Bill Graves

Bill Graves

Stories by Bill Graves

A border problem? Unexpected ways the state line influences our behavior

November 11, 2019

We don’t often think about crossing state lines. Other than changes in gas prices or the availability of fireworks, there’s little visible difference as you cross from North Carolina into South...

Defining our study area: How we picked the 32 counties

August 28, 2019

The city of Charlotte has a long reach. While this is certainly not a surprise, we don’t really know much about how Charlotte influences its surroundings and how far this reach extends. That...

Will Americans continue to be suburban creatures?

July 18, 2013

The question is widely debated among experts and in the press. Do surveys showing more preference for walkable, in-town neighborhoods measure a fleeting fad, or portend the end of suburbia? A UNC...

Should Charlotte Look Like Paris or Atlanta?

March 3, 2011

What should Charlotte look like? When discussing urban design many planners, architects and developers assume that what works in New York, San Francisco and Portland should work here....

Research Triangle West: Bringing knowledge production to the western Piedmont

October 7, 2010

In the early 1950s the not yet established Research Triangle Park (RTP) was pitched to Governor Luther Hodges as a cluster of “two medical schools, two engineering schools and a core of...

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Researcher Spotlight

Angelique Gaines is a Social Research Specialist at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, who runs the City Walks program and studies topics from youth development to the racial wealth gap. "What I find rewarding is the ability to serve the community. Bringing about a more equitable and socially just society is what motivates me to do the work that I do," says Gaines.
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Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement

The Urban Institute is a part of the Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement (formerly known as Metropolitan Studies), which is a unit of Academic Affairs. Our mission is to provide community-based research services to local, regional, and state-level clients. Off-campus partners include local governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups.