About the ThinkLab
The CECJ ThinkLab at CU Denver serves as a research forum and creative space where students engage in critical investigations and discussions centered on the cross-cutting dimensions of climate and society (impacts, vulnerability, disaster risk reduction, global health, adaptation, education, ethics, equity, and action). Using climate justice and civic engagement as integrative themes, the CECJ ThinkLab seeks to attract and serve students from all cultural backgrounds and academic interests, including the STEM disciplines, social sciences, urban planning, humanities, and arts, and spark their interests to learn across disciplinary knowledges for collective action in Colorado and beyond. Moreover, the ThinkLab is commited to supporting and encouraging students from underrepresented groups (broadly defined) in their pursuit of cross-disciplinary climate and society scholarship and creative activities.
The CECJ ThinkLab addresses the need for: a) interdisciplinary and equity-minded STEM training to address the multifactorial causes and impacts of climate change; and b) a diverse workforce that reflects the changing demographics and climate resilience needs of Colorado. Through cross-disciplinary (climate and society) thinking, hands-on research, collaborative activities, and peer-to-peer learning, the CECJ initiative builds undergraduate research capacities, fosters community, and cultivates leadership and networks.
CECJ Fellows
With support from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (EURēCA! Student Assistants program), the Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, and a CU Denver Inclusive Excellence grant, the CECJ ThinkLab supports a 2024-25 undergraduate cohort that includes (student name [major and topic]): Sarah Le (Public Health, Climate and Food Justice), Steven Ocana (Public Health, El Niño and dengue), Farah Sanginova (Public Health, El Niño and global food security), Yuting Xiang (Communications and Public Health, El Niño and disaster risk reduction), and Laila Zeid (Biology, Climate change and brain health). In addition, the ThinkLab is supporting several graduate students (Carolina Jaime-Anson, Gabriella Mayne, Melissa Porrey, and Marianna White) in their pursuit of original research presentations at the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting in 2025.
The previous CECJ ThinkLab cohort (2023-24) included Ruth Hundi, Luis Vargas, and Stefanie Varghese, all public health majors. Their research which examined how the 2023-24 El Niño evolved across four countries (Australia, Ecuador, Peru, and the U.S.) won the President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge (Sustainability in our Environment & Technology Award) at the 2024 Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS) at CU Denver.
CECJ Events
Climate Justice Cafe: Elevating Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research (November 11, 2024). A celebration of CU Denver undergraduate students and climate justice research. Lessons learned about interdisciplinary STEM initiatives.
Community Engagement Cafe: Climate Justice and Advocacy (March 13, 12:30pm to 2:00pm, Student Commons BLDG, Room 2504). Join us for a skill-building session with Conservation Colorado. Students will learn about the Climate Justice Leadership Academy and connect their academic studies to environmental justice advocacy, including how to collaborate with local communities for mutual benefit and collective action. Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS) Council on Access & Community Engagement, Civic Engagement & Climate Justice (CECJ) ThinkLab, Departments of Integrative Biology, Health & Behavioral Sciences, Geography & Environmental Sciences, and Climate Change Studies Program. Food by Los Molinos. Registration: https://ucdenverdata.formstack.com/forms/community_engagement_cafe
Community Engagement Cafe: Exploring Connections between the Place-based Justice Network & Community-engaged Geographers (Coming in March 2025, American Association of Geographers [AAG] Meeting, Detroit, MI) - Co-organized with the Place-based Justice Network
Worldwide Climate & Justice Education Week: Climate Change & Health Impacts – Whose Responsible? (April 22, 11:00am to 12:15pm, Student Commons BLDG, Room 2500). Join us for a critical discussion about climate change, impacts, and who is responsible for action. A short viewing of the documentary, The Island President, will ground the discussion. This learning session will take place in the Undergraduate Public Health Program's Introduction to Environmental Health course. Pizza will be served.
For more information, please contact me, Dr. Ivan J. Ramírez (PI and Director), at ivan.ramirez@ucdenver.edu and/or visit our webpage (https://climatehealthjustice.wordpress.com/cecj-thinklab/).