Gregory Pierce

Gregory Pierce serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor in UCLA's Department of Urban Planning and Co-Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation, leading Water, Environmental Equity, and Transportation initiatives while directing the Water Resources Group. His work bridges academic research and policy implementation for disadvantaged communities.

He earned his Ph.D. (2015) and M.A. (2011) in Urban Planning from UCLA. His research examines resource access for marginalized populations across three scales:

• Sub-national: Policy design for state water/transport agencies
• Metropolitan: Political economy of neighborhood service allocation
• Household: Behavior models for low-income access strategies

Dr. Pierce's 30+ publications in journals like Water Resources Research and Journal of the American Planning Association reveal critical trends: increasing focus on wildfire-water system interactions (40% of 2025 articles), energy transition equity (25%), and thermal vulnerability in manufactured housing (15%). His work consistently centers environmental justice in infrastructure planning.

Research is funded by major entities including the California State Water Resources Control Board, U.S. HUD, World Bank, and DiCaprio Foundation. Current projects address the Wildfire-Stormwater Nexus and Heat Resilient L.A., mapping extreme heat vulnerability across Southern California communities.

He leads interdisciplinary teams at the Luskin Center developing practical tools like the Screening Method for Transportation Access Disparities and the Community Water Systems Performance Policy Guide, directly translating research into actionable urban solutions for water security and climate resilience.