Associate Professor / Director of Environmental Studies ProgramBinghamton University
4400 Vestal Parkway East
Department of Public Administration
Binghamton, New York 13902-6000
Email: ghomsy@binghamton.edu
Phone: 607-777-9184
Research Disciplines: Research Interests:
local government sustainability policy, neighborhood revitalization, utility policy, multi-level governance, citizen participation, regionalism, economic development
View George's CVBiographical Sketch
George Homsy is an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration at Binghamton University and researches the factors that shape sustainability programs and planning policies at the local level. In particular, he examines the ways that small- to medium-sized cities and towns balance the environmental, economic, and equity dimensions of sustainability. Homsy also explores the nexus of heritage and sustainability, especially at the neighborhood level. Other research interests include land use and economic development planning, community planning across generations, and citizen participation. Homsy frequently links his academic research to practice through collaborations with practice-based professional organizations, such as the International City/County Management Association and the American Planning Association. Before returning to Cornell University’s Department of City and Regional Planning for his PhD, Homsy was a planning consultant helping local governments across New York State and in western Massachusetts create environmentally and economically sustainable communities. Homsy began his investigation of local governments and sustainability as a public radio and print journalist.
Education
- Ph.D. – Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, 2014
- M.R.P. – Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, 2004
- B.S. – Engineering Psychology, Tufts University, 1986
Other Research
My main area of research investigates local governments about their sustainability policies and the drivers of those policies. I do extensive surveys of local government officials and have also conducted interviews to understand why municipalities will act on issues of the regional and global commons.
I also have a neighborhood heritage and sustainability project where I seek to understand the ways that communities and their culture can impact environment, economic, and social sustainability.
Finally, I am starting to investigate the role of utilities as well as local governments in energy and water sustainability.