Environmental Policy and Management Graduate Program Fall Orientation

Environmental Policy and Management Graduate Program Fall Orientation An Introduction to the John Muir Institute of the Environment September 17, 2019

Overview of the Muir Institute • Five major centers and programs, supporting over 300 faculty, staff and students • Center for Watershed Sciences • Center for Health and the Environment/Western Agricultural Center for Health and Safety • Center for Spatial Technologies and Remote Sensing (CSTARS) • UC Davis Natural Reserve System • Bodega Marine Reserve, Mc. Laughlin Reserve, Stebbins Cold Canyon, Jepson Prairie, Quail Ridge, Lassen Volcanic National Park Partnership EPM Orientation September 2019

Center for Health and the Environment (CHE) Examining the effects of environmental agents, including chemicals, particles and air-borne pollutants, on the health of humans, animals and ecosystems Director: Kent Pinkerton Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) Solving critical water issues facing California and beyond Director: Jay Lund Center for Spatial Technologies and remote Sensing Developing research methods that use applications of core geospatial technologies to promoting sustainable environments Director: Susan Ustin Natural Reserve System Outdoor laboratories to field scientists, classrooms without walls for students, and nature’s inspiration to all Director: Andrew Latimer

Our mission is to discover, research, and solve pressing environmental and human health challenges at a time of unprecedented social connectedness, technological development and planetary change. School of Medicine College of Biological Sciences College of Letters and Sciences Muir Institute College of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences Climate change Sustainability Conservation Human Health & Behavior Environmental Economics Technology Policy Business Solutions School of Veterinary Medicine Graduate School of Management School of Law College of Engineering

A GLOBAL NETWORK OF RESEARCHERS

Major Research Themes in the Environmental Nexus • Human Health, Behavior and the Global Commons • Sustainable Resource Use • Environmental Pollution and Resilience • Policy and Collective Decision Making • Visualizing Change with Big Environmental Data Human Health & Behavior Sciencebased Policy Life Support Systems – Air, Water, Food, Climate Environment & Resources Economy and Job Creation EPM Orientation September 2019

Muir Institute Research Specialties • Research for real word impact in the areas of water, sustainable food systems, public health, air quality, climate, resource conservation and biodiversity • Collecting, visualizing and modeling big environmental data to provide novel insights • Solving complex challenges at the interface of human health, the economy and the environment EPM Orientation September 2019

Our Initiatives • At the Muir Institute, we translate our vision into practice though bold initiatives. These efforts help to galvanize the Muir Institute and its centers of excellence into global problem solvers. Our initiatives include: • • • One Climate (Muir Institute’s “Big Idea”) Wild Energy Polar Forum World Water (CWS’ “Big Idea”) Big Environmental Data EPM Orientation September 2019

One Climate (a “Big Idea”) About One Climate | One Climate is an initiative dedicated to creating a sustainable, just and habitable world and the pathways to get there. One Climate will lead the way towards planetary resilience by catalyzing a diverse nexus of change-makers – integrating across disciplines and with partners to scale solutions for maximum global impact. We will apply our expertise to achieve three critical climate outcomes: 1. Removing carbon buildup and preventing future pollution 2. Helping people, animals and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of climate change 3. Inspiring and equipping the next generation to fine new ways for us all to thrive One Climate will do this by: • Creating the world’s most comprehensive, state-of-the-art carbon farm, “Project Carbon” • Establishing the Global Sustainability Summit Center in Sacramento • Driving innovative research through showcase projects and preparing the next generation to take action: • Environmental and Climate Justice, Marine Conservation and Blue Carbon, Wildfires and Human Health For more information, please contact Sara Nichols, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatves, Muir Institute. EPM Orientation September 2019

Wild Energy Initiative Motto | Where energy, life, and the environment work together. Statement of Purpose | The Wild Energy Initiative facilitates research and education on interactions between energy systems and Earth, including its systems and species, to address exigent global change and sustainability issues. Current Initiative Projects: • Solar Energy Potential of the Largest Commercial Buildings in the United States • Synergies of Solar Energy across a Land-Food-Energy-Water Nexus • Sustainability of Utility-Scale Solar Energy: Critical Ecological Concepts • The Desert Danaus Project at Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System • The PV-Annual Plant Nexus Project in the Mojave Desert • The UC Davis Agrivoltaic Demonstration Site For more information, please contact Assistant Professor Dr. Rebecca R. Hernandez. EPM Orientation September 2019

Polar Forum Mission | To engage the public in polar research and education to foster awareness of climate change impacts on the unique natural, cultural, and societal features of the Polar Regions. Outreach Objectives: • To highlight the Polar Regions as an exemplar of the urgency of climate change and strengthen the role of UC Davis as a world leader in environmental education. • Engage the community through unique outreach events, bridge the gap between UC Davis’ worldclass polar research expertise and the public, and act as a conduit of expertise on polar issues to the media, policy makers and University of California system. • Encompass a uniquely broad array of disciplines – from sea ice dynamics and atmospheric chemistry, to paleoclimatology, anthropology, and Native American studies. For more information on the Polar Forum, please contact Pernille Sporon Boving or Dr. Eric Post. EPM Orientation September 2019

World Water (a “Big Idea”) Objectives and Vision: • Bring UC Davis’ interdisciplinary expertise to bear on solving local and global water challenges. • Expand UC Davis leadership in managing one of the world’s most precious resources by pioneering 21 st century water science, engineering, management and policy. • To leverage the California Model of water management to deliver solutions for a wide range of water challenges at home and abroad. Goals: • Establish a hub for global education in water science and management • Launch “Water without Borders” to provide scientific expertise and promote social justice for water issues around the world • Create the California Water Science Center—a sweeping new private-public-academic water partnership For more information, please contact Dr. Jay Lund, Director for the Center for Watershed Sciences. EPM Orientation September 2019

Big Environmental Data Mission | To lead the way in collecting, visualizing and modeling big environmental data to provide unprecedented insights into our changing world. Ongoing activities: We are solidifying the Muir Institute’s position as a locally, regionally and globally recognized center of excellence in Big Environmental Data through the following activities and partnerships: • Elsevier Inc. , • Muir Institute Data Science Scholar (Dr. Guna Manogaran) • CSTARS - one of the strongest environmental remote sensing and geospacial data groups in the United States (Dr. Susan Ustin, Director CSTARS). • Ongoing discussions with Microsoft and applications of AI EPM Orientation September 2019

About the Barn • Please feel free to use the “Corral” area of the Barn for all school related activities (studying, meetings, group projects, etc. ) • You can reserve the Conference Room and Loft areas by emailing reserve-the-barn@ucdavis. edu • The Barn hours are 8: 00 am to 5: 00 pm - please be sure to leave the Barn by 5: 00 pm, and keep voices low during office hours to respect Barn staff • Available Barn supplies: • Wifi (eduroam) • Water (in the kitchen) • Mini fridge (in the Corral, please do not use the kitchen refrigerator) • For printing, pleasure refer to Campus Printing Services and Computer Centers • Sign up for the JMIE listserve by emailing Mabel Oen, Executive Assistant, to find out about Barn events including the Muir Institute Coffee Hour (join us, it’s fun!) • Don’t forget to stop by and say hello, we look forward to having you enjoy the Barn with us! EPM Orientation September 2019

Director: Benjamin Houlton Prof. Benjamin Houlton, Land Air and Water Resources and Chancellor's Fellow. Research specialties: Global biogeochemical cycles, climate change, gene to biosphere relationships, coupled human-environmental systems, computational modeling, and others. EPM Orientation September 2019

Associate Directors Prof. Mark Schwartz Associate Director of Education Prof. Susan Ustin Associate Director of Research Director of CSTARS Sara Nichols Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives EPM Orientation September 2019

Muir Institute Staff George Sheer Jenny Nickell Diane Kruger Chief Administrative Officer Lindsey Dunn Finance IT Technical Staff Human Resources Asheley Greenlee Finance Mabel Oen Executive Assistant EPM Orientation September 2019

For any general questions, please feel free to contact Sara Nichols, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives THANK YOU https: //johnmuir. ucdavis. edu