Professor Phillips is interested in how data can help inform planning issues. He teaches quantitative methods and information technology applications in urban and environmental planning. 

He teaches the application of Geographic Information Systems to planning problems. Examples of student work include "Digital Visualization for Planning" WebPages and Portfolios as well as "GIS for Planners" Exercises and Individual Projects.

He has been working with William H. Lucy on the changes that have been occurring in the nation’s suburban places and cities. Their 2000 book “Confronting Suburban Decline: Strategic Planning for Metropolitan Renewal” by Island Press addressed many of the trends from 1960 to 1990.   Their new book Tomorrow's Cities, Tomorrow's Suburbs published by APA Planners Press highlights how some city neighborhoods and some older suburbs show promise welcoming places. The book focuses on all 542 cities in 312 metropolitan areas, 2586 suburbs in the nation's largest 25 metropolitan areas, and detailed census tract information from 1970 through 2000 in six metropolitan areas. Population change, income change, vintage of housing stock, household size are among the variables explored. The myth of safety in suburbs and exurbia is also explored.

Much of the recent work began with research with the Brookings Institution. This work has lead to a publication “The Suburbs and the Census: Patterns of Growth and Decline", (December 2001) and a more recent paper “Suburban Decline: Is There an Explanation?” at the Annual meeting of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning in November 2002.  This latter work explores the impact the decade of housing construction has on patterns of income change.

Professor Phillips participates in the UVAGIS, a group of faculty and researchers at the University using GIS in their research.  He also participates professionally with local and state GIS user groups.

Recent GIS work has included Hazard Assessment, Housing Policy Atlas and Mapping for understanding the "landscape of aging" and transportation and housing spatial perspectives of persons with disabilities.

He is also active in a Christ-centered non-profit organization linking volunteers with individuals and families with need. This helps put real faces to the numbers!

His teaching philosophy focuses on creating situations and providing materials that leave both students and him open to surprise.

Areas of specialization:
Geographic Information Systems with applications to Urban and Environmental Planning
Urban demographics
Analysis of census data
Community Development with Faith-based non-profit organizations.
Suburban population and economic conditions.