Luis Nieto 

What motivates you?

"Currently, I am the Dean of the Faculty of Science at Universidad Luterana Salvadoreña, where I have been teaching law since 2008. I am sure that the program will allow me to strengthen my knowledge of environmental law and climate change, which will contribute to the growth of my academic institution and it will contribute to my students' training to become actors of social change to face El Salvador’s current environmental problems; this is my motivation."

What drew you to your professional field?

"I strongly believe that one of the biggest challenges of humanity is climate change. El Salvador is considered one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to natural disasters, most of those natural disasters are caused by climate change. That is why I enrolled as an environmental lawyer and professor in order to contribute and search for solutions to face this challenge."

Why did you apply for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program?

"One of the tools we dispose to face this problem, as a society, is environmental law and, of course, education. As an environmental lawyer and as a professor, I consider that this program would allow me to continue strengthening my professional knowledge in environmental and sustainable development issues, to find viable solutions to solve the environmental problems in El Salvador and the rest of the region. Furthermore, it will also give me appropriate tools to train my law students for their futures."

What do you hope to take away from this fellowship and apply to your work or at home?

"I'm sure that I will improve my professional knowledge by analyzing American private and public policies currently being implemented in the fight against the climate change crisis and try to replicate them in El Salvador. 

"Additionally, it will enhance my leadership skills and will facilitate productive partnerships with my fellows and U.S. counterparts helping my institution grow."

What is something from your country that you would like to share with the UC Davis community?

"One of the things that I would like to share with the UC Davis community is a little bit of my country's culture such as the food and our history."

How would you like to engage with UC Davis and the community here?

"It would be great to have the opportunity to experience real environmental cases led by environmental organizations that represent low-income people, as well as law firms specializing in that matter. It would also be a fantastic experience to be able to meet with climate change and environmental researchers, which would provide me with the bibliographic tools and the personal and professional experiences I need for my research work."