How did you get interested in planning?
I am self-described "transit nerd". The engineering complexity of transit systems has fascinated me for years. During my childhood, I spent hours researching the history and rationales for various subways all over the world. My interest then expanded to highways and their ability to change the towns and cities to which they were adjacent. That was my point of departure for planning, because through my hobby I realized both the destructive and beneficial effects they had.

What kind of work experience do you have?
After graduating from Brandeis University, I worked for two years as a computer engineer at a small firm in Cambridge, MA.

Why did you choose Penn to study city planning?
My choice was based on the opportunity to study with some of the most experienced and interesting faculty members in the field. I also chose Penn because it allowed me to extend my studies into design and aesthetic concerns, while still offering me the ability to bolster my skills of social advocacy.

What has been your favorite class so far?
I don't have one, I have three:

Urban Economics because it challenged my previous views on the effects of interventions.

Transportation and Land Use Planning because it provided me with basis for my future career.

Structures of Cities and Regions because I am a sucker for social and urban theory.

What are your career ambitions?
I would like to design future transportation systems so that they are socially beneficial, technically superior and above all aesthetically contextual.

Our profession is above all, concerned with future conditions. Regardless of whether or not I work in the public or private sector, I would like to use my accrued knowledge from the program to consider the challenges we face in the future. As such, my goal is to reinforce the social and dynamic nature of human settlement.