Paul Van Buskirk

DR. PAUL VAN BUSKIRK is a licensed engineer, a nationally recognized city planner, and an accomplished educator described in Legendary Locals of Cohoes (2013) as “one of the greatest political leaders in the city’s history” and recognized by the Albany Times Union (1966) as a “political giant” for his role in overthrowing the Cohoes arm of the Albany Democratic political machine.

At the age of 31, Dr. Van Buskirk was selected for the “Distinguished Service Award” by the Albany County Junior Chamber of Commerce for his leading role in many civic projects and for helping his city be recognized as an All-America City. Look Magazine (1967) credited Dr. Van Buskirk for his role in “breaking the grip of an entranced political machine that had used every trick to stay in power.” The New York Times (1973) also published a piece on his use of state-of-the-art management techniques to revitalize the city he grew up in.

Dr. Van Buskirk studied engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and received his PhD from Barry University of Miami in the behavior sciences, where he is the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award. Other acknowledgements include the National Science Foundation Award and the Charles Evans Hughes Award from the American Society for Public Administration for his “courageous and imaginative work” in local government. In 2020, Dr. Van Buskirk was inducted into the American Institute of Certified Planners College of Fellows.