UCLA MacDonald Research Group and Lab

05/19/2026

Well - after years of work on California coastal marshes, from Tijuanna Marsh in the south to Humboldt Bay in the far north, we have published our results and huge data set on California marsh sediment accretion rates and carbon storage. Thanks to all who worked on this and James Holmquist who got the paper over the finish line!

Carbon stock and carbon accumulation rate data are vital to multiple aspects of tidal wetland conservation and restoration policy. In California, USA tidal soil data are rare outside of the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Delta regions, despite the differing conditions experienced by the outer coas...

05/06/2026

Glen is one of the Panel 1 speakers at 9:00 AM on Friday May 8th for this virtual symposium on the water crisis in the West -

Join expert researchers and water managers for this virtual mini-symposium as we examine dire conditions and the escalating crisis in the Colorado River Basin.

03/06/2026

Hot off the press - a new article on climate change in California and introduction of a new technique to reconstruct past lake deprhs Congratulations to Lisa Martinez for great work!

12/19/2025

Very pleased to see a paper, that had its genesis when Chunyu D**g was a post-doc with Glen here at UCLA, has just come out in the Nature Publishing Group journal Urban Sustainability. It was a pleasure working with Chunyu and colleagues on this.

Policymakers are increasingly recognizing the necessity for the equitable distribution of urban green spaces across sociodemographic groups. Nevertheless, the extant research consistently highlights disparities in this allocation, frequently neglecting the critical implications of extreme droughts o...

12/01/2025

Congratulations to Lisa Martinez for the successful presentation and defense of her doctoral dissertation!

07/09/2025

Was very pleased to learn that our 2022 publication - The season for large fires in Southern California is projected to lengthen in a changing climate - was selected by SpringerNature for inclusion in a special collection on Urban Fires Around the Globe. Some really interesting papers in the collection -

This collection showcases studies that advance our understanding of the factors that lead to the occurrence of urban fires, of the impact of fires on human ...

07/09/2025

Congratulations to Joan Chimezie for passing all her exams and advancing to candidacy for her doctorate!

04/02/2025

Glen's Biogeography book is available to pre-order!

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Biogeography%3A+Introduction+to+Space%2C+Time%2C+and+Life%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9781119904588?fbclid=IwY2xjawJadn1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHc_dkKt2VvOeBFhZBld1wHUU1BtYv06nrBIIYquM9iwl4desKCtRTOq-HA_aem_lPDwt_qxkPJzGEnJ-vHfSw

03/20/2025

Congratulations to Dr Ben Nauman on the successful defense and filing of his dissertation! Ben and his family celebrate his success!

02/05/2025

Our Annual Newsletter for the White Mountain Research Center is out. You can read about our great facilities , learn about our 75th Anniversary and read some of Glen's musings as Director -

The annual UC WMRC newsletter is a full-color publication that features research conducted at the Center’s reserves, historical information, & activities.

09/04/2024

Glen is organizing a special online symposium with top climate experts Daniel Swain and Park Williams from UCLA and California State Climatologist Michael Anderson to discuss California's wild weather and take your questions. Please join us Wed Oct 2nd from Noon to 1:30 PM!

REGISTER -

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Ursus Environmental Symposium: Heat Domes, Atmospheric Rivers, Bomb Cyclones and Climate Whiplash: California Climate and Weather Now and in the Future. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.