Lecture Recap | Essence: A Lecture by coLAB Studio
Speakers from coLAB studio discussed the intrinsic nature and indispensable quality that determines an individual's character as a designer.
Reimagining the Colorado River in the context of Water Management in Arizona | Lecture by Kathy Jacobs
The Colorado River is the backbone of water management in the southwest, serving seven states and Mexico. Ongoing drought conditions that are linked to climate change threaten Colorado River water deliveries to Arizona, but also provide an opportunity to rethink the allocation of water rights and to focus on a more sustainable approach to management.
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.”
CAPLA Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand Receives University of Guelph Alumni of Honour Award
CAPLA Dean Nancy Pollock-Ellwand has been named a recipient of the University of Guelph Alumni of Honour Award, recognizing her global leadership in cultural heritage conservation and lifelong dedication to education.
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.
Drachman Institute Launches Community Engaged Scholars Program
CAPLA’s Drachman Institute launched the Drachman Community Engaged Scholars Program this fall, connecting students with faculty mentors to work on projects that directly serve local communities. Funded through Drachman sources, the program supports students with faculty-guided research and monthly workshops on community engagement.
CAPLA Students take on Park(ing) Day 2025
CAPLA students brought creativity and design thinking to global Park(ing) Day on Sept. 19 at Main Gate Square, transforming a parking space into a vibrant public installation themed “Curb the Power: Micro Acts of Civil Joy.” Led by Master of Landscape Architecture student Esmeralda Carrasco, the project featured colorful ground painting, desert-adapted plants, and flexible seating to reimagine urban streets as safer, greener, and more welcoming spaces. Partnering with the City of Tucson and community organizations, students demonstrated how small-scale interventions can spark conversations about design, equity, and the future of Tucson’s streets.
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.
Building Meaningful Relationships: Matt Emory, Senior Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Inspired by the creativity and drive of CAPLA students, Matt Emory, senior undergraduate academic advisor, is passionate about building meaningful relationships and supporting students in reaching their goals.
Michael Kothke Featured at ARCHITECT Magazine Forum
Michael Kothke, principal at HK ASSOCIATES and professor at CAPLA, was invited to speak at Reimagining Desert Modernism: The Architecture Shaping Arizona Today, a forum hosted by ARCHITECT Magazine and Marvin Windows at Taliesin West.
CAPLA announces 2025 Grassroots Seed Grant Awardees
The College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture has awarded the 2025 Grassroots Seed Grants to three faculty-led projects that advance innovative teaching, research, and creative activity.