Tuesday, October 15, 1996
FACULTY:
Julie Roque, urban planning teacher, championed environmental
justiceBy Marie Blanchard
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Julie Roque, an assistant professor of urban planning at UCLA,
passed away at her home over the weekend due to natural causes. She
was 38.
Roque had recently returned to UCLA after a year’s leave of
absence in Washington, D.C., where she had served as a senior
policy analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in
the Executive Office of the President. While in Washington, Roque
had worked on a variety of environmental issues.
Roque received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UC San
Diego and then went on to Brown University, where she received a
doctorate in environmental risk policy.
While at UCLA, Roque was a member and co-founder of the UCLA
Pollution Prevention Education and Research Center. She also served
as associate director for research on the environment and public
health for the Lewis Center.
A native Angeleno, Roque was a specialist in risk analysis,
environmental regulation and hazardous material issues. Although
she was not teaching this quarter, Roque was scheduled to teach a
course on health and environmental policy this winter.
Roque, who had been at UCLA for six years, was considered unique
by her colleagues for her background in technical science and her
passion for environmental justice. Bob Gottlieb, a professor of
urban planning, stressed Roque’s commitment to her students.
"Julie was very special. She was down to earth. She was great
with working out particulars to get students through the
(education) process," said Gottlieb. "This isn’t usually an area
that gets rewarded by the university, but Julie went out of her way
to help her students."
Students, colleagues and friends have been leaving flowers in
front of her office, and a posterboard has been set up in the
Public Policy building with notes and letters remembering
Roque.
A memorial service has tentatively been scheduled for Nov. 21 at
4 p.m.
For more information, call the urban planning department at
206-7150.