Students Amelia Najar, and Samantha Venegas, helped screen more than 100 soil samples at the March 7, 2026 event in Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood. (Photo Credit: UCLA Fielding School of Public Health)
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Jennifer Jay was recently featured in the Santa Monica Daily Press for her leadership in a major soil contamination study spanning Los Angeles County.
Researchers in environmental engineering and public health are collaborating with Jay in a countywide effort to better understand soil contamination risks. The initiative, known as the LA Urban Soil Social Impact Collaborative, is a community–university partnership supported by UCLA’s Center for Community Engagement. It has brought together faculty, students, and community partners to test nearly 700 soil samples from neighborhoods across the region—from wildfire-affected areas like Malibu and Altadena to historically industrial communities such as Watts.
Professor Jay, who co-leads the project, applies her expertise to identify pollutants such as lead and other heavy metals that may pose risks to residents. The research addresses dual threats: contamination from recent wildfires and long-standing industrial pollution embedded in urban soils.
A defining feature of Jay’s work is its strong community focus. Through public soil-testing events, like those held at community sites in Watts, residents can bring in samples from their own yards and gardens to receive accessible, science-based guidance. These efforts aim not only to generate data, but also to empower communities with knowledge about environmental exposures that affect everyday life.
The findings highlight a broader challenge facing urban regions: environmental hazards are often unevenly distributed, with vulnerable communities bearing the greatest burden. By combining engineering analysis with community engagement, Jay’s work exemplifies how UCLA researchers are translating technical expertise into actionable solutions for environmental justice and public health.
Explore the full feature in the Santa Monica Daily Press: https://www.smdp.com/ucla-researchers-test-soil-for-contaminants-across-la-county-from-fire-zones-to-watts/