UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Environmental Graduate Students Networking Reception
2024-10-29 17:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Luskin Center for Innovation
Join us for a complimentary, cross-campus mixer to learn about environmental opportunities at UCLA and meet students, staff, and faculty from across campus.
REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT.
Date and time
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM PDT
Location

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
337 Charles E Young Drive East, 3rd Floor Commons, Los Angeles, CA 90095

About this event

Environmental Graduate Students Networking Reception
All UCLA graduate students interested in environmental justice, sustainability, and resilience are invited to a free, cross-campus networking reception. Learn about environmental organizations, student funding opportunities, jobs, internships, and other resources across campus while mingling with fellow students who share your passion for the environment.
This reception, with food and drinks, will provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere, fostering meaningful conversations and potential collaborations. You’ll have the chance to meet professionals and experts who can offer valuable insights and advice. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make connections that could help shape your future in the environmental sector.

Mark your calendar and get ready to mingle, learn, eat, and have a great time at this Mixer!
Hosted by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation at the Luskin School of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the following partners across UCLA:

Campus Sustainability (campus-wide)

Leaders in Sustainability Graduate Certificate Program and the Graduate Student Water Resources Group (Institute of the Environment and Sustainability)
Center for Healthy Climate Solutions (Fielding School of Public Health)
Cross-Campus Innovation Challenge and the Center for Impact (Anderson School of Business)
Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment (School of Law)

Causes, Impacts and Aftermath of the L.A. Wildfires
2025-01-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Zoom Webinar
Our partners at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Sustainable LA Grand Challenge will host the event “Expert Insights on the Causes, Impacts and Aftermath of the L.A. Wildfires.” This webinar will feature a panel of wildfire, climate science, and water experts including Greg Pierce, co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Register here: https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SgvWGpzcR_alRtl61OAjWw#/registration
Please click here to submit your questions in advance of the webinar by Thursday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m.

Alissa Walker's Torched Talk Featuring LCI's Edith de Guzman and Greg Pierce
2025-01-27 08:00 - 17:00 | CA
Back in December, which feels like a lifetime ago, Alissa Walker booked the next Torched Talks as a conversation about the challenges of staging a megaevent in LA’s extreme heat. While the Southern California wildfires have absolutely brought the dangers of extreme heat to the forefront, we certainly have more to talk about now than just planting shade trees. Fortunately, the speakers also know a lot about fire:
Edith de Guzman, water equity and adaptation policy cooperative extension specialist for the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation as well as co-founder of the Los Angeles Urban Cooling Collaborative
Greg Pierce, co-director of UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation and director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab. A
When: Tuesday, January 28 at noon
Where: Virtual webinar
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82819230848?pwd=yiTVv62SqFIQW3vZT05oKh4KJQxJM5.1
Meeting ID: 828 1923 0848
Passcode: 313408

After Wildfire: Migration and Neighborhood Change Post Disaster
2025-02-20 14:15 - 15:30 | 5391 Luskin School of Public Affairs, United States
Join us for an engaging talk by Kathryn McConnell on how communities transform in the aftermath of wildfire events. Professor McConnell will share insights from her work on how communities adapt and transform in the aftermath of wildfire events, offering valuable perspectives on resilience, displacement, and urban change. Her findings have relevance and implications to inform more equitable rebuilding in Los Angeles.
This event is a unique opportunity to learn from one of the leading voices in environmental sociology and disaster studies. Whether you’re interested in climate adaptation, urban planning, or social dynamics, this talk will provide thought-provoking analysis and foster meaningful discussion.
Register

About Kathryn:
Kathryn McConnell is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her research examines the intersection of environmental hazards, the built environment, and population mobility, with a focus on understanding the long-term impacts of highly destructive wildfires. Kathryn previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Brown University’s Population Studies and Training Center. She holds a PhD and an MESc from Yale School of the Environment.

Luskin Sacramento Briefing
2025-02-25 09:00 - 12:15 | UC Student and Policy Center
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs takes pride in helping to improve society through undergraduate and graduate education in the fields of public policy, social welfare and urban planning. We hope that our research can also light the way toward policy action that produces real solutions for California.
To further this effort, the School will present its second annual UCLA Luskin Briefing at UC Student and Policy Center in Sacramento the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
The gathering will feature two panel discussions coordinated by esteemed UCLA Luskin faculty members and their affiliated research centers in collaboration with elected officials, government agencies and other policy experts:
Register Here
How Can California Maximize Investment Benefits for Heat-Resilient Communities?
Presented by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
California is making significant investments and targeted interventions to build resilience to extreme heat, particularly for its most vulnerable communities. In support, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation conducts research to inform state policies and investments that address extreme heat. LCI researchers and other expert panelists will shed light on why state legislators should care about extreme heat mitigation and management, what the state is doing, and how upcoming investments and additional policies could benefit Californians in direst need of intervention in settings such as schools, homes and public spaces.
Panelists

Moderator: Alissa Ko, Health Net
Faculty Presenter: V. Kelly Turner, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Caroline Menjivar
Agency Representative: Braden Kay, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
Community Representative: Christian Rodriguez Ceja, Kounkuey Design Initiative

Can California Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled? Should It?
Presented by the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
California has declared that it wants to reduce the total number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across the state. In this session, presenters will discuss strategies and best practices for achieving this complex goal. VMT is accompanied by undeniable costs but also by real benefits — and the benefits may be largest, paradoxically, in places where driving is most common. Thus, the broader goal of making VMT less necessary involves both reducing the amount of space given over to automobiles while also recognizing that, for the immediate future, some increases in driving will be socially desirable.
Panelists

Moderator: Catharine Baker, UC Student and Policy Center
Faculty Presenters: Adam Millard-Ball and Michael Manville, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Catherine Blakespear
Agency Representative: Chanell Fletcher, California Air Resources Board

Luskin Summit 2025: Guiding an Equitable Recovery in L.A.
2025-04-16 07:30 - 13:30 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The seventh annual UCLA Luskin Summit will focus on rebuilding and recovery in the Los Angeles region following January’s devastating wildfires.
In collaboration with community groups and government agencies, experts from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs will share information that can guide equitable recovery, rebuild, and climate resilience. Opening and closing sessions will provide updates on rebuilding efforts and how philanthropy can support collective recovery.
Register now to receive early-bird admission

Before March 1: $50 general admission | $15 for UCLA students
After March 1: $60 general admission | $20 for UCLA students

Sessions
Opening Plenary: Rebuilding Together
Track 1: Strategies in Rebuilding
Track 2: Community Recovery for Vulnerable Populations
Track 3: Impacts on Mental and Physical Health
Track 4: Climate Risk and Resilience
Closing Plenary: Unified to Thrive
Schedule
Check-In and Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks: 8 a.m.
Opening Plenary: 8:10 a.m.
Breakout Discussions, Round 1: 9:35 a.m.
Breakout Discussions, Round 2: 10:45 a.m.
Closing Session: 12 noon
Networking Lunch: 1:15 p.m.
Featured Presenters

Government officials and civic leaders
Decision-makers in politics and business
UCLA scholars
Difference-makers in the nonprofit and philanthropic spheres

HOW TO HELP: Please consider making an optional gift to the Luskin School Student Emergency Fund (#64696) to support students directly impacted by L.A. wildfires.

Young Alumni Building Green Futures Panel
2025-05-01 12:00 - 13:15 | Public Affairs Building 4320A, 1500 Public Affairs Building, 337 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, 90095, United States
Join us for a dynamic conversation with UCLA Luskin young alumni who will discuss their journeys in the sustainability sector. This event will showcase the ways these alumni tackle environmental challenges from their roles within government, non-profit, consulting, and academic sectors. Hear about their career paths and their impact shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.
Whether you’re exploring a career in sustainability or simply passionate about making a difference, this is a fantastic opportunity to gain inspiration, insights, and guidance from those leading the charge.

Register Here: https://sa.ucla.edu/forms/p/nCcTq

Why Attend?

Get inspired by young alumni who are making a real impact in sustainability.
Learn about career opportunities and strategies in the green sector.
Network with like-minded peers and professionals committed to building a better future.

Moderator and Panelists:

Elena Hernandez MURP ’22 (moderator), Senior Project Manager, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Sharon Sand MURP ’20, Senior Public Grants Program Manager at Trust for Public Land
Sarah Perez BA ‘22 Urban, Planner at Raimi + Associates
Edgar Reyna MURP ’23, Climate Resilience Sr. Analyst at Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

Lunch will be provided to encourage conversation, but please bring your water bottle to support our sustainability efforts.
We look forward to seeing you there for a thought-provoking discussion and a chance to connect with the next generation of sustainability leaders!
This event is co-sponsor by UCLA LCI and OSAAR.

Water Supply Systems and Wildfires: Water Science and Technology Board Spring Meeting 2025
2025-05-14 10:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Register

Hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
This event will convene Water Science and Technology Board Members and experts to discuss the impacts of wildfires on water supply systems and waterways. The discussions will cover contamination of drinking water treatment and distribution systems by fires, stormwater threats to downstream communities following fires, and policies and programs for water supplies that can improve wildfire response and recovery.
Greg Pierce, research and co-executive director of the Luskin Center for Innovation and the director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab , will be a speaker at the board meeting.
Attend virtually: You will receive the relevant link(s) to attend virtually via email once you register.
Full event details.

A Decent Home Documentary Screening
2025-05-14 18:00 - 20:30 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 5391, 337 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and Luskin Center for Innovation invite you to a screening of A Decent Home, a feature-length documentary addressing class and economic inequity that features the lives and challenges of mobile home park residents in securing affordable housing.
Register Here: https://events.humanitix.com/a-decent-home-documentary-screening
We will provide food and light refreshments for our guests during the movie. Afterward, we will hold a moderated discussion and Q&A with Director Sara Terry, Policy Director Miguel Miguel of Pacoima Beautiful, and Assistant Professor Jose Loya. The conversation will touch upon the film’s contents and Miguel and Loya’s research on equitable home financing, mortgage disparities, and barriers to homeownership for communities of color in Los Angeles.
About the Moderator:

Greg Pierce (he/him) is faculty in the Department of Urban Planning, the research and co-executive director of the Luskin Center for Innovation, and the director of the Human Right to Water Solutions Lab. He is also an affiliate of the Lewis Center for Regional Studies. Greg’s research examines how infrastructure planning and policy efforts perpetuate or address service inequities and demonstrates how communities cope with and overcome them. One of his focus areas is environmental inequities in U.S. mobile home parks.

About Our Speakers:

Sara Terry is the director and producer of the award-winning PBS documentary, A Decent Home, about mobile home parks and the wealth gap. A Sundance Documentary Fellow and a Guggenheim Fellow in Photography, her films have been supported by Ford Foundation, Sundance, Cal Humanities, IDA/Pare Lorentz, Jonathan Logan Family Foundation and many others. She is a mid-career director whose work explores how we define our humanity and the role community plays in helping us understand how we live that humanity. Her first film, Fambul Tok, premiered at SXSW in 2011 and her second film, FOLK, premiered at Nashville Film Festival in 2013.
José Loya is an Assistant Professor in Urban Planning at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs and faculty affiliate with the Chicano Studies Research Center. His research addresses Latino issues in urban areas by connecting ethno-racial inequality and contextual forces at the neighborhood, metropolitan, and national levels. His research discusses several topics related to stratification in homeownership, including ethno-racial, gender, and Latino disparities in mortgage access. José received his PhD. at the University of Pennsylvania in Sociology and holds a master’s degree in Statistics from the Wharton School of Business at Penn. Prior to graduate school, José worked for several years in community development and affordable housing in South Florida.
Miguel Miguel, a native of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, was raised in a predominantly Latino community faced with constant environmental injustices. Armed with a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA’s Luskin School, he has dedicated over 6 years to various roles, including chairing the land use committee for his local neighborhood council, serving as a cultural resource consultant, and contributing as a researcher at UCLA. Miguel’s research centers on the intersectionality between housing access and environmental injustices faced by BIPOC communities. His exploration of alternative homeownership models, like manufactured housing, seeks to establish more inclusive land ownership structures to empower marginalized communities and address environmental disparities. As the Policy Director at Pacoima Beautiful, Miguel aims to holistically and systemically establish channels for community decision power. With the integration of community members as the sole decision-makers on policy platforms, Miguel will help establish the necessary changes to cement the principles of environmental justice.

Webinar on new, national Shade Map
2025-06-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom Webinar
Join us for a webinar introducing and demonstrating the newly launched Shade Map, now available through American Forests’ Tree Equity Score platform. This mapping tool shows where shade exists — and where it doesn’t — in 101 of the largest urbanized areas in the United States, covering more than 360 cities and towns. The webinar will include a live demonstration of the shade mapping feature, the Tree Equity Score Analyzer, and data stories from Austin, Detroit, and Phoenix.
Why attend: Learn how this data is essential for your heat planning, policy, and advocacy work.
When: Thursday, June 5, 2025, at 12:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and American Forests, with funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
About the Tree Equity Score Shade Map
We are excited to publicly launch our products on June 2, 2025. UCLA’s state-of-the-art shade data is available as a mapped feature in American Forests’ Tree Equity Score for 360+ cities in the U.S. Discover how much shade is available by Census block group at three different times of the day, and see what share of shade is cast by trees versus buildings. We also added high-resolution shade data to three Tree Equity Score Analyzers — a local mapping tool that allows parcel-level exploration for certain cities. Now, for these three areas — Austin, TX; Detroit, MI; and Maricopa County, AZ — users can view shade at the parcel level. It allows users in these three locations to plan to improve shade equity by exploring tree equity data, assessing shade distribution, developing scenarios, and measuring the impacts of trees at a parcel level. For Austin, Detroit, and Phoenix, our data stories take a deep dive into shade. We explored the role of shade in heat equity planning in three immersive stories as examples of how the tool can be useful.

Roots of Cool Art Exhibition: Opening Reception
2025-07-11 17:00 - 19:00 | Descanso Gardens
Don’t miss the opening reception of Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World a series of indoor and outdoor art installations at the Sturt Haaga Gallery and Boddy House at Descanso Gardens. Meet the curators Edith and Jolly de Guzman and enjoy a no-host bar and live music.
Why attend: Roots of Cool invites visitors to connect to and cultivate appreciation for the life-giving role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
When: Friday, July 11, 2025, from 5-7pm. Admission to Descanso is free on July 11 from 5–7pm for the opening reception. RSVPs are not required to attend the event.
Location: Sturt Haaga Gallery and Boddy House, Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Hosted by: Descanso Gardens, with curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman. This exhibition and its programs were curated in partnership with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability, TreePeople, USDA Forest Service, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Nature of Cities, Avenue 50 Studio, USC Public Exchange, Dashboard.Earth, and Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Learn more here.

Roots of Cool Art Exhibition
2025-07-12 - 2025-10-12 | Descanso Gardens
Don’t miss Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World, a series of indoor and outdoor art installations curated by Edith and Jolly de Guzman at Descanso Gardens. Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity, with installations throughout the gardens and in the galleries. Featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, the exhibition invites visitors to connect with—and cultivate appreciation for—the vital role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
When: The exhibition runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership.
Location: Sturt Haaga Gallery, Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Hosted by: Descanso Gardens, with curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman. This exhibition and its programs were curated in partnership with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability, TreePeople, USDA Forest Service, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Nature of Cities, Avenue 50 Studio, USC Public Exchange, Dashboard.Earth, and Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.

Roots of Cool Curator Tours
2025-07-12 11:00 - 14:00 | Descanso Gardens
Artwork by Robin Lasser, Postcards to a Cooler Future
See the Roots of Cool exhibit through new eyes as curators Edith and Jolly de Guzman conduct a tour of the exhibition on July 12 at 11am and 1pm.
Why attend: Curators will explore the topic of shade equity, an issue that disproportionately affects working-class neighborhoods with a lack of trees, and how providing shade can be done effectively in many creative ways.
Cost: Included in the price of admission or membership, no event reservations required. See event page here.
When: Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 11:00am-12:00pm & 1:00pm-2:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

Made in the Shade Event at Descanso Gardens
2025-07-25 16:30 - 19:00 | Descanso Gardens
Experience the Descanso Gardens in a whole new way through Cultivate, a monthly series that features tours, workshops, live demonstrations, and music throughout the gardens. July’s theme “Made in the Shade,” will compliment the exhibition Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World, which features curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman.
Why attend: Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity as installations throughout the gardens and in the gallery, featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, invite visitors to connect to and cultivate appreciation for the life-giving role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
Cost: Entry to this event is included in the price of admission or membership, no event registration required. See event page here.
When: Friday, July 25, 2025, from 4:30-7:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

Schedule:
Thermogram Photo Booth

Use a specialized photo booth that uses infrared technology to capture heat signatures and bodily heat maps.
4:30–7pm

Summer Tree Care Workshop

Summer in Los Angeles County can get HOT. Learn about how to help your trees beat the heat in this workshop.
5–5:45pm
6–6:45pm

Heat Scavenger Hunt

Led by Descanso Gardens docents, explore the gardens with the use of a digital thermometer to explore heat and climatic zones.
4:30–7pm

Hands-on Craft

Get crafty with us at Cultivate!
4:30–7pm

Ask an Expert

Meet a member of the Horticultural department and ask any questions you might have.
4:30–7pm

Flashdance DJs

Enjoy a mix of classic hits and contemporary songs by our popular guest DJs.
4:30–7pm

A Celebration of Cool, part of the Roots of Cool Art Exhibition
2025-08-02 10:00 - 16:00 | Descanso Gardens
In conjunction with the Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World exhibition, celebrate shade throughout Los Angeles at A Celebration of Cool! This day-long event will include panel discussions on shade equity, a thermal imaging booth, a heat scavenger hunt, a giant puppet parade, tree give-aways, art workshops and more.
Why attend: These educational, action-oriented events will offer activities for the whole family and invite everyone to take action. Roots of Cool explores the topic of shade equity as installations throughout the gardens and in the gallery, featuring 13 women artists and an art collective, invite visitors to connect to and cultivate appreciation for the life-giving role trees play in making urban neighborhoods livable.
Cost: Entry to this event is included in the price of admission or membership, no event registration required. See event page here.
When: Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 10:00am-4:00pm
Location: Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Hosted by: Descanso Gardens, with curation by Edith de Guzman of UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and Jolly de Guzman. This exhibition and its programs were curated in partnership with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability, TreePeople, USDA Forest Service, Arroyo Arts Collective, The Nature of Cities, Avenue 50 Studio, USC Public Exchange, Dashboard.Earth, and Accelerate Resilience Los Angeles.
Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World runs from July 12-October 12, 10am-4pm daily at the Sturt Haaga Gallery, the Boddy House, and throughout the Gardens. Entry to the exhibition is included in the price of admission or membership. Learn more here.

How Does Your Drinking Water System Compare? A Webinar and Demo on UCLA’s New Water Atlas
2025-10-07 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
Discover how 663 Southern California’s water systems perform on water quality, affordability, and other important factors.
Join us for a webinar introducing UCLA’s newly launched 2025 Southern California Community Water Systems Atlas. This report and interactive map analyze 663 community water systems serving 40% of the state’s population, giving policymakers, researchers, and communities an unmatched tool to track water system performance and target solutions. The webinar will include an overview of findings, a live demo of the mapping tool, and a moderated discussion on the implications for advancing the Human Right to Water.
Why Attend: See how SoCal water systems stack up and learn about opportunities for improvement. By making outcomes transparent, this new tool from UCLA can help policymakers, water managers, researchers, and community advocates tackle affordability, water quality, and climate challenges.
When: Tuesday, Oct 7, 2025, at 12:00-1:00 PM Pacific Time
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Register Here
Hosts:
Edith de Guzman, Water Equity and Adaptation Policy Cooperative Extension Specialist, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Gregory Pierce, Senior Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Lauren Dunlap, Project Manager of Energy Equity Research, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Panelists:
Max Gomberg, Independent Consultant on Water Affordability and Resilience and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation Advisory Board Member
Michael Rincon, MPP, Research and Policy Manager, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles
Itzel Vasquez-Rodriguez, Project Manager, Rural Community Assistance Corporation

Los Angeles Business Council's 19th Annual Sustainability Summit
2025-10-09 07:00 - 15:00 | Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
Save the date for the Los Angeles Business Council’s 19th Annual Sustainability Summit. A high-level convening of business, government and nonprofit leaders transitioning to a dynamic, clean energy economy. See day-of agenda here.
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025
Time: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (PDT)
Location: Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
Hosted by: Los Angeles Business Council

Event Contact: Rali Mladenova, rmladenova@labusinesscouncil.org
Register here

Environmental Graduate Student Networking Reception 2025
2025-10-14 17:00 - 19:00 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3rd Floor Commons & Patio (3383), 337 Charles E. Young Dr. East, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
All UCLA graduate students interested in environmental justice, sustainability, and climate resilience are invited to our free, cross-campus mixer!
When: Tuesday, October 14 from 5-7 PM
Where: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3rd Floor Patio and Commons (3383)
What to Expect:

Discover student funding opportunities, jobs, internships, and campus resources
Connect with peers who share your passion for the environment
Enjoy appetizers and drinks in a relaxed setting
Meet professionals and experts offering insights to support your academic and career journey

RSVP: Eventbrite registration is required to attend. This event is free and open to UCLA-affiliated students, staff, and faculty. Sign up here today to join us!
Hosted by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation in collaboration with partners across campus
Campus Partners:
UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Center for Impact (UCLA Anderson School of Management)
Graduate Student Water Resources Group (IOES)
Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (UCLA School of Law)
UCLA Campus Sustainability
Register Here

Protecting Children from Extreme Heat at School: A Legislative Briefing Webinar
2025-12-11 10:00 - 11:00 | CA
UndauntedK12, Ten Strands, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the UC Santa Barbara 2035 Initiative are pleased to invite you to a virtual legislative briefing, Protecting Children from Extreme Heat at School: What California Policymakers Can Do To Protect Students.
Join us, and be some of the first to hear about:

The latest research on extreme heat in schools and its impacts on health and learning
Real stories from the classroom
Actionable policy solutions for legislators, including existing funding pots

When: Thursday, December 11, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UndauntedK12, Ten Strands, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the UC Santa Barbara 2035 Initiative.
Register Here

Policymaking Under Uncertainty: Zone 0 and Vegetation Clearance
2025-12-12 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
The UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge invites you to join Living with Future Fire: Getting to Research-Informed Policymaking for Fire-Resilience, a series of three webinars featuring experts unpacking the complicated natural and institutional dynamics at play as we work toward a more fire resilient Southern California.
The first webinar, titled Policymaking Under Uncertainty: Zone 0 and Vegetation Clearance, will feature a panel of experts that bring a diverse range of knowledge to help answer questions about what is—and, crucially, what isn’t—known about the role vegetation, the built environment, and other factors play in fire spread.
When: Friday, December 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge
Moderated by: Nurit Katz, UCLA Chief Sustainability Officer
Featuring:

Edith de Guzman, Water Equity and Adaptation Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension
Travis Longcore, Senior Associate Director, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Max Moritz, Statewide Wildfire Specialist, UC Cooperative Extension
Alessandro Ossola, Associate Professor, UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences

Register Here

COP 30: Postpartum or Postmortem?
2026-01-14 12:00 - 15:00 | CA
The UCLA Latin American Institute, the UCLA Center for Brazilian Studies, and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation invite you to join COP 30: Postpartum or Postmortem?, a webinar roundtable offering a critical retrospective on the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30) held in Belém, Brazil.
This panel will examine the outcome of COP 30, which brought over 56,000 delegates to the Amazonian city of Belém to coordinate a global response to climate change. This COP featured breakaway countries headed up by Colombia and the Netherlands who are committed to rethinking climate action beyond the confines imposed by obstructionist petrostates. Each of the panelists, who come from a range of academic disciplines and activist groups, has a unique perspective and long experience with climate dialogues, COPs, and climate politics. Did COP 30 truly incorporate a wide range of perspectives, or did the agendas of governments and corporate lobbyists take center stage? What prospects are there for meaningful action to mitigate the effects of climate change?
When: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 from 12:00-3:00 PM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
Presented by: UCLA Latin American Institute, UCLA Center for Brazilian Studies, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Moderator: Susanna Hecht, Professor of Urban Planning and Director of Brazilian Studies, UCLA
Panelists:

Dan Kammen, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Department of Civil and Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
Raoni Rajão, Associate Professor, Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Simone Athayde, Research Integrity Lead, World Resources Institute
Sassan Saatchi, Senior Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Ben Kantner, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Geography, UCLA

Register Here

CalHeatScore Webinar #5: Training Materials and Resources for Users
2026-01-28 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
Please join us for the fifth of six webinars on the California Communities Extreme Heat Scoring System (CalHeatScore). The purpose of the CalHeatScore Webinar Series is to help users learn about the State of California’s new heat warning system. These webinars cover what CalHeatScore does, the data it includes, and how it can be used.
In this session, participants will learn about new CalHeatScore supporting materials and how these resources can be utilized to advance extreme heat planning across the state.
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
Where: Register here to receive the Zoom link to attend.
This series is a partnership effort between the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), the Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC), and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
For more information about CalHeatScore, please visit: https://calheatscore.calepa.ca.gov/.

Luskin Summit 2026: Building Power Through Local Solutions
2026-04-15 07:30 - 14:30 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
The 2026 Luskin Summit, “Building Power Through Local Solutions,” will examine how California communities can build power to address vulnerability through locally driven policy action that advances equity, and well-being. The Summit will emphasize that lasting change comes not from one-size-fits-all approaches, but from empowering local governments, institutions, and communities to shape solutions that reflect their needs and strengths. Learn more here.

The Luskin Center for Innovation will be organizing two panels in the Environmental Health and Justice session track:

Bringing Relief to Plastic-Burdened Communities
Advancing Shade Solutions During LA’s Mega-Event Era

Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: UCLA Luskin Conference Center
Registration:

Before March 1: $50 general admission | $15 for UCLA students
After March 1: $60 general admission | $20 for UCLA students

Register Here

Sessions
Opening Plenary
Track 1: California’s Housing Strategy
Track 2: Environmental Health and Justice
Track 3: Transportation Security
Track 4: Roots of Socio-Economic Vulnerability and Prosperity
Closing Plenary
Schedule
Check-In and Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks: 8:15 a.m.
Opening Plenary: 8:25 a.m.
Breakout Discussions, Round 1: 9:35 a.m.
Breakout Discussions, Round 2: 10:45 a.m.
Closing Session: 12 noon
Networking Lunch: 1:15 p.m.
Featured Presenters

Government officials and civic leaders
Decision-makers in politics and business
UCLA scholars
Difference-makers in the nonprofit and philanthropic spheres

Thinking Gender 2026: Feminist and Queer Ecologies
2026-04-17 09:00 - 18:00 | James West Alumni Center, UCLA
Thinking Gender 2026 will feature a full day of graduate student presentations highlighting innovative research at the intersections of gender, sexuality, and the environment. The conference will include a keynote address by Cutcha Risling Baldy (Cal Poly Humboldt; NAS Rou Dalagurr Food Sovereignty Lab & Traditional Ecological Knowledges Institute), whose work centers Indigenous feminisms, land relations, and food sovereignty. More information here.
When: Friday, April 17, 2026, 9am to 6pm, Pacific Time
Where: James West Alumni Center, UCLA Campus
Presented by: UCLA Center for the Study of Women | Barbara Streisand Center
Featuring: Keynote Speaker Cutcha Risling Baldy (Cal Poly Humboldt)
Registration is free.
Register Here

Book Talk with Dr. Jesse M. Keenan on North: The Future of Post-Climate America
2026-04-27 12:30 - 13:45 | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 2343, 337 Charles E. Young Dr., Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join us as Dr. Jesse M. Keenan discusses his new book, North: The Future of Post-Climate America (Oxford University Press), which explores how climate change is shaping the physical and demographic future of the United States. North documents a new era marked by shifts in population that are transforming everything from the physical landscape of cities to electoral politics. At the dawning of this post-climate era, emergent geographies of risk and opportunity are coming into focus as a consequence of both physical climate impacts and the adaptations of market economies.
When: Monday, April 27 from 12:30-1:45pm PT
Where: UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Room 2343
What to Expect:

Hear an engaging talk from Dr. Jesse M. Keenan
Complimentary copies of North will be available at the start of the event (while supplies last)
Connect with peers who share your passion for the environment
Enjoy light refreshments throughout the event

RSVP: This event is free. Registration is required to attend. Sign up today to join us!
Hosted by: UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Register Here

About the Book
North: The Future of Post-Climate America offers a critical reframing of adaptation science and the role that people, markets, and public institutions play in shaping human mobility and the capacity of American communities to adapt. With fast-moving markets and slow-moving governments, everyday people are caught in the crosshairs. While some will seek to preserve the status quo, others will relocate from places that are increasingly uninhabitable, too risky, or too expensive for permanent settlement. As the era of Sun Belt migration comes to an end and climate impacts accelerate, everything from local relocations to transcontinental climate migrations are already well underway.
At the same time, new geographies of opportunity are receiving zones for those who are seeking a more sustainable and less precarious way of life. North is not just a collection of scientific observations and projections about America’s future in the face of climate change. It is also a projection of optimism about America’s capacity for decarbonization, environmental stewardship, and population mobility.

About the Author

Jesse M. Keenan is the Favrot II Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning and the Director of the Center on Climate Change and Urbanism at Tulane University. Keenan’s research focuses on the intersection of climate change adaptation and the built environment, including aspects of applied science, design, regulation, and planning. Keenan has previously advised agencies of the U.S. government, governors, mayors, Fortune 500 companies, technology ventures, community enterprises, and international NGOs. Keenan formerly served as the Director and Area Head for Real Estate and the Built Environment on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Design and as the Research Director of the Center for Urban Real Estate on the faculty of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University.

Drought, Disaster, and Decision-Making: Can a Crisis Be Averted in the Colorado River Basin?
2026-05-08 09:00 - 12:00 | 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

Opening Remarks
Panel 1: Setting the Stage – The State of the River
Panel 2: Demystifying the Negotiations Process
Panel 3: Approaches for a More Resilient River
Panel 4: Where We Go From Here
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, Director, California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego
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, John Muir Memorial Chair in Geography; Director, White Mountain Research Center, UCLA Distinguished Professor, UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
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
Related Articles
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