Since 2020, Steve has worked as a research scientist at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research. He is a mixed-methods researcher who investigates land-use planning, policing, community development, and housing, among other topics. You can find his lead-authored research articles in Journal of Planning Education & Research and Journal of Urban Affairs, and soon in other journals. Steve has a PhD in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His thesis focused on the intersections between police and planning institutions in Atlanta, Georgia, and for his work he was awarded the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning's 2020 Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for Best Dissertation in Planning. He also earned a Masters in Urban Planning from Illinois and a BA in English and American Studies from the University of Iowa. Prior to his research career, Steve worked as a neighborhood planner for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma and as a manager at a family-run grocery store in Iowa, along with other jobs. In his free time he enjoys playing/watching basketball, practicing Spanish, and exploring greater Houston.