Dr. Jessica Debats Garrison holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from MIT, a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCI, an MA in U.S. History from UCLA, and a BA in History from UCI. Her research focuses on the relationship between environmental justice, climate adaptation, and public space, with a focus on urban forestry and urban heat island mitigation. Before coming to the UCI Environment Collaboration, Dr. Garrison taught research methods, climate adaptation, environmental justice, and American politics, history, and urban planning at MIT. Previously, she was an environmental analyst and geographic information systems specialist for the MIT Office of Sustainability and local governments and environmental consulting firms in southern California.