Mai Thi Nguyen is a Professor of Urban Studies and Planning and Director of the Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego.
She is an award-winning public scholar, researcher, and teacher. She is a housing scholar works at the intersection of housing, land use,
community and economic development, and climate change
adaptation.  She is passionate about designing cities that are inclusive, resilient, and vibrant. She has served on major national leadership roles, including Board Chair for the Urban Affairs Association, President of the Faculty Women’s Interest Group for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, and founder and administrator of Planners 2040, a Facebook discussion group with a membership of over 2400 planners across the globe. She is currently the Board Chair of the World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024.