136ebeb30 (Please make sure this whole link is in the browser address window. If the link doesn't work, cut and paste the text into the address bar.)

Instructions for submission are on the first page of the form.

Open pool applications to the institute must be received by November 20, 2012. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by December 18, 2012. CQRM will cover the costs of tuition, lodging, and meals for successful applicants. Attendees will be responsible for their own transportation costs to and from Syracuse University.

Please note that you are receiving this email because to the best of our knowledge you are currently (or were recently) a member of a related APSA organized section.

If you know of any students who might be interested in attending IQMR 2013 please pass this email on to them."

Call for Papers: “The Idea of the Public in Urban Narrative”

Via the Planet Listserve:

"'The Idea of the Public in Urban Narrative'

Second Biennial of Public Space

Italian National Institute for Urban Planning (INU)

Rome, Italy

May 17-19, 2013

Organizers:      

      
Gregory Smith                 Gilda Berruti
Cornell in Rome              University of Naples Federico II                
gos2@cornell.edu            gberruti@unina.it

This seminar follows on the success of the encounter organized in 2011 concerning Public Space in Rome through the Ages. That effort yielded an excellent set of essays which have now been accepted for publication. Consistent with the spirit of the 2013 Biennial, the proposed seminar wishes to open the geographical range of interest, and appeal to scholars who work in any part of the world. The stress, however, is on contemporary cities, and on research methodologies engaging living communities, using fieldwork or other techniques of investigation. Scholars from any relevant disciplinary background are invited to participate, to stimulate reflection and debate on the different ways of knowing the city. We anticipate that the chief approaches will be drawn from these fields:

§       Urban studies

§       Sociology

§       Geography

§       Anthropology

§       Ethnography

§       Linguistics

§       Gender studies

During the 2011 encounter we concluded that the idea of the public is a slippery cluster concept implying all or some of the notions of ownership, accessibility, and assembly. Given the notion‘s semantic plasticity, we anticipate that the proposed seminar will yield interesting insights into how the idea of the public is used in actual linguistic, narrative and discursive practice. Additionally, the seminar should yield insights into the practical challenges and opportunities present in everyday life. Finally, we hope to encourage debate on the different critical frameworks within which narrative practices can be analyzed.

A key concept is the idea of the citizen, and the notion of urbanicity. The idea of belonging to a public community or space varies spatially according to the perceptions of different categories of citizen, and correspondingly the dividing line between the public and private will vary in different perceptions. We expect to find strong difference, say, in how the threshold is perceived in immigrant groups as opposed to traditional residents. Gender will influence the way the line is drawn, as will age. Formal planning may stage or encourage specific responses among citizens, and citizens may in turn adopt spatial practices which may or may not coincide with planning intentions. Plans as texts may be read and interpreted contrastingly by different readers, even with respect to the planner’s objectives.  Power is of course an important factor, including the way the idea of the public is declinated by various categories of community representatives.

The analysis of narrative, understood as the exchange of built accounts of life events, can be used as an instrument of qualitative research in the most diverse settings. It can concern the micropolitics of the planning process. It can focus on immigrants, urban regeneration, the impact of class, the definition of territory, or the notion of justice, to name of few possibilities. An exploration of narrative in these and other settings will help us gain a better understanding of how the idea of the public is constructed and deployed in everyday urban practice, and the impact such constructions have on the quality of urban life.

Abstracts of about three hundred words should be submitted to either of the organizers. Abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats with the following information: a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract, f) up to 10 keywords. Inclusion of a brief cv is appreciated.

@UAPVirginiaTech's John Provo featured in Virginia Business magazine

Via VT's Inside Outreach newsletter:

"Much of the "Southern Virginia" page of the January issue of Virginia Business magazine was devoted to an interview with John Provo under the headline, "Grant helps Tech create jobs in the region." The story focuses on the Virginia Rural Competitiveness Project.  Read More..."

John Provo is an adjunct professor in UAP

Post Doc at the Metropolitan Institute--Virginia Tech

The Metropolitan Institute (MI) at Virginia Tech in Alexandria, Virginia announces the position of a Post-Doctoral Fellow for the upcoming year. The job is a research appointment only, with no teaching duties. The appointment is for one year and can begin anytime during the fall semester, but our ideal start time would be January 15th 2013. The position reports to the Director of the Metropolitan Institute.

Metropolitan Institute: Our team (director, research manager, graduate research assistants, consultants, and interns) conducts basic and applied research on the dynamics of metropolitan complexities, such as resiliency, sustainability, health and security. We perform a wide variety of projects, such as case studies, program and policy evaluations/assessments, outreach and technical assistance to community and local governments, along with the standard fare of publications, reports, conferences, and workshops.

Given our location in the nation’s capital the Metropolitan Institute works closely with federal government agencies (including the White House Office of Urban Affairs), international and national nongovernment organizations (such as Smart Growth America, Center for Community Progress), private consulting groups, and local government and communities groups within the greater Washington, DC region. We also collaborate with the faculty researchers across the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and in particular within the School of Public and International Affairs. 

Scope of Work: We are looking for an entrepreneurial candidate to help elevate several of the Institute’s major research initiatives and projects, such as:

·       Urban Regeneration, Shrinking Cities, and Vacant Property Reclamation

·       Urban and Community Resilience

·       Sustainability and the Sustainability Planning Lab

·       Smart Cities, Megacities, and the New Metropolis

·       Trans-Atlantic Policy & Planning Translation Project

Within the context of the Institute’s major research initiatives, we view this post-doctoral fellowship as a wonderful opportunity for a new scholar to develop and test his or her own research ideas and talents by building their own portfolio of research projects and papers.  We anticipate the Fellows would spent about 1/3 of his/her time on grant proposals/concept papers, 1/3 in support of MI’s signature research areas and the fellow’s related research questions, and 1/3 writing publications and participating in workshops and conferences.

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in any of the following fields: urban planning, public policy, sociology, geography or any social science field related to urban studies.

Preferred Qualifications and Areas of Interest: We are especially interested in fellows with interest and research experience developing, implementing, and measuring sustainability plans, programs, and initiatives within the US and abroad.  Another area of interest involves the diffusion of innovation and transfer of policies among local government and communities within the US and across the Atlantic—how do cities learn from each other? Earlier this year, as part of a grant from the Ford Foundation, the Institute launched the Vacant Properties Research Network, so we are also keen on fellows who have done work on the regeneration of legacy/shrinking cities.

If interested, please send your CV and writing sample to:

Jessica Hanff

Research and Operations Manager

703.706.8100

jesshanff@vt.edu

Students in urban affairs and planning receive award for mapping a walking tour of local historical African American community

by Barbara Micale

"The Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association (VAPA) awarded its 2012 Student Planning Award to five Virginia Tech students in the Urban Affairs and Planning (UAP) master’s program in the National Capital Region during the organization’s annual conference. Martha Coello, Paola Reyes, Catherine Spoehr, Kate Webb, and Chris Winnike were recognized for their innovative urban design studio project, “Giving Voice: African American Walking Tour, Falls Church and Fairfax County.” The tour was developed for the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation."  Read more of the story at http://ncr.vt.edu/highlights/Highlight-102512.html.

Making Urban Transport Sustainable: Lessons from Europe and North America: Talk by @UAPVirginiaTech's Ralph Buehler

From Carleton University in Ottawa:

"Making Urban Transport Sustainable: Lessons from Europe and North America

Oct 18

The second event in the Environment Days series, the keynote was presented by Dr. Ralph Buehler from Virginia Tech, and contrasted transportation, land-use policies and transport systems in Western Europe and North America.  It also explore the influenced of socio-demographics, public health, and financial efficiencies on travel behaviours.

This event was supportesd by the German Embassy, and presented in cooperation with the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism.

This keynote was followed by a roundtable discussion. To listen to an interview with Ralph Buehler, click here.

Interviews conducted by Anca Gurzu."

Reg now open for NCAC-APA 2012 Conf & Awards on Sat Nov 10

Via the YIPPS listserve:

"Registration for the NCAC-APA Planning Conference & Awards is now open! Please follow this link to register now: http://www.ncac-apa.org/education_detail.php?id=89

The conference will be held from 8:30 AM to 12:20 PM on Saturday, November 10 at Catholic University. You will have the opportunity to earn 3 CM credits by attending the morning’s sessions on local planning projects. The awards luncheon that follows at 12:30 PM will recognize outstanding planning projects in the National Capital Area.We hope to see you there!!

There are two steps to complete the registration process:

1. Complete the registration form at http://tinyurl.com/ncacreg

2. Pay the registration fee via Paypal, or bring cash or check to the event.

Registration Fees:

By November 5: $25 for chapter members and non-members, $20 for student members

After November 6 or day-of registration: $40

Registration fees cover access to both the morning sessions and the awards luncheon. Breakfast and lunch are also included."

Farming at Metro's Edge Conference on Jan 12 and 13 in Shady Grove, Md

From the Northern Virginia Health Foundation:

"Farming at Metro's Edge is the title of a two day conference being organized in Maryland on January 12 and 13, 2013.  The purpose of the conference is to, "...gather together farmers, consumers, citizen advocates, government agencies and other interested parties....[to] discuss the current state of agriculture in Frederick and Montgomery counties and identify both the obstacles and opportunities that exist for sustainable agricultural productivity in the region.

While the focus will be on Maryland, there may be information pertinent to work being done in Northern Virginia, and Northern Virginians are encouraged to attend.  Information about the conference can be found at:
http://www.farmingatmetrosedge.com/index.php"

News from VT's Metropolitan Institute: 17 Fellows Selected for Inaugural Strong Cities Strong Communities (SC2) Fellowship

From Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute:

"The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), Cleveland State University (CSU), and the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech have launched the Strong Cities Strong Communities (SC2) Fellowship Program with the selection and placement of 17 fellows working to build local capacity in seven SC2 pilot communities: Chester, PA; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA; and Youngstown, OH.

The fellows have varied backgrounds, ranging from planning and economic development to workforce development and program . Over the next two years..."  Read more at this link.

Nov 14 NCPC Open House on Federal Urban Design

From the National Capital Planning Commission:

"You’re Invited to the Federal Urban Design Element Open House

On November 14, NCPC will host an open house to present the draft policies for the first-ever Federal Urban Design Element for the Comprehensive Plan. The policies will provide guidance for the design of federal facilities and promote more active public spaces. Join us at the District Architecture Center (421 7th Street, NW Washington, DC) anytime between 6:30-8:30 pm.

Want to view the draft policies before attending? Not available to attend, yet want to weigh-in? We’ve got you covered:

	Info about the Open House
	Preview the Open House (video)"

Public Invited to Thurs Oct 25 Community Voices Pgm on Moving from Healthcare to Health

From the Institute for Policy and Governance:

"Moving from Healthcare to Health: Back to the Future with Primary Prevention

On Thursday, October 25, Community Voices will present Dr. John Dreyzehner, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health and Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Virginia Tech-Carilion School of Medicine’s Master of Public Health Degree Program.  The Community Voices talk will be from 7-8 p.m. in Historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Blacksburg, Virginia.  Admission is free and all are welcome.  Dr. Dreyzehner, former director of Virginia’s Cumberland Plateau Health District, and founding faculty of the Healthy Appalachia Institute at the University of Virginia, will speak on effective prevention practices and policies. 

Dr. Dreyzehner’s talk focuses on the importance of effective prevention.  He challenges policy makers, health care practitioners, and citizens to consider how nearly forty percent of the factors that shorten our lives are behaviors that we can modify.  Building on this reality, he argues for a radical increase in emphasis on primary prevention.  He urges widespread education, involvement and advocacy around these concerns since the health care sector cannot, and in some cases will not, make these changes alone.  Instead he calls for widespread systemic change, grounded in broader social and cultural support. 

The Community Voices speakers are engaged in fostering work that strengthens community.  Their leadership includes the capacity to speak cogently and concisely about their experiences, to tell stories that are revealing of their work, and to present ideas for change, ideas that matter.

Sponsors and Partners:

·       Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance

·       Virginia Tech Center for the Arts

·       Virginia Tech Department of Religion and Culture

·       Virginia Cooperative Extension

·       Virginia Tech Department of English

·       Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

·       Virginia Tech College of Architecture and Urban Studies

·       The Women and Minority Artists and Scholars Lecture Series"

Video, Article by @UAPVirginiaTech's Ralph Buehler on Cycling Research

UAP Assistant Professor Ralph Buehler recently spoke at the CyCity conference in Stockholm, Sweden on cycle planning in an international context, including policy development and trends.  The video is embedded below and Dr. Buehler's remarks begin at about the 40 minute point of the recording.

The panel was moderated by Dr. Pelle Envall and also included a presentation by Jörg Thiemann-Linden on cycle infrastructure design: state of the art in Europe and its role in increasing cycling. 



Dr. Buehler's research also was featured in a recent Atlantic Cities article, entitled "5 Reasons Germans Ride 5 Times More Mass Transit Than Americans." The story was based on a 2012 article by Dr. Buehler and Dr. John Pucher, “Demand for Public Transport in Germany and the USA: An Analysis of Rider Characteristics,” Transport Reviews, Vol. 32, No. 5, pp. 541-567.

He and Dr. Pucher are co-editors of the forthcoming book, City Cycling.  Pre-order your copy of the book at this link.

Planning as if People Matter: Governing for Social Equity (Video)

"American communities are changing fast: ethnic minority populations are growing, home ownership is falling, the number of people per household is going up, and salaries are going down. According to Marc Brenman and Thomas W. Sanchez, the planning field is largely unprepared for these fundamental shifts. If planners are going to adequately serve residents of diverse ages, races, and income levels, they need to address basic issues of equity. Planning as if People Matter offers practical solutions to make our communities more livable and more equitable for all residents."

Watch this video to learn more about this new book from UAP Professor Tom Sanchez.


Planning as if People Matter: Governing for Social Equity from Tom Sanchez on Vimeo.

Save the Date! University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) Symposium May 21-23, 2013

Via the Planet Listserve:

"UCGIS 2013 Symposium

Collaboration Across Communities: GIScience 2.0 and Beyond

Washington D.C.

Pre-Symposium Workshops on May 20, 2013

Symposium Dates: May 21-23, 2013

From the exposome to the biome, individuals, organizations and government agencies are collecting increasingly vast amounts of geographic information. The spatial, temporal and attribute granularity of such data are increasing every day, yet the communities, systems and infrastructures to support these data are often ad hoc and ephemeral. Without concerted attention to preserving the provenance, accessibility and community connections of these wide ranging data and systems, their true value may never be fully realized.

Join the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science for a three-day symposium addressing issues of big data to little data, global to local spatial data infrastructures and systems architectures, and the

potential roles for partnerships spanning academia, industry, government and professional societies. Join us in creating communities that lay the foundation for fostering sustainable knowledge production from ever-increasing data streams in the ever-widening disciplines of GIScience.

Come prepared to participate! 

Leave with new ideas, new partnerships and new collaborations."

Oct 16 Graduate School Information Session about Masters and PhD Pgms in Planning, Public Admin, Intl Affairs (National Capital Region)

Graduate School Information Session
Tuesday, October 16th

Virginia Tech's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) in the National Capital Region offers five graduate degree programs:

Masters of Public and International Affairs
Masters of Public Administration
Masters of Urban and Regional Planning

Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy
Ph.D. in Planning and Global Governance

The information session for the Masters programs will begin at 6 p.m.

The information session for the Ph.D. programs will begin at 7 p.m.

RSVP to email below is encouraged.

Another SPIA information session will be held on November 13.

More information...

Location:	1021 Prince Street, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA
Sponsor:	School of Public and International Affairs
Contact:	SPIAAlexandria@vt.edu

Town of Blacksburg Invites Participation in Update of Comprehensive Plan

From the Town of Blacksburg:

"The Town of Blacksburg is updating its Comprehensive Plan and needs input from you, the residents. The Town of Blacksburg wants to hear from YOU! Share your thoughts on the future of Blacksburg at any of our upcoming events.

This is your Town – be part of Blacksburg’s Future.

Stop by any of these events and let us know your vision for the future of Blacksburg.

Date	Time	Location	Event Description
Monday, October 22	7pm - 9pm	Blacksburg Motor Company Conference Room 400 South Main St.	Brief presentation at 7pm followed by an Open House
Tuesday, October 23	11am - 1pm	Graduate Life Center Lobby Virginia Tech	Open House
Tuesday, October 23	2pm - 5pm	Twitter Town Hall @Blacksburg_Gov #Bburg2046	Online Town Hall Session via Twitter
Wednesday, October 24	10am - 2pm	Blacksburg Community Center Lobby 725 Patrick Henry Dr.	Open House
Thursday, October 25	10am - 2pm & 5pm - 7pm	Community Arts Information Office 149 College Avenue (near The Lyric Theater)	Open House
Tuesday, November 6	7:30pm	Council Chambers Town Municipal Building 300 South Main Street	Planning Commission Public Hearing

Please check the Town Calendar at www.blacksburg.gov for any additional meetings or updates to the schedule of events. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Drake, Comprehensive Planner, Town of Blacksburg at kdrake@blacksburg.gov or (540) 961-1126."

Also see the attached flyer for more information about the Comprehensive Plan update.

Tuesdays at APA (Today, 10/16): The Australian Planning Experience

From APA-DC:

"You’re Invited!

Tuesdays at APA-DC
October 16 @ 5:30pm

The Australian Planning Experience
Speaker: William Chandler
Planning Institute of Australia

Australian planning and city design has evolved with strong influences from both Europe and North America. As a nation of immigrants, that evolution now increasingly embraces influences from Asia and other countries as the immigration mix diversifies. This presentation will tease out how those influences have interacted with the uniqueness of the Australian environment and culture, explore radical changes which are affecting planning approaches, and put forward ideas about how to meet the planning challenges for the 21st century.

CM | 1.0

RSVP for October 16 Tuesdays at APA

Learn more about this event and upcoming events on the APA website

Tuesdays at APA–DC

Join APA in Washington, D.C., each month for this after-work lecture and discussion series. Practicing planners, researchers, and professionals from allied fields discuss innovative ideas and concepts or present their latest projects. The events are free and open to APA members and nonmembers. Directions Please enter on 15th Street and check in with security desk American Planning Association - Headquarters 1030 15th Street, NW, Suite 750 West Washington, DC 20005 Metro – Farragut North (red line)             McPherson Square (orange/blue lines) Parking available in paid parking lots or on street Several Capital Bikeshare stations are also nearby We hope to see you there!"

Students explore social dimensions of sustainability at the Virginia Tech Center for European Studies and Architecture

by Barbara Micale

Riva San Vitale, location of VT's Sustainable Europe Program

"A group of 14 students headed to the Virginia Tech Center for European Studies and Architecture in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, this past summer, enrolled in a four-week, six-credit course developed by the School of Public and International Affairs to review the concept of sustainable development in a comparative context and to explore the social dimensions of sustainability."

Read more about the Sustainable Europe program and how you can participate at this link.

Upcoming FREE UMD Planning and Urban Studies Events

From the VT CASPA listserve:

"October 12-13, 2012: MAPP 40th Anniversary Events featuring David W. Orr and School Alumni

http://umdspa.wordpress.com/2012/10/03/school-of-architecture-planning-and-presevation-40th-anniversary-events/

October 16, 2012: Planning for Technology: Exploring broadband infrastructure, community wireless, and their ability to shape a neighborhood
http://umdspa.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/planning-for-technology/

October 30, 2012: LeFrak Lecture Featuring Dr. Sandra Rosenbloom, "Barriers to Creating Sustainable Intergenerational Community""  Learn more at http://www.eng.umd.edu/html/events/index.php?mode=4&id=7723.

Sat Oct 13: NCAC-APA Managing Public Conflict: Facilitation, Negotiation, and Mediation - Planners Bootcamp

From the APA-NoVa Listserve:

"MANAGING PUBLIC CONFLICT: FACILITATION, NEGOTIATION, AND MEDIATION
Saturday, October 13, 2012, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location: Edward M. Crough Center School of Architecture and Planning, at the Catholic University of America
Brookland-CUA Metro stop on the Redline

At various points all architecture, engineering, and planning projects encounter some degree of public controversy. Whether it is confronting the “not-in-my-backyard” (NIMBY) syndrome or balancing the conversation at a public meeting, architects, engineers, and planners have to know how to meaningfully consult with the public and manage conflict.

This half-day workshop provides an overview “alternative dispute resolution” techniques that address facilitation, negotiation, and mediation.

Planners Bootcamp: A Workshop for Students and New Professionals
Sponsored by: The Catholic University of America, School of Architecture and Planning (CUArch),
and National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association (NCAC-APA)

RSVP: planningdegree@cua.edu

To learn more about the Vision for a Sustainable DC, visit www.sustainable.dc.gov"

Vacants to Value: How Baltimore is tackling vacant properties

UAP Professor of Practice and Interim Director of the Metropolitan Institute Joe Schilling was recently interviewed on National Public Radio about how Baltimore is tackling vacant properties.

Read more and listen to the report at this link.

October 17 CPAP Special Event: The Seven Trends That Will Transform Local Government Through Technology

October 17 CPAP Special Event: 
The Seven Trends That Will Transform Local Government Through Technology

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 from 5 PM to 6:30 PM 

A CPAP Roundtable on Leadership and Administration 

Guest Speakers: Dr. Alan Shark, Executive Director, Public Technology Institute and Craig Fifer, MPA, Deputy Director of Communications, City of Alexandria, Virginia

Dr. Shark will share first-hand his thoughts on his new book, The Seven Trends that Will Transform Local Government Through Technology and lay out a vision for public managers at every level of government. He has interviewed hundreds of CIOs, city and county managers, and elected leaders that have helped shape many of his thought-leadership books over the past several years. As a case study, Mr. Fifer will highlight several of the City of Alexandria’s technological innovations that are transforming how the city serves the public today.

Free and open to the public, although registration is required 

Learn more and register at this link
http://cpapalexlocalgovtechn.eventbrite.com

Fall 2013 EPA Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships For Undergraduate Environmental Study

From the CBPR listserve:

"Details: http://1.usa.gov/QGBMHp

Close Date: 12/05/2012

Summary:  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), invites applications for the Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Fellowships for undergraduate environmentally-related study for bachelor's level students. Subject to availability of funding, the quality of applications received and other applicable considerations, the Agency plans to award approximately 40 new fellowships in the summer of 2013.

The fellowship provides up to $20,700 per year of academic support and $8,600 for internship support for a combined total of up to $50,000 over the life of the fellowship.  The GRO program enhances and supports quality environmental education for undergraduates, and thereby encourages them to continue their education beyond the baccalaureate level, and pursue careers in environmentally-related fields, such as biology, health, the social sciences, and engineering. The actual amount awarded per year will vary depending on the amount of tuition and fees and the number of months the stipend is required.

This fellowship is intended to help defray costs associated with environmentally-oriented study leading to a bachelor's degree."

#APA Chapters Host Maryland and Delaware Regional Conference, Oct 17-19

Via the APA NoVa Listserve:

"THE MARYLAND & DELAWARE REGIONAL CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 17 - 19, 2012

Join planning colleagues from across Maryland and Delaware for 3 days of information, inspiration and education. The theme of this year's MD-DE regional conference is "What makes a complete community?"

You will take a journey that explores the qualities that all great places share. Keynote speakers for the 2012 conference are: Paul Farmer, FAICP, Chief Executive Officer of APA; Mitchell Silver, AICP, President of the APA and Chief Planning and Economic Development Officer for the City of Raleigh, NC; and Robin Rather, well-known consultant specializing in planning communication, market research and strategy.

There are more than 40 sessions that provide the opportunity to earn up to 15 Certification Maintenance (CM) credits - including law and ethics. And, yes, Paul Farmer, himself, will present the Ethics Session. He is rolling out his "Ethics Case of the Year" at our conference!

We are pleased to announce that the early registration fee for APA members is the same as it was in 2010, and the early registration room rates are comparable as well. So you can save quite a bit by registering early! When you go to the conference website, check the sidebar. Sponsors' logos will be posted there as they come in.

If you are wondering how you could become a sponsor, advertise or have a booth or if you have any other questions about the conference, please check the sidebar. We put the contact list there, so don't hesitate to use it. Join the adventure! We want to see as many of you as possible at the conference this year, so we urge you to register early and plan to join us for a terrific regional conference.

Conference Co-Chairs Sharon K. Suarez, AICP President, Maryland Chapter of the APA

David L. Edgell, AICP, President, Delaware Chapter of the APA Jim Noonan, AICP, Vice-President, Maryland Chapter of the APA"

Washington DC Event Oct 16: Planning for Technology

From the YIPPS listserve:

"Planning for Technology
6:30PM Tuesday, October 16, 2012
New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW, Ste. 400
Washington, DC

Free and open to interested parties. Please RSVP.

Kansas City made headlines this year with the launch of the much-anticipated Google Fiber project. Excitement is high as Google’s Internet service is about to come online. Communities around the nation are recognizing that broadband Internet access is increasingly a local issue.

Even before 1,100 communities applied to be the site of the Google Fiber project, some cities around the country began constructing enhanced telecommunications infrastructure. They built their own fiber-optic networks to connect their area schools, hospitals and municipal offices. A few cities have gone further still and extended their local public networks to offer broadband services directly to their own residents.

As society continues its trend of digitalization, communities that lack easy and reliable access to communicate, both online and within the community, are at a growing disadvantage. Communications is a local issue. Yet, we often exclude issues of broadband access and Wi-Fi availability from urban planning discussions.

But it is not just local governments that are leading the way. Individual citizens are organizing themselves and creating neighborhood Wi-Fi mesh networks. These are member-driven projects where participants contribute their own equipment and expertise to build out Wi-Fi availability block by block. Beyond offering wireless Internet access, mesh networks offer new ways for citizens to engage with each other, as well as with local officials.

Join the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation’s Student Planning Association for a conversation about technology, communication, and local communities with the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute.

Overview of Google Fiber / Municipal Broadband Networks
Patrick Lucey
Policy Program Associate, Open Technology Institute, New America Foundation

Overview of Community Wireless Mesh Networking
Greta Byrum
Senior Field Analyst, Open Technology Institute, New America Foundation
M.Sc. Urban Planning, Columbia University

Report from the Ground: Organizing and Maintaining a Community Wireless Network
Preston Rhea
Field Program Associate, Open Technology Institute, New America Foundation
Organizer, Mt. Pleasant Community Wireless Network

Click here to RSVP."

Renee LoSapio Presents on GIS Project at Southeast Student Planning Conference

MURP student Renee LoSapio recently presented on the topic "Toward a Ubiquitous City: Wi-Fi Signal Survey and Mapping for the Town of Blacksburg" at the Southeast Student Planning Conference (SESPC) in Columbus, GA.  The paper highlighted a collaborative project with the Center for Geospatial Information Technology and Virginia Tech's Urban Affairs and Planning Program.

More than 60 students from 10 different schools registered for this inaugural conference.  Planning schools represented at the program included Virginia, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, UNC-Chapel Hill, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Florida, and Florida State.

This was the first Southeast Student Planning Conference that has been held, according to Bruce Stiftel from the Georgia Institute of Technology and part of the planning team, and it was organized by the Georgia Planning Association and Georgia Tech in conjunction with Georgia Planning Association (GPA) meetings.  Twenty-two students presented papers on a range of themes: Human Factors in Transportation Planning, Creating and Tracking Urban and Rural Jobs in the New Economy, Technology in Urban Planning, Public Participation that Works, Remaking Places and Developing Destinations, International Perspectives, and The Heartbeat of Healthy Communities. 

Stiftel also credited the organizing committee for the conference's success.  The Student Program Committee was chaired by Garrett Hyer (Georgia Tech) and included Dominick Ardis (Florida State University), Juan Castillo Jr. (University of Florida), Darren Cooper (Georgia Tech), Justine Crighton (University of Georgia), Richelle Gosman (Georgia Tech), Anna Harkness (Georgia Tech), Lamar Jabar (Virginia Commonwealth University), Renee LoSapio (Virginia Tech),  Spencer Moore (Auburn University), Abby Ness (University of Virginia), Christopher Pettit (Clemson University), Ted Ranney (Georgia Tech), Ashley Robertson (University of North Carolina), Christina Span (Georgia Tech), and Travis Voyles (Georgia Tech).   GPA members Brad Davis of Robert and Company and Bruce Stiftel, FAICP, of Georgia Tech advised the group.   Nisha Botchwey of Georgia Tech, Adam Hazell of Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, GPA President Laura Keyes of Atlanta Regional Commission, Jen Price of Sycamore Consulting, Rebecca Retclaff of Auburn, and Bruce Stiftel of Georgia Tech moderated the student sessions.   Stiftel also said GPA Conference Committee Chair Corey Hull and Conference Manger Elizabeth Trombetta were instrumental in organizing the conference. 

 

The South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association and Clemson University will host the next SE Student Planning Conference in Fall 2013 and it will take place in conjunction with SCAPA’s annual fall conference.

Visit the conference website at http://www.planning.gatech.edu/news/first-ever-southeast-student-planning-conference-co-organized-georgia-tech for more information about the program and the presentations.

OCtober 15-16 Symposium on Planning for States and Nation-States

From the Planet Listserve:

"On October 15-16, 2012, a symposium on planning for states and nation-states will be held in Dublin, Ireland.  The symposium will be jointly hosted by the School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy at the University College Dublin, the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.  The symposium will include paper presentations from leading scholars from the US and Europe and responses from seasoned planning practitioners at the regional, state, and national levels.  The symposium will offer fresh new information for those interested in comparative planning, European spatial planning, state planning, regional planning and intergovernmental planning relationships.

More information, including a schedule of events, and some of the papers are now available at  http://www.ucd.ie/gpep/events/seminarsworkshopsconferences/natplansymp2012/.  Additional papers, comments, and presentations will be posted prior to the symposium.

Unfortunately, there are no more available seats at the symposium, but the conference will be streamed over the web.  To catch the webstream go to the conference website and click on Watch Online.

Inquiries about the symposium can be sent to Gerrit Knaap (gknaap@umd.edu) or Zorica Nedovic-Budic  (zorica.nedovic-budic@ucd.ie).

We hope to see you on line.

  

Planning for States and Nation-States: A TransAtlantic Perspective 

Symposium Overview

The symposium, Planning for States and Nation-States: A TransAtlantic Perspective, will examine the process, contents, and implementation of National Spatial Strategies in Europe and State Development Plans and planning frameworks in the United States. Such comparisons must be conducted carefully. State development plans and frameworks in the United States and national spatial strategies in Europe have distinctly different conceptual roots and administrative foundations. European nations and US states are probably more different than alike in geography, culture, economic structure, political institutions, and other aspects that pertain to planning at the supra-local scale.

But national spatial strategies and state development plans and frameworks face many of the same challenges. As inherently intergovernmental endeavors, successful implementation requires extensive vertical integration across various levels of government, horizontal integration across functional agencies within each level of government, and spatial articulation of concepts and policies at various geographic scales. The comparison, therefore, is potentially valuable.

Five states and five nations will be represented and discussed.  Specifically, state case studies will include Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, all with some form of state development plan, and Oregon and California, states with no explicit state development plan but unique state planning frameworks. There will also be an overview of state and federal planning frameworks in the US and an overview of the European Spatial Development Strategy.  Case studies from Europe will include The Netherlands, Denmark, and Ireland, all with some form of national spatial plan, and France and Great Britain, nations with no national plan but unique national planning frameworks.  For each case study, an academic will present a paper followed by commentary from a local practitioner."

NoVa Workshop on Eating –And Growing–The SUPERFOODS

From Virginia Cooperative Extension:

"Come and learn about what to grow for high nutrition in the schoolyard or home and community garden - and why.

Eating –And Growing–

The SUPERFOODS

October 17th 7:00pm -9:00 pm

Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St. Arlington VA 

 Always wondered what you would grow easily that would be the best for you to grow here?

Always wondered which foods you could grow yourself that would give you the most nutrition for your effort?

This program for beginning and advanced gardeners and cooks will explore cultural practices as well as preparation guidelines for including SUPERFOODS in your diet. Based on Tonia Reinhardts book: SUPERFOODS: A Roadmap to Healthier Eating and current research being conducted at Virginia State University. Kirsten Buhls, Agriculture Extension Agent and VCE Master Food Volunteers will give a program on growing- and preparing- the most nutritious, easiest to grow SUPERFOODS for our urban Northern VA area. 

Free and Open to the Public  

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Please call:  703 228 6414 or email the VCE Horticulture Help Desk: ex013mg@vt.edu

If you are a person with a disability and need any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact the Arlington office of Virginia Cooperative Extension (703) 228-6400/TDD/PC 1-800-1120 during business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM to discuss accommodation at least 5 business days prior to the event"