Deden Rukmana Selected as Director of Master of City and Regional Planning
The College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs (CAPPA) is pleased to announce Deden Rukmana as the new Director of the Master of City and Regional Planning program in the Department of Public Affairs and Planning. Rukmana currently serves as professor and chairperson of the Department of Community and Regional Planning at Alabama A&M University. His appointment will begin on September 1.
"I am thrilled to have Dr. Rukmana join our program and help fulfill our goals of being a premier destination for students, faculty, and community service," says David Coursey, Chair of Public Affairs and Planning. "He is an internationally recognized scholar in the planning field with tremendous administrative experience in master program leadership."
Rukmana is a distinguished urban planner, educator, and scholar with extensive leadership experience. He taught for twelve years at Savannah State University and worked as a planning analyst with the Florida Department of Community Affairs. He has also served for eight years as an urban planner in Indonesia. Rukmana holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University and master's degrees from the University of Southern California and Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia.
"I am excited to join the faculty and staff at UTA,” said Rukmana. “I look forward to ensuring continued PAB accreditation, expanding community partnerships, and elevating the program to new heights."
His research focuses on homelessness, health disparities, environmental justice in the U.S., and urbanization, housing, transportation, and environmental challenges in Indonesia. He has published over 40 articles and book chapters in esteemed journals such as Cities, International Planning Studies, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Planning Theory and Practice, Housing Policy Debate, and Planning Practice and Research.
His work has been cited by major media outlets like the New York Times, AFP, Public Radio International, Straits Times, Jakarta Post, and Kompas. Rukmana's multidisciplinary research is supported by organizations including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Dr. Rukmana will play a crucial role in shaping our planning program, says Dean Ming-Han Li. "With his impressive track record, I'm confident he'll make a huge impact at CAPPA."
He has received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Journal Reviewer Award from Town Planning Review and the Georgia Planning Association Service Award. He serves as secretary for the Global Planning Education Association Network (GPEAN) and is an active member of Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), the American Planning Association, the Planning Accreditation Board, the Urban Affairs Association, and the International Indonesian Scholars Association.
Rukmana will officially assume his leadership role on September 1, and the CAPPA community looks forward to his service and contributions to the college.