This special UCCS Speaker Series program features the top two submissions from the 2022 UCCS Emerging Scholars Award Competition. Each year since 2017, UCCS has invited graduate students from all ten UC campuses to submit synopses of their policy-relevant research. Winners are chosen by a panel of UCCS-affiliated faculty, graduate students, and policy consultants.

Our first co-winner will examine air pollution reduction from climate policy, including the current inequities in air pollution exposure and the potential for addressing these through prioritizing emissions reductions. Our second co-winner will explore the impact of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals program on undocumented immigrants in the U.S. labor market and education outcomes.

Pascal Polonik (UC San Diego) is a PhD candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography with the Environment and Policy Group. In recent work, he explores how different decision criteria in climate policy implementation might influence the equitable distribution of air pollution. His results indicate that emission reductions will improve air quality for everyone and although inequities in air quality are deeply entrenched, reductions from transportation hold outsized potential for improving equity.

Reem Zaiour (UC Davis) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Economics and a Graduate Student Affiliate in the Global Migration Center at UC Davis. Her research lies at the intersection between labor and public economics, specifically evaluating the effects of migration policies and the importance of migration networks. She is particularly interested in understanding how these factors shape the labor market outcomes and the integration of migrants in host economies.

*This talk will be given as a webinar as well as a limited in-person option.  The link will be provided on Tuesday, March 7th to those that have registered by 5:00pm on Monday, March 6th.*

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Please click below to view the PowerPoint presentations:

Pascal Polonik

Reem Zaiour