Science & Suds

We believe science belongs in community spaces — not just classrooms and conferences. That’s why we’re teaming up with Los Angeles Ale Works – Culver City for Science & Suds, a new series where CDLS Fellows bring their research beyond the university and into the community.

Join us for our first event on July 14 from 6:30 pm – 8 pm for engaging talks from Fellows tackling big questions about our environment, our communities, and our future.

Your $5 RSVP will be matched by LA Ale Works to support student fellowships at CDLS, turning good beer and great conversation into real impact. RSVPs aren’t required, but space is limited, and an RSVP helps us plan (and maximize the donation!).

Interested in attending? RSVP here! 

Please note: this is a 21+ event

We believe science belongs in community spaces — not just classrooms and conferences. That’s why we’re teaming up with Los Angeles Ale Works – Culver City for Science & Suds, a new series where CDLS Fellows bring their research beyond the university and into the community.

Interested in giving a talk? Fill out this form!

Katherine V. Hernandez

Charisma, Celebrity, and Cougars: Did P-22 change a whole city’s idea of mountain lions?

The local celebrity cougar, P-22, gained a lot of attention for the plight of local LA cougars, and many say his story is a big reason why people’s perspectives on pumas have changed in the city. But, did one cat really change an entire city’s view on mountain lions, or is there more to this story? To answer this question, I, and a team of undergraduate researchers, are reading through almost thirty years of newspaper articles to understand – what happened here, and how we can apply it to ongoing human-wildlife coexistence efforts?

Katherine V. Hernandez (she/her) is a Ph.D. Candidate at UCLA with the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES). She studies human-wildlife coexistence by bringing together scholarship from ecology, animal movement studies, and storytelling. She hopes to apply this research to future restoration and reintroduction projects that consider people’s relationships to nature as integral to successful conservation.

Rob ‘Bear’ Ulrich

From Pearls to Climate Proxies: How Marine Creatures Turn Seawater into Crystals—and What Their Chemistry Reveals About Earth’s Past and Future

I study how oysters, corals, and other calcifiers build their shells and skeletons. By measuring the chemistry of carbonate minerals, my work uncovers the hidden stories of temperature, acidity, and even ancient CO₂ are locked inside tiny crystals. I’ll share the surprising chemistry behind pearls, why some shells grow stronger in acidifying oceans while others falter, and how this science helps us forecast climate change.

Rob “Bear” Ulrich (they/he) is a scientist, storyteller, and movement strategist working at the intersection of identity, research, and justice. Trained as a chemist, Rob now applies data science and machine learning to tackle big questions in geochemistry, from environmental change on Earth to the search for life on other planets. Outside the lab, Bear is the Assistant Director of UCLA’s CDLS, which helps lead nationally recognized programs that support environmental justice leaders and fight for equity in science. Bear co-founded the Reclaiming STEM Institute, a nonprofit that’s trained over 500 early-career researchers in inclusive science communication and policy. You may have heard Bear on podcasts like Ologies, ExoLore, and StoryCollider, or seen them speaking at events like AGU, CA Academy of Sciences, and community forums across LA. Their superpower? Translating complex science into stories that spark curiosity, build community, and drive change.

Location

Los Angeles Ale Works – Culver City
8809 Washington Blvd, Suite 132
Culver City, CA 90232

Please note Los Angeles Ale Works has multiple venues. This event is at the Culver City location. See the image below to see where to park and how to find the entrance.