He is the originator of the increasingly influential concept of just sustainabilities, which explores the increasingly intersecting goals of social justice and environmental sustainability, defined as:
the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now, and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, whilst living within the limits of supporting ecosystems.
Born and trained in the UK, he holds a B.Sc. in Geography and Botany, with a minor in Anthropology (University of Durham, 1980), a Post Graduate Certificate in Education in Geography and Environmental Studies (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1982), an MA in Conservation Policy (Middlesex University, 1987) and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies (University of London, 1996).
His combined science and social science background, together with extensive experience in local government, consulting, working for, and board-level advising of NGOs and community-based organizations in the UK and US, helps frame his perspectives, research and writing. This enables him to thrive at the borders and intersections of a wide range of disciplines, knowledges and methodologies which he uses in creative and original ways.
PANELISTS
Katherine Bonomo
Katherine Bonomo is a third-year Civil Engineering major at Cal State LA, specializing in environmental and structural engineering, and holds a minor in Sustainable Marketing. She is the Chair of the Environmental Policy Committee, where she spearheads sustainability efforts and promotes environmental stewardship on campus. With her passion for environmental advocacy and community engagement, Katherine has been an active member of various environmental organizations and initiatives. She has also demonstrated her leadership skills by serving as the captain of her robotics team and currently holds the position of President of the Cal State LA Society of Women Engineers chapter.
Choi Chatterjee
Professor Choi Chatterjee serves as Co-Director of the newly established Urban Ecology Center and is the Chair of History at California State University, Los Angeles. She has published two monographs and numerous peer-reviewed articles. She has co-authored two textbooks and co-edited four volumes of original scholarly essays. Her most recent monograph, 'Russia in World History: A Transnational Approach,' was published in 2022 by Bloomsbury Press. Dr. Chatterjee is also a co-founder of the Historical Database of Climate Adapted Agriculture project and a vocal supporter of everyday environmentalism.
Talia Dotson
As the Urban Greening Community Organizer at TreePeople, Talia helps to coordinate projects and events in greater Los Angeles related to green infrastructure, urban greening and climate resiliency. She holds a graduate degree in Regenerative Studies (regenerative agriculture, green architecture, and renewable technology) from Cal Poly Pomona with thesis work focusing on placing historically underserved communities at the forefront of the green revolution. An avid traveler and foraging enthusiast, Dotson enjoys bringing regenerative strategy and technologies to communities that need it the most.
Jacob Margolis
He was part of the team that won the 2021 Investigative Reporters and Editors Audio Journalism Award for the series "Hot Days: Heat’s Mounting Death Toll On Workers In The U.S."
Before disasters, his reporting took him all across our galaxy, as he dove deep on space exploration.
When he’s not reporting, he’s in the garden and spending time with his family in Los Angeles, where he grew up.
Eric Wood
Associate Professor Eric Wood serves as Co-Director of the newly established Urban Ecology Center and is the principal investigator (PI) of the Lab of Avian and Urban Ecology in the Biological Sciences Department at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Wood has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles and currently oversees three federal grants (NSF and USDA) focused on urban biodiversity as the principal or co-principal investigator. Dr. Wood generally focuses his research on the ecology of birds in the urban ecosystem of Los Angeles. His drive is to improve the city of LA for both biodiversity and people by providing research outputs and education.
Back to Pérez-Silverman Symposium event form.
