The School of Urban and Public Affairs is excited to have two new faculty members joining us this semester:
David Arditi, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Before joining UT Arlington, David Arditi earned his Ph.D. from George Mason University in Cultural Studies. At GMU, Arditi taught classes on interdisciplinary studies, globalization and cultural studies. His dissertation explores the condition of the music industry during the transition to digital music production and demonstrates that contrary to the recording industry’s stated position that digital music has harmed the industry, major record labels are in a stronger position today as a result of this digital transformation. Furthermore, it shows that the music industry led this transformation rather than reacting to it. Broadly speaking, Arditi’s research lies at the intersection of cultural studies, media studies and political theory.
Dr. Arditi will teach INTS 4301 – Interdisciplinary Research Process this semester.
Yekang Ko, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning
Before joining UT Arlington, Ye Kang Ko received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2012. At Cal, Ko worked at the Center for Metropolitan Studies and taught courses in GIS and environmental planning. Ko’s research focuses on quantitative assessment of urban sustainability using spatial analysis. Her research and teaching support the long-term resilience of built environments that minimize energy consumption and maximize on-site renewable energy utilization. She is also interested in international planning in the Asia-Pacific region. Her works are based on environmental planning, science, policy and active collaboration with local governments and NGOs.
Dr. Ko’s dissertation research on energy efficient solar cities classifies the energy performance of neighborhoods and as a spin off this research, she has recently submitted an revised article to the Journal of Planning Literature that reviews design principles and research findings related to urban form and energy use. She has also submitted to the Journal of the American Planning Association the article entitled “Solar Sprawl Versus Compact Neighborhoods: Assessing an Optimum Urban Density for Energy Sustainability,” coauthored with K. Jang, D.J. Radke, and R. Cervero.
Dr. Ko will teach CIRP 5327 – Introduction to Green Cities and Transportation this semester.
Carl Grodach, Ph.D., assistant professor of City and Regional Planning, had an article published in the latest issue of the Journal of Urban Affairs, one of the highest-rated journals in the field. Grodach’s article, “Before and After the Creative City: The Politics of Urban Cultural Policy in Austin, Texas,” examines factors that influence cultural economy planning and policy-making in Austin. You can view the article on the 
Ivonne Audirac, Ph.D., director and associate professor of City and Regional Planning, co-authored two articles that were published in the March 2012 issue of the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research. “Shrinking Cities: Urban Challenges of Globalization,” examines the global phenomenon of urban shrinkage. “Declining Suburbs in Europe and Latin America,” describes and compares urban decline in industrial suburbs in Glasgow, Paris, Sao Paulo and Guadalajara. You can read both of the articles on the 
Andrew Whittemore, Ph.D., assistant professor of City and Regional Planning, contributed a recent article to The Atlantic Cities website. His article, “Why Planners Need to Take Agenda 21 Criticism More Seriously,” offers thoughts on how planners can engage smart growth opponents for a more productive dialogue. Read the article at 
