Her research focuses on environmental governance, public participation and access to basic services in urban and peri-urban settlements. Recent and ongoing projects in Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda examines gender and access to water, sanitation and sustainable household scale alternative energy solutions, and using participatory GIS. In addition to her international work, she has led planning and research initiatives focused on sustainability, food systems and participatory neighborhood redevelopment in Ohio, Oregon and California. Professor Acey earned both her Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Master of Public Policy degrees from the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles.