Gerard Francisco Sandoval

Gerard Francisco Sandoval is a Professor in the School of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies. He actively contributes to Oregon's public policy landscape as a Commissioner on the Land Conservation and Development Commission (term 2019-2023) and as a councilmember on the State's Housing Stability Council.

Dr. Sandoval's educational background includes:

• PhD in City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley (2007)
• MCP in City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley (2002)
• BS in Community and Regional Development, University of California, Davis (2000)

His scholarly research focuses on the intersection of city planning, immigration, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization. Sandoval employs detailed narrative case studies to explore ethnic identity, equity, and bioregionalism, with particular attention to how planning can achieve equitable outcomes through environmental ethics, affordable housing access, inclusive land-use policies, and transparent public participation mechanisms. His work often centers on immigrant communities, examining gentrification, displacement, infrastructure, and the socio-economic implications of development in marginalized neighborhoods. Born in Guatemala, Sandoval's personal connection to immigration issues stems from his family's experience leaving Guatemala during its civil war.

Analysis of Sandoval's publications reveals a consistent focus on urban equity, with particular emphasis on how immigrant communities navigate and shape urban spaces. His research trajectory shows an evolution from studying transnational networks of undocumented workers to broader examinations of racial equity in planning, gentrification, and sustainable neighborhood revitalization. The geographic scope of his work spans from specific case studies in places like MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and Postville, Iowa, to theoretical explorations of planning ethics and practices across the Galápagos Islands and Oregon's forest communities.

Dr. Sandoval's significant contributions to the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards:

• Chester Rapkin Award (2014) for best planning article
• Paul Davidoff Book Award honorable mention (2013)
• Barclay Gibbs Jones Award for best dissertation in planning (2009)
• Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award from the University of Oregon for promoting diversity, social justice, and equity

As an academic leader, Sandoval serves as the Dean's Fellow for Diversity at the College of Design and leads the college's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. His public service extends beyond academia through his appointments to state commissions where he applies his expertise to address Oregon's housing and land use challenges. His research has attracted media attention, with coverage in Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, and Oregon Quarterly. Sandoval's work bridges academic research with practical planning applications, particularly in the context of immigrant integration and sustainable community development.

Dr. Sandoval maintains active research connections with communities in Oregon, Guatemala, and the Galápagos Islands, where he studies bioregional revitalization. His current research examines equitable planning outcomes achieved through integrating environmental ethics, providing access to affordable housing, supporting inclusive land-use policies, recognizing generative economic development, and designing transparent public participation mechanisms to revitalize urban cities and rural towns.