University of Massachusetts Amherst

Graduate Student, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning

Independent Researcher

University of Massachusetts-Amherst & Vermont Law School

Thesis Title: Adapting to Climate Change: Infrastructure, Risk Management and Nimble Policy

Advisor: Mark Hamin

About

Climate Change Adaptation and Land Use Planning.

I'm a former newspaper and corporate contract writer currently pursuing two master's degrees - Regional Planning at UMass-Amherst, and Environmental Law and Policy at Vermont Law. I contribute to the field of planning new, yet practical environmental and climate change ideas for progressive urban planners. See "Talks" on this page.

I focus on how to fold theories of adapting to climate change into the practice of urban planning. I'm especially interested in assisting coastal communities vulnerable to beach erosion and predicted sea level rise.

Some of my interests:

Climate change adaptation planning; environmental law; emergency and disaster management; land use law, especially constitutional takings and restrictive zoning; folding science into urban policy; green infrastructure systems; international city planning; green urbanism; modern architecture; international collaboration; public art; museum curation theory; traveling to Nordic Europe; chocolate chip cookie recipes; philosophy of power; landscape and architecture photography; and interesting manhole covers (for example, NYC's covers are made in India. Why?).

Education:

Master of Environmental Law and Policy, Vermont Law School 2010
Master of Regional Planning, University Massachusetts-Amherst 2010
Bachelor of Science, Environmental Design Cum Laude/High Honors, University of Massachusetts-Amherst 2008
Associate of Science, Accounting, Johnson & Wales University, 1992
Seekonk High School, 1989

Contact Information

Email:

Address: Northampton, Massachusetts

Instant Messengers/Skype: Skype: michael_cote