UCLA Water Resources Group Welcomes Two More Faculty Water Experts at Successful Meet and Greet

On March 7, 2023, the UCLA Water Resources Group celebrated two new faculty members to UCLA whose research includes water, Dr. Alvar Escriva-Bou and Dr. Alesia Montgomery. This event was attended by students, faculty, and staff, who were all eager to welcome two new members to the UCLA Water Resources Group.

During the event, the current faculty members attending introduced themselves, and what they focus on in their teaching and research. Then the two new faculty members shared their backgrounds and their research interests. This was followed by a Q&A session, where attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations with them. 

Alvar Escriva-Bou is an assistant professor at UCLA who specializes in using systems approaches to explore integrated water, energy, food, and environmental resources management, with a focus on linking engineering and economic models. Prior to joining UCLA, he was a senior fellow at the Water Policy Center of the Public Policy Institute of California, where he researched groundwater sustainability, California’s water accounting system, and urban drought strategies. 

Alesia Montgomery is an ethnographer who researches social and environmental justice issues in low-income, under resourced communities.  Her research included a focus on the water crises in Detroit and in Flint, Michigan and how they affected frontline communities. Her book, “Greening the Black Urban Regime: The Culture and Commerce of Sustainability in Detroit,” focuses on the battles over green redevelopment. At UCLA, she is studying water insecurity and working on building connections with water in these communities.

The Meet and Greet event was an opportunity for water experts across the campus to meet together and for the two new faculty members to find collaborators on water research. It was also a time for water experts already on campus to know more about the work of others. The UCLA Water Resources Group is excited to have Dr. Alesia Montgomery and Dr. Alvar Escriva-Bou at UCLA to augment our considerable expertise on a whole host of water challenges. We look forward to hosting similar events in the future to foster a sense of community among its members and provide opportunities for education and professional development.

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