Research that Shapes What Comes Next
UCRI invests in multi-institutional partnerships that bring UC experts together to tackle the complex challenges facing California and the nation. We support research that advances education, culture, quality of life, and economic activity across the state by connecting disciplines, campuses, communities, and sectors. Because meaningful solutions rarely come from a single perspective.
That same principle of partnership is essential to good policy. Just as collaboration across disciplines and campuses strengthens research, bringing the right people together strengthens public practice: combining evidence and expertise, incorporating diverse perspectives, and turning knowledge into action.
UCRI supports UC collaborations that bridge research and policy to make both more effective, producing new tools and approaches to:
- combat pollution
- reshape how California prepares for wildfires
- reduce social and economic disparities
- and more
RESEARCH FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT
Our funded research touches many aspects of life in California, from the air we breathe and the health of our communities to the education of future generations and the preservation of our cultural heritage. The projects below offer powerful examples of UCRI’s research mission in action.
Research Informing California’s Environmental Justice Air Quality Policies
Air quality → community monitoring → environmental justice policy
The Toxic Air Pollutants in California Environmental Justice Communities project brings interdisciplinary research and new UC-developed instruments into communities across Northern and Southern California to advance environmental justice and air quality policy. Researchers work directly with communities and local air quality management districts, sharing findings through policy briefs, study reports, and a graduate student-run blog to inform policymakers and regulators. Explore the project’s research, policy briefs, and other resources at the Community Air website.
Connecting California Agriculture, Workforce Development & the Green Bioeconomy
California agriculture → global partnership → green bioeconomy
The Labor and Automation in California Agriculture (LACA) project explores how technology and automation can strengthen California agriculture, improve farm work, and build climate resilience. Its policy work advances workforce development and sustainable land use while strengthening a California-Denmark collaboration on the emerging green bioeconomy. LACA researchers continue to work together, preparing a Fall 2026 workshop with growers and planning to publish an edited collection on California’s role in the new bioeconomy in early 2027. Learn more about California’s partnership with Denmark.
Using Research to Shape Climate-Adaptive Conservation Policy
Climate adaptation → conservation research → state/local planning
Research from the Climate-Adaptive Biodiversity Conservation project is helping inform how California can protect foundational species as the climate changes. The team is working with agencies and practitioner groups to translate research on species vulnerability into practical approaches for climate-adaptive conservation, connecting ecological science with the policy and management tools needed to protect California’s biodiversity. Read their latest publication on the subject.
Strengthening Policy to Advance Health Equity in California
Research-to-policy → community health → student leadership
The Advance Health Equity in California project brought together researchers across four UC campuses to strengthen health policy research and translate evidence into action in California. The team examined how research informs policymaking, partnered with communities in Merced and Riverside Counties, and produced research on evidence and misinformation and four evidence-based webinars on key health policy issues. Eighteen UC grad and undergrads gained hands-on experience in health policy research and knowledge translation. Through the Undergraduate Health Equity Scholars program, students attended a state health policy conference in Sacramento.
Restoring California’s Coastal Wetlands
Wetland science → restoration tools → public engagement/conservation
The Coastal Wetland Restoration project examines how California’s coastal wetlands can capture carbon and support climate resilience while providing benefits for people and wildlife. Researchers are developing restoration guidelines informed by carbon science, ecosystem services, environmental justice, and policy. The team is also expanding public engagement through a collaboration with the Smithsonian and a children’s book that brings wetland science and conservation to young audiences.
Projects to Watch
Heat Readiness and Child HealthThis project will develop policy briefs and public-facing resources on heat exposure and heat readiness for California policymakers, schools, pediatricians, and public health stakeholders. Watch for updates in 2027.
Advancing Policy for California’s Regenerative Agriculture Transition
The COAR team is advancing organic, agroecological, and regenerative agriculture in California by translating research into policy-relevant strategies and developing approaches for documenting and sharing effective ways to map research onto policy. Watch for updates in 2028.