E-Bulletin November 17, 2005

Planning, Policy and Design

E-Bulletin November 17, 2005

UC IRVINE / PPD COOL STUFF UPDATE / 2005.11.17

From the UCI Department of Planning, Policy, and Design (PPD)
One in an occasional series for PPD supporters and prospective students

||||| VISITOR DAY for PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS (see below) |||||

In this issue:

* PhD students at Kansas City conference
* Famous scholar examines “schmoos"

* Upcoming colloquia
* Student leaders rise and succeed
* PPD kudos
* Visitor Day for prospective applicants
* READER FAVORITE: Ask the Grad Advisor

KANSAS CITY and ALL THAT JAZZ

Irvine doctoral students delivered research presentations at the annual meeting of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), in Kansas City during late October. Mariela Alfonzo reported on the impact of shopping mall rejuvenation on sense of community, Mike Powe reported on the evaluation of a neighborhood revitalization program, and Ann Taufen Wessells reported on the organizational dynamics of planning a waterfront park. Also presenting their research were faculty members Ajay Garde, Victoria Beard, Kris Day, and Marlon Boarnet. Meanwhile, faculty members Ken Chew and Jean-Daniel Saphores engaged in field research at a jazz club in the13th & Vine Jazz Redevelopment District.

STANDING ROOM (FOR SCHMOOS ONLY)

A delighted audience of more than 60 enjoyed a dramatic reading of vintage Lil' Abner comic strips by University of Wisconsin sociologist Erik Olin Wright. Wright’s performance spotlighted the lovable but ultimately pernicious "schmoo" from the bestiary of Lil' Abner author Al Capp. Wright’s November 10th colloquium, "Rethinking Inequality," was sponsored by the department's Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC).

UPCOMING SPEAKERS

Thursday, November 17. "The Labor Market for Drivers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach," Kristen Monaco, California State University, Long Beach. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306.

Thursday, January 19. "Things Your Mother Never Told You About Planning," Al Bell, The Planning Center. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I room 306.

Thursday, February 2. “Planning as Anticipation of Resistance," Bish Sanyal, MIT. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306.

Thursday, February 16. “Southern California’s Future: Opportunities for Success and Impediments to Change," Rich Gollis, The Concord Group. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306.

PLANNING STUDENT LEADERS RISE and SUCCEED

Rising officers in PPD's Planning Student Organization (PSO) will be succeeded by their junior counterparts. Waen Messner (outgoing President) will be succeeded by Anna Brendle and Eva Chang. Suzy Kim (outgoing VP/Secretary) will be succeeded by Moises Aceves. Outgoing treasurers Dave Mason and Lan Nguyen will be succeeded by Cassie Kifer. Joanna Chang and Crystal Murphy will fill the newly created Service/Philanthropy Chair. Travis Seaward and Lesley Whittaker (outgoing Social Chairs) will be succeeded by Matt Foulkes and Azurde Harris. The Alumni Chair will be filled by Robin Kearns for rising Kimberly Wong. Jarett Jensen and Jessica Nixon (rising Communication Chairs) will be succeeded by Seth Connolly and Jared Eskenazi. Finally, Mikey Powe is the incoming doctoral student representative.

MORE PPD KUDOS

Marie Williamson completed her dissertation, " Planning for Modern-Day Public Forum Spaces: New Urbanism and the Challenges of Hosting the American Public Realm."

Kris Day has been awarded conference funding for “Southern California’s New Suburban Reality: Inequality and Demographic Change in Orange County."

Dan Stokols, with colleagues at the National Cancer Institute, organized a conference on new directions in Transdisciplinary Research, Training, and Health Policy, held in Bethesda, Maryland, on October 10th.

Raul Lejano and John Whiteley (Environmental Health, Science, and Policy) received a grant from the Marisla Foundation to pursue field research on environmental regulation in the Turtle Islands, a Pacific islands chain astride the Philippines-Indonesia border.

Marlon Boarnet was interviewed live on November 3 concerning his research on the impact of Wal-Mart's entry into the grocery business by CNBC's "On the Money."

VISITOR DAY AT PPD

Visitor Day will be held Thursday, December 1, 2005. This day is for:

*Prospective masters and doctoral applicants
*Prospective applicants who were unable to attend our earlier visitor events
*Those who would like to follow up on an earlier visit.

The activities will include:
*Small group Q & A (11-12) with the staff graduate coordinator (Janet Gallagher) and the faculty director of graduate programs (Ken Chew)
* Pizza lunch with current students (12-1)

*Applicants who want to sit in on a class may attend “History of Urban Planning" Professor Scott Bollens), 9:30-11, or “Development Control Law" (Professor Joe DiMento), 2-3:20.

*Applicants wishing to meet with specific faculty must make their own prior arrangements (customarily by e-mail) with those individuals.
*Information about general campus tours is available at www.campustours.uci.edu.

For further information and to RSVP, please contact Janet Gallagher no later than Tuesday, November 29.

ASK THE GRAD ADVISOR
Questions from real prospective applicants
Answered by PPD Grad Advisor Ken Chew

Q: What's a good way to break the ice when asking for a letter of recommendation?

A: Start by seeking advice from your faculty on the best programs that might match your graduate training goals: "I'm thinking of pursuing a planning degree at X, Y, and Z Universities. Are these the right choices?" This is a guaranteed icebreaker. It will also create the impression that you are doing your homework (because you are). And most important, it may even elicit useful information. (Lots of students modify their plans after hearing their faculty's answers.) Assuming then that the conversation (or series of conversations) goes OK, there will be a natural opening to say, "Oh by the way, I'm trying to put together a list of recommenders. Would you feel comfortable writing me a letter?" (Here's where you provide some reminders about all the good things you've done in their classes. I'll say more about that next time.)

Q: I'll be submitting my main application by the deadline, but is it OK if my GRE scores or one of my letters of recommendation follows by two or three weeks?

A: Yes.

COMING in "ASK the GRAD ADVISOR"

*What goes into a good personal statement?
*What are your application-admit ratios?

// PPD Cool Stuff Update // is written by Ken Chew, Associate Professor and PPD Graduate Director, with help from Karen Morris, Janet Gallagher, and Marlon Boarnet. Please send ideas or contributions to .

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Planning, Policy and Design PPD Home Chair's Message History Past Faculty and Lecturers Past News and Events 2008 Events E-Bulletin September 12, 2005 E-Bulletin October 14, 2005 E-Bulletin November 17, 2005 Brochure Archive Current Grad Students Prospective Grad Students Undergraduate Program Alumni Research & Engagement Seminars Advisory Board PPD Event Calendar About Site Map People Contact Us	Home » History » Past News and Events E-Bulletin November 17, 2005 Planning, Policy and Design E-Bulletin November 17, 2005 UC IRVINE / PPD COOL STUFF UPDATE / 2005.11.17 From the UCI Department of Planning, Policy, and Design (PPD) One in an occasional series for PPD supporters and prospective students \|\|\|\|\| VISITOR DAY for PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS (see below) \|\|\|\|\| In this issue: * PhD students at Kansas City conference * Famous scholar examines “schmoos" * Upcoming colloquia * Student leaders rise and succeed * PPD kudos * Visitor Day for prospective applicants * READER FAVORITE: Ask the Grad Advisor KANSAS CITY and ALL THAT JAZZ Irvine doctoral students delivered research presentations at the annual meeting of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), in Kansas City during late October. Mariela Alfonzo reported on the impact of shopping mall rejuvenation on sense of community, Mike Powe reported on the evaluation of a neighborhood revitalization program, and Ann Taufen Wessells reported on the organizational dynamics of planning a waterfront park. Also presenting their research were faculty members Ajay Garde, Victoria Beard, Kris Day, and Marlon Boarnet. Meanwhile, faculty members Ken Chew and Jean-Daniel Saphores engaged in field research at a jazz club in the13th & Vine Jazz Redevelopment District. STANDING ROOM (FOR SCHMOOS ONLY) A delighted audience of more than 60 enjoyed a dramatic reading of vintage Lil' Abner comic strips by University of Wisconsin sociologist Erik Olin Wright. Wright’s performance spotlighted the lovable but ultimately pernicious "schmoo" from the bestiary of Lil' Abner author Al Capp. Wright’s November 10th colloquium, "Rethinking Inequality," was sponsored by the department's Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC). UPCOMING SPEAKERS Thursday, November 17. "The Labor Market for Drivers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach," Kristen Monaco, California State University, Long Beach. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306. Thursday, January 19. "Things Your Mother Never Told You About Planning," Al Bell, The Planning Center. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I room 306. Thursday, February 2. “Planning as Anticipation of Resistance," Bish Sanyal, MIT. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306. Thursday, February 16. “Southern California’s Future: Opportunities for Success and Impediments to Change," Rich Gollis, The Concord Group. 12:30-1:30 PM, Social Ecology I, room 306. PLANNING STUDENT LEADERS RISE and SUCCEED Rising officers in PPD's Planning Student Organization (PSO) will be succeeded by their junior counterparts. Waen Messner (outgoing President) will be succeeded by Anna Brendle and Eva Chang. Suzy Kim (outgoing VP/Secretary) will be succeeded by Moises Aceves. Outgoing treasurers Dave Mason and Lan Nguyen will be succeeded by Cassie Kifer. Joanna Chang and Crystal Murphy will fill the newly created Service/Philanthropy Chair. Travis Seaward and Lesley Whittaker (outgoing Social Chairs) will be succeeded by Matt Foulkes and Azurde Harris. The Alumni Chair will be filled by Robin Kearns for rising Kimberly Wong. Jarett Jensen and Jessica Nixon (rising Communication Chairs) will be succeeded by Seth Connolly and Jared Eskenazi. Finally, Mikey Powe is the incoming doctoral student representative. MORE PPD KUDOS Marie Williamson completed her dissertation, " Planning for Modern-Day Public Forum Spaces: New Urbanism and the Challenges of Hosting the American Public Realm." Kris Day has been awarded conference funding for “Southern California’s New Suburban Reality: Inequality and Demographic Change in Orange County." Dan Stokols, with colleagues at the National Cancer Institute, organized a conference on new directions in Transdisciplinary Research, Training, and Health Policy, held in Bethesda, Maryland, on October 10th. Raul Lejano and John Whiteley (Environmental Health, Science, and Policy) received a grant from the Marisla Foundation to pursue field research on environmental regulation in the Turtle Islands, a Pacific islands chain astride the Philippines-Indonesia border. Marlon Boarnet was interviewed live on November 3 concerning his research on the impact of Wal-Mart's entry into the grocery business by CNBC's "On the Money." VISITOR DAY AT PPD Visitor Day will be held Thursday, December 1, 2005. This day is for: Prospective masters and doctoral applicants Prospective applicants who were unable to attend our earlier visitor events Those who would like to follow up on an earlier visit. The activities will include: Small group Q & A (11-12) with the staff graduate coordinator (Janet Gallagher) and the faculty director of graduate programs (Ken Chew) * Pizza lunch with current students (12-1) Applicants who want to sit in on a class may attend “History of Urban Planning" Professor Scott Bollens), 9:30-11, or “Development Control Law" (Professor Joe DiMento), 2-3:20. Applicants wishing to meet with specific faculty must make their own prior arrangements (customarily by e-mail) with those individuals. Information about general campus tours is available at www.campustours.uci.edu. For further information and to RSVP, please contact Janet Gallagher no later than Tuesday, November 29. ASK THE GRAD ADVISOR* Questions from real prospective applicants Answered by PPD Grad Advisor Ken Chew Q: What's a good way to break the ice when asking for a letter of recommendation? A: Start by seeking advice from your faculty on the best programs that might match your graduate training goals: "I'm thinking of pursuing a planning degree at X, Y, and Z Universities. Are these the right choices?" This is a guaranteed icebreaker. It will also create the impression that you are doing your homework (because you are). And most important, it may even elicit useful information. (Lots of students modify their plans after hearing their faculty's answers.) Assuming then that the conversation (or series of conversations) goes OK, there will be a natural opening to say, "Oh by the way, I'm trying to put together a list of recommenders. Would you feel comfortable writing me a letter?" (Here's where you provide some reminders about all the good things you've done in their classes. I'll say more about that next time.) Q: I'll be submitting my main application by the deadline, but is it OK if my GRE scores or one of my letters of recommendation follows by two or three weeks? A: Yes. COMING in "ASK the GRAD ADVISOR" What goes into a good personal statement? What are your application-admit ratios? // PPD Cool Stuff Update // is written by Ken Chew, Associate Professor and PPD Graduate Director, with help from Karen Morris, Janet Gallagher, and Marlon Boarnet. Please send ideas or contributions to .
	Department of Planning, Policy, and Design 202 Social Ecology I University of California, Irvine Irvine, California 92697-7075

Planning, Policy and Design

E-Bulletin November 17, 2005

E-Bulletin November 17, 2005