Faculty features in 2009 Victorian PIA Awards for Planning Excellence
The 2009 Victorian PIA Awards for Planning Excellence was held on Friday October 16 in Melbourne. The University of Melbourne received several awards and commendations at Friday night’s gala ceremony:
- From Accidental Planner to Agent Provocateur, written by Dr Carolyn Whitzman, Dr David Nichols, and Jana Perkovic, won a commendation in “Planning Scholarship, Research and Teaching”. In 2008, Carolyn also won a PIA award for her publication The Handbook of Community Safety, Gender and Violence Prevention
- “Young Planner of the Year” went to Ann-Marie Edgley, a Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development graduate in 2008. This is an award ABP alumni have won on a regular basis over the past few years
Dr Carolyn Whitzman and Dr Alan March attended the gala event, along with numerous alumni including Emily Hillebrand (of Hansen Associates), Hang Do (of City of Melbourne’s Statutory Planning unit), Natasha Liddell (of DPCD) and Erin Baden Smith (who, along with Anne-Marie Edgley, works for CPG).
The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) manages this annual awards program which promotes planning and recognises innovation and excellence in the built environment, specifically in areas involved in planning Victoria's cities, towns, regions and places.
Victoria's Award winners go on to compete at the National Awards for Planning Excellence, which recognise and acknowledge quality, innovation and excellence in planning throughout Australia. The Awards promote the important role of the planning profession in the creation of Australia's built environment, and stimulate public awareness of good planning.
Another key PIA event was held on Monday October 12 – PIA’s Internships and Traineeships Conferral Ceremony and Planning Week Launch. One of our undergraduate planning students, Winchelle Chuson, received a ‘Certificate of Completion’ for her recent planning cadetship at the ceremony, which was attended by Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden. An announcement was also made at the event about our Faculty’s new international internship program – the first of its kind in Australia. This innovative program, devised by ABP in partnership with PIA, will secure local planning cadetships for five international MSD students each year. For more information on this program visit PIA online.