Teaching

To connect coursework with real-world practice, I design assignments that encourage students to apply what they learn in class to contemporary planning challenges. My teaching materials integrate professional planning documents, long-range transportation plans, government reports, planning cases, and academic literature. Through case studies, plan reviews, and project-based learning, students develop professional skills while learning to identify context-sensitive planning solutions.

Recently, three students from my Planning Policy and Process course (Xinyi He, Sofia Rita, and Huixin Fu) received the Best Student Case Study Award from the Global Planning Educator Interest Group (GPEIG) of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) for a case study on informal housing governance in India that they developed in my class. Seeing students grow into independent researchers and planning professionals through these practice-based assignments has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my teaching.

Planning education should evolve alongside the profession itself. As emerging technologies continue to reshape planning practice, I continually update my courses to reflect new tools, methods, and professional frontiers.

For example, I recently redesigned a plan evaluation assignment by incorporating generative AI into the learning process. Rather than treating AI as a replacement for human judgment, students compared AI-generated evaluations with human-coded assessments and critically reflected on both the opportunities and limitations of large language models in planning practice. This assignment helped students develop both technical skills and critical perspectives on the role of AI in planning and design. The course redesign was later supported by a Teaching Transformation Grant from the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore.

Creating an inclusive classroom where students feel comfortable sharing diverse perspectives is central to my teaching philosophy. As a first-generation college student, I understand the transformative role that higher education can play in expanding opportunities and promoting social mobility. This experience has shaped my commitment to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and creating classrooms where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to succeed.

To foster an inclusive and engaging learning environment, I intentionally assign readings written by scholars from diverse academic and demographic backgrounds and encourage participation through multiple formats, including reading reflections, mini-presentations, and end-of-class takeaways. I also make myself available through additional office hours and informal conversations so that I can better understand each student's learning style, academic goals, and individual needs.

Ultimately, my goal is to create classrooms where students feel intellectually challenged, personally supported, and confident in developing their professional identities as planners, scholars, and future leaders.