Juan Matute

Juan Matute is a Lecturer in Urban Planning and Deputy Director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. His expertise spans transportation planning, environmental assessment, and urban sustainability. He leads strategic transit planning initiatives for California and advises on climate action plans for Southern California communities.

Education: M.B.A. and M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA, B.A. in International Relations from Pomona College.

Research Focus: Public transit finance, new mobility technologies, parking infrastructure, and transportation governance. Recent work includes quantifying Los Angeles County’s parking supply, assessing environmental impacts of transit systems, and evaluating cost-effectiveness of California’s High-Speed Rail.

Teaching and Leadership: Teaches graduate courses on transportation policy and environmental assessment. Oversees operations, research, and student programs at the Institute of Transportation Studies.

Grants and Projects: Managed UCLA’s role in two state-level transit plans and multiple climate action plans. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams on transportation-finance modeling and equity-focused urban planning.