David López-García

David López-García is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), part of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA). He is the founder and co-coordinator of the Urban Structure Lab and focuses on urban spatial structures, policy interactions, and their impacts on spatial equity. His research examines how power, institutions, and policies shape job accessibility, commuting patterns, and inequality in cities like Mexico City, São Paulo, and Buenos Aires.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Public and Urban Policy, The New School
• M.Phil. in Public and Urban Policy, The New School
• M.S. in Comparative Public Policy, FLACSO-México
• B.A. in Management, Universidad de Guadalajara

Research Interests:

López-García’s work integrates spatial analysis and policy evaluation to address urban challenges such as employment subcenters, transport equity, and governance frameworks. Key themes include the 'Policy Interactions Framework' for analyzing urban outcomes and the concept of 'Choiceless Mobility,' which highlights how spatial policies exacerbate commuting disparities. He collaborates with institutions like the Great Cities Institute and leads comparative studies across Latin American megalopolises.

Grants & Collaborations:

• Principal Investigator: Race, travel time, and quality job access in Chicagoland ($10,000)
• Co-PI: Comparative analysis of employment subcenter detection ($19,000)
• World Vision: Spatial determinants of project success in Ethiopia ($53,620)

Awards & Affiliations:

• Academic Director of INTALInC-LAC
• Co-Chair of Planners of Color Interest Group (ACSP)
• Affiliate Researcher at the Great Cities Institute

Labs & Networks:

Led the Urban Structure Lab, which analyzes urban spatial dynamics and collaborates with global networks like the LAC-US Urban Structure Network. Active in initiatives such as the Seminar for Spatial Inequalities at El Colegio de México and the Policy Mobilities Working Group.