The principle of environmental justice (EJ) – entailing equal right to a safe and healthy environment for everyone – has been built into the mission of all federal agencies since 1994. However, its implementation and enforcement have been weak. Meanwhile, new ideas have emerged in academic research on EJ, demanding a broader cross-disciplinary dialogue than is customary. Additionally, communities nationwide are turning to academia for help with understanding and acting upon outsized exposure to environmental risks. This symposium will provide a platform for distinguished academic researchers, prominent EJ champions, and community representatives to share and discuss current relevant knowledge from a variety of disciplines (environmental and health science, engineering, economics, law, political and social science), and to explore avenues for knowledge integration and community engagement that could best support much-needed national progress towards EJ.