User:Idcworld

J Michael Cobb

• jmcobb at idcworld dot com
• Member since 10 Feb 2008.

---

This is an unedited wiki profile. Please edit to make it your own! Learn how at Help:User Nodesstrongly,

= J Michael Cobb ==

• jmcobb at idcworld dot com
• Member since 10 Feb 2008.

Myy websites:

www.Urbanism3.org
www.idcworld.com
www.transgate.net

J. MICHAEL COBB, PhD, AICP, PP
P.O. Box 3433 Carnegie Center
Princeton , N.J. 08543 USA jmcobb at idcworld dot com

SUMMARY: AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

International Urban & Regional Planning
Project Development & Implementation
Adaptation to Climate Change-Global South
Public - Private Partnerships
Green Infrastructure & Ecological City Design
Urban Redevelopment & Multi-modal Transport
National-Regional Spatial Development
Global Site Selection & Economic Development
Commercial-Industrial Real Estate Development

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND & QUALIFICATIONS

Dr. J. Michael Cobb has over thirty years of international experience in planning, design, management and implementation of urban and regional development projects located throughout the United States and overseas. This includes projects and programs in California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Jordan, Venezuela , Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, South Korea, Dominican Republic, Uganda , South Africa and other countries.

His experience includes numerous large-scale urban redevelopment and expansion projects, coastal zone ecologically based developments and integrated planning and design for urban, transportation and infrastructure projects for national reconstruction. Projects types have included capital city expansions, international airports, national railway expansion plans, major new communities, tourism and resort developments, urban mixed-use redevelopments, highway corridors, economic and industrial development plans, and environmental infrastructure improvement programs. Dr. Cobb is probably best know for his work in directing the master planning, urban design and implementation of Jubail New Industrial City, the award winning mega-project on the Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia, a project highly regarded for its environmental and economic development success.

In addition to technical skills in planning, design methods and development implementation, he has extensive experience in public coordination and presentations, urban project and program research, business development, professional staff management, and direct coordination with the highest levels of government and industry. He is also the author of numerous technical reports and publications and has been a frequent guest speaker at professional conferences and universities in the U.S. and abroad.

As a consultant with his own firm, IDC International Development Consultants, LLC as well having been a former executive and senior professional with firms including the Bechtel Group, Planning Research Corporation and EDAW, Dr. Cobb has developed and overseen the planning, urban design, A-E design, financing and development implementation of projects and programs with constructed values exceeding 20 billion dollars.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania
(Urban & Regional Planning, Urban Design)
Diploma U.S. Army Officer Engineer School
(Civil & Military Engineering)
M. Arch. University of Pennsylvania
(Architecture & Urban Design, with Louis I. Kahn)
B. Arch. Clemson University
(Architecture, AIA School Medal)
Fellow Princeton University , Woodrow Wilson School
(Urban Development: Public - Private Partnerships
Executive Education Program)

LICENSES, PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES

J. Michael Cobb is Licensed as a Professional Planner (PP) and is Licensed in Real Estate in the State of New Jersey , USA. He is also a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and a Fellow in the Institute for Urban Design. His professional affiliations have included: the San Francisco Planning and Urban Renewal Association (SPUR), EcoCity Builders, New Jersey Future, the Society of American Military Engineers, International New Towns Association, American Public Transit Association, The Project Management Institute, the International Real Estate Institute and APA's Urban Design and Preservation, International, Transportation, Resort and Tourism Divisions. Dr. Michael Cobb has also served as Adjunct Faculty teaching a graduate seminar in International Urban and Regional Development at the School of Design, University of Pennsylvania .

CURRENT & RECENT PROFESSIONAL WORK

Research Project 2010-2013 (To present) - Urbanism3.org: Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing Countries, in coordination with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, Mass. USA

Consulting: Urban Ecological Design, Planning, Project Development & Implementation (July 2007 - Present)
Pre-development work with affiliated firms and clients for mixed-use urban, tourism, waterfront, transport, environmental and infrastructure projects in Yemen, Qatar, Djibouti, Vietnam, Egypt and other areas.
In progress: Draft manuscript addressing Third World rapid urbanization, urban planning and rapid city design.

Senior Advisor, ADC, ASEZA and the Government of Jordan (Sept. 2004 - 1st Qt. 2007. Also, on-call for additional consulting assistance)

Since its establishment in 2004 until early 2007, Dr. J. Michael Cobb served as a Senior Advisor to the Chairman (including serving as interim Chief Operating Officer) for the Jordanian Government's Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC, www.adc.jo ), the development arm of the newly established Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA, www.aqabazone.com). To guide and implement the development of Aqaba , Jordan ’s only port, the newly formed public-private development entity (ADC) has been given ownership of all the major land, transport and infrastructure assets within the zone. As such, ADC is charged with leveraging the development of assets using public-private partnership initiatives (PPPs) for the benefit of the overall Kingdom of Jordan as well as for the growth and redevelopment of Aqaba City and the overall Aqaba Special Economic Zone.

With ADC, and in coordination with ASEZA, Dr. Cobb has had senior management and technical oversight responsibilities for planning, urban design, programming and architectural concepts and implementation of over two billion USD in development projects including expansion and redevelopment master planning of Aqaba’s two major commercial and industrial ports, railway relocation and extension, international airport expansion and urban tourism waterfront redevelopment. In additional to detailed physical and spatial development planning and design, Dr. Cobb’s responsibilities also included securing stakeholder agreements, financial structuring, funding strategies, investment programming and project implementation. Dr. Cobb also served as a member of Jordan ’s Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee overseeing development of the Jordan National Railway Plan.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

J. MICHAEL COBB

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

IDC International Development Consultants, LLC (IDC)

Mgn. Director & Consultant. Princeton, NJ. International planning, design, development and management consulting services in: urban and regional planning, urban design and land development; green environmental infrastructure and ecological design; commercial and industrial facilities planning and programming; transportation planning; project and program finance; and project implementation. Major clients have included: Bechtel Enterprises, Bechtel Civil, Bechtel UK, Bechtel Arabia, Bechtel South Africa other entities in the Bechtel Group of companies; the Urban Institute; Regional Housing and Urban Development Offices of US AID in Thailand, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Jordan and the Dominican Republic; Bearing Point Emerging Markets Group; Aqaba Development Corporation and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority; Wharton Int’l Housing Finance Program; New Jersey Commissioner of Environment Protection; various international private commercial-industrial real estate and infrastructure development groups; and international planning, design and development firms ('87-Present)

Planning Research Corporation

Vice President and Rocky Mountains Regional Manager, Denver and Colorado Springs , Colorado . Senior principle and corporate officer responsible for directing major urban planning and new community planning and design projects, including mixed-use commercial, infrastructure and environmental components of large scale mixed-use metropolitan land development projects ('85-'87)

Bechtel Corporation

Chief of Urban and Infrastructure Planning (worldwide operations), San Francisco, Ca. Also, Department and Project Manager (various U.S. and overseas projects and programs). Responsible for urban and regional development planning; urban design; programming and design-planning research; transportation and commercial-industrial facilities; and project implementation services for urban, infrastructure and economic development projects and programs. Key project work and assignment locations: Gaithersburg, Caracas, London , Seoul, San Francisco, Riyadh and Jubail ('76-'79, '81-'84)

EDAW Incorporated

Director of Urban Planning and Design, San Francisco. Also, manager of multi-firm A/E/P consortium awarded a major federal planning and design research contract focusing on prototype plans and design guidelines for new energy efficient ecologically based new communities. Also, director for land use and environmental planning for major public and private sector land planning development projects in the western US ('79-'80).

Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco (Research & Regional Infrastructure & Environmental Planning)
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Graduate
Research & Teaching: Urban Design & Planning)
Casoni & Casoni Architects, Basel

(Summary above three exployers) While serving as a 1LT with the US Army Corps of Engineers, appointed Federal-State-Local Interagency Coordinator for planning of waterfront multi-modal transportation projects for Northern California. ('70-'72). During his doctoral period he was also a Lecturer in the Department of Urban & Regional Planning and the Urban Design Program at the University of Pennsylvania.('72-'76) With Casoni & Casoni, architectural designer for commercial and residential projects in Switzerland. ('67)

OVERVIEW OF SELECTED PROJECT
(Technical and graphic details for each project below can be found on the website: www.idcworld.com)

Montalban LaVega Urban Mixed-Use Development Plan, Caracas (Venezuela)

For a major developer and the Caracas Federal District, urban district development plan, urban design guidelines, zoning recommendations and finance-implementation program for a mixed-use middle income high density urban expansion residential district of 4000 dwelling units and supporting community facilities. Project also included a regional commercial central for central Caracas, a new metro mass transit station connection and freeway network interchanges.
Metropolitan Spatial Development, Transport and Growth Management (Thailand )
For U.S. AID, program assessment and strategic planning for transport options, environmental quality, urban spatial growth options and related public/private finance issues for development of the Bangkok metropolitan region (Consultant to US AID, 1985).

Karambunai Tourism and Resort Planning (Malaysia).

For an international development group, in coordination with the State of Sabah, master planning and design concepts for native village housing, protection and enhancement areas, hotels and related recreation facilities, a regional environmental protection plan, and an overall eco-tourism development program implementation.

Urban Expansion, Airport and Free Zone Development (Northern Iraq)

Working directly with the Kurdistan Regional Government, consulting on urban expansion, industrial growth and a new airport development, in support of a new free zone economic development project for Sulaymaniyaha, Kurdistan, Northern Iraq (Consulting Project Manager for BearingPoint, 2004).

Tourism and Transportation Corridor Development (South Africa, Mozambique)

Consulting in strategic planning, programming, development and operations support for a $300 million tourism-resort complex in Mozambique along with transportation corridor/toll roads, commercial facilities and related infrastructure projects in southern African (Consulting for Bechtel - LTA, London and Johannesburg, 1995-96)

New City, Old City Expansion, Industrial and Infrastructure Development ( Saudi Arabia)

For the Saudi Arabian government and Saudi Arabian Bechtel, national strategic policy, program development planning, spatial planning and urban design, and implementation management for the one-third completed 250K person new industrial city at Jubail, plus other transportation and urban-commercial-housing projects in the Kingdom (as Bechtel -Jubail Planning Manager and independent consultant (1978-1984, 1994).

National Recovery, Spatial and Economic Development ( Lebanon )

For the Lebanese government's Council for Development and Reconstruction, served as Consulting Project Manager for the prime contractor, Bechtel International: work included national development and reconstruction planning for national-regional spatial development, infrastructure, housing, transport, environmental, public facilities/services, financing and related strategies for program management and implementation (1991-1993).

New Community Development Plan & Urban Expansion, Colorado Springs (Colorado)

For Aries Properties and the City of Colorado Springs , responsible for master planning a 150,000 person new community urban expansion plan for Colorado Springs. On the eastern edge of the existing city, encompassed a 25,000 acre site expanding the existing city 50%; plan included all infrastructure, environmental design guidelines, urban design plan, public-private infrastructure finance program and an implementation-annexation program for orderly city expansion.

Coastal Development and Urban Environmental Management (Dominican Republic)

For U.S. AID in the Dominican Republic, urban environmental management strategies and program recommendations for: tourism-resorts, free trade zones development and coastal zone management; water supply, waste water, solid waste and related health impacts; energy supply and related environmental impact mitigation; public-private finance and institutional arrangements (as Consulting team leader, the Urban Institute and USAID, 1991).

Market Towns Reconstruction, Roadways and Environmental Rehabilitation ( East Africa)

In the aftermath of Edie Amien's destruction of all physical, social and economic infrastructure in the Luwero Province of Uganda, as senior consultant for U.S. AID's Regional Housing and Urban Development Office, conducted area surveys and provided planning and development recommendations for market towns rebuilding and redevelopment, environmental rehabilitation, roadway improvements and appropriate construction technologies for redevelopment of the Province . (Uganda and Kenya,1987).

Statewide Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Development (USA)

For New Jersey 's Department of Environmental Protection, special consultant to the DEP Commissioner for policy analysis and recommendations addressing statewide infrastructure and environmental programs associated with the State's new on-going Development and Redevelopment Planning Program (Consultant to the State of New Jersey, 1988).

Ciudad Guayana-Monagas Province Development (Venezuela)
Regional urban expansion plans, low income and worker housing design concepts, invasion settlement planning, transportation and infrastructure, new community planning, development entity formulation and implementation programming for growth of the Orinoco River heavy oil region, as northern expansion of Ciudad Guayana metropolitan region.

Cheju Island Tourism & Trade Zone Planning ( South Korea)

For the South Korean Ministry of Construction and its Strategic Research Institute for Human Settlements: Master planning, facility design concepts and implementation program for urban commercial expansion, tourism development, transportation improvements and infrastructure expansion for Cheju Island, South Korea 's largest island.

Caracas Centro Anauco Development Plan (Venezuela)

For a major Venezuelan investment and development group, master planning, urban design plan, housing and facility design concepts for a 2.5 million sq.ft. office high-rise commercial mixed-use complex with transit connections for the central area of metropolitan Caracas.

San Francisco Bay Area Transportation Systems (California)

For the federal-state-regional-local interagency coordination group). Urban-regional intermodal systems planning, including full environmental and socioeconomic impact assessments, for ports, highway and railway expansion plans for the 12 counties San Francisco Bay Region.

Greater Pittsburgh International Airport Plan (Pennsylvania)

For the Allegheny County Airport Authority:. Master plan for aviation related commercial facilities, on-site and off-site community infrastructure plans and phased land development implementation program for expanding this major international airport.

Riyadh and the Eastern Province International Airports (Saudi Arabia)

National-regional economic development growth forecasts, airport and related commercial and residential land use plans, community design and facility design concepts; including infrastructure planning, phased investment scheduling and implementation program, and

Other US and International Projects. Program and projects involving urban design, master plans, general land use and related economic development plans for public and private clients in California, Utah, New York State, Alaska, Switzerland, South Africa, England, Egypt and Indonesia.

PUBLIC MEDIA

Dr. Michael Cobb has been interviewed and quoted in American Executive Magazine, Gulf Business (a professional publication covering development in the Middle East) and has appeared on regional television in the U.S. and the Middle East. He has also made major media covered public professional presentations in Jordan , Colorado, Washington, DC, California, France, Venezuela, South Korea and other locations.

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Related to Project Experience Cited Above)

Major Urban Master Plans & Development Implementation Projects: Formulated urban design and environmental plans, facility design concepts, produced land use and related infrastructure and transport plans; conducted socio-economic and market studies and development financing and implementation programs for 12 major urban-regional-industrial international projects with constructed values exceeding $20 billion in South Korea, the US, Jordan, Venezuela, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and other countries.

National - Regional Urban Environmental Plan: Team leader for the USAID-Urban Institute team which formulated for the Dominican Republic the first country-wide "strategic urban environmental infrastructure planning and development program” in support of new USAID federal global environmental mandates.

National Reconstruction Plan & Implementation Program: For Lebanon’s CDR (the Special Ministerial Council for Development & Reconstruction), and in coordination with the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and various donor countries National Recovery
advisor and team leader for formulation, planning and design, evaluating, financing and implementation of urban, transport and infrastructure projects comprising the national reconstruction and development program. Successfully planned and integrated 125 projects in a $3.2 billion national reconstruction investment program and secured $175 million in World Bank program initiation financing.

Energy Efficiency - Sustainable Community Design Research: Formulated and managed the first US federal agency sponsored community design and development research program addressing comprehensive energy efficiency, urban spatial form, environmental planning, mass transit, utilities and construction innovations (part of a federal national defense community-base systems support program).

Public - Private Agreements - Development Business Plans: Formulation of the Management Development Agreement(s) between the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and the Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) – this region wide PPP (public-private partnership) specifies duties and obligation of both parties regarding planning, regulatory control, financing and development of all Aqaba zone assets, including: water front tourism area; commercial and industrial ports; all commercial land; the industrial zone; the international airport zone; and zone utilities systems. Formulation of the Board-Gov't approved first annual and five year business plan for the ADC.

National Strategic Planning: In Saudi Arabia, appointed to a governmental task force which produced national strategic planning guidelines for promoting economic development, secondary industry development, private sector participation and coordinated planning and regulatory guidelines for the Kingdom's new industrial cities at Jubail and Yanbu. Also, served as a member of the Jordan ’s Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee overseeing development of the Jordan National Railway Plan.
Transportation - Infrastructure - Urban Growth PPPs: With ASEZA (the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority) and ADC (the Aqaba Development Corporation), formulation of specific PPP (public-private-partnership) options, evaluation methodologies, financing and implementation plan for over $ 2 billion PPP investment program in urban waterfront tourism redevelopment, industrial expansion, railway relocation and airport expansion for Jordan’s only seaport at Aqaba.

Technology Transfer & Training: As a direct consulting advisor, or while seconded to national implementation agencies, for Venezuela, Lebanon and Jordan, successfully worked with national and local organizations to establish and train new professional departments for addressing regional planning and development, urban planning and urban design tools and methods, regulatory controls, environmental planning, growth management, project finance, private sector participation and economic development.

REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS: Currently Internet Posted

Please note: The following selected articles are available on Dr. Cobb's website, www.idcworld.com. Developed and updated from 2001-2012, these articles are primarily based upon, or closely related to, the various reports and publications cited in this section. Although these Internet available articles are related to Dr. Cobb's previous work, all have been edited, vetted and/or updated to permit a broad public release to the professional community and interested parties.

Jubail New Industrial City & Saudi Arabia's Economic Development: Planning & Building Madinat Al-Jubail Al-Sinaiyah, Saudi Arabia

Bangkok's Mass Transit: Planning, Design, Finance & Development

Adaptation to Climate Change-In the World's Poorest Countries: Impacts, Costs & a Framework for Action

Public-Private Urban Infrastructure: Planning & Development in Emerging Markets

Saudi Arabia's New Private Sector Development Strategy: Institutional Changes & the Privatization Challenge

Global Urban Infrastructure Development: Sources & Structures for Financing

Lebanon's National Reconstruction: Spatial Development Plan, Building Reconstruction & Investment Programming

OTHER REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS

Master Plan for the Port of Aqaba . Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation & approved by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan, May 2006. Publicly released.

Master Plan for the Aqaba Southern Industrial Zone. Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation & Approved by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Aqaba, Jordan , April 2006. Publicly released.

"Five PPP Strategy Reports for Aqaba: Main Port Redevelopment; Industrial Terminal; Oil Terminal; General Cargo Terminal; and the New Combined Ferry Terminal and Border Crossing Project”. Prepared for the Aqaba Development Corporation, December 2005 and March 2006. Confidential; not publicly released.

Management Development Agreement between Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and Aqaba Development Corporation: co-author and team leader: Three contractual documents outlining duties and responsibilities regarding development of Aqaba assets. Prepared for the National Council of Ministers, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan ; June 2006. Approved; confidential; not publicly released.

Management ADC Corporate Business Plan 2005-2009. Prepared for the Board of Directors, Aqaba Development Corporation, Amman, Jordan. Confidential; not publicly released.

"Planning, Design and Development of Sulaimaniya's Airport Special Economic Zones in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq : Issues of Policy, Facility Programming, Master Planning and Public-Private Finance". Prepared for the Kurdistan Regional Government, Northern Iraq . 2004 Confidential; not publicly released.

"South Africa 's National Recovery and Development Programme: Analysis and Strategy Recommendations". Prepared for Bechtel Ltd., UK and Bechtel-LTA, S. Africa, Nov. 1995, March 1996, London and Johannesburg ; Prepared for the Office of the Vice President, Government of South Africa. Confidential-not publicly released.

Recovery Planning for the Reconstruction and Development of Lebanon . Editor/co-author for 9+ volumes addressing: infrastructure, transport, spatial development, environment, social services, institutional, finance and program management. Prepared for the Ministerial Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), Republic of Lebanon , by International Bechtel and Dar Al-Handasah, Beirut , 1991-1993.

Dominican Republic Urban Environmental Strategy. Prepared for the U.S. AID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Kingston , Jamaica . Published by the Urban Institute, Washington , D.C. , 1991.

Regional Development and Market Town Development in Uganda : Potential U.S. AID Roles in the Luwero District with National Implications". Prepared for the U.S. AID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Nairobi, Kenya, 1987.

"Potentials for USAID Involvement in Urban Development and Management: Recommendations for Housing and Transportation Programs in Indonesia and Thailand". Prepared for the USAID Regional Office of Housing and Urban Programs, Bangkok, 1985.

"Official Comments and Proposed Amendments to the Preliminary New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan". Prepared for N.J. Office of State Planning from the Office of the Commissioner, N.J. Department of Environmental Protection, 1988.

Master Plan Update, Madinat Al-Jubail Al-Sinaiyah (Jubail New Industrial City): Summary and Policy Review. Prepared for the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu by the Commission and Saudi Arabian Bechtel Limited, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1984.

"One Industry New Towns: Problems and Opportunities". Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Conference, International New Towns Associations (INTA), Cergy-Pontoise, France, 1982.

"Spatial Information Systems Development and Automated Community Programming, Technical Research and Development, Bechtel C&M, Inc., San Francisco, 1981.

Karambunai Tourism and Resort Development, Sabah, Malaysia: Planning, Design and Development Concepts - Preliminary Feasibility Analysis. Prepared for the Malaysian government and private investors, by Bechtel International, San Francisco, 1980.

"Technical Analysis and Evaluation: Jubail New Industrial City ". Seven technical volumes on: Urban Design; Architectural Design and Programming; Land Use, Infrastructure and Transport; Social Services; Environment and Landscape Architecture and Growth Management. Prepared for Saudi Arabian Bechtel Company, London & Jubail,1979-1980.

"Notes on Urbanization Problems in Ciudad Guayana". Technical Report (addressing planning, construction and development implementation problems faced by CVG, the agency responsible for regional planning and development). Prepared for the Venezuelan government and Lagoven, Petroleos de Venezuela; Bechtel Incorporated, Caracas , 1979.

Development of Southern Monagas : Key Issues in Community Planning and Development. Regional Land Use; Urban Expansion of Ciudad Guayana; Local Villages Upgrading and Expansion; Master Plan for New Monagas City; and Regional Infrastructure Plan. Prepared for Lagoven, Petroleos de Venezuela and Bechtel Incorporated, 1979.

Montalban La Vega (Caracas Metropolitan Area): Master Plan, Development Program and Economic Feasibility Analysis. (Recommended Development Strategy, Guidelines for Facilities and Urban Design, Public Coordination, PUD-Zoning Concepts and Modifications and Implementation Program. Prepared for Caracas municipal government and private investors by Bechtel International, Caracas, 1978.

Centro Financiero Anauco ( Central Caracas): Development Program and Economic Feasibility Analysis. (Recommended Development Strategy, Guidelines for Urban Design, Development Planning, Zoning and Implementation Program). Prepared for Caracas municipal government and private investors by Bechtel
International, Caracas , 1978.

MX Operating Bases Conceptual Planning: Environmental Protection, Energy Efficiency, Building Systems and Community Design Concepts and Prototypes. Prepared for the U.S. Department of Defense by EDAW, Ehrenkrantz Group & Brown and Caldwell, San Francisco, 1980.

Toward a Behavioral Basis for Urban Planning and Design. Doctoral Thesis. Prepared for the Dissertation Review Committee: Department of City and Regional Planning, the Urban Design Program and the University of Pennsylvania, May 1976.

GUEST LECTURER-SPEAKER

American Planning Association: National Convention, Boston USA, 2011, "Adaptation to Climate Change in Developing Countries"; Roundtable Discussion: International Planning Perspectives.

Aqaba Outreach Exposition, Amman, Jordan 2005: “Development, Redevelopment and Expansion of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone" Master planning for port upgrading, urban expansion, tourism, commercial and industrial growth in Aqaba and southern Jordan.

Society for International Development and the American Planning Association, Washington , D.C. "Lebanon' Program for Development and Reconstruction".

Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs, "Policy and Planning for National Recovery" for the WWS Fellows Program, addressing the national physical, urban, environmental, institutional and economic recovery issues facing the Reconstruction of Lebanon.

Columbia University, Department of City and Regional Planning, New York , "Planning and Implementing International Development Projects".

University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, "Development Planning, Urban Design and Implementation of the Jubail New Industrial City ".

Wharton Real Estate Center , International Housing Finance Program, University of Pennsylvania, "Urban Development, Planning and Public-Private Infrastructure Finance in Developing Countries: Emerging Trends and Issues".

International Institute for Urban and Human Development, Seminar for Third World Professionals, San Francisco, "Urban Design and Infrastructure Planning in Developing Countries".

American Planning Association, "Review of Urban and Regional Development Projects in the Middle East and Latin America ". APA California Annual Conference, Monterey.

Stanford University, Graduate Program in Infrastructure Planning and Management, "Urban Mega Project Development: Public and Private Sector Roles in Developing Countries".

International New Towns Association, 6th Annual Conference, Cergy-Pontoise , France , "Industrial Growth and New Town Development: Opportunities and Challenges facing the Third World.".

University of California, Berkeley, Program in City and Regional Planning, "Implementing International Urban Development Projects and Programs".

PROFESSIONAL HONORS & AWARDS

Appointed to the first US federal interagency environmental Task Force, which formulated and applied the first nation-wide operational guidelines implementing the National Environmental Protection Act.

Appointed to Jordan 's Inter-Ministry Technical Steering Committee for development of the Kingdom's New National Railway Plan, including rehabilitation and privatization options for implementation and integration into Aqaba's urban waterfront redevelopment plan..

Appointed to the joint Jordanian-Israeli Gulf of Aqaba Peace Park Project, a bilateral initiative seeking to insure protection to the coral reefs and other ecological resources within the Red Sea and adjoining urbanizing areas.

Appointed to the Saudi Arabian Industrial Development Task Force for expansion of the country’s two major new industrial cities: Jubail on the Arabia Gulf and Yanbu on the Red Sea.

Director of Master Planning, Urban Design & Development Implementation for the Multi-Award Winning Jubail New Industrial City, Saudi Arabia

Awarded Bechtel Group's Certificates of Merit for research and development in planning, design and development implementation methodologies for international urban and regional development programs.

Awarded the US Army’s Commendation Medal for innovations in urban and regional planning, infrastructure and environmental research for nationwide programs of the Corps of Engineers.

Awarded the Paul P. Cret Graduate Fellowship from the School of Design, University of Pennsylvania and the School Medal of the American Institute of Architects from the School of Architecture, Clemson University.

PERSONAL DATA
Dr. J. Michael Cobb is married, a US citizen and has a permanent residence in central New Jersey, USA .

FINAL NOTE

If needed, references and other information regarding J. Michael Cobb's professional work and background can be requested by sending an email to:@idcworld.com

Thank you.

Copyright © Dr. J. Michael Cobb, 2011-2012

All Rights Reserved

---