PEOPLE
Director
Mahbubur R. Meenar, Ph.D., GISP
Dr. Meenar is an Associate Professor of Planning in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability at Rowan University. He examines the connection between human and spatial dimensions (e.g., natural and built environments) in developing plans for sustainable and resilient communities, focusing on the nexus of land, water, and food. His research interests also include the use of geospatial and other technologies in participatory spatial planning. His work has been published in leading journals in his field, including the Journal of American Planning Association, Journal of Planning Education & Research, Environmental and Planning A, Journal of Planning Literature, Cities, Landscape and Urban Planning, Local Environment, and Environmental Management. Dr. Meenar currently teaches Environmental and Sustainability Planning, GIS, Geovisualization, and Community Planning & Site Design.
Research interests: built environment, green infrastructure, food environment, environmental health, urban regeneration & sustainable development, participatory planning, digital civic engagement, smart cities, geospatial planning, social equity
Affiliated Faculty @ Rowan University
Megan Bucknum
Senior Lecturer, Geography, Planning, & Sustainability
Research Interests: food systems planning, collaborative planning, oral history
Ted Howell, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Writing Arts
Research Interests: environmental humanities, climate change fiction, community writing, the Anthropocene
Mireille Bright, Ph.D., MPH, RDN
Lecturer, Nutrition
Research Interests: community nutrition, nutrition & minority health, health promotion
Kevin Keenan, Ph.D.
Asso. Prof. and Chair, Geography, Planning, & Sustainability
Research Interests: urban policy, hazards, vulnerability, resilience, urban violence
Zachary Christman, Ph.D.
Asso. Prof., Geography, Planning, & Sustainability
Research Interests: GIS, remote sensing, environmental change, population health
Jennifer Kitson, Ph.D.
Asso. Prof., Art
Research Interests: public art, senses and the city, sustainable urbanism, historic preservation
Jordan Howell, Ph.D., MBA
Asso. Prof., Sustainable Business
Research Interests: waste management, environmental policy & governance, sustainable business
Dara LoBuono, Ph.D., RD
Asst. Prof., Health & Exercise Science
Research Interests: nutrition assessment, nutrition for older adults, nutrition for adults with disability, digital health
Leslie Spencer, Ph.D.
Professor, Health Promotion & Wellness
Research Interests: motivational Interviewing and health behavior change, student success coaching, fitness for people with IDD
Melanie Stewart
Associate Dean, College of Performing Arts;
Professor, Theatre & Dance
Research Interests: creative placemaking, creation and performance of movement driven theatre, medical improvisation
Ashley York, Ph.D.
Lecturer, Geography, Planning, & Sustainability
Research Interests: GIS, remote sensing, spatial analysis and statistics, climate change, the cryosphere
Present non-Rowan Collaborators
Deepti Adlakha, Ph.D. (landscape architecture, public health - North Carolina State University, USA) | Ashraful Alam, Ph.D. (geography, planning - University of Otago, New Zealand) | Sarah Bauer, Ph.D. (civil engineering - Mercer University, USA) | S. M. Labib, Ph.D. (spatial data science, built and natural environment, urban health, and active travel - Utrecht University, Nederlands + University of Cambridge, UK) | Jirka Panek, Ph.D. (community development, GIS - Palacký University, Czech Republic) | Md Shahinoor Rahman, Ph.D. (earth science, GIS - New Jersey City University, USA)
Past non-Rowan Collaborators
Nader Afzalan, Ph.D. (University of Redlands) | Saleh Ahmed, Ph.D. (Boise State University) | Sanjana Ahmed (Delft University of Technology) | Ayman Ali, Ph.D. (Rowan University) | Leonard Bonarek (Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia) | Helen Cole, Ph.D. (Barcelona Laboratory for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability) | Bradley Flamm, Ph.D. (West Chester University of Pennsylvania) | Amir Hajrasouliha, Ph.D. (Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo) | John Hasse, Ph.D. (Rowan University) | Sally Harrison (Temple University) | Megan Heckert, Ph.D. (West Chester University of Pennsylvania) | Lynn Mandarano, Ph.D. (Temple University) | Alfonso Morales, Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin – Madison) | Smitha Mysore (SJB School of Architecture and Planning, Bangalore, India) | John Sorrentino, Ph.D. (Temple University) | Robert Whyte (Robert Whyte Design)
Past & Present Consultants
Shaneka Boucher, Social Responsibility Through Me | Margaret DelPlato, Economic development planner, public administration specialist | Robert Gladfelter, Landscape designer | Jason Hachadorian, Urban planner | Kyle Hearing, Urban planner | Jenna Otto, Landscape designer | Cassie Shugart, Urban planner | August Tarrier, Editor | Shane Walsh, Physical geographer | Jonathan Wetstein, Urban planner | Cerulean, LLC | Econsult Solutions Inc.
Past & Present Organizational Partners & Collaborators
Acenda Integrated Health
Bullock Garden Project Inc.
Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority
Camden Fire Works
Camden Urban Agriculture Collaborative
Creative Glassboro
Glassboro Borough
Heart of Camden
Mosaic Family Success Center
New Kensington Community Development Corporation
Parkside Business and Community in Partnership
The National Consortium for Creative Placemaking
Current Lab Members
Robert Chiaravalloti, Major - Community & Environmental Planning
Michelle Contarino, Graduate Student, Psychology
Jonathan Hansel, Major - Community & Environmental Planning
Jessica Lubitz, Major - Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Julia Moseley, Major - Community & Environmental Planning
Christopher Tirri, Graduate Student, Urban & Regional Planning
Featured Alumni
Past Members / Alumni
Arianna Adan, Major - Journalism
Noah Berkowitz, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning
Matthew Bettin, Major - Environmental Studies, Minor - Biology, GIS
Casey Bourke, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Taryn Brickner, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning
Christopher Campbell, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning, History
Alex Cervantes, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning
Carlos Cruz-Gallo, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, GIS
Santino D'Agostino, Major - Journalism
Gabrielle Davis, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Marie DiLeonardo, Major - Spanish, Subject Matter Education K-12
Samantha Dimeglio, Major - Environmental Studies, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning, GIS
Lea Donaghy, Major - Psychology
Joseph Foti, Major - Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management
Shantae Henry, Major - Public Health
Oludayo Ibikunle, Major - Chemical Engineering
Robert Kearney, Major - Geography, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning, GIS
Amy Mann, Major - English
Kenny Marte, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Minor - GIS, Sustainable Built Environments, Spanish
Jack Meyers, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning
Donald Morrison, Major - GIS
Devon Moulton, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Minors - Environmental Science, Environmental & Sustainability Studies, Geography, Sustainable Built Environments
Devon Nealer, Graduate Student, Urban & Regional Planning
Brianna Pellegrino, Graduate student, Nutrition and Dietatics
Giavanni Rizzo, Major - Community and Environmental Planning, Environmental & Sustainability Studies
Cassandra Rodriguez, Major - Community & Environmental Planning
Kira Rose, Major - Civil & Environmental Engineering
Samain Sabrin, Graduate Student, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Cassie Shugart, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Geography
Herivin Simmasalam, Major - GIS, Minor - Geography
Sarah Sosa, Major - Biological Science, Minor - GIS, Environmental Science
Ben Stephens, Major - Geography, Minor - GIS
Jake Vitagliano, Major - Community & Environmental Planning
Kristina Wallace, Major - GIS, Minor - Community & Environmental Planning
Dylan Williams, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Minor - GIS, Sustainable Built Environments
Hunter Swanson, Major - Community & Environmental Planning, Minor - GIS
Meghan Wren, Major - Community & Environmental Planning