Research Centers
LMU is committed to advancing sustainability through interdisciplinary research, collaborative outreach, and real-world application. As an R2 research institution, LMU fosters high-level scholarship that addresses critical environmental and social challenges. Faculty and students actively engage in sustainability research across disciplines, producing impactful work on topics ranging from ethical consumption and ecological stewardship to urban gardening and environmental surveillance. Highlights include studies on nature-based learning, climate ethics, and international marine biosecurity efforts. LMU is also home to several research centers dedicated to sustainability, reinforcing its mission to build resilient and just communities through education, innovation, and partnerships. These efforts not only inform policy and practice but also prepare future leaders to tackle pressing global issues.
Center for the Study of Los Angeles (StudyLA)
StudyLA explores and examines one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the world. It is one of the leading undergraduate research centers in the nation with extensive experience in conducting public opinion surveys, exit polls, leadership studies, community studies, and culture and climate assessments. Motivated by Loyola Marymount University’s commitment to pursuing justice and creating a better world for all, StudyLA produces meticulous data and thoughtful analysis as a resource to leaders and community stakeholders working toward making positive, transformational changes in their communities.
Center for Urban Resilience (CURes)
CURes provides a suite of research, education, and restorative justice services in support of their mission to: “partner with communities to build resilient, vibrant, and just cities through meaningful interactions with their diverse ecosystems and each other.” They endeavor through collaborations and support from key partners including philanthropic foundations; NGOs; school districts; other universities; city, county, state, and federal agencies; and the LMU community.
Coastal Research Institute
The Coastal Research Institute (CRI) brings together expertise from Loyola Marymount University’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering and The Bay Foundation to restore and enhance Santa Monica Bay and local coastal waters. The institute contributes to a better understanding of global urban coastal resource management through the execution of projects that stem from The Bay Foundation's work on US Environmental Protection Agency's Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program.
CSJ Center for Reconciliation and Justice
The Center for Reconciliation and Justice serves faculty, staff, students and alumni by offering a forum for dialogue, a place of education, and a resource for reflective action. The center aims to be an interdisciplinary and interfaith space that supports the University community's work for reconciliation and justice in Los Angeles and beyond.
Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainability
The Institute for Business Ethics and Sustainability (IBES) at Loyola Marymount University enables the exchange of knowledge, ideas and opportunities between students, alumni, faculty and employers to advance the Principles in Management Education (PRME) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Bay Foundation
The Bay Foundation (TBF) was founded to restore and enhance the Santa Monica Bay and local coastal waters. Along with LMU's Seaver College of Science & Engineering, TBF operates The Coastal Research Institute with the mission to engage in multidisciplinary research on environmental and social issues affecting the Bay and its watersheds and to contribute to policies and actions that improve the Bay. CURes scientists and staff frequently collaborate with TBF on education and research projects that align the missions of both organizations.