Rick Geddes, a member of CIPA’s core faculty, has been instrumental in the development and enhancement of CIPA’s Science, Technology, and Infrastructure concentration. He’s here today to give an inside look into the concentration and some of its new course offerings for Fellows interested in these issues. Prof. Geddes can be reached at rrg24@cornell.edu with any questions.
My name is Rick Geddes and I teach core courses in the Science, Technology and Infrastructure concentration at CIPA. This new concentration combines learning across several disciplines, including civil and environmental engineering, materials science, planning, economics, and law. It provides CIPA students with a “360 degree” perspective on numerous challenges facing the design, construction, operation, maintenance and financing of major infrastructure projects. Infrastructure sectors examined include roads, bridges, tunnels, ports, airports, drinking water treatment, and wastewater treatment, as well as social infrastructure such as schools, courthouses, and hospitals. Cornell University is well positioned to offer this concentration given its international reputation in science, engineering, and public policy.
In the upcoming Fall 2014 semester, I will teach a new course designed for CIPA students entitled, “Regulation and Infrastructure Policy.” This course examines a variety of key issues related to infrastructure policy. Topics include user fees (such as tolls) versus taxes to fund infrastructure, innovative financing techniques such as public-private partnerships and project financing, how policy can encourage technology adoption, and how policy can address public interest issues, including control of market power and the maintenance of service standards. The course examines case studies and examples from around the world. This is a highly interactive course, with intensive in-class discussion, and with students examining infrastructure problems in detail and offering in-class presentations of their findings. The goal is for students to leave the course with a set of practical skills about how to improve infrastructure construction, operations, maintenance and delivery in their country and/or sector.
If you are interested in infrastructure issues and have questions about the course or the concentration, please feel free to contact me. I hope to see some of you in class this fall!
Yes, that would really help student who has the interest in infrastructure and its regulation.
wow nice info,,thanks for share…
It’s an advantage for many students who want to gain more knowledge about infrastructure.
Wow, you guys are awesome!