Katherine Idziorek

Katherine Idziorek is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte), within the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on community resilience, urban heat mitigation, and social infrastructure's role in disaster preparedness. She leads the Charlotte Heat Mappers team, studying extreme heat impacts on communities and collaborating with local partners. Dr. Idziorek also coordinates UNC Charlotte’s Urban Studies Minor and advises the 49er Urban Planners student club.

Her professional background includes eight years as a practicing urban designer in Seattle, specializing in transportation planning and community visioning. She holds a PhD in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington (2021), alongside Master’s degrees in Urban Planning (2008) and Architecture (2007).

Key research themes include multimodal transportation equity, visual communication through cartographic design, and bridging academic research with urban policy. Past roles include affiliate faculty at the University of Washington and Seattle Planning Commissioner.