Vinayak Bharne is a joint faculty at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and USC School of Architecture, and teaches courses on urban design theory, global urbanism, and heritage conservation planning. He is currently also Director of Design at Moule & Polyzoides Architects and Urbanists in Pasadena, as well as the urban design and planning adviser to the Government of Karnataka Directorate of Urban Land Transport in India. His professional work ranges from new towns, neighborhood and district master plans, mobility plans, inner-city revitalization, resort-villages, campuses and housing for corporate, private and institutional clients; to urban regulations, policies and strategic advising for government and non-government agencies in the United States, Canada, India, China, United Arab Emirates, Panama, Kenya and Mauritius. His projects have received numerous local and national awards. These include the 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement – Overall Excellence by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2013 Pinnacle Award from the International Downtown Association, four national Charter Awards from the Congress for the New Urbanism; and the Excellence in Planning Implementation Award from the California Chapter of the American Planning Association. His research focuses on contemporary urbanism in Asia, specifically the nexus of housing density and urban development, public policy and water stress, the urbanity of informal habitats, and the urbanism of sacred territories and cities. He is currently directing three major research projects in Asia: “The Banaras Initiative” is crafting multidisciplinary strategies for the future of one of India’s oldest sacred cities situated along the Ganga River; “Saving the Qanat” is examining the potential for conservation and reuse of Iran’s indigenous hydro-infrastructure; and “The Complete Ise Jingu” is framing an incremental enhancement plan for the surroundings of Japan’s most revered Shinto shrine.