Marla Nelson, a University of New Orleans professor of planning and urban studies, will receive a 2011 Activist Scholar Award at the Urban Affairs Association’s 41st Annual Meeting. The conference, which is entitled “Reclaiming the City: Building a Just and Sustainable Future,” will take place March 16-19 at the New Orleans Sheraton Hotel.
Nelson also serves as coordinator of the Master of Urban Planning program, the only accredited planning program in the state. Her current research focuses on how cities cope with population decline and the tensions among equity, efficiency and environmental management in the implementation of redevelopment strategies. Her recent work in New Orleans addresses how to deal with vacant and abandoned property through planning and policy decisions.
The Activist Scholar Award is presented to urban scholars who have engaged in exemplary field-based research. Nelson, Loyola professor William Quigley and Dillard professor Beverly Wright are this year’s recipients. The three honorees will receive their awards and present lectures on Friday, March 18 at 5:30 p.m. in Grand Ballroom A&B (5th floor).
The Urban Affairs Association is the international professional organization for urban scholars, researchers and public service providers. This year’s conference will attract more than 600 attendees, representing 200 universities, think tanks and nonprofit organizations from five continents. Members of the local host committee include UNO professors Jane Brooks, Renia Ehrenfeucht, Marla Nelson, Michelle Thompson and Dillard professor Robert Collins.
For more details on the conference, visit: http://www.udel.edu/uaa/annual_meeting/press_release3.html