We uplift the work of about 50 students a year in a way that also supports our civic partners
and advances goals for environmental equity. Please see examples of this financial and mentorship support, below,
and then consider joining us in supporting emerging environmental leaders.
Are you a student interested in applying to these opportunities? Learn more on our Student Opportunities page.
This program provides financial support and professional connections for students to work with EJ organizations and other civic leaders to advance goals for more livable and prosperous places. This fellowship is part of the Luskin Center for Innovation’s (LCI) commitment to partner organizations and support for first-generation Bruins, students of color, and other emerging environmental leaders.
Current and recent community partners:
If your organization advances environmental justice and is interested in hosting a fellow/intern, contact Colleen Callahan, co-executive director, at ccallahan@luskin.ucla.edu for more details about criteria and expectations.
Lesly Figueroa
Lesly is working with San Bernardino-based The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice to support their water justice advocacy work in the Inland Empire. She is researching water quality issues and identifying community advocacy opportunities. Lesly is a graduate student in the master of urban and regional planning program with a background in policy advocacy, strategic communications, and community organizing.
Adriana Ochoa
Adriana is a fellow with The Greenlining Institute, where she is assisting community-based organizations in the City of Pomona to apply for funding to bring climate resources to underinvested areas. Adriana is pursuing a master of urban and regional planning, rooted in climate justice and resilience.
Dilia Ortega
As a fellow with the Better World Group, Dilia is supporting equity-centered clean transportation coalitions and policy campaigns. Dilia is a master of urban and regional planning student 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.
We offer research fellowships to prospective UCLA graduate students, also with a focus on first-generation Bruins, students of color, and other underrepresented groups. Fellows receive guaranteed employment at LCI conducting research to inform environmental policy.
Current fellows (in alphabetical order) include:
Jazz is motivated to bring sports into the sustainability conversation so that local governments can better provide resilient and accessible places for people of all abilities to be active safely. As a Urban and Regional Planning master student, he recently joined LCI’s heat equity team to study the intersection of urban heat and sports and how the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics can be used as a catalyst for increasing local heat resiliency.
An astrophysicist through undergrad, Michael redirected his studies to environmental policy. As a Public Policy master student, he recently joined LCI’s water team to highlight knowledge and data gaps in the Los Angeles water sector and how it may exacerbate other environmental justice issues.
Itzel, a Public Policy master student, is working with the UCLA Human Right to Water Solutions Lab to advance research, advocacy, and projects related to the human right to water. Her life’s calling is to work toward a California where everyone has access to safe and affordable drinking water.
Each year LCI provides financial support for students’ capstone projects, allowing them to expand the scope of their applied environmental justice or sustainability projects.
Below are members of one team we recently advised and supported with a Graduate Research Grant. In partnership with the California Strategic Growth Council, this team of master in public policy students assessed how the state’s Transformative Climate Communities Program can provide lessons for federal agencies seeking to achieve the Justice40 Initiative, President Biden’s commitment to bring the benefits of climate, clean energy, and other infrastructure investments to disadvantaged communities. See a summary of their work and final report: “Pathways to Advance Equity in Federal Programs.”
Lana Zimmerman
Lana’s professional experience spans many fields, including the arts, education, and politics. She has been a researcher for the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, and she currently works with the US Conference of Mayors, exploring the possibilities of urban development in the Metaverse. In the Fall, Lana will be a researcher for the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
Lauren Dunlap
Lauren focuses on climate justice and aspires to work on community-driven policy to help Californians prepare for heat, drought, and other climate impacts. Lauren works at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, contributing to a diverse array of projects. She has a passion for using visuals and simple language to make complex information accessible for everyone.
Lindsey Cain
Lindsey focuses on environmental policy and climate change, using her knowledge of the social implications of climate change to make meaningful change within local governments. She currently works as a Management Aide in the City Manager’s Office at the City of Torrance. In this role, Lindsey works on a variety of projects, including planning for emergency management.
Maya Gutierrez
Maya focuses on environmental justice, energy and water policy. Her background has spanned various fields from archaeology to education. She currently works for the policy development and public relations company, IDEATE California as a Graduate Fellow. In this position she works on projects in the policy areas of utilities and sustainability.
Sonia Zamora
Sonia focuses on social policy and is interested in environmental policy, especially as it pertains to underserved communities. She is currently working with a nonprofit and a foundation on issues of supportive housing and youth justice, respectively. In the fall, Sonia will study environmental politics and climate crises at the Hertie School in Berlin.
Please help us support emerging environmental leaders shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.
To discuss these opportunities, please contact Colleen Callahan, co-executive director, at ccallahan@luskin.ucla.edu.