Carbon sequestration through compost
California is an agricultural powerhouse, producing nearly half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables. However, this high level of production is not without its trade-offs. Rigorous cultivation has led to…
Projects
Corporate Sustainability Metrics
Firms play an important role in the well-being of their communities. From determining the compensation, working conditions, health coverage, and training of workers, to the environmental impact of their operations…
Does Eutrophication First Drive “Basification” Then Acidification in California Estuaries?
Awardee: Regina Zweng, 3rd year Ph.D. student. Regina is involved with the Science Policy Group which facilitates interactions between students and local policy makers and provides career guidance for students interested in a career in science policy.
Environmental DNA as a tool for assessing microbial diversity & ecological impacts by contaminants at The Bowtie parcel Brownfield site in Southern California
Awardee: Maura Palacios, Postdoctoral Scholar in the Wayne Lab. Maura's projects use eDNA to assess species assemblages in the Mojave Desert Springs, a threatened ecosystem and to explore microbial community changes in relation to hazardous materials at Brownfield sites throughout Southern California, for potential bioremediation practices.
Environmental Storytelling Collaboration with KCET
LENS has partnered with KCET, the nation's largest independent public media company to produce engaging, research-driven environmental stories.
Exploring Community Garden Engagement on Campus
Exploring How Increased Community Garden Engagement Can Connect Students, Faculty, and Staff to Existing Campus Resources, Which Promote Food Security, Urban Agriculture, and Healthy Lifestyles
Impacts of oil and gas development on Native communities in New Mexico
The Greater Chaco Landscape is a vast cultural landscape in the Four Corners region of the United States that has been home to many Indigenous Nations for thousands of years.…
Novel approaches and policies for sustainable transportation
By 2050, the phrase “the motor of the economy” might be more apt than “the engine of the economy.” For now, however, the conventional wisdom[1] on electric vehicles is that…
Replacing Bioplastics with Marine Degradable Alternatives at UCLA Dining Services
Pictured above, left to right: Seth So, Jinsuh Jung-Aum, Sophia Winter (team leader), Jasleen Kahlon, Lia Cohen, David Scolari (team leader) SAR Dining Purchasing Team: Replacing Bioplastics with Marine…
Solving the restaurant waste problem
Despite the increasing awareness of the need for sustainability, the majority of the restaurant industry has yet to make significant changes to its methods of operation and resource utilization. Its…
Submarine exploration & analysis of seagrass
Visit our Project Website – Stronger Shorelines: an Interactive Database for Marine Vegetation Restoration Marine vegetation provides a number of valuable ecosystem services, including preventing shoreline erosion, providing habitat and…
The Future of Extreme Precipitation in California
Our researchers are investigating the effects of climate change on heavy precipitation events in the state. Specifically, we're focusing on atmospheric rivers, moisture-laden filaments of air that move across oceans and produce heavy precipitation when they make landfall. Understanding how atmospheric rivers are affected in a changing climate is key to smart water planning in the future.