Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning, College of Arts and Sciences (Class I)

Dr. Mai Nguyen has geared her research and teaching towards improving the lives of individuals and communities in North Carolina. In 2006, Nguyen was selected as a faculty fellow for the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) because her research on Latino immigration to North Carolina is relevant to all of the institute’s policy areas (e.g. education, environment, economic development, health care, etc.). Nguyen has been able to promote her research on Latino immigration to key public policy makers regarding the changing demographics and challenges this population creates for the future of growth and development in the state. Nguyen encourages all of her students to work on individual and group projects that are education and fulfill a community need. Nguyen is currently working with the Northeast Central Durham (NECD) Revitalization Program to inform the mayor and city council about how to prioritize limited city funds to distressed neighborhoods in Durham.