The Rundel Scholars Lecture
With a generous endowment from esteemed ecologist and UCLA professor emeritus, Phil Rundel ’65, the Environmental Analysis Program has established an annual speaker series. Events highlight the work of scholars studying the changing planet, at the confluence of social, political, and scientific phenomena.
2025 Energy: Climate Change Transitions -- Panel and Master Classes: Sept 25 & 26
Panelists:
- Peter Bryant, Board Chair, Clareo -- Minerals Consulting Expert
- Professor Paige Weber, UC Berkeley ARE -- Grid Systems & Environmental Justice Researcher
- Shiyana Gunasekara -- Acting Director, African & Middle Eastern Affairs, DOE
Panel Moderator
- Professor John Jurewitz -- Pomona College Emeritus
2023 Water Talks: Betsy Damon: Betsy Damon is a 2023 Guggenheim Fellow and is the lead behind this installation in Chengdu, China (Sichuan Province).
2023 Lecture and Lunch Workshop: Cleo Wolfle Hazard – Fire and Water: Underflows in Field Work, Spatial Science, and Community-Led Research
Author of Underflows: Queer Trans Ecologies and River Justice
2022 Lectures and Field Master Class: Stephen Pyne
- “The Pyrocene: How Humans Created a Fire Age,”
- “Strange Fire: Europe’s Encounter with Fire Around the World”
Biography
Dr. Phillip Rundel (‘68) is a distinguished ecologist and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Renowned for his groundbreaking research on Mediterranean climate ecosystems, Dr. Rundel has made significant contributions to understanding the structure, function, and conservation of these unique biomes, which are characterized by their warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Dr. Rundel has focused on the plant ecology of Mediterranean-type regions, including California, the Mediterranean Basin, Chile, South Africa, and Australia. His work has explored the adaptations of plants to arid environments, fire ecology, and the impacts of human activity on these fragile ecosystems. He has been a vocal advocate for preserving biodiversity in Mediterranean-climate regions, which host a remarkable array of endemic species yet face severe threats from urbanization, agriculture, and climate change.
At UCLA, Dr. Rundel mentored numerous graduate students and collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to address pressing ecological questions. His research has been widely published in scientific journals, and he has authored or co-authored several influential books on plant ecology and Mediterranean ecosystems. A strong proponent of international collaboration, Dr. Rundel has worked closely with researchers and conservationists worldwide to develop strategies for sustainable management of Mediterranean landscapes.
Dr. Rundel's legacy extends beyond academia through his commitment to public outreach and environmental education. His efforts have helped raise awareness about the ecological and cultural importance of Mediterranean-climate regions, inspiring both scientific inquiry and conservation action.
Through decades of dedication, Dr. Phillip Rundel has cemented his reputation as a leader in the study of Mediterranean ecosystems, leaving an indelible mark on the fields of ecology and conservation biology.