Zia Mehrabi and Naia Ormaza Zulueta: “For a Better and Fairer Planet”

Title: For a better and fairer planet

Bio:

• Zia Mehrabi is an assistant professor of environmental studies at CU Boulder. He is also founder of the Better Planet Laboratory, a group of data scientists and creatives who build data products and services to solve problems in development for a better and fairer planet. Zia’s research interests include food security, climate change, biodiversity, human health, welfare, infrastructure, and technology. He received his BA in Biological Sciences in 2011 and PhD in Philosophy in 2016, both from the University of Oxford.
• Naia Ormaza Zulueta is a PhD student in environmental studies at CU Boulder. She is a current postgraduate “la Caixa” fellow, has collaborated with the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, and holds a double B.Sc. in Physics and Electronic Engineering and an M.Res. in Methods and Models of Quantitative Economics. Naia’s current research quantitatively analyzes the number of people whose right to a healthy environment has been violated both presently and in the future. She recently presented on pollution and human rights for TedxCU Boulder.

Abstract:

Zia and Naia work together at the Better Planet Laboratory, a group of data scientists and creatives working to apply data and analytics to sustainable development and human rights. In this talk, you’ll learn about the Better Planet Laboratory’s recent work using satellite data to map waterways across the world and the use of this data for improving rural accessibility to healthcare, schools and markets. You’ll also learn how the lab has mapped the agricultural workforce at high resolution alongside the safe working conditions under a changing climate. If time allows, Zia and Naia will discuss key directions on where researchers at the Institute for Behavioral Science and elsewhere can work to fill knowledge gaps to support and improve decision making around environmental human rights in their own work.

Visit Dr. Mehrabi’s Website

Join in person at IBS 155 or via Zoom, email ibs-contact@colorado.edu for the password.
*Light lunch served at 11:45 a.m.