Our world-class urban planning faculty has extensive training, education, and experience in planning practice and research. Our forward-looking, solution-oriented, and engaged approach to urban planning education, research, and mentorship is helping push the field in new and exciting directions.
Arlie Adkins, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, researches health and safety disparities related to urban transportation systems. He also has an appointment in the College of Public Health. He recently completed a five-year CDC grant on physical activity and health is currently the co-PI of the University of Arizona’s portion of the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC). He teaches Urban Transportation Planning and the capstone planning projects course.
Kristina Currans, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, focuses her research on transportation and land use integration, economic impacts of transportation investment, and improving data and analytical methods for site level transportation impact analysis. She was recently awarded a two-year grant to operationalize the link between parking supply and vehicle use in California. Her courses include Planning Methods and Transportation & Land Use.
Nicole Iroz-Elardo, PhD, Research Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, works at the intersection of built environment, health, and transportation. Her research focuses on health equity and monetizing the health impacts and transport and built environment interventions.
Ladd Keith, PhD, Assistant Professor of Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments, researches the intersection between urban planning and climate change and explores how climate action planning can make more sustainable and resilient cities. He has worked with diverse cities across the U.S. on climate action planning across a range of plans, policies, and regulations. He teaches Public Participation and Climate Action Planning.
Shujuan Li, PhD, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, has research efforts in the integration of spatial analysis and modeling with GIS for urban and environmental studies. Her research interests include landscape ecology, ecological planning, spatial data science, and ecosystem services. She teaches Land Use Planning Analysis, Geodesign Studio, and GIS courses.
Arthur C. Nelson, PhD, FAcSS, FAICP, Professor of Urban Planning and Real Estate Development, has made significant contributions in the areas of real estate analysis, smart growth, infrastructure financing, transportation and economic development outcomes, and metropolitan development patterns. Dr. Nelson is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences as well as the American Institute of Certified Planners. He teaches courses in Real Estate Development and Urban Planning.
Gary Pivo, PhD, Professor of Planning, works in the areas of responsible property investing, urban form, and sustainable cities. He holds professorships in the Planning Degree Program and the School of Natural Resources at the University of Arizona where he teaches courses on the land development process and sustainable cities. Pivo’s research has been cited by scholars in many different fields including urban studies, transportation, environmental studies, planning, public health, engineering, geography, economics, and more.
Drew Sanderford, PhD, Associate Professor of Real Estate Development & Urban Planning, studies innovation and sustainability in the property markets and urban development process. He collaborates with financial economists, hydrologists, ecologists, and public policy scholars across an array of funded projects. His case oriented teaching frequently engages practitioners to help students process, understand, and practice with decision-making. Dr. Sanderford teaches Real Estate Finance and Planning Theory and Practice.
Philip Stoker, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture, researches water sustainability and the connections between land use planning and water management. He has conducted research internationally, working on projects with the World Health Organization, Parks Canada, the National Park Service, and the Whistler 2010 Olympics. His research has been featured in the Journal of the American Planning Association and Landscape and Urban Planning among other academic publications. Dr. Stoker teaches Introduction to GIS and Sustainable Urban Development and Design.
To see the complete listing of all CAPLA faculty and staff, visit the directory page.
Lecture Recap | Immersive Design: The Intersection of Site, Craft and Collaboration | A Lecture by Kevin Kudo-King
Kevin Kudo-King explored strategies for immersive design at the intersections of site, craft, and collaboration.
Low-cost housing in a high-cost city: London’s approach to affordable housing | Lecture by Kath Scanlon
London, an undisputed global city, is well known for having some of the world’s most expensive housing but also boasts a substantial amount of low-cost social and affordable housing. This talk sketches the historic roots of affordable housing in London, explains how it is currently built and operated, and explores current political and practical challenges—some of which are shared by Arizona cities despite their very different contexts.
Ladd Keith named 2025 Western Planner of the Year
The Western Planner organization has named CAPLA Associate Professor Ladd Keith its 2025 Planner of the Year, honoring his pioneering leadership in climate-responsive planning and community resilience across the American West.
Urban Planning Students Win Statewide Award for City of South Tucson Project
A team of Master of Science in Urban Planning (MSUP) students at CAPLA received the Arizona APA’s Best Student Planning Project Award for their capstone, “Community Investment Strategy Toolkit for the City of South Tucson.”
AI, the BS Savant and Autocognition | Lecture by P. Bryan Heidorn
Professor P. Bryan Heidorn is the Associate Dean for Research for the College of Information Science. This talk is a bird’s-eye view of the AI and machine learning landscape and its implications for academia.
CAPLA Students Explore Smart Cities and Global Planning Innovation in Japan
Led by faculty member Brian Bidolli, the CAPLA Study Abroad program “Cities of the Future: Japan” combined classroom learning with site visits in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Students explored smart cities and sustainable urban development through lectures, professional meetings, cultural excursions, and visits to cutting-edge institutions. The program offered an immersive experience that connected theory with practice while deepening students’ global perspective on planning and design.