Geography and Planning -- Department Faculty
Gary Coutu | ||
| Geography and Planning (2005)
Assistant Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University Dr. Gary Coutu joined West Chester University in August of 2005. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from Texas A&M University in 2001. He brings wide-ranging and extensive experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to West Chester University. Dr. Coutu ran the GIS program and computer laboratory at Temple College in Texas for four years. He also served as a Project Scientist/Senior Systems Analyst at the Blackland Research Center for a number of watershed delineation and hydrological modeling GIS projects. |  | |
Kristen B. Crossney | ||
| Geography and Planning (2008)
Assistant Professor B.S., University of Maryland-Baltimore County M.A., Temple University Ph.D., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Dr. Kristen B. Crossney has a 2006 Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Policy Development from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Urban Studies from Temple University, and a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Environmental Systems from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Dr. Crossney’s research encompasses many facets of housing and in particular, spatial patterns of predatory lending and the populations that are most at risk. | ||
George Fasic | ||
| Geography and Planning (1988)
Assistant Professor B.S., Pennsylvania State University M.S., Columbia University Professor George Fasic received his Master's degree in Planning from Columbia University. Professor Fasic is the former Director of the Chester County Planning Commission with over 30 years of experience in the field of planning. George teaches introductory planning as well as planning design, planning law, and land development control among others. | ||
Joy A. Fritschle | ||
| Geography and Planning (2007)
Assistant Professor B.A., Humboldt State University of California M.S., University of Memphis Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison Dr. Joy A. Fritschle has a 2007 Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master of Science degree in Geography from the University of Memphis, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from Humboldt State University of California. Dr. Fritschle’s fields of interest include biogeography, historical ecology, ecological restoration, environmental conservation, Geographic Information System (GIS), and feminist science. She uses Public Land Survey records to reconstruct the historical Redwood forests of northern California to see if the current remnant Redwood forests are representative of past forests and can be used as models for redwood forest restoration. | ||
Dorothy Ives Dewey | ||
| Geography and Planning (2005)
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania Dr. Dorothy (Dottie) Ives Dewey, AICP, who received her Ph.D. in Planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997, also joined the faculty full time in the fall of 2005. She has over ten years of experience as a professional planner in the southeast region of Pennsylvania. Dr. Ives Dewey has extensive experience with Municipal Planning, Community and Fiscal Impact Studies, and Land Development Planning. Dottie is active in local, state and national professional planning organizations. |  | |
Matin Katirai | ||
| Geography and Planning (2009)
Assistant Professor B.A., York University, Toronto M.P.H., University of Kentucky College of Public Health Ph.D., University of Louisville Dr. Katirai's doctoral studies specialized in urban planning and development and his dissertation examines urban sprawl, equity, and emergency response across the United States. He has also earned a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application specialist's certificate. Dr. Katirai's teaching interests include GIS; land-use planning; economic, medical, urban, and transportation geography; disaster preparedness and emergency response; environmental and hazard-mitigation planning and policy; and statistics and research methods.
Dr. Katirai's publication credits include co-authoring Malaria Early Warning Systems: Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Mapping for Nigeria for the National Space Research and Development Agency, Abuja, Nigeria. |  | |
James P. Lewandowski | ||
| Geography and Planning (1991)
Associate Professor B.A., University of Toledo M.A., University of Toledo Ph.D., Ohio State University Dr. James Lewandowski joined the department in 1991 as a graduate of Ohio State University's geography program. Jake (as he prefers to be called) is well-published and his research focuses on industrial location change. Jake teaches quantitative methods, business GIS and world geography. Dr. Lewandowski frequently provides GIS and spatial analysis skills to the Center For Social Research. | ||
Joan M. Welch | ||
| Geography and Planning (1990)
Professor B.A., St. Cloud State University M.A., Boston University Ph.D., Boston University Chairperson Joan M. Welch completed her Ph.D. at Boston University and started at West Chester University in the fall of 1990. Dr. Welch has published research on the spatial patterns of urban forest characteristics in Boston, impacts of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browse on regional forests, and landscape homogenization in the Pre-Pyrenees of Catalunya. Joan teaches physical and world geography, senior seminar and project, and is Chair of the Department. |  | |
