Robert Fofrich

Title: 
UC President's Postdoctoral Fellow
Company: 
UCLA
Education: 

Ph.D., Earth System Science - University of California, Irvine (2022)

MS, Earth System Science - University of California, Irvine (2019)

BS, Earth System Science - University of California, Irvine (2016)

AA, Liberal Arts & Science: Math, Sciences & Computer Science, West Los Angeles College (2014) magna cum laude

Career Path: 

I am an Earth System Scientist and a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA's Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. My research is centered on the interconnections between global environmental change and human society, with a particular focus on climate change attribution and mitigation.

I earned my Ph.D. and Bachelor's degree in Earth System Science from the University of California, Irvine, where my research primarily revolved around anthropogenic climate drivers such as energy and agricultural systems. Before my doctoral research, I was affiliated with the Center for Climate Sciences at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA-JPL). I studied wildfires and wildfire smoke plumes using the MISR instrument aboard the Terra satellite.

During my undergraduate years at UC Irvine, I was also with the Center for Environmental Biology and contributed to restoring various sites across Orange County.

I am a current recipient of the prestigious UC President's Postdoctoral Fellowship and have also been fortunate to have previously been an NSF Ridge to Reef Fellow and a Jet Propulsion Laboratory Scholar at NASA-JPL.

Furthermore, I am a first-generation college student and a former community college graduate from the Los Angeles Community College system.

Career Experience: 
Geoscience, climate science, ecology, environmental science etc.
Affiliations: 
UCLA
Rutgers
UC Irvine
The Climate Impact Lab
National Postdoc Association
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Society for Conservation Biology
Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Society for Leadership and Success
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa
Personal Interests: 
I love to travel and experience new places and cultures. I also love going on hikes, photography, comedy clubs, and music concerts, and I am a huge foodie.
Type of Students: 
I can help students who are seeking a career in academia or research. More broadly, I can help those seeking careers in the natural sciences, such as conservation, climate change, or environmental sciences.
Number of Students I can Mentor: 
1
Joined Date: 
2 years 8 months ago
Ideal Mentoring Relationship: 
I'm here to serve as a resource and to guide students through complex academic/career routes. I am a first-generation American and first-generation college student (and have attained the highest level of education among my closest friends and peers).
Therefore, I understand how challenging the system can be for many students.
Overall, I would like to be someone the student can rely on and confide in and could continue to serve as a resource to the student even after the program ends.
Remote Mentor: 
YES