Joseph F. Hacker

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Joseph F. Hacker is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Public Management and Policy in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.  He holds a Ph.D. and MA in City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Urban Studies from Georgia State University, and a BA in History from Haverford College.  Prior to joining the faculty, he was the Manager of Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning and Coordinated Human Services Transportation Planning at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the nine county Metropolitan Planning Organization for the greater Philadelphia region.

Professional and published interests focused on transit and non-motorized project innovation, community outreach and engagement, and coordinated human services planning.   Dr. Hacker is a Certified Planner (AICP) and a member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Innovative Public Transportation Services & Technologies Committee AP020, and the Public Transportation Planning and Development Committee, APO25.  Signature projects such as Transit Score, Dots & Dashes, and Developing Transit Corridors have emerged from these collaborations. He also serves as a consulting planner on local and regional transportation projects.

Dr. Hacker’s focus on Problem Based Learning pedagogies and their educational application of “learning by doing” is central to his work with students in all of his courses. He is the PMAP internship coordinator and undergraduate program director. Public service activities include community non-profits and economic development work; serving on boards of Woodruff Park, the Little 5 Points Alliance, the Olmstead Linear Park Alliance, and the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization.  He lives in a house full of rescue beagles and is a jigsaw puzzle master.