Alessandro Rigolon

Alessandro Rigolon is an Associate Professor and MCMP Program Coordinator in the Department of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah, where he has been on the faculty since 2019. A dual-PhD scholar (Design & Planning, University of Colorado Denver; Architecture, University of Bologna), he is internationally recognized for research on environmental justice, green-space equity, and the public-health consequences of urban greening.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Design and Planning, University of Colorado Denver (2015)
• Ph.D. in Architecture, University of Bologna, Italy (2012)
• B.Arch. & M.Arch. in Architecture and Urban Design, University of Bologna, Italy (2007)

Research Interests:

Rigolon’s work sits at the intersection of environmental justice, urban planning, and public health. He investigates four interconnected themes: (1) policy drivers of inequity in green-space provision; (2) the mechanisms and resistance to green gentrification; (3) green infrastructure’s role in equitable climate adaptation; and (4) health impacts of urban nature on marginalized communities. His studies span multiple scales—from census microdata in Miami-Dade County to machine-learning analyses across 263 Chinese cities—deploying mixed-methods, spatial analytics, and community-engaged research.

Publications & Impact:

Across 89 peer-reviewed outputs, recent work (2024-2025) reveals complex pathways by which gentrification both precedes and follows greening, quantifies disparities in park access among racial/ethnic groups, and evaluates policies aimed at achieving green-space equity. Collectively, these studies highlight the need for fine-scale spatial data, intersectional analyses, and robust procedural justice when designing equitable greening interventions.

Scientific Awards & Recognition:

• Stanford/Elsevier Top 2 % Scientist (2024)
• Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2024)
• APA-Utah High Achievement Award (2022)
• Urban Studies Editor’s Featured Articles (2021)
• University of Utah Celebrate U Researcher Honoree (2020)
• Arnold O. Beckman Award (2019)

Grants & Advising:

Rigolon currently leads or co-leads six funded projects totaling over one million dollars from the Center for Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, Center for Climate Smart Transportation, Prevention Institute, and University of Illinois. These grants support interdisciplinary teams examining transit-oriented green gentrification, climate adaptation for active transportation, and equitable park policy implementation. Graduate students and post-docs are active collaborators on all projects.

Teaching & Community Engagement:

He teaches graduate courses including Design Ecologies, Plan Making, Professional Project Studio, and Research Design. Through studio courses, students partner with local governments (South Salt Lake City, Liberty Wells Community Council) to produce actionable plans advancing environmental justice.