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Michael Boswell

Department Head and Professor, California Polytechnic State University

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Michael R. Boswell is Department Head and Professor of City & Regional Planning at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo. He has a Master of Science (M.S.P.) and Ph.D. in Urban & Regional Planning from The Florida State University. He has published on topics such as climate action planning, hazard mitigation, adaptive management and governance, local government planning, autonomous vehicles, and sustainable development. He is the lead author of the book Climate Action Planning published by Island Press.

Dr. Boswell served as an expert advisor on ‘Guiding Principles for City Climate Action Planning’ for the UN-Habitat Cities and Climate Change Initiative and attended the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP-21) to launch the report. In 2017, he represented the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning in the Planners for Climate Action initiative launched at COP-23 in Bonn. Since 2006 he has served as a senior advisor and Project Director, for the California Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan update. He is a founding member and served on the Organizing Committee of the Central Coast Climate Collaborative and he is the Director of the California Climate Action Planning Conference. Dr. Boswell worked as a professional planner for Brevard County, Florida, the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. His public service leadership includes having served on the board of the non-profit Bike SLO County and as a member and Chair of the City of San Luis Obispo Planning Commission.