Himanshu Grover, AICP

Assistant Professor

office : 201-I Hayes Hall
phone : 716 829.5878
e-mail : hgrover2@buffalo.edu

Education

B.Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India
M. Urban Planning, Urban and Regional Science, Texax A&M University
Ph.D. (urban and regional sciences), Texas A&M University

Courses

Dr. Grover teaches a combination of required and elective courses in the undergraduate and the graduate programs.  Currently, at the graduate level, Dr. Grover teaches urban planning and climate change that introduces the students to issues of global climate change management, particularly to the practice of urban and regional planning. At the undergraduate level, Dr. Grover teaches design of cities, which examine the historic social, cultural, economic and political forces that shaped the contemporary city in the western tradition.  Dr. Grover will offer courses related to environmental hazards management and other current issues in the environmental and land use planning specialization.

Research

Dr. Grover’s research focuses on planning policies and design of resilient and sustainable communities. In his research, Dr. Grover examines the impact of environmental hazards on human settlements, and evaluates local planning response options. His research also includes development of planning policies and tools for mitigating and adapting to climate change.  Dr. Grover’s interests in planning policy include survey analysis of public and expert opinion on environmental issues. He is also working on a project that evaluates climate change management capacity of planning documents such as master plans and comprehensive plans.

Dr. Grover’s research interests in planning technology include use of web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a strategic tool for communicating planning information. He is currently working on creating a web-based planning atlas that provides planning information and permits basic geographic analysis through the internet browser interface.

Dr. Grover has more than six years of planning and environmental consultancy experience. His international interests include international environmental policy, urban development challenges in the developing countries, particularly India, and climate induced migration.

Public service

Dr. Grover’s service activities are related to his research interests. He provides consultancy services for international NGOs and environmental organization in areas of his expertise. He is a member of the American Planning Association and is actively involved in issues related to hazards management and sustainable development. In the summer months, he works with rural communities in India and provides free services for infrastructure development and community planning. He is also an active member of the disaster management community and is presently working with other researchers in proposing a nationwide Resiliency and Vulnerability Observatory Network (RAVON). In the recent past, he assisted in post-Ike recovery and planning initiatives in Galveston, Texas.

Selected publications

  • "A Spatial Analysis of Local Climate Change Policy in the U.S.: Risk, Stress, and Opportunity." Landscape and Urban Planning (with Brody, S. D., Zahran, S., and Vedlitz, A.), 87(1):33-41, 2009.
  • "Examining the Relationship between Physical Vulnerability and Perceptions of Global Climate Change in the U.S." Environment and Behavior (with Brody, S.D., Zahran, S, and Vedlitz, A.)40(1): 72-95, 2008.
  • "Vulnerability and capacity: explaining local commitment to climate-change policy." Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy (with Zahran, S., Brody, S.D., Vedlitz, A., and Miller, C.) 26: 544-562, 2008.
  • "Social Vulnerability and Flood Casualties in Texas, 1997-2001." Disasters, (with Zahran, S., Brody, S.D., Peacock, W.G., and Vedlitz, A0, 2008.
  • "Risk, Stress, and Capacity: Explaining Metropolitan Commitment to Climate Protection." Urban Affairs Review(with Zahran, S., Brody S.D., and Vedlitz, A.), 43:447-474,  2008.
  • "Vulnerability and Capacity: explaining Local Commitment to Climate Change Policy." Environment and Planning C (Zahran, S., Brody, S. D., Vedlitz, A., and Miller, C.) 26:544-562, 2008.
  • "Identifying the Impact of the Built Environment on Flood Damage in Texas."  Disasters (with Brody, S.D., Zahran, S., Highfield, W. E., and Vedlitz, A.), 32(1):1-18, 2008.
  • "The rising costs of floods: Examining the impact of planning and development decisions on property damage in Florida." Journal of the American Planning Association (with Brody, S.D., Zahran, S., Maghelal, P., and Highfield, W. )73(3): 330-345, 2007. 
  • "Identifying Potential Conflict Associated with Oil and Gas Exploration in Texas State Coastal Waters: A Multicriteria Spatial Analysis." Environmental Management (with Brody, S.D., Bernhardt, S., Tang, Z., Whitaker, B., and Spencer, C)  38:597-617, 2006.
  • "Social Capacity in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu after the December 2004 Great Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami." Earthquake Spectra (with Prater, C., Peacock, W.G.,and Arlikatti, S.), 22, S715-S729, 2006

Selected activities, honors, awards

Fellow, 2008 Summer Academy, United Nations University; JAPA 2007 Best Paper Award; Jesus "Chuy" Hinojosa Academic Excellence Award, Texas A&M University; Regents Fellowship,Texas A&M University; National Environmental Awareness and Education Award, DEEPA.