School of Public & International Affairs 2014-2015 Report of Faculty Research & Scholarship

In the 2014-2015 academic year, the Virginia Tech School of Public and International Aff airs (VT SPIA) in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies (CAUS) took steps to build the capacity of the School to support student recruitment and success, to foster collaborative research, to develop new degrees focused on critical needs and to hone and strengthen existing degrees, to establish professional noncredit programming, to build a strong system of support and inspiration and set strategic direction with our new Advisory Board and Alumni Council, and to develop international opportunities and connections. Faculty and students traveled across the nation and the globe to present research at major research conferences, a 247% increase in travel from 2011; students participated in hands on studios focused on evidenced based decision making for tough urban challenges and planning for cultural preservation and enhancement; and we have worked to support the strategic vision of President Tim Sands by focusing on the role of VT SPIA in building the land grant university of the future, in building the two-campus binary star opportuniti es, and in building our commitment to diversity and inclusion. VT SPIA strives to bring multiple perspectives and disciplines together to prepare students for careers of professional service and scholarship, to develop research that advances theory and practice, and to engage with communities and organizations across the region and the world to work on questi ons of planning, policy, administrati on and governance, security, sustainability, collaboration, resilience, development, and more. VT SPIA has three strategic locations in the Blacksburg main campus, in Old Town Alexandria, and in the State Capital of Richmond. Some of the highlights in this broad eff ort are featured below, and summarized in this report.