Bren Student Organizations & Activities

Welcome, Brennies! 

There are many ways to get involved as a Bren student! Scroll down for information on student clubs, committees, and activities. As always, Bren School staff are here to help if you can't find what you're looking for or if have any questions along the way (academics@bren.ucsb.edu). 

Current Student Resource Guide Sections:

Clubs

  • Environmental Justice (EJ) Club
    The club serves the Bren community by providing a setting where students can build awareness and understanding of environmental justice. We strive to remove the shroud between science, policy, and people. We work to ensure that Bren students leave equipped with the ability to identify and address environmental justice in their future careers
  • Brengrass
    Brengrass is the fabled, legendary and official band of the Bren School.
  • Bren School Sustainability Committee
    The Bren School Sustainability Committee (BSSC) is comprised of Bren MESM and PhD students who have an interest in creating a more sustainable community at Bren, UCSB and greater Santa Barbara. The BSSC coordinates interesting activities to promote sustainable action and education. To join BSSC, provide feedback, or make a recommendation, send an email to bssc@lists.bren.ucsb.edu. To join the BSSC listserv, please visit https://lists.connect.ucsb.edu/bren/info/bssc.

Bren Student Committee Descriptions

See descriptions below and scroll down to the next section for a list of committee members. 

Dean's Advisory Council (DAC)
The DAC serves as an information conduit between students and the administration. It works with the administration to ensure the Bren School provides a supportive and positive environment for its students. DAC represents the entire student body and explores different student opinions and views to motivate problem-solving for any student-related issues. The MESM DAC includes three 1st-year MESM and three 2nd-year MESM students. The PhD DAC includes up to five PhD students. The DAC is responsible for scheduling meetings, creating its own minutes, and defining its processes and procedures. Meetings are held quarterly. DAC may lead school-wide functions that involve the student body. 

Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee is composed of two Bren faculty, three staff, and one PhD and one MESM student who focus on diversity and integrate diversity considerations into all decision-making. The Diversity Committee meets once or twice per quarter, or as needed. The Bren School Diversity Values are posted to the website under About Bren.

PhD Program Committee
The PhD Program Committee consists of faculty, staff, and two PhD student representatives, one that has advanced to candidacy and one pre-candidacy. The committee sets standards and policy for the PhD curriculum. It provides advice and consent on matters of policy, programs, and practice that impact the quality of the PhD educational program and the educational experience of PhD students. According to University rules, the student representatives cannot be voting members; only faculty that are members of the Academic Senate can be voting members. Nonetheless, the students play an important and valuable role. The Committee reserves the right to have Executive Sessions that exclude the student representatives as needed to discuss confidential personnel issues or issues related to specific students. The staff contact for the PhD Program Committee is the Academic Programs Manager.

MESM Program Committee
The MESM Program Committee consists of faculty, staff and a 2nd-year MESM student representative. In Spring Quarter, the MESM student representative is elected from the 1st-year class and serves on the committee through his/her second year. The committee sets standards and policy on MESM education. It provides advice and consent on matters of policy, programs, and practice that impact the quality of the MESM educational program and the educational experience of MESM students. According to University rules, the student representatives cannot be voting members; only faculty that are members of the Academic Senate can be voting members. Nonetheless, student representatives play an important and valuable role in shaping the committee agenda and working to address students’ interest and concerns. The Committee reserves the right to have Executive Sessions that exclude the student representative as needed to discuss confidential personnel issues or issues related to specific students. The staff contact for the MESM Program Committee is the Academic Programs Manager.

Group Project Committee
The Group Project Committee consists of faculty, staff and three 1st-year MESM students who oversee the Group Project selection process. In Fall Quarter, MESM students are elected from the 1st-year class to serve on the committee during the Winter Quarter of the first year of study. The committee reviews and selects Group Project proposals. The faculty and staff guide Group Project policy and communicate guidelines to students. The staff contact for the Group Project Committee is the Academic Programs Manager.

Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E) Program Committee
The Eco-E Program Committee consists of faculty and staff who oversee the Eco-E Program. The committee mentors students in Eco-E Projects, provides feedback to Eco-E groups through quarterly lessons-learned presentations and Eco-E Project defenses, and allocates funding for Eco-E student recruitment, internships, and prototypes. The staff coordinator for the Eco-E Program Committee is the Eco-E Program Manager.

Bren Seminars Committee
The Bren Seminars Committee consists of staff, PhD, and MESM students who plan the Bren Seminar series. Seminars are focused on research topics of interest to environmental science students and faculty. Bren Seminars are scheduled on Mondays at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm. The Bren Seminar Committee works closely with the Senior Events Managr and Assistant Dean for Academic Programs.

MESM Class Chairs
Each MESM class elects two co-chairs in early Winter Quarter. The MESM Class Chairs facilitate communication between alumni in each class and the Bren School. Class Chairs provide meaningful feedback to the school and can open doors to internships, employment opportunities, and matching gifts. Each year Class Chairs play a leadership role in rallying classmates to provide annual support to the school in the form of personal contributions. It is through the support of our alumni and friends that the school can offer comprehensive, leading-edge approaches to environmental problem-solving. 

Bren school committees

- updated September 18, 2020

 

Faculty Committees

Affirmative Action
Steve Gaines, Dean
Faculty TBD
TBD, Staff Coordinator
 
Environmental Data Science Search
James Frew, Chair
Sarah Anderson, Equity Advisor
Frank Davis
Ben Halpern
Naomi Tague
Alice Lepissier, Student Representative
Juan Carlos Villasenor Derbez, Student Representative
Kelly Keogh, Staff Coordinator
 
Diversity Committee:
Kyle Meng, Chair
Sarah Anderson, Ex officio
Steve Gaines, Ex officio
Lisa Leombruni
Qusai Bhaijeewala, MESM Student Representative
Annette Hilton, PhD Student Representative
Kristine Duarte, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
Kelly Keogh, Staff Consultant
Melissa Van De Werfhorst, Staff Consultant
Sophia Wilmore, Staff Consultant
 
Faculty Executive Committee
Mark Buntaine, Chair (2nd year)
Roland Geyer (2nd year)
Kelly Caylor (1st year)
Kelsey Jack (1st year)
Steve Gaines, Ex officio
Bruce Kendall, Ex officio
Sarah Anderson, Ex officio
Kelly Keogh, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
 
Personnel
Matt Potoski, Co-Chair, Sabbatical W21
Naomi Tague, Co-Chair
Bren Faculty
Kelly Keogh, Staff Coordinator
 
Recruitment, Admissions and Support (RAS)
Hunter Lenihan, Chair
Trish Holden
Kelsey Jack
Jim Salzman
Kristine Duarte, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
Rebecca Webb, Staff Consultant
 
Group Project
Frank Davis, Chair
Chris Costello 
Roland Geyer
Steve Gaines, Ex officio
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant 
Sean Kerr, Staff Coordinator
TBD, 1st Year MESM Student Representative
TBD, 1st Year MESM Student Representative
TBD, 1st Year MESM Student Representative
 
Master’s Curriculum (priority for 2020-21 will be MEDS)
James Frew, Chair
Sarah Anderson
Ben Halpern 
Allison Horst
Victoria Wallace, 2nd year MESM student representative
Sean Kerr, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
Kristine Duarte, Staff Consultant
 
PhD Program
Chris Costello, Chair
Bruce Kendall
Ashley Larsen
Vincent Thivierge, 3rd year PhD Student Representative
Casey O’Hara, 3rd year PhD Student Representative
Sean Kerr, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
Kristine Duarte, Staff Consultant
 
Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E) Program
Emily Cotter, Staff Coordinator
Sangwon Suh, Chair Sabbatical in W21
Darcy Bradley
Robert Heilmayr
Sean Kerr, Staff Consultant
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
 
Strategic Environmental Communication and Media (Comm) Program
Matt Potoski, Chair Sabbatical in W21
Scott Jasechko
Lisa Leombruni, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
Sean Kerr, Staff Consultant
 
Career Development and Alumni Relations Committee
Arturo Keller, Chair
Eric Masanet
Kristi Birney, Staff Coordinator
David Parker, Staff Consultant
Beth Pitton-August, Staff Consultant
 
Council of Legal Advisors
Jim Salzman, Chair
Beth Pitton-August, Staff Coordinator
 
Building/Space
Arturo Keller, Chair
John Melack Sabbatical in W21
Sage Davis, Staff Coordinator
Kim Fugate, Staff Consultant
Corina Aguiar, Staff Consultant

Specialization Advisors

Graduate Advisor
Satie Airamé
 
Coastal Marine Resources Management (CMRM):
Chris Costello (Class of 2021)
Hunter Lenihan (Class of 2022) 
 
Conservation Planning (CP): 
Frank Davis (Class of 2021)
Ashley Larsen (Class of 2022)
 
Corporate Environmental Management (CEM): 
Matt Potoski (Class of 2021) Sabbatical in W21
Eric Masanet (Class of 2022) 
 
Economics and Politics of the Environment (EPE): 
Mark Buntaine (Class of 2021)
Sarah Anderson (Class of 2022) 
 
Energy and Climate (EC):
Sangwon Suh (Class of 2021) Sabbatical in W21
Kyle Meng (Class of 2022) 
 
Pollution Prevention and Remediation (PPR): 
Patricia Holden (Class of 2021)
Roland Geyer (Class of 2022) 
 
Water Resources Management (WRM): 
Scott Jasechko (Class of 2021) 
Arturo Keller (Class of 2022)
 
Communication Focus Advisor: 
Lisa Leombruni
 
Eco-E Focus Advisor: 
Emily Cotter 
 
Economics and Environmental Science (EES) PhD Emphasis
Chris Costello, Faculty Advisor
 
Interdepartmental PhD Emphasis in Environment and Society
Kelly Caylor
 
Faculty Mentors
Arturo Keller/Eric Masanet (2nd year)
Kyle Meng/Tamma Carleton (1st year)
Naomi Tague/Allison Horst (1st year)

Student Committees

Bren Seminars
Simone Alburquerque, MESM Student Representative
Claudia Flores, MESM Student Representative
Alberto Garcia, PhD Student Representative
Liliana Sierra Castillo, PhD Student Representative
Aleah Van Woert, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant

PhD Dean's Advisory (PhD DAC)
Alice Lepissier, 4th year PhD Student Representative
Phoebe Racine, 3rd year PhD Student Representative
Steve Gaines, Dean
Kristine Duarte, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
David Parker, Staff Consultant

MESM Dean's Advisory (MESM DAC)
Monica Gordon, 2nd year MESM student representative 
Becca Reynolds, 2nd year MESM student representative 
Anthony Luna, 2nd year MESM student representative 
TBD, 1st year MESM student representative
TBD, 1st year MESM student representative
TBD, 1st year MESM student representative
Steve Gaines, Dean
Kristine Duarte, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
David Parker, Staff Consultant

MESM Class Chairs
Class of 2021: Alicia Fennell and Elliot Matthews
Class of 2022: TBD

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) Representative
Kaili Brande (PhD Student)

Bren School Graduate Student Association (GSA) Representatives
Mauricio Collado, 2nd year MESM student representative
Alexandria Wilkins, 2nd year MESM student representative
TBD, 1st year MESM student representative
TBD, 1st year MESM student representative
Satie Airamé, Staff Advisor

Ad Hoc Committees

Computing Committee
Steve Miley, Staff Coordinator
Eric Masanet, Chair
James Frew
Samantha Stevenson
 
H. William Kuni Project Committee
Hunter Lenihan, Chair
Tamma Carleton
Steve Gaines, Ex officio
Satie Airamé, Staff Coordinator
Lotus Vermeer, Staff Consultant
 
Sustainable Water Markets (SWM) Fellowship Program Committee
Bob Wilkinson, Chair
Jim Salzman
Steve Gaines, Ex officio
Lili Prahl, Staff Coordinator
 
Sustainable Forests Fellowship (FSF) Program Committee
Bruce Kendall, Chair
Robert Heilmayr
Naomi Tague
Kristine Duarte, Staff Coordinator
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant
 
Web Design Executive Committee
Melissa Van De Werfhorst, Chair
Lisa Leombruni
Steve Miley
Satie Airamé
 
Web Design Review Committee
Melissa Van De Werfhorst, Chair
Satie Airamé
Kristi Birney
Kristine Duarte
Brad Hill
Steve Miley
Signe Nicklas
David Parker
Rebecca Webb
Sophia Wilmore
Lisa Leombruni, Faculty Representative
Ben Halpern, Faculty Representative
Indigo Bannister, MESM Student Representative
 
Zurich Financial Services Distinguished Visitor Program Selection Committee
Bruce Kendall, Chair
Kyle Meng
Satie Airamé, Staff Consultant 
Sean Kerr, Staff Consultant 
Lotus Vermeer, Staff Consultant

Campus Committees

Central Fellowships Committee
Dave Tilman

Chancellor’s Sustainability Committee
Sangwon Suh
Hunter Lenihan

Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of Women
Sarah Anderson

Chancellor's Task Force on Childcare
Sarah Anderson

Program Review Panel (PRP) (meets Wed at 1-3)
Naomi Tague

AVC for Academic Personnel Search Committee
Bruce Kendall

Dangermond Chair Faculty Search Committee
Ben Halpern
Patricia Holden
John Melack

Faculty Salary Equity Committee
Chris Costello

Privilege and Tenure 
Matt Potoski

Academic Welfare and Awards
Hunter Lenihan

Committee on Information Technology, Academic Senate (meets Fri PM)
James Frew, Chair

Information Technology Council
James Frew, CIO

Faculty Steering Committee, Center for Information Technology and Society
James Frew

Campus Data Science Initiative Working Group
Kelly Caylor

Data Science Curriculum Committee
Kelly Caylor

Committee on International Education
Arturo Keller

Office of Research Space Committee
Kelly Caylor

National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
Ben Halpern, Director

NCEAS Campus Advisory Committee
Kelly Caylor

ERI Director
Kelly Caylor

UCSB Natural Reserve System (NRS)
Patricia Holden, Director

UC Natural Reserve System (NRS) University-wide Advisory Committee
Patricia Holden, Chair in Spring 2020

Natural Reserve System (NRS) Advisory Committee
Patricia Holden, Ex Officio
Frank Davis
John Melack
James Frew

Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve
John Melack, Faculty Advisor

ISBER Advisory Committee
Mark Buntaine

Institute for Energy Efficiency (IEE) Leadership Committee
Sangwon Suh

Marine Science Institute (MSI) Advisory Committee
Patricia Holden, Ex Officio
Ben Halpern

Scientific Diving Committee
Hunter Lenihan

Small Boat Operations Committee
Hunter Lenihan

VCR Building Committee (COAST Building)
Ben Halpern

North Campus Open Space (NCOS) Administrative Advisory Group
Kelly Caylor
Frank Davis

La Kretz Center
Frank Davis, Director

LTER Network Office 
Frank Davis, Executive Director

Advisory Council for the Center for Black Studies Research
James Frew

UC Academic Freedom Committee
Hunter Lenihan

UC Systemwide Committee on Academic Computing and Communications
James Frew

UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Application Review Committee
Ashley Larsen

UC Environmental Economics (EE) Committee
Chris Costello, Chair

UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) Steering Committee
Kelsey Jack