V. Kelly Turner

V. Kelly Turner is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Geography at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and serves as Associate Director of the Luskin Center for Innovation. Her research focuses on heat governance, urban sustainability, and social-ecological systems. She leads UCLA's heat resilience initiatives, including the Center for Heat Resilient Communities, a national center funded by the National Integrated Heat Health Information System.

Dr. Turner holds a Ph.D. in Geography from Arizona State University and a B.A. in Political Science from Wellesley College. Her work bridges urban planning, environmental science, and public health, addressing climate adaptation through policy analysis and community engagement.

Her research explores heat mitigation strategies in cities, equity in urban design, and the socio-environmental impacts of residential landscapes. Key projects include analyzing municipal heat plans, optimizing green infrastructure, and evaluating homeowner association regulations. She has advised federal agencies and served on panels for the National Academy of Sciences and the Extreme Heat Resilience Alliance.

Dr. Turner's publications appear in Nature, Environmental Research Letters, and Journal of the American Planning Association. Her grants include funding from NOAA, the NSF, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She emphasizes actionable science, providing tools for heat preparedness and policy implementation.

Her current focus includes heat resilience in schools and housing, leveraging interdisciplinary approaches to address climate change impacts on urban communities.