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The Department of Community & Regional Planning Alabama A&M University

This issue

Urban Planning at AAMU

DCRP Faculty & Staff

Faculty Projects

Departmental Activities

Student Activities

Recruitment

Community & Outreach

Student Experiences

Upcoming Events

The Planner’s Digest

Volume 2, Summer 2016

Planning

Healthy, Sustainable &

Livable Communities

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Urban Planning at Alabama A&M University

Welcome to the Department of Community &

Regional Planning (DCRP) at Alabama A&M

University, located in picturesque Huntsville Alabama,

home to Cummings Research Park, the 4th largest

Research & Technology Park in the world and 2nd in

the US.

DCRP is the premier urban and regional

planning institution in the state of Alabama. DCRP houses two nationally accredited Urban

Planning Programs, offering both an

undergraduate and a graduate degree program. DCRP’s student-centered programs prepare graduates to enrich communities through

leadership, entrepreneurship, creativity, social responsibility, and sustainable planning

and policy. DCRP produces Planning professionals with distinctive technical competence

committed to help build resilient communities, addressing our nation’s most pressing

needs, and positively impacting the health and well-being of human settlements.

DCRP PROGRAMS (URBAN PLANNING) BSUP: Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning MURP: Master of Urban and Regional Planning

DCRP PROGRAMS BLS: Bachelor of Liberal Studies BS/BA: Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Art in

Interdisciplinary Studies

Berneece S. Herbert, PhD

Interim Chair & Program Coordinator

J.I. Dawson Bldg., Suite 308 G

Alabama A&M University, Normal AL 35762

256-372-4988/5426

berneece.herbert@aamu.edu

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Mrs. Heidi Weaver DCRP secretary

Mr. Joseph Lee, AICP Past Interim Chair (Retired)

Dr. Chukudi Izeogu Professor & Former Chair (Retired)

Dr. Berneece Herbert Interim Chair & Program

Coordinator

Dr. Constance Wilson Associate Professor (Retired)

Dr. Jacob Oluwoye Professor

Dr. Teshome Gabre Research Assistant Professor

Dr. Earl Gooding Professor Emeritus (Retired)

Mr. Donald Outland Associate Professor (Retired)

Dr. Joyce Ann Pressley Assistant Professor

Mr. James Moore Adjunct Faculty (Not Pictured)

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Funded Projects 2012 – 2017 ($299,680.55): Capacity Building for Sustainable Local Food Systems Planning in

North Alabama through Science, Technology, Innovation and Synergistic Partnerships; USDA 1890 Institution Capacity Building Grant, Herbert, B (PI), Christian, C (Co-PI) & Izeogu C (Co-PI).

2014-2016 ($162,887): Intensive Southeastern Training Expansion Program (InSTEP-II) in two Southeastern States in the USA (Phase II). Funded by the USDA-Office of Advocacy and Outreach. Christian, C.S (PI), Herbert, B (Co PI).

2012 – 2016 ($293,504): Assessment of Urban Growth & the Generation of Greenhouse Gases in

the Huntsville MSA and Engaging the Public for Creating Sustainable Communities Funded by USDA-NIFA, Evans Allen Formula Grant, Herbert, B (PI) and Wagaw, M. (Co-PI).

Proposal Submitted for External Funding Wubishet, T., Lemke, D. & Gabre, T. (2016). A strategy to increase underrepresented minority

students in geospatial science career. Submitted to National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, $750,352 (2016 – 2021).

Herbert, B., Oluwoye, J., Kassama, L., Christian, C. and Bennett, L. Social Awareness and Public Acceptance of the Applications of Engineered Nano-scale Materials in the Agri-Food Industry ($300,000); submitted to the 2016 USDA-NIFA Capacity Building Grant Program.

Oluwoye, J. Herbert, B., Perry, T., Ayokanmbi, M, Khan, S. (2016) “Title of the project: A

longitudinal Study of Ecological Influences on School Violence Among Alabamian Middle School Students”. Submission date: 5/25/2016. Funding opportunity number: NIJ-2016-9093. Amount: Five million dollars for 4years.

Ajayi, S, Oluwoye, J. et al. (2016) “Feasibility Study of Infectious Diarrheal Disease through Consumption of Street Vended Foods in Osun State, Nigeria”. Proposal submitted 4/18/2016 to NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID: International Research in Infectious Diseases, including AIDS (R01 $500,000.00).

Oluwoye, J. (2016) “Assessment of Chronological History of African American Involvement in

Small Towns Planning in America”. Proposal submitted to National Endowment for the Humanities, May 1, $100,000.00 for 1 year.

Oluwoye, J. et al. (2016) “Marketing and socioeconomic Factors of Organic Farms: Age as a

Predictor of Acceptance of organic food Products Alternatives among Metropolitan Population in Alabama”. Proposal submitted to USDA-NIFA in March, $472,000.00 for 3 years.

Oluwoye, J. et al. (2015) “Engaging Minority Middle School Students to STEAM-T Concepts through LEGO Transportation Robotics Design Challenge”. Proposal submitted in November, to NSF, $307,000.00 for 3 years.

Orok, T, and Pressley, J. (2016). National Endowment for the Humanities Public Humanities Projects Historic Places – Planning Application. ($75,000).

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Friday September 25, 2015 8:30 am – 1:30 pm

J.I. Dawson Bldg., Rm 240 Alabama A&M University

2015 HOMECOMING SYMPOSIUM Hosted by

The Urban Planning Association

Department of Community & Regional Planning (DCRP)

College of Agricultural, Life & Natural Sciences (CALNS)

In conjunction with

DCRP Alumni Association

Healthy, Livable, Sustainable

Communities

Planning

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Theme: “Bulldog Beautification & Creative Place making - A Collaborative Plan for AAMU’s campus”

AGENDA Moderator: Berneece Herbert, PhD – UPA Advisor, DCRP Agenda 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration 9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. Welcome Remarks

Dr. Lloyd Walker, Interim DCRP Chair & CALNS’ Dean Ms. Patrice Ruffin, DCRP Alumni President Ms. Wilnatta Wardsworth, UPA President

9:15 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. Introductions & Purpose of the Symposium

Mr. Isaiah Smith, UPA Vice President

9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Presentation: WHAT MAKES A GREAT PLACE? ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY

– PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE Deirdre Childress, MURP Graduate Student

9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Charrette/Facilitated Discussion: Creative Place making on AAMU Campus Themes: Walkable trails and sidewalks Creating social life in public spaces Greening the campus Focus Areas: 1. Quad, block and immediate surroundings 2. Gravel pit (adjacent to Dawson) with lake and Chase Road

entrance 3. LRC front and back surroundings

10:15 am – 10:45 a.m. Group Presentations 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Presentation of Appreciation Awards Recipients: Dr. Constance Wilson & Mr. Joseph Lee 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Poster Presentation & Student Social

DCRP Alumni Business Meeting 12 noon – 1:30 p.m. Working Lunch & Panel Discussion – “Life After Graduation” Panelists: DCRP Alumni Association Members

2015 ANNUAL HOMECOMING SYMPOSIUM

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2015 Homecoming Symposium Cont’d Theme: Bulldog Beautification & Creative Place making

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BENJAMIN BANNEKER BANQUET & FUTURE OF THE CITY SYMPOSIUM

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BENJAMIN BANNEKER AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET

PARTNERS/SPONSORS/CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Earl M. Gooding –AAMU(Retired)

Mr. Joseph Lee, AAMU CDC

Pastor Troy Garner, Fellowship of Faith Dr. Virginia Caples, ACES

Dr. Dorothy Houston, Valley Weekly Dr. Cynthia Smith, AAMU Dr. Leatha Bennett, AAMU Dr. Lydia Davenport, AAMU

Dr. Anthony Overton, AAMU Dr. Lloyd Walker, CALNS

Alumni donors & sponsors Jeannette Robinson,

Empower Me Inc Travis Cummings Kenedrea Harper Brittany Daise Braque Talley

Erica & Erick Iheme Chrishina Welsh Keith Strother Shundreka Givan Jason Claxton Alison Grass

Fred Windham

Harold Lawson Dave Barley (Major

Sponsor)

Left to right: Joshua Byrd, JD,

Keynote Speaker; Dr. Lloyd Walker,

Dean, CALNS; Ms. Caroline

Freeman, Academic Institutions

Senior Advisor, EPA Region IV and

Ms. Denise Tennessee, Director,

Office of Environmental Justice and

Sustainability EPA Region IV

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–

2015 EPA GLOBAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM ATLANTA GA, OCTOBER 1 & 2, 2015

Left to right: Lady Kassama, Dwight Tigner, Vontra Giles, Kieandra Turner, Samuel Green II, Gerald Taylor and Nicholas Johnson

EPA Region IV hosted the first

International Youth Environmental

Symposium in Atlanta on October 2,

2015. The theme for the symposium

was “One World, One Environment”.

Five DCRP Students presented their

research including Lady Kassama, Vontra

Giles, Samuel Greene II, and Nicholas

Johnson.

The goal of the conference was to

provide opportunities for students,

faculty members, administrators and

other environmental and sustainability

stakeholders, to develop partnerships,

network, and collaborate on sustainable

environmental practices.

The Symposium also helped to facilitate

further dialogue among campus

representatives who are committed to

environmental sustainable principles.

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JOINT ALABAMA/MISSISSIPPI APA CONFERENCE Perdido Beach, AL—October 9—10, 2015 Dwight Tigner

AAMU Student Wins Poster Competition

Dwight Tigner: Undergraduate Student (May 2016 graduate) Poster Topic: High School Location, Drop-Out Rates and Presence of Food Deserts in Huntsville Alabama. Dwight won first place and was awarded a prize of $300

From left to right (back): Kevin Bernard, Marley Hicks, Isaiah Smith, Wilnatta Wardsworth, Jeran Herbert Front: Michele Jordan, Donald Outland & Dr. Berneece Herbert

From left to right (back): Dr. Berneece Herbert, Gerald Taylor, Dwight Tigner, Reginald Robinson, Isaiah Smith, Michaela Spenser & Wilnatta Wardsworth

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PLANNING & ZONING WORKSHOP, ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY Friday November 6, 2015 Facilitator—Mr. Travis Cummings, Code Enforcement Director City of Huntsville

Class—URP 520 Fall 2015

Workshop provided an overview

on: Zoning essentials and how

these influence planning and

development

Role of government and the

actors in the planning system

Site plan review

Topics essential to zoning that

were covered included:

Definitions

Uses

Conformance Non-conformance

Variance, CUP and PUD

Site Plan Review and the

Zoning Ordinance

Understanding legal

challenges of zoning

Issues of taking, equal

protection and due process.

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE BATON ROUGE, LA FEBRUARY 8 – 13, 2016

From left to right: Nicholas Johnson, Dr. Berneece

Herbert, Keiandra Turner, Lady Kassama, LaKesha

Stewart and Reginald Robinson

Posters presented by LaKesha Stewart and Lady Kassama

Paper presented by Dr. Berneece Herbert

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ALABAMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES CONFERENCE UNA, FLORENCE AL FEBRUARY 17—19, 2016

Drs. Herbert & Gabre along with graduate students Reginald Robinson, Ngozi Adjufo, Nicholas Johnson and LaKesha Stewart attend the 2016 Alabama Academy of Sciences Conference, February 2016. Drs. Herbert & Gabre presented individual papers on Food Security and Urbanization Patterns, respectively.

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APA NATIONAL CONFERENCE—PHOENIX ARIZONA APRIL 2—5, 2016

Sixteen faculty and students attended the APA

National Conference in Phoenix Arizona.

Sessions included:

Modern Trends in GIS for Planners – Harnessing the Value of Citizen Engagement

Collective Impact for Successful Community Development

Integrating Urban Design & Cultural Heritage

Changing Demographics: Boomers Downsizing, Minorities Rising

Water Resources & Land-Use Planning Community Engagement in TOD Station

Planning

Drs. Pressley and Herbert with students hang out with Carol Rhea, FAICP (President, APA), Cynthia Bowen, AICP (President-Elect of APA), and Valerie Hubbard, FAICP (AICP President)

Our last night in Phoenix having dinner with two alumni – Brittany Anderson & Patrice Ruffin – President of DCRP Alumni Association

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2016 STEM DAY POSTER PRESENTATIONS

ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY, APRIL 14, 2016

ACCESS TO INCLUSIVE, QUALITY EDUCATION AND CLEAN WATER IN BURKINA FASO AFRICA – AN EXAMINATION OF

THE TARGETS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS by Vontra Giles, Shantrise Harris & Tiffany Lavender;

Research Advisor: Dr. Berneece Herbert

GASES GENERATION IN THE MADISON COUNTY ALABAMA & ENGAGING THE PUBLIC FOR CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES by Nicholas Johnson & Reginald Robinson; Research Advisor: Dr. Berneece Herbert

GREENHOUSE FOOD INSECURITY, DIET RELATED DISEASES AND RACE IN ALABAMA COUNTIES by Olayemi Babalola Research Advisor, Dr. Berneece Herbert

CRITICAL TREND EVALUATION OF US ON-ROAD VEHICLE EMISSION FROM 1992 – 2012 by Ngozi Ajufo; Research Advisor: Dr. Jacob Oluwoye

CARBON FOOTPRINT & TINY HOMES: HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT BY LIVING SMALL by Keiandra Turner; Research Advisor Dr. Joyce Ann Pressley

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URP 566 Trip to the United Nations & the Organization of American States – May 19 – May 23, 2016

In Spring 2016, 9 students from the URP 566 (Environmental and Human Issues in Developing Nations) visited the headquarters of the United Nations in New York and the Organization of American States in Washington DC. The purpose of the trip was to attend briefings on the Global Goals for Sustainable development focusing on issues of food security, poverty, education and climate change.

Students – Lakesha Stewart, Ngozi Ajufo, Shantrise Harris, Brianna Baber, Amber Staples, Reginald Robinson, Vontra Giles, Dwight Tigner, Nicholas Johnson

Instructor/Coordinator: Dr. Berneece Herbert

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URP 566 Trip to the United Nations & the Organization of

American States – May 19 – May 23, 2016 Cont’d

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!

MY EXPERIENCE: NEW YORK & WASHINGTON DC

This past Spring break, I had the opportunity to travel with my professor and classmates to New York

City and Washington DC. As we were traveling, I was nervous because I had never been past the state

of Virginia. I noticed that everything about the northeastern parts of the states were very different from

the south. Spatially, everything was straight up just like the pictures. As, we entered into New York I

was so excited to see the different areas and experience the culture of the city. The first day in the city

we visited the United Nations. I felt very privileged to sit at the table and listen to the experts discuss

the same concepts that were taught in class. Hearing them talk about the Sustainable Development

Goals gave so much connectivity to what we were learning in the classroom. As my classmates engaged

in conversation it was very exciting to see the expressions on the UN representatives faces; they were

very impressed with their knowledge of the SDGs and how they were applied. As we ended the day I

was very satisfied with our visit to the UN.

The second day was AMAZING we got to travel around the city and did some sightseeing. We saw

everything from the Statue of Liberty to China Town. We paid homage to the victims of 911 and even

went to Harlem. Harlem was my favorite place in New York because of its rich African American history.

I wish we could have stayed a little longer but no, Washington DC awaited us. We arrived at the

Nation’s capital and I was amazed to finally see the world’s most talked about monuments. While in DC,

we visited the OAS, which is the Organization of American States. I had never heard of the organization

other than in class so I was eager to learn more about the origination. The speakers were good and they

gave so much insight on how different countries of the Americas are trying to support each other in

various functions of government. The OAS building was gorgeous which made for great pictures

afterwards and of course we had wonderful Kodak moments.

In closing, this trip was one that I honestly can say was priceless. I was very inspired by the trip to

continue to strive to be great. Meeting people who loved what they did and who saw a need for my area

of study also gave me hope. I am very encouraged to know that Dr. Herbert understands the importance

of connecting the classroom to the outside world. Making the connectivity of classroom curriculums

helps students understand the importance of why these things matter and she did a wonderful job with

doing so. This trip was only the beginning of where the department is going. Oh what a time to be

Alive!

By Shantrise N. Harris, Graduate Student

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Professional Development Activities

THEME: SUCCESS IN THE WORK PLACE Ms. Tangela Rutledge Gale, Career Counselor, AAMU Ms. Rutledge-Gale is the Recruiter Liaison, College of Agricultural, Life and Natural Sciences from AAMU’s Career Development Services (CDS). CDS is committed to helping AAMU students prepare for and achieve professional success. THEME: WHAT IS URBAN PLANNING ANYWAY? Carol Rhea – President National Chapter of the American Planning Association

Carol Rhea, FAICP Carol Rhea is a founding partner of the Orion Planning + Design, and previously created and staffed Rhea Consulting. In addition to her work as a consultant, Rhea has worked as a city, county, regional, and state planner. Her passion is helping local governments build planning capacity, and working with small to medium-sized communities to address planning challenges. She has a history of volunteer work that includes serving as a planning commissioner, on a historic foundation board, and in many leadership roles within APA.

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High School Senior Day—Elmore Gymnasium AAMU Campus November 2015

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OPEN HOUSE – APRIL 22, 2016, CLYDE FOSTER MPC, AAMU

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DCRP OPEN HOUSE CONT’D

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Graduate Students, David Stovall and Deidre Childress,

worked with the City of Huntsville to get historic Glenwood

Cemetery in Huntsville Alabama to be listed on the State's

Historic Cemetery Register. The students are pictured

below along with Mr. Joseph Lee, Dr. Berneece Herbert and

Mayor Tommy Battle, on July 28, 2015 during the

celebrations.

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EARTH DAY 2016 A Partnership between Alabama A&M University Department of Community & Regional Planning and

the City of Huntsville of Huntsville, Alabama

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Mentoring & Partnerships with the North Alabama Center for Educational Excellence

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Mentoring & Partnerships with the North Alabama Center for Educational Excellence

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Summer 2016 Upward Bound Student Intern: Darren Strickland, Lee High School Project Title: Urban Planning & Walkability June 1- July 10th, 2016 Student Mentors: Mario Robinson, Graduate Research Assistant Samuel Green, Graduate Research Assistant

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–

Marley Hicks-BSUP Student Over the summer I had a great opportunity to work alongside Ivan Holloway and his team at Urban Impact Inc. There I had the opportunity to work and learn from their team. While I was there, I learned a lot about how to conduct myself in the community. One of the lessons I learned from Mr. Holloway was that “You are a part of the community you live in”, meaning that your job is to conduct the ideas and inputs of the community back into it. Mr. Holloway stressed the importance of attending town hall meetings, because planners need to work with the community in order to plan around their thoughts and ideas. Another lesson I learned from interning with them is to understand the history behind community as well. The building we worked from was located on

the historic 4th Ave District in Downtown Birmingham. This district was the only district that African Americans could own business and work for a living. Knowing about this really gave me a sense of pride in the community I grew up in. Overall, this was a great experience for me, and I can’t wait for the opportunities that lie ahead. Nicholas Johnson -MURP Student

This summer I had the opportunity to work for the USDA/NRCS based in South Carolina. My duties included reviewing proposals for NRCS- Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG); assisting with check-out of completed conservation practices to include: farming, water system and pipeline HUA; attending site visit to observe streambank restoration projects, both completed and planned in Lancaster County. This internship also enabled me to gain an understanding of USDA/NRCS and the programs offered to agricultural producers and rural landowners; to learn ArcGIS, and about the federal government EQUIP system.

Reginald Robinson-MURP Student Some of my responsibilities for this internship position at PAK Legacy CDC in Huntsville, Alabama included grant writing and research, drafting a professional development program model for the CDC and was trained on policies and application process for Community Development Entity. In terms of my accomplishment, I researched and found 3 grant applications applicable for the CDC; drafted a professional development program model for the CDC and assisted in the Community Development Entity application. I gained significant knowledge and experience with the above assignment and it has definitely been a professional eye opener with much hands-on experience.

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Vontra Giles-MURP Student Vontra Giles was selected to serve as a Management Program Analyst in the Engineering Facilities Division of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, the nation’s leading producer and supplier of military equipment, clothing, food, and weapons. The Engineering Facilities Division offers industrial planning support to ensure each defense production site is capable of carrying out the future demand while maintaining the current mission requirements for national security. Vontra’s primary responsibilities include assisting the real property staff with master planning support and project management for over twenty AMC managed arsenals and depots across the United States. She works to provide program support to

Facilities Division initiatives such as organizing data for the Army Energy and Water Reporting System, research of quality work environment interior facility standards, providing reviews and comments for installation planning documents, and generating statistical analysis reports that will aid in the decision- making process. Ms. Giles’ top accomplishment this summer was established by generating a correlation analysis report that documented energy and water consumption and labor hours for each production site. The data she produced will be used at the end of the federal fiscal year to brief the headquarters on possible solutions for energy reduction, as defined by the presidential Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade. (Vontra is pictured standing with the Commanding General of the United States Army Material Command, General Dennis Via) Bri’Anna Baber-MURP Student

My experience with the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service in Columbus, Ohio was definitely worthwhile! I do not know of many interns that can say they not only learned about how their agency functions, agency culture, but fall in love with what it does for humanity and the greater good! During my internship it was my duty to comprehend administrative functions of NRCS. I mainly dealt with grants, contracts, and obligation periods for Special Programs. Also, my duties included touring some of my contract sites underneath the Urban Resource Conservation Program. Throughout the summer I went to meetings with my supervisor (TaTrecia Davis) to Mid-Ohio Foodbank, Central State University, and attended a Strike Force meeting in collaboration with FSA, RD, US Forest Service. During the

last week I volunteered for the Ohio State Fair and helped children plant sunflower and sweet corn seeds. I would have to say my main three accomplishments are the following:

1. I was one of the first students to intern with the NRCS-OH State Office 2. My data collection for Local Working Group Resource Concerns for NRCS-OH Areas 1-3 will

be published on the NRCS-OH website later this year. 3. I represented myself, DCRP, and Alabama A&M University to such an extent that the entire

office threw the other intern and myself a surprise going away party. During this party my supervisor, started to cry while delivering her speech of how everyone that I have encountered was extremely impressed with my knowledge and energy.

I would say that I have gained skills in identifying natural resource concerns for urban areas, soil identification, contract development, soil training, wetland restoration, and resource planning. I would simply encourage anyone in the Urban and Regional Planning program to visit the NRCS website and gain knowledge of everything that they do.

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Lady Kassama – MURP Student Ms. Lady Kassama spent her summer with the AAMU Community Development Corporation. She taught LEGO Robotics to children who participated in the CDC’s Healthy Lifestyles Summer Camp. Through a series of small-scale robot projects, Ms. Kassama introduced to the children, the concepts and values of the STEM subject areas and their practical applications. The robot projects were made using the LEGO robotic kits that were from a grant obtained by Dr. Jacob Oluwoye. Ms. Kassama prepared and assisted the kids in presenting what they have learned and their robot projects at the Edmonton Heights Community Reunion on August 2, 2016. Ms. Kassama also presented a poster at the first One Health Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) June 19 – 20, 2016, which was hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional

Programs (Urban Affairs). Her poster highlighted the research she has been conducting with Dr. Jacob Oluwoye at the Center for Urban & Regional Research (CURR) on the “Demographic Characteristics of Victims of Car Crashes during Inclement Weather 1999 – 2014”.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES & GRADUATES SUMMER 2016

Alabama A&M University, Alabama & Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China Jeran Herbert – BSUP Student

This summer I traveled to the city of Nanjing, China to intern there at Nanjing Forestry University. Under the guidance of my mentors Dr. Kozma Naka, Alabama A&M University and Dr. Shen Jin, Nanjing Forestry University I was able to formulate and present my research entitled “Comparative Analysis of Agricultural Systems in North Carolina and Jiangsu Province”. In my research, my objectives were to analyze the output and overall structure of farming systems in both regions and find learning outcomes that can be gained from the different systems. Along with gaining research experience I was able immerse myself in a completely different culture, making this internship an experience I will never forget.

Giavani Smith – BSUP Student This summer I was granted an experience of my dreams and that was to experience China. Through the REUG Program at AAMU, I was able to take a 54 day trip to China as well as completing my main goal, research. While in China I studied air pollution, specifically Black Carbon. I was paired with two mentors, one from Nanjing Forestry University and one from AAMU. While in China, we did research but we also were able to visit several cities in the Jiangsu Province. Being in China was a very humbling experience because in America we tend to become spoiled with the commodities we use on a daily basis. I am blessed to have been able to travel to China. I highly recommend our students to take advantage of this opportunity but to also have an open mind.

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IF YOU ANSWER “YES” TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BECOMING A

PLANNER!

Are you interested in positive social, economic, environmental, and physical change?

Do you want to work with people from various backgrounds to develop a better community?

Do you like to communicate with others about ideas, programs, and plans?

Are you challenged by complex problems–and excited about being part of a cooperative process to devise solutions to those problems?

Do you think about the future–about what could be–rather than about what is? URBAN PLANNING – THE RIGHT MAJOR FOR YOU!

A nationally accredited planning program A degree with a large range of job opportunities An exciting educational journey filled with field trips, internships, workshops, community service

and professional development activities A strong alumni who assist students with internships and job placement A family-oriented atmosphere Access to regular professional development activities at the local, state, regional and national

levels Learn and apply cutting-edge technologies in computer applications, transportation planning,

environmental analysis and housing and community development

IS A PLANNING CAREER FOR ME?

WHAT CAN DCRP OFFER YOU?

Fall 2016

Thursday August 25th 2016 (swearing in of UPA E-board)

Student Welcome & Orientation – Friday August 26th 2016

Homecoming symposium – October 7thth 2016

Conferences: 1. EPA Region IV Environmental Symposium, September 8 - 9,2016, Atlanta , GA 2. AL/MS Joint APA Conference, September 14-16, 2016 Biloxi, MS 3. Policy and Advocacy Conference, September 18-20, 2016, Washington, DC 4. 2016 National Training Conference on the Toxics Release Inventory and Environmental

Conditions in Communities Oct 19 – 21, Washington, D.C. 5. Southern Conference on Homelessness & Affordable Housing, October 28-30, 2016 Perdido,

AL 6. ACSP Conference, November 3-6, Portland Oregon

Spring 2017

Future of the City Symposium & Benjamin Banneker Banquet –March 2nd and 3rd, 2017

Conferences: 1. NAAAS Conference, Baton Rouge, February 14 – 17, 2017 2. Alabama Academy of Sciences, February 22 – 24, 2017 3. AAMU STEM Conference, April 2017 4. National APA Conference, May 6-9, 2017, New York , NY

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Department of Community and Regional Planning

P.O. Box 938

Normal, Alabama 35762

Phone: 256-372-5426/4988

Fax: 256-372-5906

www.aamu.edu

Produced by

Dr. Berneece Herbert, Interim Chair &

Program Coordinator Liberal & Interdisciplinary Studies

Editor:

K. Renée Johnson, MA, CALNS Public and Media Relations

Coordinator