Randall Mason is Associate Professor in the Department of Historic Preservation in the School of Design. His courses focus on historic preservation planning, urban conservation, history, and cultural landscape studies. Mason’s research interests include theory and methods of preservation planning, cultural policy, the economics of preservation, historic site management, the history and design of memorials, and the history of historic preservation. He leads the Center for Research on Preservation and Society, which undertakes applied research projects on site management and on social, economic and political aspects of historic preservation. Before joining the Penn faculty in 2004, Mason worked as Senior Project Specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute, researching economic and social issues relating to heritage conservation. Previous positions include Assistant Professor and Director of Historic Preservation at the University of Maryland, and adjunct faculty in landscape architecture at RISD. His professional experience includes several years of consulting practice and co-founding the nonprofit research group Minerva Partners (which develops projects to strengthen the connections between heritage conservation and social development). He serves on the Board of Directors of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, and was the 2012-13 National Endowment for the Arts Rome Prize winner at the American Academy in Rome.