Mark Roseland
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Phone: 602-496-0160
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School of Community Resources and Development, 4020 Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Arizona State University Phoenix, AZ 85004
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Mail code: 4020Campus: Dtphx
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Sustainability innovator integrating AI, digital twins, and systems thinking to design regenerative solutions for communities, governments, and enterprises.
Dr. Mark Roseland is Professor of Sustainable Community Solutions and past Director of the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University. He serves as a Senior Global Futures Scientist with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and as a Faculty Affiliate with the Walton Sustainability Solutions Service at ASU. He is also Professor Emeritus of Planning in the School of Resource and Environmental Management and Director Emeritus of the Centre for Sustainable Development at Simon Fraser University in Canada. A Registered Professional Planner (RPP) and member of both the American Planning Association and the Canadian Institute of Planners, he has served as Chief City Planner for a Metro Vancouver municipality and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD).
Recognized by The Vancouver Sun as one of Vancouver’s Top 50 Living Public Intellectuals, Dr. Roseland has received the SFU Sustainability Network Award for Excellence in Research on Sustainability and the SFU President’s Award for Leadership in Sustainability. He is also a Fellow of the Knowledge Exchange for Resilience at ASU, where his work bridges research, planning, and innovation.
An international lecturer and advisor, Dr. Roseland helps communities, governments, and companies translate sustainability research into real-world action. His current work integrates AI, digital twins, and systems thinking to design decision-support frameworks that connect data intelligence with on-the-ground implementation. Acting as a bridge between advanced technologies and practical sustainability solutions, he guides cities and corporations in developing strategies that balance environmental integrity, economic vitality, and social equity.
Dr. Roseland also advises boards and executives on sustainability leadership and governance. His experience spans collaborations with local, state/provincial, and federal agencies, foundations, developers, and media organizations. Beyond his research and teaching, he contributes to practical innovations in mobility, food systems, housing, energy, climate, planning, and economic development, helping shape resilient, regenerative futures through applied research and technology-enabled collaboration.
Dr. Roseland is also the Founder and Director of Pando | Sustainable Communities, Pando LinkedIn, and the Community Capital Lab.
For more information click here.
Graduate Faculty:
- Community Resources and Development PhD (Endorsed to Chair)
- Sustainability PhD (Endorsed to Chair)
Ph.D. University of British Columbia, Canada
Sustainable Development policy and initiatives, particularly in areas such as transportation planning and traffic management, land use planning and growth management, housing and social policy, energy conservation and efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, social equity, multiplying social capital, and social mobilization for sustainable development.
Contemporary issues in Planning Theory, including movements and concepts in environmental politics and philosophy.
Community and Regional Economic Development, including community resource management (e.g., community forests, land trusts); alternative business financing (e.g., community loan funds, lending circles); local job creation (e.g., community enterprises, nonprofit enterprises, consumer/producer/worker co-ops); and community-based CED organizations (e.g., Community Development Corporations, Economic Development Commissions, Co-operative Development Agencies).
Planning Practice, including organizational development, group process skills, meeting facilitation techniques, effective partnerships, monitoring and evaluation, sustainable development performance assessment, and decision support methods and tools.
(Selected)
Roseland, M., M. Stout, and M. Spiliotopoulou. Toward Sustainable Communities: Solutions for Citizens and Their Governments (New Society Publishers, 2024)
Spiliotopoulou, M., & Roseland, M. (2021). Urban sustainability via urban productivity? A conceptual review and framework proposal. Local Environment, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2021.2005008
Rethinking Sustainable Cities in a World of Social Distancing, M. Roseland and R Tomalty, Medium March 26, 2020
Spiliotopoulou, M., & Roseland, M. 2020. “Making the SDGs Relevant for Cities: Using the Community Capital Tool in British Columbia.” In King, L. O., & Iyer, S. (Eds), Monitoring Sustainable Development Goals in North American Cities: Best Practices in Community Planning and Performance Measurement, Springer.
Newell, Robert, Ann Dale, and Mark Roseland. 2018. "Climate Action Co-benefits and Integrated Community Planning: Uncovering the Synergies and Trade-Offs." The International Journal of Climate Change: Impacts and Responses10 (4): 1-23. doi:10.18848/1835-7156/CGP/v10i04/1-23.
Roseland, M., and M. Spiliotopoulou, “Converging urban agendas: toward healthy and sustainable communities,” Soc. Sci. 2016, 5(3), 28; doi:10.3390/socsci5030028
Gismondi, M., S. Connelly, M. Beckie, S. Markey, and M. Roseland, Seeds of Transition: The Convergence of the Social Economy and Sustainable Community Development (Edmonton: Athabasca University Press, 2016).
Joss, S., Cowley, R., de Jong, M., Müller, B., Park, B-S., Rees, W., Roseland, M., and Rydin, Y. (2015). Tomorrow’s City Today: Prospects for Standardising Sustainable Urban Development. London: University of Westminster. (ISBN 978-0-9570527-5-8).
Roseland, M., “Networking the Nexus: Mobilising Research and Collaboration to Support the Urban Nexus,” Expert Statement in Brugmann, J., Operationalizing the Urban NEXUS: Towards Resource-Efficient and Integrated Cities and Metropolitan Regions, GIZ – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Bonn, Germany, 2014.
Roseland, M., Toward Sustainable Communities: Solutions for Citizens and Their Governments (Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 4th edition, 2012).
Connelly, S., S. Markey, and M. Roseland, “We Know Enough: Achieving Action through the Convergence of Sustainable Community Development and the Social Economy.” In R. Simpson (Ed.), The Economy of Green Cities: A World Compendium on the Green Urban Economy, Springer Netherlands, Local Sustainability, Vol. 3 (November 2012).
Roseland, M., “The Eco-City Approach to Sustainable Development in Urban Areas,” in D. Devuyst, L. Hens, and W. De Lannoy, Eds., How Green is the City? Sustainability Assessment and the Management of Urban Environments (NY: Columbia University Press, 2001), pp. 85-104.
Roseland, M., "Sustainable Community Development: Integrating Environmental, Economic, and Social Objectives," Progress in Planning, Volume 54 (2), October 2000, pp. 73-132.
Director, Community Capital Lab, 2020 – ongoing. The Lab conducts research and develops tools and applications. We work with communities, governments, foundations, businesses, and civil society to advance an integrated holistic approach to dialogue, decision-making, monitoring and assessment. Based at Arizona State University, we are pleased to work with researcher and practitioner partners across the country and around the world.
Founder, Pando | Sustainable Communities, 2012 – ongoing. Pando is a network for sustainable communities researchers and practitioners. It is designed to connect local governments with sustainability-focused researchers from within academia and other respected organizations through a web-based home that facilitates professional collaboration and the sharing of sustainability research, tools, resources, challenges and solutions. Pando was launched at Rio+20 in June 2012, with support from the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) and others; it was re-launched with new features at the 2015 Local Governments for Sustainability World Congress in Seoul.
Charter Board Member, Catalyst Community Developments Society, 2013 – 2018. Catalyst is a social enterprise created to leverage real estate assets for social change. It acts as a catalyst for creative and community-oriented development of real estate by using its expertise and equity to secure control and/or ownership of strategically significant real estate to provide time and support for the necessary planning, co-ordination and due diligence work. Catalyst is aligned with my research into “strategic sustainability.”
Sustainable Development Goals. In September 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. I was particularly involved in helping develop Goal 11 on sustainable human settlements, and I continue research on implementation and monitoring of the SDGs.
Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Network to mobilize academic, technical and professional expertise to aid in implementation of the UN's post-2015 agenda of Sustainable Development Goals.
Co-Convenor, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, 2015 World Congress Researchers Symposium, Seoul, Korea.
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PRM 120 | Leisure and Quality of Life |
| PRM 120 | Leisure and Quality of Life |
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
| CRD 493 | Honors Thesis |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 592 | Research |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| PUP 598 | Special Topics |
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 435 | Service Learn Commun Develop |
| CRD 799 | Dissertation |
| CRD 592 | Research |
| CRD 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SOS 599 | Thesis |
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 799 | Dissertation |
| CRD 493 | Honors Thesis |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| NLM 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 799 | Dissertation |
| CRD 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| CRD 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| SOS 599 | Thesis |
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| NLM 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 593 | Applied Project |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 593 | Applied Project |
| NLM 435 | Service Learning/Community Dev |
| CRD 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 590 | Reading and Conference |
| CRD 593 | Applied Project |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| CRD 592 | Research |
| CRD 301 | Sustainable Communities |
| CRD 792 | Research |
| CRD 403 | Ldrship & Prof Devlpmt |
| CRD 593 | Applied Project |
2022. Resilience Fellow, Knowledge Exchange for Resilience, Arizona State University
2018. President's Award for Leadership in Sustainability, Simon Fraser University
2012. Sustainability Network Award for Excellence in Research on Sustainability, Simon Fraser University, Sustainability Advisory Committee
2005, 2006. Nominated by Simon Fraser University for the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of BC’s “Academic of the Year” Award.
2000. Cited as one of British Columbia's "top 50 living public intellectuals" by The Vancouver Sun.
American Planning Association
Canadian Institute of Planners
Planning Institute of British Columbia
Planners Network
Planetizen
International Society for Ecological Economics
American Association of Geographers
Pando | Sustainable Communities
1979-82 Editor, RAIN Magazine
1982-87 Director, Matrix Institute
1987-92 Ph.D., School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia
1992-95 Assistant Professor (Limited Term), Simon Fraser University (SFU) School of Resource and Environmental Management
1995-2009 Assistant (1995), Associate (2001), Full (2006) Professor, SFU Department of Geography
1995-97 Associate Director, SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development
1997-2018 Director, SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development
2010-2018 Professor, SFU School of Resource and Environmental Management
2013 City Planner, City of North Vancouver, BC (while on leave from SFU)
2018- Professor, School of Community Resources and Development, Arizona State University
Dr. Roseland advises a range of organizations including local governments, state/provincial and federal agencies, developers and media organizations. He works with communities, governments, businesses, foundations, civil society organizations and their Boards, stakeholders and leadership.
Dr. Roseland has produced sustainability plans, performance assessments, policy documents, communications strategies, and tools for monitoring, decision-support and implementation. In addition to his field-defining research, teaching and publications, he helps produce practical innovations in areas such as transportation, food, housing, energy, climate, planning and economic development.
Dr. Roseland has served on a range of Boards of Directors, from small and medium-sized firms to multi-million dollar development corporations. These have included for-profit companies, community development corporations, real estate development trusts, housing developers, professional societies, and nonprofit organizations.
1979-82 Editor, RAIN Magazine
1982-87 Director, Matrix Institute
2013 City Planner, City of North Vancouver, BC (while on leave from Simon Fraser University)