UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Drought, Disaster, and Decision-Making: Can a Crisis Be Averted in the Colorado River Basin?
2026-05-08 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Join expert researchers and water managers for this virtual mini-symposium as we examine dire conditions and the escalating crisis in the Colorado River Basin, where the future ability to serve 40 million users across Western states, tribes, and Mexico hangs in uncertainty.
What to Expect: We’ll unpack climate-driven declines, shed light on complex interstate negotiations, and examine pathways to resilience. Speakers will consider pragmatic outcomes and what a balanced deal could look like for the West — and for California’s water future. Each panel will be followed by moderated Q&A.
When: Friday, May 8 from 9:00am-12:00pm Pacific Time
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation in partnership with UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA Water Resources Group, UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the California Institute for Water Resources.
Register Here

Agenda at a Glance

9:00 AM Opening Remarks
9:05-9:45 AM Panel 1: Setting the Stage – The State of the River
9:45-10:30 AM Panel 2: Demystifying the Negotiations Process
10:30-11:10 AM Panel 3: Approaches for a More Resilient River
11:10-11:55 AM Panel 4: Where We Go From Here
11:55 AM Closing Remarks

Hosts
Dr. Edith de Guzman, Water Equity and Adaptation Policy Cooperative Extension Specialist, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Dr. Gregory Pierce, Senior Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation; Director, Human Right to Water Solutions Lab; Director, UCLA Water Resources Group
Featured Speakers
Ian James, Water Reporter, Los Angeles Times (moderator)
Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Tribal Council
Anne Castle, Senior fellow, Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy, and the Environment at the University of Colorado Law School
Bradley H. Udall, Senior Water and Climate Research Scientist and Scholar, Colorado Water Center, Colorado State University; Senior Fellow, Colorado River Research Group
Dr. Kathryn Sorensen, Director of Research, Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University
Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Chairman JB Hamby, Chairman of the Colorado River Board of California
Dr. Mark Gold, Adjunct Professor (former), UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Cara Horowitz, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Executive Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at UCLA School of Law; Director, Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic
Dr. Glen M. MacDonald, Distinguished Professor & Endowed Chair of Geography of California and the American West Ladder Faculty at UCLA; Director, UC White Mountain Research Center
Dr. Benjamin Bass, Research scientist, UCLA Center for Climate Science
Noah Garrison, Environmental Science Practicum Director, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Brennon Mendez, Emmett/Frankel Fellow in Environmental Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law
Isabel Friedman, Senior Advocacy Associate, Natural Resources Defense Council
Becky Mitchell, State of Colorado’s Commissioner to the Upper Colorado River Commission

Related Articles
Report puts numbers on massive gap in water costs in the West by Claire Griffiths
As the Colorado River shrinks, states fail to tap one of their most promising and accessible water sources by Claire Griffiths

TEDxUCLA 2026: Dr. V Kelly Turner's Talk About Heat
2026-05-26 18:00 - 21:00 | UCLA Northwest Campus Auditorium, 350 De Neve Dr., Los Angeles, CA, 90024, United States
Join us live for TEDxUCLA 2026 as our associate director Dr. V. Kelly Turner highlights how where we live, work, and play affect our ability to thrive even as temperatures rise. She explores one of the defining questions of our warming world: “What does it mean to be too hot?”
What to Expect: In this timely talk, Dr. Turner reimagines how we can move beyond simply surviving extreme heat toward creating places and broader communities where people can thrive. Dr. Turner joins a lineup of thought leaders exploring friendship, AI, learning, preventive care, and more.
When: Tuesday, May 26 from 6:00-9:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: UCLA Northwest Campus Auditorium. Register here for tickets. Tickets are limited and expected to sell out.
Presented by: TEDx UCLA 2026
Register Here

Streamlining Home Electrification: Strategies to Reach Disadvantaged Communities
2026-06-11 15:30 - 16:30 | Zoom Webinar
How can electrification programs better support households in disadvantaged communities?
Join this webinar to explore strategies to reduce program participation barriers and expand home electrification across California. We’ll draw on findings from our recently published report, Streamlining Home Electrification in the Gateway Cities, on a promising pilot program in the L.A. region.
What to Expect: We’ll discuss the benefits of the “one-stop-shop” case management approach and the potential for streamlined applications and a universal home assessment process to facilitate participation across programs. A panel of experts will share perspectives from across the field — including state policy, environmental justice, and more — followed by a moderated Q&A.
When: Thursday, June 11 from 3:30-4:30 PM Pacific Time
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation in partnership with Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN)
Related Report: Streamlining Home Electrification in the Gateway Cities
Register Here

Agenda

Introduction: Dr. Gregory Pierce
Opening Remarks: Cliff Rechtschaffen
Research Presentation: Lauren Dunlap
Panel Discussion featuring Ross Zelen, Wendy Salvador-Galbraith, and Beckie Menten
Audience Q&A

Hosts
Dr. Gregory Pierce, Senior Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Lauren Dunlap, Project Manager of Energy Equity Research, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Featured Speakers
Cliff Rechtschaffen, Board Member, California Air and Resources Board
Ross Zelen, Principal Consultant, California Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change
Wendy Salvador-Galbraith, Community Organizer, Greenhouse South LA
Beckie Menten, California Director, Building Decarbonization Coalition
