• Student Opportunities

Each year, we support about 50 students to conduct environmental policy research, further their professional development, and add capacity to community organizations and other civic partners advancing environmental sustainability and justice.

Job Opportunities: Conduct, communicate, or otherwise advance high-impact research with LCI faculty and staff, focused on shaping equitable environmental policies.

Application timeline: Rolling; contact staff directly to discuss opportunities
Eligibility: UCLA undergraduate and graduate students

Field Fellowship for Environmental Justice

This program continues LCI’s commitment to supporting first-generation Bruins, students of color, and other emerging environmental leaders. Through action-oriented projects, fellows learn from and collaborate with frontline communities to realize their goals for a more equitable, prosperous, and liveable environment. Fellows have a supervising mentor who provides project guidance and career advice.

Each year, we invite several nonprofit environmental justice partners to host fellows as interns. Current host organizations include: Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability, Pacoima Beautiful, and The Greenlining Institute. The fellowship can be used as part of a Luskin graduate student’s capstone project. Please identify which organization(s) and project(s) are of top interest in your application.

Award Amounts

    • $4,000 stipend for undergraduates who work at least 220 hours with their client
    • $7,500 stipend for graduate students who meet their department’s internship hour requirements during their final year or summer

Eligibility: Luskin undergraduate and graduate students

Selection criteria: The review committee evaluates candidates based on demonstrated commitment and leadership potential for environmental equity and justice, as well as fit with a partner organization. *This is a highly competitive fellowship program.

Apply by March 31 for the summer of 2024 or academic year 2024-2025

See below for current and recent fellows and host organizations.

Jerusha Rainy Kannula (she/her)

Jerusha worked with Pacoima Beautiful, where she supported their advocacy work in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. She researched and analyzed policy strategies to decarbonize accessory dwelling units and mobile home parks, improve residential energy efficiency, and promote sustainable housing. Jerusha is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy, where she hopes to use her experience in policy research to foster initiatives that mitigate climate change and advance environmental equity.

Kaylee Lee (she/they)

As a summer fellow for Greenlining Institute, Kaylee drafted a policy memo regarding immigrant access to zero-emission transportation programs and incentives. During the school year, she will extend her fellowship with Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability as a communications intern. Kaylee will support the organization’s community engagement campaigns to reach frontline communities. She is a rising fourth year undergraduate student majoring in public affairs with a minor in environmental systems and society.

Isabel Sheng (she/her)

Isabel will be a fellow for Pacoima Beautiful, where she will conduct a spatial analysis to visualize their work on strategies to decarbonize accessory dwelling units and mobile homes. She hopes to utilize spatial data as a tool to tell meaningful stories about Pacoima Beautiful’s environmental justice efforts in the community. Isabel is a rising fourth year undergraduate student majoring in environmental science with a minor in urban and regional studies.

Lesly Figueroa

Lesly Figueroa

Lesly worked with San Bernardino-based The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice to support their water justice advocacy work in the Inland Empire. She researched water quality issues and identified community advocacy opportunities. Lesly graduated from the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program with a background in policy advocacy, strategic communications, and community organizing.

Adriana Ochoa

Adriana was a fellow with The Greenlining Institute, where she assisted community-based organizations in the City of Pomona to apply for funding to bring climate resources to underinvested areas. Adriana received a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, rooted in climate justice and resilience.


Dilia Ortega

Dilia Ortega

As a fellow with the Better World Group, Dilia supported equity-centered clean transportation coalitions and policy campaigns. Dilia has a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree with a background in community organizing with the environmental justice organization Communities for Better Environment, where she advocated for the deployment of zero-emissions trucks and infrastructure along the 710 freeway corridor.

Abhilasha Bhola

Abhilasha is a fellow with the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, where she will focus on passing clean air regulation at the California Air Resources Board and conducting research on the warehousing industry in the Inland Empire. Abhilasha is pursuing a master in public policy, specializing in economic development and environmental policy.

Evelin Estrada

As a fellow with the Better World Group, Evelin will support equity-centered clean transportation campaigns. She brings experience in campaigning, policy analysis and geospatial information science to the role. Evelin is a master of public policy student concentrating in environmental and social policy.


Juan Flores

Juan will work with Better World Group, conducting research on zero-emission transportation policies to advance environmental equity campaigns. Juan is an undergraduate student with a public affairs major and public health minor. He is passionate about bridging these two fields to create long-term solutions for systemic issues to build healthy communities.

Lillian Liang

Lillian is a fellow with the Greenlining Institute, where she will collaborate with partners in San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys to build a peer-to-peer climate justice learning group. Her work will support community visions for climate resilience and equity. As an urban planning master’s student, Lillian is interested in the intersection of climate adaptation with environmental and social justice, and aims to build capacity in frontline communities of color to face climate change.

Austin Mendoza

As a fellow with the Sierra Club, Austin (he/him) will support building decarbonization efforts in Los Angeles. He will use an environmental justice lens while researching policies, creating communications campaigns, and participating in stakeholder meetings. Austin is pursuing a master’s degree in public policy, and he hopes to use his experiences in policy research and communications to advance environmental justice work in his career.

Leslie Velasquez

Leslie will work with the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice to support their air quality work in the Inland Empire. Leslie is a graduate student in the master of urban planning program with a background in policy research and environmental justice organizing.

Krystle Yu

As a fellow with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Krystle will be support  the organization’s intersectional work in community stability. She will be researching potential environmental gentrification linked to the proposed LA River Master Plan, and exploring commercial tenancy protections and resources. Krystle is a graduate student in the master of urban planning program.

Janet Zamudio

Janet will work with Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), conducting research on zero-emission transportation policies to advance environmental justice campaigns. Janet grew up in Southeast Los Angeles, where she first felt environmental injustice first-hand. Janet has a long-standing connection to CBE through her previous work as a youth environmental justice member, facilitator and legal intern. She is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in public affairs and geography.

Stephanie Andrade

While working with East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Stephanie Andrade joined a campaign to avoid housing displacement while realizing community-led visions for safe and healthy community spaces along the L.A. River. Stephanie, who grew up in Boyle Heights, graduated with a master’s degree in urban planning.

Sachi Cooper

Sachi Cooper interned with Pacoima Beautiful, creating an interactive mapping tool to advance environmental health and justice campaigns in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley. Sachi graduated with a bachelor’s degree in geography.

Deja McCauley

As a fellow with Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA, Deja McCauley researched bioremediation and brownfields in South Los Angeles. Her work contributed to a toolkit for residents, supporting community-led efforts to transform contaminated soil into healthy green spaces. Deja is pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning.

Linda Mitchell

Linda Mitchell worked with the Better World Group, conducting research on zero-emission transportation policies to advance environmental equity campaigns in collaboration with diverse coalitions. She also continued the focus on clean transportation as a fellow with Communities for a Better Environment. Linda graduated with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in public affairs with a minor in environmental systems and society.

Sarah Perez

While interning with Pacoima Beautiful, Sarah engaged with community stakeholders on environmental justice campaigns. She also used her policy analysis skills to conduct research on the Whiteman Airport and associated hazards such as aviation accidents, emissions, and noise pollution. Sarah graduated with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in public affairs and minoring in global studies.

Lana Zimmerman

Lana worked with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians in their Environmental Protection Division. In her position, she conducted policy research to support their sustainable land stewardship and land use planning. Lana grew up in the San Fernando Valley, the territorial land of the Fernandeño Tataviam, and is a graduate student in the Master of Public Policy program.

Aeden Keffelew

A public policy master student, Aeden interned with Kounkuey Design Initiative to use her filmmaking skills to document narratives from BIPOC Angelenos about the Pacoima Wash as an environmental and social amenity. Aeden also worked with us and the USC Schwarzenegger Institute to reduce the environmental footprint of film production.

Monika Shankar

As an urban and regional planning masters student, Monika assessed the progress of Clean Up Green Up in Los Angeles, one of the first environmental justice land use policies secured by grassroots groups. Monika’s work will inform actions by the LA Mayor Garcetti’s Office, her project client, to implement and potentially expand this landmark initiative.

Tayler Ward

A dual degree graduate student in public health and urban and regional planning, Tayler worked with the Luskin Center for Innovation and other civic collaborators to organize a symposium on how environmental policies and investments in California have impacted Black communities and what improvements could be made.

Apply

Graduate Research Grants

Luskin School graduate students can receive support for their theses, Applied Policy Projects, Applied Planning Research Projects, or other capstone project that otherwise would not be possible without financial or professional support.

Expectations and Award Amount

    • Funding for direct costs associated with the student-led research project, including report layout, design, publicity, and distribution
    • Funding to 501(c)3-6 community-based organizations involved in student-led community-driven research. This funding could be used to compensate staff for their time assisting or advising the student and community members who are sources of information.
    • Awards are typically up to $3,000, although LCI may consider awards of up to $5,000 on a case-by-case basis for an organization that is essential to novel research

Apply between November 1 to December 15, 2024 to be decided by mid-January 2025

See below for a list of past awardees.

Apply

Other Opportunities and Resources

LCI seeks to connect Bruins with external opportunities that can further their interest in environmental sustainability. The internships, research programs, and organizations below can provide students with opportunities to preserve and restore California’s environment.

UCLA Extension Global Sustainability’s Internship

West Environmental Justice Center’s Internships

Internships at EcoProjects.org

Internships at Global Green

Environment America’s Internships

New Energy Leaders Project

EPA Student Career Experience Program

Roosevelt Campus Network Undergraduate Research Opportunity

Switzer Environmental Fellowship

Echoing Green Fellowship

Whitehouse Fellows

EPA Student Fellowships 

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity

UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability