Who designs the cities of tomorrow?

When you think about the future of cities, you might picture self-driving cars, futuristic buildings, or streets filled with sensors. But behind the technology is a very human profession: the Smart City Planner.

In this episode of Majors, Minors & Maybes, we go behind the scenes of a career that blends urban planning, technology, data, sustainability, and problem-solving. You'll spend a day in the life of a Smart City Planner, discovering what happens when traffic patterns, public transportation, water systems, energy use, and the needs of real people all collide.

You'll also hear from Curtis Ostrodka, a Smart City Planner, about how he found his way into the field, the misconceptions people have about smart city planning, and some of the most interesting problems he's been asked to solve.

Plus, we're answering the questions curious students and curious adults really want to know:

What does a Smart City Planner actually do? What should you major in? Where can you find internships and experience? What can you expect to earn? What skills matter most?

Dr. W. asks, could this be a career hiding in plain sight for you?!

Special Guest:

Curtis Ostrodka, AICP, LEED AP;

Director of Smart Communities

Show Notes:

Smart City Planner: Designing the City You Rarely Notice

The episode explores the career of a smart city planner through a day in the life of Louise Alvarez, who monitors city sensor dashboards to detect issues like an emerging water main leak, coordinates cross-department planning for a new neighborhood, observes real street behavior to improve intersection safety, and helps design an easy-to-use resident reporting app; her success is measured by how seamlessly the city works without residents noticing. Dr. W. explains that smart city planners use technology, data, and infrastructure to solve everyday urban problems while translating between technologists, government, and communities, and that paths into the field come from varied majors (e.g., urban planning, engineering, environmental science, computer science) and minors (e.g., GIS, data science). Curtis Ostrodka describes moving from aquatic ecology to urban planning and emphasizes the key misconception: it’s not about tech for its own sake, but community needs. The episode covers internships, typical tasks, salary ranges, and a pandemic project addressing the digital divide via public Wi-Fi and device programs, plus an 1850s sewer-system “smart city” fact, then teases a next episode on labor market futurists.

00:00 City Life Choreography

00:52 Meet Louise Alvarez

01:51 Designing A New Neighborhood

03:31 Field Observations

04:14 City App And Results

05:41 Office Hours Explained

06:54 Degrees And Pathways

08:35 Curtis Career Journey

09:45 Real Work And Misconceptions

12:02 Breaking In And Salaries

14:28 Digital Divide Case Study

15:47 Curious Career Fact

16:24 Wrap Up And Next Episode