UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Data-Informed Governance Conference
2021-07-07 08:00 - 14:50 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual Event
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The trajectory of modern society increasingly deploys data to address equity issues around such diverse topics as housing evictions, air quality, or criminal justice reform. Learn how at UCLA’s first conference on Data-Informed Governance.
Watch three panel discussions featuring experts and peers from the public, private, and civic sectors.
Exchange innovative, actionable approaches to real-world policy issues.
Find out why it is increasingly critical for state and local governments to become technology proficient, using data to inform critical policy decisions.
Join with participants from a wide spectrum of organizations and geographies — from local nonprofits to national research institutes, small cities to regional governing bodies.
The DIG conference is a convening of people from diverse backgrounds that aims to demonstrate the potential for structured peer-to-peer learning on this subject. This cross-section of attendee profiles encourages the advancement of data-centric solutions for public policy that are accessible, scalable, and pragmatic.

DIG is made possible thanks to the support of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA, the College of Social Sciences, the LA Social Science Initiative, the Anderson School of Management, the Ziman Center for Real Estate, and Impact@Anderson.

Ensuring That All Californians Have Access to Clean Transportation
2021-07-26 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
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Hosted by our partners at the Coalition for Clean Air and featuring research from the Luskin Center for Innovation.
As California works to electrify passenger cars, how do we ensure all Californians have access to clean transportation? While zero-emission cars reduce the long-term cost of ownership, sticker shock discourages low-income consumers from ditching polluting, gasoline-powered vehicles.
California’s mobility equity program, such as the Clean Cars 4 All program, are important tools in addressing this challenge. Yet, questions about the program’s effectiveness in serving disadvantaged communities and low-income residents have been raised. How much of this funding is going to disadvantaged communities? How do people sign up for the program, or even learn about it?
Join us for a virtual webinar answering these questions and more. We will be talking with:
Emilia Reyes, CEO of the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, on the need for an on-the-ground community outreach strategy and an intersectional strategy.
Gregory Pierce and Rachel Connolly, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation will present their recently published study on the Clean Cars 4 All program, and how to make the program more equitable and effective in reaching disadvantaged communities.
Transportation remains the leading source of climate-damaging and health-harming pollution. While California has committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and deploying millions of electric vehicles over the next decade, we must ensure clean transportation is accessible to all.

Climate Adaptation Research Symposium 2021
2021-09-08 - 2021-09-09 | Virtual Event
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While global warming presents an unprecedented threat, researchers are making progress to estimate the impacts of climate change and offer potential solutions. This two-day, virtual event will highlight recent social science research on the impacts of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations and communities.
Hosted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, the event aims to translate cutting-edge findings for policymakers to inform adaptation strategies. Further, the symposium will identify emerging research needs, foster dialogue across disciplines and sectors, and offer a path forward to developing resilient communities.

A Reception Honoring J.R. DeShazo
2021-09-13 16:00 - 18:00 | UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center
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Come celebrate J.R.’s leadership as the Luskin Center for Innovation’s founding director, his 24 years of service to UCLA and specifically the Department of Public Policy, and his success in advancing a more environmentally sustainable and equitable city, state, and nation.
We will toast J.R. as he takes up his new post as dean of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas; hear from a few speakers including LCI’s visionary new co-directors, Greg Pierce and Kelly Turner; and enjoy drinks and appetizers.
At this pivotal moment for climate action and environmental justice, please consider honoring J.R. by joining him in making a donation toward environmental justice fellowships for students at the Luskin School of Public Affairs. A gift of any size supports first-generation college students, students of color, and classmates working with LCI and environmental justice organizations toward a more just and sustainable society.
Want to leave a message for J.R.? Send him a note on our Kudoboard.

Environmental Sustainability Grad Student Reception
2021-10-28 17:00 - 18:30 | Luskin School of Public Affairs Luskin Center 3rd Floor Lounge & Patio, United States
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Calling all UCLA graduate students interested in environmental sustainability! Join us for a free, cross-campus mixer.
Learn about environmental organizations, student funding opportunities, and jobs and internships while getting to know your peers across campus. Appetizers and drinks will be served.
Attendees will be required to show a clearance certificate from the UCLA COVID-19 Clearance Portal.
Collaborators

UCLA Emmett Institute
UCLA Graduate Student Water Resources Group
UCLA GSA: Sustainable Resource Center
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
UCLA Sustainability
UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Engineering in Action: Water Equity
2021-11-09 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual Event
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Hosted by our partners at UCLA Samueli.

UCLA Samueli and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at UCLA invite you to Engineering in Action: Water Equity. Ask our expert panelists about equitable access to safe, reliable, and clean water. Learn about the new technologies being developed to address water contamination, the next era of our ageing water infrastructure, and the policies that can protect the human right to water.
PANELISTS:
Evelyn Cortez-Davis, P.E., BCEE
Director, Water Engineering and Technical Services
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP)
Shaily Mahendra, Ph.D.
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
UCLA Samueli School of Engineering
Gregory Pierce, Ph.D.
Co-Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Co-Director, Water Resources Group
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
For inquiries, please contact hsseasevents@support.ucla.edu

High Impact Tea with Mary Nichols - COP26, Climate Regulation & Beyond: How Business Leaders can Become Effective Climate Leaders
2021-12-01 11:30 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
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Hosted by UCLA Impact@Anderson
High Impact Tea featuring Mary Nichols, Distinguished Counsel at UCLA Law, Former Chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, in conversation with Dr. Magali Delmas, Professor of Management at the Anderson School of Management and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
With COP26 underway and almost to its conclusion, we wanted to feature Dr. Mary Nichols, whose work spans the gamut of environmental law and policy. Her long tenure working in this field through four gubernatorial administrations in California has made her a model of conversation, collaboration, and outcomes, managing to balance the interests of utilities companies, communities, activists, policy-makers, financiers, and the auto, oil and gas industries without getting co-opted. This High Impact Tea will explore what will come next in environmental regulations, how young graduates can have an environmental impact, and how each of us can influence corporations to be truly green. Dr. Nichols will be in conversation with Maggie Delmas, Professor of Management at the Anderson School of Management and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA and Faculty Director of the Center for Impact at Anderson.
The High Impact Tea is a quarterly speaker series that features social impact industry leaders sharing stories about their successes, and lessons learned in their careers. The social and educational event is open to faculty, students, staff and alumni across UCLA, as well as the broader social impact community. It is designed to provide a forum for conversation and exchange of ideas among people committed to creating social, environmental and economic impact around the world.

Urban Water Conservation in a Drought
2021-12-01 16:30 - 18:00 | Virtual Event
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Hosted by the UCLA Water Resources Group.
During the last drought (2011 -2017), California had to manage through emergency regulation which includes conservation mandates. Since then, new legislation was signed to “Make Conservation a Way of Life” for all water users, improving the efficiency of water use, and using less of it permanently.
The 2020-2021 California Drought Monitor Map above shows California is in exceptional drought, due to low precipitation, record breaking high temperatures, little snow, high evaporation and prior droughts.
We have brought together a great panel of experts to discuss:

How has urban water conservation evolved since the 2018 Water Conservation Legislation passed?
What are we doing differently now from the last drought?
What do we need to know about water use and water users to become more prepared for longer and/or more extreme droughts?
What can water experts contribute to make Conservation a Way of Life?
How do the burdens and benefits of conservation fall? Fairly, or not?

OUR PANEL:
Sonali Abraham, Research Associate, The Pacific Institute.
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability D. Env.
Eduardo De La Riva, Maywood City Council Member
Erik Porse, Research Engineer in the Office of Water Programs, CSU Sacramento,
Assistant Adjunct Professor at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Tracy Quinn, Director, NRDC California Urban Water Policy, Healthy People & Thriving Communities Program;
Member, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Panel Moderator
Madelyn Glickfeld, Co-Director, UCLA Water Resources Center

Luskin Summit 2022: Launch Event
2022-01-19 08:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
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Hosted by the Luskin School of Public Affairs
This virtual event launches the 2022 Luskin Summit with a keynote presentation and four breakout sessions on topical issues, plus a closing panel discussion centered around the Los Angeles mayoral race.
Breakout sessions:
• Ridehail Without Riders — Cruising, Parking and Racial Bias
• From Homelessness to Social Housing: Policy in a Time of Plenty
• How the Pandemic Exacerbated Systemic Class and Racial Inequality
• Designing Cooler Cities in the Face of Extreme Heat
Subsequent Luskin Summit 2022 events will include the following:
February-April: Online webinars on various topics, many with a global perspective.
Mid- to late-April: In-person presentation by Zev Yaroslavsky of the Luskin School about the results of the 7th annual Quality of Life Index, plus a closing panel discussion centered around the history and impact of California’s governors.
Notes:

Details about the keynote speaker, some session topics and participants in the various panel discussions will be released closer to the event dates.
Compliance with UCLA and Los Angeles County COVID-19 health and safety protocols will be required during all in-person events.

Luskin Lecture: Mary Nichols’ Bold Roadmap to Cleaner Transportation
2022-04-04 18:15 - 19:30 | In-Person and Virtual Options, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
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Environmentalist Mary Nichols helped lead California’s internationally recognized efforts to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions during four terms as chair of the California Air Resources Board. Her legacy includes support for policies to cut emissions from the transportation sector — the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the state and nation. Learn from Nichols’ deep experience during this conversation about how government leaders should take bold, equity-focused action. Nichols will be joined by UCLA transportation equity scholar Tierra Bills and Colleen Callahan, the co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Nichols has held leadership roles with environmental agencies at the national level, and TIME magazine has included her among the world’s 100 most influential people. She is currently distinguished counsel at the UCLA School of Law and the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Nichols was inaugural director of UCLA’s Institute of Environment and Sustainability and is a former advisory board member at the Luskin Center for Innovation.
Bills holds a joint faculty appointment at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Samueli School of Engineering. Callahan earned her master’s in urban planning at UCLA.
Speakers:

Mary Nichols, Distinguished Counsel at the Emmett Institute of UCLA Law

Gary Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs

Tierra Bills, Assistant Professor, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and Samueli School of Engineering

Colleen Callahan, Co-Executive Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Co-hosts: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Partners:

UCLA Center for Healthy Climate Solutions

UCLA Center for Impact@Anderson

UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment

UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies

UCLA Samueli Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

Discussion on Los Angeles County's Climate Vulnerability Assessment
2022-04-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Webinar
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The USC Schwarzenegger Institute, the UCLA Luskin Center, and the Los Angeles Business Council invite you to join the Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office for a discussion of the Los Angeles County Climate Vulnerability Assessment.
Just over two years ago, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the OurCounty Sustainability Plan, which set forth a bold, people-centered vision for making our communities healthier, more equitable, economically stronger, and better prepared for the future. The OurCounty Plan directed the preparation of this Climate Vulnerability Assessment to help understand the risks and challenges that a changing climate will bring to people living in Los Angeles County.
This event will include an overview of the Climate Vulnerability Assessment, what it means for different communities in Los Angeles, and discuss strategies to adapt Los Angeles to a changing climate.
Speakers:

Cecilia Estolano, CEO, Better World Group
Gary Gero, Chief Sustainability Officer, Los Angeles County
Chris Hannan, Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council
Ricardo Lara, California Insurance Commissioner
Mary Leslie, President, Los Angeles Business Council
Holly Mitchell, Los Angeles Supervisor
Elizabeth Rhoades, Climate Change Program Director, LA County Department of Public Health
Jisung Park, Assistant Professor, UCLA, and Associate Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Fran Pavley, Environmental Policy Director, USC Schwarzenegger Institute

LABC’s Mayoral Housing, Transportation & Jobs Summit
2022-04-13 07:00 - 15:00 | UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center
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Hosted by our partners at the Los Angeles Business Council
Los Angeles and the State of California are at a crucial inflextion point. With record breaking amounts of funding having been provided by the state and federal government, and a multitude of plans being proposed to address housing, homelessness, traffic, and the economy, the 20th Annual Mayoral Housing, Transportation & Jobs Summit will bring together the leading minds on these issues to debate and discuss how we should best approach and implement solutions to improve the livability and economic competitiveness of Los Angeles and California.

Perloff Lecture: Karen Seto
2022-05-05 12:30 - 14:00 | Room 539 Luskin School of Public Affairs Building, 337 Charles E Young Dr, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
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Hosted by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Urbanization and the Planet: Current Trends — Karen Seto is a professor of geography and urbanization science at the Yale School of the Environment. Seto’s central research focus is how urbanization will affect the planet. A geographer by training, she integrates satellite remote sensing analysis, field interviews and modeling methods to study urbanization and land change, forecast urban growth, and examine the environmental consequences of urban expansion. Seto’s research has generated new insights on the interaction between urbanization and food systems, the effects of urban expansion on biodiversity and cropland loss, urban energy use and emissions, and urban mitigation of climate change.
This event is part of the Urban Planning at 50 celebration at UCLA Luskin.

InterActions LA Inclusive Approaches to Electric Carsharing
2022-05-06 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Webinar
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Hosted by the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and sponsored by the Luskin Center for Innovation.
Electric carsharing holds enormous potential for our cities — they can provide safe, clean, and convenient ways to travel and, for those unable to afford personal vehicles, they increase access to opportunities. Over the past five years, a new wave of carsharing services supported by public funding using electric vehicles has emerged. Nonprofit models have operated at a large scale in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and elsewhere, while public and community-controlled programs are emerging in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
At this year’s InterActions LA event, we’ll hear how people have benefited from electric carsharing programs and how agencies of different types may want to get involved. Speakers will also discuss sustainable business models, operational approaches that can fill mobility gaps, and outreach strategies to ensure the programs are known to people who stand to benefit the most.

Speakers

Evelyn Blumenberg

Evelyn Blumenberg is the Director of the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and a Professor of Urban Planning within the Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Seleta Reynolds

Seleta Reynolds is the general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) appointed by the Administration of Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Caroline Rodier

Caroline Rodier is a researcher at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

Abigail Solis

Abigail Solis is the manager of the Sustainable Energy Solutions Department at Self-Help Enterprises.

The Quest for Environmental and Climate Justice Lecture
2022-05-12 18:15 - 19:30 | Bruin Viewpoint Room in Ackerman Union, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
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Often described as the father of environmental justice, TCU professor Robert Bullard is a renowned advocate for those who suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks from climate change simply because of where they live. His presentation will focus on empowering vulnerable populations in the United States and ensuring that climate change mitigation is fair and equitable. He’ll draw on his background in urban planning and public policy to discuss emergency management, community resilience and disaster recovery strategies, offering a framework to dismantle the systemic racism that perpetuates inequality and vulnerability.
Robert D. Bullard is the former Dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University 2011-2016. Professor Bullard currently is Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy and Director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice. Prior to coming to TSU, he was founding Director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University. He received his Ph.D. degree from Iowa State University. He is an award-winning author of eighteen books that address sustainable development, environmental racism, urban land use, industrial facility siting, community reinvestment, housing, transportation, climate justice, disasters, emergency response, and community resilience, smart growth, and regional equity. He is co-founder of the HBCU Climate Change Consortium. Dr. Bullard is a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Co-hosts: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and UCLA Department of Urban Planning
Promotional Partner: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Achieving Community-Centered Water Quality Justice in California
2022-05-19 16:30 - 18:00 | Zoom Webinar
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Hosted by our partners at the UCLA Water Resources Group
While California is the only U.S. state to legally recognize a human right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water, this goal is not a reality for many. This UCLA Water Resources Group panel discussion will feature the interdisciplinary perspectives of UCLA researchers and partner advocacy organizations in centering community priorities and expertise in water quality research partnerships and policy, both in California and Los Angeles specifically. The webinar will highlight both recent, novel research which has informed Human Right to Water policy progress, as well as persistent gaps. Researchers and community organizations who advocate for disadvantaged water system residents will share their experiences.
Speakers:

Lara Cushing, Assistant Professor and Jonathan and Karin Fielding Presidential Chair in Health Equity, UCLA School of Public Health
Kristin Dobbin, Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Silvia R. González (moderator), Director of Research, UCLA Latino Politics & Politics Initiative
Michael Rincon– Research and Policy Manager, Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA and State Water Resources Control Board SAFER Advisory Group
Greg Pierce, Co-Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Launch of University of California Center for Climate, Health and Equity
2022-05-25 09:00 - 2022-05-26 15:00 | Zoom Webinar
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Join our partners at the UC Center for Climate, Health and Equity for a series of virtual events to hear from climate and health leaders as they discuss opportunities for building healthy and equitable communities and a healthier planet for future generations.
Featuring our co-executive director Colleen Callahan as moderator for the closing panel, California’s climate leadership: Advancing health and equity in climate policy, on May 26 at 2:00pm PT. Speakers for this panel include:

John Balbus, Interim Director, Office of Climate Change and Health Equity
Louise Bedsworth, Executive Director, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, UC Berkeley
Shereen D’Souza, Deputy Secretary for Climate Policy and Intergovernmental Relations, California Environmental Protection Agency
Veronica Eady, Senior Deputy Executive Officer of Policy & Equity, Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Luz Rivas, Assemblywoman, California District 39
Marta Segura, Climate Mobilization Officer, City of Los Angeles

Healthy Place Index: Extreme Heat Edition - Demo Webinar
2022-07-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Learn more about our new online mapping tool, which helps the state prepare for extreme heat.
The California Healthy Places Index (HPI): Heat Edition helps the state ramp up its efforts to prepare for rising temperatures — visualizing where and who will be most affected in the coming decades. It was developed through a joint partnership between the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Public Health Alliance of Southern California.
During our demo event, we’ll walk through the unique capabilities of the tool and showcase how it can provide practical information for a variety of users, like state agencies, nonprofit organizations and households.

Toolbox Tuesday: California Healthy Places Index: Extreme Heat Edition
2022-08-30 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
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Join our partners at the Southern California Association of Governments for a session and live demonstration of The California Healthy Places Index: Extreme Heat Edition, a new tool developed by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California in partnership with the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. As extreme heat grips the world again this summer, people across the globe are seeing record-breaking temperatures and unprecedented heat waves. California is projected to experience higher average temperatures and an increase in life-threatening heat waves due to climate change. The California Healthy Places Index: Extreme Heat Edition provides datasets on projected heat exposure for California, place-based indicators measuring community conditions and sensitive populations, as well as a list of state resources and funding opportunities that can be used to address extreme heat. Join this session and use the tool to understand the underlying heat vulnerability and resilience characteristics of a community, to identify resources to mitigate adverse effects of extreme heat, and to prioritize the delivery of resources and programs. Explore to tool at https://heat.healthyplacesindex.org/.
Toolbox Tuesdays provide training on a range of practical skills and knowledge for local planning practitioners including training in the use of technology and education for practical approaches to timely issues. All classes and webinars are COMPLIMENTARY for staff of SCAG-member local governments and other SCAG partners in Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. Private sector planners, non-profit staff, academics and students are welcome to attend.

LABC’S 16th Annual Sustainability Summit
2022-09-08 07:00 - 15:00 | University of Southern California, Town & Gown, 665 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90089
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The Los Angeles Business Council’s 16th Annual Sustainability Summit is hosted by our partners at the Los Angeles Business Council, in collaboration with USC President Dr. Carol Folt, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Featured and invited speakers include:

Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources Agency
Dan Hedigan, CEO, FivePoint Holdings, LLC
Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Heather Zichal, CEO, American Clean Power Association

The Sustainability Summit will tackle pressing issues, including:

Regional momentum toward a clean energy future
Revitalizing our buildings with carbon-free power
Outlook and opportunities on water resources and drought
Achieving a new all-electric transportation sector
Building a successful western transmission grid

Climate Research Symposium: Understanding Risks to Los Angeles' Changing Climate
2022-10-20 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
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Join researchers from UCLA and USC as they share the outcomes of their investigations into our changing climate in Los Angeles.
Speakers:

Dr. Alex Hall: LA Aqueduct System Climate Change Study Update & Reducing Uncertainties in Los Angeles Aqueduct Sensitivity to Climate Risks
Dr. Greg Pierce: Valuing the Resiliency Benefits of the Hyperion Reuse and Groundwater Development Program
Dr. Yousef Bozorgnia: Seismic Risk Assessment of Distributed Water Infrastructure Crossing Earthquake Faults in Southern California
Dr. Kelly Sanders, Investigating the Impacts of Anthropogenic Heat on the Climate of Los Angeles

Hosted by:
Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC) and UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.
Sponsored by:
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Water Science and Technology Board Fall 2022 Meeting
2022-11-01 09:00 - 14:00 | In-Person and Virtual Options, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
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One out of every 10 Americans are exposed to drinking water quality violations in the U.S. Further, many communities (especially in rural and poor areas) do not have access to enough water of adequate quality to meet their needs. Even where people have access to safe water, there is the question of affordability. The WSTB is convening a meeting to consider these 3 aspects of adequate drinking water provision: safety, access, and affordability. Invited speakers will consider what technical and institutional solutions can be deployed over the long term to ensure that every American has adequate drinking water.

This event is public and will be available for remote attendance via webcast.

Visit the event page for additional details and the meeting agenda.

The Story of Plastic: Film Screening & Expert Panel
2022-11-02 17:00 - 19:00 | UCLA Ackerman 308 Westwood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Please join ASUCLA and California State Senator Ben Allen for a special screening of the award-winning documentary The Story of Plastic followed by an expert panel discussion on the future of plastic pollution in California and beyond.

Panelists:

Senator Ben Allen, author of SB 54, the strongest anti-plastic pollution policy ever passed in the United States
Clara Castronovo, Board Chair for CALPIRG Students
Daniel Coffee, Project Manager at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Bineh Ndefru (moderator), Co-President for UCLA’s Science Policy Group
Sam Pearse, Campaign Manager for The Story of Stuff Project

Realizing Park Equity: Improving How Federal Funds Reach Communities That Can Most Benefit
2022-11-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual Event
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To expand access to parks nationwide, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program funds green spaces in low-income, urban communities. While the program has supported important projects throughout the country, program benefits could be more fully realized. For instance, millions of grant dollars have been left on the table in recent years. Since funding for ORLP is expected to increase in the coming years, the program can be an increasingly important resource for underserved communities.
This webinar will explore successes of the ORLP Program and illustrate opportunities to strengthen its impact. The discussion will feature a panel of park advocates and agency representatives, and share findings from our recent research.
Hosted by The Wilderness Society and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Panelists include:

Heather Ramsay Ahndan, Program Manager, King County Natural Resources and Parks, Land Conservation Initiative
Kitty Craig, Urban to Wild Director, The Wilderness Society (Moderator)
Ariana Hernandez, Associate Project Manager, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Sedrick Mitchell, Deputy Director of External Affairs, California State Parks
Julie Waterman, Advocacy Director, City Parks Alliance

Lunch on Luskin: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
2022-11-17 12:30 - 14:00 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3rd Floor Terrace 337 Charles E Young Dr. East Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
Calling all students interested in environmental sustainability! Join us for a free, cross-campus networking reception hosted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Learn about environmental organizations, student funding opportunities, and jobs and internships while getting to know your peers across campus.
RSVP IS REQUIRED. Lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
UCLA Collaborators:

Center for Healthy Climate Solutions
Center for Impact @ Anderson
Easton Technology Management Center
Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
Graduate Student Water Resources Group
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainable LA Grand Challenge

SGC Catalyst Conference
2023-02-01 - 2023-02-02 | California Natural Resources Headquarters, 715 P Street, Sacramento, California, 95814
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How do we leverage unprecedented public investment to build infrastructure that responds to both the climate crisis and the needs of underserved communities?
At the SGC Catalyst Conference, hosted in partnership with the Milken Institute, participants will work together to understand the opportunities and barriers to building a pipeline of community-led climate projects. Over a two-day period, community leaders, funders, government policymakers, and academics will explore models that are helping to prepare underserved communities for investment and oversee project implementation, as well as innovative public-private partnerships that deepen investment and accelerate decarbonization. The conference environment will create space for learning, partnerships, and the co-creation of new standards and bold ideas to catalyze action during this transformational moment in history.

Two Years of Justice40: How the initiative is delivering solutions to the climate crisis
2023-02-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual Event
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Join World Resources Institute on February 28, for a conversation with Matthew Tejada, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Environmental Justice at the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights, and Carla Walker, Director, Environmental Justice and Equity at WRI United States. We’ll explore how the Justice40 Initiative is transforming the climate landscape and the environmental justice movement, discuss how benefits are reaching disadvantaged and historically marginalized communities, and explore what more can be done to fully realize an equitable clean energy economy for all. The conversation will be followed by a panel of experts working to ensure environmental justice at state and local levels.
Speakers (in alphabetical order)

Colleen Callahan, Co-Executive Director, Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA
Naadiya Hutchinson, Government Affairs Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice
Julia Jeanty, Senior Policy Manager, Data for Progress
Dan Lashof, Director, United States, World Resources Institute
Matthew Tejada, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Environmental Justice, Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights
Carla Walker, Director of Environmental Justice and Equity, United States, World Resources Institute (Moderator)

The Wildfire-Stormwater Nexus
2023-04-10 16:00 - 17:30 | Zoom Webinar
The Wildfire-Stormwater Nexus event hosted by UCLA’s Water Resource Group features Dr. Sanjay Mohanty, Director of SEALab, and Onja Davidson-Raoelison, Doctoral Researcher at SEALab, who will discuss their research on the effect of anthropogenic and natural stressors such as wildfire on biogeochemical processes in subsurface soil and mitigating negative impacts on surface water quality using green infrastructure.
The event will also feature remarks and a panel discussion from Dr. Faith Kearns, UC Water Institute Academic Coordinator, who will discuss science communication, community engagement, and relationship-building as they relate to the environment and water resources, and Ken Susilo, Senior Principal Water Resources Engineer at Geosyntec, who specializes in developing multi-benefit solutions for stormwater management and water conservation.
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Learn More: The UCLA Water Resources Group is a team of experts in water resources who collaborate to address global challenges, including extended drought, flooding, and water pollution. They create partnerships with governments, companies, and nonprofits to develop and implement solutions that require expertise in politics, economics, science, engineering, and law. For more information visit their website here.
Promotional Partners Include:

Geosyntec Consultants
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
UCLA Samueli School of Engineering
University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Luskin Summit 2023: Our Research in Action
2023-04-19 07:30 - 12:00 | UCLA Faculty Center, California Room Los Angeles, CA, United States
The fifth annual Luskin Summit will feature the unveiling of our annual poll about life in Los Angeles and six breakout sessions featuring scholars and civic leaders including:
9:30-10:30 a.m.

California’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Plans — Necessary, but Insufficient
The Crisis of Resilient Water Supply in Southern California
Credit Worthiness and Ethno-Racial Disparities in Homeownership Opportunities

10:45-11:45 a.m.

Homeless Except for a Vehicle? Unique Needs, Humane Responses
Climate Action, Influence and Infrastructure Investments
Voting Rights, Redistricting and a Looming Supreme Court Decision That Might Change Everything

Detailed descriptions of these and other breakout sessions can be found on the Luskin Summit registration site. Space is limited for this free public event.
Paul Krekorian, president of the Los Angeles City Council and councilmember for District 2, will deliver the keynote address at 8:30 a.m. at the UCLA Faculty Center
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Schedule

Check-In and Breakfast: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Keynote Address: 8:30 a.m.
Results of the annual Quality of Life Index: 9 a.m.
Breakout Sessions: 9:30-11:45 a.m.
Closing Session Focusing on Homelessness: 12:00pm

Sponsors (to date)

Bank of America
Weingart Foundation
David Bottinent Foundation
California Community Foundation
The California Wellness Foundation

Journey for Water, Climate and Environmental Justice: Luskin Lecture Featuring Catherine Coleman Flowers
2023-04-27 18:00 - 19:30 | UCLA’s Kerkhoff Hall Grand Salon, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
This event features MacArthur “genius” award-winning activist Catherine Coleman Flowers and her groundbreaking, community-driven work on the previously invisible problem of inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure in rural communities in the United States. The second half of the event will feature Catherine in discussion with Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board (California Water Board), and Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI).
Flowers’ journey is discussed in the broader context of national climate and environmental justice advocacy. The discussion will include the sanitation equity work that will soon be launched by LCI’s Human Right to Water Solutions Lab in collaboration with the California Water Board and partners.
Time: Check-in begins at 5:30pm with the discussion following at 6:00pm on April 27.
Location: Charles E Young Grand Salon – Kerckhoff Hall, 308 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095
Space is limited for this free event.
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Learn More: Catherine Coleman Flowers is an internationally recognized environmental activist, MacArthur “genius” grant recipient, and author. She has dedicated her life’s work to advocating for environmental justice, primarily equal access to clean water and functional sanitation for communities across the United States.
Founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice (CREEJ), Flowers has spent her career promoting equal access to clean water, air, sanitation, and soil to reduce health and economic disparities in marginalized, rural communities. In addition, Flowers serves as Rural Development Manager for Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), is a Board Member for the Center for Earth Ethics at Union Theological Seminary, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Climate Reality Project and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Flowers is also Co-Chair of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Commission on Accelerating Climate Action and Practitioner in Residence at Duke University.
In 2021, her leadership and fervor in fighting for solutions to these issues led her to one of her most notable appointments yet — Vice Chair of the Biden Administration’s inaugural White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Flowers was also named Levenick Resident Scholar in Sustainable Leadership at the University of Illinois for the spring 2021 and was awarded an honorary PhD in science from Wesleyan University.
As the author of Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret, Flowers shares her inspiring story of advocacy, from childhood to environmental justice champion. She discusses sanitation and its correlation with systemic class, racial, and geographic prejudice that affects people across the United States. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, The Guardian, and on PBS.
Co-Hosted by the:
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
In collaboration with the following partners
Co-Sponsor:
California Institute for Water Resources at the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Promotional Partners at UCLA:
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
Water Resources Group
