Fellowships

The Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability Fellowship provides research and science-delivery opportunities for graduate students from a diversity of academic disciplines. Selected Fellows conduct projects that contribute to the core mission and vision. Fellows receive a stipend of $5,000 and are required to develop a poster and present their research findings at the close of the fellowship period.

2021 Science Fellowship Application Announcement

The LA Urban Center’s science fellowship provides research and science-delivery opportunities for graduate students from a diversity of academic disciplines and sociodemographic backgrounds. Selected Fellows conduct a one year project that contributes to the core mission and vision of the LA Urban Center. Fellows receive a stipend of $5,000 and are required to develop and deliver a presentation summarizing findings to date at the Spring 202s Fellows Seminar. As a final product, fellows submit a brief technical report as well as a product for a more general audience, showcasing main findings. These materials may be displayed in the LA Urban Center office, or during seminars or outreach events hosted by the Center. In this call for proposals, we are seeking to fill two fellowship slots, addressing key priority areas.

2021 Fellowship Application

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Announcing the 2020-2021 Science Fellowship cohort

The LA Urban Center Executive Oversight Team is pleased to announce the selected 2020-2021 Science Fellowship cohort:

Stephanie Piper

University of California, Riverside
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Research Topic Area:
Urban Tree Canopy & Air Quality

Christian Benitez

California State University, Los Angeles
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Research Topic Area:
“Quantifying Bird Habitat Using LiDAR,” Urban Tree Canopy Biodiversity, Urban Tree Canopy and Green Infrastructure, Urban Tree Canopy and Environmental Justice

Corinne Bassett

University of British Columbia
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Research Topic Area:
Urban Tree Canopy Change Analysis & Impacts of Development

Under Forest Equity Visiting Scholar – Dr. Vivek Shandas

The La Urban Center is excited to announce our first-ever Urban Forest Equity Visiting Scholar- Dr. Vivek Shandas. Dr Shandas will analyze the potential for urban canopy expansion from a public health and equity perspective with the aim to inform and support the following goals from Mayor Garcetti’s Green New Deal.

Increase tree canopy in areas of greatest need by at least 50% by 2028 to grow a more equitable urban forest that provides cooling, public health, habitat, energy saving;
Plant and maintain at least 90,000 trees citywide by 2021;
Complete a citywide inventory by 2021 and an Urban Forest Management Plan
Plan by 2021 to Update and align City policies and procedures to grow and protect public and private trees

Raised in California, Dr Shandas is the founder of CAPA – Climate Adaptation Planning & Analytics– a group of practitioners, scholars, and advocates that have worked to make urban places verdant, equitable, and resilient since 2005. Dr. Shandas chairs the Urban Forestry Commission for the City of Portland (OR), serves as a technical advisor for the US Forest Service and is a reviewer for the National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and several local agencies. In addition to his current roles, Dr. Shandas recently completed a community based urban heat assessment and the creation of an online tree planting platform.

Special thanks to TreePeople for provided funding for this project through the Accelerating Climate Resilience program, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

City Plants will administer the scholars program in partnership with the LA Urban Center.

Please watch this website for updates, and/or outputs surrounding the 2020-2021 LA Urban Center Fellows.