Regional + City Planning Assistant Professor C. Aujean Lee has published two articles with a team that investigated urban planning student climate and diversity issues.
The articles, published in Journal of Planning Education and Research and Planning Practice & Research, analyze and summarize the findings of a nationwide survey and interviews, focusing on recommendations for planning education and planning practice.
Below, you’ll find links to the full articles, as well as abstracts describing this research.
“Where are we going? Where have we been?: The Climate for Diversity within Urban Planning Educational Programs”
By Andrew Greenlee, April Jackson, Ivis Garcia, C. Aujean Lee, & Benjamin Chrisinger. Published in the Journal of Planning Education and Research (2018). Link to full text.
Abstract: This paper summarizes findings from a nationwide survey of degree-seeking urban planning students regarding the climate for diversity within their degree programs. This study examines interactions within the classroom, with faculty, with peers, and with professional planners. From May to October 2016, we surveyed 451 students and conducted in-depth interviews with 25 students. Our results show that while the majority of students report a positive climate for diversity within their programs, many still report occurrences of bias and discrimination, describe the shortcomings of a lack of planning faculty diversity, and perceive persistent challenges around diversity within planning practice.
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Thinh "Henry" Duong, a master's student in the Division of Interior Design, for earning first place in the 2026 Robert Bruce Thompson Annual Student Light Fixture Design Competition.
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