Led by social scientists, EcoGovLab brings together researchers and educators across generation, geography, and discipline concerned about  environmental governance. A key goal is to bring social science perspective into interdisciplinary environmental research and education.  Professor Kim Fortun (Department of Anthropology, University of California Irvine) directs EcoGovLab. 

EcoGovLab was established in 2022 to coordinate a growing array of projects and collaborations centered at UCI  and to  serve as a hub connecting environmental governance  researchers, educators and advocates globally. Some EcoGovLab projects are deeply local; others have global scope and connections. EcoGovLab researchers at UCI include undergraduate and graduate students (from different disciplines), postdocs and project scientists. EcoGovLab Affiliates are in locations around the world, both within and beyond universities. 

EcoGovLab collaborates with many  labs and programs at both UCI and other universities, aiming to help build interdisciplinary environmental research and education capacities. EcoGovLab also collaborates with many environmental advocacy organizations. Our goal is to build durable, reciprocal relationships that make the university a resource for these organizations while creating opportunities for students and faculty to learn from and support them.  

Cover image from Exploring Fast Disasters map made by EcoGovLab member Margaret Tebbe.