UCLA Luskin

The “How-tos” Of Becoming A Competitive Candidate For Public Affairs/Public Policy Programs
2021-08-25 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Open to everyone, the PPIA organization is hosting a webinar on how to submit a competitive public policy application to a program of your choosing.

UCLA Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program Overview Webinar
2021-08-23 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
This webinar has been designed for prospective students to learn more about the Luskin School of Public Policy’s graduate program.

Taking Data-Driven Policy Into the Future
2021-07-07 | Virtual, CA, United States
The trajectory of modern society increasingly deploys data to address equity issues around such diverse topics as housing evictions, air quality, or criminal justice reform.
Learn how.
Presenting UCLA’s first conference on Data-Informed Governance (DIG)
July 7, 2021
Online, starting at 8 a.m. PDT
REGISTER NOW
Watch three panel discussions featuring experts and peers from the public, private, and civic sectors.
Exchange innovative, actionable approaches to real-world policy issues.
Find out why it is increasingly critical for state and local governments to become technology proficient, using data to inform critical policy decisions.
Join with participants from a wide spectrum of organizations and geographies — from local nonprofits to national research institutes, small cities to regional governing bodies.
LEARN MORE
The DIG conference is a convening of people from diverse backgrounds that aims to demonstrate the potential for structured peer-to-peer learning on this subject. This cross-section of attendee profiles encourages the advancement of data-centric solutions for public policy that are accessible, scalable, and pragmatic.
DIG is made possible thanks to the support of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, the Luskin Center for Innovation at UCLA, the College of Social Sciences, the LA Social Science Initiative, the Anderson School of Management, the Ziman Center for Real Estate, and Impact@Anderson.

Child Care Access and L.A.'s Recovery
2021-06-30 12:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
Since March 2020, 296 child care centers have closed in Los Angeles County, resulting in the loss of about 7,500 child care spots. The lack of affordable, quality child care is likely to affect the trajectory of the region’s post-pandemic economic recovery.
Join Lewis Center director Evelyn Blumenberg and First 5 LA early care and education program officer Jaime Kalenik in a conversation about the state of child care access in the county, including key findings from a recent center report, and how child care access connects to other issues facing the LA region like housing affordability and transportation access. In their response, First 5 LA will share the different ways that their organization and partners are working to advance progress to address the lack of access for parents as well as improving conditions for people working in the child care sector.
Further reading: Access to Child Care in Los Angeles County: Recent Trends and COVID-19 Implications
Wednesday, June 30
12:30 – 1 p.m. PT
Register

Freedom and Fugitivity
2021-06-11 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
The closing event of the Sanctuary Spaces Sawyer Seminar, Freedom and Fugitivity, thinks across Black feminism and Indigenous studies to foreground “beautiful experiments” of flight, refusal, and rebellion.
Featuring:
Saidiya Hartman, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Columbia University; 2019 MacArthur Fellow
In conversation with:
Aisha K. Finch, Associate Professor of Gender Studies and African American Studies, UCLA
Tiffany Lethabo King, Associate Professor of African-American Studies, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Georgia State University
Kyle T. Mays, Assistant Professor of African American Studies, American Indian Studies, and History, UCLA
Moderated by:
Sarah Haley, Director of the UCLA Center for the Study of Women Black Feminism Initiative
Associate Professor of African American Studies and Gender Studies, UCLA
Chaired by:
Ananya Roy, Director of the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy
Professor of Urban Planning, Social Welfare, and Geography, UCLA
Co-organized with the Black Feminism Initiative at UCLA
Co-sponsored by the UCLA American Indian Studies Center
Part of the Sawyer Seminar Sanctuary Spaces: Reworlding Humanism

UCLA Luskin Commencement Celebration 2021
2021-06-11 | Virtual, CA, United States
Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement, will deliver the keynote address at UCLA Luskin’s Virtual Commencement Celebration on Friday, June 11, 2021. Cullors, an educator, artist and best-selling author, has been on the front lines of community organizing for 20 years. In 2013, the UCLA alumna created the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on Twitter, which grew into an international movement for racial justice and reform. More on Cullors.
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Class of 2021 will be celebrated at two events:
UCLA Luskin Virtual Commencement Celebration — Friday, June 11, 2021, at 9 a.m. for graduate students and 2 p.m. for undergraduate students. REGISTER.

UCLA Luskin School Cohort Recognition Stage Crossing — Thursday, June 10, 2021, at 6 p.m., Los Angeles Tennis Center on UCLA campus. REGISTER to view the livestream. For graduates participating in the stage crossing, registration information will be sent via email from the University.

UCLA ALL-CAMPUS COMMENCEMENT CELEBRATION
The university also invites this year’s UCLA graduates to participate in a separate, campus-wide Individual Name Recognition and Stage Crossing opportunity between June 10-15. More information about these plans can be found here.

PPASS: Jens Ludwig
2021-06-03 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Jens Ludwig
Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago – Harris School of Public Policy

Title: Implementation as Intervention: Management Quality and Policing Outcomes
Abstract:

Experiential Learning Internship Match Day
2021-06-01 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
The Luskin Undergraduate Program invites our rising seniors majoring in Public Affairs to our annual internship matching event! During the event, Public Affairs undergraduate staff and faculty will discuss the Public Affairs 187 course, interning and professional development, and will reveal all of the organization-students matches that are confirmed!

Virtual Trivia Night
2021-05-27 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
You can still put your knowledge to the test!
Super Quiz Bowl may need to take a hiatus again this year due to COVID-19, but UCLA Luskin brings you Virtual Trivia Bowl while you are staying safer at home. This event is 100% free.
Registration closes on May 20th.
Individuals
No team? No problem. If you want to take on others from the School in a head-to-head battle, register as an individual. Individuals will not compete against the teams.
Register here to compete as an individual.
Teams
Create a team of 5 UCLA Luskin-affiliates. This can be any mix of students, faculty, staff, or alumni. It can be all students or even all alumni, faculty, or staff. Or one student and 2 alumni, 1 faculty, and 1 staff! It’s completely up to you! You do NOT need to be in the same room (or same city or country) to play. All we ask is that each member is a part of the UCLA Luskin community.
Each team member must register on their own and provide the SAME team name.
Register here to play on a team.
Game play
Within the week prior to the Virtual Trivia Bowl, you will be given a link with credentials to log-in. For individuals, be sure to be logged in by 5:15pm (PST) on May 27th as the game WILL start at 5:30pm. Team members, be sure to be logged in by 6:45pm (PST) on May 27th as the game WILL start at 7:00pm. If you want to interact with your teammates in real-time, we recommend creating a zoom meeting, FaceTiming or Skyping your pals! Tardiness can affect your score as it is based on both the speed of your response and the correct answer. You may play on a computer or mobile device. Have a snack and beverage handy to toast your fellow players.
Be ready for some throwback trivia, as well!
Prizes
There will be prizes for the individual and team champions. Please note mailing addresses will be required to receive your prize. The winning team’s name as well as the winning individual name will also be placed on the Super Quiz Bowl trophy.
Now register (team or individual) …. we can’t wait to turn Super Quiz Bowl into a Virtual Trivia Night with you!

PPASS: Laurence Ralph
2021-05-27 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Laurence Ralph
Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University
Title: Global Reckonings with Police Torture
Abstract: This talk explores the twinned meanings of both the object and concept referred to as the “black box.” The black box references the name of a torture device used to send electronic currents through a person’s body for the purpose of coercing a confession; and it also refers to the label I give for the conventional agreement, among a group of police officers, to stop trying to understand how and why torture is taking place in their very own precinct. In this way, my research bears witness to police violence that began in Chicago and then follows the city’s networks of torture to the global War on Terror. Being considered the enemy, and then being purposefully tormented because of it—this is what connects all of the survivors of torture in my study, from Black Chicagoans, like Andrew Wilson, to a Guantánamo detainee named Mohamedou Ould Slahi.

Pandemic's Impact on Asian American Businesses
2021-05-26 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
The coronavirus pandemic has disparately harmed communities of color, including economically. This webinar will present findings from a recent survey conducted by the Asian Business Association. Findings highlight the impact of the pandemic and anti-Asian hate on Asian American businesses in Southern California, their access to relief and assistance, and their outlook for recovery.
Featured Experts:

Paul Ong, Research Professor & Director, Center for Neighborhood Knowledge – UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Alycia Cheng, Project Coordinator, UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge & Asian American Studies Center
Karen Park, Chair of Asian Business Association Foundation and president of TEN Advertising

About the Experts
Paul Ong has a doctorate in economics and a professional degree in urban planning. His research focuses on the urban spatial structure; race and economic inequality, and urban labor market disparities. Professor Ong has served on advisory committees or as a technical advisor for numerous federal, state, and federal agencies, has been an expert for civil rights cases, and has actively partnered with community groups.
Alycia Cheng has worked in both research and publications roles with the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. Past projects include work in the areas of sustainability, neighborhood change, wealth heterogeneity among AAPIs, and urban inequality. She is currently a PhD student studying urban planning and development at USC with a focus on immigrant and refugee communities.
Karen Park provides leadership for the Asian Business Association Foundation which is focused on business education and training, research, scholarship, and economic development for the business community. She is an experienced executive in multicultural advertising and marketing, specializing in Asian consumers with TEN Advertising.
Sponsored by: Asian American & Pacific Islander Policy Initiative of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, Asian Business Association, UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge
Free and open to the public.
Register at asianambusiness-survey.eventbrite.com

Queer Migrant Futures: Joy, Kinship, & Soul-Based Connection
2021-05-21 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Love and laughter are essential to sustain our visions of futures beyond settler colonial borders. Join us on Zoom for performances of poetry, song and movement by acclaimed queer migrant artists Alan Pelaez Lopez, Yosimar Reyes and Soultree. As we journey to a place of spirit and soul-based connection where joy, care and kinship are prioritized over policies and reform, together we will open pathways to queer migrant futures. Audience Q&A with the artists will follow performances.
Featuring:
Alan Pelaez Lopez, Poet, Installation and Adornment Artist
Yosimar Reyes, Poet
Soultree, Artist, Creatrix, Connector
Moderated by:
Rosanna Simons, Sawyer Seminar Dissertation Fellow PhD candidate in Chicano/a & Central American Studies at UCLA
Audrey Silvestre, Sawyer Seminar Dissertation Fellow PhD candidate in Chicano/a & Central American Studies at UCLA
Part of the Sawyer Seminar Sanctuary Spaces: Reworlding Humanism
Art by Angélica Becerra

PPASS: Jesse Rothstein
2021-05-20 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Jesse Rothstein
Professor of Public Policy and Economics, University of California, Berkeley
Title: Demystifying College Costs: How Nudges Can and Can’t Help (Joint Work with Elizabeth Linos and Vikash Reddy)
Abstract: As college costs continue to rise across the US, governments have quadrupled the amount of financial aid available to students. Yet, the administrative process of receiving financial aid remains complex, both raising costs for families and leading high-achieving students to forgo college even when aid is available. In two large-scale field experiments (N= 265,570), we test the impact of nudging high-school seniors in California to register for State financial aid — a process that unlocks over $2 billion of financial aid for low-income high-achieving students each year. We find that both simplifying communication and affirming belonging in letters significantly increase compliance with the proximate step, signing up for an account, by 9% and 11% respectively. Yet, these nudges alone are not effective at impacting the final step of the long financial aid process — college enrollment. In contrast, a simplified letter that affirms belonging while also making concrete and comparable cost calculations more salient significantly impacts college choice, increasing enrollment in the lowest-cost option by 10.4%. Our findings suggest that different nudges are likely to address different types of administrative burdens, and their combination may be the most effective way to meaningfully shift educational outcomes.

Spring Quarter Town Halls With Dean Segura
2021-05-20 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
Dean Gary Segura will host three town halls for UCLA Luskin students. The dean will share updates and answer questions at these virtual gatherings.
FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS: Wednesday, May 12, 4-5:30 p.m.
FOR UNDERGRADUATES: Thursday, May 13, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS: Thursday, May 20, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Link to submit questions and join the town halls will be sent via email.

Discussion of Qualified Immunity and Police Violence
2021-05-19 17:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online
A panel of guest speakers from UCLA and the field of criminal justice will discuss qualified immunity and police violence in America.

PANELISTS:
Emily Weisburst, assistant professor of public policy, criminal justice expert and researcher
Connie Rice, civil rights lawyer and co-director of Advancement Project of Los Angeles
Joanna Schwartz, law professor and a leading expert on police misconduct
Steven Zipperstein, public policy lecturer, and a lawyer on criminal justice policy

Luskin School of Public Affairs Open House for Admitted Transfer Students
2021-05-15 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs welcomes admitted transfer students and their families to UCLA!
Join us at the virtual UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Open House on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at 9:00am – 1:00pm (PST) to learn more about the Public Affairs major, experiential learning capstone experience, and opportunities available to transfer students. The Public Affairs Open House will operate on a drop-in basis where admitted transfer students can speak with Luskin academic counselors and current public affairs majors about the Public Affairs curriculum, involvement, and other opportunities.
To attend the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Open House, please register here.
If you are unable to attend the Open House, we invite you to schedule an appointment with a Public Affairs academic counselor. Please contact undergraduateinfo@luskin.ucla.eu with questions or to schedule a meeting with a Public Affairs academic counselor.

Ayad Akhtar on the American Muslim Experience
2021-05-13 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
Hear from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and award-winning novelist Ayad Akhtar, whose writing covers themes including the American-Muslim experience, family and friendship, religion and economics, immigration and identity.
Following his remarks, Akhtar will take part in a conversation and Q&A with Ali Behdad, John Charles Hillis Professor of Literature in the UCLA Department of English.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Registration is required for this virtual event, which is free and open to UCLA faculty, students, alumni and members of the general public. Register here.
Details are subject to change; please check this website for updated information.
For questions or more information contact collegeevents@support.ucla.edu

QUESTIONS FOR AYAD AKHTAR
Submitted questions will be reviewed by the deans and moderator. Due to time constraints, not all questions will be asked.

This lecture is part of the Luskin Lecture for Thought Leadership series presented by UCLA College, UCLA School of Law, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and UCLA Social Sciences.

PPASS: Erica Field
2021-05-12 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Joint with CCPR
Erica Field
Professor of Economics and Public Health, Duke University
Title: A Signal to End Child Marriage: Theory and Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh
Abstract: Child marriage remains common in many settings even where schooling and labor market opportunities have grown considerably. To explain this phenomenon, we introduce a marriage market signaling model in which bride type is not perfectly observed but preferred brides have lower benefits of delaying marriage. This gives preferred brides an incentive to reveal their type by marrying young, shifting the market towards early marriage even when everyone benefits from delay. In this setting, a small incentive that shifts preferred brides towards later marriage can delay marriage of all types through spillovers. We test this prediction by evaluating the impact of a financial incentive to delay marriage among 15,576 adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Consistent with the theory, girls eligible for the incentive for two years were 21% less likely to marry before 18, and girls who were ineligible for the incentive but lived near treatment communities also delayed marriage.
CCPR Event Page: https://ccpr.ucla.edu/event/erica-field-duke-university/

InterActions L.A.: 'Guaranteed Income and Paths to Prosperity'
2021-05-07 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
Economic relief to individuals is playing a major role in helping people in L.A. make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanded unemployment payments and sporadic federal relief checks provided cash to people struggling to make rent and buy food. These pandemic-related cash supports are drawing attention to the role that guaranteed income programs can play in helping individuals get out of poverty. A growing number of places in California, across the country, and the world are piloting programs and approaches to get money to the people who need it most. From Black and Pacific Islander mothers, to low-income older adults, to citywide programs in Stockton and Compton, guaranteed and universal basic income programs are gaining traction. Each program is demonstrating this concept on different populations and outcomes In South Korea, basic income recipients were restricted to spending their dollars only in their local neighborhood. In San Francisco, the program seeks to improve maternal and child outcomes by providing cash support before the child is even born. All of these programs try to address deep economic concerns that low- and middle-income households face in high-cost regions.
How can these local issues be addressed through a federal program that potentially provides cash support? What have cities learned about their role in providing cash relief through these pilots and pandemic relief? If a federal basic income program existed, what would be the role that local and state governments could play? This spring, InterActions LA will bring together the latest thinking and action on the opportunities and applications around moving towards a guaranteed income for people who could benefit in the Los Angeles region.
For up-to-date information on speakers and agenda, visit bit.ly/interactionsla21.

PPASS: Olivier Deschenes
2021-05-06 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Olivier Deschenes
Professor of Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara

Title: The Private and External Costs of Germany’s Nuclear Phase-Out
Abstract: Many countries have phased out nuclear power in response to concerns about nuclear waste and the risk of nuclear accidents. This paper examines the shutdown of more than half of the nuclear production capacity in Germany after the Fukushima accident in 2011. We use hourly data on power plant operations and a machine learning approach to estimate the impacts of the phase-out policy. We find that the lost nuclear electricity production was replaced primarily by coal-fired production and net electricity imports. Our estimates of the social cost of the phase-out range from 3-8 billion euros per year. The majority of these costs comes from the increased mortality risk associated with exposure to the local air pollution emitted when burning fossil fuels. Policymakers would have to be extremely risk averse, or significantly over-estimate the risks of nuclear accidents, for the benefits of the phase-out to outweigh our estimates of the social costs. We discuss the likely role of behavioural biases in this setting, and highlight the importance of ensuring policymakers and the public are informed about the health effects of local air pollution.

Immigration Reform for the 21st Century
2021-05-04 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
Join the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative for a conversation with congressional leaders and migration policy experts focusing on the challenges and opportunities ahead with implementing comprehensive immigration reform.
From the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 to standalone bills in Congress, conversations about immigration cannot be divorced from the essential role of immigrants in COVID-19 relief and recovery. Undocumented immigrants are central to the success of the nation, yet they are excluded from critical economic, political and civic opportunities. This not only impacts their lives but hinders progress for the country as we seek to overcome a global pandemic.
LPPI will convene a diverse set of voices to address two fundamental questions: What should 21st century immigration reform look like and what are the challenges and opportunities to pass a package that doesn’t leave anyone behind?
The webinar will be moderated by Russell Conteras, Axios race and justice reporter, and feature these panelists:

Joaquin Castro, United States Representative, TX-20
Andrew Selee, President of the Migration Policy Institute
Dr. Cecilia Menjívar, Dorothy Meier Chair in Social Equities and Professor of Sociology at UCLA
Angélica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Los Angeles
Linda Sánchez, United States Representative, CA-38 (Invited)
Rob Bonta, California Attorney General (Invited)

PPASS: Karletta Chief
2021-04-29 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Karletta Chief
Associate Professor of Environmental Science, University of Arizona

Title: Risk Perception of Navajo Communities Along the San Juan River Following the Gold King Mine Spill
Abstract: On August 5, 2015, 3 million gallons of acid mine drainage was accidently released from the Gold King Mine Spill (GKMS), eventually reaching the San Juan River which the Navajos greatly depended on for subsistence, cultural, and spiritual practices. Although water and soil samples collected with a year after the Spill show water meets agricultural standards, the extent of emotional and spiritual impacts were unknown. Objectives of this project were (1) to assess perceived risk of activities related to the San Juan River and (2) to measure perceived health effects resulting from contact with the San Juan River. Our hypothesis was: the GKMS would increase the communities’ perceived risk of health effects linked to river contamination.. Household questionnaires were administered to 59 Navajo homes in three communities dependent on the San Juan River. Results show that the average perceived health risk in engaging in 11 different activities were substantially higher after the Spill (4.24) compared to engaging in those same activities before the Spill (2.08) when using a scale from (1) “Very Low Risk” to (5) “Very High Risk.” Additionally, 42% of respondents perceived it would be “likely” or “almost certain” that they would develop physical health effects due to contact or use of materials from the San Juan River after the Spill. This data shows that the GKMS had significant long-term behavioral and emotional impacts on the Navajo people. Next steps include community healing efforts are to help restore confidence that the water meets agricultural standards of use.

Career Skills Workshop: Transitioning From Student to Professional
2021-04-26 15:30 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
This workshop will cover: where to look for summer internships and entry level full-time jobs, what types of internships and jobs to look for, information on post B.A. training program options (e.g. fellowships, rotational programs, etc.), and other helpful tips!

This event is open to all undergraduate students at UCLA!
Please contact our department at undergraduateinfo@luskin.ucla.edu with any questions.

Moving Through Academia: A Panel for Social Welfare Doctoral Students
2021-04-23 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
The Professional Development Committee would like to announce an upcoming discussion about moving through academia, and will feature graduates of the UCLA PhD Social Welfare program Donte Boyd, Skye Allmang, and Kristina Lovato!

The panel will take place on Friday, April 23rd from 12 to 1 PM PST. Registration is available here, and you must register to attend the event. The link to register is also available on the flyer.

CODESWITCH: The Transborder Immigrant Tool
2021-04-23 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
As Antigone (González) poses the question, “Will you share the labor, share the work?” For over a decade, together and apart, we have been composing a play-performance-app-poem-song-essay about hemispheric kinopolitics, eco-catastrophe, undocumentation (what’s Left of MX-US border artivisms, what’s still touched by a cyborgesian goddess-ray on the horizon). Our collaborators have included media pundits, federal investigators, university auditors and administrative naysayers, anonymous haters, museum and biennial curators, NGOs and humanitarian aid workers, militant researchers, DIY translators, planetary walkers and continental crossers. Please join us for a choral reading of excerpts from “CODESWITCH: The Transborder Immigrant Tool” (transborder algo-rhythms against caging algorithms).
Featuring:
micha cárdenas, Assistant Professor of Art & Design:​ Games + Playable Media, and Critical Race & Ethnic Studies, UCSC​
Amy Sara Carroll, Associate Professor of Literature & Writing, UCSD​
Ricardo Dominguez, Associate Professor of Visual Arts ​Principal Investigator at CALIT2/QI, UCSD​
Elle Mehrmand, New Media Performance Artist & Musician
Brett Stalbaum, Teaching Professor of Visual Arts​ Faculty Advisor to the Interdisciplinary Computing in the Arts major, UCSD
Part of the #SanctuarySpaces Virtual Residency with Electronic Disturbance Theater (EDT) 2.0

PPASS: Sandra González-Bailón
2021-04-22 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Joint with UCLA Movements, Organizations, and Markets Working Group
Sandra González-Bailón
Associate Professor of Communication, University of Pennsylvania – Annenberg School of Communication

Title: The Spread of Information on Social Media during Contentious Political Events
Abstract: Information manipulation is widespread in today’s media environment. Online networks have disrupted the gatekeeping role of traditional media by allowing various actors to influence the public agenda; they have also allowed automated accounts (or bots) to blend with human activity in the flow of information. In this talk, I will discuss evidence assessing the impact that bots have on the dissemination of content during contentious political events evolving in real-time on social media. I will focus on events of heightened political tension because they are particularly susceptible to information campaigns designed to mislead or exacerbate conflict. This research employs tools from network science, natural language processing, and machine learning to analyze the diffusion structure, the content of the messages diffused, and the actors behind those messages as the political events unfolded. I will show that verified accounts are significantly more visible than unverified bots in the coverage of the events but also that bots attract more attention than human accounts. The findings highlight that social media and the web are very different news ecosystems in terms of prevalent news sources and that both humans and bots contribute to generate discrepancy in news visibility with their activity. They also highlight the importance of clearly defining the policies that underlie the verification process of social media accounts.

Plastic Pollution and Possible Solutions
2021-04-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Los Angeles, CA, United States
Register Here
More Info
Plastic pollution has long been a problem affecting people and the planet’s health locally and globally. The recent upheaval in the global recycling and waste industry, followed by the pandemic, has deepened the challenges and necessity for change. Why have existing policies failed us? California lawmakers and corporate leaders have taken and proposed innovative steps in recent years, but are they enough?
A panel of policy, corporate and academic leaders will discuss the need and strategies for a more closed loop, less wasteful economy.

What does corporate social responsibility around recycling and waste reduction look like in the absence of effective legislation? What is the responsibility of the private sector to address public interest more broadly?
Where are our recycling and composting policies headed? How could California policymakers advance a closed loop, circular system approach? How would effective laws address both supply and demand for recyclables?
A role for everyone: What is the role of plastic manufacturers and product distributors, the broader private sector, and the public at large to reduce waste?

SPEAKERS

Congressman Alan Lowenthal, U.S. Representative, California’s 47th Congressional District

Noel Kinder, Chief Sustainability Officer, Nike
Rita Kampalath, Sustainability Program Director, Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office
Charles Corbett, Professor of Operations Management and Sustainability; IBM Chair in Management (moderator)
Daniel Coffee, Researcher, UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

CO-HOSTS

UCLA Impact@Anderson
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Register for Additional Sessions
ABOUT UCLA ANDERSON’S IMPACT WEEK
This webinar is part of UCLA Anderson’s Impact Week, which celebrates our community’s commitment to creating a more equitable, just, and sustainable society. With a theme of “Power to Change,” Impact Week 2021 will spotlight ideas, practices, and skills that business leaders need to change their organizations and industries in support of social justice, economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, quality healthcare, educational equity, and other important global goals.
Impact Week is organized by UCLA Anderson’s Impact@Anderson Center and the Net Impact MBA Chapter, in collaboration with partners within the business school and across the broader UCLA community. The program is open to all students, alumni, prospective applicants, industry professionals, and the public.

Tips from a Lawyer: Thriving in the Workplace From a Legal Perspective
2021-04-21 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Through this workshop, UCLA Student Legal Services Attorney, Christin Liu, will offer advice on:
• Navigating employment/internship offer negotiations
• Workplace protections & the role of human resources
• How to identify and avoid potential scams and schemes

This event is open to all students in the Luskin Undergraduate Program!
Students not associated with the Luskin School, but are interested in attending, may contact our department at undergraduateinfo@luskin.ucla.edu for additional information.

L.A. County Quality of Life Index
2021-04-19 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual, CA, United States
In the final session of Luskin Summit 2021, longtime Los Angeles political figure Zev Yaroslavsky will unveil the sixth annual Quality of Life Index. The index reflects results from a survey of Los Angeles County residents on their satisfaction with topics such as cost of living, education, the environment, the economy, race relations and health care.
The Quality of Life Index is a joint project of the UCLA Luskin Los Angeles Initiative, directed by Yaroslavsky, and The California Endowment. Adrienne Alpert of ABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles will moderate the event.
RSVP

Social Work, White Supremacy, and Racial Justice Symposium
2021-04-16 12:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Los Angeles, CA, United States
Social work has a complex history of upholding White supremacy alongside a goal to achieve racial justice. Moreover, our profession simultaneously practices within racist systems and works to dismantle them. In the wake of a fervent #BlackLivesMatter movement and persistent racial disparities in key social welfare institutions, these paradoxes have come to the forefront of discussion in academic and practice circles. This unique moment presents an opportunity to interrogate our profession’s relationship to White supremacy and racial justice in order to reimagine an anti-racist future.
Save the Dates and Register HERE!
We hope you’ll join us for a series of virtual symposia that will address these themes. Symposium events will occur throughout the academic year and will address different aspects of our past, present, and future. Additional information and specific dates are below.
Part 1: Social Work’s Historical Legacy of Racism and White Supremacy
November 12 & 13, 2020, 12:30 – 4:30 PM Eastern
Part 1 will trace social workers’ constructions of race, racial ideologies, and beliefs through historical accounts that explore social work’s role in coercion, segregation, and displacement across fields of child welfare, juvenile justice, immigration, education, housing, and others.
Part 2: Addressing Racism from within the Social Work Profession: Reflections on our Past and Present
January 28 & 29, 2021, 12:30 – 4:30 PM Eastern
Part 2 will provide accounts of how the profession has evolved to begin to confront racism. What have social workers, leaders, and scholars done to challenge the dominant paradigm? From the advent of the National Association of Black Social Workers to innovations in practice, policy, and social work education, this session will address the numerous leaders and discourses that have challenged racism and moved the profession forward.
Part 3: Envisioning an Anti-Racist Future: From Practice to Policy
March 4 & 5, 2021, 12:30 – 4:30 PM Eastern
Part 3 explores emerging movements in social work that are working to actively dismantle racism and White supremacy. If anti-racism is the goal, how will we get there? What is the future we can imagine, and what is the future of social work in this new society?
Part 4: Strategies for Achieving Racial Justice in Social Work Education
April 15 & 16, 2021, 12:30 – 4:30 PM Eastern
Part 4 continues the exploration of our anti-racist future and the role of social work education in helping to achieve this. What is the future of social work education, and what are the strategies we need to employ to achieve racial justice in social work education?

For more information, please contact us at socworksymposium@uh.edu
Laura Abrams, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Sandra Crewe, Howard University School of Social Work
Alan Dettlaff, University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work
James Herbert Williams, Arizona State University School of Social Work

Sponsored by:
