After nearly two decades at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Professor Ryan Allen will be leaving the University to begin a new position with the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia.
Allen is currently a professor in the Humphrey School's urban and regional planning area, and associate dean for research.
In addition to joining the faculty in UVA's Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, Allen will serve as director of the School of Architecture’s Real Estate Design and Development program, which offers a certificate in real estate for graduate students majoring in architecture, landscape architecture, architectural history, and urban and environmental planning. In this role, and pending official Board of Visitors approval, he will be named the inaugural H. Louis Salomonsky Professor in Real Estate.
Allen joined the Humphrey School in 2007 and has played a significant role in the School’s teaching, research, and service missions. A nationally recognized scholar in housing policy, immigrant integration, and community development, his work has helped shape policy conversations across the United States and beyond.
As the Humphrey School’s associate dean for research, Allen has worked closely with faculty and staff to strengthen the School’s research infrastructure and support the growth of its research enterprise. In this role, he represented the Humphrey School on the University of Minnesota’s Council of Research Associate Deans, and helped guide faculty through an increasingly complex landscape of research funding and sponsored projects.
"Being a faculty member at the Humphrey School for nearly two decades, surrounded by wonderful colleagues and students, has been an honor and a privilege," said Allen. "I will treasure my memories from my time here as I look forward to the next chapter of my career."
“Ryan has been a thoughtful colleague, trusted advisor, and dedicated leader for the Humphrey School,” said Dean Nisha Botchwey. “His commitment to supporting faculty research and strengthening our research community has made a lasting impact. While we will miss his presence here, we are proud of the work he has done and excited to see his continued contributions to the field.”
Allen’s scholarship has had a wide-ranging impact. His research on housing affordability, immigrant integration, and community development has informed policy debates and public conversations across the country. His work has appeared in leading journals, including the Journal of Urban Affairs, which recognized one of his articles with the 2022 Best Article Award.
In addition to his work at the Humphrey School, Allen has held a dual appointment with University of Minnesota Extension, helping connect academic research to communities across Minnesota. Through this partnership, he has worked to ensure that policy research informs real-world decision-making and community development efforts throughout the state.
More recently, Allen has led a collaboration with the Center for Migration Studies of New York City to produce reliable and accessible data on undocumented populations. This project provides scholars, policymakers, journalists, and the public with trusted information at a time when accurate data is essential to informed policy discussions.
Allen’s appointment at the University of Virginia reflects the national influence of his research and leadership. His new role will allow him to continue advancing scholarship and teaching related to housing, immigration, and community development.
The Humphrey School will share additional information about research leadership and next steps for the associate dean for research role in the coming weeks.
