The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs takes pride in helping to improve society through undergraduate and graduate education in the fields of public policy, social welfare and urban planning. We hope that our research can also light the way toward policy action that produces real solutions for California.
To further this effort, the School will present its second annual UCLA Luskin Briefing at UC Student and Policy Center in Sacramento on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
The gathering will feature two panel discussions coordinated by esteemed UCLA Luskin faculty members and their affiliated research centers in collaboration with elected officials, government agencies and other policy experts:
Can California Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled? Should It?
Presented by the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies
California has declared that it wants to reduce the total number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across the state. In this session, presenters will discuss strategies and best practices for achieving this complex goal. VMT is accompanied by undeniable costs but also by real benefits — and the benefits may be largest, paradoxically, in places where driving is most common. Thus, the broader goal of making VMT less necessary involves both reducing the amount of space given over to automobiles while also recognizing that, for the immediate future, some increases in driving will be socially desirable.
Panelists
Moderator: Catharine Baker, UC Student and Policy Center
Faculty Presenters: Adam Millard-Ball and Michael Manville, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Catherine Blakespear
Agency Representative: Darwin Moosavi, California State Transportation Agency
How Can California Maximize Investment Benefits for Heat-Resilient Communities?
Presented by the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
California is making significant investments and targeted interventions to build resilience to extreme heat, particularly for its most vulnerable communities. The efforts serve as a model that goes beyond state borders, especially amid calls for a more robust and well-funded nationwide strategy. To support this goal, the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (LCI) has launched a first-of-its-kind, federally funded Center of Excellence for Heat Resilient Communities. LCI researchers and other expert panelists will shed light on why state legislators should care about extreme heat mitigation and management, what the state is doing, and how upcoming investments and additional policies could benefit Californians in direst need of intervention in settings such as schools, homes and public spaces.
Panelists
Moderator: Alissa Ko, Health Net
Faculty Presenter: V. Kelly Turner, UCLA Luskin
Legislator: State Sen. Caroline Menjivar
Agency Representative: Braden Kay, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
Community Representative: Christian Rodriguez, Kounkuey Design Initiative
Participation
The Luskin Sacramento Briefing is also envisioned as a listening opportunity. If you’re involved in policymaking in Sacramento, please contact us about attending and encourage your colleagues to do so as well. We look forward to hearing your suggestions relating to legislative priorities that would benefit from UCLA research. INQUIRE ABOUT ATTENDING
