Upcoming Event: Climate-Wildfire-Stormwater Nexus Webinar April 10th

Join the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability’s Water Faculty and Student Group for an online seminar on the Climate-Wildfire-Stormwater Nexus on Monday, April 10, 2023 from 4:00-5:30 PM.

The webinar will feature the research insights of UCLA Faculty Sanjay Mohanty and Onja Davidson Raoelison with with framing remarks and panel discussion from Faith Kearns of UCANR and Ken Susilo, PE(CA), D.WRE of Geosyntec Consultants, followed by time for Open Q&A.

The presenters:
Dr. Sanjay Mohanty, Director of the SEALab
Dr. Sanjay Mohanty is an assistant professor of environmental engineering. Dr. Mohanty also leads the Subsurface Engineering and Analysis Laboratory (SEALab) that examines the effect of anthropogenic and natural stressors such as compaction, excess pollutant loading, wildfire, drying freezing, and flooding on the biogeochemical processes in subsurface soil, and applies those findings to develop innovative engineering solutions to remediate contaminated soils or treat polluted runoff for the protection of drinking water resources in changing climate.

Onja Davidson-Raoelison, Doctoral Researcher at SEALab
Onja Davidson-Raoelison is a Ph.D. Candidate in Environmental Engineering at UCLA Samuel School of Engineering. Her doctoral research focuses on mitigating the negative impacts of wildfires on surface water quality using green infrastructure. She hopes to have a meaningful career path by developing solutions for providing safe water for vulnerable communities.

Remarks and Panel Discussion from:
Dr. Faith Kearns, UC Water Institute Academic Coordinator
Dr. Faith Kearns coordinates research and outreach programs for the Institute. Her research interests lie at the intersection of science communication, community engagement, and relationship-building, particularly as these topics relate to the environment and water resources. Faith has also managed a wildlife research and outreach center at the University of California, Berkeley, served as a AAAS Science and Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of State, and developed science communication projects at the Ecological Society of America.

Ken Susilo, Senior Principal Water Resources Engineer at Geosyntec
Ken Susilo specializes in the development, including alternative delivery, of multi-benefit, environmentally-enhancing solutions to stormwater management and water conservation by applying leading-edge technologies to enhance the natural and built environment. A major part of his work involves finding stormwater solutions for NPDES Phase I and Phase II permittees (Clean Water Act) and local water agencies.

This event is co-sponsored by the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation, and the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge.

For more information about this event, the UCLA Water Resources Group, or the UCLA Graduate Student Water Resources Group, contact:  madelyn.glickfeld@ioes.ucla.edu or gspierce@luskin.ucla.edu.