Titles:

   Advisory Board Member, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia
     University
   Head, Regional Planning Track, Department of Urban Studies and
     Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
   2005 RSAI Fellow

Education:

Ph.D., Harvard University, 1966
Curriculum Vitae

Prior to joining the MIT faculty in 1972, she taught in the Department of Economics at Harvard University. In the 1960s, Professor Polenske pioneered in the development of a U.S. multiregional accounting framework comparable to that used at the national level for the analysis of changes in the gross national product.

Research Interests:

Specializes in regional economic theories and policies, with applications to energy, environmental, and transportation issues in the United States and the People's Republic of China. Served as a consultant with the Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and several private consulting firms. Current research focuses on four areas: (1) Energy and environmental impacts of changing cokemaking and steelmaking technologies in China, (2) Spatial dispersion of innovation, (3) Socioeconomic analyses of distressed counties in Appalachia, and (4) Regional economic impacts in the United Kingdom and United States of new silent aircraft technologies. She is a member of the newly formed MIT Energy Council. Won the 1996 North American Distinguished Regional Planning Scholar Award for her significant contributions to the field of regional planning and the 1999 Associated Collegiate Schools of Planning Margarita McCoy Award for Outstanding Service for offering a strong role model for senior and junior women faculty and for students.

Professor Karen R. Polenske received the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) Fellows Award for 2005 to honor her significant scholarly and research contributions to the field of regional science.

Contact Information:

URL: http://dusp.mit.edu/regional_planning
Office: Room 9-535
Phone: (617) 253-6881
Email