On Friday, May 11, 2018, faculty members involved with the UCLA Sustainable LA Grand Challenge including Brad Shaffer, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology; Tom Gillespie, professor of geography; Ryan Harrigan, assistant adjunct professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; and associate vice chancellor for environment and sustainability, Mark Gold, met with California State Assemblymember Richard Bloom to present UCLA research on California conservation genomics, remote sensing, and species distribution modeling. A focus of the meeting was on how recent conservation biology research could help California modernize its approach to natural resource management. Assemblymember Bloom expressed great interest and looks forward to working with UCLA on these issues, which have potential ramifications on wildlife management, land acquisition and restoration to build in climate resilience and renewable energy siting issues.

Assemblymember Bloom represents the 50th District of the California State Assembly, which includes Agoura Hills, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Hollywood, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Topanga, West Hollywood, and West Los Angeles. He is currently the Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Resources and Transportation. A longtime environmental champion, as Chair he has established himself as a leader on climate change by pushing for increased renewable energy development, sustainable planning and enhancing the quality of life. The team thanks UCLA Government Relations for their support for this meeting.