Dr. Gordon practiced as a professional planner for 15 years before joining Queen’s in 1994. His contribution to planning education and knowledge is evidenced not simply through his co-authorship, with Gerald Hodge, of the nationally renowned textbook on community planning, Planning Canadian Communities (now in its 6th edition) but through his many years of teaching planning classes, design studios, and the numerous field trips and site visits to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal that he takes first year planning students on year after year. His enthusiasm for planning and design professions is infectious and he shares his experiences with undergraduate students in diverse disciplines, who, as a result of this exposure, seek entrance into planning programs across Canada. He has been instrumental in promoting planning exchanges among students, faculty, and planning professionals between Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
His research has examined, and subsequently influenced, complex Canadian and international issues such as planning national capitals, waterfront development, and the planning of suburbs. His receipt of a Fulbright scholarship is an indication of his high profile in international academic planning circles. He is currently the director of research for the Council for Canadian Urbanism (CanU).
Dr. Gordon has twice earned the CIP’s National Award of Distinction for his contributions to the development of progressive planning practice in Canada.