Cecilia Giusti

Cecilia Giusti is an Associate Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning at the University of Texas-Austin, affiliated with the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center. She holds a B.A. from the Catholic University of Peru (1981), an M.A. from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands (1988), and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas-Austin (2001). Her research focuses on urban and regional economic development, particularly in Latin America and border regions like Texas-Mexico colonias. Key themes include housing policy, environmental health risks (e.g., Chagas disease), informal economies, and disaster preparedness.

• Education:
• B.A., Catholic University of Peru (1981)
• M.A., Institute of Social Studies, The Hague (1988)
• Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin (2001)

Her work examines challenges in low-income communities, including land titling, microbusiness development, and urban interventions in Guatemala City. She explores how market forces and cultural dynamics shape urban spaces, with recent studies on gastronomic displacement and sustainable urban transitions. Collaborations with the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center emphasize disaster resilience and policy frameworks for vulnerable populations.

Publications span topics from colonias' housing crises to regional economic policies, highlighting interdisciplinary approaches to urban equity and global development debates.