Timon McPhearson

Timon McPhearson is a Professor of Urban Ecology and Director of the Urban Systems Lab at The New School's Parsons School of Design. He holds affiliations with the Tishman Environment and Design Center and international institutions like the Stockholm Resilience Centre. His research focuses on urban ecosystems, resilience, and environmental justice through a social-ecological-technological systems lens. McPhearson advises NYC's climate policy and contributes to global initiatives like the IPCC and IPBES. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and books such as *Urban Planet* and *Nature-based Solutions for Cities*. Awards include the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity and NYC Climate Hero recognition. His work bridges science, policy, and design to advance equitable urban futures.

Education:

• PhD, Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University (2004)
• B.S., Environmental Biology, Taylor University (1997)

Research Interests: Urban sustainability science, climate resilience planning, nature-based solutions, ecological justice, and transdisciplinary methodologies. His lab develops frameworks for equitable infrastructure planning and climate adaptation strategies. Recent work examines intersections between urban heat, green space inequity, and pandemic impacts.

Awards & Recognition:

• 2022 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity (IPCC/IPBES contribution)
• 2020 NYC Climate Hero Award
• 2019 ESA Sustainability Science Award

Advocacy & Grants: Leads NYC climate vulnerability assessments, advised UN Habitat's Urban October initiatives, and collaborates on global flood resilience projects. Recent grants include NSF-funded studies on urban heat equity and AI-driven flood prediction systems. Former co-chair of Future Earth's Urban Knowledge Action Network.

Labs/Teams: Directs The New School's Urban Systems Lab and co-leads the Urban Resilience to Extreme Weather Events (UREx) project. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams analyzing climate justice, green infrastructure equity, and urban metabolism dynamics.