Brad Gaolach

Dr. Brad Gaolach serves as the founding Director of Washington State University's Metropolitan Center for Applied Research and Extension and the National Urban Research and Extension Center. He holds a leadership role within the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). His career spans over 20 years in urban extension programs, focusing on community-based research in natural resources, water quality, food systems, and youth development. He has pioneered initiatives such as the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) network and hosted the 2019 National Urban Extension Conference.

Trained as a population and community ecologist, Gaolach applies systems-based approaches to urban sustainability challenges. His work integrates applied research with extension programs addressing food-energy-water nexus dynamics, green infrastructure, and community development. He leads key initiatives including the Urban Agriculture and Food Systems Program Action Team and NSF-funded sustainable regional systems research.

His research emphasizes urban food systems, climate resilience, and youth engagement in community change. Notable projects include evaluating school gardens' impact on nutrition, analyzing stakeholder perspectives on metropolitan sustainability, and developing innovative Extension models for urban audiences. Gaolach’s leadership extends to interdisciplinary collaborations with USDA grants and regional planning efforts in the Pacific Northwest.

He oversees grant-funded programs such as USDA NIFA urban agriculture grants and NSF Sustainable Regional Systems research, demonstrating a commitment to bridging academic research with community needs. His work fosters urban-rural partnerships and equitable resource distribution in rapidly growing metropolitan areas.