Team

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Professor Ong has done research on the labor market status of minorities and immigrants, displaced high-tech workers, work and spatial/transportation mismatch, and environmental justice. He is currently engaged in several projects, including an analysis of the relationship between sustainability and equity, the racial wealth gap, and the role of urban structures on the reproduction of inequality.

Previous research projects have included studies of the impact of defense cuts on California’s once-dominant aerospace industry, the impact of immigration on the employment status of young African Americans, and the influence of car ownership and subsidized housing on welfare usage.

Dr. Ong is the Director of the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and editor of AAPI Nexus, and has served as an advisor to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and to the California Department of Social Services and the state Department of Employment Development, as well as the Wellness Foundation and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

He received a master’s in urban planning from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in Economics, University of California, Berkeley. Along with his quantitative research, his professional practice includes teaching and applying visual forms of communication.

Chhandara Pech (Chhan) is the Deputy Director at the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge. He specializes in spatial and statistical analysis, focusing on applied research that informs decision-makers, community stakeholders, and public agencies on critical socioeconomic and racial equity issues. As a Cambodian American, he brings a unique perspective to his research, particularly in examining racial and socioeconomic inequality in immigrant and historically marginalized communities.
Chhandara has led large-scale research projects on housing, transportation, climate change, and neighborhood development, leveraging complex data analysis to generate actionable insights that shape policy and drive community initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning, a BA in Political Science, and certifications in Geographic Information Systems and Data Science from UCLA.

Emily Zhu is an undergraduate student at UCLA double majoring in Political Science and Cognitive Science. She is interested in pursuing a career in law, with particular interests in public interest law, immigration, and litigation. She has experience with undergraduate research journals, student organizing, and student government, and is actively involved in campus organizations focused on advocacy and professional development. Emily is passionate about addressing systemic inequities and hopes to use the law as a tool for social change.

Alycia Cheng is a doctoral student in urban planning and development at the USC Price School of Public Policy. Previously, she worked as a research associate at the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge. Alycia’s dissertation explores housing metrics and housing issues with a focus on demographic and lifecycle changes and the effects of housing shortage on households and communities. She holds both a BA in Sociology and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning, with a focus on transportation planning and policy, from UCLA.

Stacy Mata is currently pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning with a concentration in Transportation Policy & Planning at UCLA. During her graduate studies, she has worked as a student researcher with both the Institute of Transportation Studies and the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, focusing her research on transportation equity, mobility justice, and climate resiliency. She also works with the California Strategic Growth Council assisting their Community Resilience Center Program. Stacy earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Environmental Studies from Hope College. Prior to beginning her program at UCLA, she worked as an ecological educator with Friends of the LA River and taught community finance classes in Sydney, Australia. Stacy’s work leverages her community engagement experience and planning credentials to develop equitable transportation and climate solutions that enhance access to essential social and economic opportunities for marginalized communities.

Luis Valente is a Master of Urban and Regional Planning student with a concentration in Transportation Policy & Planning. Motivated by his own experience relying on public transportation systems growing up in Southeast Los Angeles, he is determined to make these systems more reliable, safe, and efficient for those who rely on them. His research interests are centered around transportation equity and mobility justice, and he intends to work alongside community members, transit users, and other stakeholders to develop holistic policies and practices that address mobility and access needs.

Prior to enrolling at UCLA, Luis worked at a land use planning consulting firm, interned at the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) on the Active Transportation and Regional Planning teams, and advocated for equitable transportation investments as an intern at the City Heights Community Development Corporation. He is a proud first-generation student and graduate of UC San Diego’s Urban Studies and Planning undergraduate program.

Silvia R. González leads climate, environmental justice, and health research at the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute. Previously, she was the founding assistant director at the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge (CNK) and continues to collaborate with CNK as the project manager for MovementHub.org and other projects addressing socioeconomic and racial inequality. Silvia has worked extensively as a researcher and consultant with nonprofit, community-based, and government organizations on issues related to neighborhood change, gentrification, anti-displacement policies, environmental equity, and climate planning. Her research examines the impact of place and urban spatial structures on socioeconomic inequality and environmental health. She holds a BA in Geography/Environmental Studies, a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on Economic Development, and a PhD in Urban Planning—all from UCLA.

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C. Aujean Lee is an assistant professor in Regional and City Planning at the University of Oklahoma. She received her PhD in Urban Planning from UCLA. Her work examines residential segregation and racial disparities in homeownership, community institutions, and wealth, with a focus on immigrant, Latino, and Asian communities. She also examines nonprofits in providing social protections to vulnerable communities in transitional or uncertain policy circumstances. Her work has been published in Housing Policy Debate, Journal of Planning Education and Research, Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly.
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