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USP Student Representative Student Spotlights

The USP Department Student Representatives began conducting student interviews in Fall 2019. Below are the student interviews that have been conducted so far. Please let us know if you have recommendations for who to interview next!

Elizabeth Owen 03/02/2020

Screenshot_20200224-105125_2.pngI am Elizabeth Owen, a fourth-year Revelle College undergrad majoring in Urban Studies and Planning with a minor in Environmental Studies. I was born and raised in New York, so my interests in urban planning started from growing up in the City. As a graduating senior, I have taken most of our Department's courses, however my interests are primarily in affordable housing policy, urban design, GIS, housing for people with special needs, annd micro-housing. I have also taken some courses in Environmental Systems as well as from the Visual Arts Department. For my senior capstone project, I examined accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development in the City of San Diego to understand why this incremental and scaled density of housing may be a viable affordable housing option. I mapped out all of the City's permits for ADUs (over 1,500 within the last 3 years!) to evaluate why some neighborhoods are better than others at producing ADUs. During my time in USP, I have served as a Student Representative, UIA for both USP 100 and USP 177, and Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Young Planners' Society. I also serve as the university's Campus & Community Planning Committee undergrad representative, as well as the Student Representative on the American Planning Association (APA) California State Board. My favorite UCSD memory was going on the Bauhaus Global Seminar to Germany in Summer 2018 and making so many new friends and solo traveling for the first time. In Fall 2020, I will be starting my Masters in Urban Planning. In my spare time, you'll find me working at the Sixth College Res Life Office, doing photography, finding new coffee places, or traveling! I also am a proud cat mom of 2.

Xinyi Huang 11/07/19

IMG_4165.jpgI am Xinyi Huang, a third-year undergrad of Urban Studies and Planning major and Studio Art Minor. In a lot of different planning focuses, I am most interested in urban design, place-making, and community/public art as well as urban history. I am currently working as a UIA of professor Bussell in her Land Use Planning course, which I have learned a lot from. Working as a UIA makes me more familiar with professor Bussell (who is brilliant!!), leads me to know how the courses were prepared by the teaching team, and gives me more opportunities to help my peers as well as making friends with them. I am also one of the current vice co-chairs of the Young Planners' Society. Here I met a lot of friends who are great individuals and are all passionate about planning and related topics. As an international student from China, I am very proud of our culture, especially food culture XD. I have explored a lot of San Diego Asian food.