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• PhD, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
• MA, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
• MSc, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University
• Undergraduate Studies in Urban Design and Planning, TU Hamburg and TU Dortmund (Germany)
• Diploma in French Language and Cultural Studies, Sorbonne, University Paris IV (France)

• EMP 430 Urban Planning and the Built Environment
• EMP 330 Sustainable Cities
• EMP 335 Cities and the Environment in the Global South
• EMP 320 Environmental Planning and Practice
• EMP 340 Environmental Movements
• EMP 248 Environmental Design
• ENVST 270 Ecocinema
• INQUIRY 100 Modes of Inquiry
• Learning Clusters (Winter Block):
  • LRNCLST 100 What is a City? What is Los Angeles?
  • LRNCLST 100 Costs and Benefits of High-Speed Rail
  • LRNCLST 100 The Geography of Hollywood
  • LRNCLST 100 The California Coastal Trail
  • LRNCLST 100 Green Screenings
  • LRNCLST 100 Moved by Nature
  • LRNCLST 100 Whose Nature?
  • LRNCLST 100 Geo-Storytelling

• Urban ecological restor(y)ation, city-nature relationships, infrastructure & nature
• Environmentally responsible and socially equitable urban planning and policy
• Land-use conflict, esp. over urban infrastructure megaprojects
• Sustainable transportation and mobility, esp. rail station (re-)design and bicycle advocacy
• Green urbanism and environmental design, especially natural playscapes
• Comparative urbanization, global(izing) cities
• Gender dimensions of transportation and mobility
• Planning theory and pedagogy

Journal Articles

• Peters, D. and Lutzker, S. (2025) “A Crisis of Habitation in LA’s Last Wetland.” . DOI:
• Peters, D. (2021) “Natural Playscapes and Outdoor Education.” Built Environment, 47:2 DOI:
• Sideris, A and Peters, D. (2020) “What is good station-area planning? Lessons from experts and case studies.” Built Environment, 46:3 DOI:
• Peters, D. and Novy, J. (2012) “Rail Station Mega-Projects: Overlooked Centerpieces in the Complex Puzzle of 21st Century Urban Restructuring” Built Environment, 38:1, 5-11 DOI:
• Peters, D., with Novy, J. (2012) “Train Station Area Development Mega-Projects in Europe – Towards a Typology” Built Environment, 38:1, 12-30 DOI:
• Novy, J. and Peters, D. (2012) “Railway Station Megaprojects as Public Controversies: The Case of Stuttgart 21.” Built Environment, 38:1, 128-145 DOI:
• Peters, D. (2011) “‘Rail City Berlin’ – Rail Infrastructure Development and Inter-modality in the Re-Unified German Capital.” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board Paper # 10-2528, 60-68 DOI:
• Peters, D. (2010) “Digging Through the Heart of Reunified Berlin: Tracing the Story of the Tiergarten-Tunnel Megaproject.” European Journal of Transport and Infrastructure Research, 10:1, 93-106 DOI:
• Peters, D. (2009) “The Renaissance of Inner-City Railway Station Areas as a Key Element in Contemporary Urban Restructuring Dynamics.” Critical Planning, 15:1, 162-185 (Special Issue on Urban Restructuring)
• Peters, D. (2006) “Neue Urbanität durch Dichte? Stadtregionaler Wandel in Los Angeles” (“New Urbanity through Density? Urban-Regional Change in Los Angeles” in: Informationen zur Modernen Stadtgeschichte (Journal of Modern Urban History, published by the German Institute for Urbanism DIFU) 2/06
• Peters, D. (2005) “How Different Spatial Contexts Result in Different Sustainability Discourses – A Discursive Analysis of the Budapest Ring Road” European Spatial Research and Policy, 12:1, 69-88
• Peters, D. (2003) “Cohesion, Polycentricity, Missing Links and Bottlenecks: Conflicting Spatial Storylines for Pan-European Transport Investments.” European Planning Studies, 11:3, 317-339 (Republished in Fideli, V. et al (2006) Rethinking EU Spatial Policy as a Hologram: Actions, Institutions, Discourses. Aldershot: Ashgate) DOI:
• Peters, D. (2001) “Utopías burguesas al estilo de Budapest o el ascenso (¿y el declive?) de los suburbios en Europa central” („Bourgeois Utopias Budapest-Style or: The Rise (and Fall?) of Suburbia in Central Europe”) Urban, Vol. 6/01
• Peters, D. (1998) “Breadwinners, Homemakers, Beasts of Burden.” 1998. Habitat Debate, Vol 4:2, Nairobi: UNCHS 

Books

• Altrock, U., Huning, S., Kuder, T., Nuissl, H. & Peters, D. (Eds.) (2010) . Berlin: Planungsrundschau Verlag
• Altrock, U., Huning, S., Kuder, T., Nuissl, H. & Peters, D. (Eds.) (2009) . (“Cities on the Move: Options for Urban Development Policy-Making in Times of Crisis”) Berlin: Planungsrundschau Verlag
• Peters, D. (2006) . Berlin: Berlin University of Technology Press.
• Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (Eds.) (2006) Spatial Planning and Urban Development in the new EU Member States. Aldershot: Ashgate. DOI:
• Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (Eds.) (2004) . (Perspectives on Planning Theory) 2004. Berlin: Leue Verlag
• Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (Eds.) (2003) . (Planning and Innovation) 2003. Berlin: Planungsrundschau Verlag
• Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (Eds.) (2003) . (Mega-Projects and Urban Development.) 2003. Berlin: Planungsrundschau Verlag 

Book Chapters 

• Novy, J. and Peters, D. (2023) “Turning Streetscapes into Public Spaces.” In: Bharne, V. and Khandekar, S. . New Delhi: MyLivableCity
• Peters, D. and Bhusal, S. (2020) “Paratransit” In: Curtis, C. Handbook of Sustainable Transport London: Edward Elgar.
• Peters, D. (2017) “Global Cities, Mega-Cities, Ordinary Cities: Urbanization in the Pacific Rim.” In: Barter, S. and Weiner, M. An Introduction to the Pacific Basin. New York: Routledge. DOI:
• Loukaitou-Sideris, A. and Peters, D. (2017) “High-speed rail stations as transportation nodes and places: Lessons for California.” In: Perez Henriquez, B. and Deakin, E. High-Speed Rail and Sustainability: Decision-making and the political economy of investment. New York: Routledge DOI:
• Peters, D. (2016). “Density Wars in Silicon Beach: The Struggle to Mix New Spaces for Toil, Stay and Play in Santa Monica, CA.” In: Colomb, C. & Novy, J. (Eds.) Protest and Resistance in the Tourist City. London: Routledge DOI:
• Peters, D. (2015) “Urban Megaprojects and Reversibility: The Re-Railing of Los Angeles.” In: Grabher, G. and Thiel, J. (Eds.) Self-Induced Shocks: Megaprojects and Urban Development. Perspectives in Metropolitan Research, Vol. 1. Hamburg: Jovis.
• Peters, D. “Jubiläumswünsche aus der Traumfabrik.” (Congratulations from the Dream Factory.) (2015) In: Huning, S., Kuder, T. and Nuissl, H. (Eds.) Stadtentwicklung, Planungstheorie und Planungsgeschichte auf dem Prüfstand. (Urban Development, Planning Theory and Planning History Re-examined.) Special Issue of the Publication Series Planungsrundschau. Berlin: Altrock Verlag.
• Novy, J. and Peters, D. (2013) “Railway Megaprojects as Catalysts for the Re-Making of Post-Industrial Cities? The Case of Stuttgart 21 in Germany.” In: Del Cerro, Gerardo (Ed.) Urban Megaprojects: A World-Wide View. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 237-262. DOI:
• Peters, D. (2010) „Bahnhöfe als symbolische Orte einer Urban Renaissance?“ (Railways as Symbolic Places for an Urban Renaissance?) In: Altrock, U., Huning, S., Kuder, T., Nuissl, H. & Peters, D. (Eds.) Symbolische Orte: Planerische (De-)Kontruktionen (Symbolic Places: Planning (De-)Constructions). Berlin: Altrock Verlag, pp. 291-308
• Peters, D. (2009) “Los Angeles” In: . Edited by Hutchinson, R. et al. Thousand Oaks: Sage
• Peters, D. (2007) “Mobility Politics L.A. Style – Der Einfluß zivilgesellschaftlicher Akteure auf die Verkehrsinfrastrukturpolitik in Los Angeles” (Mobility Politics L.A. Style: The Influence of Civil Society Actors on Transport Infrastructure Policy in Los Angeles) In: Altrock, U., Hoffmann, H. und Schönig, B. (Hg.) Hoffnungsträger Zivilgesellschaft? Governance, Nonprofits, und Stadtentwicklung in U.S. Metropolregionen. (Governance, Non-Profits and Urban Development in US Metropolitan Regions). Berlin: Altrock Verlag
• Peters, D. (2007) “Planer als „deliberative practitioners“ - Auf dem Weg zu einem neuen, diskursiven Pragmatismus in der Planung(stheorie)?“ („Planners as ‚deliberate practitioners’? Towards a new, discursive pragmatism in planning (theory)?”) In: Strategieorientierte Planung im kooperativen Staat. (“Strategic Planning in the collaborative State”) Edited by J. Dangschat et al. Berlin: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. DOI:
• Garb, Y., Manon, M. & Peters, D. (2006) “Environmental Impact Assessment: Between Bureaucratic Process and Social Learning.” Handbook of Public Policy Analysis. Ed. by Fischer, F., Miller, G. & Sidney, M. London: Taylor & Francis, DOI:
• Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (2006) Spatial planning and urban development in the new EU member states-between adjustment and reinvention. In: Altrock, U., Güntner, S., Huning, S. and Peters, D. (Eds.) (2006) Spatial Planning and Urban Development in the new EU Member States. Aldershot: Ashgate. DOI:
• Peters, D. (2005) “Networking for Trans-National ‘Missing Links’ - Tracing the Political Success of European High-Speed Rail in the 1990s” In: The Network Society – The New Context for Planning. Edited by L. Albrechts and S. Mandelbaum. London: Routledge, pp. 81-94. DOI:
• Peters, D. (2003) “Old Myths and New Realities of Transport Assessment: Implications for EU interventions in Central Europe.” In: Transport Projects, Programmes and Policies: Evaluation Needs and Capabilities. Edited by A. Pearman, P. Mackie and J. Nellthorp, Altershot: Ashgate, pp. 43-72. DOI:
• Peters, D. (2000) “A Sustainable Transport Convention for the New Europe.” In: Dodds, Felix (ed.). . London: Earthscan, pp. 109-123. DOI:  

Book Reviews in Journals

• Peters, D. (2015), Ethan N. Elkind 2014: Railtown––The Fight for the Los Angeles Metro Rail and the Future of the City. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 39: 428–430. DOI:
• Peters, D. (2005) “Planning in a Global Era” edited by A. Thornley and Y. Rydin. Town Planning Review 76:1
• Peters, D. (2002) “The European Dimension of British Planning” by Mark Tewdwr-Jones and Richard H. Williams. Town Planning Review (2002) 73:1 

Major Research Reports

• Loukaitou-Sideris, A. and Peters, D., with P. Colton and E. Eidlin. (2017) “” Mineta Transportation Research Institute Research Report 1502. San Jose: San Jose State University. [185 pages]
• Loukaitou-Sideris, A., Peters, D. and Wei, W. (2015) . Mineta Transportation Research Institute Research Report 1209. San Jose: San Jose State University. [222 pages] DOI:
• Peters, D. (2013) “Gender and Sustainable Urban Mobility.” Official Background Study for the 2013 Global Report on Human Settlements on Sustainable Urban Mobility. Nairobi: UN Habitat. DOI:

• 2013-present, Professor, SUA
• 2009-2013, Adjunct Assistant Professor & DFG Fellow, USC Price School
• 2008-2010, Director, DFG Noether Group on Urban Mega-Projects, TU Berlin
• 2007-2008, Senior Research Associate, OMEGA Project, FU Berlin
• 2005-2007, Post-Doctoral Fellow, TU Berlin
• 2000-2005, Lecturer (WiMi), TU Berlin
• 1998-2000, Instructor, Rutgers University
• 1995-2000, Director of Environmental Programs, ITDP, New York, NY

• Alumni Board Member, GSAPP, Columbia University (2010-14)
• Scientific Advisory Board Member, UN Global Network on Human Settlements (2007-2010)
• Friedrich List Dissertation Award of the European Platform of Transport Sciences (2005)
• Dissertation Fellowship, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (2002)
• Dissertation Fellowship, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (2000)
• Fellow, Salzburg Seminar “The Entrepreneurial City” (June 2000)