The University at Buffalo offers opportunities for students to develop expertise in planning for community health and food systems through hands-on planning practicum or planning studios. Students prepare plans on behalf of a client such as community organizations or local governments over the course of a semester. Students engage community members throughout the planning process, as well as learn to generate, analyze, and synthesize a wide quantitative, qualitative, and spatial data in a formal planning report. Practica focused on community health and food systems are often taught by Dr. Raja and supported by other Food Lab team members. Food systems practica offered by the University at Buffalo have been recognized for their excellence regionally and nationally, including earning awards from the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
