Media Mentions

PLANNING FACULTY IN THE NEWS

Elevating Equity Considerations in Transportation Decision-Making ― New Report

January 3, 2024
Associate Professor Alex Karner contributed to a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report that reviewed how the U.S. Department of Transportation could emphasize and promote equity within the competitive grants process.

After 34 years, Texas might finally get a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston

December 20, 2023
Lecturer Meg Merritt speaks with Fast Company about the potential of high-speed rail in Texas.

Food deserts, food insecurity — what we know about Del Valle's limited access to groceries

December 20, 2023
In an article about food access in Del Valley, Associate Professor Alex Karner discusses mapping practices and their impact,

What the failed Scobey development says about the future of transit in San Antonio

December 14, 2023
Professor Ming Zhang weighs in on transit-oriented development in San Antonio for Axios San Antonio.

Will HOME initiative help Austin's housing affordability? Opinions split ahead of vote

December 6, 2023
Ahead of City Council's vote, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann spoke with the Austin American-Statesman about Austin's proposed land code reform.

How should Fort Worth address gentrification? Experts to discuss at Fort Worth Report panel

December 3, 2023
The Fort Worth Report cites Professor Liz Mueller and Associate Professor Jake Wegmann's research on markers for gentrification and displacement.

Austin eliminates parking requirements for new developments to make city more affordable, sustainable

November 16, 2023
As Austin eliminates parking requirements, The Daily Texan spoke with Associate Professor Jake Wegmann about its implications for the city.

Austin's Transportation Future: What Will It Look Like in 2033?

November 10, 2023
The Austin Chronicle speaks with twelve mobility experts about possibilities for Austin's transportation future, including Associate Professor Alex Karner.

“Youth Perspectives on the Environment" Photovoice Exhibit Launching at Pharr Memorial Library November 15th

November 9, 2023
Planet Texas 2050 highlights Assistant Professor Miriam Solis' work to shed light on environmental challenges and injustices faced by communities in the Rio Grande Valley, as seen through the lens of local high school students.

President’s Award for Global Learning 2024 Faculty Programs Selected

November 1, 2023
A proposal by Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao and Professor Ming Zhang to study smart cities in Japan was selected for a President's Award for Global Learning.

The San Antonio-Austin mega-metro is even larger than we thought

October 23, 2023
Professor Ming Zhang spoke with My San Antonio about his research on mega-regions, and how the Austin-San Antonio mega-metro fits into the greater Texas Triangle.

As Texans struggle with housing costs, cities look for new ways to spur more home construction

October 10, 2023
Associate Professor Jake Wegmann speaks with the Texas Tribune about housing affordability in Texas and the "missing middle."

Austin supertalls "not really dealing with the problems" of the city

October 6, 2023
Urban Design Professor Dean Almy spoke with Dezeen about the implications of Austin's supertalls for the city.

UT to lead federally-funded climate resilience research

September 30, 2023
The Daily Texan highlights a new federally-funded climate resilience research project that Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao will be a part of.

Austin will try again to tame its housing affordability crisis with zoning reforms. Can it do it this time?

September 19, 2023
The Texas Tribune cites Professor Liz Mueller and Associate Professor Jake Wegmann's research exploring gentrification and displacement in Austin.

Opinion: Minimum Lot Size Reform Is Gaining Traction in Texas Cities. That’s a Good Thing.

September 15, 2023
Associate Professor Jake Wegmann penned an op-ed in the Austin Chronicle about cities' potential move to lower the minimum lot size and what this means for housing affordability.

Researchers Work to Pinpoint Precise Sources of Austin Asthma Disparities

September 15, 2023
Professor Elizabeth Mueller is part of a multidisciplinary team of researchers from across campus, including Dell Medical School and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, studying how and why local environments influence health, specifically disparities in asthma rates.

Austin's Power Couple

September 13, 2023
Planet Texas 2050 highlights ways they've been able to collaborate with the City of Austin on important climate resilience work, including Assistant Professor Katherine Lieberknecht's efforts in support of the Resilience Hub Networks.

UT schools to study extreme weather and climate change

September 13, 2023
The Austin Monitor highlights a new federally-funded project led by several UT Austin researchers intended to gather community-scale data on extreme weather and climate change.

Washington Metro’s Fast-Moving, Hard-Charging Transit Chief

September 11, 2023
Associate Professor Alex Karner was cited by Governing.com in an article about the former CEO of CapMetro Randy Clarke.

Project to Tackle Effects of Extreme Climate Unveiled by Doggett, UT and City of Austin

September 7, 2023
Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao is part of a federally funded research project with the City of Austin to better understand the impact of extreme climate shifts on Texas communities and their infrastructure

VCs Keep Trying to Build a Utopia. Can It Happen in California?

August 30, 2023
Assistant Professor Juliana Felkner was cited as a sustainability expert in a Bloomberg Tech article about the implications of futuristic planned communities,

New Research Builds Evidence for Zoning Reform

August 29, 2023
Planetizen cites research by Associate Professor Jake Wegmann and Ph.D. candidates Aabiya Noman Baqai and Josh Conrad about zoning reform as a tool to combat housing affordability.

Small Multifamily Homes Were Disappearing. Now States Are Scrambling to Revive Them

August 26, 2023
Associate Professor Jake Wegmann spoke with Bloomberg City Lab about the power of medium-density housing to fulfill much of the American aspiration of owning an affordable single-family home.

CapMetro has police chief but no officers. Get a look inside of its Public Safety Program

August 13, 2023
The Austin American-Statesman spoke with Associate Professor Alex Karner about CapMetro's Public Safety Program, citing recommendations put forth by students in his Spring 2023 planning course about transit in Austin

How federal dollars might help El Paso stem its affordable housing crisis

August 8, 2023
In an article about affordable housing in El Paso, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann speaks about Texas' housing affordability crisis.

Highway to sprawl: How I-35 shapes where people live in Austin

June 29, 2023
Associate Professor Gian-Claudia Sciara was interviewed for KUT Austin's new podcast "Growth Machine" about the implications of I-35 on Austin's growth and development.

Ahead of 2024 budget, city looks at tackling gentrification, displacement

June 20, 2023
The Fort Worth Report cites Community and Regional Planning faculty-led research on gentrification and displacement.

Professors React to Call for ‘Pause’ on AI Research

June 9, 2023
In an open letter, Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao calls for universities to play a bigger role in AI research and development efforts moving forward.

CM2 Center Hosts 2023 Summer Forum

May 31, 2023
Partners from the University of Pennsylvania, Texas Southern, Louisiana State University, and others joined us for two days of research presentations, program updates, and discussions about the future of the Tier 1 University Transportation Center.

Can America Go Car-Free? Gen Z Hopes So.

May 17, 2023
In an article for The Nation, Associate Professor Alex Karner argues that public transit needs to be more attractive in order to reduce our nation's car dependence.

Opinion: UT Shouldn’t Prioritize Football Over Historic Preservation

May 12, 2023
Graduate student Edwin Bautista penned an op-ed for the Austin Chronicle about the University's proposal to build a new football training facility.

How a Small Town Has Fared as a Microchip Factory Brings in Billions

April 28, 2023
For the Austin Chronicle, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann weighs in on Taylor, Texas' growth as Samsung builds its new microchip factory.

Project Connect could be on the ballot again this November

April 24, 2023
Associate Professor and Project Connect Community Advisory Committee Member Alex Karner speaks with KUT Austin about the future of Austin's transit expansion.

Texas housing market

April 9, 2023
As more Texans struggle to find affordable housing, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann sat down with Spectrum News' In Focus to explain how researchers are analyzing our state's housing needs.

Austin's Five Light Rail Options

April 7, 2023
The Austin Chronicle cites Associate Professor Alex Karner's analysis of Austin's light rail route options.

Pilot program recruits residents to prevent displacement in their own communities in Austin, Texas

April 6, 2023
Associate Professor Jake Wegmann speaks with Smart Cities Dive about a pilot program that will hire community members to work closely with vulnerable renters and homeowners in Austin to help them access housing resources.

New UH Project Combats Food Insecurity Through AI

April 3, 2023
The University of Houston highlights a new multidisciplinary project that will use artificial intelligence to support the food charity ecosystem and food-insecure Texans. Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao is a part of the research team.

Conservation Corps sees success, and possible expansion, in city memo

April 3, 2023
The Austin Monitor reports on the success of Austin's Civilian Conservation Corps, citing a report developed by Assistant Professor Miriam Solis and students that is motivating a five-year road map for the program.

The Power of Community and Connection

March 28, 2023
The University's Division for Diversity and Community Engagement profiles several McNair Scholars including Community and Regional Planning graduate student Estrella Sainburg.

Austin Scientists Focus on Helping AI Do Good

March 10, 2023
The Austin Chronicle covers several of Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao's collaborative projects with the City of Austin to incorporate artificial intelligence and smart city technologies into city operations.

Why Doesn't Austin Have More Affordable Housing?

March 9, 2023
Associate Professor Jake Wegmann spoke with Bloomberg City Lab on Austin's housing affordability crisis.

In sprawling Texas, cars are king. How did we get here – and where does public transit fit in?

March 9, 2023
For the Texas Standards' special report, "Pumped: Food, Fuel and the Future of Texas," Associate Professor Alex Karner weighs in on why and how Texas came to be such a car-driven place.

These five issues could be key to solving Texas’ housing affordability woes

March 3, 2023
Jake Wegmann interviews with the Texas Standard about housing affordability in Texas and ways to address it.

Prescription for a Healthier Future: Climate Justice

February 28, 2023
Dell Medical School profiles the work of Community and Regional Planning Assistant Professor Miriam Solis and Dell Med's Carmen Valdez as they work to promote climate justice in the Rio Grande Valley.

Housing experts identify five ways to address Texas’s housing affordability crisis

February 28, 2023
Professor Liz Mueller and Associate Professor Jake Wegmann are among a group of UT Austin faculty who have identified five ways to address Texas’s housing affordability crisis, via the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

‘I’ll call an Uber or 911’: Why Gen Z doesn’t want to drive

February 13, 2023
The Washington Post interviews Professor Ming Zhang about a recent study that found Millenials drive less than members of Generation X and baby boomers.

What does a population boom mean for Texas housing and infrastructure?

January 11, 2023
Via the Texas Standard: As Texas passes the 30 million population mark, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann lends insight into what this means for the state's infrastructure and rising housing costs.

Why is there no ‘rent control’ in Texas?

December 27, 2022
For KXAN News, Associate Professor Jake Wegmann weighs in on why there's no rent control in Texas.

CapMetro police force coming to North Austin office park

December 19, 2022
KUT Austin interviews Associate Professor Alex Karner about CapMetro's new police force and the organization's allocation of resources.

Planting Transportation Seeds in An Urban Desert

December 13, 2022
A new mobility hub in the Georgian Acres neighborhood is providing much-needed transportation services to a community living in a ‘transit desert’ and may serve as a useful blueprint for urban areas in need of similar essential services.

New hub in Austin's Georgian Acres neighborhood to give residents mobility in ‘transit desert’

November 14, 2022
Community Impact Newspaper looks at Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao's new project with the City of Austin's Transporation Department and the nonprofit Jail to Jobs.

2 years into Austin’s Project Connect, is the light rail still on track?

October 27, 2022
KXAN spoke with Community and Regional Planning alumni Max Bernhardt and Ph.D. candidate Awais Azhar about Project Connect and the City of Austin's transit plans.

UT Austin team wins the 2022 ULI Gerald Hines Student Competition with an urban development plan for Oakland

April 15, 2022
Archinect highlights the school's 2022 national Urban Land Institute Gerald Hines winning team.

UT and City of Austin Collaborate to Build ‘Smart Mobility Hub’ in North Austin

July 18, 2021
Junfeng Jiao to lead UT and City of Austin collaboration to build a ‘Smart Mobility Hub’ in North Austin

Closing The Gap On Transportation: Solving ‘Transit Deserts’

May 5, 2021
Community & Regional Planning Associate Professor Junfeng Jiao speaks with WBEZ's Reset about transit deserts

Our world is changing. Our water infrastructure should, too.

October 29, 2018
Op-ed by Katherine Lieberknecht published in the Austin American Statesman and the San Antonio Express

Freakonomics Features Lyft, Inspired by Green Cities Class

September 5, 2014
Freakonomics radio program features Lyft, a car-share company valued at $1 billion and inspired by UTSOA professor Dr. Robert Young's Green Cities class.