2021 Master's Project Final Presentations
The Master of Environmental Science and Management Class of 2021 presented 19 Master's Group Projects and Eco-Entrepreneurship Projects online on Friday, April 23, 2021. Master's student projects are the culmination of a year working in collaboration with a client partner or on a business plan which addresses an environmental problem. The event was open to everyone and presented online. Provided below are links to project summaries with deliverables in our archives, as well as presentation recordings on Vimeo.
Project Profiles and Recordings
Quantifying Climate-Related Natural Disaster and Water Risks at Raytheon Technologies Sites; Margaret Brickner, Derek Nguyen, Jordan Faires, Paul Rikhter
Evaluating the Climate Mitigation Potential of Natural and Working Lands in Santa Barbara County; Alicia Fennell, Gavi Keyles, Madeline Oliver, Minnie Ringland, Michael Wells
Local Clean Energy Vision for Southern California; Jordan Isken, Keene Morrow, Audrey Nolan, David Segan, Richard Viebrock
A Sustainable Agrifinance Solution? Lending to Reward Environmental Performance; Grace Brofman, Haley Grant, Becca Reynolds, Alexandria Wilkins, Janelle Christensen
Wildlife-Friendly Farming and Crop Resilience in Southern Costa Rica; Marie Bouffard, Cameryn Brock, Julia Dagum, Bret Folger, Lauren Manzo
Accounting for Reductions: The Carbon Footprint of a Zero Waste Grocery Store; Ruiheng Jin, Andrew Salvador, Kate Shoemaker, Shelby Walsh, Victoria Wallace
Reducing Agricultural Plastics’ Environmental Impacts; Lucas Empson, Garrett Eyer, Emma Friedl, Renata Massion, Bobby Miyashiro
Prioritizing Prescribed Fire to Protect Water Quality in the Central Sierra; Simone Albuquerque, Indigo Bannister, Allison Hacker, Jon Hart, Evan Heberlein
Analyzing Environmental and Social Impacts of Urban Forestry Practices in Tacoma, WA with PlanIT Geo™; Rachel Conway, Joanne Pham, Veronica Weber
Conservation of Yellow Pine Mixed Conifer Forests in Southern California National Forests; Hannah Garcia-Wickstrum, Leana Goetze, Anne-Marie Parkinson, Jennifer Truong
Wild Pig Management at the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve; Benson Truong, Shuhan Song, AJ Zekanoski, Peter Omasta
Combining Conservation and Community Empowerment to Protect Grauer’s Gorilla; Kelsie Fronheiser, Monica Gordon, Zoe Duerksen-Salm, Lizzy Schattle, Yani Pohl
Energy Savings from Moulton Niguel Water District Water Efficiency Programs; Pat Byrne, Claudia Flores, Jaleise Hall, Ruoyu Wang, Jakob Wilford-Bivin
Understanding Multiple Benefits of Floodplain Restoration from Flood Managed Aquifer Recharge in Madera County, California; Alex Ehrens, Annika Leiby, Alex Milward, Nicole Schmidt
Quota Baskets: Exploring Alternative Groupings for Fisheries Management; Mauricio Collado, Gabriel De La Rosa, Kat Leigh, Siya Qiu
Supporting Cooperation in Brazil’s Marine Extractive Reserves; Dylan Glave, Elliott Matthews, Peyton Moore, Ruben Sanchez Ramirez
A Framework for Designing Marine Protected Areas for Sharks and Rays in Mozambique; Anna Abelman, Courtney Krone, Vanessa Rathbone, Rachel Rhodes, Erin Ristig
Rubbish: Diverting Neglected Organic Waste from Landfills to Create Renewable Energy and High Quality Compost (Eco-Entrepreneurship); Allison Bailey, Anthony Luna, Kazia Mermel
Unicado: Protecting Kelp Forests Through Purple Sea Urchin Ranching and Urchin Food Products (Eco-Entrepreneurship); Wes Newbury, Waldo Felix, Max Diamond, Qusai Bhaijeewala
Master's Project Presentation Day: A Welcome by Dean Steve Gaines
I’m pleased to welcome you to the 24th annual Master’s Project Final Presentations. The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara continues to play a leading role in researching environmental issues, identifying and solving environmental problems, and training research scientists and environmental-management professionals.
The Master of Environmental Science and Management program offers a problem-solving, solution-oriented, multidisciplinary curriculum that blends training in the natural sciences, social sciences, law, and business. The capstone of the MESM program is either a Group Project or Eco-Entrepreneurship (Eco-E) Project.
Group Projects train students to work as a team while they conduct comprehensive analyses of current environmental issues containing both scientific and management challenges. Students partner with outside stakeholders as they define the scope of a real-world environmental problem and develop interdisciplinary solutions.
Eco-E Projects prepare students as entrepreneurs who can identify opportunities where market demands overlap environmental solutions. Students who complete an Eco-E Project develop a business model, build a prototype concept, and create a go-to-market strategy for a new environmental venture.
Over the course of a year, students work in teams with one or more faculty advisors who monitor progress, provide technical assistance and expertise, and evaluate the project. This hands-on experience prepares Bren graduates to be leaders in solving the environmental problems of the 21st century. The Bren School continues to be impressed by the depth of knowledge displayed by our students. Thank you for joining us for this fascinating day of presentations.
Thank you to our 2021 Master's Project Final Presentation Supporters
And thank you to the Bren School's Corporate and Institutional Partners:
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Catena Foundation, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, Eli Lilly, Grove Plating Company, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, Kingfisher Foundation, Lean Green Way, Moulton Niguel Water District, Rhodium Group, Tetiaroa Society, The Nature Conservancy, Toad and Co., Walton Family Foundation