PhD Urban Planning and Development, University of Southern California, 2023

Master of City Planning University of California, Berkeley, 2018

Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television, minor in History University of California, Los Angeles, 2003

Teaching Philosophy

Jaime Lopez's teaching philosophy is significantly guided by the understanding that urban and environmental problems are deeply linked. Urban planning issues are often multi-dimensional and potentially polarizing. While the acknowledgement of this reality should be front and center, he asks students to investigate each issue by arriving at their own conclusions only after learning and engaging with many other competing perspectives. Lopez encourages students to ask questions of the subject matter and of one another's interpretations. Drawing from multiple careers and as an interdisciplinary scholar, he establishes an environment in which students are encouraged to draw from a wide range of disciplines and experiences. He incorporates into his teaching a mixture of learner-centered, inquiry guided learning, case studies, and interactive/ participative methods.

Research Interests

Lopez is interested in research that prioritizes the lived experience of marginalized residents while using media tools to amplify their voices. His research interests include: community engagement research, participatory planning, environmental justice/planning, sustainability, city and local politics, land use, and media and film documentaries.

Select Publications

Lisa Schweitzer, Jaime Lopez. “Planning, Media, and Power” (book chapter), Edward Elgar Publishing, (June 2023)
O'Neill, M., Mujahid, M., Hutson, M., Fukutome, A., Robichaud, R., & Lopez, J. (2020). Investing in public school kitchens and equipment as a pathway to healthy eating and equitable access to healthy food. Journal of School Health, 90(6), 492-503.

Awards

• 2022-2023: Haynes Lindley Dissertation Fellowship

• 2022-2023: USC Mellon Sawyer Dissertation Fellowship (Center on Science, Technology, and Public Life and the Center for Latinx and Latin American Studies)

• 2021: Arts and Climate Collective (USC) Short Documentary on Environmental Justice

• 2020: Ford Foundation 2020 Predoctoral Fellowship – Honorable Mention