Specialization: Housing & Community Development
Hometown: Madison, WI
Previous Degrees: BS History & Political Science – University of Wisconsin ‘14, MURP – University of Minnesota 16’
Atticus’ experience as an affordable housing researcher in the Twin Cities led him to Carolina Planning as a PhD student. Through a range of research experiences, he has examined how the built environment reflects and perpetuates systems of privilege and disadvantage, particularly with respect to neighborhood conditions and access to affordable housing. He chose to pursue a planning doctorate, not only to further explore these topics, but also because the applied nature of planning gives him the opportunity to work toward advancing more equitable urban planning practices.
Atticus was attracted to Carolina Planning because the department housed multiple faculty whose work aligned with his interests. On top of that, he would also have the opportunity to take courses from other leading scholars at Duke and North Carolina State. He liked that the curriculum has a strong focus on methods because that would prepare him to work in both academic and non-academic environments after graduation.
In the department, Atticus serves Carolina Planning as the PhD admissions assistant, which requires him to provide administrative assistance to faculty and help coordinate spring visits for admitted doctoral students. He also works as a research associate at the Center for Urban and Regional Studies, where he conducts ongoing evaluations of the Charlotte Housing Authority’s Move to Work and Jobs Plus programs. In the broader campus community, Atticus teaches workshops on applied research and data visualization for the Carolina Center for Public Service.