Francisco Lara-Valencia

Francisco Lara-Valencia is a Professor at Arizona State University's School of Transborder Studies and a Southwest Borderlands Scholar. He holds affiliations with the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, the Southwest Borderlands Initiative, and the Water Institute. His research focuses on socio-environmental vulnerability, urban governance, binational planning, and cross-border sustainability in U.S.-Mexico border regions. He earned his Ph.D. in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan and has extensive experience in transborder policy analysis and environmental justice studies.

Education:
- Ph.D. Urban Planning, University of Michigan
- M.A. Regional Development, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte, Mexico
- B.S. Economics, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexico

Research Interests:
Lara-Valencia's work examines socio-environmental vulnerability, urban health, regional development, and community networks' role in sustainable development. Recent studies address climate change impacts, flood management in Ambos Nogales, and equity in hazardous waste disposal. His research also explores transborder policy integration and cross-border governance resilience during systemic crises like the pandemic.

Grants & Service:
- Principal investigator on projects funded by NSF, EPA, and Mexican universities.
- Served as past president of the Association for Borderlands Studies and peer reviewer for multiple journals.
- Active in policy advisory roles for municipal planning in Nogales, Sonora, and the Carl Hayden Neighborhood Needs Assessment.

Labs/Teams:
Affiliated with the Southwest Borderlands Initiative and Global Futures Scientist program, contributing to interdisciplinary borderland studies and sustainability initiatives.