UTA Department of Public Affairs and Planning

Dr. Jiwon Suh, Associate Professor of Public Affairs, is representing the Department of Public Affairs and Planning at the 27th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (DG.O) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha this June, organized by the Digital Government Society. 🤖🌐 She will present her paper as the lead researcher for the Texas team of the SAIL-Gov at Panel (241): “AI Integration and Utilization: HRM, CAIO Leadership, and Trust across Diverse Contexts—The U.S. Midwest, Texas, and South Korea (SAIL-Gov II).” If you’re attending DG.O, be sure to connect with Dr. Suh and the SAIL-Gov team as they share insights on AI, leadership, and the future of digital government. 🔗 DG.O full program: https://lnkd.in/dExDfMpe 🔗 About NextGov Lab: https://lnkd.in/dcSGezvM #utapapl #utacappa #DigitalGovernmentResearch #dgo2026 #DGS #digitalgovernment #publicadministration #technologyinnovation #AIinGovernment #AIResearch #PublicPolicy

Congratulations to James Sharp, AICP, on being awarded the prestigious Krishnan Rajeshwar and Rohini Krishnan Graduate Fellowship! 🎉 This fellowship will support his impactful dissertation research on how rural planners navigate the governance challenges of renewable energy transitions—including survey research, case‑study fieldwork, and deep engagement with rural communities shaping the future of sustainable energy. 🌄🔋 James is a doctoral candidate in Urban Planning & Public Policy (UPPP), and his work bridges local governance, land‑use systems, and intermediary planning practice to advance equitable and sustainable energy development. Beyond academia, James serves as Outreach Manager at the Appalachian Energy Center. He teaches as an adjunct instructor at Appalachian State University—continuing his commitment to energy education, workforce development, and rural community engagement. 🌍 We’re thrilled to celebrate this well‑deserved recognition! #utapapl #RenewableEnergy #Sustainability #UrbanPlanning #CommunityEngagement #StudentSpotlight

We are proud to share that the Student Planning Association (SPA) at the University of Texas at Arlington has been named the 2026 Outstanding Planning Student Organization by the American Planning Association. 🏆 This national recognition highlights SPA’s commitment to mentorship, professional development, and community‑centered planning. Through workshops, site tours, speaker series, and hands‑on projects across the DFW region, SPA continues to create meaningful opportunities that connect academic learning with real‑world impact. Congratulations to our student leaders and members whose dedication made this achievement possible. 👏 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gWhJ7YwP #utacappa #utapapl #UrbanPlanning #APA #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #PlanningStudents #StudentSuccess #CommunityImpact #DFW

Celebrating 50 years of the UTA Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program and looking ahead to the next 50 years of planning for North Texas. Last week's anniversary event brought together distinguished speakers, including Silvia Vargas, FAICP, LEED AP, ANGELA D. BROOKS, FAICP, and Vince Tam, AIA, AICP, for an engaging discussion moderated by Dr. Deden Rukmana on the challenges and opportunities ahead. 🏘️🚇 From housing and transportation to infrastructure, policy, and community resilience, the panel explored what North Texas must plan for as we support and inspire the next generation of city planners. 🤝 A huge thank‑you to our co-hosts: American Planning Association - Texas Chapter - North Central Section, American Planning Association - Texas Chapter - Midwest Section, and the Student Planning Association (SPA) for bringing our planning community together to honor this milestone and envision the future. 🔗 Full album: https://lnkd.in/g7hQBQR4 #utapapl #utacappa #utamcrp #MCRP50 #NorthTexas #UrbanPlanning #CityPlanning #FortWorth #Dallas #Arlington #CommunityDevelopment #Housing #Transportation #Infrastructure #PolicyPlanning

How do you plan for a city of 31 million? Dr. Deden Rukmana’s new co-edited book, Growth of a Megacity, offers one of the most comprehensive analyses of Jakarta’s rapid evolution and the challenges facing megacities in the Global South. 🏙️ Don’t miss the public in-person book launch this April at UTA—details below. 📆 Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026 🕧 Time: 6:00 – 7:30 PM (Central Time CST) 📍 Where: Nedderman Hall 100 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gVE4-dn5 #utacappa #utapapl #UrbanResearch #AcademicPublishing #UrbanScholars #PlanningEducation #UrbanPolicy #ResearchImpact

Celebrating 50 years of the UTA Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) program and looking ahead to the next 50 years of planning in North Texas. 🎉 Join us for a 2-day event, featuring a discussion of UTA's contributions to planning in North Texas. A panel of speakers, including Planning Administrator with Calvin, Giordano & Associates and President-Elect of the AICP Commission, Silvia Vargas, FAICP, LEED AP, and Past American Planning Association (APA) President, ANGELA D. BROOKS, FAICP, will discuss the next 50 years of North Texas we need to plan for, including housing, transportation, infrastructure, policy, and more, as we continue to support future generations of city planners. 🏘️🚇 🤝 Hosted by the American Planning Association - Texas Chapter - North Central Section, American Planning Association - Texas Chapter - Midwest Section, the Student Planning Association (SPA), and the Department of Public Affairs and Planning (PAPL) at UTA. 🔗 Register link: https://lnkd.in/gH9y_w2U #utapapl #utacappa #utamcrp #NorthTexas #UrbanPlanning #CityPlanning #FortWorth #Dallas #Arlington #CommunityDevelopment #Housing #Transportation #Infrastructure #PolicyPlanning

Celebrating Dr. Jiseul Kim, our Assistant Professor in Public Affairs & Planning, for her role as Co‑PI on a newly awarded 2‑year, $334,108 grant from The Water Research Foundation (WRF) led by Dr. Kyeong Ryu. This interdisciplinary project—"The Foundations of Water Resource Planning: Guidance for Establishing Water Utility Service Levels" — will develop a comprehensive framework to help water utilities clearly define and apply service levels across planning, operations, and asset management. By integrating international best practices with advanced approaches such as Robust Decision Making (RDM) and Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP), the team aims to support utilities in navigating climate change, demographic shifts, and equity‑focused initiatives. Congratulations to Dr. Kim on this significant achievement and her impactful contributions to strengthening resilient and equitable water resource planning. 👏 💧

CAPPA Students! Join us for the 2026 CAPPA Forum: Research & Creative Works Symposium on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. 📝 💡   All CAPPA classes will be canceled for the day, and students are expected to participate in the symposium. This event will count toward your academic engagement for the semester.   The symposium is a full-day celebration of innovation, scholarship, and creative inquiry across CAPPA. It’s a great opportunity to see the work your classmates and faculty are doing, explore this year’s theme—Designing the Future Metropolis—and engage with ideas shaping our cities and communities. 🕙 Time: 8:30 AM (Registration Opens); sessions throughout the day 📍 Location: CAPPA 2nd & 3rd Floors, and the Gallery 🔗 More information: https://lnkd.in/gmX_auBi #utacappa #CAPPAForum #CAPPAForum2026 #symposium #CAPPAsymposium

Proud to congratulate Dr. Ariadna Reyes-Sánchez and Dr. Malini Roy on having their project, “Disaster Preparedness in Peripheral Unincorporated Communities: A Case Study in the Freedom Colony of Sand Branch,” selected as an awardee of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s Request for Proposals (RFP) on Heirs Property and Disaster Relief and Preparedness. 🎉 The project will develop a comprehensive roadmap for disaster preparedness focused on heirs properties in underserved, unincorporated communities in Dallas County. 🏙️ 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gXMK_Qpy #utapapl #utacappa #ResearchImpact #CommunityResilience #DisasterPreparedness #UrbanPlanning #CommunityDevelopment

“I am very honored and energized to have been chosen for the symposium.” Join us in congratulating Dr. Malini Roy on her selection to the National Academy of Sciences’ 2026 Frontiers of Science Symposia—an extraordinary recognition of her contributions to multi-hazard planning, policy, and community resilience. 👏 🔭 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dhx-8Qf3 #utapapl #utacappa #NationalAcademyOfSciences #UrbanPlanning #ResearchExcellence #facultysportlight #facultyfriday #ClimateResilience #WomenInSTEM