Jennifer Minner

Minner’s research explores the intersections of urban change, memory, and cultural heritage across diverse spatial and social contexts. She investigates methods for advancing circular cities through preservation, adaptive reuse, and material reuse. Her scholarship also examines the lasting spatial and social impacts of mega-events — such as World Expos and the Olympic Games — on urban landscapes. She engages participatory land use and scenario planning approaches, incorporating spatial analysis and life-cycle assessment. She also engages in scholarship and creative practices focused on reflections of cities through art and film.

A core aim of Minner’s research and practice is to deepen the social and environmental impact of preservation and circular strategies. She is a co-founder of Circularity, Reuse, and Zero Waste Development (CR0WD) network. She has served on the Expert Advisory Committee of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and has held multiple leadership positions in historic preservation, including as a commissioner for both the City of Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission and the City of Olympia Heritage Commission. She is a co-founder and past president of MidTexMod, a regional chapter of Docomomo US, which focuses on the documentation and conservation of Modern Movement architecture.

Minner earned her Ph.D. in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin, with a concentration in historic preservation and a portfolio in Sustainability. She holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Washington.