Hot Takes by the UCLA Heat Lab

Ep 7 - Winter Warmerland

In this Hot Takes special mini-episode, we take a look at the concerning weather events of 2025, and how they led to the heartbreaking destruction within the Los Angeles community due to the wildfires that ignited in early January. Walking through the history of Los Angeles weather events and how we have seen the loss of our seasons in recent years, we try to better understand the causes and effects behind these destructive fires, and how we as a community can not only rebuild, but learn to prevent them in the future. Narrated through an educational lens, the Hot Takes podcast hopes to bring awareness to the catalysts and lasting effects of wildfires and Southern California’s “winter warmerland.” Co-Hosts and Writers: Tiana Hoang, Natalie Gurzeler, and Isaac Lee Additional writing support from Yasmine Qushair Check out shownotes here: https://tinyurl.com/hottakes7 [https://tinyurl.com/hottakes7]

Ep 6 - Getting the Scoop on Metropolitan Heat with Dr. Kara Schlichting

This episode, join us as we learn more about heat through a sensorial and historical lens from our guest Dr. Kara Schlichting. Through her research, Dr. Schlichting delves into the individual’s experience with temperature through a holistic standpoint, particularly with how heat manifests in metropolitan areas. Highlighting her work with Melting Metropolis, a project which examines temperatures in the urban climates of New York, London, and Paris, Dr. Schlichting offers insight into the history of heat, as well as a hopeful perspective on warmer weather. Remember to stay cool, eat some ice cream, and stay tuned for our next episode. Recorded on Zoom, April 2024. Check out shownotes here: https://tinyurl.com/hottakes6  [https://tinyurl.com/hottakes6]

Ep 5 - Bringing the Heat to Early Education with the Heat Lab Education Team

There is a critical need for more in-depth environmental curricula to prepare students for the climate-impacted world they'll soon inherit. The UCLA Heat Lab's education team creates digestible lesson plans about thermal inequality for students ranging from 4th graders to high schoolers. From mapping schoolyard shade to brainstorming cool inventions, join us for a behind-the-scenes look on the trials and triumphs of inspiring the next generation of climate leaders. Check out shownotes at: https://tinyurl.com/hottakes5 [https://tinyurl.com/hottakes5]

Ep 4 - Dismantling Carceral Ecologies with Dr. Nicholas Shapiro and Kate McInerny

Although many of us are familiar with mass incarceration and environmental injustice as separate issues, we often don’t put the two together. Through his Carceral Ecologies lab, Dr. Nicholas Shapiro does just that - examining unjust environmental conditions in the prison industrial complex. Join us, Dr. Shapiro, and special guest Kate McInerny we discuss the lab’s community driven research and delve into abolitionism. Check out shownotes at: http://tinyurl.com/hottakes4 [http://tinyurl.com/hottakes4]

Ep 3 - Unveiling the Hot Truth about Food Trucks with Sofia Sabra and Olivia Toledo

Many of us love food trucks, but the food we enjoy often conceal a hidden reality—the workers enduring extreme heat. This is thermal inequality, the idea that some people bear the heat so others don't have to. Join us in an episode with Sofia Sabra and Olivia Toledo as we unravel the often-overlooked challenges faced by food truck workers and brainstorm potential solutions. Check out shownotes here: https://tinyurl.com/hottakes3 [https://tinyurl.com/hottakes3]