The University of Maryland’s Office of International Affairs has awarded Uri Avin, Research Professor and Director of the Planning and Design Center at the National Center for Smart Growth (NCSG) a Global Partnerships-Faculty Travel Grant. He received the grant for his dual project “Implementing Statewide Planning Reforms – Opportunities for Collaboration between Maryland and Israel,” with Haifa University, and “Statewide Sustainability Planning,” with Tel Aviv University. The grant will help fund Avin’s continuing work in land use planning and sustainability with colleagues at both universities and help promote international partnerships on behalf of the University.
“Uri’s outreach, expertise and applied research here and abroad have provided us with very valuable perspectives on sustainable planning,” says Gerrit Knaap, director of the National Center for Smart Growth. “I am very pleased he’s been recognized for the important work he’s doing. Our state will benefit greatly from our collaborative work with Israel.”
Avin is a nationally recognized smart growth expert with over 40 years of experience in both public and private sector planning and design. His proposal was selected out of a pool of 25 applicants by a diverse faculty jury. The $5000 grant, which will go towards travel expenses, will be augmented with an additional $1000 from the NCSG.
To read more about Avin’s research efforts both regionally and abroad, click here. For more information on the programs offered at the Office of International Affairs, visit their website.