Paul M. Ong

Paul M. Ong is a Professor of Urban Planning, Social Welfare, and Asian American Studies at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, where he also serves as Director of the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge.

His research centers on urban social inequality with emphasis on racial and ethnic disparities. Key areas include labor market dynamics for minorities and immigrants, spatial/transportation mismatches, environmental justice, sustainability-equity relationships, and the racial wealth gap. Current work analyzes socioeconomic transformations in South Los Angeles since the 1965 Watts Riots through quantitative examination of progress relative to the 1968 Kerner Commission Report and California's McCone Report recommendations on employment, housing, and education policy.

Dr. Ong leads externally funded research projects including "Uncertain Progress: South LA Since the 1968 Kerner Commission Report," building on the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge's work on economic inequality and gentrification. He mentors graduate students in urban planning disciplines though specific advisees aren't listed in source materials.

As Director of the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, he oversees research teams examining displacement patterns and urban inequality, collaborating with the Luskin Center for History and Policy's network of affiliated faculty, board members, and research fellows including the Luskin Fellows program.