Students work on river study

This spring, Southwestern College joined forces with Columbia University’s Earth Studio to tackle the complex environmental challenges of the Tijuana River Watershed. Stretching 1,750 square miles across the U.S.–Mexico border, the watershed faces pollution, wastewater issues, habitat loss, informal settlements, and cross-border governance challenges.

Graduate students in urban design, architecture, and climate studies worked alongside Southwestern College faculty, students, and local partners to develop practical solutions for climate adaptation, infrastructure improvements, and community resilience.

Through May student teams will conduct research and prepare projects tailored to partner organizations. During Binational Travel Week in March, students participated in site visits, co-design workshops, and collaborative problem-solving sessions across San Diego and Tijuana. The week concluded with public presentations highlighting research findings and design solutions for the watershed.

Student teams produced spatial and landscape analyses, climate and policy research, stakeholder assessments, funding strategies, and public-facing storytelling tools. Local nonprofits, public agencies, and civil society groups guided the projects and will use the final outputs for planning, advocacy, and fundraising. Each partner organization was paired with a student team to ensure the work addressed practical, community-focused needs.

The collaboration coincides with another milestone: the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office recently approved Southwestern College’s first Bachelor’s program, the Transborder Environmental Design degree. The program prepares students for careers in sustainable design, environmental planning, and cross-border ecological work, creating new opportunities in the California–Baja region.

Earth Studio brings together Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation with the Climate School’s Master of Climate and Society program. Students integrate urban design, climate science, and policy to produce solutions that support ecological restoration and community resilience. The program emphasizes cross-border collaboration, combining academic rigor with hands-on, real-world application.

Research in the Tijuana River Watershed explored soft infrastructure, water systems, housing and urban morphology, climate dynamics, biodiversity, waste management, and governance. The project aims to turn environmental pressures into models of care, restoration, and resilience for both people and ecosystems.

While the March presentations are complete, the Spring 2026 program continues through May as student teams finalize research, publications, and deliverables for partner organizations. The collaboration demonstrates how higher education, design, and climate science can work together to address pressing environmental challenges while giving students hands-on experience in cross-border climate action.