Develop and implement scientific projects that promote environmental justice.
Examine how public health, social factors, and environmental quality are interconnected in communities.
The UCLA Environmental Engineering Summer Institute is a two-week, intensive program that provides students with an immersive research experience addressing real-world community needs. Students will collaborate with community partners on projects related to environmental justice and health.
Through readings, speaker sessions, and discussions, students will critically examine connections between race, poverty, and environmental exposures. They will gain perspective on how environmental issues disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
Students will receive hands-on training in basic research skills relevant to environmental engineering and science. They will participate in an authentic research project based on the track they choose. The Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance Track involves collecting and analyzing coastal water samples for the presence of multidrug resistant bacteria. The Lead in Soils Track focuses on collecting and analyzing community garden soils for lead and other metals.
By directly applying their learning through community-engaged research, students will develop technical abilities, critical thinking skills, and a deeper understanding of environmental justice issues. The program provides invaluable preparation for those interested in using science and engineering to positively impact underserved populations and enact change.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
Meet your instructors
Jennifer Jay
ProfessorFor the last twenty-one years, Jennifer Jay has been a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of California Los Angeles. Her research addresses the fate and transport of chemical and microbial contaminants in the environment, including lead in soils and environmental antibiotic resistance and pathogens. Her lab is currently working with several community groups who are protecting neighborhoods from off-site pollution from industrial food animal production.
She also researches the impact of environmental education on dietary choices and the impacts of behavioral nudges on dietary carbon footprint. Jennifer was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering, and two engineering school-wide award for excellence in teaching. In addition, she was the Pritzker Fellow for Environmental Sustainability and a Carnegie Fellow for Civic Engagement in Higher Education, and she recently named a Chancellor’s Fellow for Community-Engaged Research. Jennifer earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Environmental Engineering Summer Institute FAQ
Students will be required to bring laptops.
Work to be done before the course begins:
Reading
Approximately one hour of reading will be assigned before each day’s class time. So, if students would like to read ahead before the course begins, they are welcomed to do so.
Lab safety training
The lead in soils track will need to take Lab Safety Fundamental Concepts (LSFC), while the antibiotic resistance track will have to take LSFC and Biosafety Level 2.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.