We are pleased to announce that Dr. Rob Shields has been appointed Academic Research Director for the City-Region Studies Centre at the Faculty of Extension. Dr. Shields is the Henry Marshall Tory Research Chair and Professor of Sociology and Art and Design at the University of Alberta. The Faculty of Extension is delighted to have him on secondment from the Faculty of Arts, initially for two years. Although Dr. Shields officially accepted the Centre's Academic Director position starting July 1, 2009, he has been a friend and a Board Member of the Centre since its inception, even contributing to the original successful proposal for the establishment of the CRSC.
In the coming years, Dr. Shields will sharpen the scholarly vision and research direction for the Centre, building on its foundation of community-university engagement and its multi- and interdisciplinary approaches to examining city-region issues. Dr. Shields' research focus is urban cultural studies, particularly the social use and meanings of the built environment and urban spaces and regions.
Established in 2006, the City-Region Studies Centre engages government officials and administrators, community organizations, and the private sector through research and other knowledge sharing activities. Linking community concerns and academic research agendas, the Centre enhances the connection between the University of Alberta and the city-region. It facilitates collaboration, encourages discourse, and links parties with a shared interest in issues of concern to the city-region.