{"id":17046,"date":"2023-09-20T11:01:43","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T15:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/urp\/?p=17046"},"modified":"2023-12-19T19:06:05","modified_gmt":"2023-12-20T00:06:05","slug":"uf-urban-and-regional-planning-at-the-the-2023-florida-apa-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dcp.ufl.edu\/urp\/uf-urban-and-regional-planning-at-the-the-2023-florida-apa-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"UF Urban and Regional Planning at the the 2023 Florida APA Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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UF Urban and Regional Planning at the the 2023 Florida APA Conference <\/h1>
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MURP Students at URP table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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September 19, 2023<\/h6>
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The Urban and Regional Planning Department at UF showcased a powerful presence at this year’s Florida APA Conference<\/a>. With a vibrant blend of representation, awards, and engagements, the department exemplified planning excellence:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Exhibitor Booth<\/h2>
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This year saw the department not just as participants but as proud sponsors of the 2023 Florida APA Conference. The URP exhibit booth became a hub of interaction, with eager students and seasoned faculty collaborating to introduce attendees to the department’s unique initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The Florida Planning Conference was a great time! I was able to network with public and private sector employees, represent UF, and attend sessions. My favorite session was about Youth Planners which consisted of kids from the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, who are passionate about planning, making change in their city, and becoming urban planners.”<\/p>\n– Yesenia Castaneda<\/strong>, MURP student and SPA president
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Planning students assisting tabling efforts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Dr. Emre Tepe and MURP students, Adrian Santiago and Drew Borzi after being presented the ‘Award of Merit’<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
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MURP student, Adrian Santiago presenting his poster<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Transportation Engineering PhD and MURP Student, Bryce Grame presenting his poster <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Award Recipients <\/h2>
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The spirit of innovation was bright as students from the Fall 2022 studio (URP 6341) were recognized for their project, “SPARCing Community Spaces for Arts and Wellness.” Their dedication and forward-thinking approach earned them the coveted “Award of Merit.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 “It was an honor to receive a student merit award for the SPARC Arts and Wellness Community Center project that our UF Fall 2022 Urban Regional Planning Studio put together. Planning studio was a challenging collaborative full circle experience that I got to participate in as an undergraduate, humbled to be recognized with Dr. Tepe and Drew Borzi on behalf of our Fall Studio class. It was also an honor to participate in the inaugural student poster competition with my Spring Sustainability and the Built Environment Capstone, getting to talk about challenging environmental justice questions.”<\/p>\n– Adrian Santiago, MURP student
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Further amplifying UF’s presence at the conference, Bryce Grame set a remarkable precedent by clinching the Student Poster winner award in the event’s inaugural poster session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The APA conference was an incredible opportunity to disseminate some of the interdisciplinary research I have been working on to an audience broader than the transportation groups I usually present to.”<\/p>\n– Bryce Grame, Transportation Engineering PhD and MURP Student
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UF URP Happy Hour Reception<\/h2>
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In what turned out to be a highlight of the conference, URP hosted a happy hour reception that saw an impressive turnout of around 60 attendees. This gathering of alumni, current faculty, instructors, and students from both campus and online courses showcased the diverse and vibrant community that makes up the URP family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alumni, Faculty, and Students at the UF Happy Hour Reception<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Alumni, Faculty, and Students at the UF Happy Hour Reception<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n
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UF Speaker Sessions <\/h2>
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Alumni and Faculty of the department were well represented as presenters at the conference. Notable UF sessions include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n