معرفی
Richard Kos serves as Senior Lecturer, Admissions Director, and MUP Program Graduate Advisor at San José State University's Department of Urban and Regional Planning within the College of Social Sciences. As a certified urban planner and geospatial educator, he directs graduate admissions, advises students, and teaches advanced GIS and urban planning courses that prepare students for professional practice in the Bay Area and beyond.
Dr. Kos earned his Masters of Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1995), focusing on land use planning, growth management, urban sprawl impacts, New Urbanism, and transportation planning. His Bachelor of Science in Environmental Planning and Urban Design came from Rutgers University (1989), where he studied interactions between manmade and natural environments. He is also a Certified California Adult Educator (2003) and holds AICP certification (#105484).
His research interests center on the application of digital technology to study land use change spatially and quantitatively, transportation planning, alternative approaches to conventional suburban development patterns, and community engagement strategies. Dr. Kos has particular expertise in New Urbanist-inspired development standards, GIS project management, and spatial analysis for urban planning applications, with extensive experience applying these skills to real-world planning challenges throughout California.
His publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on GIS education, spatial analysis applications, and workforce development issues. The articles demonstrate progression from foundational GIS applications toward increasingly sophisticated analyses of economic development, biotechnology industry clustering, and community engagement strategies, reflecting both technological advances in GIS and evolving urban planning challenges.
- 2016 CommUniverCitan of the Year for neighborhood revitalization leadership
- 2014 Most Influential Professor award from SJSU students
- Multiple GIS design awards (1999-2003) including ESRI Map Book selection
- Academic Award of Merit from American Planning Association (2014)
- Outstanding Planning Student Organization Award (2015)
As Faculty Advisor for the Urban Planning Coalition, Dr. Kos mentors students in professional development while supervising numerous graduate projects through CommUniverCity San Jose. His student teams have produced maps and spatial analyses for clients including the City of San Jose Planning Department, The Health Trust, Catholic Charities, and other Bay Area organizations, creating valuable experiential learning opportunities while addressing community needs.
