This is an exciting time for the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning (CMP) at the University of Utah. The department has grown rapidly from just one faculty member in 2004 to 10 today and now offers a full-slate of programs including an accredited Masters degree, a PhD, a Masters in Real Estate Development (in partnership with the School of Business), four Graduate Certificates, and an undergraduate major and minor. In addition, our young Metropolitan Research Center has already been awarded several million dollars in research grants that are currently supporting numerous graduate students while contributing knowledge and tools to inform better metropolitan growth and development.
The faculty and students of CMP are dedicated to enhancing the health and vitality of towns, cities, regions, and neighborhoods through place-based and integrated approaches to quality growth, building in harmony with nature, placemaking, and capacity-building.
While our gaze is global, the Salt Lake City region serves as a local laboratory and we are fortunate to have a rich heritage of planning upon which to build, from the original town platting by Mormon settlers (recipient of a Planning Landmark Award from the AICP) to the renowned ongoing work of Envision Utah. With Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, CMP hosts the Annual Mayor’s Symposium on timely local topics that are also the focus of several classes and workshops. In our Westside Studio, students from Planning and Architecture work with community partners to undertake projects in the neighborhoods west of State Street. The Salt Lake City Workshop brings together students from a range of disciplines around the university to envision best possibilities and work toward realizing these visions. We are proud to be the university home for the Center for the Living City, the international organization that advances the work of Jane Jacobs through publications and events including the annual Jane Jacobs Walks, last year holding 67 events in 32 cities across the country.
The lecture series 10.11.12 presents our 10 Planning Professors in 2011-12. This series takes place at the new Leonardo Museum in downtown Salt Lake City, beginning November 3 and running through 10.11.12 (October 11, 2012) with a Student Pecha Kucha finale.
Building upon this momentum, we look forward to strengthening our bridges with the School of Architecture, other departments around the university, our local partners, the professional community, and our colleagues around the globe. We are passionate about what we do and invite others to join us in our quest to move beyond sustainability to prosperity for all.
Nan Ellin, Chair
