Dr. Edward Goetz (University of Minnesota) and Dr. Michael Owens (Emory University) have been selected to receive the 2026 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award.
This annual award honors an individual whose body of work has contributed to defining the field and furthering the intellectual and professional development of emerging scholars.
AWARD COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT
We are pleased to recognize Dr. Edward G. Goetz with the 2026 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs award. Dr. Goetz is a professor of urban and regional planning at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on issues of race and poverty and how they affect housing. Dr. Goetz is a past winner of the Journal of Urban Affairs Best Article Award and the University of Minnesota’s Distinguished Teaching Award. He has served in numerous UAA roles including vice-chair and chair of the UAA governing board.
We are pleased to recognize Dr. Michael Leo Owens with the 2026 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs award. Dr. Owens is a professor of political science at Emory University. His research focuses on urban politics, policing, religion, and African American politics. Dr. Owens is a past winner of the UAA Best Conference Paper Award and the Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award. He has served in numerous UAA roles including vice-chair and chair of the UAA governing board, associate editor of the Journal of Urban Affairs, and was the recipient of UAA’s Mary Helen Callahan Distinguished Service Award.
AWARD RECIPIENT BIOS
Edward Goetz is professor of urban and regional planning and director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of five books housing policy and urban politics. His research focus is on affordable housing and community development policies, especially as they relate to issues of race and class. His current work is on rental regulations and the tenant movement in the U.S. Goetz has been a member of several local, regional, and national policy and research advisory boards and has twice provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on public housing policy.
Michael Leo Owens earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the State University of New York at Albany (2001). He is Professor of Political Science at Emory University and the recipient of its 2023 Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award (Social Sciences). His books include God and Government in the Ghetto: The Politics of Church-State Collaboration in Black America and Deadly Force: Police Shootings in Urban America. His peer-reviewed articles appear in a range of journals (e.g., Journal of Politics, Nature Human Behaviour, Urban Studies, Journal of Urban Affairs, and Urban Affairs Review). Media (e.g., The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, National Public Radio, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) have shared his scholarly insights with global audiences. A former member, vice chair, and chair of the UAA governing board, his service record includes board memberships with the Georgia Justice Project, Prison Policy Initiative, and Foreverfamily (née Aid to Children of Imprisoned Mothers). He is an associate editor of the Journal of Urban Affairs, an international corresponding editor of Urban Studies, and editorial board member of Politics, Groups, and Identities and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and the City.
AWARD PRESENTATION
The formal presentation of this award will be made at the upcoming International Conference on Urban Affairs in Chicago, Illinois. The theme of this year’s conference is No Little Plans: Realizing Urban Futures in Times of Crisis. The conference will convene 1100+ participants from 55+ countries and representing 20+ fields of study. All award recipients will be formally recognized for their achievements during the Awards and Recognition Program on April 29, 2026; 3:00 – 4:15pm.
SPECIAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS
There will be special conference sessions reflecting on the work of each awardee. The detailed conference program will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.
- Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs – Michael Owens
Wednesday, April 29, 2:00–3:00PM
- Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs – Ed Goetz
Wednesday, April 29, 4:30–5:30PM
AWARD COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Robert Silverman, University at Buffalo (Chair); Robert Collins, Dillard University; Rachel Kleit, The Ohio State University; Gordana Rabrenovic, Northeastern University; Mara Sidney, Rutgers University-Newark
ABOUT THE URBAN AFFAIRS ASSOCIATION
The Urban Affairs Association (UAA) is an international professional organization for 1000+ urban scholars, researchers, policy analysts, & public service providers. UAA is dedicated to creating interdisciplinary spaces for engaging in intellectual and practical discussions about urban life. Through theoretical, empirical, and action-oriented research, UAA fosters diverse activities to understand and shape a more just and equitable urban world.
In addition to hosting an annual conference, UAA sponsors ongoing professional development opportunities; Upsilon Sigma: The Urban Studies Honor Society; and two peer-reviewed journals, the Journal of Urban Affairs and the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the City. You can find UAA on the web, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Facebook, and X.
