Richard Florida, Renowned Urbanist, Appointed Global Research Professor at NYU

Prof. Florida to teach, lecture and conduct research at NYU's New York Campus and at its Global Campuses and Sites

NEW YORK, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Richard Florida, one of the world's leading authorities on economic competitiveness, cultural and technological innovation, and demographic trends has been appointed Global Research Professor for the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS). The appointment will include teaching a three-week January Term course on global cities at NYU Abu Dhabi in January 2013, at NYU New York in 2014, and at other NYU global sites in subsequent years. Florida will also conduct research in conjunction with the new NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), the University's Institute for Cities and Environmental Sustainability (ICES), and the NYU-SCPS Schack Institute for Real Estate.

Prof. Florida will continue his teaching and research activities at the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. NYU and the University of Toronto are partners in the Center for Urban Science and Progress -- a major urban applied science initiative -- along with Carnegie Mellon University, the City University of New York, the University of Warwick, and the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay.

NYU President John Sexton said, "There is a certain symmetry here: Richard Florida is joining NYU as a Global Research Professor at NYU at a moment when the University has begun responding to the forces that give rise to his most trenchant insights. His participation in our global network marks a confluence of the theoretical and its practical incarnation. We are proud to have him as a member of the NYU community, pleased to enable him to conduct his research at a university that operates in the world's great idea capitals, and excited to have him teach our students about the nature of our globalized world even as they experience it firsthand."

University of Toronto President David Naylor said: "We're delighted that Richard Florida's world-class talents will be shared between New York University and the University of Toronto.  Toronto and New York have similar positions in Canada and the US, and the two universities have a partnership that is deepening, not least with the new Center for Urban Science and Progress. Such arrangements not only reflect the globalized reality of academic life. They speak more generally to an ethos in which the zero-sum dichotomy of brain drain and gain is replaced by talent networks linking major urban regions."   

Dennis Di Lorenzo, Vice Dean of NYU-SCPS, said, "We are thrilled to have Richard Florida as a member of the faculty. His innovative vision, fresh insights and unique focus on economic and social theory will greatly enrich the learning experience of our students."

Best known for his groundbreaking concept of the creative class and its impact on urban regeneration, Florida is a regular contributor for CNN and is the senior editor for The Atlantic, where he helped create The Atlantic Cities.  He also has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Boston Globe, The Globe and Mail, and the Harvard Business Review. In addition, he has been a featured expert on BBC, MSNBC, CBS and NPR. His best-selling books, The Rise of the Creative Class, The Flight of the Creative Class, Who's Your City, The Breakthrough Illusion, Beyond Mass Production and The Great Reset, have been read by millions around the globe.

One of the most sought-after public speakers in the world, his thought-provoking lectures focus on creative, global approaches to problem-solving and strategy development, Florida also serves as the Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.  He is founder of the Creative Class Group, a boutique advisory services firm composed of leading researchers, communication specialists, and business advisors.  He earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University and bachelor's degree from Rutgers College.  He was born in Newark, New Jersey and currently lives in Toronto, Canada.

About the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Established in 1934, NYU-SCPS (scps.nyu.edu) is one of NYU's several degree-granting schools and colleges, each with a unique academic profile. The reputation of NYU-SCPS arises from its place as the NYU home for study and applied research related to key knowledge-based industries where the New York region leads globally. This is manifest in the School's diverse graduate, undergraduate, and continuing education programs in fields such as Real Estate and Construction Management; Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management; Global Affairs; Philanthropy and Fundraising; Graphic Communications Media, Publishing, and Digital Arts; Human Capital Management, Marketing, and Public Relations; with complementary strengths in the Liberal and Allied Arts; Translation and Interpreting; Management and Information Technology; and Finance and Taxation. More than 100 distinguished full-time faculty members collaborate with an exceptional cadre of practitioner/adjunct faculty and lecturers to create vibrant professional and academic networks that attract nearly 5,000 degree-seeking students from around the globe. In addition, the School fulfills the recurrent continuing higher education needs of local and professional communities, as evidenced by 55,000 annual enrollments in individual courses, specialized certificate programs, conferences, workshops, seminars, and public events. The School's community is enriched by more than 25,000 degree-holding alumni worldwide, many of whom serve as mentors, guest speakers, and advisory board members.

About New York University

Founded in 1831, NYU is one of the world's foremost research universities and is a member of the selective Association of American Universities. The first Global Network University, it has degree-granting university campuses in New York and Abu Dhabi, and has announced a third in Shanghai; has a dozen other global academic sites; and sends more students to study abroad than any other U.S. college or university. Through its 18 schools and colleges, NYU conducts research and provides education in the arts and sciences, law, medicine, business, dentistry, education, nursing, the cinematic and performing arts, music and studio arts, public administration, social work, and continuing and professional studies, among other areas.

SOURCE NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies