David Lukens is an urban geographer with a Ph.D. in Geography from Clark University (2019). His research addresses the relationship between economic restructuring and urban governance, particularly as it is manifest in urban redevelopment, municipal finance strategies, and housing policy implementation. This research is largely comparative and seeks to disaggregate the roles of finance and state actors in shaping processes of urban change, particularly gentrification, in South Korea and the United States. David has taught at Central Connecticut State University and Clark University and worked as a visiting researcher at Seoul National University’s Institute for Korean Regional Studies. David’s teaching philosophy is based on constructivist pedagogy, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning and problem solving where the professor functions primarily as a facilitator and emphasizes the ability to ask questions through the application of theory to case studies.

curriculum vitae