- This event has passed.
Fall Symposium: Confronting Climate Change in Correctional Facilities
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 @ 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
FreeEvent Navigation
This interdisciplinary symposium examines how extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and other climate disasters impact the health of incarcerated people, while exploring potential mitigation strategies and remedies.
Panel Topics:
- Mapping What We Know About Climate Impacts in Correctional Facilities
- Strategic Alliances Between Lawyers, Advocates, Journalists, and Experts
- Research Approaches to Climate and Carceral Health
- Political Will and Financial Pathways to Address the Crisis
Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Require accommodations? Questions? Please email cljc@berkeley.edu.
Please RSVP HERE by 10/8/25
CONFRONTING CLIMATE CHANGE IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
Agenda is tentative and remains subject to change.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
|
9:00-9:30 A.M. |
Registration and continental breakfast |
|
9:30-9:45 A.M. |
Welcome Chesa Boudin, Founding Executive Director of the Criminal Law & Justice Center at UC Berkeley School of Law |
|
9:45-11:00 A.M. |
Session 1 Mapping What We Know About Climate Impacts in Correctional Facilities Moderator, Rachel Sklar PhD MPH, Assistant Professor, University of Washington Elizabeth Noth, PhD, CIH, Sr. Industrial Hygienist, Cal/OSHA Research & Standards Helen Jack, MD, Assistant Professor, University of Washington and Primary Care Physician, Washington Department of Corrections David Cloud, PhD, JD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Duke University School of Medicine Dr. Alison Pachynski, Chief Medical Executive, San Quentin |
|
11:15 – 12:30 P.M. |
Session 2 Strategic Alliances: Collaborations between Lawyers, Experts, Journalists & Advocates Moderator, Rio Scharf, Staff Attorney, Criminal Law & Justice Center Jeffrey S. Edwards, Partner, Edwards Law Susi U. Vasallo, MD, Emergency Medicine Physician, NYU Langone Amite Dominick, PHD, Founder/President, Texas Prisons Community Advocates Alleen Brown, Sr. Editor for Drilled Media and independent investigative journalist |
|
12:30 – 1:15 P.M. |
Lunch |
|
1:15 – 2:30 PM |
Session 3 Lightning Talk Sessions: Research Approaches to Climate and Carceral Health Including presentations by: Ufuoma Ovienmhada, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arizona Cecilia Martindale, PhD Student, University of Washington Katherine LeMasters, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Bharat Venkat, Associate Professor and Director of UCLA Heat Lab |
|
3:00 – 4:30 P.M. |
Session 4 Making the Case: Political Will and Financial Pathways to Address the Crisis Moderator, Stefano M. Bertozzi MD, PhD, Professor, UC Berkeley Public Health Nancy Skinner, Current Commissioner of the California Energy Commission Former California State Senator and Budget Committee Chair Amarik K Singh, Current Inspector General, State of California |
These events are open only to UC Berkeley Law students, faculty, and staff, unless otherwise noted.
Events are wheelchair accessible. For disability-related accommodations, contact the organizer of the event. Advance notice is kindly requested.
If you have any photos or video from your event that you’d like to share with Berkeley Law for possible use in our digital and print marketing, please email communications@law.berkeley.edu.
Interested in receiving a weekly email digest of Berkeley Law events? Subscribe here.