UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Energy Innovation Conference: Transforming an Industry
2015-05-01 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
What does the utility of the future look like with the uprising of distributed solar electricity generation? When will battery storage become affordable enough and what impact will its mass adoption on our daily life? Where is the oil & gas market going? How will California continue its leadership position in the adoption of innovation energy generation and distribution?Hosted by the UCLA Anderson Energy Management Group and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Policy, with support from the students at USC Marshall, the 2nd annual Energy Innovation Conference is the premier energy convention that brings together the leading executives, industry experts, and scholars from the southern California energy community in fields including solar, utility, battery storage, oil & gas, and energy policy to answer these questions and more.Join us for a day of panel discussions, an innovation showcase and numerous networking opportunities. Formore information, registration and update and updates on the conference, please
visit us at http://www.energyinnovationconference.comFor Sponsorship Opportunities or General Questions,Please Contact: robert.shen.2015@anderson.ucla.edu

New Strategies for Youth Employment: Rebuilding Community Jobs in the Face of Globalization
2015-05-14 12:30 - 14:00

The Effects of Commercial Revitalization and REtail Gentrification for Retailers and Community Identity
2015-05-21 12:30 - 14:00

Seizing an Alternative: Toward an Ecological Civilization
2015-06-04 08:00 - 2015-06-07 20:30

Driving the Electrification Revolution with ANSYS Simulation
2015-08-17 08:30 - 16:00
In this seminar, ANSYStechnical experts will present simulation solutions that help drive innovations
in Transportation, Aerospace, Defense, and Mobile Computing, focusing on the
following:
· Electric, hybrid−electric and plug-in hybrid electric
cars· Li-Ion Battery Modeling· Electrified power systems, including motors and
power electronics. · Wireless power transfer simulation & optimization· Automotive radar systems & V2V technology
This seminar is a great
opportunity for live technical discussions with our technical leadership team,
as well as network with other local engineers in the industry.
Attendance will
be limited, so please do register early.
You can use the
following link to register:
Registration
Link:
http://www.ansys.com/About+ANSYS/Events/driving-electrification-revolution-with-ansys-simulation-losangeles-8-17-15

Lower LA River: From Gray to Green
2015-08-18 18:00 - 20:00

Environmental Graduate Student Networking Event 2015
2015-10-07 17:00 - 19:00
All graduate students interested in environmental sustainability and energy are invited to a free, cross-campus networking reception.Learn more about campus environmental organizations, student research opportunities, internships, and other events, while you also meet your peers over hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. There is no dress code.*Registration is required. Register here.(Must have a valid UCLA ID. Graduate students/Faculty/Staff only)Agenda coming soon.Past presentations from:Luskin Center for InnovationInstitute of the Environment and SusatainabilityLeaders in sustainabilityEmmett Institute on Climate Change and the EnvironmentGSA Sustainable Resource CenterChief Sustainable Officer

Luskin Innovators: Speaker Series- Gabe Klein
2015-11-19 18:00 - 19:30
Join the UCLA Luskin Center in welcoming Island Press author, Gabe Klein, as he discusses his new book, Start-up City, over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.REGISTER HEREAbout the book:In Start-Up City, Gabe Klein, demonstrates how to effect big, directional change in cities—and how to do it fast. Klein’s objective is to inspire what he calls “public entrepreneurship,” a start-up-pace energy within the public sector, brought about by leveraging the immense resources at its disposal. Klein offers guidance for cutting through the morass, and a roadmap for getting real, meaningful projects done quickly and having fun while doing it.This book is for anyone who wants to change the way that we live in cities without waiting for the glacial pace of change in government.About the author:Gabe Klein is the formerDOT director under Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration in Chicago
and former Director of the istrict DOT under Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.
In Washington he launched Capital Bikeshare, the first large-scale
bikeshare system in the US, and in Chicago he later launched Divvy,
which is now the largest bikeshare system in the US. Before
entering the public sphere, Gabe honed his creativity and leadership skills
working for startups, including Zipcar, where he served as Vice
President for four years. He also wrote a business model for the
first point-to-point car sharing concept and co-founded the first all-natural multi-unit
food truck company in the US.
In 2015,
Gabe joined Fontinalis Partners as a Special Venture Partner on their new fund.
He continues to advise a number of technology and mobility
companies, including Transit Screen and Phone2Action, where he
provides leadership on strategy. He is on the boards of NACTO and Streetsblog.
Gabe and his work have been featured in many major news outlets, including the
New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Business Journal,
Bloomberg, and many more. He is the author of Start-Up City:
Inspiring Private and Public Entrepreneurship, Getting Projects Done, and Having
Fun published by Island Press.Panelists:Ashley Z. Hand, AIA, LEED AP BD+C was appointed to the Transportation Technology Strategist Fellow for the City of Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti in August 2015 and is charged with developing a multi-disciplinary strategy to address mobility and transportation policies and services in a rapidly changing environment. With the proliferation of emerging sharing economy technologies and the advent of autonomous vehicles, it is anticipated that new urban forms and mobility options will greatly impact this region and Ashley developing a cross-jurisdictional strategy to ensure access and equity. Previously, Ashley served Mayor Sylvester “Sly” James as the first Chief Innovation Officer of the City of Kansas City, Missouri and the first female municipal CIO in the country. Working collaboratively across departments, Ashley focused on process improvement through strategic planning, staff involvement and the use of lean methodology and design thinking. In addition, she championed an unprecedented public-private partnership to make Kansas City the most comprehensive smart city in North America by bringing digital infrastructure to a new streetcar line in the downtown core. Prior to joining the public sector, Ashley was an architectural designer and planner for the global firm AECOM where she worked for both public and private sector clients across North America to adopt sustainable best practices and process improvement through community engagement, policy, and operational change management. Seleta Reynolds is General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT)appointed by the Administration of Mayor Eric Garcetti. Ms. Reynolds is responsible for implementingGreat Streets for Los Angeles, a plan to reduce traffic fatalities, double the number of people ridingbikes, and expand access to integrated transportation choices for Angelinos and the region.Ms. Reynolds has over 17 years of transportation experience throughout the United States. She hasadvised transportation technology companies like WalkScore, contributed to the state‐of‐the‐practiceas an Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals Board Member, mentored youngprofessionals through Women’s Transportation Seminar, and nurtured research on TransportationResearch Board committees. Ms. Reynolds serves as the Vice President of the National Association forCity Transportation Officials.

The Future of Environmental Engineering: Innovative Policies and Grand Challenges
2016-01-07 17:00 - 2016-01-08 16:00
J.R. DeShazo will offer the keynote address for the National Science Foundation’s and Association of Environmental Engineering & Science Professors’ Grand Challenge Workshop on Redefining Environmental Engineering and Science in the 21st Century. He will describe opportunities for environmental engineering as public policy seeks to tackle the emerging challenges of climate change and ecosystem services restoration. These new challenges are transforming the discipline’s traditional focus on water and waste water treatment as well as soil and groundwater remediation.Attendance is free, but space is limited. Register here.ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
MOTIVATION:
The emergence of Environmental Engineering and Science as an independent discipline can be largely tied to the nation’s first set of comprehensive environmental regulatory initiatives, especially the Clean Air Act (1970), Clean Water Act (1972), Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability (“Superfund”) Act (1980). These Acts funded both research and infrastructure investments that transformed the treatment and provision of water and wastewater, while contributing to dramatic improvements in the quality of the nation’s air and water. The discipline of Environmental Engineering and Science has played a critically important role in these monumental accomplishments.In recent years, however, research funding in many of the discipline’s traditional focus areas has been stagnant or declining. In the meantime, there has been rapid expansion in regulatory interest and funding associated with environmental initiatives related to energy, climate change and sustainability, among other topics. Nonetheless, to date, there have been no community-wide initiatives to consider the broader implications of this changing landscape on our discipline’s research agenda, curricula (undergraduate and graduate) and academic identity. Consequently, a community dialogue is needed to proactively discuss how we might modify the scope and direction of our discipline in this dynamic environment. GOALS:
These three workshops build upon an NSF-sponsored workshop held at Yale University in summer 2015 and will serve as a way of jumpstarting this dialogue. Each will include invited speakers and open discussions that will begin a conversation intended to:Identify areas of environmental research currently experiencing high growth, both those consistent with traditional Environmental Engineering and Science research themes, as well as those that are currently outside the discipline’s traditional themes;Consider recommendations with respect to how the Environmental Engineering community can better position itself to more rapidly expand into high growth research areas;Develop suggestions regarding how curricula might be adapted to prepare students for research or work in these new areas.The final product will be a report that synthesizes the input obtained from workshop participants, and provides recommendations that will be made available to both the Environmental Engineering and Science community (via the AEESP website), and the National Research Council Committee currently being formed by the Water Science Technology Board to identify Environmental Engineering’s Grand Challenges.Click here to see the agenda.

Luskin Lecture Series: A Conversation with Mary Robinson
2016-01-12 12:00 - 13:15
As the world witnesses rising temperatures, shrinking ice sheets, and shifts in climate patterns, the global community is facing an economic and environmental challenge that demands a course of action. Yet any truly sustainable solution will require a core commitment to equity.Mary Robinson, UN Special Envoy for Climate Change and former President of Ireland, is an international leader with a vision for an inclusive low carbon emission global economy. Named “a hero and an icon” by Time magazine and recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama, Robinson has expanded access to sustainable energy and fostered green economies and equal rights initiatives worldwide.Join Robinson in this special Luskin Lecture that will present her unique perspective on climate change and social responsibility.
RSVP by January 7 or contact us for more information:
To RSVP click here. • events@luskin.ucla.edu

Luskin Innovators: Speaker Series featuring Richard W. Willson
2016-01-25 17:30 - 19:00
Join the UCLA Luskin Center and Lewis Center in welcoming Island Press author, Richard W. Willson, as he discusses his new book, Parking Management for Smart Growth, over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.REGISTER HEREAbout the book:The average parking space requires approximately 300 square feet of asphalt. That’s the size of a studio apartment in New York or enough room to hold 10 bicycles. Space devoted to parking in growing urban and suburban areas is highly contested—not only from other uses from housing to parklets, but between drivers who feel entitled to easy access. Without parking management, parking is a free-for-all—a competitive sport—with arbitrary winners and losers. Historically drivers have been the overall winners in having free or low-cost parking, while an oversupply of parking has created a hostile environment for pedestrians.In the last 50 years, parking management has grown from a minor aspect of local policy and regulation to a central position in the provision of transportation access. The higher densities, tight land supplies, mixed land uses, environmental and social concerns, and alternative transportation modes of Smart Growth demand a different approach—actively managed parking.This book offers a set of tools and a method for strategic parking management so that communities can better use parking resources and avoid overbuilding parking. It explores new opportunities for making the most from every parking space in a sharing economy and taking advantage of new digital parking tools to increase user interaction and satisfaction. Examples are provided of successful approaches for parking management—from Pasadena to London. At its essence, the book provides a path forward for strategic parking management in a new era of tighter parking supplies.

Briefing on the 2015 Paris Climate Conference
2016-02-02 17:00
Join the Los Angeles Sustainability Collaboration, the City of Los Angeles, and the Luskin Center for a first-person account from the City of Los Angeles’ Delegation to the 21st annual Conference of Parties (COP21). Moderated by J.R. DeShazo, director of the Luskin Center, this event will highlight insights about the negotiations and discuss how the outcomes might affect Los Angeles, California, and our planet.Were the results of the conference meaningful?What were the meetings and negotiations like?How will the outcomes affect Los Angeles? California? Our planet?Delegation members speaking include:Matt Petersen – Chief Sustainability Officer of the City of Los AngelesHeather Repenning – Commissioner, City of Los Angeles Board of Public WorksWilliam Funderburk – Vice-President of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Boardof CommissionersRSVP by January 25, 2015 to Jennifer Peterman at jennifer@eoscal.com

CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap (Screening)
2016-02-05 12:00 - 15:00
Join the UCLA Luskin Center, the UCLA Center for the Study of Women, Creative Artists Agency, and the UCLA Office of Information Technology for a free screening of CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap followed by a panel discussion with the renowned producers.REGISTER HEREDOCUMENTARY SYNOPSISCODE: DEBUGGING THEGENDER GAP exposes the dearth of American female and minority software
engineers and explores the reasons for this gender gap and digital divide.
Tech jobs are growing
three times faster than our colleges are producing computer science graduates.
By 2020, there will be one million unfilled software engineering jobs in the
USA. Through compelling interviews, artistic animation and clever flashpoints in
popular culture, CODE examines the reasons why more girls and people of color
are not seeking out opportunities in computer science and explores how cultural
mindsets, stereotypes, educational hurdles, and sexism all play roles in this
national crisis. Expert voices from the worlds of tech, psychology, science,
and education are intercut with personal stories of women who are engaged in
the fight to challenge complacency in the tech industry and have their voices
heard. CODE aims to inspire change in mindsets, in the educational system, in
startup culture and in the way women see themselves in the field of coding.
Computer code forms
the foundation of modern society. Cell phones, apps, navigation systems,
medical equipment, banking, movie animation… are all driven by code. The more
diverse a team of coders is, the broader their perspective of society’s needs,
which can ultimately result in products that serve a greater breadth of
humanity.
CODE takes a hard look
at the pipeline question in technology: why aren’t there more women and
minority graduates in computer science? What is stopping them from getting to
the threshold? CODE follows the various challenges faced by a new generation of
women programmers and the ingenious ways they are using their skills, drive,
intellect and vision to disrupt the traditional, male-dominated tech world.
CODE looks to the
past, delving into the history of computing to highlight women like Ada
Lovelace and Grace Hopper who set the stage for today’s technology. CODE acknowledges
that women have been an important part of computing since the genesis of
computers, but have since been written out of this history.
CODE is not afraid to
ask the hard questions and does so with intelligence and a sense of humor,
examining our culture from high (the views of former Harvard President Larry
Summers on innate ability) to low (an app called “Titstare” presented
to a room of tech heavyweights).
A blend of personal
stories, expert voices, innovative animation, historic discoveries, and moments
from popular culture are complemented with a cutting edge musical score and
bolstered by a strong sense of purpose. CODE reflects, at its heart, the
interconnectedness of the stories, the web, and by proxy, the shared vision of
a new, more democratic community made possible by the inclusion of more women
in code.Directions and
Parking
1. From Hilgard Ave. enter the east side of
campus at Wyton Dr.
2. Make and immediate right turn onto Charles E.
Young Dr. East and signs will direct you to Parking Structure 3.
3. From the ground level of Structure 3, enter
the underpass (or from the street level cross Charles E. Young Dr. North and
proceed down steps) and walk straight alongside Melnitz and Macgowan Halls.
4. Turn left at the plaza and proceed to the
courtyard of theaters.

1st International Conference on Grand Challenges in Construction Materials
2016-03-17 08:00 - 2016-03-18 17:00
Civil engineering infrastructure is aging and deteriorating, an issue, remediation of which involves huge maintenance and replacement costs. At the same time, due to the growth of the population/transportation, the need for infrastructure keeps increasing. These aspects need to be balances within the context of sustainability and reduction of CO2 emissions allocated to the construction community.The conference aims at identifying and discussing the “Grand Challenges” (of which there are many) in construction materials, and potential solutions to these. Focus is placed on identifying groupings of challenges, research directions for the academic community, and industry to undertake towards solution of such anticipated challenges. As such, in potential submissions, authors, and speakers are expected to identify a “grand challenge” with some level of specificity, and discuss how the outcomes of their research present a part of, or a complete solution to such challenge(s).Speakers are expected to motivate a challenge faced by the construction industries, and detail how their research removes completely, or in part, such a challenge.Submit your abstract here.Register for the event here.Discounted hotel rate is available here.

Ensuring Climate Equity for Low Income Californians
2016-04-01 11:00 - 14:30
Ensuring Climate Equity for Low IncomeCalifornians
April
1, 2016
UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 2355Co-hosted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Liberty Hill Foundation, and the SB 535 CoalitionREGISTER: https://www.regonline.com/ClimateEquity
Lunch Keynote Assembly Member Jimmy GomezThe event will also feature the latest:Report Overview: California Climate
Investments Using Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds
Shelby Livingston, Branch
Chief, Climate Investments Branch, California Air Resources Board
Research Highlights:
Investments for
Disadvantaged Communities Before and Now with the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
Colleen Callahan, Deputy Director, UCLA
Luskin Center for Innovation
Protecting the Most
Vulnerable: A Financial Analysis of Cap-and-Trade’s Impact on Households in
Disadvantaged Communities J.R. DeShazo, Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Benefits Achieved and
Next Steps for Ensuring Equitable Investments in Disadvantaged Communities
Bill Magavern, Policy Director, Coalition for Clean Air Ben Russak, Policy Analyst, Liberty Hill Foundation (Moderator) Alvaro Sanchez, Environmental Equity Director, The Greenlining Institute
Chelsea H. Tu, Staff Attorney, Public Advocates,
Inc.
Disadvantaged
Community Outreach and Engagement Plans Ambreen Afshan, Disadvantaged Communities Liaison for Low Carbon Transportation Projects, California Air Resources Board Shelby Livingston, Branch
Chief, Climate Investments Branch, California Air Resources Board Monica Palmeira, Sustainable Communities Outreach Coordinator, California
Strategic Growth Council

PPASS Seminar Series feat. Lucas Davis: Are Fuel Economy Standards Regressive?
2016-04-18 15:30 - 17:00
Abstract (joint with ChrisKnittel)
Despite widespread agreement that a carbon tax
would be more efficient, many countries use fuel economy standards to reduce
transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions. We pair a simple model of the
automobile manufacturers’ profit maximization problem with unusually-rich
nationally representative data on vehicle registrations to estimate the
distributional impact of U.S. fuel economy standards. The key insight from our
model is that fuel economy standards impose a constraint on manufacturers which
creates an implicit subsidy for fuel-efficient vehicles and an implicit tax for
fuel-inefficient vehicles. Moreover, when these obligations are tradable,
permit prices make it possible to quantify the exact magnitude of these
implicit subsidies and taxes. We use our model to determine which U.S. vehicles
have been most subsidized and taxed since 2012, and we compare the pattern of
ownership of these vehicles between high- and low-income Census blocks.
Finally, we compare these distributional impacts with existing estimates in the
literature on the distributional impact of a carbon tax.Short Bio:Lucas Davis is an Associate Professor at the Haas School of Business and Faculty Director at the Energy Institute at Haas. Prior to joining Haas in 2009, he was an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on energy and environmental markets, and in particular, on electricity and natural gas regulation, pricing in competitive and non-competitive markets, and the economic and business impacts of environmental policy. His work appears in leading academic journals including the American Economic Review, the RAND Journal of Economics, and the Journal of Political Economy.

2016 Annual Energy Innovation Conference
2016-04-22 08:00 - 17:00
The Energy Innovation Conference is an annual event that brings together students, academics and professionals and seeks to showcase innovative technologies with the potential to reinvent the energy industry, enable entrepreneurs and researchers to demonstrate technology to investors and industry experts, and provide an atmosphere of collaborative learning through a panel format. We have partnered this year with UCLA Luskin, USC Marshall, numerous on campus institutes and off campus companies. The day will offer ample opportunity for leaders throughout the campus communities to collaborate with industry leaders and form lasting relationships.Register today!AgendaTIMEEVENTLOCATION8:00 – 9:15 a.m.REGISTRATION & BREAKFASTAtrium9:15 – 10:15 a.m.WELCOME & OPENING REMARKSDaniel Abbott (’16) & David Penskar (’16), Energy Innovation Conference, Co-DirectorsOPENING KEYNOTEBob Hemphill., CEO & Co-Founder, AES Solar Power Ltd.Ballroom 110:15 – 10:45 a.m.NETWORKING and INNOVATION SHOWCASEAtrium10:45 – 11:30 a.m.PANEL 1: ENERGY STORAGEEric Clifton, CEO and Founder, OrisonMichael Liu, North America Regional Manager, BYDTerrence Mack, Manager of Sales, Southern California Region, UniEnergy TechnologiesMODERATOR: Alex Pugh, Development Manager, Hecate EnergyBallroom 1 PANEL 2: EVs & SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATIONRajit Gadh, Ph.D., Director, Smart Grid Energy Research CenterCassie Cuaresma,, Charge Ready Program Manager, Southern California EdisonPaul Glenney,, Director, New Products and Services, NRG EVgoMODERATOR: Kristian Jokinen,Project Manager, CALSTARTBallroom 211:30 am – 12:00 pmLUNCHBallroom 112:00 – 1:00 pmAFTERNOON KEYNOTEKEYNOTE: Stephen Mullenix, Senior Vice President of Operations, SolarReserveBallroom 11:00 – 1:30 p.m.COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKINGAtrium1:30 – 2:15 p.m.PANEL 3: ENERGY POLICY AND LA BUILDINGSSara Neff, Senior Vice President of SustainabilityWalker Wells,, Vice President of Programs and Director of the Green Urbanism Program, Global Green USABonny BentzinDeputy Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLAMODERATOR: Joel Cesare, Sustainable Building AdvisorBallroom 1 PANEL 4: UTILITIES & BEHIND-THE-METERCole Hershkowitz, CEO, Chai EnergyTom Kunhardt, Corporate Trainer, NRG Home SolarJanice Wang, Contract Manager, Southern California EdisonMODERATOR: Kelly Sanders Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringBallroom 22:15 – 2:45 p.m.COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKINGAtrium2:45 – 3:30 p.m.UTILITY-SCALE RENEWABLESPatrick McConnell, Managing Director, Cypress Creek RenewablesMarci Palmstrom, Manager, Energy Contracts, Southern California EdisonWhitney Wilson, Technical Manager of Wind & Solar Assets, Brookfield RenewableMODERATOR: Garrett Wong, Sustainability Analyst, Office of Sustainability & the Environment, City of Santa MonicaBallroom 1 PANEL 6: FUTURE OF GASMatt Gregori, Technology Scout, SoCalGasMatt Krueger, Senior Associate, PwC AdvisoryGeorge Minter, Regional VP External Affairs, Environmental Strategy, SoCalGasMODERATOR: Makibi Takagi, EVP Energy Management Group, UCLA Anderson School of ManagementBallroom 23:30 – 5:00 p.m.INNOVATION SHOWCASE & NETWORKINGAtrium

Luskin Innovators: Speaker Series featuring James Salzman
2016-04-22 12:00 - 14:00
Join the UCLA Luskin Center in welcoming James Salzman,Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, as he discusses his
most recent book, Drinking Water: A
History, over refreshments and lunch.REGISTER HEREPanel:James Salzman, Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, UCLA LawJ.R. DeShazo, Director and Professor, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, UCLA Luskin School of Public AffairsStephanie Pincetl, Director and Professor-in-Residence, California Center for Sustainable Communities at UCLANoah Garrison, Environmental Science Practicum Director, UCLA Institute of the Environment and SustainabilityChris Solek, Programs Director and Senior Scientist, Council for Watershed Health
About the Book:
When
you turn on the tap or twist the cap, you might not give a second thought to
where your drinking water comes from. But how it gets from the ground to your
glass is far more complex than you might think. Is it safe to drink tap water?
Should you feel guilty buying bottled water? Is your water vulnerable to
terrorist attacks? Considering the water contamination disaster in Flint and
with springs running dry and reservoirs emptying, where is your water going to
come from in the future?
In Drinking
Water: A History, professor James Salzman provides answers to these
questions. Bloody conflicts over control of water sources stretch as far back
as the Bible yet are featured in front page headlines even today. Only fifty
years ago, selling bottled water sounded as ludicrous as selling bottled air.
Salzman weaves all of these issues together to show just how complex a simple
glass of water can be. His book also highlights how drinking water relates to
the most pressing issues of our time- from globalization and social justice to
terrorism and climate change- and how humans have been wrestling with these
problems for centuries.
About the
Author:
Jim
Salzman is the Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law with
joint appointments at the environment school at UCSB and the law school at
UCLA. In more than eight books and eighty articles, his broad-ranging
scholarship has addressed topics spanning drinking water, trade and environment
conflicts, policy instrument design, and the legal and institutional issues in
creating markets for ecosystem services. A dedicated classroom teacher,
Salzman was twice selected as Professor of the Year by students at Duke. He
frequently appears as a media commentator and has lectured on environmental
policy on every continent except Antarctica. Active in government policy
debates, he serves on both EPA’s National Drinking Water Advisory Council and
the Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (reporting to EPA and
USTR). He has served as a visiting law professor at Columbia, Harvard,
Stanford, and Yale as well as at universities in Australia, China, Israel,
Italy, Portugal, and Sweden. His most recent book, Drinking Water: A History, was
praised as a “Recommended Read” by Scientific American and is in its third
printing.

Behavioral Science & Policy Association's Annual Conference
2016-04-29 08:00 - 17:30
Luskin Center Director J.R. DeShazo to speak on Choice Architectures for Making Environmental-Motivated Pricing Policies More ImpactfulOn April 29th, over 250 leading behavioral scientists, policymakers, executives and press will gather together for the BSPA Annual Conference at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC.The Behavioral Science & Policy Association (BSPA) is a non-profit membership organization that promotes the application of rigorous behavioral science research to public- and private-sector policymaking, and disseminates this work to a broad audience. BSPA’s annual conference will provide an opportunity for attendees to begin a dialogue about the future of behavioral science and policy.Please note: Space at the conference will be limited. Register here.ScheduleApril 29, 2016 8:00am Coffee and Danishes8:30am Welcome and Agenda SettingHear from our co-founders and conference chair as they introduce the Behavioral Science & Policy Association’s annual conference – and how to get the most out of your experience in DC with us!Craig Fox, Sim Sitkin, & Nina Mažar8:50am Four Books, Four Insights: Authors Shaping New PerspectivesChallenge your assumptions on how the behavioral sciences can be applied across multiple contexts as you hear from pre-eminent researchers and experts discussing their original publications. Spanning the gamut of criminal justice, management, financial decision making and back again, these authors will give you a wider perspective as you aim to effectively harness behavioral science within the public and private sector domains.KeynotesAdam Benforado (Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Justice)Adam Grant (Originals, Give & Take)Jim Manzi (Uncontrolled)Dilip Soman (The Last Mile)9:30am Putting Behavioral Insights to Work: Successes in the Private SectorEngage with our behavioral science practitioner experts as they highlight ‘what works’ in the private sector – and address how to increase collaborative opportunities between industry and researchers. The panel will also address the actions that policy makers inside and outside of government can take to improve their communities and work environments through the use of behavioral insights.PanelistsKeith Chen, Uber TechnologiesSteve Wendel, MorningstarChristopher Graves, Ogilvy PRModeratorShankar Vedantam10:10am Break10:30am Policy-Focused Keynote AddressesHear from our community thought leaders as they present the behavioral science findings most relevant to private and public sector policy makers aiming to promote the application of rigorous behavioral science research to concrete policy solutions. BSPA has identified three policy areas of focus where we particularly seek to encourage an interchange between behavioral scientists and policy makers: management & labor, energy & environment and education.Eric Johnson: Financial Decision MakingAllan Lind: Justice & EthicsRoger Martin: Management & Labor11:15am Transfer to Lightning Talk Session ISpeakers will focus on the ‘latest’ behavioral research findings in each of the three policy-focused areas: management & labor, energy & environment and education. Participants can select one of three separate tracks to attend, and will come away from each talk with novel, actionable insights.11:20am Lightning Talk Session I12:00pm Luncheon1:15pm Keynote DiscussionRemarks from Dr. Jason Furman, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers1:45pm Policy-Focused Keynote AddressesHear from our community thought leaders as they present the behavioral science findings most relevant to private and public sector policy makers aiming to promote the application of rigorous behavioral science research to concrete policy solutions. BSPA has identified three additional policy areas of focus where we particularly seek to encourage an interchange between behavioral scientists and policy makers: health, financial decision making, and justice & ethics.Tom D’Aunno: HealthJ.R. de Shazo: Energy & EnvironmentJon Schnur: Education2:30pm Transfer to Lightning Talk Session 2Speakers will focus on the ‘latest’ behavioral research findings in each of the three policy-focused areas: health, financial decision making, and justice & ethics. Participants can select one of three separate tracks to attend, and will come away from each talk with novel, actionable insights.2:35pm Lightning Talk Session 23:20pm Break3:40pm Lessons from the Field: Successes in the Development SectorEngage with the community who use behavioral science to help address inequality and poverty on a global basis, as they highlight the successes – and failures – of behavioral interventions in the developing world. What key concepts and themes can you take-away as you think about, and implement, behavioral science in your own policy-making realm?PanelistsJulian JamisonDean KarlanFaisal NaruBetsy Levy Paluk4:20pm Putting Behavioral Insights to Work: Successes & Key Take-aways from the Public SectorEncounter practitioners and policymakers who tackle behavioral science interventions on both the federal and state levels – what are the benefits of this work, as well as the challenges? Speakers will discuss: What are some of the areas where behavioral science has the biggest opportunity to influence policy now and in the future? What new behavioral science ideas and/or tools do you think policy makers should try to learn? What could/should researchers do to have a bigger impact on public policy?PanelistsJon BaronElizabeth LinosMaya Shankar5:20pm Concluding RemarksCraig Fox and Sim Sitkin5:30pm Cocktail Reception

Effective Counter Human Trafficking Strategies: Exploring the Latest Research
2016-04-29 14:00 - 16:00
Polaris is pleased to invite you to a panel discussion on effective counter human trafficking strategies. Event speakers include Malika Saada Saar, Google’s Senior Counsel for Civil and Human Rights, as well as Vanessa Bouche and Amy Farrell, authors of the recent report, “Identifying Effective Counter-Trafficking Programs and Practices in the U.S.: Legislative, Legal, and Pulbic Opinion Strategies that Work.” Featured speakers include:Malika Saada Saar, Senior Counsel, Civil and Human Rights, Google Amy Farrell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Northeastern UniversityVanessa Bouche, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science, Texas Christian UniversityDan Roisman, Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County, CaliforniaBradley Myles, CEO, Polaris (moderator)We hope you can join us for this important event, and encourage you to share this invitation with your networks.For inquiries regarding this event, please contact emccartin@polarisproject.org.Light reception to follow the panel discussion.Register here!

FuturizeX Forum on The Future of Transportation
2016-05-04 19:00 - 21:00
TimeTech Showcase & Mixer at 7 p.m.“The Future of Transportation” panel at 8 p.m.AdmissionFree and open to the public. RSVP required; space is limited.RSVP to attend: http://futurizex.ucla.edu/speaker-series/ Our Distinguished Panelists Joshua SchankChief Innovation Officer, L.A. Metro Richard KimHead of Global Design, Faraday Future J.R. DeShazoDirector, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Rob LloydCEO, Hyperloop Technologies Laura NelsonTransportation writer, Los Angeles Times

The Evolution of Human Transportation
2016-05-17 18:00 - 20:00
Please join us as we bring together car enthusiasts and environmentalists to explore the history and future of automobiles and transportation.OUR HISTORY – Lecture Peter Kareiva, Director of UCLA Institute of the Environment and SustainabilityOUR FUTURE – Panel DiscussionModerated by JR DeShazo, Director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Mark Girard, Director of Global Automotive Design, BMW Group designworksUSA
Barry Carr, eco-mobility specialist and Director of Business Development for Landi Renzo USA
Magali Delmas, UCLA Professor focusing on environmental policy and business strategyRSVP here.

Smart & Sustainable Cities
2016-05-19 07:45 - 18:00
ABOUT THE CONFERENCEOnce regarded as sources of environmental degradation, cities are now widely recognized as part of the solution to living within “planetary boundaries.” But what makes a sustainable city? How can cities function in a way that enables residents to enjoy urban life to the fullest without imposing unreasonable burdens on limited resources?The Smart and Sustainable Cities Conference will provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience between the US – especially California – and Israel, which share many of the same environmental challenges. With a focus on “what’s new,” leading academics and practitioners from both countries will present the most innovative models for urban sustainability. They will address the policy, design and technology experiments being implemented today; consider what holds the most promise; and propose future directions for city management and development to move us toward a more sustainable future.Panel sessions will cover the key areas of energy, water, transportation, the built environment (sustainable architecture, affordable housing and public spaces), and the digital city & sharing economy, exploring the evolving values and lifestyles made possible by digital communications. A closing session will pull together key ideas from the preceding panels and discuss “how to make it happen”: the new forms of organization and citizen involvement that may be needed for the innovative technologies and policies to take hold.WHO SHOULD ATTEND?Environmental researchers, professionals from industry and non-profit organizations, government officials, educators, students, and members of the general public who wish to learn about the latest developments in urban sustainability.Click here to register and for additional details.

Creating a Complete LA River Greenway for All
2016-05-20 08:30 - 17:00
REGISTER TODAY!• Explore new opportunities • Learn from past projects • Engage with other movers and shakers Agenda8:30 Registration & Breakfast
9:00 Welcome J.R.
DeShazo, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
9:10 Morning Keynote Patt Morrison, journalist, author, and radio-television personality
9:30 Plenary
Panel: Visions and Opportunities for a River Greenway for All Moderator: Beatriz Solis, The
California Endowment Panelists: Omar
Brownson, River LA; Benjamin Feldmann, Mia Lehrer + Associates; Peter Kareiva, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; Irma Muñoz, Mujeres de la Tierra
10:30 Networking Break
10:45 Community
Access to the LA River Moderator:
Shelly Backlar, Friends of the Los Angeles River Introduction: Jimmy Tran, UCLA Luskin Center Panelists: Mark Kenyon, North East Trees; Daniel Sharp, LA County
Flood Control District; Brian Baldauf, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
11:55 Lunch
12:30 Parks along the
LA River Moderator:
Vaughan Davies, AECOM Introduction: Cameron Robertson, UCLA Luskin Center Panelists: Michael Allen, City of Cudahy; Laura Saltzman, Mountains
Recreation and Conservation Authority; Robin Mark, Trust for Public Land
1:35 Pathways along the LA River Moderator: Tom West, Carollo Engineers, Inc. Introduction: Andrew Pasillas, UCLA Luskin Center Panelists: Melanie Winter, The River Project; Adi Liberman, Community Conservation Solutions; Neil Drucker, City of Los Angeles
2:40 Bridges across
the LA River Moderator: Mara Elana Burstein, Natural Resource Strategies Introduction: Kelsey Jessup, UCLA Luskin Center Panelists: Robin Mark, Trust for Public Land; Kevin Carter, City of
Glendale; Jennifer Samson, River LA
3:30 Partnering
and Working with Key Agencies Panelists: Eileen Takata, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Daniel Sharp, LA County Flood
Control District; Michael Affeldt, LARiverWorks
3:55 Closing Remarks J.R. DeShazo, UCLA Luskin Center for
Innovation
4:00 Reception
5:00 End*Event includes breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon reception*
Participants
Community members, advocates, and
leadersNon-profit leaders and advocatesGovernment agency staffElected officials and policymakersBusinesses and business
associations Academics, researchers, teachers, and
studentsJournalists
and the mediaSupportersThe Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert FoundationThe David Bohnett FoundationThe California EndowmentAECOMCarollo Engineers, Inc.

LA’s Water Resource Future - Workshop 2: Understanding Local Groundwater Storage Potential
2016-06-15 09:00 - 16:30
This workshop is open to the public, but space is limited. To RSVP, contact Nikki Parrish, Program Administrator, UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.The goal of the LA’s Water Resource Future series is to bring togetherresearchers, water resource managers, and other stakeholders to investigate the
question: How much stormwater can Los Angeles County capture and store as
groundwater by 2050 and beyond, given climate change, water quality concerns,
ecosystem concerns, and economic and policy constraints? This discussion will inform the
implementation of the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Work Plan by
identifying stakeholder information needs, research capabilities and gaps, and
opportunities for collaboration.
This workshop is the second in a two-part
series. The first, Understanding Local Stormwater Capture Potential, explored
recent stormwater capture planning efforts and the modeling tools used therein;
how to achieve integrated climate, surface hydrology, and groundwater modeling;
ecosystem considerations in stormwater capture; and policy barriers to
increased capture and potential solutions.
We are now undertaking a research effort to couple
existing stormwater capture and groundwater models to get a better grasp of the
quantities of captured stormwater that infiltrates to groundwater for projects
that don’t go into a spreading ground through a pipe.
This second workshop will focus on current
and future groundwater basin conditions, management, and rights in the
groundwater basins serving Los Angeles County. The aims are to better
understand:
How the basins were adjudicated, how they are
currently managed, how ownership rights have changed since adjudication, how
replenishment through spreading grounds is now financed, and the implications
for efforts to increase stormwater capture and infiltrationThe current state of knowledge of hydrogeology in the
region, how sea level rise due to climate change is expected to affect the
groundwater basins serving LA County, and the implications for efforts to
increase stormwater capture and infiltrationFrom groundwater managers’ and stormwater capture
agencies’ perspective, what the challenges are for incentivizing infiltration
of urban stormwater runoff, and what information is needed to value infiltrated
stormwater in groundwater PROGRAM
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM – Welcome and Opening Remarks
Casandra
Rauser, Director,
Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
Madelyn
Glickfeld, Director
UCLA Water Resources Group
9:15
AM – 10:30 AM – Session 1
Water
rights in adjudicated and unadjudicated basins in the Los Angeles County:
History, current status, implications for stormwater capture and storage, and
legal solutions
How were
the groundwater basins in Los Angeles County adjudicated? Who has
the right to store and extract groundwater in each basin in the region? How have
those rights changed over time? How does
this relate to the incredibly complex array of water entities who deliver water
in the LA Basin? Are
governance arrangements adequate for non–rights holders to obtain storage and
extraction rights for water captured through new stormwater projects? What legal
or administrative changes to adjudications or other institutional agreements
would need to happen to give value to stormwater replenishment projects?
Moderator: J.R. DeShazo, Professor and Director,
Luskin Center for Innovation
[20
minutes] Presentation by William
Blomquist, Indiana University
History of basin adjudication in Southern California
[20
minutes] Presentation by Stephanie
Pincetl, Professor and Director, UCLA California Center for Sustainable
Communities
The evolution of water rights holders in the adjudicated basins, discussion
of the implications of these rights for increased stormwater storage in these
areas.
[20
minutes] Alf Brandt, Senior Counsel,
Office of CA State Assembly Speaker Rendon
Increasing incentives for stormwater capture and storage in adjudicated
basins.
[20
minutes] Eric L.
Garner, Partner
Best, Best and Kreiger
Increasing stormwater incentives for non–rights holders in adjudicated basins,
and in unadjudicated basins subject to SGMA:
What are the legal avenues for stormwater agencies and groundwater basin
managers to do this?
[15
minutes] Audience Q&A
BREAK: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM – Session 2
The current physical state and
management of LA County’s major groundwater basins:
How
much storage capacity do these groundwater basins have? How
much of this capacity is not currently used, representing extra storage
potential for captured stormwater? Where
does hydrogeology make increased infiltration/injection of stormwater to groundwater
basins feasible? Which
basins have pollution issues, and how is this accounted for in management of
the basin? What
are current arrangements for compensating entities supplying groundwater
replenishment including reclaimed and imported water?
Moderator,
Erik Porse, Post Doctoral Researcher
UCLA California Center for Sustainable Communities
[20
minutes] Ted Johnson, Hydrogeologist, Water Replenishment District of
Southern California, Central and West Coast Basins
[20
minutes] Richard Slade, Watermaster, Upper Los Angeles River Area
Basin (ULARA)
[20
minutes] Steven Johnson or Kevin Smead, Stetson Engineers, San Gabriel and Raymond Basin
[15 minutes] Greg
Reed, Water Resources, Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power will discuss the status of unadjudicated basins
in Los Angeles County under SGMA and who is involved in responded to SGMA for
those basins
[15
minutes] Audience Q&A
LUNCH:
12:15 PM – 1:30 PM
1:30 PM – 2:40 PM – Session 3
Climate change and the Potential
Impact of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Groundwater Basins:
Which
groundwater basins are vulnerable to sea level rise with climate change? Can we model
the extent of intrusion? Will the existing salt water intrusion barriers work
to stem the impacts of sea level on saltwater intrusion? Are new
saltwater intrusion barriers going to be needed or feasible?
Moderator,
Alex Hall, Professor and Director
UCLA Center for Climate Change Solutions
Current Management of the
Seawater Intrusion Barriers:
[15
minutes] Eric Batman, Los Angeles County Department
of Public Works
[15
minutes] Ted Johnson, Southern
California Water Replenishment District
Projecting the impact of sea
level rise on coastal groundwater basins:
[20
minutes] Tracy Nishikawa, USGS Water Science Center – How can we estimate
how projected sea level rise will affect the coastal groundwater basins and the
salt water intrusion barriers?
Audience
Q&A 15 minutes
BREAK: 2:40 – 2:55
2:55 PM – 4:15 PM Session 4:
Increasing
Conjunctive Use and Storage through More Stormwater Capture: Moderated Panel
and Audience Discussions
What
would make a coupled stormwater and groundwater model useful to you in
determining the water supply quantification of any given stormwater capture
project?How
can we improve the incentives for stormwater capture and storage in groundwater
basins? Could
storage and extraction rights be granted to those who do projects to infiltrate
water? Or, are there easier or better ways to do this? What
are the concerns about stormwater infiltration into groundwater? Is there a
maximum that can be infiltrated and a maximum that can be drawn out? What
are the legal and physical basin constraints to allowing additional stormwater
project infiltration to be extracted?
Moderator, Madelyn Glickfeld, Director, UCLA
Water Resources Group
Angela George, Los Angeles
County Flood Control District Richard Slade, Watermaster Upper Los Angeles River Area Basin Rafael Villegas, Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power Robb Whitaker, General Manager Water Replenishment District of
Southern California, Staff for Central and West Basin Watermaster Tony Zampiello, Watermaster, Raymond and Main San Gabriel Basin Debra Man (invited), Metropolitan Water District of Southern CaliforniaAlf Brandt, Senior
Counsel, Office of CA State Assembly Speaker RendonEric Garner, Partner
Best, Best and Kreiger
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Summary and Next Steps

2016 UCLA Conference to Advance Women in Tech
2016-08-12 08:00 - 15:00
REGISTER HEREConference ObjectivesThe UCLA Conference to Advance Women in Technology taking place at UCLA on August 12, 2016 will convene 250+ leaders and stakeholders for a collaborative conference reframing the discussion about the gender and diversity gap in the tech sector. The conference will explore ways to advance women of all races, backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses in the tech sector focusing on Leadership and Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion, and Economic Advancement. We welcome full participation by both women and men in order to work together on this issue.This one-day conference will include two concurrent tracks of breakout sessions:Track 1. Fostering Women as Tech Entrepreneurs and Employees in Startups and Small Tech FirmsThe panels and discussions in this track will explore government, private and nonprofit strategies to foster female entrepreneurship and small businesses. This will include a focus on funding as well as accelerators, startup, and resource initiatives.1.1 Navigating the Funding PipelineAccording to recent statistics, only 3-5% of venture funding is given to startups with female founders. However, VC-funded companies with at least one female founder perform 63% better than those with all male teams. This panel will address this gender gap by exploring different avenues to raising capital, providing strategies to help prepare for pitching to investors, and demystifying government funding and support programs.1.2 Success Factors for EntrepreneursAccording to an American Express survey, women are twice as likely as men to run a company with annual revenue lower than $500,000, and the average pay for a female business owner is $63,000 per year. Only 10% of the world’s billionaires are women. This panel will explore the strategies to help female and minority entrepreneurs not only survive, but thrive.Track 2. Attracting and Retaining Women in Medium and Large CompaniesThe panels in this track will discuss effective ways to create sustainable environments in which women and their employers prosper, focusing on the public policies, corporate policies and workforce culture issues that affect the attraction and retention of women in tech.2.1 Creating an Inclusive and Diverse Workplace CultureAccording to Code.org, computing jobs will more than double by 2020 to 1.4 million. However, women and minorities are leaving the tech industry altogether, citing problems with the corporate culture. This panel will explore effective strategies, policies and best practices that foster an inclusive work environment conducive to success for women and minorities in tech. 2.2 Negotiating Strategies: Addressing Gender Disparities in Pay, Promotion and FlexibilityAccording to the Institute for Women’s policy research, on average, women earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. In addition, studies show that women are less likely to negotiate salaries or apply for career growth opportunities until they meet all defined qualifications. This panel will explore negotiation strategies and policies that address gender disparities in pay, promotion, career opportunities, and work flexibility.Intended ParticipantsThe Conference to Advance Women in Technology is a collaborative setting to promote best practices to advance equitable work environments that take advantage of their full human capital potential. We welcome women and men who want to be part of solutions to create tech workplaces that foster diversity, inclusion and innovation.This event brings together those most directly able to help female tech employees and entrepreneurs thrive. These include:Corporate leaders and employeesEntrepreneurs, startups and startup support institutions (incubators, accelerators, etc.)Non-profit leaders and advocatesAcademics, STEM educators, students and parentsPolicymakers and legislatorsJournalists and the mediaClick here for more information about the conference.

A Night at the LA River
2016-09-10 17:00 - 20:00
RSVP HERE

Luskin Open House
2016-09-22 18:00 - 20:00
UCLA Luskin hosts its annual open house for students, faculty and alumni.Food and beverages will be provided. Complimentary parking will be available for UCLA Luskin alumni with RSVP by Monday 9/19.Click here for more information and to register. Free to register before 9/19. $10 registration at the door.We hope to see you there!Connect with UCLA Luskin at the 2016 Open House5:30 pm Registration Begins 6:00 pm Open HousePlease help us welcome the incoming students from all departments and reconnect with faculty and alumni at a reception in the scenic Dickson Court North (just south of Perloff Hall).You can:Meet new UCLA Luskin students and alumniTrade ideas with faculty and research scholarsLearn about exciting developments at UCLA LuskinEnjoy the flavors of LA with a variety of food booths and stationsGet connected to opportunities, organizations, and events through UCLA LuskinFood and beverages will be provided. Complimentary parking will be available for UCLA Luskin alumni with RSVP by Monday 9/19.We hope to see you there!On-site parking available for $12 (Lot 3, Lot 2)Transit: Big Blue Bus, Culver City Bus, Metro*One registration per attendee. All duplicates will be deleted.WHENThursday, September 22, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM (PDT) – Add to CalendarWHEREDickson Court North – 365 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095

Environmental Graduate Student Networking Event 2016
2016-10-11 17:00 - 19:00
All graduate students interested in environmental sustainability and energy are invited to a free, cross-campus networking reception.Learn about campus environmental organizations, student funding opportunities, jobs and internships, and other resources while you also meet your peers over hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. There is no dress code.*Registration is required. Register here.(Must have a valid UCLA ID. Graduate students/faculty/staff only)Agenda:5:00 Event begins with food, drinks, and networking5:30 Hear from the following UCLA entities that offer funding, job, fellowship, and other opportunities for graduate students: Luskin Center for Innovation Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (invited) UCLA Sustainability Leaders in Sustainability Graduate Certificate Program GSA Sustainable Resource Center6:15 More time to socialize and connect7:00 Event ends

Luskin Innovators Speaker Series: Featuring Jon Christensen
2016-10-13 17:00 - 19:00
Environmental Bonds for Equitable Community BenefitsREGISTER HERE Walk-ins Welcome!Join renowned UCLA professor and journalist Jon Christensen todiscuss highlights from his new report “Environmental Bonds Should Equitably
Benefit All Communities: Looking Forward Based on an Analysis of Prop 84.” His
talk–with critical importance during this election season–will be followed by
a panel with other leaders:Panel:Alf Brandt, Senior
Counsel for Assembly Speaker Anthony RendonAlina Bokde, Executive Director, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land TrustAlfredo Gonzalez, Program Officer, Resources Legacy Fund (moderator)There will be refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.Synopsis of paper
“A systematic
analysis of spending under Proposition 84, the last major environmental bond
approved by California voters, which in 2006 authorized $5.4 billion to improve
parks, natural resource protection, and water quality, supply and safety. Most
of that money has been spent. And for the first time ever, we have good enough
data to ask some crucial questions.
Where was that funding spent? Who benefited? And
was the spending prioritized as voters expected? The report analyzed $2
billion spent on 2,174 projects in California communities and found decidedly
mixed results.”About the authorJon Christensen is an
adjunct assistant professor in the Institute of the Environment and
Sustainability, the Department of History, and the Center for Digital
Humanities at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a
journalist-in-residence at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability,
a founder of the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS) in
the IoES, and a senior fellow in UCLA’s cityLAB. He is a partner and strategic
adviser atStamen Design, an interactive design studio specializing in mapping,
data visualization, and strategic communications. And he is a regular columnist
at LA Observed, a contributor to other newspapers and magazines, and a
commentator on radio and television.
Jon was executive director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West, an
interdisciplinary center for research, teaching, new media, and journalism at
Stanford University before coming to UCLA. He has been an environmental
journalist and science writer for more than 30 years. His work has appeared in The
New York Times, Nature, High Country News, and many other newspapers,
magazines, journals, and radio and television shows. Jon was a Knight
Journalism Fellow at Stanford in 2002-2003 and a Steinbeck Fellow at San Jose
State University in 2003-2004, before returning to Stanford to work on a Ph.D.
in environmental history and the history of science. He was editor of Boom:
A Journal of California, a quarterly magazine published by the University
of California Press, from 2013 to 2016.
He is currently finishing a book entitled Critical Habitat: A History of
Thinking with Things in Nature and is engaged in a multidisciplinary
digital environmental humanities research project on nature in cities. And he
was a co-coordinator of a Mellon Sawyer Seminar on “Environmental Humanities:
Emergence and Impacts” at UCLA, which resulted in A Companion to the
Environmental Humanities, an edited volume of essays forthcoming from
Routledge.
