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Where the Jobs Are: Urban Planning and Design
Tuesday, November 18, Eliot 314
6  PM to 7:30 PM

Join us for a look at the dynamic and rapidly changing fields of Urban Design, Planning, and Architecture. The panel is anchored by Ethan Seltzer, Ph.D., Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, Director, School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University. (Snacks will be served)

Panelist Bios

Ethan P. Seltzer, Ph.D
Professor of Urban Studies and Planning 
Director,
School of Urban Studies and Planning

Ethan holds a B.A. 1976 (biology) from Swarthmore College; Masters in Regional Planning, 1979, University of Pennsylvania; Ph.D. 1983 (city and regional planning) University of Pennsylvania. In addition to serving as the Director of the School of Urban Studies and Planning, Dr. Seltzer teaches interdisciplinary courses dealing with themes of regions, planning, and place. His research interests include Cascadia, regional planning, and regional and community development and he is the Director of the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies. Ethan is recognized for his contributions to local and regional planning in the Portland area, and has been invited to speak in cities throughout North America. He has served in the past as President of the City of Portland Planning Commission, the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, the Oregon Environmental Council, and the 40-Mile Loop Land Trust, among others.

Prior to his association with Portland State University, Ethan served as Land Use Supervisor for METRO regional government; Assistant to City Commissioner, Mike Lindberg; and Project Manager at Oregon Environmental Council.

Carol Mayer-Reed, FASLA
Landscape Architect, Partner

Carol Mayer-Reed, FASLA, is a landscape architect and urban designer at Mayer/Reed. The firm is an 18-person Portland-based design studio providing landscape architecture, urban design and visual communications services.  Notable local projects include Nike World Headquarters North Campus Expansion, the Mark Building at the Portland Art Museum, the Downtown Transit Mall for TriMet, The Rain Garden at the Oregon Convention Center and The Eastbank Esplanade.  Projects at Reed College include the Gray Campus Center and Kaul Auditorium, the new language dorm and the Reed College Heritage Master Plan.

Current work includes Park Block 5 in downtown Portland, the new Willamette Bridge and the Portland to Milwaukie light rail transit.  Although most of Mayer/Reed’s work is located in the Pacific Northwest, the firm has also worked on international projects in Singapore, Kazikstan, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Angola.
 
Carol recently presented her urban design and planning research at the Portland Northwest College of Art   Part of a larger exhibit called, PDXplore, Carol’s work was entitled, “Left Coast/Right Brain.” The exhibit was a look at the larger context of Portland in the region and in relationship to other major cities on the west coast.  A 30-year resident of Portland, she’s intrigued about future urban design opportunities, sustainability, and how to retain our quality of life as the city matures and grows.

Jeff Joslin
Land Use Manager: Urban Design, Design Review,
Landmark Review, City of Portland

Jeff Joslin is currently a land use manager for the City of Portland.  He holds a degree in Energy Studies from Brown University, a Masters of Architecture from the University of Oregon, and a Masters of Urban Design from Columbia University.

Jeff's had a number of past lives.  While still an undergraduate, he developed and ran urban sustainability programs in Rhode Island, was Director of the Solar Association of Vermont, and served as a sustainability researcher and architect for the first half of his career. His research work has included an award-winning pioneering piece of research - "The Waste Papers" -that led directly to the establishment of Portland’s Rebuilding Center and similar businesses throughout North America.

Jeff has worked as Project Architect/Designer for several architecture firms in Portland, currently serves as Visiting Critic for University of Oregon and Portland State University schools of architecture, and has taught courses in advanced design at Parsons School of Design in New York.

Jeff first approached the City of Portland to complain about his experiences with City land-use processes, and they offered him a job. As a result, he's been leading various urban design functions for the City for 15 years, including stints as Senior Planner, Urban Design and City Planner in Portland’s Bureau of Planning.

Today, Jeff leads a group of a dozen architects and planners who regulate design in various parts of the City we care the most about.  After 15 years in government, he still believes he's part of the solution and not the problem.

Robin McArthur, AICP
Director of Planning and Development for METRO

Robin McArthur is currently Director of Planning and Development for METRO regional government where she directs long-range land use and transportation system planning, corridor planning, regional travel options, and transit-oriented development activities related to the implementation of the Region 2040 Growth Concept.

Prior to her current position Robin served as Metro’s Regional Planning Director, where she managed long-range land use and transportation planning and worked with regional partners to develop the Regional Transportation Plan and the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program. Her portfolio included regional infrastructure analysis, development and marketing of new tools to stimulate development in centers, downtowns, main streets and employment areas, and establishing urban and rural reserves.  

Other highlights of Robin’s career have included: Transportation Planning and Development Manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation; Land Use and Transportation Advisor to Governor John Kitzhaber; Director, State Agency Council for Growth Issues in the Portland Metropolitan Area; and City Planner for the City of Portland.

Robin received a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.