Greening Conference 2009, Introduction

Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr., Dean, UCLA School of Public Affairs

Biography: Dr. Gilliam most recently served as the first ever Associate Vice Chancellor for Community Partnerships in the University of California system (2002–2008). He founded the Center for Communications and Community at UCLA. He has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Grinnell College, and the University of Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania). He has also taught with former Vice President Al Gore at Columbia University, Fisk University, and Middle Tennessee State University. He is a Senior Fellow at the FrameWorks Institute and was a Visiting Scholar at Brandeis University. He received his B.A. from Drake University and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa.

The Ford Foundation awarded Dr. Gilliam a post-doctoral fellowship and he has been twice nominated for UCLA's prestigious Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award. He has also been awarded the University of Iowa’s Distinguished Alumni award, the Mark O. Hatfield National Scholar award, and the Drake University Double D award. He serves on several local and national boards including Sempra Energy LA, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, and the Institute for Community Peace.

He has consulted national foundations (e.g., Kellogg, Gates, the California Endowment) and organizations (e.g., Prevent Child Abuse America, National Governor’s Association). He has been featured by major media outlets such as CNN, BBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post and others.

He has researched strategic communications, public policy, electoral politics, and ethnic politics. He is the author of the Farther to Go: Reading and Cases in African-American Politics, as well as numerous journal articles.

"Greening the North American Energy Relationship: Building a Stronger U.S.-Canada Environmental Partnership" – a conference supported by UCLA and the Government of Canada – opens a window on where we are now on the policy front and how energy companies, from petroleum producers to nuclear power producers, are working on solutions for the future. The conference will attract business, investors, government officials, non-governmental organizations and the media.