MAPP News
The Equity Lynchpin: Why planners should re-think the role of schools
Ariel Bierbaum joined the University of Maryland’s Urban Planning Program in January 2017 after completing her Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. While a seasoned planner with over 15 years of experience in community development and public policy, Ariel turned her attention to the U.S. public education system during her time at Berkeley, after discovering through her work in participatory planning that public schools are “the lynchpin” to creating equitable, thriving communities. It’s a complex issue Ariel knows is imperative to tackle.View Article Details for The Equity Lynchpin: Why planners should re-think the role of schools 
Dr. Marccus Hendricks Joins Urban Studies and Planning Program
Dr. Marccus Hendricks will join the University of Maryland’s Urban Studies and Planning Program this fall as an incoming Assistant Professor. With a research and practice agenda rooted in environmental justice, Hendricks’ interests focus on how infrastructure, environmental outcomes and neighborhood forces interact to affect people’s everyday lives and their lives during times of extreme events. He specializes in infrastructure planning and management, environmental planning and hazard and disaster mitigation.View Article Details for Dr. Marccus Hendricks Joins Urban Studies and Planning Program 
Planning Life After Retirement: Dr. Jim Cohen
Dr. Jim Cohen, Senior Lecturer and former Director of the Urban Studies and Community Planning Program, retires this summer after 27 years at the University of Maryland. Jim was integral in shaping the program, leveraging his passion for environmental planning to bring new coursework and opportunities to the school, including community projects in Baltimore and Prince George’s County. He engineered the university’s National Center for Smart Growth, which was developed to leverage the expertise of multiple university programs. Dr.View Article Details for Planning Life After Retirement: Dr. Jim Cohen 
Dr. Willow Lung-Amam Promoted with Tenure to Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning
Willow Lung-Amam has been promoted with tenure to Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning by the University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She serves as Director of Community Development with the National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) and teaches courses in urban inequality and diversity, social planning and community development.View Article Details for Dr. Willow Lung-Amam Promoted with Tenure to Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning