Jane Jacobs biographer Peter L. Laurence will talk about his book, Becoming Jane Jacobs (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2016), on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. in Devlin Hall, room 101. In his biography, Laurence examines how Jane Jacobs, who only held a high school diploma, became recognized as one of the key figures in American urbanism. According to Laurence, Jacobs was immersed in an elite intellectual community of architects and urbanists, and her ideas and writings developed over many decades and were influenced by members of the traditions she was critiquing. Laurence is an associate professor of architectural and urban history, theory and design at Clemson University School of Architecture. His work has been published in the Journal of Urban Design, Journal of Architectural Education, and Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, and he has contributed to the creation of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Jane Jacobs Medal. Sponsors: Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics and  Joseph E. Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action.