Stephen Wheeler, Ph.D.
- Professor, Landscape Architecture Program, Department of Environmental Design
- Climate change planning for mitigation and adaptation
- Evolution of built landscapes in metropolitan regions
- Theory and practice of sustainable development
Biography
Professor Stephen Wheeler joined the University of California at Davis faculty in January 2007. He previously taught in Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of New Mexico, where he initiated a Physical Planning and Design concentration, and the University of California at Berkeley, where he received his Ph.D. and Master of City Planning degrees. He received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.
He teaches courses related to community and regional planning, urban design, and sustainable development. He is interested in how many different planning and design strategies can work together to produce more sustainable communities. His current research focuses on 1) climate change planning for mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation; 2) the evolution of built landscapes in metropolitan regions; and 3) theory and practice of sustainable development.
He is the author of three books, Climate Change and Social Ecology: A New Perspective on the Climate Challenge (Routledge 2012), Planning for Sustainability: Towards Livable, Equitable, and Ecological Communities (second edition Routledge 2013), and The Sustainable Urban Development Reader (co-edited with Tim Beatley) (second edition Routledge 2009, third edition due out in 2014). He has also published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and book reviews.
In the past, he has served as editor of The Urban Ecologist journal, as Transportation Commissioner for the City of Berkeley, California, as an urban planning consultant, and as a lobbyist for environmental organizations in Washington, D.C. His guidebook published by Greenbelt Alliance, Smart Infill, won the 2003 Education Project Award from the California Chapter of the American Planning Association. His other awards include the Chicago Institute of Architecture and Urbanism Award, the Munsell Memorial Award, and first place in the Infill Category of the Housing the Next Ten Million competition sponsored by the Great Valley Center in California (with Michael Larice).
In 2009, he received the William R. and June Dale Prize for Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning. This national award is given annually to one academic and one practitioner by Cal Poly Pomona. In 2008 he received an Honorable Mention for the Chester Rapkin Award from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning. This award is for best article published in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
2009 William R. and June Dale Prize for Excellence in Urban and Regional Planning
2008 Honorable Mention, Chester Rapkin Award, Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning
2003 Education Project Award of Merit from the California Chapter of the American Planning Association
2003 Best Education Project Award from the Northern California Chapter of the APA
1999 Honor Award, Housing the Next Ten Million Competition
1999 Munsell Memorial Award, California Planning Roundtable
1997 Chicago Institute of Architecture and Urbanism Award
1994-1995 Switzer Environmental Fellowship, San Francisco Foundation
LDA 3 Sustainable Development: Theory and Practice (4)
Lecture—2 hours; extensive problem solving—2 hours, discussion—1 hour. Origins, theoretical perspectives, and practical applications of the concept of sustainable development at a number of scales (site, building, neighborhood, city, region, and nation) through lectures, sketch exercises, student projects, walking tours.
LDA 180G Special Topics in Landscape Architecture: Landscape and Regional Land Planning (2)
Lecture—2 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing. Theories, laws, and practices of community planning. Creation of livable and sustainable communities and natural landscapes, Smart growth, new urbanism, neo-traditional town planning, transit-oriented, and sustainable communities. Traditional master planning vs. participatory planning and design approaches.
LDA 180I Special Topics in Landscape Architecture: Regenerative Landscape Systems (2)
Lecture—2 hours. Prerequisite: courses 1 and 30. Priority given to Landscape Architecture majors. Theories, basic techniques and applications for various systems by which landscapes regenerate and sustain life (both human and non-human) and culture over time.
LDA 181G Special Topics in Landscape Architecture: Landscape and Regional Land Planning Studio (3)
Studio—6 hours. Prerequisite: course 170, course 181G concurrently. Applications of recent models and practices of urban planning and design to create livable and sustainable cities, towns, villages, rural, and natural landscapes. Testing of models by creating plans and designs for new communities, and for urban infill, restoration or redevelopment projects. Field trip required.
LDA 205 Physical Planning and Design (4)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—2 hours. Regulation, design, and development of the built landscape, planning and land development processes, zoning and subdivision regulation, site planning, urban design goals and methods, public participation strategies, creatively designing landscapes to meet community and ecological goals.
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