The Luskin Center for Innovation is pleased to host two visiting scholars, who will collaborate on environmental policy research during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Sara Hughes joins us from the University of Michigan, where she is an associate professor of environmental policy and planning. Hughes’ research focuses on environmental policy and governance, examining decisions about water resources and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

C.J. Gabbe is an associate professor of environmental studies at Santa Clara University. His research centers on land use regulatory effectiveness and design; housing and environmental quality; and climate change vulnerability.

Learn more about the scholars and their research:

Sara Hughes:

Why is environmental policy important to you?

I came to environmental policy as a student of ecology and an avid outdoor recreationist. It became clear that the policies we put in place play a big role in determining the health of our planet and I wanted to understand and influence those policies. In my research I am to develop new insights into why we have the environmental policies we do, and how policies affect the environmental outcomes we care about. 

What’s a project you’re working on that you’re especially excited about?

I am currently leading a National Science Foundation funded project that aims to understand how the financial condition of local governments affects the long-term sustainability and resilience of their drinking water systems. 

We are developing a national database of municipal governments and their drinking water systems that will allow us to ask questions about the relationship between city governments and drinking water systems, local community characteristics and the cost of water for those communities. The project is in collaboration with my colleague Christine Kirchhoff at Pennsylvania State University and a fantastic group of graduate students and postdocs. 

 What are you most looking forward to in your role as a visiting scholar?

I am really looking forward to the opportunity to spend time learning about the issues and projects underway at the Luskin Center for Innovation. I am hoping to make new connections and spark new ideas and collaborations during my time as a visiting scholar. 

What drew you to UCLA and the Luskin Center for Innovation?

The Luskin Center for Innovation in particular had a few big draws for me: its interdisciplinary approach, its applied research focus and policy engagement, and its focus on issues I am also working on, like water policy and urban sustainability. Being at UCLA also provides an opportunity to tap into one of the largest research universities in the country. 

C.J. Gabbe:

Why is environmental policy important to you?

I love working on environmental policy because this realm includes many interconnected challenges and the potential for solving complicated problems. I’m particularly motivated to continue connecting housing policy with environmental and climate justice issues such as heat and wildfire vulnerability, and air pollution exposure.

What’s a project you’re working on that you’re especially excited about?

One project that I’m particularly excited about — in collaboration with co-director Greg Pierce — is a national study focused on housing and heat vulnerability. We’re using a combination of methods, including household-level data analysis, content analysis of existing plans and policies and interviews to explain inequities in heat exposure and propose feasible policy interventions.

What are you most looking forward to in your role as a visiting scholar?

I can’t wait to work (in-person!) with the fantastic Luskin Center for Innovation team. I’m also looking forward to reengaging with climate adaptation policy in Southern California.

What drew you to UCLA and the Luskin Center for Innovation?

First off, I’m a big fan of Los Angeles, UCLA, and the Luskin Center for Innovation. I’m a UCLA urban planning alum (Ph.D. ‘16) and I’ve had the chance to collaborate with the Luskin Center team over the past few years, including through a State of California Climate Change Research Program grant. This visiting scholar role will be a chance to continue moving our shared research agenda forward and also seed new interdisciplinary collaborations at UCLA.