Planning for a Changing Climate: Christina Scarpitti '22 MS Urban Planning

Seven Questions with Master of Urban Planning Student Christina Scarpitti

“The Master of Urban Planning provides me with the skills and flexibility to pursue my own research interests. The faculty at CAPLA are available to provide technical feedback, mentorship and encouragement.”

 
Master of Science in Urban Planning student Christina Scarpitti will graduate in just a few weeks, along with her Class of 2022 colleagues. Originally from Granville, Ohio, by way of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Christina made her way to Tucson in the midst of the pandemic to pursue her master's degree. Although her time here came with a few trials, she looks back and reflects on the positive experience CAPLA and the School of Landscape Architecture and Planning have provided her as she enters the job field.

What brought you to the University of Arizona and the MS Urban Planning program?

I was attracted to the MSUP program because of the faculty and research opportunities that focused on climate change. The Coverdell Fellowship program and the community of returned Peace Corps volunteers also drew me to the University of Arizona, as well as Tucson's proximity to the mountains.

Image

What particularly interests you in urban planning?

I am most interested in how local governments can address climate change mitigation and resilience through policies, programs and planning mechanisms with a social equity lens. As a Coverdell Fellow working with the Sonoran Institute, I have been able to explore the resilience aspect of green stormwater infrastructure and the integration of land use and water resource management in U.S.-Mexico sister cities. On the mitigation side, I have focused most of my individual research on renewable energy and energy efficiency.

What do you like best about CAPLA's Urban Planning program?

The Master of Urban Planning provides me with the skills and flexibility to pursue my own research interests. The faculty at CAPLA are available to provide technical feedback, mentorship and encouragement.

Image

What has been your biggest challenge at UArizona, and how have you overcome that challenge?

Coming to graduate school during COVID was logistically challenging and socially isolating. Pivoting to remote learning was not my preference, but it taught me a lot of self-sufficiency skills that are transferable in the workplace. Making friends with fellow urban planning students made all the difference. As a member of the Graduate Planning Society and then as an officer during my second year, I was able to find and build community during a difficult time. I've made lifelong friends through the organization.

What are your career aspirations?

I learned in undergrad how important internships and work experience are to developing planning skills and finding employment upon graduation. I returned to graduate school to build a skill set around climate change mitigation and adaptation. The first semester was front-loaded with some pretty technical GIS and methods courses. This semester stretched me in ways I didn’t know were possible, particularly in quantitative analysis. I developed a GIS research project around solar micro-grid potential on the island of Puerto Rico that won the 2021 Project Excellence Award. During the project, I discovered a dataset produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that tracked the duration of the power outage following 2017's Hurricane Maria through nighttime satellite imagery. I applied for a graduate internship position with NREL and submitted my project as a work sample. The hard work during that first semester paid off! I got the internship conducting energy resilience and policy research during the summer of 2021. Just this week I applied for a full-time resilience planner research position with the lab after I graduate. 

Image

Beyond school, what are your hobbies and passions?

For fun I mountain bike, hike and socialize with friends. Tucson has been an incredible place for outdoor adventures. Among the sweeping sunsets and saguaro-dotted landscapes, there are numerous trails to escape the city. I would like to get out camping or rock climbing more often, but alas, I came for an education. The mountains are the icing on the cake.

What advice do you have for prospective MS Urban Planning students?

I would urge students to gain internship experience and get involved with the Graduate Planning Society. Nothing beats practical experience both in terms of learning and applying for jobs. The UArizona Urban Planning program is well supported by a network of alumni who have stayed in Southern Arizona. The Graduate Planning Society works with Friends of Planning and the Arizona Southern Section of the American Planning Association to connect students with practicing professions. These connections may serve as mentors, colleagues or future employers. GPS is also just a great way to make friends, build community and get to know Tucson.