Professor Atkinson is active as an urban consultant, currently, as the contracted consultant to Capital Metro Transit Authority in charge of design proposals for a light rail system for Austin, Texas. Atkinson has also developed the Cedar Park Master Plan, site plan for private development, Cedar Park, Texas. His designs include 620 Community Center, North Austin Town Center which received a Progressive Architecture Urban Design Award, and the award-winning design for the Austin Municipal Office Complex. Professor Atkinson acts as an advisor regarding sustainable forms of new development in developing regions, recently, in the rebuilding of the City of San Salvador in El Salvador. In addition, Atkinson is the North American Editor of the refereed journal, Urban Design International, Chapman and Hall. Dr. Atkinson also directs the Oxford Study Abroad Program, is central to the postprofessional urban design program, and serves as an advisor to the UT Policy Research Institute.