You have absolutely no idea how much I love Dr. Li. His teachings, pedagogy, and goal-oriented attitude is extremely motivating when it comes to learning in his class. I've learned so much, and his lectures are fairly easy to follow. If you have the chance, take a class with him, and grab a coffee with him. He is genuinely one of the best!

The professor is very knowledgeable and supportive. The topics covered in the class are interesting, and you can learn a lot if you stay engaged. If you’re trying to have a productive quarter and actually learn something, I would recommend taking this class. Professor Li has strong connections and cares about helping students succeed, the guest lectures were also a highlight and brought in people with real-world experience. Highly recommended!

I took Professor Li’s class in Spring 2025, and I would definitely take it again. The class was really interesting—we explored different ways humans impact the environment, as well as the policies and solutions addressing those issues.One thing I really appreciated was that Professor Li invited guest speakers from different industries. It gave us a much better understanding of what working in the field is actually like, not just theory from lectures.

In terms of difficulty, the class is very manageable and easy and some group works as well. As long as you stay on top of the work and put in a reasonable effort, you’ll do well. It’s not meant to trick students—it’s designed to help you learn.

What really stood out to me is how up-to-date the material is. Compared to some other classes where lectures can feel outdated, Professor Li consistently brings in current topics and cutting-edge ideas. It feels like you’re learning what’s actually happening right now in the field.

Overall, I can tell that Professor Li genuinely cares about students and wants to inspire them. This class is a great foundation for anyone interested in environmental studies or related fields.

Professor Li has a very fair grading scheme for this class: 18% quizzes (which are easy), 20% homework (also easy), 17% participation (measured through iClicker and you can miss two classes), 20% midterm (which is open note), and 25% final exam (also open note). My TA, Melissa Ferriter, was also fantastic in providing us detailed weekly review slides and explanations for the free response questions that were on the midterm. I learned about a niche topic I didn't have much interest in before taking this class in a stress-free manner, what more could I ask for?

This class with Professor Li has been one of best I have ever taken at UCLA. Setup kind of like a sampler, Professor Li guides you through a bunch of different natural climate solutions topics, with really cool guest speakers dispersed throughout the quarter. It ends with a group project and presentation, alongside weekly quizzes. The class is truly what you make of it, whether you only want to gain a broad understanding or actually dive deep - Professor Li does not expect everyone to know a lot coming in and will always answer every single question super willingly. On the flip side, if this is already your jam, he is extremely knowledgeable. He is insanely supportive and you can really tell he puts a ton of effort into the class and getting to know everyone.