Welcome to the NSF CREST Center for Advancement Toward Sustainable Urban Systems at Cal State LA
The concept of sustainable energy research, as realized by Center for Advancement Toward Sustainable Urban Systems (CATSUS), involves a multi-disciplinary effort to address issues of making existing energy technologies more efficient while pursuing emerging alternate energy technologies that are not reliant on fossil fuels. We conduct transformative research to promote energy diversity, efficiency, and sustainability while training talented engineering and science students to catalyze change in this field. We also engage policymakers, schools, and the public to ensure that technological advances are robust, widely understood, and adopted.
Research Thrust Areas
CATSUS involves 22 faculty members from six interdisciplinary departments at Cal State LA who lead efforts in 4 research thrust areas. It is expected to provide research training to more than 200 students at Cal State LA over its funding period. Several projects address issues of energy and water sustainability in urban areas. CATSUS provides funding for faculty and student fellows to develop novel and transformative research related to energy systems and management in buildings, advanced materials for energy and water applications, and resilience of urban water bodies, to attain urban sustainability.
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Cal State LA offers exciting research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in the sciences and engineering. Our program focuses on advancing knowledge in energy and sustainability, allowing students to collaborate with faculty across diverse disciplines.
Application Process
Highlights
NSF ERI Grant Boosts Earthquake Resilience Research
Dr. Welson Kwan receives a $200K NSF ERI grant to study how earthquake shaking affects the stability of sandy soils and the safety of infrastructure.
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
CATSUS proudly recognizes our faculty members who have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Scholar Awards to teach and conduct research abroad during the 2025–26 academic year.
New CATSUS Publication
Congratulations to Dr. Petr Vozka's group for publishing an article in Trends in Analytical Chemistry!
The NSF CREST Center for Advancement Toward Sustainable Urban Systems (CATSUS) grant is supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Award number 2112554.