Dana Research Fellow – Land Use Reform in Carlisle

Apply to be a Dana Research Fellow on Land Use Reform in Carlisle (Spring, ’24)

Applications are invited from Dickinson students for one Dana Research Fellow position to help identify the relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of different Carlisle neighborhoods and the capacity of the residents to challenge existing zoning regulations and participate in the zoning appeal process. The Dana Research Fellow would work for 3-4 hours per week for 13 weeks (40 hours total) during the semester and will be paid $10 per hour. The Fellow will be supervised by Dr. Deb Sinha, Visiting Assistant Professor at Dickinson College’s Environmental Studies department, and Mr. Jared Woolston, Director of Sustainable Community and Economic Planning at the Borough of Carlisle.

Communities across the USA are bearing the burden of various intersecting challenges, including increasing home prices, housing segregation, the need to address the legacy of discriminatory land use regulations, and mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. Analyzing and reforming unfair land use regulations is fundamental to addressing these challenges. This research project is part of an ongoing review by the Land Use Reform  Subcommittee, formed by the Carlisle Borough Council (CBC) in early 2023. The current capacity to challenge these antiquated land use regulations that limit development, promote greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce neighborhood social capital is not uniform across the diverse neighborhoods of Carlisle. The research fellow would perform a detailed analysis of the locations of past zoning ordinance appeals, Special Exceptions, and Conditional Use Permits considered by the Zoning Hearing Board and the Carlisle Borough Council. The analysis would help identify opportunities to reform the locally adopted zoning ordinance to better serve all neighborhoods across Carlisle.

Dickinson sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications: Strongly motivated, dependable students who are highly organized, able to work independently, able to conduct research and synthesize information from a variety of sources, have strong writing and analytical skills, and are highly motivated to learn about urban planning applications for social justice. Experience using ArcGIS Pro software required. Prior familiarity with literature on urban planning and social justice from courses and other experiences are desired but not required.

PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM BY DECEMBER 8, 5 PM, TO APPLY.