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What We Do

The Department of Urban Studies and Planning has a vibrant research and community-engaged culture focused on these themes: Justice + Equity, Space, Climate + Sustanability, and Bridging Borders.

 

Click below for recent examples of our work.

 

 

 

 

Publications

 

Modeling ride-hailing and caresharing adoption and use patterns published in Sustainable Cities and Society
Behram Wali, 2025

 

Core Demands published in Extensions: The Architectural Review
Nancy Kwak, 2025

 

Gendering Nature published in Doing Political Ecology
Deepti Chatti, 2024

 

 

Research Centers + Hubs

Labor Center

A part of the UC Centers network, the UC San Diego Labor Center strengthens and expands the labor movement through advanced research, education, and strategic partnerships with workers, labor organizations, policymakers, tribal organizations, and the broader San Diego region.

Bioregional Center

The Bioregional Center for Sustainability Science, Planning and Design brings diverse people and organizations together to collaboratively study and equitably improve how neighborhoods, cities, and regions function.

Homelessness Hub

The Homelessness Hub conducts applied research into the causes, complications, and consequences of homelessness, collaborating with researchers and advocates from across the non-profit, academic, and public sectors, as well as with people who have direct experience of homelessness. The Homeless Hub aims to identify solutions that promote health, dignity, and housing for all. 

Just Transitions Initiative

The Just Transitions Initiative (JTI) supports innovation in design and organization towards more just and democratic futures, tackling geopolitics from below. JTI works towards just transitions by integrating analyses of labor, ecology, and social systems, including racial capitalism and settler colonialism.

 

Community Engagement

 

Reimagining Refuge: California for Just Migrant Futures
Abigail Andrews, 2025 to present

World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana

Mai Nguyen, 2024

 

Building Partnerships for Food Justice and Sustainable Food Systems
Amy Lerner, 2024

 

Media

We Are Not Strangers Here: African American Histories in Rural California

Caroline Collins, 2021 to present

 

Design Lab Spotlight Video

Mai Nguyen, 2024

 

Casa y Comunidad: Latina/o/x Housing in Oregon

John Arroyo, 2022

 

Practica

 

Life Course Scholars Program
Leslie Lewis & Mirle Bussell, 2016 to present

 

Migration Field Research Program
Abigail Andrews, 2020 to present

 

Climate Justice/Action/Resilience Scholars (CJARS) Program
Leslie Lewis, 2022 to present

 

Student Research

Urban Expo

Urban Expo is a unique event that brings together students, faculty, staff, and the San Diego community to celebrate the research capstone projects of Urban Studies & Planning and Real Estate & Development graduating students. Urban Expo also showcases work from additional Urban Studies and Planning Department courses.

 

NAIOP University Challenge

The annual NAIOP University Challenge invites student teams from UCSD, USD, and SDSU to participate in a real estate competition on proposed sites in San Diego county, judged by a panel of senior-level real estate professions.