Political Science Professor, Author, and Urban Planner

Dr. Philip Mark Plotch is the principal researcher and senior fellow at the Eno Center for Transportation, an independent, non-profit think tank in Washington, D.C. that shapes public debate on critical multimodal transportation issues. At Eno, he leads national studies on transportation-related issues including transit project delivery, workforce development, governance reform, and the coordination of affordable housing and transportation policy. His work helps governments and transportation agencies identify practical, data-driven strategies to improve performance and deliver projects more effectively.

Dr. Plotch’s research into the politics and planning of major transportation projects explores the obstacles they encounter and the strategies public agencies can use to overcome them. His most recent book, Mobilizing the Metropolis (University of Michigan Press, 2023), reveals how institutions can build and leverage coalitions to achieve their goals. His earlier works, The Last Subway (Cornell University Press, 2020) and Politics Across the Hudson (Rutgers University Press, 2015, 2018), examine the complex interplay of leadership, politics, and public policy that shapes America’s transportation systems.

Through his research, writing, and policy work, Dr. Plotch is helping improve public transportation, promote environmentally sustainable growth, and strengthen trust in government’s ability to deliver results. His insights are widely cited in both academic publications and major media outlets, including The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Governing, NPR, The New York Times, The New Yorker, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Before joining Eno, Dr. Plotch was a Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea, where he researched urban and transportation policy. He previously served as an associate professor and director of the Master of Public Administration program at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Earlier in his career, he played a leading role in improving the New York metropolitan area’s infrastructure. As director of World Trade Center Redevelopment and Special Projects at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, he was instrumental in rebuilding Lower Manhattan after the September 11, 2001 attacks. At the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), he managed long-range planning and policy initiatives, including multibillion-dollar capital projects, emergency response procedures, and strategic business plans.

Dr. Plotch earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany, a master’s in urban planning from Hunter College, and a Ph.D. in public and urban policy from the Milano School at The New School for Public Engagement. He is also a fellow at New York University’s Marron Institute, where his work continues to bridge research, policy, and practice.