Urban and Regional Transformation
About Us
The Urban and Regional Transformation (URT) cohort at California State University, Fresno is a diverse group of faculty members who work as a team to develop research and strategies that support urban and regional transformation in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond. This group approaches the issues surrounding regional and urban change from a number of perspectives that overlap and complement each other in unique ways. The URT cohort includes faculty members with expertise in the areas of agricultural business, communication, computer science, economics, entrepreneurship, and urban and regional planning.
Mission
The mission of the URT cohort is to integrate and utilize the expertise of Faculty members at the California State University, Fresno to improve understanding of, and provide innovative responses to, urban and regional issues in the San Joaquin Valley. The cohort pursues its mission by (1) conducting interdisciplinary research that produces knowledge which contributes to meeting urban and regional challenges in the Valley and beyond; (2) collaborating with and providing service to local communities; and (3) training students in relevant fields with the ability to serve the transformation of the Valley.
Cohort Activities
Please visit our Cohort Activities page to see what activities our members have been involved in.
Cohort Members
Hongwei Dong, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography
Expertise: Smart growth, transportation and land use, urban spatial structure
Email: hdong@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-2890
Mike Dozier
Executive Director, the Office of Community and Economic Development Email: mdozier@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-294-6027
J. Andrew Hansz, Ph.D., CFA,MAI
Expertise area: Real estate economics and finance
Email: hansz@gazarian.info; Phone: 559-325-4732
Cui Lin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science
Expertise: Cloud computing, big data analysis and scientific workflow management.
Email: clin@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-4635
Kevin Kuswa, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication
Expertise: Communication, debate, critical theory
Email: kkuswa@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-2565
Eric Liguori, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship
Expertise: Entrepreneurship, local business climate, entrepreneurial ecosystems
Email: eliguori@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-4566
David Vera, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Economics
Expertise: Macroeconomics, applied econometrics
Email: dvera@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-4935
Pei Xu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture Business
Expertise: agribusiness management, behavioral economics, food products marketing
Email: pxu@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-278-4566
Rachel Audino
Government Affairs Manager
Office of Community and Economic Development
Email: raudino@csufresno.edu; Phone: 559-347-3908
