IoES in the News
Announcements
UCLA Ph.D. candidate Lorena De la Puente Burlando selected for Critical Minerals Research Lab
The UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability is proud to share that Ph.D. candidate Lorena De la Puente Burlando has been accepted into the 2025–2026 Critical Minerals Research Lab,…
Announcements
Featured in L.A. Times—Edith de Guzman, Ph.D. ’23, reimagines L.A. climate inequities through art at Descanso Gardens
Featured in this week’s Los Angeles Times Climate and Environment coverage, Edith de Guzman, Ph.D. ‘23, brings climate and heat inequities to the spotlight. This summer at Descano Gardens, a…
Announcements
Featured in L.A. Times—Wilson Sherman, Ph.D. student, on how urban policies shape wildlife behavior in Los Angeles
Featured in this week’s Los Angeles Times Climate and Environment coverage, UCLA Ph.D. student Wilson Sherman shares insights on how inconsistent policies, surveillance infrastructure and fragmented governance affect where wildlife…
Announcements
UCLA IoES Magazine Ranked #2 in California for Sustainability Coverage
UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES) Magazine has been ranked #2 on Feedspot’s list of the Top 30 California Sustainability Blogs. The list recognizes the most influential platforms…
Announcements
UCLA’s highest honor for teaching excellence: Shanna Shaked named 2024–2025 Distinguished Teaching Award recipient
Shanna Shaked, adjunct professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and senior associate director at UCLA’s Center for Education Innovation and Learning in the Sciences, has been…
Headline
Travis Longcore for California Builder & Engineer—Caltrans to Restore Habitat Connectivity Across One of the Busiest Freeways in the World
Travis Longcore, adjunct professor at UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, discussed light pollution mitigation at the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing for California Builder & Engineer, sharing how thoughtful…
Blog
Study reveals devastating 22% decline in U.S. butterflies
Butterflies across the U.S. are disappearing at an alarming rate, according to a new study co-authored by UCLA ecologist Travis Longcore. Published in the journal Science, it reveals that butterfly…
Headline
Rajit Gadh for IEEE Spectrum—Future L.A. Fires Could Be Prevented With Grid-Hardening Tech
Rajit Gadh, director of the Smart Grid Energy Research Center at UCLA and professor at UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, spoke with IEEE Spectrum about the role of…
Headline
Suzanne Paulson on KCRW panel— Wildfire health questions: Air quality, clean up risks and more
Prof. Paulson, director of Center for Clean Air, appeared on KCRW's wildfire panel on Jan 15 regarding immediate and long-term health considerations for families and individuals returning to homes within the immediate vicinity of the fires and everyone coping with the recovery.
Headline
Stephanie Pincetl for The Economist—How will calamity change Los Angeles?
UCLA IoES Professor Stephanie Pincetl discusses Los Angeles’ rebuilding efforts after the devastating wildfires for The Economist, asserting that the city should use this moment to address its housing crisis…
Headline
Daniel Swain for the Gaurdian—Strongest winds in over a decade could bring fire risk to southern California
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the extreme wind event forecasted for Southern California for the Guardian, sharing how the strongest winds in over a decade could heighten fire risks…
Headline
Ann Carlson for The Hill—California gas car ban faces uncertain future
UCLA professor Ann Carlson discusses the legal uncertainty surrounding California’s gas car ban for The Hill, sharing how the incoming Trump administration may attempt to undo the Biden administration’s recent…
Headline
UCLA’s Center for Diverse Leadership in Science hosts climate justice event with the Hip Hop Caucus
UCLA’s Center for Diverse Leadership in Science (CDLS) hosted a packed panel and documentary screening on climate justice with the civic engagement group the Hip Hop Caucus, covered by Spectrum…
Headline
Jon Christensen for Smithsonian Magazine—How the Arrival of an Endangered Bird Indicates What’s Possible for the L.A. River
UCLA IoES Professor Jon Christensen discusses the restoration of the Los Angeles River for Smithsonian Magazine, sharing how efforts to ‘rewild’ the Taylor Yard area have led to the return…
Headline
Alex Hall for Associated Press—AP photos show the terror of Southern California wildfires and the crushing aftermath
UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall discusses the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Southern California for Associated Press, sharing how climate change exacerbates conditions like strong winds and flame-adapted…
Headline
Travis Longcore for Smithsonian Magazine—From Prolonging Wallaby Pregnancies to Disorienting Hatchling Turtles, 11 Ways Artificial Lights Affect Animals
UCLA ecologist Travis Longcore discusses the pervasive impacts of artificial lighting on wildlife for Smithsonian Magazine, sharing how modern light pollution disrupts the natural rhythms animals rely on. He explains…
Blog
FOR NATURE
By 2024 Pritzker Award finalist Callie Annette Veelenturf On a global scale, current efforts to protect nature have not halted devastating declines and climactic imbalances. Humanity’s behavior must shift drastically…
Headline
Rebecca Shipe for LA Times—Southern California’s bioluminescent waves are back. It may not be too late to see the electric blue nights
UCLA IoES professor Rebecca Shipe discusses the recent bioluminescent waves along Southern California’s coast for Los Angeles Times, sharing how a massive algae bloom has created dazzling displays of electric…
Blog
My journey in conserving Lake Chad: A story of Ecofeminism approach and Innovative Technology
By 2024 Pritzker Award Finalist Adenike Oladosu Titilope I was born when Nigeria had a series of environmental challenges, especially in the region of Lake Chad, a place where many environmentalists…
Blog
A Vow To The Forest
Pritzker Award finalist Nina Gualinga reflects on her childhood in the Ecuadorian Amazon and her fight for Indigenous rights, gender and climate justice
Headline
Daniel Swain for The Hill — Why Hurricane Milton became so intense so fast — and why more storms may do the same
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain discusses the rapid intensification of hurricanes for The Hill, sharing how warming oceans are contributing to stronger storms like Hurricane Milton. Swain explains that hurricanes…
Headline
Daniel Swain for NatGeo—Drought, flooding, drought again: Is ‘weather whiplash’ our new normal?
Drought, flooding, drought again: Is ‘weather whiplash’ the new normal? UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain tells National Geographic that the cycle is bad news for wildfires. California’s extreme weather patterns—marked by…
Headline
Alex Hall for 1470 & 100.3 WMBD — Climate-related ‘one-two punch’ seen driving Los Angeles wildfires
UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall discussed wildfire risks around Los Angeles for 1470 & 100.3 WMBD, emphasizing the role of seasonal winds and human activities in exacerbating fire conditions. Southern…
Announcements
UCLA Ranked Among Top 10 Most Sustainable Universities in the World
UCLA has been ranked as the #9 most sustainable university in the world by Sustainability Magazine. This prestigious ranking highlights UCLA’s commitment to environmental stewardship through decades of initiatives in…
Headline
Daniel Swain for Cal Matters—Where are California’s Hottest Spots?
UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain illuminated California’s hottest areas for Cal Matters, highlighting how coastal regions and inland cities experience significantly varied levels of heat. “There’s an extreme contrast between…
