Kirsten Kinzer

Dr. Kirsten Kinzer serves as Visiting Associate Professor and Acting Department Chair of the Department of Architecture and Urban Sustainability at the University of the District of Columbia's College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences since 2024. She integrates research, policy, and teaching to advance equitable urban solutions through community engagement.

Her educational background includes:

• Doctor of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning (University of Pennsylvania)
• Master in City Planning (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Bachelor of Architecture (Rice University)

Her research centers on urban sustainability, public engagement in planning, and interdisciplinary architecture. She investigates sustainability plan implementation and the public's role in urban development, emphasizing community-driven approaches and sustainability literacy in public administration education.

Recent publications (2018-2023) cover community engagement in the classroom, coastal land use planning, and sustainability curriculum integration, reflecting her interdisciplinary focus on urban policy, environmental management, and education.

Award:

• Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Community Engagement (2022)

Grant funding includes hyperlocal air quality research (UNC Wilmington, 2020), affordable housing assessment in Navassa, NC (UNC Wilmington, 2019), and coastal land use planning guidance (NC DEQ, 2018).

She teaches Architecture Thesis Seminar and Studios, mentoring students in sustainable design principles and community-centered planning practices.