Announcing Inaugural Climate Collaboration Projects

Dear colleagues,

UC Irvine Climate Collaboration is pleased to announce the inaugural team project grants for 2025-26. The past year has brought adaptation and resilience to the forefront, with an emphasis on pragmatic responses to the growing economic costs and human impacts of a changing climate here in California, across the U.S. and around the world.

Through these projects, we hope to exemplify UC Irvine's capacity for solutions-oriented interdisciplinary team research, community partner engagement and development of learning opportunities for students. Following are the five projects selected for 2025-26:

Building Resilience in California's Desert Future

  • Jim Smith, Professor, Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences
  • Celia Faiola, Associate Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Dunlop School of Biological Sciences
  • Alex Guenther, Professor, Earth System Science, School of Physical Sciences

Detecting Early Vegetation Drought in California

  • Angela Rigden, Assistant Professor, Earth System Science, School of Physical Sciences
  • Veronica Berrocal, Professor, Statistics, Donald Bren, School of Computer Sciences

OC-FIRE Model: Localized Fire Risk Mapping for Orange County

  • Sarah Kimball, Associate Professor in Residence, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Dunlop School of Biological Sciences
  • James Randerson, Ralph J. and Carol M. Cicerone Professor, Earth System Science, School of Physical Sciences

Pocket Park and Garden Climate Solutions

  • Doug Houston, Professor, Urban Planning and Public Policy, School of Social Ecology
  • Jessica Debats Garrison, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Urban Planning and Public Policy, School of Social Ecology
  • Jason Douglas, Vice Chair and Associate Professor, Health, Society and Behavior, Wen School of Population and Public Health
  • Monica Palta, Assistant Researcher, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Cooperative Extension Specialist

Wildfire Intelligence for National Security (WINS)

  • Amir AghaKouchak, Chancellor's Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Tirtha Banerjee, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Ramin Bostanabad, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Efi Foufoula-Georgiou, Distinguished Professor and Henry Samueli Chair in Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Mohsen Imani, Associate Professor, Computer Science, Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
  • Richard Matthew, Professor, Urban Planning and Public Policy, School of Social Ecology
  • Phu Nguyen, Associate Adjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Christopher Olivares, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • Mohammad Qomi, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Samueli School of Engineering
  • James Randerson, Ralph J. and Carol M. Cicerone Professor, Earth System Science, School of Physical Sciences

Projects were evaluated by an interdisciplinary review process and selected from among 18 submissions with faculty participation spanning 15 schools and 21 academic departments.

The campus community will have the opportunity to engage with these collaborations in the Winter 2026 quarter, when we hold the first UC Irvine Climate Collaboration Symposium. The symposium will include panel presentations for each of the projects and create opportunities for broader dialogue and interaction among campus and community members. A second call for proposals can be expected in Spring 2026.

The UC Irvine Climate Collaboration is designed to be a facilitator, a place to nurture ideas, spark discussions, and help turn concepts into plans. Whether it's inviting a partner on campus, getting connected to our network, submitting a proposal or just a brainstorming session, please think of us as a resource.

Brett Sanders
Director, UC Irvine Climate Collaboration
Chancellor's Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department of Urban Planning and Public Policy

Get in touch with us: climatecollab@uci.edu