Ning Ai’s work centers on integrating life cycle perspectives and locally-specific data into urban sustainability planning and analysis. Her primary theme of interdisciplinary research is material and waste management. She has also implemented neighborhood-level data mining, environmental and socioeconomic modelling, and metrics development to study urban metabolism and sustainable transportation. She believes that a better understanding of each other’s work fosters more effective and meaningful collaboration towards innovative solutions with wider societal impacts. She is enthusiastic about collaboration opportunities that help shape the pattern of sustainable cities through a mutual learning process.
Dr. Ai joined UIC in 2011 with a joint appointment in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy and the Institute for Environmental Science and Policy. Her research and teaching interestscenter on integrating life cycle perspectives and locally-specific data into environmental planning and sustainability policy making. Her primary theme of interdisciplinary research is material and waste management in an urban metabolic context. She has also implemented neighborhood-level data mining, environmental modelling, and metrics development to study sustainable transportation and environment.
Prior to joining UIC, Ning worked for the World Bank, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co., and the Georgia State Department of Natural Resources. Her previous work experiences include the application of GIS in environmental protection, urban sustainability indicators, and the socioeconomic impact analysis of natural disasters. She currently serves on the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Committee on Diversity and was formerly the Chair of the Sustainability and Resource Conservation Division of the Air & Waste Management Association 2020-2022.
She obtained her dual-bachelor degrees in Environmental Economics and Environmental Engineering from Renmin University and Tsinghua University, respectively, in China, Master’s degree in City Planning from MIT, and doctoral degree in City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech.
Current Team Members
Jeremy Cavanagh
(he/him) is a first-year Master's of Urban Planning and Policy Student (anticipated graduation May 2027). His research interests surround the intersection between science and the humanities and how they influence activism. Jeremy received his bachelor's degree in environmental science from Johns Hopkins University in 2025, and seeks to combine his interest in sustainability with his passion for urban planning. In his free time, he enjoys fire twirling, wearing green, and cuddling his cat (but not always at the same time).
Matthew Chandra
(he/him) is a Master’s in Urban Planning and Policy with a concentration in Environmental Planning and Policy (enrolled Fall 2024). He is an international student from Indonesia, born and raised. His work and interests include life cycle analysis, ESG analysis, water and food systems, One Health. He aspires to build cities that are better for all living things and all unliving that allows us to live well. He hopes for a world that believes nothing is “waste”. His hobbies are tabletop RPGs, worldbuilding, and science fiction. Imagination is a planning skill!
Elizabeth Makuch
is a graduate student pursuing a joint degree in the Master of Urban Planning and Policy (MUPP) and the Master of Public Health in Environmental and Occupational Health Science (MPH in EOHS). As a research assistant, she assists with conducting literature reviews and data analysis on systems thinking research and compiling data on green infrastructure and stormwater management regulation and best practices. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and biking in the city.
Ada Morgan
Alessandro Beltran
Anthony Farruggia
Anthony Grande
Anton Rozhkov
Ben Kurzydlo
Ben Sullivan
Cassie Varrige
Em Hall
Hannah (Kay) Wendt
Alex Copetas
(he/him) is enrolled in the Master of Urban Planning and Policy program at UIC, graduating in 2027. He is interested in environmental planning with a focus on sustainable development and environmental inequality. Relevant projects include mapping flood insurance access in Chicago, assisting with assessing aviation noise impact around O’Hare International Airport, and analyzing unequal health impacts related to proximity to polluting facilities. Alex enjoys playing music with friends and is currently learning the mandolin.
Daniela Mancheva
(she/her) is a senior studying Industrial Design. She is particularly interested in product sustainability and life cycle, which she have explored through her research analysis of different sustainable measures across various restaurant operations. In her free time, she loves to knit and hang out with her friends!
Former Team Members
Jeff Griffin
Jennifer Maddux
Jessica Baas
Junjun Zheng
Marc Kjerland (Applied Mathematics)
Marcella Bondie
Matt Rundquist
Matthew Tyksinski Mike Iversen Rizwan Raza
Evan Helchen
(he/him) is a second year Master of Urban Planning and Policy student. He spent 5 years working as a data analyst – specializing in data visualization. His current interests lie in energy, conservation, and waste planning and policy. Most weekends you can find Evan on his bicycle exploring different trails in the Chicagoland area.
Kathryn Mauery
(she/her) is a second-year Master of Urban Planning and Policy student specializing in Environmental Planning, with interests in urban waste systems and water policy. Prior to attending UIC, Kathryn completed her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy, with a minor in French Language and Literature, and then spent two years working at a Chicago-based environmental nonprofit. Outside of class, Kathryn enjoys staying active, baking, and spending time outdoors.
Shantanu Pai
Shi Yin (Computer Science)
Shuo Ma (Computer Science)
Sydney Blankers
Taylor Gendel
Travis Hawks
Vincent Ziols
Xiaochen Chen
Yining Li
Son Huynh
(he/him) is a recent graduate of the Master of Urban Planning and Policy program at UIC, specializing in spatial planning. He is deeply interested in how planning decisions translate into spatial form and shape social experiences. Originally from Vietnam, Son brings a cross-cultural perspective to his work, exploring the intersection of policy, design, and everyday life. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2023. Son also enjoys spontaneous trips beyond the city, camping, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Maisie Westerfield
(she/her) is a second-year Master’s of Urban Planning and Policy student scheduled to graduate May 2026. Her focuses at UIC have been mobility justice, climate resilience, and community ownership of the planning process, bolstered by her undergraduate degree in Environmental Planning from Indiana University. In her free time, Maisie is most often playing with her two cats, reading fiction, or exploring the city for a new coffee shop.
Yufan Jiang
joined Dr. Ai’s research group as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy in 2021. She received her bachelor degree of Landscape Architecture from Shenyang Jianzhu University in 2017 and joint master degrees of Architecture and Urban Planning from University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign (UIUC) in 2020.
Yan Rong
(he/him) is a first-year PhD student in the Urban Planning and Policy program, with a focus on environmental planning. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Nanjing Forestry University and dual master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture and Geospatial Data Science from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. In his free time, he enjoys hiking outdoors and cooking with friends.