Arizona State University's School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (GEOPLAN) will bring together students and professionals in the urban planning, community design, and healthcare fields for a one-day workshop called Place Maker Collaboratory: Health + Community Planning on Friday.
The professional development and workshop program, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the ASU Memorial Union, Alumni Lounge (Room 202) in Tempe, aims to provide an opportunity for students and professionals to work together and empower others to make a direct impact on their communities.
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"For community advocates this is a huge thing," says Aaron Kimberlin, assistant director of community engagement for the School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning. "What we want to do is bring people together. It doesn't matter from what background."
The event will be the first of five to take place throughout the spring and fall and will focus on community planning and health. Four presenters with local Arizona ties will speak and lead workshops, presentations and hands-on exercises.
The presenters include Kathryn Terzano from ASU School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning, nutritionist Cynthia Melde from the Arizona Department of Health Services, Creative Director of Cultivate South Phoenix (CUSP) Patricia Tompkins and Creative Director of Little Giant Design Studio Lindsay Kinkade.
Attendees will also receive "an immediately-usable toolkit," meant, "to empower students to want to contribute time, effort and energy into their own communities," Kimberlin says.
He describes the program as a part of an interdisciplinary approach to urban planning -- an approach that will incorporate professionals and students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. The program will also offer a historical context to the field of urban planning, which Kimberlin says began in response to the cholera outbreaks of the past.
In November, GEOPLAN will host a second Place Maker Collaboratory event, which will have a more "technical" theme. Focusing on graphic information systems, the second event will offer workshops meant to create tools construction professionals, land developers and land brokers will be able to use together.
To get tickets for the Place Maker Collaboratory: Health + Community Planning visit the registration website. Tickets are still available; there is no attendance cap for this event and it is open to the public.
For more information visit the ASU School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning website or Facebook.