Daniel G. Chatman begins tenure as interim dean of the College of Environmental Design
A professor of city and regional planning and expert in land use and transportation policies, Chatman will lead the college in the 2026–2027 academic year.
This week, Professor of City & Regional Planning Daniel G. Chatman transitions from his role as chair of the Department of City & Regional Planning to become Interim William W. Wurster Dean of the College of Environmental Design. A respected scholar of local and regional land use and transportation policies, Chatman centers issues of social welfare and equity in his work. He joined the UC Berkeley faculty in 2009 and has served as department chair since 2021, strengthening the department and building close working relationships with leaders, faculty, and staff across the college.
Chatman will lead CED for one year, between the retirement of outgoing William W. Wurster Dean Renee Y. Chow and incoming dean Nicholas de Monchaux, who begins his term in July 2027. In addition to the city and regional planning department, the College of Environmental Design includes the departments of architecture and of landscape architecture and environmental planning, as well as the Institute of Urban & Regional Development.
Chatman brings strong leadership experience and a deep familiarity with the college to the interim dean position. As department chair, he renewed staffing in the department, oversaw the hiring of four new faculty members, led a successful re-accreditation effort, and helped to increase the department’s national and international prominence. As he moves into the Dean’s Office, Chatman’s priorities include highlighting the research and creative work of faculty, fundraising in support of improving the student experience and enabling faculty research, and continuing to improve the operations of the college.
“I am grateful to Dan for agreeing to serve as interim dean following my retirement,” said Chow. “I have worked with him for many years and have witnessed his dedication to the college and his ability to bring people together around shared goals. I know I am leaving the college in good hands.”
Chatman’s research seeks to demonstrate whether and under what conditions state and local transportation and land use policies perform as intended — increasing social welfare and equity in some cases, while in others, inadvertently reducing them. A key focus is on policies that are intended to reduce driving and increase the use of transit, walking, and cycling.
One strand of his work focuses on the impact of land use and transportation policies on household travel patterns and housing access, with emphasis on subgroups such as immigrants, low income individuals, and adults with disabilities. Other strands of research include studies of how transportation investments affect economic and land development, particularly the agglomeration effects and positive spillovers from mass transit infrastructure. Chatman has often been featured in the news media as an expert on issues including autonomous vehicles, ride-hailing services, public transit, bike share programs, and the relationship of transportation policies to housing affordability.
Chatman earned his BA in Individual Studies: The English Language from UC Berkeley, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University, and a PhD in Urban Planning from UCLA. Before joining the College of Environmental Design, he was an assistant professor of urban planning and policy, and director of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.
“In this transition year, I look forward to continuing ongoing efforts started by Dean Chow during her term,” said Chatman. “We have amazing faculty, staff, and students in CED. I hope to build on that strong foundation, and to foster a cohesive and collaborative college community.”