UC Irvine’s global sustainability effort has been chosen to be part of a White House initiative aimed at climate education that will distribute science-based information to students, teachers and the broader public. UCI’s program is one of 25 to participate in the Climate Education & Literacy Initiative. To start it off, UCI Graduate Division Dean Frances Leslie joined distinguished educators, government officials, philanthropic leaders and others from the private sector on Dec. 3 in Washington, D.C., for a roundtable discussion of how to allocate more resources to teachers and increase professional development and training related to climate change.

UCI’s legacy of sustainability began when shovel first hit dirt at the dedication of campus land by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The university’s consequent commitment to sustainability and climate education has culminated in a task force on sustainability education, with dean-appointed representatives from 10 schools and programs. And next month, the Global Sustainability Resource Center will host UCI’s first retreat for undergraduates enrolled in the global sustainability minor, enabling about 40 students to build their skills in strategic questioning, community visioning, action planning and climate communication.