Bren Alumni Spotlight – Jefferson Litten, MESM 2012

Bren alumnus Jefferson Litten (MESM 2012) reflects on his career in local government, how Bren strengthened his analytical and communication skills, and his work advancing climate action, clean energy, electric vehicles, and building electrification for the City of Santa Barbara.

Why Do Wind and Solar Projects End Up Where They Do?

Four Bren School students turned a capstone project into a peer-reviewed study, revealing the key factors driving utility-scale wind and solar siting across the U.S. and informing future clean energy planning.

Bren Alumni Spotlight – Nicole Pepper, MEDS 2025

Nicole Pepper (MEDS 2025) turns satellite data into maps and visual stories at SkyTruth, helping regulators, journalists, and advocates uncover environmental threats worldwide and act to better protect the planet.

Satellites Collect the Data. Bren Alum Casey O'Hara Wants to Know What It's Worth to People.

UCSB researchers explore how Earth science information generates societal, environmental, and economic value, redefining how we measure the true impact of scientific data.

Bren Alumni Lead the Charge to Keep Tahoe Blue

Bren School alumni lead Keep Tahoe Blue environmental organization, applying UC Santa Barbara's interdisciplinary science education to protect Lake Tahoe through innovative conservation programs, policy advocacy, and sustainable recreation solutions.

Bren Alumna Jennifer DuBuisson Leads Fashion Industry Decarbonization Initiative at Levi Strauss & Co.

Bren alumna Jennifer DuBuisson leads Levi's LEAP initiative with Schneider Electric, transitioning 70 Indian garment suppliers to renewable energy, targeting 70% fashion industry emissions reduction through collaborative sustainability strategies.

Guillermo Escobar, MEDS 2023

Guillermo Escobar (MEDS 2023) is a Data Scientist at SIG-NAL, where he develops geospatial tools and AI-driven models to support wildfire mitigation, climate resilience, and sustainable land use.

Dana Jennings, MESM 2012

Dana Jennings (MESM 2012) is Associate Director of Net Zero Strategy at Anthesis Group, where she helps tech companies measure emissions, set climate goals, and build sustainability programs.

Colleen McCamy, MEDS 2023

Colleen McCamy (MEDS 2023) worked at Silicon Valley Clean Energy before (and during!) her time at Bren but transitioned to her Associate Data Scientist role after graduating and having a conversation about how she could contribute her new MEDS skills.

Allison Horst, PhD 2012

From engineer to environmental scientist, Allison Horst's creative approach to teaching data science to Bren students makes it fun and engaging.

A Career Transforming Sustainability: Q&A with Fahmida Bangert, MESM 2006

Fahmida Bangert, MESM '06, took a leap of faith to change careers in the early days of corporate sustainability, and now her thriving career has come full circle

Jamie Montgomery, MESM 2013

Jamie Montgomery forged new paths in data science, helping to build an open science community. She brought this experience when she returned to Bren as the MEDS program coordinator.

Taylor Heisley-Cook and David Mun, MESM 2019

For their Eco-E Project, three MESM students co-founded The Hurd Co., a company aimed at eliminating hemp waste in the creation of fabrics. UCSB Alumni interviews MESM 2019 grads Taylor Heisley-Cook and David Mun.

Matt Riley, MESM 2003

As Head of Grid-Scale Renewables at ENGIE North America, Matt reviews potential projects with a team that has learned to look at complex problems from many perspectives.

Mengya Tao, MESM 2014, PhD 2019

As a sustainability researcher at Amazon, Mengya Tao focuses on life cycle assessment and quantifying the environmental impact of products, from raw materials to disposal.

Sunny Sohrabian, MESM 2013

Sunny Sohrabian found her interest in corporate sustainability when she came to Bren. Now she leads efforts to reduce the operational footprint for a multinational corporation.