Q&A with Associate Provost for Energy, Climate & Environment Rachel Morello-Frosch

Q: How will this new venture be useful to academic departments? How can they get involved?

A: One of the great things about UC Berkeley is that nearly four hundred people in a variety of schools, institutes, and centers are doing energy, climate, and environmental work. Despite our collaborative culture, our large campus can make it difficult to find the team of experts you need. Our office is a connector for faculty, professional researchers, students, and external partners. Through programs like our SpARC workshops (Spaces for Accelerated Research Collaborations), we will bring people together from diverse fields to problem-solve pressing topics.

Our office launched on July 1. We are meeting with as many faculty, students, centers, schools, and organized research groups as possible. We really want to learn how best to support the diverse array of  work on energy, climate and environmental topics, and I encourage people to reach out via my executive assistant Ya’el Seid-Green or come visit us at the Bakar Gateway building.

Q: Why is UC Berkeley the best place for this work? What are the superpowers that UC Berkeley brings in addressing energy, climate, and environment issues?

A: UC Berkeley is the best place to address these issues for three reasons. First is the sheer volume, breadth, and excellence of research and activities in disciplines as varied as STEM, social sciences, arts and humanities, law, policy, public health, city planning, and business. Second, as one of the top public universities in the world, Berkeley has the partnerships, programs, and pathways to elevate this work to decision-makers at local through international levels. Third, Berkeley’s public service mission orients us to integrate sustainability and equity goals in how we build climate solutions that benefit everyone.

The goal of the ECE Office is to cultivate a collaborative campus community by supporting and connecting the great work that’s already happening. Fundraising to help elevate this work further is a major objective of ours.

Q: What makes you excited about UC Berkeley as a place to pursue your ambitions in energy, climate, and environment scholarship, innovation, and public engagement?

A: I received my undergraduate degree, my masters, and my PhD at Berkeley, so I bleed blue and gold. On top of that, I’ve been privileged to pursue research at Berkeley that focuses on environmental health science, epidemiology, and environmental justice, including the impacts of climate change and other environmental hazards on marginalized communities. I believe that the new Office of Energy, Climate & Environment (ECE) is well-positioned to leverage resources and external partnerships, as well as build programs and catalyze novel multidisciplinary research projects and promote curricular innovation and training that advances sustainable and socially-just solutions to planetary and community health threats. 

Q: You’ve been in the Associate Provost role for a brief period of time. What have you heard from our campus community and friends of the campus so far?

A. I have heard a lot of enthusiasm for the creation of this Office, particularly at a time when people are suffering from wildfires, floods, extreme heat, and other planetary threats. Many impacted communities feel abandoned by the federal agencies that should be helping them. My goal for this office is to galvanize and support impactful work and facilitate the translation of research to action.  We are fortunate to have a donor community that is deeply committed to Berkeley’s public mission and to addressing the climate crisis. California, the fourth largest economy in the world, has shown significant innovation and private- and public-sector leadership in climate solutions. This creates an opportunity to contribute to real change.

Q: What don’t people know about you?

A: I have a son who played for the NFL.