SCaRP Fall 2025 Semester Highlights |
|
|
Dear all,
This Fall semester has been full, fast-paced, and energizing. We had many highlights to celebrate, and I’m pleased to share our Fall Highlights with you.
This semester marked the launch of our new undergraduate major, the Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics, and we hosted a successful Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) site visit. We were also excited to welcome our largest entering cohort since 2021. As we head into the break, I hope you have the chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy the holiday season. Looking ahead, the Spring semester promises to be an exciting one, with several upcoming School Seminar Series speakers and other activities on the horizon.
Thank you for your engagement, energy, and contributions to our School community. We are proud of all that you have accomplished this semester.
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Gulsah Akar
SCaRP Chair
|
|
|
New Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics Kicks Off
|
Since the launch of the new undergraduate program, Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics, interest has exceeded expectations. This program is the first of its kind that responds directly to a growing demand from local governments and the private sector for graduates who can connect data, design, and policy to solve pressing urban challenges. Read more about the program here.
|
|
|
Here’s a quick look at key events we hosted this semester!
|
|
|
The Student Planning Association (SPA) transformed campus parking spaces into temporary public parks, using interactive installations to spark conversations about public space, land use, and pedestrian-centered design. Read more about Park(ing) Day here.
|
GPA & SCaRP Networking Reception
|
Students, alumni, and practitioners gathered for the annual Georgia Planning Association and SCaRP reception on the Clough rooftop, strengthening connections across Georgia’s planning community. Read more here.
|
SCaRP at the ACSP Conference
|
Our students and faculty had a great time at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning - ACSP 2025 65th Annual Conference in Minneapolis.
Congratulations to all 13 presenters—eight PhD students, two Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) students, one PhD student in Civil Engineering, and three faculty members—for showcasing Georgia Tech’s cutting-edge research on housing, mobility, technology, and climate resilience.
PhD Students (SCaRP):
Chaneum Park – Collaborative Robot Adoption in Small Manufacturers
Eunjee Son – Housing Cost Pressures Near Prominent Firm Entries
Shinah Park – Thermal Comfort and Travel Mode Preferences
Jaegeon Lee – Economic Vitality in Retail Clusters
Mengjue Zhu – Flood Risk and Property Values
Seung Jae Lieu – Age Heterogeneity in Bike Share Route Choice
Chaeyeon Han – Evacuation Destinations During Hurricane Milton
SungHo Synn – Street-Level Transit Accessibility
MCRP Students:
SungHo Synn: Street-level transit accessibility: Integrating bus stop quality and transit user locations
Hojung Yu: How do mobility patterns affect extreme heat exposure while walking and biking?
Faculty Presenters:
Gulsah Akar: No school bus, no problem? How students get to school without bus service
Rounaq Basu: How do people adapt their multimodal travel behavior to extreme heat?
Yiyi He: A global evaluation of flood impacts on road networks informs resilience investments
These projects represent the breadth of SCaRP’s commitment to advancing planning research and addressing real-world challenges.
|
Following tradition the Student Planning Association (SPA) collectively discussed the special guest lecturer for Wold Town Planning Day and invited April Stammel. April, from South Downtown Atlanta, discussed the revitalization efforts and the role of community engagement in shaping urban futures.
|
SCaRP students and faculty celebrated World GIS Day with a lively afternoon of learning and collaboration. The event featured an alumni panel with Hanh Huynh (MS-GIST ’24), Matteo Saracco (MCRP + MSCE ’24 ), Sanica Manglorkar (MCRP ’25), and Charlie Brummeler (MS-GIST ’24), who shared how GIS is used across industries and offered advice on visualization, analytics, and communication skills. We were also glad to welcome Ana Santos (MS-GD 24'), who connected with students before and after the panel to discuss her work and experiences in geospatial practice. The celebration concluded with a spirited GIS trivia competition—connecting students, alumni, and faculty through a shared love of spatial thinking and mapping innovation. Read the full article here.
|
The SCaRP and SPA communities gathered for the annual SCaRPsgiving potluck, celebrating connection, gratitude, and the supportive culture that defines our School.
|
The 5th Georgia Institute of Technology Future Airport and Aerotropolis Urban Design by Digital Twins Symposium of the interdisciplinary Smart City Workshop showcased graduate students' cutting-edge research on digital twins for future airports and aerotropolis design, tackling challenges like resilient airport systems, carbon-neutral planning, and advanced mobility. The project is realized in partnership with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance, Inc., ATL Airport, Community Improvement Districts, Georgia Tech Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems and all area stakeholders!
Kudos to all the participating students from the Georgia Tech School of City & Regional Planning, Georgia Tech School of Architecture, and Georgia Tech Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and professors Perry P Yang, Michael Balchanos, and Dr. Dimitri Mavris!
|
We honored our summer and fall semester graduates in City and Regional Planning, Urban Analytics, and Geographic Information Science & Technology. Their vision and dedication will shape the future of cities and communities!
|
This semester, SCaRP welcomed a lineup of guest speakers who shared their insights and experiences with our students and faculty.
|
|
|
Fall Seminar: Joseph Kutzin
Global health economist Joseph Kutzin shared lessons from 40 years of international health reform with the WHO, focusing on how health systems intersect with place, community, and governance.
"The Uneven Path": Dr Maryam Hosseini
Dr. Maryam Hosseini, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning at UC Berkley gave a lecture demonstrating how interactive visual analytics enable more transparent, responsive, and equitable urban decision-making in the pedestrian realm, where the uneven path remains a silent indicator of whose access is still conditional.
"Planning as Medicine: Transportation, Land Use, and Well-being of Older Adults in India": Dr Sandip Chakrabarti
Dr. Chakrabarti is the JSW Endowed Chair in Innovation and Public Policy, and Associate Professor and Chair of Public Systems at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. His lecture discussed wether carelessness as well as lack of outdoor physical activity and recreational socialization are associated with reduced life satisfaction and increased depression, and also whether depression partially mediates the pathways to life (dis)satisfaction.
"Data-driven Planning and Modeling in Wildfire Research Using Geospatial Data Science and Network Science": Minho Kim
Minho Kim is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. He discussed his utilization of network science to model wildfires to inform policy making.
"Enhancing Climate Resilience through Collaboration among Academics, Public Agencies, and Local Communities- Cases from California": Dr. Weimin Li
Dr. Weimin Li is a Professor of Landscape Architecture at California State Polytechnic University, Sonoma and current chair of the Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board (LAAB). Her talk underscored the importance of multi scalar collaboration, across institutions, agencies and communities, in addressing climate injustice and strengthening resilience through community-driven strategies.
|
A snapshot of some of the amazing things our faculty and students have accomplished this semester.
|
Faculty Highlights: Selection of Recent Activities and Publications |
|
|
Brian Stone Featured in Multiple Outlets
Dr. Brian Stone appeared on WABE’s Closer Look to discuss Atlanta’s new smart surfaces ordinance and the science of cool roofs. Listen here.
He also published an article in the Berggruen Institute's Noema magazine. He argued that projects like East Harlem’s Sendero Verde demonstrate how affordable housing can also strengthen economic and environmental resilience, reframing the climate conversation from carbon reduction to everyday stability and equity. Read the article here.
Gregory Randolph on Urbanization & Inequality
Dr. Gregory Randolph joined the In Common podcast to discuss urbanization and equitable development. Listen here.
Randolph & Stone Co-Author AJC Article on Beltline Rail
Dr. Gregory Randolph and Dr. Brian Stone authored a widely circulated Atlanta Journal Constitution commentary advocating for the Beltline’s long-promised light-rail vision. Read here.
Paige Clayton Publishes New JPER Article
Director of MCRP Dr. Paige Clayton published “The (Uneven) Spatial Distribution of Entrepreneurial Support Organizations in the Regional Ecosystem” in the Journal of Planning Education and Research. Read more here.
Rounaq Basu on Extreme Heat & Mobility
Dr. Rounaq Basu discussed the NO-HEAT initiative—linking heat exposure and pedestrian activity—on WABE’s Closer Look. Listen here.
Bruce Stiftel’s ISOCARP Chapter Launch & ACSP Outstanding Service Award
Professor Emeritus Dr. Bruce Stiftel, FAICP, co-authored a chapter in 60 Years ISOCARP: A Legacy of Planning Impacts, tracing ISOCARP’s global influence on the New Urban Agenda and SDG 11. Read more here.
He was awarded the Outstanding Service Award by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning - ACSP Global Planning Educators Interest Group. His short acceptance remarks are noteworthy: a recording is available here.
Tony Giarrusso at the Georgia Resiliency Conference
Tony Giarrusso, Associate Director of the Center for Urban Research and Analytics (CURA) and the program director for the Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning and Spatial Analytics, moderated the Local and State GIS Efforts session, which highlighted how mapping, UAV imagery, and geospatial data are transforming Georgia’s climate resilience strategies. Read more about the conference here.
|
GeoGuessr World Champion
MCRP student Radu Casapu earned 1st place at the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship in Copenhagen, winning $50,000 and beating 16 top competitors from around the world. His precision in spatial reasoning mirrors the analytical mindset he brings to planning at Georgia Tech. Read more about it here.
ULI Atlanta Etkin Scholar
MCRP student Jenna Muschong was selected as a 2025–2026 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta Etkin Scholar, joining a distinguished cohort engaged in real estate leadership, professional mentorship, and regional partnerships.
Center for Urban Research Fellows
Eunjee Son (PhD) and Sam Duong (MS-UA) were named among the inaugural CUR Graduate Fellows, recognized for advancing applied research that strengthens equity, community development, and urban resilience.
WTS Atlanta Leadership Award
MCRP student Grace Fraser received the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) Atlanta Bridgette Beato Leadership Legacy Fund Award, honoring women graduate students who demonstrate leadership in transforming transportation systems.
Student Leadership: Mayor’s College Night
MCRP student Empress Henry-Logan's outreach to Mayor Andre Dickens led to the "Mayor's College Night" for aspiring planners to connect with Mayor Andre Dickens' staff and the Department of City Planning. The event brought together 126 students from Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and local high schools to discuss the future of Atlanta, from housing affordability to the Beltline. Read the full article here.
|
APA National Planning Awards
SCaRP alumna Roxanne Raven, (MCRP 23') and her team at TSW were honored with the 2025 American Planning Association’s Daniel Burnham Award for Comprehensive Planning for their work on Gwinnett County’s 2045 Unified Plan. Read more about the plan here.
MCRP alumni Sarah McColley (MCRP 13'), Ed Caddell (MCRP 20'), and Carlos F. Perez (MCRP 14') and their team's work on the Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study earned the 2025 American Planning Association National Planning Award for Advancing Diversity and Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff. Read more about it here.
Metro Atlanta Speaks: Housing Affordability
Ann Carpenter (PhD ’13) and Bill Huang (MS-UA ’23) were featured on the North Fulton Voices podcast to discuss findings from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Metro Atlanta Speaks survey. The 2025 results revealed that housing affordability surpassed traffic, crime, and the economy as the region’s top concern for the first time in 12 years.
Their discussion highlighted how data-driven insights can inform housing policy, address affordability gaps, and guide future regional planning decisions. Listen here.
Carly Queen Profiled by VoyageATL
Carly Queen (MCRP + MSCE ’16), was featured in the VoyageATL Hidden Gems series for her leadership as the founder of Aurora Innovative Solutions. In the interview, Carly reflected on her path from dual degrees in planning and civil engineering at Georgia Tech to launching her own consultancy focused on transportation and community development in Atlanta. Read the full feature here.
|
|
|
One last thing... We would love to brag about you, so please email us with your accomplishments!
|
|
|
Manage your preferences | Opt Out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.
|
245 Fourth Street, NW | Atlanta, GA 30322-0155 US
|
|
|
This email was sent to atraykova3@gatech.edu.
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
|
|
|
|
