Caroline Buttemere

Caroline Buttemere is a first-year student in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program. She is from Annandale, Virginia but spent most of her life overseas in North Macedonia until returning to the U.S. to attend William & Mary, where she double majored in Environmental Science and Public Policy. As an undergraduate, she conducted research that explored the relationship between government environmental policies and public perception of and participation in protecting the environment. Throughout the project, Caroline engaged in research techniques which equipped her with skills for graduate work including: conducting a focus group, surveying community members, analyzing data from 1,400 survey responses, and presenting policy recommendations in line with her findings. Through her MURP degree and assistantship at CECE, Caroline aims to develop stronger quantitative and qualitative research skills to support effective proposal and report writing for community development projects. She is particularly interested in learning how to use data such as demographic trends, land use patterns, and stakeholder feedback to communicate needs and opportunities clearly. Caroline also seeks to better understand economic development and placemaking strategies by applying methods like survey design, spatial analysis, and participatory research. In her future career, she hopes to use these skills to advance sustainable urban policies, such as increasing green space access, promoting low-carbon transportation options, and protecting natural ecosystems.