Richard W. Willson

Dr. Richard Willson FAICP is a Professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Dr. Willson's research addresses parking policy, climate change planning, land/use transportation relationships, travel demand management, transit-oriented development, planning theory and practice, and professional development. His latest book is Reflective Planning Practice: Theory, Cases, and Methods (Routledge 2021), following A Guide for the Idealist: Launching and Navigating Your Planning Career (Routledge 2018). Blog posts on that subject are available on the link below. Dr. Willson's work in transportation planning focusses on parking reform, as described in Reform Made Easy (Island Press 2013) and Parking Management for Smart Growth (Island Press 2015). 

Dr. Willson's research has appeared in the Journal of the American Planning Association, Transportation, Regional Science and Urban Economics, and others. In addition, he consults with regional and local agencies, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, local cities, and developers of urban infill projects. Prior to his academic career, he was a transportation planner for the City of Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency.

Dr. Willson received a Bachelor of Environment Studies in Planning from the University of Waterloo, ON, a Masters of Planning from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles, CA. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the recipient of the 2015 Provost Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity.