Richard William Willson
Dr. Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Cal Poly Pomona. His passion is mentoring planners and other change makers and supporting reflective practice. A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Career (Routledge 2018) provides insight on mastering the dance of idealism and realism in practice. Dr. Willson’s planning research and practice concerns parking reform and transit-oriented development.
Biography
Dr. Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Cal Poly Pomona. His passion is mentoring young planners and other change makers. A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Career ( 2018) provides insight on mastering the dance of idealism and realism in practice. His American Planning Association blog is called Launching Your Planning Career: A Guide for Idealists.Dr. Willson’s planning research and practice concerns parking reform and transit-oriented development. His 2013 book, Parking Reform Made Easy provides a method for reforming minimum parking requirement. Parking Management for Smart Growth (2015) outlines a strategic approach to parking management in the context of a sharing economy. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Willson consults on parking issues with regional and local agencies such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, local cities, and developers of urban infill projects.
Dr. Willson is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He is the recipient of the Cal Poly Pomona Provost Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity.
Education
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Ph.D. in Urban Planning, Univ. of California, Los Angeles
Master in Planning, University of Southern California
Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Univ. of Waterloo
Areas of Research / Professional Expertise
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Professional development, mentoring, reflective professional practice, planning theory, transportation planning, parking supply and management.
Personal Interests
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Landscape painting in oil and marathon running.
Books
News
A Guide for the Idealist reviewed in the Journal of the American Planning Association
By: Richard William Willson
Subjects: Urban Planning
I am honored that Barry Nocks reviewed my recent book, A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Planning Career, in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Planning Association. He concluded: "Planning a career and implementing our own career track are complex processes... Willson explains this in an engaging, personally direct, and understandable way. The book is a clear, hands-on, and useful guide to the personal and professional discernment basic to our success."
TR News Reviews "A Guide for the Idealist"
By: Richard William Willson
Subjects: Urban Planning
TR News, the bi-monthly publication of the Transportation Research Board, published a review of A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Planning Career in the September-October 2017 edition. Speaking of the book's relevance to transportation planners and engineers, the review said, "Young professionals can increase job satisfaction and success by embracing an approach that allows for multiple solutions. Willson refers to the balance of idealism and realism as "principled adaptability." The book offers practical advice for maintaining the ability to be effect in uncertain environments without compromising strong convections about analytic techniques, design standards, efficiency, and planning values."
Willson to Present an Evaluation of the TRB Minority Fellow Program
By: Richard William Willson
Subjects: Urban Planning
Dr. Willson co-authored with Dr. Karen Febey a paper evaluating the TRB Minority Fellow Program, an innovative research program to increase participation in transportation planning by underrepresented groups. He and co-author Dr. Karen Febey will present this research at the Transportation Research Board conference in Washington DC on January 10, 2018.
Willson Presents "Teaching Outside the Planning Curriculum" at ACSP
By: Richard William Willson
Subjects: Urban Planning
Dr. Willson presented a paper assessing mentoring practices in the planning profession at the September 2017 conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning conference. The paper, entitled Teaching Outside the Planning Curriculum: An Assessment of Mentoring Practices, was a collaboration with Robin Scherr and Bobbie Albrecth. The paper compared mentoring practices of a professor, a planning professional, and the American Planing Association. Contact Dr. Willson if you would like a copy.
Willson's "Launching Your Planning Career: A Guide for Idealists" Blog hits 25
By: Richard William Willson
Subjects: Urban Planning
Dr. Willson's "Launching Your Planning Career: A Guide for Idealists" blog on the American Planning Association Association (APA) hit 25 posts this month. The blog, one of the most popular on the APA website, addresses issues in professional development and planning theory.