Hugo Sarmiento

Hugo Sarmiento is an Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP. His research critically examines the relationship between planning for climate change, natural disasters, and spatial inequalities such as housing deficits, poor infrastructure, and racial segregation. Specifically, it considers how these inequalities contribute to the social production of risk and vulnerability. To that end, he relies on political economy and comparative research to investigate emerging climate change adaptation and post-disaster recovery strategies. Central to his research agenda is considering the social mobilization, grassroots resistance, and counter-planning efforts which shape these strategies.

Hugo has a special interest in Latin American urban geographies, having completed projects in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. His most recent research has focused on the relocation, and displacement, of communities vulnerable to flooding in Colombian cities. Currently, he is also studying post-disaster recovery and community relocation efforts in Puerto Rican coastal communities.

Before joining GSAPP, Hugo was an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. He received his PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Department of Urban Planning.