INFEWS Goals

NRT-INFEWS: Integrated Urban Solutions for Food, Energy, and Water Management combines research, education, and communication training to educate future leaders towards delivering comprehensive solutions to food, energy, and water systems (FEWS) challenges in urban systems under the pressures of global climate change. This program is unique in its focus on addressing the critical interdependence among food, energy, and water in the urban environment. We propose to train students in cutting-edge science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) research and education as well as to analyze scientific and technological advancements from economic, policy, and legal points of view. This integrated interdisciplinary training is designed towards the delivery and implementation of innovative and game-changing science and technologies with local and global applications in industrialized and developing nations.

Specific goals and activities

Goal 1: Scientific knowledge and skills. Provide interdisciplinary cutting edge educational and research training that enables STEM graduate students to identify and solve societal challenges at the food, energy, and water systems FEWS nexus.

Goal 2: Workforce development. Educate a large and diverse group of STEM graduate students to enter the FEWS workforce within and outside academia.

Goal 3: Professional skills. Improve student leadership and communication skills that enable the translation of scientific knowledge and engineering solutions for the benefit of the broader community.

Goal 4: Institutional capacity. Increase the focus of participating UCLA academic departments, local industrial, and community partners on delivering innovation at the FEWS nexus, in line with University and city wide initiatives.