Established in 2020, the UCLA Heat Lab aims to bring together undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty with members of the community to study heat from a diversity of disciplinary perspectives, ranging from architecture and urban planning to biology, climate science, economics, geography, anthropology, and history. We are particularly interested in 1.) how ordinary people experience heat as an embodied sensation that shapes their lives, 2.) the relationship between heat and health, 3.) how exposure to heat and its negative effects are unequally distributed (thermal inequality), and 4.) how we might document and analyze those exposures and effects. Much, but not all, of our work is focused on Los Angeles.
We are looking for undergraduate students who are interested in working collaboratively across a.) our various research teams on the issues described above, b.) our curriculum team that connects with teachers, administrators, and most importantly, K-12 students, to teach them about how climate change impacts their daily lives, and c.) our social media, website, and podcast teams. Students in the lab tend to work on multiple projects at any given moment across various areas.
Applications are due by March 4, 2024, at midnight. Depending on the number of applications we receive, selected students might be invited for interviews. Meetings will begin in Spring Quarter 2024. You will be expected to put in 4-8 hours per week as part of your work with the Lab. In addition to working with your smaller teams, you will also be expected to attend (in-person) lab meetings every Friday from 2-3pm—if you cannot make these meetings, you cannot participate in the Lab. Through your involvement, you will receive either 195, 195CE, 196, or 199 credit.
Please remember to include a short writing sample that you’re proud of (it can be anything!), a resume/CV, and an unofficial transcript (all of which should be uploaded as part of this application).
ELIGIBILITY:
- You must be able to commit to in-person weekly meetings as well as smaller team meetings.
- You must put in 4-8 hours per week.
- Students graduating in Spring 2024 are unfortunately ineligible to join the lab, as we expect that — with the PI’s approval — lab members will stay on for the 2024-25 academic year.