After completing all coursework and successfully passing the written and oral qualifying exams upon completion of year two, students advance to doctoral candidacy and embark on their doctoral residency and dissertation.
In year three, students begin residencies at businesses, regulatory agencies, private consulting firms, environmental groups, non-profit organizations, government and non-government organizations. The residency provides practical experience in environmental analysis and management, as well as the opportunity to conduct dissertation research under the supervision of a UCLA doctoral committee.
Successful completion of the dissertation and residency results in the award of the Doctorate in Environmental Science and Engineering (D.Env.).
The residency and associated research during the residency are a unique feature of the ESE program. Securing a residency in the desired field is therefore a top priority and preparation toward that goal begins at the start of the program. The residency preparation program has been developed collaboratively with Graduate Career Services (GCS) at the UCLA Career Center and involves a series of workshops and activities for ESE students. The program includes a series of benchmarks designed to help students secure a placement for their residency by the summer after their second year.
Example Host Institutions for ESE Residents
| Host Institution |
| Pacific Institute |
| Tetra Tech |
| Orange County Water District |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles |
| South Coast Air Quality Management District |
| Southern California Edison |
| Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority |
| Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board |
| NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| CalEPA Department of Toxic Substances Control |
| Metropolitan Water District |
ESE Dissertation
An Environmental Science and Engineering dissertation must be scholarly and original work applied towards solving a significant environmental problem. As with Solutions Courses, dissertations typically address policy as well as technical dimensions of a particular problem. The dissertation is usually completed in 18-36 months.
Recent Dissertation Titles
- Robert Reny. 2024.
“Informing Water Conservation Initiatives Using Remotely Sensed Data“
Alvar Escriva-Bou, Richard Ambrose, Co-Chairs - Regina Adigwe. 2024.
“Odor Control of Wastewater Sludge Drying and Sludge Hydrolysis Processes“
Mel Suffet, Chair - Oscar Neyra Nazarrett. 2023.
“Using a multi-satellite synergy algorithm and a chemical transport model to assess the environmental impact of a disaster: The case of the wildfires of 2020“
Pablo Saide Peralta, Miriam Marlier, Co-Chairs - Jennifer Aleman-Zometa. 2023.
“How people and wildlife use urban nature parks in Los Angeles“
Richard Ambrose, Chair - Lia Protopapadikis Flynn. 2023.
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Regulatory Program in Ocean and Coastal Waters“
Richard Ambrose, Chair - Maggie Isied. 2023.
“An Evaluation of Methods and Technology to Estimate Localized Environmental and Health Impacts from Air Pollution and Pesticide Use“
Tim Malloy, Chair - Shannon Pankratz. 2022.
“Assessing the Functions and Services of Non-Perennial Waters in Arid Regions“
Richard Ambrose, Chair - Sonali Abraham. 2022.
“Assessing the Potential of Urban Water Efficiency: with Focus on Outdoor Efficiency and the Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII) Sector“
Mark Gold and Jennifer Jay, Co-Chairs - Li Zhang. 2021.
“Achieving the ‘Dual Targets’ of CO2 Emission Reduction and Air Quality Improvement for Chinese Cities“
Yifang Zhu, Chair