College of Liberal Arts

Support Community-Led Fire Response Research – GeoSpace Lab

Our faculty bring over 45 years of experience in humanitarian and fire disaster response. With unique, real-time data from a pioneering Community Brigade in Malibu, we’re conducting critical studies to reveal how communities can effectively prepare for and respond to wildfires. These studies give students the opportunity to conduct research in their own backyard and provide critical career development opportunities. Your support will help us bring timely, actionable insights to the forefront of wildfire resilience.

• Four Key Studies
  1. Community Perceptions
     • Focus groups in six fire-affected areas to understand risk awareness and potential solutions.
  2. Brigade Impact
     • Comparing fire outcomes in Malibu (with a brigade) vs. Pacific Palisades (without one) to measure the effectiveness of organized community response.
  3. Stay & Defenders
     • Investigating why residents choose to stay and protect their homes, and how that affects overall firefighting efforts.
  4. Longitudinal Analysis
     • Tracking the long-term impact of community-led fire response in Malibu.
• Immediate Funding Needs
  • Hire graduate students to process, clean and analyze community data.

Your gift will empower our efforts to build safer, more resilient neighborhoods—both in California and beyond. Thank you for your support!

CLA Internship Fund

When you make a gift to the CLA Internship Fund, you help ensure every student—regardless of financial circumstance—benefits from an internship. This fund bridges the gap between academic study and career success by covering essential costs, creating paid positions, and expanding the variety of placements available. You help empower a new generation of thinkers, creatives, and problem-solvers to gain confidence, sharpen their skills, and build meaningful professional networks.

The Dean’s Excellence Fund

Support to the Dean’s Excellence Fund directly impacts student internships, faculty research, and the development of innovative programs. You help offer internships that provide hands-on experience, bridging the gap between academic theories and practical applications. It allows our faculty to pursue groundbreaking research, fostering an environment of innovation that enriches student learning and advances knowledge. Gifts also help us develop and sustain programs that challenge conventional thinking, encourage creativity, and prepare students to be forward-thinking leaders.

Give today and help turn possibility into reality at Long Beach State—Where California Dreams truly take shape.