Silvia R. González is a researcher committed to addressing inequality and environmental health disparities in Latino communities. Her work is deeply influenced by her lived experience as a first-generation Latina growing up in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and Guanajuato, Mexico. As Director of Research at the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute (LPPI), González directs research at the intersection of climate, environmental justice, and health. In her role, González oversees strategy for using research to create equitable neighborhoods, particularly concerning how anti-displacement policies, environmental equity, and community-led climate planning can foster more just communities.

Silvia’s new work is imbued with a gender lens, focusing on the role of women in advancing the human right to water and environmental sustainability in front-line communities, thereby informing advocacy for more inclusive policies. Her leadership extends beyond the academy, having served as a research consultant with nonprofit, community-based, and government organizations across Los Angeles. Previously, González was the founding assistant director at the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, where she led projects examining racial inequality in Los Angeles. She also co-directed community-based and environmental equity research projects at the Luskin Center for Innovation to advance California’s Human Right to Water and Community-led Climate Investments.

Her research and commentary have been mentioned in major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, NPR, CALO News, and Telemundo. González received her PhD from UC Los Angeles’ Department of Urban Planning, holds a MURP with a concentration on economic development from UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a BA in geography and environmental studies also from UCLA.