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

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

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

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

10:45-11:45 a.m.

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

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

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

Sponsors (to date)

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

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

Heat Equity Planning: Perspectives from Engaged Research and City Leaders on Partnerships to Advance Resilience for All
2023-05-15 12:15 - 14:15 | UCLA Public Affairs Building, Room 2343 337 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
The climate crisis is increasingly felt in communities across California and the nation. But studies find that the impacts of urban heat are particularly severe in areas formerly targeted for disinvestment through redlining.
What are large cities like LA doing in response and what else needs to be done to ensure heat resilience for all? How can UCLA and the broader research community help inform emerging city heat planning and cooling efforts to address past and future injustices?
REGISTER NOW
Speakers

CJ Gabbe, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Santa Clara University; and Visiting Scholar, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Michelle Gallarza, Master of Urban and Regional Planning Student, UCLA
Sara Hughes, Associate Professor Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan; Visiting Scholar, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Miguel Miguel, Master in Urban and Regional Planning Student, UCLA
Marta Segura, Chief Heat Officer and Director, Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, City of Los Angeles
Gregory Pierce, Co-Director, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Promotional Partners

Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability (LARC)
UCLA Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment
UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge (SLCRC)
UCLA Water Resources Group

21st Annual Mayoral Housing, Transportation & Jobs Summit
2023-05-19 07:00 - 15:00 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Join our partner the Los Angeles Business Council for an event focused on how to achieve Los Angeles’ Housing Element goals, how to scale solutions to prevent the proliferation of people experiencing homelessness, the impact of federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on transportation infrastructure and housing and much more!
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Speakers
Confirmed speakers for this year include: Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, Mayor of Sacramento Darrell Steinberg, Secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Lourdes M. Castro Ramírez, President & CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco Teresa Bryce Bazemore, UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene Block, CEO of Los Angeles World Airports Justin Erbacci, CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Stephanie Wiggins, and Founding & Vice Chair of the LABC and Trustee of The Rosaline and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Richard S. Ziman.
Schedule

7:00 am – 8:00 am: Breakfast and Registration
8:00 am – 3 pm: Planned Programming

Event Host
Los Angeles Business Council
Event Co-Chairs

Bank of America
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
California Community Foundation
FHL Bank San Francisco
Fivepoint
Wells Fargo
Weingart Foundation
The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation

Sustainability Summit
2023-09-22 07:00 - 15:00 | University of Southern California, Town & Gown, 665 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90089
Join us for a convening of leaders hosted by our partners at the Los Angeles Business Council and USC. This year’s Sustainability Summit will address our clean energy future, revitalizing our buildings with carbon free power, water resources and drought, achieving a new all-electric transportation sector, and much more.
Learn more about the heavy-hitting agenda and list of speakers here.

Environmental Graduate Students Mixer
2023-10-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Luskin School of Public Affairs 337 Charles E Young Drive East 3rd Floor Commons Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
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.
With food and drinks provided, this reception will provide a relaxed and informal atmosphere, fostering meaningful conversations and potential collaborations. You’ll have the chance to meet professionals and experts in the field 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.
Register today to guarantee your spot, and get ready to network, learn, and have a great time at this reception event!
Event Collaborators at UCLA:

Campus Sustainability
Center for Healthy Climate Solutions
Center for Impact and Impact @ Anderson
Emmett Institute on Climate Change & the Environment
Graduate Student Water Resources Group
Institute of the Environment and Sustainability
Luskin Center for Innovation (main host)

Sustainability Success Stories: Alumnae at the Forefront
2023-11-01 12:15 - 13:30 | 5391 Luskin School of Public Affairs, United States
This event will feature a panel of accomplished alumnae who have blazed trails in the sustainability arena. Their experience, expertise, and success stories will inspire and empower fellow alumnae, current students, and aspiring professionals.
Register
What to Expect:

Light food and refreshments will be provided.
Networking opportunities with fellow panelists and attendees.
Our panelists will discuss their sustainability journey, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the path to success.
They will share insights and strategies for lasting impact in sustainability and related fields.

Protecting Student Health and Learning with Heat-Resilient Schools
2023-12-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom Webinar
This event has passed. Access the recording here.
The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, Ten Strands, and Undaunted K12 invite you to a Virtual Policy Forum: Protecting Student Health and Learning with Heat-Resilient Schools. Come learn about the impacts of extreme heat on our students and school communities, understand evidence-based strategies for heat-resilient schools, and gather ideas for impactful policy opportunities in California and beyond.
Extreme heat is a growing problem for California’s schools. Classroom and school yard temperatures can reach unhealthy levels and prevent students from learning, playing, and thriving on hot days. This is especially a problem in certain school districts, as illustrated in a heat mapping tool created by the Public Health Alliance of Southern California and the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI). Dr. Kelly Turner of LCI will be presenting on her research, policy brief, and factsheets that detail solutions for protecting Californians with heat-resilient schools.
Meanwhile, new federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act is available to help schools adapt to extreme heat. Sara Ross from UndauntedK12 will be sharing about how school districts can leverage these uncapped funds to bring in millions of dollars for ground source heat pump HVAC systems and microgrid systems (solar + storage). Both of these options are critical components of extreme heat adaptation in schools while ensuring schools can mitigate the root cause by decarbonizing their infrastructure.
Finally, Jonathan Klein from UndauntedK12 will be sharing other ideas legislators, legislative staff, and agency leaders should consider to adapt to and mitigate extreme heat at schools. Andra Yeghoian from Ten Strands will be moderating this exciting conversation.

Dr. Khalid Osman Lecture: Operationalization of Equity in the Drinking Water Sector
2024-02-07 13:00 - 14:30 | Room 4537, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 337 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Please RSVP to the event here.
Join us at the Luskin School of Public Affairs for an engaging talk on “System Consolidations and the Operationalization of Equity in the Drinking Water Sector” presented by Dr. Khalid Osman, an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. Dr. Osman, who completed his Ph.D. at the University of Texas in 2022, will discuss his recent work on water system consolidation, broader equity metrics analysis in the U.S., and the operationalization of equity in water sector infrastructure. This talk is a must-attend for those interested in decentralized water and sanitation systems, water affordability, and the role of stakeholder-community engagement in building sustainable civil infrastructure for environmental justice.
Additional Details:

Lunch will be served. Please RSVP at the registration link to confirm your seat.
For any questions regarding the event, please contact wrgucla@gmail.com.

Transformative Action: UCLA Luskin at UC Center Sacramento
2024-02-14 09:00 - 12:30 | UC Center Sacramento, 1115 11th St Sacramento, United States
UCLA Luskin 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 help drive transformative action that produces policy solutions for California. To further this effort, the School will present its inaugural UCLA Luskin Briefing at the UC Center Sacramento on Feb. 14, 2024.
UCLA FACULTY PRESENTATIONS:
Changing How — and Where — Californians Get Their Water: UCLA Luskin researchers have examined which strategies work best for cities coping with dwindling water resources amid climate change. Research efforts that analyze water policy in six major metropolitan areas can guide legislators toward the best decisions on major statewide investments as California transitions from reliance on imported water to increased usage of nontraditional sources like recycled water, stormwater collection and desalination. Presented by Greg Pierce, adjunct associate professor of urban panning; co-executive director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Responding to Homelessness Through Land Use and Zoning Policy: A Fair Housing Land Use Score developed at UCLA measures the extent to which local regulations promote inclusion across neighborhoods. The Southern California scorecard shows most city zoning and housing plans do not advance fair housing goals, in some cases exacerbating rather than reversing segregation. Excluding new housing from desirable neighborhoods likely contributes to housing scarcity and unaffordability, while increasing the risk of homelessness. Presented by Michael Lens, associate professor of urban planning and public policy; associate faculty director, Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
OTHER PRESENTERS
Current legislators, representatives of government agencies and other policy experts will provide insights during the panel discussion and Q&A sessions to follow. This event is also envisioned as a listening opportunity. If you’re involved in policymaking in Sacramento, please contact us about attending and encourage your colleagues to do so as well. We look forward to hearing your suggestions relating to legislative priorities that would benefit from UCLA research.
SCHEDULE
Check-In and Breakfast: 9 a.m.
Opening Remarks: 9:30 a.m.
Panel 1: 9:45 a.m.
Networking break: 10:45 a.m.
Panel 2: 11 a.m.
Closing Remarks: noon
INQUIRE ABOUT ATTENDING

Luskin Summit 2024: Transformative Action
2024-04-17 07:30 - 14:30 | UCLA Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center
The sixth annual Luskin Summit will feature a keynote presentation and the unveiling of our annual poll about life in Los Angeles, plus six breakout discussions. Speakers and details will be announced as the day draws closer:
9:30-10:30 a.m.

Cooling Strategies for an Active L.A. in a Warming World
Understanding the Diversity of the Los Angeles Electorate
Advancing Universal Basic Mobility for those in need: L.A.’s Mobility Wallet Pilot

10:45-11:45 a.m.

Transformative Climate Communities in the L.A. Region
Los Angeles City Council Considers Major Changes
A Capital Improvement Program for Los Angeles

Detailed descriptions of these and other breakout sessions can be found on the Luskin Summit registration site. Space is limited for this public event.
REGISTER NOW
Schedule

Check-in and Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
Opening Remarks: 8:15 a.m.
Results of the Quality of Life Index: 8:30 a.m
Breakout Sessions: 9:30-11:45 a.m.
Keynote Session on Homelessness: 12:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch: 1:15 p.m.

Sponsors (to date)

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Bank of America
David Bohnett Foundation
Wasserman Foundation
Weingart Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
HealthNet
The California Wellness Foundation
California Community Foundation
KABC-TV, Media Partner

The 22nd Annual LABC Mayoral Housing, Transportation and Jobs Summit: Solutions for a More Livable Future
2024-05-10 07:30 - 15:30 | UCLA Meyer & Renee Luskin Conference Center, 425 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, United States
Following significant policy changes in the past year to housing, homelessness and mobility sectors at the local, regional and state levels, this year’s LABC Mayoral Housing Transportation & Jobs Summit will bring together top officials and business leaders to analyze these changes and chart the path forward to improve the livability and economic competitiveness of our region and state.

Register
Join us as we discuss

Mayoral actions to combat the housing and homelessness crises in cities across California
Innovative mental health approaches addressing homelessness
Streamlining the development process to increase needed housing production
Shaping the future of mobility in L.A. leading up to the ’26 World Cup, ’27 Superbowl and ’28 Olympics

Schedule

7am : Breakfast & Registration
8am – 3:30pm : Program

What's on Tap: LA's Water Story, Source to Spigot
2024-07-13 15:45 - 17:45 | Avenue 50 Studio, 131 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park, 90042
Join us for the opening reception of “What’s on Tap: LA’s Water Story, Source to Spigot,” curated by Edith De Guzman and Jolly de Guzman. This event will feature a panel discussion on the water issues that most affect LA’s and California’s communities, including affordability, access to clean water, tap water (dis)trust, and where LA sources its water.
Panelists:

Candice Dickens-Russell, President & CEO, Friends of the Los Angeles River
Victor Griego, Founder, Water Education for Latino Leaders
Silvia R. González, Director of Research, UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute
Alesia Montgomery, Assistant Professor, UCLA Department of African American Studies and Institute of Environment and Sustainability

Moderator:

Gregory Pierce, Director, UCLA Water Resources Group

Event Details:

Date: July 13, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Panel discussion starts at 4:00 PM)
Location: Avenue 50 Studio, 131 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park, 90042

Partners:

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
UCLA Water Resources Group
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
Arroyo Arts Collective
Dear Antler

We look forward to seeing you there!

Urban Forestry for Changing Times: The Practice of Science and the Science of Practice
2024-09-05 08:00 - 17:00 | Angeles National Forest Headquarters (Supervisor’s Office), 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006
Register
Click here to register
Agenda:

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Check-in and Light Breakfast
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Main Program
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Networking Reception (Hosted by USC Public Exchange)

Join a diverse group of regional researchers, practitioners, and representatives from government and nonprofit organizations for a day of stimulating panel discussions and networking opportunities. Topics will include:

The state of urban forestry research
Science delivery & communication
Urban forest equity
Urban forest planning and management

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, September 5, 2024
Time: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM PDT
Location: Angeles National Forest Headquarters (Supervisor’s Office), 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006
Parking: Free parking is available at the venue. Carpooling is encouraged.

Confirmed Speakers:

Marianna Babboni, USC Urban Trees Initiative
Cindy Blain, California ReLeaf
Edith de Guzman, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation/UC Cooperative Extension
Francisco Escobedo, US Forest Service/LA Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability
Rebecca Ferdman, Los Angeles County
Amanda Hansen, California Natural Resources Agency
Darrel Jenerette, UC Riverside
Rachel Malarich, City of Los Angeles
Alessandro Ossola, UC Davis
Lara Roman, US Forest Service
Kirsten Schwarz, UCLA
Rachel Smith, US Forest Service
Jon Swae, City of San Francisco
Aaron Thomas, North East Trees

Co-Presented by:

We look forward to seeing you there!

18th Annual Sustainability Summit
2024-09-06 07:00 - 15:00 | Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
Sustainability Summit:
Date: Friday, September 6th
Time: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM (PDT)
Location: Town and Gown, University of Southern California (USC)
The 18th Annual Sustainability Summit will focus on meeting California’s clean energy goals, off-shore wind, hydrogen hub designation, expanding the western energy market, zero emission transportation, and leveraging federal incentives.
Click here for info
Keynote Speakers:

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla
Yana Garcia, California Secretary for Environmental Protection

Featured Speakers:

Janisse Quiñones, CEO and Chief Engineer, LADWP
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary, California Natural Resources
Dr. Carol Folt, President, University of Southern California
Evan Halper, Business Reporter, The Washington Post
Darcie L. Houck, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Richard Katz, President, LADWP Board of Commissioners
Eugene D. Seroka, Executive Director, Port of Los Angeles
Jason Barrett, Senior Vice President Sales, GAF Energy
Jonathan Silver, Chair, Global Climate Council at Apollo Global Management
Elliot Mainzer, CEO & President, California ISO
Nick Ellis, Principal, Amazon Climate Pledge Fund
Ryan Pfaff, Executive Vice President, Grid & Distribution Scale Power, EDF Renewables

Sponsors:
Co-Chairs: Walmart, FivePoint, Bank of America, USC, Southern California Edison
Gold Sponsors: Amazon, GAF Energy, United Airlines
Silver Sponsors: Cedars Sinai, Permacity, Southwestern Power Group, and others.
In Cooperation With:
UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI)
We look forward to seeing you there!

What's on Tap: Panel and Art Exhibit on LA's Water Story from Source....to Spigot
2024-09-29 15:00 - 18:00 | El Tranquilo Gallery, W-19 Olvera Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012, United States
The public is invited to a free event about the past, present and future of Los Angeles water
When: Sunday, September 29 from 3 – 6 pm
Where: El Tranquilo Gallery at W-19 Olvera Street, Los Angeles 90012
Event Features:

Panel discussion (see below for details);
Closing reception for the art exhibit “What’s On Tap: LA’s Water Story…Source to Spigot”;
Live music by Shoshana Ben-Horin; and
Blind water tasting where participants will be able to taste how the flavors of three brands of bottled water compare with each other and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power tap water.

Professor Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, will moderate the panel.
Panelists will include:
Edith de Guzman, who co-curated the art exhibit, and is the UC Cooperative Extension specialist for water equity and adaptation policy with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation;
Amanda Begley, watershed senior program manager for TreePeople;
Conner Everts, facilitator for the Environmental Water Caucus, executive director of the Southern California Watershed Alliance, and co-chair of the Desal Response Group; and
Mark Gold, director of water scarcity solutions for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Environmental Graduate Students Networking Reception
2024-10-29 17:00 - 19:00 | 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
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=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 1923 0848
Passcode: [REDACTED]

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.
