Hi! My name is Qian He. I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Rowan University in the Department of Geography, Planning, and Sustainability and the Director of Community Action for Resilience and Equity (CARE) Lab. Trained as a planner, I hold a PhD in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington, and I am a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). My research focuses on the risks and resilience of vulnerable communities at the intersection of the urban built environment, public policy, and community resilience. My publications and ongoing projects use advanced modeling and urban informatics techniques to examine how planning and public policies affect the well-being of historically disadvantaged communities such as the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities facing natural and societal hazards.

Natural hazards examined within my research projects include Sea-level Rise and its threat to local road network connection and the associated governance challenges faced by vulnerable communities in the coastal U.S., the impact of Presidential Declared Disasters (PDD) and Federal Aid Programs on renters’ eviction risk; and the impact on individual mobility under extreme weather events such as flooding; while societal hazards include the COVID-19 global pandemic and its impact on essential transit riders, and the geography of crime and its health consequences under the context of systemic racism, social disadvantage, built environment, and collective efficacy. 

My work has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF, PI), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, Co-PI), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, Co-PI), and the New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy (Co-PI).

My primary research approach is quantitative (Econometrics and Spatial Econometrics). I am enthusiastic about incorporating qualitative research methods, including Evidence-based analysis and Community Engagement, into my research agenda. Beyond my research and teaching, I work actively with local non-profit organizations on community development projects, neighborhood participatory study, and evidence-based policymaking for resilient communities. Prior to joining Rowan, I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Maryland, College Park, A. James Clark School of Engineering.

My preferred pronouns are she/her/hers.