Event Date
Abstract:
Managing resources to support socio-economic activities while sustaining the natural environment has become one of the greatest global challenges. However, in complex socio-environmental systems—including water, food, land, and energy systems, among others—bidirectional feedbacks between the human and natural model subsystems are often neglected or misrepresented.
In this seminar, I will present how I address the integration of the human dimension in socio-environmental systems, with the main goal of improving decision making and policy, and looking also at equity considerations.
First, I will briefly review my research journey into policy-oriented simulation and optimization modeling approaches for socio-environmental systems. Then, I will explain in detail how I integrate human decisions in socio-environmental systems. In doing that, I will go over the basics of economic applications for system analysis—focusing in household and farmer responses, but also on institutional and regulatory frameworks—and how they are considered in modeling approaches, highlighting the current research gaps and opportunities. And building on these topics, I will introduce my long-term research goals: assessing socio-economic and environmental drought risks under a changing climate, developing transition pathways to sustainability in water-energy-food-land systems, and identifying equitable policies for economic and environmental resilience.
And all this research becomes more relevant when water users, institutions, and other interested parties are in the center of the research process. Therefore, and as an essential part of my research methods and goals, I will also highlight how I approach stakeholder knowledge and co-production as a key element to define research questions, obtain feedback and co-develop products, and achieve greater impact.
Finally, I will conclude my seminar describing how I see myself as a member of the UC Davis community. I will highlight opportunities for collaboration, describe my philosophy and interests to teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, and talk about my objectives in fostering a diverse and inclusive community.
Bio:
Alvar Escriva-Bou is an assistant professor with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research uses systems approaches to explore integrated water, energy, food and environmental resources management. Specifically, he focuses on the integration of the human dimension in these socio-environmental systems, linking engineering and economic models to assess drought impacts, improve urban and agricultural resilience, or analyze policy outcomes and tradeoffs. Prior to joining UCLA, Alvar was a senior fellow at the Water Policy Center of the Public Policy Institute of California where he examined the options and consequences of transitioning to groundwater sustainability in the San Joaquin Valley, analyzed California’s water accounting system, studied urban drought strategies, and investigated energy and climate policies related to water use, among other things. Previously, he worked as a civil a civil engineer, managing and developing large infrastructure projects for local and regional governments and consulting firms in Spain. Alvar holds a PhD and MS in water and environmental engineering and a BS in civil engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain, as well as an MS in agricultural and resource economics from the University of California, Davis.