Eric Chu

Eric Chu

Eric K. Chu, PhD, is Director of Science at CCST, where he provides strategic direction, oversight, and coordination for the organization’s science advisory services. He oversees the development of CCST’s science programs by collaborating with research institutions, public agencies, and the private sector to advance California’s interests in science and technology policy. Eric brings more than 15 years of experience leading strategic programs and building research partnerships at the science-policy interface. He is particularly interested in leveraging science to inform innovative and impactful actions at the nexus of infrastructure planning, environmental justice, and climate change resilience. Before joining CCST, Eric served as a Senior Planner in the California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (formerly the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research) and as a tenured Associate Professor in Community and Regional Development at UC Davis. From 2019 to 2023, he served as Co-Director of the UC Davis Climate Adaptation Research Center, a university-wide effort to advance climate research, engagement, and professional development for the next generation of California science leaders. Earlier in his career, he held research and teaching positions in the Netherlands and the UK.

Eric earned a PhD in environmental policy and planning from MIT, dual master’s degrees in urban planning and environmental policy from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from Cornell University.