Celebrities Help Raise $500,000 for UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

Images: Vince Bucci

Hollywood celebrities came together on Thursday at the 50,000-square-foot Bel Air home of Tony Pritzker to raise funds for UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Founded in 1997, UCLA’s IoES conducts research in sustainability, provides undergraduate and graduate academic programs in environmental studies and more.

Celebrities like Quincy Jones, “Pulp Fiction” producer Lawrence Bender, Jared Leto, Owen Wilson and Lana Del Rey opened their schedules, and wallets, to support UCLA’s IoES program. The guests all gathered at the Bel Air home of Tony Pritzker, co-founder of the equity firm The Pritzker Group and board chair of IoES. At the event, guests heard students from the IoES senior-year undergraduate program who spoke about their practicum projects for the institute.

Close to $500,000 was raised at the event.

Research programs at the IoES focus on critical environmental challenges including climate change, air and water quality, biodiversity and conservation, energy, coastal and water resources, urban sustainability, corporate sustainability and environmental economics. Much of the research is supported and coordinated by the institute’s seven research centers. The institute educates the next generation of professional and scientific leadership committed to the health of the planet. The IoES enhances student training by presenting environmental issues within a broad, interdisciplinary framework. Undergraduate programs include Environmental Science, B.S., Environmental Systems and Society minor and Education for Sustainable Living Program. Graduate programs offered include a Leaders in Sustainability Graduate Certificate.

Source: Huffington Post

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