The Case for a K-12 Planning Education 

By Isabel Soberal What would it look like to incorporate principles of urban planning into the K-12 curriculum in U.S schools—could it be the answer to apathy planners are looking for? Dr. Thomas Campanella’s 2011 article, entitled “Jane Jacobs and the Death and Life of American Planning,” reflects on the canonization of Jane Jacobs by grassroots activists, not necessarily for the overall betterment of the … Continue reading The Case for a K-12 Planning Education 

From Archives) What XKCD Can Teach You About Planning

This post was originally published on March 27, 2018, and is one of the most viewed articles in 2022.  By Nora Schwaller XKCD is a beloved, online nerd comic that primarily involves esoteric jokes about physics and math with a healthy dose of snark. But that’s not all these humble stick figures provide. They can also offer valuable insight and lessons into some of the … Continue reading From Archives) What XKCD Can Teach You About Planning

UNC’s Community Workshop Series (CWS)

By Rachael Brittain Managing our day to day lives is becoming increasingly difficult without the use of modern technology. However, approximately 32 million people in the United States do not have the skills to confidently navigate and utilize computers [1]. Computer skills are increasingly fundamental in K-12 schools, with much of a child’s educational experience built around technology and internet use. Adults who did not … Continue reading UNC’s Community Workshop Series (CWS)

District Energy and Sustainability at UNC

By Amy Sechrist Have you ever wondered how your physics class is heated? How the student union stays cool in the summer? Or even just what powers the lights in the library? These questions might not seem that interesting, but when you consider that a campus like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has more than 175 buildings to heat, cool and power, these … Continue reading District Energy and Sustainability at UNC

DCRP Master’s Project Preview

UNC’s top-ranked master’s program is designed to successfully prepare students for professional planning practice. A central component of the curriculum is a final capstone project, an ‘MP,’ which provides an opportunity for students to apply the skills and knowledge they’ve developed in the classroom and demonstrate their readiness for practice. But the MP is also a space for students to engage with pressing social and … Continue reading DCRP Master’s Project Preview

DCRP Master’s Project Preview

UNC’s top-ranked master’s program is designed to successfully prepare students for professional planning practice. A central component of the curriculum is a final capstone project, an ‘MP,’ which provides an opportunity for students to apply the skills and knowledge they’ve developed in the classroom and demonstrate their readiness for practice. But the MP is also a space for students to engage with pressing social and … Continue reading DCRP Master’s Project Preview

Essential Urbanist Documentaries from the National Film Board of Canada

The National Film Board of Canada–NFB (Office National du Film du Canada–ONF) was established as the National Film Commission in 1939 during the third government of Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King. As Canada’s public film producer and distributor, the NFB’s mission as set forth in the National Film Act of 1950 has been “to produce and distribute and to promote the production and distribution … Continue reading Essential Urbanist Documentaries from the National Film Board of Canada

UNC City and Regional Planning Kicks off New Student Research Seminar Series

This semester, the Department of City and Regional Planning is kicking off a new event series. The Student Research Seminar Series gives a few students each month an opportunity to present on a research project they’re working on. Recognizing that good research requires a team effort, these seminars give students a chance to solicit feedback and advice on their work, while also practicing their presentation … Continue reading UNC City and Regional Planning Kicks off New Student Research Seminar Series

UNC City and Regional Planning Students Head to Buffalo for ACSP 2018

This week in Buffalo, NY is the annual conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, the preeminent meeting in the country for academic planners. UNC City and Regional Planning will be well represented this year, with a number of Ph.D. students attending to present on everything from coastal resilience in North Carolina to economic development in Brazil. To get a taste of the … Continue reading UNC City and Regional Planning Students Head to Buffalo for ACSP 2018

Astronaut. Athlete. Artist. Why not Urban Planner?

What do you want to be when you grow up? This is the definitive question of childhood, with the answers often changing…quickly. 2nd grade career aspirations went something like this: Monday, I’ll be a scientist; Tuesday, an artist; and by Friday, a professional soccer player. For many kids, the notion of urban planning as a career is never on the table—planning isn’t the most common … Continue reading Astronaut. Athlete. Artist. Why not Urban Planner?